Era of Magic and Martial Arts-Chapter 296 - 280: Prototype of Cooperation

Wang Xinfa spoke nonchalantly, but Hou Wendong listened carefully. Without a notebook or pen, he could only commit to memory every word of Mr. Wang’s instructions.

"...There is still significant resistance from the prison system. In short, you need to help Qian Huan smoothly take control of the Second Prison. He mentioned a new plan to me last night."

"The young man’s ideas are bold and ambitious. I’ll have Qian Huan explain the specifics to you later. In principle, I believe his plan has a certain feasibility, but for its implementation, there will inevitably be various obstacles. You must assist Qian Huan in managing and adjusting..."

Li Hanyu wiped her tears and timely interjected:

"Yes, Secretary Hou must lend a hand. Otherwise, with only Qian Huan, I’m really afraid, afraid he’ll follow in Qian Tong’s footsteps. He’s my only son left, boohoo..."

Wang Xinfa sighed deeply and patted Li Hanyu’s shoulder:

"Don’t worry, Secretary Hou will keep a close eye on things for us. The prison system has already received warnings from the Executive Government. At least, Qian Huan’s safety is assured."

Hou Wendong watched the scene before him, with suspicions growing. He didn’t know many people well, but he knew Mr. Wang inside out.

"When did Li Hanyu get so close to the Member of Parliament?" Hou Wendong pondered.

Hou Wendong discreetly withdrew his gaze, quietly raising Li Hanyu’s "rank" in his mind. Meanwhile, he recalled information about her.

He had previously dealt extensively with Celestial Light Capital, mainly interacting with Qian Tong, and had limited dealings with Li Hanyu. However, he was always meticulous and had privately had her background investigated.

Hou Wendong remembered that Li Hanyu was the second-largest shareholder of Celestial Light Capital, jointly holding the majority of the company’s shares with Qian Tong.

Their relationship entailed both a bond between sister-in-law and brother-in-law, intertwined with sibling-like affection. These familial ties were complex, not easily unraveled.

Moreover, Qian Huan was Li Hanyu’s son, and as for his father, officially it should be, but in reality...

A knock on the door interrupted Hou Wendong’s thoughts.

Speak of Qian Huan, and he arrives.

Clad in a black suit, a white flower pinned to his chest, he entered the room with a somber face.

After greeting his mother and Mr. Wang, he walked over to Hou Wendong’s bedside, offering a polite greeting:

"It’s a relief that Secretary Hou escaped danger."

Hou Wendong had met Qian Huan a few times and responded to his greeting with a polite smile: "Thank you for your concern. I deeply mourn your uncle’s passing. Please accept my condolences."

For some reason, Hou Wendong felt particularly averse to the words "condolence" at the moment. As soon as he uttered them, he felt uneasy.

He took a deep breath, trying to quell the inexplicable irritation in his heart.

His gaze involuntarily shifted from Qian Huan to the two figures standing straight by the door.

One had a cold demeanor, whose very glance gave a spooky feeling as if one’s entire skeleton were being X-rayed;

The other bore a gentle expression, his eyes dark and calm, exuding a sense of comfort and closeness.

When Hou Wendong’s sight turned their way, Feng Mu sensed it, merely casting a slight glance, exchanging a look with Hou Wendong.

No words were exchanged; the interaction was brief and ordinary.

"Does Prison Director Qian now need bodyguards while traveling? Qian Huan’s situation seems far more dangerous than Mr. Wang described. Hmm, it appears Qian Tong’s death might not have been an accident either."

Hou Wendong gently withdrew his gaze, maintaining an outward calm while his mind raced. As a professional secretary, he understood the subtleties; since Mr. Wang didn’t elaborate, he wouldn’t pry further.

Of course, whether a quiet investigation should be carried out in private was another matter, requiring careful analysis and judgment based on circumstances.

The key to surviving long as a secretary is to publicly know as little as possible about a leader’s secrets, but privately knowing a bit more than they think you do.

Otherwise, why is it that in so many films and shows, we see subordinates being caught with incriminating black ledgers on their crimes?

Is it that they’re collectively foolish or lacking intelligence? Quite the opposite, they are too smart.

The world of adults doesn’t dive straight to the point; it starts with pretenses and pleasantries.

While Qian Huan and Hou Wendong took the opportunity to strengthen emotional ties, Wang Xinfa and Li Hanyu tactfully left the ward, escorting the female nurse out too.

The upcoming conversation was unsuitable for the nurse’s ears.

The ward door closed, and silence reigned inside.

Qian Huan slowly sat in a chair, organized his thoughts, and began speaking:

"Secretary Hou, the resistance to the share reform of the Second Prison is substantial. I developed a more effective revenue-generating plan, intending to bypass the prison system to secure the Executive Government’s support."

He paused briefly, adjusted his thoughts, and continued:

"The plan divides into two parts: inside and outside the prison. Inside, I can manage myself, but outside, it’s beyond my abilities—I need you, Secretary Hou, to take charge..."

Hou Wendong maintained a focused listening posture, politely interrupting out of curiosity: "So, Prison Director Qian, what exactly is your plan?"

Qian Huan straightened his posture, took a deep breath, and answered: "I call this plan the—[Octagonal Cage Beast Fighting Arena], and it goes like this..."

The traditional workplace skill is that the subordinate’s plan becomes the leader’s plan.

All work outcomes produced by a subordinate during work hours and in the workplace legally belong entirely to the leader, without fault.

This is also why today Qian Huan brought Feng Mu to the hospital instead of Wang Cong.

Once, Wang Cong intended to treat Feng Mu in such a manner, and now, Qian Huan deals with Wang Cong similarly, forming an unspoken understanding and cycle between them.

In the workplace, everyone plays similar roles, except Feng Mu who is uniquely willing to support them selflessly.

Inside the door, a quiet confidential conversation was underway.

Outside, Shi Wuming and Feng Mu stood silently opposite each other, like statues in a freeze-framed scene.

Shi Wuming’s eyelids hung slightly, his crystal-clear, untainted eyes reflecting the stark, pale silhouette of Feng Mu.

Feng Mu stood with a gentle demeanor, breaking the silence with a courteous and startling question for Shi Wuming:

"The night before last, I met an intriguing friend on my way home. We had a delightful conversation. He eagerly shared knowledge about augmented bodies, which I found very enlightening. When parting, he gifted me something special. By the way, his name is Cheng Gao, do you know him?"