Chapter 394: Chapter 394: The Little Girl Stays Behind
"What does a little girl like her know?" Feng Ye said with a laugh.
Jim Thorne retorted indignantly, "My little sister is like a fairy descended from the heavens! She’s super smart and knows a lot of things."
Feng Ye and Aston Marsh both laughed, not taking the child’s words to heart. There were no fairies in this world, of course, but it was true that the chubby little girl was very likable.
Jim Thorne wasn’t convinced and wanted to give more examples, but Tang Xiaonan tugged on his clothes, telling him to stop. ’There’s no good in broadcasting things like this, and besides, I’m not really a fairy from the heavens.’
"You’ve gone to a lot of trouble to say all this. Alright, come with me. I just got a new shipment of Dacron, and some radios from Hong Kong!"
Feng Ye got up, clasped his hands behind his back, and gestured for Adrian Hawthorne to follow him.
He had navigated the criminal underworld for decades and had a sharp eye. He could tell Adrian Hawthorne was no small fry and that his claim of being able to take over the southeastern market was likely not just empty boasting. Most importantly, he quite liked the kid’s disposition, and that chubby little girl had also caught his fancy.
Adrian Hawthorne was overjoyed and immediately followed. Aston Marsh gave him a thumbs-up but didn’t go with them; he knew the rules.
"I’m off to take care of some things. See you at the guesthouse."
Aston Marsh left to handle his business. He had his own proper matters to attend to here. He also needed to go to the department store to buy some sample towels to see if he could save his half-dead factory.
Feng Ye led them through several alleyways to an old, Western-style house. In the courtyard, a few young men were chatting. They were dressed fashionably, with aviator sunglasses hanging on their plaid shirts—the most popular look from Hong Kong at the time. There were also bell-bottoms, though these men weren’t wearing them.
"Ace, take them to the warehouse to pick out their goods. Give them the regular client price."
Feng Ye called over a young man in his twenties. He was dark-skinned, small, and skinny, but full of energy. Ace glanced at Tang Xiaonan and the others, feeling a little puzzled. ’I’ve never seen anyone bring their whole family along to pick up merchandise.’
"Right!"
Ace didn’t ask any questions. He waved at Goldie Thorne. "This way!"
He thought Goldie Thorne was the one in charge.
Feng Ye added, "From now on, just come find Ace directly."
"Okay."
Adrian Hawthorne suppressed his joy. ’I’ve finally secured this connection with Feng Ye. Now I can really make my move.’
"Leave the little girl here. I’ll have her sent to the guesthouse later," Feng Ye said, pointing at Tang Xiaonan.
Goldie Thorne and his nephew immediately tensed up. Tang Xiaonan also felt a bit uneasy, but she wasn’t too scared. She could sense that Feng Ye wasn’t a bad person—though not exactly a good one, either. He was a man of the underworld who followed his own rules. ’He probably wouldn’t make things difficult for a little girl like me, right?’
"Xiaonan is still young and can be noisy. It’s better if we don’t bother you," Goldie Thorne said with an apologetic smile. He didn’t dare leave his niece behind. This Feng Ye seemed unpredictable, and what if he didn’t give her back?
Feng Ye gave a half-smile. "Are you afraid I’m going to eat this little girl or something?"
"N-No... that’s not it."
Goldie Thorne was so scared he started to stammer, his forehead covered in sweat. He said fawningly, "How about I stay behind and keep you company?"
Feng Ye shot him a disdainful look, his meaning perfectly clear. Goldie Thorne’s face fell. ’What am I going to do?’
’It’s not always a good thing when your niece is so likable. Every time we go out, I have to worry about someone snatching her away. Sigh!’
"Uncle, I’ll stay with the gentleman. You and Mr. Hawthorne can go get the goods," Tang Xiaonan said, taking the initiative.
She sensed no malice from Feng Ye. ’Maybe he really just wants to play with me.’
A smile appeared on Feng Ye’s face. He beckoned to Tang Xiaonan like he was calling a puppy. Tang Xiaonan obediently walked over. Feng Ye picked her up and sat her on his lap, then waved at Adrian Hawthorne and the others. "Go on!"
