Will the kemonomimi encounter Alien Ranch Story?

"Why are there so few people?" And they all look somewhat familiar, like the three burly men in suits and tuxedos sitting by the piano who look like thugs. "Sir, who are you ambushing this time?"

"Hey, let's not talk about that." Swire's face turned red instantly, and it took a while for it to subside. If word got out that she had been stood up on a blind date, she would be completely socially dead.

"There are fewer people because I booked the whole restaurant. No, wait, this is my family's place. This saves me some money. I also brought everyone along to broaden their horizons. I've been busy with that big smuggling case the other day, and it's finally closed and handed over to headquarters today." Is it cute that he's always inexplicably stingy in places where he doesn't need to be?

"No wonder." No wonder you see several burly guys like thugs in such upscale places. Although they are dressed in a respectable manner according to social etiquette, you can still sense their embarrassment and awkwardness.

"You look beautiful in this outfit; it suits you very well." After sitting down, Old Xia politely complimented him, and it wasn't just a simple polite remark.

Because Swire was indeed dressed very beautifully today, wearing a black coat, a bright red cheongsam skirt, revealing a pair of shapely and toned thighs wrapped in black stockings, with a strip of fair skin about an inch between the short skirt hem and the stockings.

Black and white, red and black, are both extremely solemn and striking contrasting colors, with a captivating effect. The black lacquered and gold-painted folding fan in hand and the jade pendant on her chest add a touch of classical elegance and gentleness. On her fair wrists, which are weathered by the elements, are inexpensive crystal bracelets with a very girlish feel, creating a very interesting and endearing contrast.

"Ah, this was given to me by that pink-faced dragon. I thought she was a nice person, but I didn't expect that she won it from a ring toss stall at the temple fair. Everyone in the Imperial Guard has one."

"But you didn't lose it, did you?" Old Xia said with a smile, "Although it was just something you won back, something you didn't know how to deal with..."

“Well, I receive a ton of gifts every year, no matter how expensive they are, but…” Swire looked at the bracelet on her wrist with a hint of emotion, “but I haven’t received a single one that was purely a gift to me.”

Those who gave gifts were not giving them to Swire, but to her father and grandfather; and they were not giving them for her, but for the Swire Group.

"That's perfect, I also have a gift, not for anyone else." Old Xia smiled and pulled out a plain paper box, which couldn't be more simple, and pushed it over.

"Hmm? What could it be? Let me guess, a small toy? A music box? Or... something to eat?"

The little tiger curiously picked up the cardboard box, feeling that it wasn't heavy, and judging from the packaging, it probably wasn't anything valuable. Based on Lao Xia's emotional intelligence and the size of the box, it began to guess.

"None of them..."

"Why don't you open it and take a look?"

"Then I really opened it. It's not some kind of prank, is it?" Swire looked at Old Xia suspiciously. Her group of subordinates had actually done something like this before. When they opened the box, a lump of cake would bounce up and smear it on her face.

"Let me make this clear first: I can take a joke, but I'll get angry if I'm pranked in this kind of situation."

"No, don't worry."

"Then I'll open it." Swire carefully moved the box a little further away and opened it.

The platinum multifaceted ring, each facet a slightly curved concave surface polished by nanoscale machine tools, refracts brilliant light. Etching needles outline patterns on the surface like grapevines, converging towards the center, where a small gemstone, resembling a ripe grape in deep rose-purple, sits. Undoubtedly, this is a ring.

It is an expensive gemstone ring (costing no more than 10 yuan) set with extremely precious garnets (magnesium aluminum garnets measured in tons), carved with amazing craftsmanship and techniques (machine processing including programmed micro-carving process, the whole process takes 5 minutes), with great artistic sense and beauty (designed by a country girl using my own ideas).

Considering the occasion, the location, the atmosphere, and the background music, the operators who were feeling uncomfortable instantly perked up, twisting their heads into pretzels as if they wanted to learn the skills of the Flying Head and Rolling Head.

"Snap!" Swire slammed the lid shut and said seriously to Lao Xia, "I, we, you, I... I mean, our current relationship, this isn't appropriate." Her face was flushed. What did you mean by giving me a ring in this atmosphere and occasion?

Especially those musicians who lack discernment, as if they were watching a play and wanting to stir up trouble, played gentle love-themed pieces.

If it weren't for his usual prestige, which prevented his subordinates from causing trouble, he would have been in a real predicament. He couldn't possibly agree to it.

"We've only known each other for a few days, and you're giving me this?" Swire's face turned bright red, and even her long, fair neck was tinged with a rosy hue. She was still an innocent young girl who had never been in a relationship, and you just handed her a ring in this kind of atmosphere.

"Why are you all standing so close?" Swire, her face flushed, turned to her subordinates and gave them what she thought was a fierce slap.

But in this state, her eyes are incredibly moist, as if they hold a thousand kinds of charm.

"Ahem!" Instantly, the people at the surrounding tables resumed their upright posture, even more so than before, as if they had just been having a serious discussion about national affairs and social order.

"This isn't right, did I take the wrong gift box?" Old Xia opened the box and took a look. "No, I didn't take the wrong one. This was specially picked out for you. Although the color scheme is a little mismatched, the overall feel should be a good match."

“But, but…” Swire didn’t know what to say. Should she refuse?

Of course, she's only known this man for a few days. Although she doesn't dislike him, you can't just throw out a bombshell right away.

"This……"

"What? It's just a ring... a ring!" Old Xia realized what he meant and his face immediately turned red. "Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean it that way..."

"Huh?" Swire's shy expression froze instantly. Although saying that meant it would be very embarrassing and a little resistant, what does it mean to say that it was a misunderstanding and that there was no such meaning?

"Hey, Lao Xia, you're really stupid. How could you believe that cockroach? Let me explain for this guy. This is our new product, a batch of jewelry."

But Lao Xia said that jewelers value seniority and history, and a new brand simply won't be welcomed. Therefore, the first batch will be used for gifts…”

Yelena sighed, but she was still happy to explain the misunderstanding. After all, why would she call a girl who was at most three or four years older than her her adoptive mother?

Just thinking about it made her feel sad, not the kind of sadness you feel when someone takes your toy away, but something else...

It's like when you were a kid playing hide-and-seek, and when you got to the location, you found that your friends had gone to play with other people.

Fear, anxiety, resentment, or jealousy, or a combination thereof. In short, the relationship between an older daughter and a new stepmother has always been one of the most challenging issues in human family relationships.

"This idiot just doesn't understand what it means to give a girl a ring at this time. Just forgive him, after all, guys who have never been in a relationship are just so stubborn."

"Oh, I see. It sounds like Yelena, you've been in a relationship before..."

"Hmph...of course," Yelena said, puffing out her chest as if she were a seasoned veteran driver.

“Don’t listen to her. She only dated someone when she was playing house at home. Her ‘boyfriend’ was the girl next door. Oh, and there was also the time when she was pursued by a little boy in Ursus. It seems that her romantic experiences only lasted… less than an hour?” Old Xia didn’t hesitate to expose Yelena’s secrets.

"Do you know why she was dumped? It was because another girl from the same mine gave her a sour berry, and she was heartbroken. She was supposedly only 8 years old at the time..."

"Damn it! Who told you all this, Old Xia!" Yelena jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. How could she bring up these embarrassing childhood stories in front of everyone?

"That Petrenko who grew up in the same mine as you, the one Ta... little Ta brought back, by the way, he's also one of your admirers."

Also, as an aside, this infatuation lasted until you took them to school. After that, his romantic dreams shattered.

"Wait, what did Yelena do?" This interruption helped Chashao Cat recover from his embarrassment, and he asked curiously.

"She was in charge of teaching them physics, chemistry, and basic math, and after those little boys finished class, they looked like they had been sucked out of their souls by a Dementor. I was curious about what she did."

"Petelenko, right? Okay, I'll remember that..." Judging from Yelena's dark expression, it was clear that the young man who had spoken recklessly and accidentally revealed the dark history of a certain Arctic snow hare was about to meet his demise.

"If you really feel awkward about this gift, I'll pick out another one for you."

"No need, that would just seem suspicious..." Swire had calmed down somewhat. It has to be said, Yelena's dark past certainly played a significant role in this.

"I must say, you have excellent taste. The quality of the gemstones is also very good. And you just mentioned mines. Does Mr. Xia own any mines?"

"Yes, it's newly opened. These are just byproducts, found on the snowy plains of Ursus..."

“The Snowfield Mines…” Swire frowned slightly. The reputation of those mines wasn’t exactly stellar. “I know there are some things I can’t change on my own, but at least, at least my shops and businesses won’t accept gems stained with blood…”

"No, you misunderstood. I dug it myself, with my own hands."

"Hmm?" The little tiger looked dazed. Looking at Old Xia's tall and well-proportioned figure and his smooth skin, he didn't look like someone who had worked in a mine at all.

“Old Xia didn’t lie to you, he really did dig it. Actually, the mine was accidentally discovered during blasting, and it hasn’t been officially mined yet,” Yelena explained. “So, there is indeed a batch of high-grade gems. However, we don’t have many craftsmen or channels to monetize them. As for the problem you’re worried about, it doesn’t exist. If you’d like, you can come and visit us when you have some free time.”

Disliking Swire is one thing, but when it comes to matters involving the treatment of infected people and future development on the farm, White Rabbit knows the importance of things.

“The infected people over there are different from the nobles in Ursus. We provide them with food, lodging, medical care, and free anti-infection drugs, and the working hours are also very humane.”

“Behind every group that says that is… Regarding this matter, as a police officer of the Lungmen Guard Bureau, it is inappropriate for me to overstep my authority, but I will try to find out if what you are saying is true.”

Swire's expression grew even colder, but it softened slightly compared to when he heard about the mine.

"Not only did I mine it, but I also planted and designed the bombs used to blast the ore. W was the one who detonated them; she was also an infected. This gemstone is called pyrope garnet..."

Old Xia showed off his mining knowledge and shared some interesting tidbits from his hands-on experience, which made Shi Huaiya believe him a little more.

“Ahem, there’s something I need your help with…” Miss Swire suddenly put on a playful expression. “My father is coming to Lungmen to see me in a few days, so I’ll leave the role-playing to you.”

"Oh, we have to add more scenes at the last minute!?"

"What else? Once you get through this, things will be much easier. Besides, won't you get annoyed if Old Wei keeps acting as a pimp for you every day?"

"Makes sense."

"I'll let you know when the time comes. Bring Yelena along too, that way the old man won't say anything too harsh in front of the children, and we can also use that as an excuse to get away..."

"Don't worry, I'll do a good job..." Yelena nodded, indicating that she was in charge of ruining the whole thing.

Chapter Eleven: We Have a Mole Among Us

Chapter 11

As the project progressed and some less important buildings were completed, Lao Xia was about to begin a crucial task: "recruiting." He couldn't rely on himself and the civilian staff he had borrowed from Rhodes Island to handle so many tasks. He also needed to prepare for the handover of things such as the upcoming development of Kazdel and the support for the Ursus Farm.

White Rabbit is still learning, not to mention that she is not old enough to take charge of such a large enterprise. Putting aside everything else, during negotiations, the other party may underestimate her because of her age and status, and may even become hostile and try to cause trouble.

Although Lao Xia is generally not afraid of these people, it is necessary for a company to manage its own risks in order to develop. If someone is causing trouble every few days, the business will absolutely not be able to continue normally.

We haven't decided on a future CEO yet, but the current organizational structure is almost ready to be established. The security department was the first to be established in the entire corporate structure, simply because there are too many militant factions under Lao Xia.

Finding someone who can shout "God punish the treacherous officials!" and storm into the Lungmen Administration building is easy, but finding a qualified human resources manager is probably impossible, not to mention other departments at all levels, such as sales, quality inspection, public relations, finance, supervision, research and development, etc., all of which require a large number of personnel.

Recruiting is one thing, but building a company structure takes time and requires a step-by-step approach. It's impossible to recruit thousands of employees today and suddenly become a large international corporation tomorrow. Therefore, the current focus is on recruiting key personnel.

In other words, some managers and department heads are seconded through connections with Rhode Island, some are recruited through high-priced headhunters, and finally, the managers themselves vet these personnel and, after confirming their qualifications, put them into these departments, thus first building up an empty shell.

However, the current recruitment is mainly for clerical staff in the company, and only in the Longmen area. So it's not a big problem. This is not the company headquarters, but a branch.

Therefore, Lao Xia only needs one branch manager, two department heads at each level, and two to three hundred clerks, totaling no more than a thousand positions to set up the organization.

As for farm management, Talulah is currently in charge. In the future, the farm in Kazdel could be managed by the hardworking and reliable Captain Mudrock. This taciturn and burly man, with his dedicated work ethic and skilled earthwork techniques, has become the best candidate for foreman for the future group's construction company.

“At least half of them are moles, and the other half are spies…” White Rabbit said, looking at the bustling crowd at the job fair. “Are you really sure?”

"Don't worry, because the branch here is just an office or a sales office that makes money. There are no sensitive places or trade secrets."

Leveraging Lungmen's cheap infected labor force and transportation advantages, they can develop low-tech, labor-intensive industries without fear of commercial espionage.

"As long as the finance and security departments are reliable people, that's enough..." The former can ensure that they cannot obtain the company's specific economic and monetary transaction data, and they will not be able to embezzle money from Lao Xia's pocket. The latter can prevent them from causing damage.

"Yeah, the PR department needs to be arrested too. I bet they'll resort to some dirty tricks when they realize there aren't many secrets to steal here." It's a good thing Terra doesn't have the internet.

Otherwise, online trolls and haters would probably spring up like mushrooms after a spring rain.

"As for the rest—running errands, doing pure paperwork, engaging in 'micro-innovation,' and administrative tasks—it doesn't matter if they're handed over to those spies, after all..."

Even if someone is a spy, to avoid being fired from the company, they must at least have good professional skills and a conscientious work attitude.

In fact, if the entire team is composed of insiders, their dedication, integrity, and professional skills might even surpass those of a normal team of loyal officials.

After all, veteran officials might rely on their seniority and quickly become parasites on the merit list, but spies wouldn't dare to do that.

In particular, Lao Xia appears on the surface to be a "young talent of Longmen," a "benevolent investor from Ursus," and a "rising star in Longmen's business world"—he's practically perfect. But in private...

Who doesn't know that his number two bodyguard, Miss W, is always missing and on vacation? But from time to time, some very clean scraps of meat and small bones can be found in the sewers and various corners of Lungmen?

Once their infiltration is discovered, these traitors certainly won't think they can get away with it.

"How could I bear to turn away such a group of outstanding employees who don't ask for special treatment or salary, who are diligent, hardworking, honest, and have exceptional business skills?"