Chapter 514: The Love-Hate Relationship Between the Livestock and Plant Kingdoms

"Yao Ji, we've met before," Mu Qing introduced.

"Oh, I don't remember," Lin Fan said honestly. With his wife present, he saw no need to pretend. If acknowledging an acquaintance would make his wife uncomfortable, he'd rather avoid it.

Mu Qing seemed to show no reaction, but inwardly, she was pleased. Perhaps this was a common trait among women.

Old Zhang pondered, "I feel like I've seen her too, but I can't quite place it. Ah, well, it doesn't matter. Knowing her or not makes no difference to me."

The evil rooster, ridden by the ginseng, felt a pang of helplessness. Such fickle humans! He remembered them, but they'd forgotten him. Not that it mattered much to him either way. He was just an undercover agent, patiently waiting for his comrades to return. Though, he was starting to lose hope. Even so, he knew he had to maintain his resolve.

"Wife, let's go," Lin Fan said.

He planned to take Mu Qing to the grassy area beneath the Cross-River Bridge, a peaceful spot where he could catch fish for her. A fulfilling day often consisted of such simple pleasures.

Mu Qing glanced at Yao Ji, who looked expectant. After a moment's thought, she pulled Lin Fan towards the attic stairs. "Come with me for a moment." The room she'd booked had a small attic with another bed, though the low ceiling made it feel cramped.

Lin Fan, puzzled, followed her upstairs.

Once in the attic, Mu Qing wanted to be straightforward, but hesitated. It might make Lin Fan feel used, and that wouldn't be fair to him.

"Wife, what's up?" Lin Fan asked.

As if mustering her courage, Mu Qing embraced Lin Fan's arm, burying it between her breasts. Her voice was soft, almost coquettish.

"Husband, could you do me a favor?"

Saying "husband" made her blush. It took considerable effort to utter the word. She felt incredibly shy, her heart pounding. Letting Lin Fan hold her this way felt like she was using her feminine charms, much like women who snuggle up to their boyfriends or husbands, rubbing against them, and whispering sweetly to get what they want.

Most men found this hard to resist.

If it were any other woman, Lin Fan wouldn't feel a thing. He'd probably push her away, explaining that it would cause trouble with his wife. But with his own wife acting so affectionately, he felt bashful.

"Of course," Lin Fan replied, a wide smile on his face, his heart fluttering. "Tell me, what is it?"

Mu Qing explained Yao Ji's situation, carefully observing Lin Fan's expression. He seemed genuinely interested, listening intently as if afraid to miss a single detail.

When she finished, she swayed his arm gently. "Husband, can you?"

This, she felt, was the best approach. It wouldn't make him uncomfortable and would be difficult for him to refuse.

"Kiss me," Lin Fan said happily. He would never refuse his wife's request. He would even pluck the stars from the sky for her.

Mu Qing, thinking that they had already shared a bed, saw no harm in a kiss. She stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek.

"One more."

"Another one."

After dozens of kisses, Mu Qing felt like the skin on her lips was raw.

"Alright," Lin Fan finally said, "let's go help her."

Outside, Yao Ji waited anxiously. She didn't know what their decision would be. If they refused, she wouldn't know what to do or who to turn to. She might have to confront the situation herself, even if it meant certain death. It was her long-lost sister, after all.

Just as her anxiety peaked, they emerged from the attic. Mu Qing nodded reassuringly.

Relief washed over Yao Ji, her face flushed with excitement. There was hope. Others might have failed, but Lin Fan would surely succeed.

Then she noticed Mu Qing's unusually red lips. A sudden, inappropriate image flashed through her mind – Mu Qing using her mouth to… She blushed at the thought. Looking at Lin Fan, she realized that this seemingly ordinary man had surprisingly demanding needs. Men, she thought, always had such simple and straightforward conditions for helping others, even close acquaintances.

"Thank you," Yao Ji said to Mu Qing. "Are your lips alright?"

"They're fine," Mu Qing smiled.

"Do you need to rinse your mouth?"

Mu Qing looked puzzled, unsure what Yao Ji meant. After a moment, she still couldn't figure it out. "No, I don't."

Yao Ji smiled to herself. Mu Qing must truly love Lin Fan to not mind the taste.

Inside the car, Lin Fan asked, "What day is it today?"

"Wednesday," Mu Qing replied.

"Oh well, I wanted to bring Xiao Bao along," Lin Fan said. He truly adored the child and wanted to take him on an outing if it were a weekend. But on a Wednesday, Xiao Bao would be in school. Skipping classes wasn't a good habit.

"Xiao Bao needs to study," Old Zhang added.

"Right," Lin Fan agreed.

Yao Ji, sitting next to Old Zhang, could only think of her sister. The man she'd met had told her to bring Lin Fan to a designated location, where he would be waiting.

An hour later, they arrived at a deserted building on the outskirts of town. The car pulled through the gate and parked inside.

Yao Ji quickly jumped out and shouted towards the seemingly empty building, "I'm here! He's here too! Come out and tell me where my sister is!"

A whooshing sound cut through the air. He Mu, perched atop the building, leaped down, landing gracefully. "I've been waiting for you," he said with a smile.

"It's you," Lin Fan recognized him as the man he and Old Zhang had rescued.

Old Zhang beamed. "I knew I'd succeeded! Seeing you alive and well makes me so happy."

"Thank you," He Mu said. He had a good impression of Lin Fan and Old Zhang. As a Shadow Society assassin, he was usually aloof and friendless, but Lin Fan felt different – kind and powerful.

"That hotel was quite nice," He Mu continued. "I bought a suit with the money you gave me. It fits perfectly. Consider it a gift from you. I'll repay you someday."

"The one you're wearing?" Lin Fan wasn't sure what he meant, but understood that He Mu wanted a compliment. "It looks really good on you," he said.

If He Mu knew the hotel wasn't booked by Lin Fan, nor was the money from him, he might have wanted to die. But it wasn't a total loss; that was the going rate for… certain services these days.

"Yes," He Mu replied.

"Where's my sister?" Yao Ji asked impatiently.

He Mu put on his sunglasses and gestured towards the car. "Get in. I'll drive. Old Zhang, sit next to me."

As the ginseng and the rooster were about to get in, He Mu opened the trunk and beckoned them. "Please."

The evil rooster and the ginseng exchanged glances, then looked at He Mu as if to say, "What the hell do you mean?"

Lin Fan sat between Mu Qing and Yao Ji in the backseat.

In the driver's seat, He Mu gripped the steering wheel, adjusted his sunglasses, and smirked. "Everyone hold on tight. My side hustle is race car driving. Three-time champion at Xia Du's Panlong Mountain."

He slammed the accelerator. The car roared, the rear wheels kicking up dust as it fishtailed. Mu Qing and Yao Ji, unable to keep their balance, were thrown against Lin Fan.

He Mu glanced at the rearview mirror, a smile playing on his lips. This was his first act of repayment – a thrilling ride they wouldn't soon forget.

In the trunk, the evil rooster and ginseng were tossed around like rag dolls, their brains practically rattling inside their skulls.

"Stop the car! Stop the car for Master Ginseng!" the ginseng shrieked.

The evil rooster also squawked, but even in this chaotic state, he didn't forget his obsession with the ginseng's essence. Seeing the ginseng's mouth open in protest, spraying saliva, the rooster lunged forward, greedily lapping it up. Pure nourishment! Not a drop to be wasted.

The ginseng, assaulted by the rooster, widened its eyes and wailed, its tendrils flailing against the rooster's face. But the rooster, like a drug addict, refused to let go.

This bizarre scene went unseen. A loss for both the livestock and plant kingdoms. A research scholar witnessing this would surely gasp, then dedicate their life to publishing a book: The Love-Hate Relationship Between Livestock and Plants!!!

After what felt like an eternity, the car slowed and finally stopped. They had reached their destination. From here, they would proceed on foot, careful to avoid detection.