Chapter 55: Expertise

Lu Ran's single sentence sent the onlookers into a frenzy.

They had just listened to Lu Ran's account,

expecting a tale of pure innocence at first, followed by a melodramatic reconciliation later on.

Never would they have imagined that the reason behind it was so straightforward and blunt!

Moreover...

Due to the Chairman being disabled and having no constant companion by his side,

many had silently assumed he was... incapable.

To their astonishment, it seemed that was not the case at all!

A wave of shock rippled through the crowd behind them.

Lu Ran observed their reactions, deeply satisfied with the success of his assignment.

Carrying the cup, he returned to Ji Min's office with a sense of accomplishment.

Along the way, he couldn't help but grumble inwardly.

Ji Min was indeed quite concerned about his image, asking Lu Ran to play the part of his ex-ex-boyfriend to dispel rumors about his inadequacy.

Yet, Ji Min didn't outright state it, leaving Lu Ran to figure it out himself.

Fortunately, Lu Ran was clever enough to decipher the unspoken request.

Upon further reflection, Lu Ran could understand.

After all, it concerned a man's pride.

Moreover...

It was probably true that Ji Min had his limitations.

It happened that Ji Min was leisurely at the moment.

Upon seeing the youth enter, he raised his head and inquired with a gentle reproach, "Why did it take so long?"

"Because I'm focusing on my work," Lu Ran stated seriously.

There was a hint of expectation for praise in his tone.

More and more like a boy at this age.

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Ji Min's lips.

Work hard? Recite vocabulary in the pantry?

Seeing him smile, Lu Ran felt even more certain.

Sigh.

Men, huh.

Until lunchtime arrived.

Lu Ran made a sincere effort to embody the role of a pursuer.

However, he had never actually chased after anyone before.

After some thought, he approached Ji Min and asked earnestly, "What do you like to eat? I'll go downstairs to the canteen and get it for you."

His eyes shimmered with sincerity as he posed the question.

He wasn't trying to flatter; the child genuinely wanted to know his preferences.

This left Ji Min momentarily taken aback.

His lips moved slightly, about to voice his answer.

Suddenly, the image of Lu Ran rinsing a cup in the toilet flashed through his mind.

Ji Min: "..."

Suddenly, that touch of warmth vanished.

He began to ponder if he had offended Lu Ran recently.

Upon reflection, there were quite a few instances.

Most of the time, he had a cold demeanor, promising to send someone home but abandoning them halfway.

He also rejected the boy's emotional overtures, insisting on his academic focus.

Ji Min fell silent for a moment.

With difficulty, he said, "Forget it, I'll go down myself."

Lu Ran seemed to sense his apprehension and reassured him, "Don't be afraid."

He spoke sincerely, "You're my boss and have helped me a lot. I definitely wouldn't throw your utensils in the toilet."

Ji Min: "..."

Should he express gratitude?

"I despise that kind of mess too," Lu Ran continued. "If it hadn't angered me so much, I wouldn't have done it."

Ji Min: "...Let's hurry down now."

Such topics aren't suitable before a meal.

Lu Ran finally ceased his narrative and pushed Ji Min's wheelchair out together.

It was lunchtime.

Outside, it was bustling with noise and excitement.

Yet the moment Lu Ran pushed Ji Min out of the office, the entire floor fell eerily silent.

The silence startled even Ji Min.

He knew that whenever he exited the office, it usually disrupted the atmosphere among the regular employees.

Yet, no one had ever interrupted him so thoroughly before.

Moreover, the way people looked at him today was different from the usual blend of admiration, sympathy, and regret.

They didn't sneak glances at him as they usually did during their hushed conversations.

Ji Min wondered if it was just his imagination.

Everyone on the entire floor was now staring at him unblinkingly.

Their gazes surpassed mere admiration.

It bordered on awe.

Their eyes seemed to be spelling out "Awesome" in bold letters on his face.

Ji Min: "...."

He had only been absent for the morning.

What on earth had happened?

At the Shen family residence.

Madam Shen and Shen Xingran hadn't been having an easy time these past few days.

That was because they realized that Shen Hongyuan hadn't been speaking out of anger.

He genuinely intended to acknowledge Lu Ran as a member of the Shen family.

He had already begun the process.

News of this had recently spread far and wide.

People kept congratulating Madam Shen on finding her biological son.

Madam Shen felt that such congratulations were laced with irony.

Each time she encountered them, she felt uneasy inside and couldn't even manage a smile.

Amidst the awkwardness, he inwardly complained about Lu Ran's interference.

Shen Xingran's situation was even worse.

In the past, he had always presented himself as the youngest son of the Shen family.

After Lu Ran's return, he concealed the truth that he was an adopted child.

It was common knowledge that the Shen couple had three sons: Shen Xingyu, Shen Xingzhuo, and Shen Xingran.

No one knew that the original Shen Xingran was not him.

Until now.

The Shen family's long-lost biological son had been found and returned home.

With this news circulating, Shen Xingran's identity became intriguing.

The Shen family only had three sons; where did this fourth one come from?

Especially for those like Chen Sheng, they were well aware that it was he who had initially hinted that Lu Ran was an illegitimate child back then.

Concealing his true identity as an adopted son,

Labeling the biological son of his adoptive parents as an illegitimate child.

Upon the spread of such news,

Many of the affluent young men who were friends with Shen Xingran found it unbelievable.

Some openly declared their disillusionment,

While others, without even meeting Lu Ran, had already regarded him as an adversary.

Regardless of how others reacted, Shen Xingran was currently too preoccupied to care.

His top priority at the moment was the Gu family.

More precisely, it was Gu Ningqi's attitude.

Shen Hongyuan, at this moment, actually still entrusted him with the task of informing the Gu family.

Shen Xingran held the phone in his hand, hesitating repeatedly.

But his gaze gradually turned resolute.

Gu Ningqi was currently overseas and had a lag in information with the domestic social circle.

Rather than hiding the truth from Gu Ningqi and letting him hear the news from outsiders, it was better for Shen Xingran to take the initiative to confess.

Shen Xingran composed himself and sent a message to Gu Ningqi:

"Brother Ningqi, let's cancel our engagement. Mom and Dad have found their biological son. It turns out that I was just an interloping foster son all along."

"Your engagement must have been arranged with that brother. I wish you and that brother happiness."

Despite being overseas, Gu Ningqi replied swiftly with a voice message filled with concern.

"Xingran, what's going on? Explain it clearly."

"Our betrothal was agreed upon by both families, and my feelings are solely for you. How could it possibly be canceled?"

Upon reading Gu Ningqi's response, Shen Xingran felt somewhat reassured.

However, he hesitated for a while and didn't reply. Instead, he reluctantly deleted Gu Ningqi's contact information.

The time for the banquet was drawing near.

Lu Ran also took some time off, claiming he needed to return to the Shen family to prepare.

Of course, Big Yellow went along with him.

Ji Min's office suddenly fell into an unexpected silence.

Occasionally, when he lifted his head from work, he saw only an empty desk.

However, there was still a pen left on the desk.

The soft, pale yellow dog bed still rested in the corner on the sofa.

It was just missing the occasional "tap-tap-tap" of little paws.

At lunchtime, Ji Min followed his usual routine and left the office.

He went downstairs to the company cafeteria.

Today, there was a board meeting, so some board members who didn't usually come to the office were present in the cafeteria as well.

Upon seeing Ji Min, they greeted him.

Knowing that Ji Min preferred to dine alone, they didn't disturb him further.

But halfway through his meal, someone sat down across from Ji Min.

Ji Min looked up to find it was Gu Zhi, the younger son of the Gu family.

Gu Zhi held a share in Ji's company, not a substantial amount but a bridge connecting the Ji and Gu families. By family hierarchy, he was also Ji Min's uncle.

However, this Second Master Gu spent his days indulging in pleasure and had little concern for serious matters.

He sat down opposite Ji Min at that moment, his expression somewhat furtive as he glanced around nervously, unsure of what he was anxious about.

"Something on your mind?" Ji Min asked straightforwardly.

Implicit in his words was the suggestion that if there was nothing, he should leave promptly.

Normally, Gu Zhi would have slunk away by now. But today, he withstood Ji Min's cold demeanor, his gaze filled with profound admiration for Ji Min.

"Ahaha, actually, there's nothing important." Gu Zhi laughed awkwardly.

However, he remained seated, showing no intention of leaving.

Ji Min lifted his gaze and silently stared at him.

Few people dared to meet Ji Min's eyes directly.

His gaze wasn't fierce; instead, it was so calm that it seemed stagnant like still water. Prolonged exposure to it could make one feel a sense of hopeless despair.

Gu Zhi couldn't withstand this gaze for more than a few seconds either.

Soon, a slight embarrassment appeared on his face.

Then, as if he had made up his mind, he lowered his voice and whispered, "Xiao Min, I'm here to seek your advice."

Ji Min was taken aback.

Gu Zhi's words, coupled with his mischievous and somewhat unserious demeanor, were truly astonishing.

Seeing no response, Gu Zhi grew anxious.

He winked at Ji Min, desperately hinting, "That one, that one!"

The ability that leaves your lover longing for more!

They were both men, after all.

Since he had already humbled himself to ask, couldn't the other party just drop the pretense?

Ji Min genuinely didn't understand.

A hint of confusion flickered in his stagnant eyes.

He asked, "What?"

Gu Zhi stomped his foot in frustration, convinced that it was this guy who was being deliberately difficult.

He struggled to express himself. "It's in the area you're most skilled at."

The most skilled...

Ji Min pondered for a moment. Was it business negotiation?

Seeing that Gu Zhi had finally asked something substantial, Ji Min answered out of respect for Old Master Gu.

With his meal almost finished, he neatly set down his utensils and leaned back in his chair. "What problem do you want to solve?"

"Problem? No, no, no. I don't have any problems." Gu Zhi was annoyed by the embarrassment. "How could I have problems? I just want to improve a bit. You can just give me some general advice."

Observing Gu Zhi's attitude, Ji Min wasn't in the mood for patience and simply offered a couple of casual pointers:

"Pinpoint the other party's weakness and control the pace of the negotiation."

Gu Zhi's eyes lit up.

Truly deserving of being someone whose disabled state still earns praise from his beloved, every word is like a polished pearl.

"Anything else?" he probed further.

"Initially, when setting the trap, don't be too forceful; you can even appear somewhat vulnerable," Ji Min suggested.

Gu Zhi nodded frantically.

Indeed, the most skilled hunters often disguise themselves as their prey.

"And finally, gradually escalate the pressure until your target collapses."

After Ji Min finished speaking, he lost interest in the conversation and carried the tray to the sink.

Gu Zhi followed closely behind, eventually mustering the courage to ask an awkward question:

"What if... there isn't enough time?"

Ji Min looked at him with confusion.

If it's not long enough, we can schedule another time. Are negotiations ever settled in just one session?

It all depends on one's capabilities.

"He said it's up to your own abilities," he relayed.

Gu Zhi's face darkened instantly, as if the bottom of a pot.

He suspected Ji Min was mocking him.

Deciding not to pursue the matter further, he huffed and turned away, throwing over his shoulder, "Oh, so you're impressive because you take your time."

Ji Min: "?"