He went home early in the afternoon to drop off the pig feed, then spent the rest of the day on market research and purchasing supplies. It wasn't until dusk that a weary Su Jin finally returned home.

After a shower and a change of clothes, he knocked on the door of Fu Qingdai's home.

Fu Hu opened the door. The moment he saw Su Jin, a broad smile spread across his face as he gestured for him to enter.

"Li Director, please, come in! Have you eaten? Perfect timing, we just finished cooking."

Su Jin smiled. "Old Fu, you really shouldn't have."

....

After a satisfying meal and a few drinks, the two men were sitting on the sofa.

Su Jin was picking his teeth as Zhang Wan brought over two cups of hot tea before turning to busy herself in the kitchen again.

Fu Qingdai had already gone to her room to do her homework.

After drinking half his tea, Su Jin adjusted his posture and looked at Fu Hu. "Old Fu, I asked about that job for you."

"Oh?" Fu Hu leaned forward slightly, craning his neck toward Su Jin.

After a moment of deliberation, Su Jin cleared his throat, took another sip of tea, and said, "This matter of yours... it's a bit more complicated than I expected."

"This..."

"Hey, don't get anxious," Su Jin said, raising a hand to stop him. "When I say it's complicated, I mean for you. For me, it's a trivial matter."

"Ah..." Fu Hu's body relaxed, and he continued to listen intently.

"The thing is, there are indeed vacancies at the Bureau. But as you know, good positions don't stay open for long, and it's the same at our National Key Risk Intervention Bureau. Right now, I'm in the running for Deputy Director, which means I can't personally handle this for you out in the open. So, for this job, I'll need your cooperation. It might just cost you a little something..."

In the kitchen, Zhang Wan, who was washing dishes, suddenly pricked up her ears, her body leaning back slightly.

"Li Director, just tell me. How can I cooperate?" Fu Hu asked immediately.

"The Director of our National Key Risk Intervention Bureau is named Zhang Zhao, and he has a son. The kid's not young anymore, older than your daughter, and he likes to play with knives and guns. My own subordinates are being watched, and the Director is surrounded by my rivals, so I plan to use his son as a breakthrough. I can take care of your matter through him at the same time, securing your position in advance."

"I've met the kid once. I know he's into archery, but his father never dared let him play with them before. Now that the boy's older, his heart has grown wilder. It's the perfect time for him to be brandishing weapons!"

"I need you to get me three powerful bows: compound bows of fifty, seventy, and ninety pounds. For each bow, get as many arrows as you can—the kind with the best penetration, for hunting. Also, get whatever archery aids you can find, like laser sights, rapid-fire devices, and so on. But remember, buy each type of bow in a different color, and do the same for the arrows."

"This—this—this!" Fu Hu was startled after hearing all this. "Three bows, all with arrows, and the highest penetration ones at that? Are we going to war with someone? Besides, I can't even draw a ninety-pound bow anymore. Is this really necessary, Li Director?"

"Tsk, honestly..." Su Jin tilted his head to the side and quickly straightened it. "Old Fu, this is what I'm talking about. You may be older than me, but you're way behind when it comes to these things."

"Of course I'm not going to give him all of it. After you buy them, don't I have to pick and choose? You don't usually pay much attention to the kid, and now you're not paying attention to getting a job either. Do you think giving a gift is that simple?"

"Why do you think I told you to buy different colors, and so many? I can't possibly go out and buy bows and arrows myself. You make 'saturation preparations,' and after you buy them, I'll mix and match. This is all psychology, I'm telling you... Just keep the receipts. After I've made my selection, you return the rest. Job done."

In the kitchen, Zhang Wan's expression softened, and she stood up straight again.

"Ah... Hiss... Ah... Psychology. I'm really learning a lot from you, Director!" Fu Hu exclaimed, his face full of amazement.

Taking a sip of tea, Su Jin continued, "I'm done talking about your business. Now, let's talk about mine. The Director's son is a good connection, and your matter will be easy to handle, but I haven't been back in the country for long. The situation isn't entirely clear to me. I'm only seventy percent confident. The other thirty percent depends on you."

Fu Hu's expression gradually grew solemn.

Although he had been a soldier, he was just an ordinary one. Now, he was just a common citizen. To be caught up in a power struggle—it was impossible not to be worried.

"Don't be nervous. Your task is actually very simple. Every time I go on an overseas mission, I leave behind two trusted confidants and set up multiple secret communication channels in advance. I need you to go to the solar power accessories store in Erdao Bay and buy me a Solar Panel, a Battery, a Controller, and an Inverter."

"Once you buy the items, my subordinates will know soon enough. They'll understand my intentions and the situation. Leave the rest to me, and you just wait peacefully for your new post!"

"A Solar Panel? How much will that cost, Director?" Fu Hu, who had just picked up his teacup, quickly put it down again.

After a moment's thought, Su Jin said, "When you get there, someone will have the whole set ready for you. It'll be about fourteen thousand in total."

"Fourteen thousand!" Fu Hu's eyes went wide. "That's too much, Director! And we still have to buy the bows and arrows. My family doesn't have that much..."

"What's the rush! Once you've bought your things, keep the receipts. In a couple of days, you'll return them just the same. Those items are just a signal to my people. Not a single thing can be off. Don't ask about the specifics," Su Jin said, tapping the table, feeling rather helpless himself.

Search tinyurl.com/2p9emv8w for the original.

He had looked into solar energy this afternoon... The photovoltaic industry in this world wasn't very developed. It was outrageously expensive.

But he had already made arrangements for the return, so he figured Fu Hu wouldn't refuse.

"Alright!"

Sure enough, Fu Hu set his teacup down with a thud and said directly, "So, Director, when would be a good time to buy them?"

"Tomorrow. No later than the day after tomorrow. You must buy everything. Just this one last push, and then you can relax, and I can relax."

"I understand. I'll take a day off tomorrow and get it all done for you."

Su Jin smiled and patted him on the arm.

"Don't be nervous, Old Fu. It's all a matter of course... We've talked enough. I should go check on Qingdai."

"Yes, yes, of course. Thank you for your trouble, Li Director." Fu Hu quickly stood up and accompanied Su Jin to Fu Qingdai's door.

He opened the door to find Fu Qingdai, dressed in a simple white nightgown, sitting at her desk, idly scribbling in a workbook. Her slender, pale legs, like lotus roots, swung back and forth.

When she saw her father appear with Su Jin, her gaze flickered over him helplessly before she immediately looked down.

"Qingdai, listen carefully to your Uncle Li's lesson! Take it to heart, you hear!" Fu Hu instructed before pulling the door shut.

The moment the door closed, Fu Qingdai rose gracefully and sat obediently on the edge of her bed.

Su Jin surveyed the young woman's bedroom. It was filled with various small dolls, and a faint fragrance hung in the air.

He then strode forward, sat down in the chair, and faced Fu Qingdai, whispering, "Is this room soundproofed enough?"

"Mmm... If we keep our voices down, they won't hear," Fu Qingdai replied softly.

"Where's the money? How much did you steal today? Give it to me." Su Jin held out his hand.

Fu Qingdai fumbled under the mattress for a moment before pulling out a handful of small bills and placing them in his palm.

When Su Jin took a closer look, his expression soured completely