Shen Yao did not sense any malice from them, so she did not inform the Shen family, fearing it would cause them more panic.
Shen Huaimin and Ning Min had already driven to the county to attend to matters at their respective shops.
Ning Min's primary focus was the layout of her tailor shop. It was now renovated, and many items had been delivered.
Once she organized everything and chose an auspicious day, she could open for business.
As the tailor shop and the private kitchen were very close, Shen Huaimin came over to help his wife after visiting his own shop for a while.
Indeed, two people working together were much faster than one. With their combined efforts, they quickly organized everything.
The entire shop was divided into two sections. Upon entering was the display area where customers could choose styles, fabrics, and other necessary items. A space of over ten square meters was sectioned off on the right, containing sewing machines, tools, and a worktable.
The collaborator Ning Min found was truly reliable, providing excellent fabrics with superb styles and unmatched quality.
With everything in place, Ning Min asked Shen Huaimin to return to his own affairs. She herself began to select fabrics to make clothes for the mannequins.
These mannequins were specialized for studios, with perfect proportions and none of the stiffness of plastic ones.
Ning Min's mind conjured up Shen Yao's appearance and figure, and inspiration struck. Her hands moved swiftly, sketching rapidly on her sketchbook.
With revisions and edits, a beautiful qipao dress soon appeared on the paper.
The qipao was slightly modified, featuring a slanted lapel and short sleeves. The shoulders were joined to the chest with lace inserts. The skirt hem was also slit with added fabric to create a hidden split that would be revealed when walking.
Seeing the design, Ning Min put down the white fabric in her hands and turned to retrieve a bolt of light cyan material, which had a subtle pattern woven into it.
Ning Min was incredibly focused when working, so much so that she didn't notice Shen Huaimin's arrival.
Shen Huaimin did not disturb her, instead sitting on a nearby stool to wait.
By the time Ning Min noticed Shen Huaimin, it was already 7 PM.
"Why didn't you call me?" Ning Min glanced at the time and then at Shen Huaimin.
"I saw how engrossed you were, and I didn't want to disturb you."
He hadn't seen Ning Min so focused in a long time. The beauty she exuded when dedicated to a task was captivating.
"Let's go." Ning Min tidied up her things and pulled Shen Huaimin along, ready to head home.
"Are you done with your work?" Shen Huaimin looked at the half-finished dress still piled on the table.
"Not exactly, but clothes are not as important as home. Let's go back quickly. Mom must be tired after watching the children all day."
Ning Min took out her keys, locked the door, and returned home with Shen Huaimin.
Upon returning home, Shen Mama had prepared dinner. After eating, Shen Yao addressed everyone.
"I don't know if those people will continue to probe for information tonight. If there's any more disturbance, you don't need to worry about it," Shen Yao said.
During the day, Shen Yao had already asked Shen Baba to inform the guests at the agritainment center not to go up the mountain at night, citing danger and poor visibility in the dark.
Most of the guests at the agritainment center were tourists who were out exploring during the day and had no inclination to venture up the mountain at night.
"Alright, we understand."
The Shen family understood Shen Yao's words, and with Mo Xuan keeping watch, they had nothing to fear.
Due to the events of the previous night, none of the Shen family had rested well, so they quickly fell asleep once they returned to their rooms.
During the night, Shen Yao indeed sensed other presences. However, she paid them no mind, as Mo Xuan was on duty.
What Shen Yao didn't know was that someone had already intervened, rendering Mo Xuan's immediate action unnecessary.
Ah Wei and the others were still frustrated about their negligence the previous night, so they had stayed awake guarding throughout the night.
As fate would have it, their vigilance paid off. They finally detected the intruders.
Ah Wei and his companions had left three people to guard the perimeter while the other three followed the intruders out.
Since they had surveyed the area during the day, they had a clear mental map of the terrain. Observing the direction the intruders were heading, they realized their target was the greenhouse where the Shen family grew their vegetables.
They followed from a distance, careful not to get too close and risk detection.
The intruders reached the greenhouse and, avoiding the surveillance cameras, slipped into one of the structures.
If Shen Yao were present, she would have known exactly which greenhouse they entered – the one she had specifically designated for Shen Huaimin to grow vegetables.
This greenhouse was already planted with vegetables, and beside them, a water pit had been dug specifically for watering the plants.
Upon entering, the three intruders, despite the darkness, sensed something unusual. The air inside was clearly comfortable, and the vegetables were growing exceptionally large.
The three exchanged glances and then took out several sealed bags, beginning to collect soil and water.
One man, seeing the water in the small pit, inexplicably took a sip.
"This is delicious!"
The man exclaimed and then proceeded to drink several more mouthfuls.
The other two glanced at him with disdain at his behavior, drinking such dirty water.
They then continued to dig a little here and pry a piece there, filling the sealed bags they had brought before quietly departing.
They had specifically called their boss during the day, inquired about the required items, and then came to excavate the soil.
Although they didn't understand what the boss needed these items for, as long as they were paid, digging soil was easier than stealing.
After moving away from the greenhouse, the three men finally relaxed, only to realize something was amiss.
"Who's there!" the tall man scanned the surroundings and then fixed his gaze on a large rock not far away.
As the tall man spoke, his companions also became alert and vigilant.
Ah Wei signaled to his companions, and two of them charged forward.
Instantly, the five men engaged in a fierce brawl, the sounds of their fists hitting flesh echoing in the night.
Despite being outnumbered, the three intruders were no match for the two who had suddenly appeared and were quickly pushed back several steps.
The tall man's eyes turned red with fury, glaring at the two men as if he wanted to tear them apart, yet he himself was unable to defeat them!
His intention was to go and kill them, but his body, in stark contrast, did not act on such an impulsive thought.
"Let's go, split up and run!"
As soon as the tall man spoke, the three of them scattered in different directions.