Inside the Spirit Hall, in Ma Xiunuo's office, Ma Xiunuo was irritably reviewing documents.
Suddenly, he threw down his pen and stood up in frustration.
The afternoon before last, Si Si had returned and reported that she had successfully persuaded Su Yuntao, but since then, Si Si had not entered his office again.
Two days without getting intimate with Si Si, he always felt an emptiness in his heart.
He walked out of the office and called to Si Si, who was handling business in the first-floor hall: "Si Si, come up here for a moment."
Ma Xiunuo's face showed no expression, neither joy nor sorrow, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking. After saying that, he went back inside.
Beside him, Su Yuntao's forehead veins bulged, and anger surged up again.
Si Si quickly gave him a reassuring look and softly said to Su Yuntao: "I'll take a look and come right back down."
Since that day, she had quietly moved into Su Yuntao's house, and no one had noticed.
After Ma Xiunuo waited for Si Si to come in, he immediately stood up, about to make a move.
Si Si quickly pushed him away and complained, "I came at that time."
"That time?" Ma Xiunuo was stunned for a moment, then realized and frowned: "The date isn't right."
Si Si rolled her eyes at him. "I've been a bit tired from work lately, so it came a few days early."
Ma Xiunuo had no choice but to give up. He sat back down dejectedly.
"Darling, tomorrow is the election. Have you made all the arrangements?" Si Si asked.
Ma Xiunuo nodded: "Don't worry, tomorrow I will strongly recommend you as the new Hall Master. No one will oppose it."
"Love you." Si Si threw him a flirtatious glance.
"By the way, the envoy will arrive in Notting City this afternoon. You and that kid Su Yuntao go pick them up and arrange for them to stay at the Notting Grand Hotel," Ma Xiunuo said.
Si Si was the flower of the Spirit Hall, and Su Yuntao was the most sunny and handsome among the young people, so Ma Xiunuo had no choice but to let these two go to receive the guest.
"Okay, don't worry. Then I'll go handle things."
"Mm, go ahead."
After Si Si left, only then did excitement appear in his eyes.
Tomorrow, he would become the Hall Master of the Notting City branch; this was his lifelong dream. After so many years, the dream was finally about to come true.
And he would also recommend Si Si to become the new Grand Deacon. After all, Si Si had accompanied him for several months, and in the future, he still wanted to be with Si Si.
As for Su Yuntao, keeping him in the Spirit Hall would only be an eyesore. At that time, he would exercise the Hall Master's authority and force Su Yuntao into early retirement.
Outside the office window, a small black bird was perched. Its dull eyes rotated once.
...
"The good show is finally about to begin." Jiang Chen raised his head and stretched lazily.
"Jiang Chen, are you bullying me? Hurry up and sweep—this huge garden, I'm almost done sweeping it already." Xiao Wu stood with her hands on her hips, shouting discontentedly.
"Right away, right away. You go rest, leave the rest to me." Jiang Chen quickly waved his hand to shoo Xiao Wu away.
Tang San had been gone for several days and still hadn't returned. The work originally meant for three people now fell to him and Xiao Wu.
Only then did Xiao Wu show a smile. "Then you sweep slowly. I'll go back to rest first."
Jiang Chen waved again. "Go, go."
A moment later, he froze. Xiao Wu had only swept a tiny portion, far from "almost done", and with one sentence, she had tricked him...
After finishing sweeping the floor, he went to the small grove to cultivate. Not long after, Jing Wuming appeared in a flash.
"Young Master, the things you wanted are ready. Is this for Ma Xiunuo?" Jing Wuming asked.
Jiang Chen waved his hand. "You'll understand when the time comes. When it happens, he will definitely wish he were dead. Heh heh..."
Hearing Jiang Chen's laughter, Jing Wuming suddenly felt a chill run down his spine and inexplicably thought that Ma Xiunuo was a bit pitiful.
...
Time passed quickly. Early morning, the entire Spirit Hall became lively because today was the day the superior envoy would arrive.
The floors, doors, windows, and walls of the Spirit Hall had all been wiped until they shone. Ma Xiunuo, along with a group of deacons, had already been waiting at the main gate since early.
The superior envoy was staying at the Notting Grand Hotel. At this moment, Su Yuntao and Si Si had gone to pick them up.
"I heard the envoy this time is a great beauty," someone whispered.
"Really? How do you know?" Everyone's eyes lit up.
"Yesterday, Su Yuntao and Si Si went to receive them. After they came back, they were still talking about the envoy lord. I overheard it by accident."
"Oh? Is she prettier than Si Si?" a short young man asked.
"Much prettier than Si Si. That figure, that face, tsk tsk..."
"Tch, you talk as if you've seen her."
Just as they were discussing, a carriage slowly arrived at the Spirit Hall gate. Su Yuntao and Si Si walked in front. After the carriage stopped, Su Yuntao quickly pulled open the curtain.
"Lord Envoy, we have arrived."
Amid everyone's anticipation, a full, lustrous jade leg stretched out, instantly drawing all eyes.
Ma Xiunuo couldn't help swallowing hard.
Then, a woman who appeared to be in her thirties stepped out.
She wore a skirt that reached her knees, revealing fair jade feet. Her upper body was clad in the Spirit Hall's standard uniform, cinched tightly at the waist to a graspable size. Further up, her curves were exaggerated to the point that the eyes of the many male deacons in the Spirit Hall nearly popped out.
This figure was explosively more voluptuous than the already mature Si Si by more than one level.
And her face was not something Si Si could compare to at all—exquisite features, a round face, golden long hair neatly pinned up, and she even wore red-framed glasses. An aura of maturity, nobility, and intellect naturally emanated from her, causing everyone to hold their breath at once.
"So beautiful!" Everyone exclaimed in unison.
Ma Xiunuo was practically drooling.
"Master Ma Xiunuo, the envoy has arrived," Si Si reminded him.
"Oh, yes. Greetings, Lord Envoy. I am Ma Xiunuo, Grand Deacon of the Notting City Spirit Hall branch." Ma Xiunuo immediately put on a fawning smile.
The woman gave a light nod. She was not surprised by everyone's reaction, as if she were already accustomed to it.
"I am the Grand Deacon from the sub-temple. My surname is Zhou. You may address me as Deacon Zhou."
"Deacon Zhou, we have been waiting for a long time. Please come in." Ma Xiunuo hurriedly led the way ahead.
The woman was swift and decisive, having Ma Xiunuo take her to the conference hall.
At the oval long table, everyone sat down.
The woman swept her gaze across the room. An invisible aura of superiority spread out, causing everyone to snap to attention, no longer daring to let their eyes wander.
"I have many official duties. After handling your matters this morning, I will leave. Let's begin now."
The election process was very simple, just each person casting one vote.
The woman raised her head and adjusted her glasses frame.
"Now, begin voting."
Ma Xiunuo and Si Si immediately showed smiles. This moment had finally arrived.