Planning

"Young Master, during this time, I'll be your personal maid. If you need anything, just tell Qing Lin!" Qing Lin said softly, her head lowered.

Xiao Kun nodded lightly, rubbing Qing Lin's little head again as he smiled. "All right, then I'll be relying on you from now on. Where are my eldest and second brothers now?"

"Captain Xiao Ding and Captain Xiao Li should have just gotten up as well. Would you like me to prepare breakfast for you?" Qing Lin asked gently.

"Then I'll trouble you."

"It's what Qing Lin should do!" Qing Lin replied happily, seeming delighted that she could do something for Xiao Kun.

Watching Qing Lin's petite figure hurry away in quick little steps, Xiao Kun suddenly realized that having someone to look after him did not seem so bad.

In a cheerful mood, Xiao Kun went to see Xiao Ding and Xiao Li.

Before long, the three brothers were seated around a table laden with enough exquisite food for four people and more.

Xiao Kun stared at the spread, then suddenly turned to Qing Lin, who was standing obediently by the side waiting. Smiling, he said, "Qing Lin, sit down and eat with us too!"

At those words, not only was Qing Lin stunned, but surprise flashed through Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's eyes as well. They seemed unable to understand why Xiao Kun was treating Qing Lin so well that he was even asking her to eat at the same table.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had taken Qing Lin in out of pity. But because of her status and strength, they had only regarded her as an ordinary maid.

Xiao Kun was not doing this because he wanted to do anything to this fourteen-year-old girl.

It was because, with Qing Lin's terrifying talent, she could casually cultivate to the Dou Zun realm in the future.

If he could build a good relationship with her and bring her into the family for training, she would greatly strengthen the family's power in the future. As for anything else, that would be a matter for later.

Hearing this, Qing Lin remained stunned for quite a while before she declined with a trace of unease and joy. "No, Young Master Xiao Kun. It would be inappropriate for a maid like me to dine with you."

Seeing Qing Lin refuse, Xiao Kun said nothing more. Just as the others thought it had merely been an offhand remark from him—

A hint of disappointment could not help arising in Qing Lin's heart.

After a moment of silence, Xiao Kun directly reached out and grabbed Qing Lin's little hand. Amid her adorable cry of "Ah!", he pressed her into the seat beside him and said somewhat domineeringly, "If I say we eat together, then we eat together."

Qing Lin was stunned by Xiao Kun's actions and could only sit tensely in her seat, quietly saying nothing.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li could not make heads or tails of Xiao Kun's actions either, so they could only eat in silence.

No talking while eating, no talking while sleeping. The four of them spent breakfast in a quiet and strange atmosphere.

After the meal, while Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were enjoying this rare moment of leisure, Xiao Kun suddenly asked in a rather serious tone, "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, how do you plan to develop the mercenary group from here on?"

Hearing Xiao Kun's question, the two were taken aback and could not help pondering it.

After a long while, Xiao Ding finally said, "The Mo Iron Mercenary Group has just absorbed the Sand Mercenary Group. We still need time to digest it and smooth things over. So, for the near future, we only plan to develop and expand within Shimo City."

Xiao Kun nodded. "I think Shimo City's resources are too scarce, making it difficult to develop further. You've already reached your limit here.

The family, on the other hand, is in a period of rapid growth. Father happens to need the two of you as his support within the family. Why not bring some of the mercenary group's core members who are willing to go back with you?

Otherwise, with Eldest Brother and Second Brother's ability to manage an organization, staying in Shimo City is beneath your talents."

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's ability to manage organizations had already been fully demonstrated in the original story.

Xiao Li helped Xiao Yan manage Xiao Gate in the Black Corner Region, while Xiao Ding managed the Yan Alliance in the Jia Ma Empire alongside Medusa. Both forces developed quite well under their leadership.

Like Xiao Yan, Xiao Kun was not skilled at managing organizations.

Faced with Xiao Kun's suggestion, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li both revealed troubled expressions. After all, the Mo Iron Mercenary Group was a force they had painstakingly built over many years. Suddenly giving it up was something they could not bear to do.

However, considering that the family needed them, after thinking it over for a long time, the two exchanged a glance and slowly nodded.

Seeing that they had accepted his idea, Xiao Kun smiled. "I'll be staying here for at least another half year, so there's no need to rush. You can slowly select the right people, and then we'll return to the family together!"

Hearing that, the two also breathed a sigh of relief. With plenty of time, things would be much easier to handle.

Seeing Qing Lin standing behind him, seemingly lost in thought, Xiao Kun smiled and asked, "Qing Lin, are you willing to return to the family with us?"

"Yes, of course I am. I was just afraid that the young masters didn't want me anymore." Qing Lin hurriedly blurted out a string of words, her face full of anxious explanation.

"Don't worry. We'll definitely take you with us. Going to the family will be a good thing for you too. The people there aren't as hostile toward snake people, so you'll receive fewer strange looks." Xiao Kun explained.

"Mhm, mhm. Wherever Young Master goes, I'll go. I have no objections," Qing Lin replied obediently.

Afterward, the three brothers discussed a few more details.

Seeing that it was nearly noon, Xiao Kun said to Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, "It's getting late. Eldest Brother and Second Brother, you should hurry and attend to the group's affairs!"

"All right, then we'll be leaving first." After glancing at the sky, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li bade him farewell.

After sitting around for a while with nothing to do, Xiao Kun smiled at Qing Lin and said, "Show me around the mercenary group!"

"Mhm!" Qing Lin answered softly. She carefully stepped forward and began leading the way.

As Xiao Kun walked through the mercenary group with Qing Lin, every mercenary they encountered stopped and greeted Xiao Kun amiably. They had presumably already learned his identity.

But whenever their gazes swept over Qing Lin beside him, their expressions gradually turned cold, and disgust even flashed through some of their eyes.

Xiao Kun saw all of this, but there was nothing he could do. These mercenaries had fought snake people for years, and their hatred for them could be said to run deep in their bones.

As soon as they thought of the filthy blood of those snake people flowing through Qing Lin's body, it was only natural that they could not treat her well.

As Qing Lin endured wave after wave of disgusted gazes, her adorable little face—which should have been cherished by countless people—grew dim.

After a long while, when they passed through an empty corner, Xiao Kun sighed and slowly stopped. Turning his head toward Qing Lin, who had grown uneasy because of his sigh, he said gently:

"Qing Lin, remember this: live for yourself. Don't care too much about how others look at you."

After saying that, Xiao Kun rubbed Qing Lin's head and continued walking into the distance.

After hearing Xiao Kun's words, Qing Lin stood there blankly for a moment. An indescribable radiance appeared on her delicate, adorable face as she softly murmured, "Thank you, Young Master Xiao Kun..."

Then she jogged after the young man's retreating figure ahead.

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