From Apocalypse Boss to Farmer: My Vegetables Make Me Stronger!-Chapter 126 - 117: Probing the Way

"You’re going to work with Zhou Jinyu?"

Gu Xi’s casual remark made Shen Yue slam on the brakes, earning him a fierce glare from Qi Xiang in the back seat—

’Why didn’t he say something before braking? That sudden stop almost made her smash her head open.’

"Mhm," Gu Xi said, glancing down at the little green sprout holding her firmly in her seat. She nodded in approval. ’My little sprout is getting more and more perceptive these days.’

After steadying herself against the front seat, Qi Xiang glanced enviously at the vine wrapped around Gu Xi’s waist. A few seconds passed before she belatedly processed what was said and exclaimed:

"Wait, what were you guys just talking about!" Who was Gu Xi going to work with?

Shen Yue gave her a look that was hard to put into words.

Qi Xiang whipped her head around and stared at Gu Xi in shock. "Gu Xiaoxi, are you insane? Do you have any idea who Zhou Jinyu is? He’s..."

"Qi Xiang, calm down." Gu Xi pressed her shoulder, exasperated. ’She’s lucky. Otherwise, that sudden movement just now would have definitely twisted her neck.’

Qi Xiang took a deep breath and gripped her hand tightly. "I can’t calm down. Did you really agree to work with him?"

Gu Xi nodded, her voice soft and slow. "Yes, I did."

"What exactly happened?" Shen Yue asked, tilting his head to look at them.

After dropping Gu Xi and Qi Xiang off in the morning, he hadn’t accompanied them to meet Mr. Zhang because of his special status and other matters he had to attend to.

’Who would’ve thought...’

Gu Xi didn’t hide anything from him and briefly recounted the day’s events.

After listening, Shen Yue felt he also needed a moment to process things.

He took a cigarette out of his pocket, but after a glance at the two young women in the back, he ultimately resisted the urge to light it.

After a long moment.

"So, you’re saying it was actually Zhou Jinyu who wanted to see you today? And Zhang Cheng was just a tool?" Shen Yue asked, subconsciously tapping his fingers on the back of the seat.

Gu Xi nodded. ’Though that tool’s intentions weren’t exactly pure, either.’

Shen Yue frowned slightly, getting straight to the point. "But if Zhou Jinyu was meeting you privately, why would he bring Ye Nan and Ye Junhan along?"

’Wasn’t he afraid that Ye Nan would tell her mother, Mr. Ye?’

As for Ye Junhan... Shen Yue narrowed his eyes slightly, a flash of purple light flickering in their depths.

"Yeah," Qi Xiang finally chimed in, also looking up to ask, "Why do I get the feeling that something’s off about this?"

Gu Xi had considered this question too. "Perhaps because... he wanted Ye Xin to know about this all along, but couldn’t say so directly?"

"You’re saying he did it on purpose? Then what’s he after?" Qi Xiang said, not understanding.

Shen Yue, however, was thinking more deeply.

’Zhou Jinyu must have a motive for doing this. Perhaps...’ He looked up at Gu Xi.

Gu Xi: ...?

Whatever it was that occurred to Shen Yue, he suddenly let out a soft TSK. "Looks like our dear Mr. Zhou is trying to test the waters this time."

"It’s possible." Gu Xi had thought about this as well. Ye Nan was Ye Xin’s daughter. The fact that Zhou Jinyu had specifically brought Ye Nan with him when he came to see her must mean he wanted to send some kind of signal to Ye Xin through her.

’And in a way, I’m afraid I, just like Zhang Cheng, was also used as a tool.’

’But whether he’s testing the waters or trying to draw a snake out of its hole, Zhou Jinyu’s ultimate purpose in seeking my cooperation—aside from probing my identity—must be aimed at the Central Base... and at *those* people.’

’However, given Zhou Jinyu’s current status, there should have been many ways for him to see me. Yet he specifically chose to go through Zhang Cheng.’

’That point is worth pondering.’

’Perhaps Zhang Cheng’s identity... isn’t so simple either?’ Gu Xi frowned slightly.

Shen Yue had clearly thought of this as well.

He opened his personal terminal and projected the Light Screen in front of Gu Xi and Qi Xiang. "Take a look at this."

It was the off-topic section of the official forums.

Shen Yue tapped on several threads, all of them discussing the reverse evolution of plants. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

After a quick scan, Qi Xiang propped her chin on her hand. Based on her years of experience gossiping and drama-watching, she said with complete certainty, "I’m sure of it. Just like before, someone’s trying to stir things up."

Gu Xi: "..."

"Are you saying that because Gu Xiaoxi’s reverse plant evolution threatened the core interests of certain people, Zhou Jinyu saw an opportunity and secretly sought Gu Xi out?" Qi Xiang asked, looking up at Shen Yue with a frown.

"There’s more to it." Shen Yue shook his head slowly, his expression thirty percent nonchalance and seventy percent sarcasm. "There’s also the matter of the seeds..."

As he spoke, he looked up at Gu Xi and said slowly but firmly, "I think... perhaps he wants to confirm something by observing how certain people react to these two matters."

"Confirm what?" Qi Xiang asked subconsciously, completely lost.

’Confirm my identity.’

Gu Xi met Shen Yue’s gaze calmly.

Qi Xiang looked from one to the other, burning with curiosity, but in the end, she didn’t ask any more questions.

The little green sprout had already retracted the long vine from Gu Xi’s waist, once again becoming a slender shoot twirling affectionately around her fingertip.

Gu Xi raised her hand and tapped the two small leaves at its tip, saying nothing.

’Since Zhou Jinyu went looking for Xv Yiyisan, it means he must have already found something.’

’It’s just that back then, given his status, he shouldn’t have had access to core information.’

’So he isn’t certain who I am.’

’And Xv Yiyisan’s understanding of me was flawed to begin with. It might have been a happy accident that ended up misleading Zhou Jinyu.’

’In that case, I can get Li Ming to play along. Maybe we can muddy these waters completely...’

Gu Xi lowered her eyes, not speaking, as she quickly replayed the recent events in her mind.

The car fell unusually silent for a moment.

Qi Xiang glanced from one to the other, wanting to speak several times but not daring to say anything.

Just then, her personal terminal suddenly rang.

Seeing Gu Xi and Shen Yue both look up at her, Qi Xiang expanded the Light Screen. "It’s Zhang Cheng. Should I answer?"

Gu Xi nodded.

She activated privacy mode. As soon as the call connected, Zhang Cheng’s feignedly displeased voice came from the other end:

"Xiaoxiang, I looked away for a second and you all were gone? Mr. Zhang was just saying he wanted to treat you to a big lunch at the South City Restaurant..."

Beside her, Gu Xi made a hand gesture at Qi Xiang.

Qi Xiang said with a wide smile, "Mr. Zhang, we just saw how busy you were! It’s working hours, so we didn’t want to disturb you and left first. But don’t you worry, you’re not getting out of treating me to that meal. It’s rare for me to visit the base..."

In just a few words, the two arranged to have dinner that evening, a clear sign of how eager Zhang Cheng was.

After the call ended, Qi Xiang asked Shen Yue uncertainly, "Are you guys really going to make me go alone tonight? If he asks what Gu Xi and Zhou Jinyu talked about, what should I say?"

The South City Restaurant might be impressive, but a treacherous banquet is hard to swallow.

Because of what happened last time, Qi Xiang still had some lingering fear of the South City Restaurant and was reluctant to attend the dinner alone.

Shen Yue and Gu Xi glanced at each other and said in unison, "Tell him the truth."

"Tell him the truth?" Qi Xiang was stunned for a moment. "But he’s so impatient to treat me to dinner, he must be trying to pry information out of me. What if I say the wrong thing..."

Shen Yue lifted his gaze and gave her a nonchalant, meaningful look. "Then it would be *you* misspeaking. What would that have to do with Gu Xi?"

Qi Xiang froze for a moment. After thinking it over, she realized he was right and felt much more at ease.

However...

Qi Xiang looked up at Shen Yue in the front seat, her expression complicated. "I’ve realized something. You’re a truly devious person."

Shen Yue: "..."