Ke Xue: Xiaolan delivers goods to your door at the beginning

The three girls flipped through the roster and found themselves overwhelmed with choices. They realized that the list seemed similar to that of the other girls, so they accepted the female manager's recommendation.

Then, the three girls, as if playing a dress-up game, picked out more gorgeous swallowtail maid outfits for the four chosen maids, and discussed choosing accessories for the maids, all of them very interested.

Half an hour later, dinner was finally served one after another by the four maids.

The three girls chatted with the maid while eating, asking her about her special experiences in other brothels, what might happen at a wedding and how to deal with it, and then they talked about all sorts of gossip and funny stories.

The three maids had been warned by the female manager from the beginning that "this time the customer is a girl." They were initially worried that the girl might be there to vent her emotions, so they were a little cautious when they first met the three girls. However, after realizing that the three girls meant no harm, they gradually started chatting.

Lin Xiaofeng ate quietly to the side, and the maid beside him was also quiet, only occasionally helping to hand him a water glass or move an empty plate. She spoke only softly to confirm something, and then quickly fell silent again.

The three girls from class 543 didn't eat much, but because they were chatting so enthusiastically, they finished eating around the same time as Lin Xiaofeng.

The four maids asked the four men what they wanted for their after-dinner drinks, smiled and said, "Please wait a moment, masters," before leaving the table and turning to serve them their drinks.

Sera Masumi chuckled and couldn't help but tease, "Sonoko, do you also have worries weighing on your mind?"

“Of course we will,” Sonoko Suzuki declared somewhat defiantly, then quickly sighed, “It’s driving me crazy! The All-Japan Music Festival organized by THK starts tomorrow morning at 10 a.m., you guys will be going, right?”

Shirley glanced at Lin Xiaofeng and nodded in confirmation, "I booked the tickets a long time ago because it's a holiday. Not only me, but Mr. Mori, Ran, the professor, and the children have also booked their tickets. We're all going together!"

Sera Masumi had to go back to the hotel every day to take care of her mother, who couldn't show her face in public. She chuckled awkwardly and scratched her head, making up an excuse, "I happen to have a client to investigate, so I probably can't join in the fun. Besides, I found out too late; the tickets on the official website are already sold out..."

“That’s a real shame,” Sonoko Suzuki sighed. “The event is so popular that we can’t get you any tickets.”

"It's okay, I'm going to investigate anyway, so I won't have time to go to the event in person. If I have time, I'll remember to watch the TV broadcast! By the way, Sonoko, is your worry related to the music festival?"

Sera Masumi asked curiously, but her gaze drifted toward Lin Xiaofeng.

Although this event is called the 'All-Japan Music Festival', it was not initiated by an organization like the Japan Music Association, but by THK. Of course, after THK organized the event, various music associations and major television stations responded one after another. THK also launched a poll on its official website, inviting singers and artists selected by the public in addition to its own singers to participate.

Her mother analyzed that THK had probably established connections with major television stations and music associations, preparing to use this event to solidify THK's No. 1 position in the Japanese entertainment industry, just like various events organized by Hollywood. If all goes well, there will be a nationwide music awards ceremony organized by THK every year. The awards ceremony will become a 'big resource' that can gain a lot of attention, and singers and artists will be proud to participate in the awards ceremony, and even compete for the artist slots.

She understood the analysis, but wasn't particularly interested. With 'H' and so many well-known artists backing it up, THK was undoubtedly the No.1 in the Japanese entertainment industry. This event was just icing on the cake, and there was nothing to be surprised about.

Similarly, although Sonoko is a shareholder of the company, she doesn't need to worry about the company's operations and activities. If there are any problems during the event preparation process, the planning department, the event management team, and the company president will handle them. Even if it's a big problem that others can't solve, there's still Detective Lin to step in.

She felt that Detective Lin could solve a lot of troubles by himself, and that Sonoko probably wouldn't have to worry about such things. Sonoko wasn't the type of person to get bothered by these kinds of things.

Unless it's something as serious as the survival of THK, something that even Detective Hayashi and so many other professionals couldn't solve, it's unlikely to upset Sonoko...

Seeing that Sherry and Sera Masumi were both looking at him, Lin Xiaofeng recalled, "The preparations for the event went very smoothly. Although some extreme fans of a certain artist sent threatening letters to the company, demanding that the company allow or not allow a certain artist to appear, the event organizers have already hired private investigators to find the person. Now those people are still receiving social security education at the Metropolitan Police Department. In fact, most of them were just talking and had no intention of bombing the venue or anything."

"It's not about the ceremony," Sonoko Suzuki smiled sheepishly, sat up straight, looked at Lin Xiaofeng, and hesitated whether she should be direct. "It's about those hotels near the promotional venue..."

Sherry and Sera Masumi cast questioning glances at Lin Xiaofeng.

Even Sonoko hesitated. It must be a plan that involves the interests of various parties, and they weren't sure whether they should ask, but they were genuinely curious...

“There’s nothing I can’t say,” Lin Xiaofeng said frankly. “The venue for this music festival was originally an undeveloped vacant lot located outside the city, in a somewhat remote area. Umbrella and the Suzuki Foundation jointly invested in building a resort there, intending to use this music festival to increase the resort’s visibility. They also signed an agreement with THK, allowing THK to host music festivals in the resort free of charge every year for the next ten years. During this period, the resort will also cover the staff’s accommodation and meals. In addition, the resort has also contacted other event organizers, such as this year’s Miss Japanese Style pageant, which will also be held in the resort. The resort will also cover the accommodation and meals for staff and contestants during this period, but special meals and requests will not be accommodated. Furthermore, the free cooperation agreement was only signed for this year; the pageant requires the resort to allocate two slots…”

"Wait, wait a minute!" Sera Masumi interrupted, asking with a puzzled look, "The Miss Japanese Style beauty pageant is a major event that receives nationwide attention, right? Why is there such a big difference in treatment?"

The fact that she only got one free use of the venue was practically a way of saying, "I'll give you free access, you help me promote it." She felt that the organizers agreed to this because they were giving face to the financial backers of the park. Otherwise, if it was just this kind of free offer, they could have chosen to hold the event elsewhere.

Moreover, the latter requirement was clearly intended to squeeze people into the selection process, making her feel that certain capitalists were ruthlessly exploiting the event organizers...

615. The Suzuki family wants to groom Sonoko as their heir.

Lin Xiaofeng calmly admitted, "The participation of the Suzuki Group's daughter in this year's Japanese Style Miss Contest will make this contest even more popular. If this is the only time you participate in the Japanese Style Miss Contest, then even a few years or decades later, this contest will still be worth talking about, and many people will know where this contest was held."

Sonoko Suzuki had a "I knew it" look on her face. When her cute maid brought back the juice, she reached out and took the juice, then silently lowered her head and drank it.

The maid noticed the atmosphere had become somber, so she knelt down beside Suzuki Sonoko, trying to make her expression gentle and concerned. "My esteemed mistress, are you feeling unhappy right now? Would you mind telling me about it? Or perhaps I could tell you a really funny joke!"

Lin Xiaofeng reached out and took the black tea offered by his maid. Seeing that the other maids had already set out the drinks, he said, "There's no need to serve us here. You can wait outside."

The maids exchanged glances, and seeing that the other three girls did not object and obediently replied "yes," they all retreated to a spot outside the circular sofa, where they could hardly hear the conversation taking place.

Sera Masumi glanced at Lin Xiaofeng, who was sitting alone on her left, and then at Suzuki Sonoko, who was slumped on her right. Feeling uncomfortable with the oppressive atmosphere, she spoke up to try and ease the tension, "I said... since Sonoko doesn't want to participate in the competition, then there's no need to force her to go, right?"

“No one forced her to go,” Lin Xiaofeng said, taking a sip of his black tea. “If she doesn’t want to go, she can just tell Chairman Suzuki.”

"Huh?" Sherry looked at Sonoko Suzuki with a puzzled expression. "If you can refuse, why are you still so troubled, Sonoko?"

Sera Masumi stroked her chin and guessed, "Is it because you can't stand this kind of underhanded exchange of benefits?"

“It’s because of the way my dad talks that I feel uncomfortable,” Sonoko Suzuki glanced furtively at Lin Xiaofeng before quickly looking down at her drink. “Like, things like ‘It’s a wise choice to be friends with the eldest son of the Chi family,’ ‘Miss Mori and Miss Sherry are both worth befriending,’ ‘You can help promote the resort by participating in the Japanese Style Miss Contest,’ do you understand? I’m friends with Xiaofeng, Ran, and Sherry because I want to be friends with you, and I feel happy being friends with you. It’s not because of your status or whether you can bring me any benefits. Although I know that my dad doesn’t make me make friends based on mutual benefit, he just subconsciously considers what I will gain and what I will have to give by associating with someone. But hearing him talk like that makes me really uncomfortable. Yes, just like Xiaofeng just now, no matter what we talk about, he has to talk about the advantages and disadvantages, how much each of us has…”

Lin Xiaofeng put down his teacup, reached for the cigarette case on the table, took out a cigarette and bit it. Seeing Shirley looking at him questioningly, he shook his head slightly, indicating that he didn't take Suzuki Sonoko's 'name-calling diss' to heart.

This is also true.

He spends more time weighing the pros and cons and considering the outcome, while girls like Sonoko Suzuki have a romantic mindset, care about 'motives' and 'thoughts', and also pay special attention to the process.

Even if he didn't say it outright, Sonoko Suzuki probably sometimes felt that he was too realistic, while he thought that the issues that Sonoko Suzuki cared about were not issues at all.

Parents care about me, I have enough resources and conditions, I live a worry-free life and have friends around me... These are real things. Compared to these, what my father says to me is not very important. He will only think about 'whether my friends will hear this and misunderstand' and 'how to solve this problem'.

· ······Requesting flowers· ····

Of course, it's possible that he also agrees with Chairman Suzuki's way of speaking, which is why he thinks it's not worth worrying about at all.

This is a difference of opinion that exists between people, and it doesn't even qualify as a 'disagreement on concepts'. Even if Sonoko Suzuki complained to him directly, he wouldn't argue with her, let alone the fact that Sonoko Suzuki was already being very restrained and didn't want him to feel uncomfortable.

..... .... ...

After all, Suzuki's daughter was indeed in a very low mood tonight...

Seeing Lin Xiaofeng shake his head, Shirley looked at Suzuki Sonoko, considered for a moment, and then spoke up to comfort her, "Sonoko, you said it yourself, you know that Chairman Suzuki doesn't just ask you to be his friend based on interests. His identity, job, and status have made him used to considering the pros and cons of things. He can tell you his thoughts directly because he trusts you a lot. You are his daughter, someone he can and is willing to trust no matter what. So, please be tolerant of his way of speaking. If even you can't accept him, he will be very sad."

Sonoko Suzuki looked up and smiled at Sherry. "Thank you, Sherry. You're right. I can understand that it's his habit, which is why I haven't mentioned it in front of him..."

“If you really don’t like this way of speaking, you can tell Chairman Suzuki directly, ‘My friends will misunderstand if they hear these words, and I also feel that such a statement is somewhat unkind to my true feelings for my friends. I hope you won’t say it like this again,’” Bu said.

616. Malicious intentions

“So I don’t understand what a qualified successor should do, and I haven’t thought about it,” Lin Xiaofeng looked up at Suzuki Sonoko and said firmly, “I only do what I want to do or what I think is right.”

Sonoko Suzuki's eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh? Is that all..."

“'Since it’s hard to squander our family fortune and someone will bail us out, let’s go all out!' ‘Don’t be a coward, just do it. It doesn’t matter if we lose all our wealth!’”

This attitude is really unlike that of Detective Lin.

It's not that it's wrong, it's just that it's not quite the same as the impression Detective Lin has always given people.

Shirley: "..."

That's not possible...

Sonoko Suzuki: "..."

Brother Xiao Feng's words were really... cheeky, but very domineering...

She believed him; Brother Xiao Feng really didn't care whether he was wrong or whether he would squander his family fortune.

Shiliang Zhenjun: "..."

It's undeniable that she, "543," really wanted to join Detective Lin's camp and cheer him on.

“My parents never told me I had to live up to our ancestors’ expectations, but they’ve always worked hard for the Suzuki family’s development, and I don’t want to hold them back,” Sonoko Suzuki thought for a moment, then smiled. “But, Kaze-kun, you’re right. You want me to boldly do what I believe is right, and even if I make a mistake once or twice, I shouldn’t dwell on whether I did it poorly or lacked talent. I should consider how much growth I can gain from those mistakes, right?”

Lin Xiaofeng nodded and looked at Suzuki Sonoko, continuing, "Your second misunderstanding is that you underestimate your own abilities. In my opinion, you are more suitable to be the heir to the Suzuki Group than your sister Ayako."

Sonoko Suzuki doubted Lin Xiaofeng's sincerity again, and asked in surprise, "I'm more suitable to be the heir than my sister... Brother Xiaofeng, are you kidding me?"

“Ayako is gentle and steady, making people feel close to her. She handles things with tact and can do what she should do in an orderly manner when faced with unexpected situations,” Lin Xiaofeng commented. “Your sister’s personality is more like your father’s.”

“That’s right. My sister is usually very gentle, so gentle that she seems to have no temper. But I know her. She can be very serious when she’s serious. Everyone says she’s more like my dad than I am,” Sonoko Suzuki nodded in agreement, then grinned and said, “I think I’m more like Uncle Jirokichi. I’ve always been more lively and active since I was little. Actually, Uncle Jirokichi and I get along better. He always thinks my dad and sister are too old-fashioned!”

“That’s Ayako’s weakness. Her personality is too gentle and steady, lacking dynamism, making it difficult to attract people with imaginative ideas. You don’t have those strengths, but you have advantages she doesn’t. Your thinking is more flexible, you have a stronger ability to accept new things, and you also have a spirit of exploration. With your personality, you can also attract some people with imaginative ideas,” Lin Xiaofeng paused before continuing, “Actually, for Chairman Suzuki, both you and Ayako would be suitable successors. If Ayako inherits the family business, then the future development of the Suzuki Group will be mainly stable, like a Ferris wheel, whether it goes up or down…” "The cabins will be kept as stable as possible, with minimal shaking. If you were to inherit the family business, the development strategy would be less conservative. You might discover new areas or sectors, or you might need to abandon some outdated things. For example, the roller coaster's descent and ascent will be quite fast. But in any case, you don't need to worry about the Ferris wheel or roller coaster crashing, because the Suzuki Group's facilities are always well-maintained. Chairman Suzuki will also help you select and prepare suitable assistants. It's just that because I'm an ambitious person, I tend to value those with similar styles."

"Isn't it also because we're closer now?" Sonoko Suzuki beamed. "Brother Feng, you're actually really good at comforting people. Ran is the type who worries about others easily, and I don't want her to worry too much, so I've never dared to confide in her. But now I feel full of confidence and really want to get started! Actually, I prefer roller coasters. If life were always as stable as a Ferris wheel, it would be too boring. There always needs to be something exciting to make life interesting!"

Seeing that Suzuki Sonoko had regained her energy, Sera Masumi felt relieved and her curious nature returned. "But, is Detective Hayashi actually an ambitious type?"

"Doesn't it look like it?" Lin Xiaofeng asked calmly.

Shiliang Zhenjun: "..."

Looking at Detective Lin's calm and even unflappable demeanor, she felt that he was very different from the proactive and ambitious person she had in mind.

But thinking about it carefully, it seems that Detective Lin is not lacking in aggression; he is an aggressive type... which doesn't seem so strange.

Shirley smiled secretly, her eyes crinkling.

She knew a side of Detective Lin that wasn't seen by many people. Wasn't it normal that Detective Lin wasn't a settled person and was an ambitious one?

"You're really amazing, Detective Hayashi..." Sera Masumi couldn't help but smile and exclaim, "Now that you mention it, it feels like lovers fighting side by side!"

Sherry smiled and asked Sonoko Suzuki, "Sonoko, are you confident?"

"I'm not sure if I'm confident, but I think if I take it seriously, I'll be able to submit an answer that I won't regret," Sonoko Suzuki said, unusually serious, before hurriedly pulling out her phone.

Lin Xiaofeng suddenly reached out and pressed down on Suzuki Sonoko's phone. When Suzuki Sonoko looked at him with a puzzled expression, he explained with an ambiguous look, "This will also be the answer you give each other. Without collusion, you can see each other more clearly. Don't you want to see the most truthful answer?"

"Little Feng, you're really mischievous," Sonoko Suzuki muttered, but her hand honestly put down her phone. "Of course I want to see Zhen's answer..."

“They always were,” Lin Xiaofeng replied without hesitation.

The character of the main characters is beyond question.

Sera Masumi didn't expect Lin Xiaofeng to give such a decisive answer. She choked for a moment, wondering if Lin Xiaofeng was too trusting of the people around him. She pressed on, "So, do you think that the people around you don't pretend or lie? People can pretend or lie for some purpose, although it may not necessarily be malicious. I don't think it's bad to trust others, but I think... sometimes it's better to focus on the matter rather than the person, right?"

Lin Xiaofeng took a sip of black tea, looked at Sera Masumi, and mentally went through the people around him.

　1.4 Sera Masumi felt uncomfortable under Lin Xiaofeng's gaze. She felt it was inappropriate and suspicious to say this to someone she trusted so much. She quickly chuckled awkwardly and scratched her head, trying to justify her strange behavior. "Maybe it's because I'm a detective. I prefer to make judgments based on what I know, so I feel that all judgments need evidence, and the same goes for trust..."

“I understand what you mean,” Lin Xiaofeng looked at Sera Masumi and interpreted her words as an attempt to justify herself. “You think that my casually saying I trust someone is impulsive and conflicts with the detective’s mindset of relying on evidence and rational reasoning, so you think that’s wrong.”

Sera Masumi nodded repeatedly. After thinking about it carefully, she realized that she had indeed felt uncomfortable about Lin Xiaofeng's immediate expression of trust, as if something was wrong. "Yes, yes, that's what I was thinking."

617. Kabuki

Sonoko Suzuki was pleased with Lin Xiaofeng's statement that "I made a rational judgment," and slapped the table with a smile, "Alright, I've decided! I'm going to participate in this year's Miss Japanese Style Contest!"

"Huh?" Sherry looked at Sonoko Suzuki in surprise.

Sera Masumi was just as surprised, and forgot everything else, "Sonoko?"

“I was unhappy and reluctant to agree before because I felt like my dad was using me. But after listening to what Xiaofeng said, I feel that it’s my duty to help the conglomerate,” Suzuki Sonoko said, sitting upright with a smile, showing the demeanor of a conglomerate heiress. “My dad and Xiaofeng value the park project a lot, which is indeed related to the future profits of both our families. I can’t just think about slacking off. Besides, participating in a selection competition is just a simple matter! If I can do what I’m supposed to do, it will also make my dad think that I’ve grown up. When A-Zhen and I face their questions, he will listen carefully to my opinions, right?”

“The right decision,” Lin Xiaofeng nodded in agreement, and then patiently explained to Suzuki Sonoko, “Chairman Suzuki’s main purpose is not to use you to promote the hotel in the park, but to use the competition to help you showcase yourself. He does not ask the beauty pageant organizers to give you first place, but to let them follow the rules. You may not be able to win first place, but your calm acceptance of failure and your open blessings will easily win the favor of many people. He believes that you can show your own charm with your own instincts.”

Thinking about how much her father had considered for her, Sonoko Suzuki's eyes softened, and she quickly became excited, saying, "Brother Feng, so you actually find me charming? You've praised me so many times tonight! I thought you never praised anyone!"

Lin Xiaofeng glanced at Suzuki Sonoko and drank his tea.

Are you happy? If you are, then go and promote the park to him with enthusiasm and dedication.

Seeing that Lin Xiaofeng didn't respond, Sonoko Suzuki, no longer interested in teasing him, gradually stiffened her smile. "However... thinking about competing alongside the winners of beauty pageants from various regions, I'm actually a little nervous..."

As she spoke, Sonoko Suzuki turned to look at the people sitting to her left and right.

"By the way, Brother Feng, don't you have one more spot for the competition? Why don't you give it to someone you know? Like Sherry, Ran... Sera would be great too! If I have a friend to participate with, I won't be so nervous!"

Sherry and Sera Masumi: "?!"

They were just enjoying their food, how did they get dragged into this?

“But I refuse,” Lin Xiaofeng explained calmly as Suzuki Sonoko stared in astonishment. “A famous female detective in Japan sounds much better than ‘Miss Wafuu’.”

There is no shortage of beautiful girls in the world. Take this store for example. There are more than one beautiful woman in the store. Each of them has her own unique characteristics. They could all win good rankings in the regional competition of the Miss Japanese Style Contest. One or two of them might even make it directly to the All-Japan finals.

Moreover, the Miss Japanese Style Contest winner is a winner every year, and the winners are all very beautiful. In comparison, female detectives are a rarer and more easily recognized species, and they would never be associated with the impression of being a "pretty face".

Sonoko's efforts to enhance her resume were effective because of her identity as the "Suzuki Group's daughter." Suzuki Shiro wanted others to see his daughter's optimistic, resilient, and unyielding character. It would be nice if she could also gain the "beauty" label, but the "beauty" label is neither a necessity nor the most important thing.

Unlike Sonoko, Sulli doesn't have the background of being a "heiress of a conglomerate," nor does she receive praise like "heiress of a conglomerate is down-to-earth and unpretentious." Moreover, if Sulli were to stand out in a beauty pageant, people would be prejudiced into thinking that she could use her beauty as a weapon. Later, when they learn that Sulli is a female detective, some people would question whether there were any improper transactions involved in gaining her fame.

Therefore, Shirley doesn't need to participate in those kinds of competitions, and it's best if she doesn't.

"But, there's a wedding dress showcase in this Miss Japanese Style beauty pageant. I've heard that girls look stunning in wedding dresses. Don't you want to see how beautiful Sherry looks in one?"

“I want to see it,” Lin Xiaofeng said in a chilling tone, “but I don’t want her to be stared at by a lot of men on camera. Just thinking about their gazes makes me very uncomfortable.”

Sonoko Suzuki: "..."

This reason... seems quite reasonable?

Hearing Xiao Feng's cold voice, she didn't dare to say it was unreasonable.

But does Brother Xiaofeng really think her persuasive skills have improved? Are you sure he's not being sarcastic? Why does she feel like she's about to be persuaded by Brother Xiaofeng?

"Um..." Sera Masumi leaned closer, asking with a curious look, "What are you two whispering about?"

Shirley tried her best to stay still, but she still glanced at the two of them with concern.