Huo Xiang's eyes widened.
He checked again—yes, points from fortune had been credited, and not a small amount either.
His gaze swept through the crowd… Could there really be a fortune-bearer here?
The crowd was extremely crowded.
Truth be told, things hadn't yet reached the point of absolute desperation, but every extra bite meant more grain saved for one's own family—and possibly even a lifesaving difference.
The pots for the porridge looked large.
But the sharp-eyed among them could see there were no other sacks of grain piled behind, which meant once it was gone, it was gone. The ladler stirred the pot this way and that.
Only after a long pause would he finally scoop out a spoonful.
First extending it left, then right, countless bowls, plates, and even cupped hands followed the movement before some lucky soul received a ladle of watery porridge.
That person would weep with gratitude and hurriedly pour it into their mouth.
Under these circumstances.
Ye Tang originally wanted to pull out her camera and take a few photos, but she was afraid of damaging the equipment, so she didn't dare. She tried to push her way out, but instead got shoved to the front by the currents of the crowd.
She nearly fell to the ground.
Oh no!
Please don't let the camera be broken!
Her face went pale with fright. Praying under her breath, she scrambled up to check, unaware that the crowd around her had quieted slightly. A neatly folded handkerchief was extended in front of her.
"Are you alright?"
Huo Xiang looked down at the woman before him. Her features weren't bad, but her hair was too short, her skin not fair or delicate enough, and she wasn't wearing a qipao—she even had on trousers. Her clothes were torn and dirty in several places.
Not a proper lady.
He judged.
Well, a girl who had fallen to the point of scrambling for porridge—maybe she had lost her entire family, alone, helpless, pitiful…
A deeper smile formed in Huo Xiang's eyes.
Seeing that she was frozen and hadn't moved, he didn't get angry. He withdrew his hand and said gently:
"Don't be afraid, I'm not a bad person. This is where I've arranged for porridge to be given out. If a kind act turned into harm for a poor girl, I would feel guilty."
He turned and scolded his subordinates:
"What are you people doing? You can't even maintain basic order."
His subordinates quickly admitted their faults.
Ye Tang nodded in agreement and said:
"Indeed, when giving out porridge, the most important thing is maintaining order. Otherwise, chaos and scrambling are bound to happen. Right now, everyone is just shoving around, which makes the whole process inefficient. The best approach would be to have people line up and receive one by one. Everyone would know whether they get fed or not and wouldn't waste time…"
Having covered news for so long, she had gained some insight.
When crowds gathered, if not managed properly, the chances of accidents increased dramatically.
Back when the penicillin lottery happened, she had seen some of her colleagues openly and covertly criticize Miss Su for being overbearing, for having gang members force people to line up and behave.
Ye Tang held the opposite view.
Times of necessity called for extraordinary measures.
Miss Su had done nothing wrong.
This scene before her was a perfect negative example. Ye Tang couldn't help but offer her suggestions. Mid-sentence, she keenly noticed Mr. Huo's expression stiffen slightly. She stopped, smiled apologetically, and said:
"Sorry, I didn't mean to criticize you. Giving out porridge in times like these—you're a good person."
Just a bit bad at management, she thought.
At this, Huo Xiang's expression returned to normal, but his favorability toward Ye Tang had dropped a notch.
She talked far too much.
Not very likable.
Well, he could teach her later once she came to his side. With that thought, he nodded with elegant poise and said appreciatively as he looked at her:
"No problem. I've been far too busy with so many things that I neglected things here. You're a very smart, thoughtful girl. If you have nowhere to go, perhaps you could come and help me by my side."
"That way, at the very least, you'd be guaranteed a stable life without all this wandering and exposure to the elements."
"As an assistant?" Ye Tang's mind didn't catch up, and she tried to decline: "Sorry, but I currently…"
A ripple of laughter broke out in the crowd. Someone shouted:
"You girl—why would you want to be an assistant? Being a maidservant would already be a step up. Don't you get it? You've struck gold! No more suffering for the rest of your life."
"Lucky thing, being noticed by Mr. Huo."
"More than no suffering—maybe you'll even get to enjoy wealth and honor!"
A flicker of amusement passed through Huo Xiang's eyes.
He watched Ye Tang tenderly, awaiting her answer and the arrival of his fortune points.
She must be so happy, he thought.
Suddenly having a place of security.
Step by step, don't give too much at once. Let her cool off for a bit, make her realize he was her only lifeline. Going from maidservant to his woman—that transition should net him quite a few fortune points.
Huo Xiang thought to himself.
She did catch his eye after all. Even if the fortune points dried up, he'd still be willing to keep her around.
He thought generously.
"A maidservant is even more out of the question."
Ye Tang frowned, already growing annoyed. She looked Huo Xiang straight in the eye and said:
"I don't know where you got the wrong idea, but I have a proper job and can support myself. I'm a journalist, not someone here for the porridge. I was accidentally pushed into this mess just now."
She looked down and carefully retrieved her camera.
Then held it up.
Her eyes sparkled with bright light.
Huo Xiang's face suddenly turned awkward. The crowd's chatter died down. He was about to explain that it had been a misunderstanding, that he hadn't meant to offer her a maidservant position, when—
A harsh voice cut through:
"Journalist Ye, I don't think it's a misunderstanding. Some people just let their lust get the better of them."
Everyone turned to look.
The speaker was a young man with a very honest, simple face, but his expression carried an inexplicable touch of sharp mockery.
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Huo Xiang's subordinates stepped forward, scowling fiercely, for Huo Xiang couldn't speak himself given his status.
"Who's spouting nonsense?"
Su Heng—the grandson of the Su clan's patriarch—crossed his arms with a disdainful snort:
"Are the eyes on your head just for decoration? Does she look like someone who can't afford a meal?"
The others took a look.
Indeed.
Ye Tang's complexion was rosy. She wasn't plump, but she was by no means skinny. Her exposed arms even showed faint hints of muscle. Her clothes, though a bit torn and dirty, were made of surprisingly decent fabric upon closer inspection.
"Forget it. It was just a misunderstanding." Ye Tang said.
"I don't care about misunderstanding or not. But we need to get this straight. She's someone Sister Ning has her eye on. If rumors spread that she can't even afford to eat, outsiders will question Sister Ning's capabilities."
Su Heng's tone carried a trace of sourness.
If he couldn't compete with Half-Immortal Su's family, that was one thing—but how could he lose to an outsider…
"Don't be ridiculous. Who would question Miss Su's abilities?" Ye Tang laughed dismissively.
She then asked Su Heng what he had come to see her about. Though she was tagging along with the oil prospecting team, she was a journalist, so her movements were relatively free. It was normal for her to disappear for days at a time.
What!
Miss Su?
Other than Su Ning, who else could earn such ungainsayable recognition? Huo Xiang's eyes blazed with fury. How could that relentless woman keep haunting his path?
"Of course, it's good news," Su Heng drawled.
"Sister Ning has sent over quite a bit of grain and supplies from outside, and you're the only one missing. Everyone's waiting to get their share, and this is just the first batch. More shipments are on the way. Sister Ning is a woman of great generosity—she's donating it all to support the Northeast. And this is all proper, fine grain, nothing like the motley scraps people stir into watery porridge!"
