Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Lu Yanzhou, who "really knows how to have fun" is having a meal with Lin Juan.

The butler delivered an oversized thermal lunchbox, five layers, each layer filled with dishes. Lin Juan took out each dish one by one; mostly his favorite dishes.

Lin Juan asked, "Mr. Lu, do you usually have meals delivered by the butler too?" Lin Juan stared at the abundant array of dishes, thinking it might be too much for just the two of them to finish. "There's so much food here; what happens to the leftovers?"

"I used to eat in the cafeteria. If I'm in a hurry, I have an assistant bring up some simple dishes. Someone will take care of the leftovers." Lu Yanzhou set aside his documents and came over to help.

Since only the two of them were in the office, there was no need for the wheelchair pretense.

Not wanting to waste Old Mr. Lu's thoughtful gesture, Lin Juan ate like a storm, and together with Lu Yanzhou, they cleaned out every dish.

As expected, they ended up overeating.

Putting down his chopsticks, Lin Juan slumped onto the sofa and rubbed his bulging stomach. "I honestly can't eat another bite."

Even sitting was uncomfortable with how full he was, so Lin Juan stood up and paced around the office.

After walking a couple of laps, he turned back. "I want to go out for a walk to help digest. Do you want to come along?"

After asking, he remembered that if Lu Yanzhou went out, he would have to be in a wheelchair, which would be less convenient than walking around the office. "Never mind, you should stay here. Can I go out for a walk?"

"Sure, I'll have someone give you a tour." Lu Yanzhou called on the internal company line and called for Special Assistant Liang.

"Hey? Why did Special Assistant Liang leave in such a hurry?" In the cafeteria, employees who saw Special Assistant Liang leave early wondered.

"Probably something urgent came up. Special Assistant Liang is always busy with a lot of things." Similarly, he earned many times their salary, not to mention the year-end bonus.

If they made that much, they'd be on call too.

Special Assistant Liang, upon hearing Lu Yanzhou's instruction to take Lin Juan around without restrictions, once again mentally elevated Lin Juan's status.

Lin Juan walked to the door and looked back. "I'll be off then. If anything comes up, just call me."

"Okay." Lu Yanzhou watched him leave.

Special Assistant Liang thought to himself, how clingy they are.

He never expected their CEO, who never showed interest in anyone, actually blooming to be like this.

Special Assistant Liang pointed out things to Lin Juan as they walked. Noticing Lin Juan was interested in the design department, he took him for a tour there, then brought him to the leisure area.

During the lunch break, the lounge area was pretty crowded, as those skipping naps came here to unwind.

The usual routine was broken that day.

They saw Special Assistant Liang, who always served only the CEO, accompanying a strikingly handsome young man with long hair.

Who's this?

A new business partner?

Or the heir of some major company?

A unanimous curiosity stirred in everyone.

To be personally received by Special Assistant Liang, he must be quite important.

Two assistants from the CEO's office were also there. Upon seeing Lin Juan, they rubbed their eyes in disbelief, closed and opened them again to make sure they weren't mistaken.

"Did you see that?" one whispered to the other.

"I saw. Isn't this a bit too brazen?"

"And it's Special Assistant Liang personally bringing him around. Could he really be the CEO's wife?" Otherwise, why would the married CEO so openly bring a young lover to work?

Afraid of being overheard, they only dared to discuss in low voices.

Lin Juan walked around a little, then stopped by the offices of the shareholders whom Lu Mingxuan had mentioned often opposed Lu Yanzhou, but found nothing out of the ordinary.

Yes, he thought, since he was already out, he might as well check the company for any supernatural signs.

For now, nothing was found.

However, the company was too large, and there wasn't enough time. Lin Juan only saw limited areas. Once he felt less stuffed, he asked Special Assistant Liang to take him back.

In the afternoon, Lu Yanzhou had a meeting regarding a project with the government, which the entire company valued highly. Special Assistant Liang asked how to arrange for Lin Juan. Lu Yanzhou said without hesitation, "He'll come with me."

The senior executives attending the meeting were surprised to see a stranger in the conference room today.

Lin Juan was too striking to overlook. Their eyes unconsciously fell on the young man, wondering about his identity and why Lu Yanzhou had specifically brought him along.

Twenty minutes before the meeting started, the government official for the collaboration arrived late.

Several armed bodyguards followed behind. Special Assistant Liang stepped forward and personally escorted him in.

"Mr. Zhao."

Lin Juan pushed Lu Yanzhou forward, and Lu Yanzhou initiated the handshake.

Mr. Zhao shook it in return. "CEO Lu."

They took their seats, and the meeting began.

The meeting was about new energy development. Lin Juan didn't understand this subject matter and got more confused the longer he listened. Everyone there was sharp; they could tell he wasn't proficient in this area.

Lin Juan tried to focus but gave up after a while.

Forget it, listening to this is too hard for him.

Lin Juan's gaze began to drift.

He'd rather fight a few supernatural beings than listen to this.

Why isn't it over yet?

So boring.

I'm not coming next time, Lin Juan thought to himself. I'd rather be outside on my phone than sitting here bored.

I should ask for a raise.

Then he remembered the high monthly salary he earned as an assistant. Never mind, no need for a raise. I'll just talk to Lu Yanzhou and ask him not to bring me in next time; I can wait outside.

Time passed painfully slow. Finally, the meeting reached a break. Both sides went back and forth but failed to reach an agreement, so they decided to take a break and resume later.

Lin Juan couldn't wait to escort Lu Yanzhou out of the room.

Lu Yanzhou chuckled, "Was it really that boring?"

"I couldn't understand anything, and I was afraid of being caught spacing out. It was torture." After two hours of the meeting, Lin Juan looked like a dehydrated plant, all wilted.

"You can wait outside later, or go wherever you'd like."

"Great, that's perfect. I'll wait for you outside." Now that's a thoughtful boss.

On the other side.

Mr. Zhao was led by Special Assistant Liang to a lounge for a short break.

"For this project, we've tentatively picked out the Lu, Qiao, and Jiang families. I've had dealings with all three, and honestly, I lean more toward collaborating with the Lu family. But what was up with the person Mr. Lu brought into the meeting today?" Mr. Zhao frowned.

That was clearly not how an assistant should behave.

He knew nothing about what they were discussing. Aside from his good looks, it was hard to see any other qualities.

"If Mr. Lu is the type to blur personal and professional lines, I'm afraid he wouldn't be a suitable partner."

What Mr. Zhao detested most was the blurring of personal and professional boundaries.

He didn't say it outright, but everyone involved in the negotiation understood what he meant.

They all assumed the young man was Mr. Lu's lover, and bringing him into such an important meeting was pretty unprofessional.

The group nodded in agreement.

"Does anyone know who that long-haired young man is?"

"I heard he was brought in last-minute today, immediately becoming Mr. Lu's personal assistant. He's been staying in Mr. Lu's office all day, not even coming out for meals."

That made the possibility seem even more likely.

They exchanged uneasy glances.

"Character matters. This project is crucial for our future development—we can't afford to be careless."

The Lu family was originally their top choice, but this last-minute complication was concerning.

"Should we consider the Jiang family instead?"

At the mention of the Jiang family, Mr. Zhao's frown deepened. "Let's hold off for now."

The room fell silent.

Amid the quiet, a young man posing as a bodyguard behind Mr. Zhao spoke up, "Were you all talking about that long-haired young man in the meeting earlier?"

"Yes, but is there something wrong with him?" Mr. Zhao was puzzled by the young man's sudden interjection.

This young man was no ordinary bodyguard—only Mr. Zhao knew he was actually a supernatural operative specially assigned to him by the Paranormal Special Affairs Office, there to protect him for a limited time before moving on.

Given his high position, Mr. Zhao was privy to more information than the average person. For instance, he knew the world was no longer safe—anomalous entities had emerged, posing a grave threat to humanity. Their new energy project was, in part, a response to these anomalous entities.

If there was something off about the long-haired young man, cooperation with the Lu family would have to be suspended.

Mr. Zhao's mind raced as he thought it over, searching for a new, reliable partner.

"Why would you think there's something wrong with him?" The young supernatural operative smiled, revealing pointed canines. "That's Mr. Lin. When it comes to dealing with those things, he could handle it better than the rest of us put together."

With others present, the young supernatural operative didn't say more.

He had once worked on a mission with Lin Juan and knew firsthand how incredible Lin Juan's abilities were. He had always assumed such a powerful individual would be recruited by the Paranormal Special Affairs Office to become one of their own. He never expected Director Liu and the others to not make a move, let alone to see Mr. Lin in person at the Lu Corporation today.

"Is he really an assistant to this Mr. Lu?" The young supernatural operative whispered, amazed, "How did Mr. Lu manage to hold onto him?"

He wasn't destined to get an answer.

"You mean, he's also..." Mr. Zhao was startled, immediately forgetting about the issue of personal integrity. If the young man was indeed a powerful supernatural operative, Mr. Lu's behavior made perfect sense.

If he had such a powerful individual by his side, he'd want to have him around at all times too!

He stared at the young supernatural operative until the latter gave a slight nod. Mr. Zhao's tension eased instantly. Thankfully, he had adhered to his principle of staying amiable and hadn't made a fuss.

When the negotiations resumed, Mr. Zhao noticed the long-haired young man wasn't there.

He got worried. Had his earlier attitude offended him?

This was bad.

Angering a powerful supernatural operative was definitely not a good idea.

This time, the meeting was brief. Lin Juan had only been waiting outside for half an hour when the conference room door opened.

People came out one after another. Lin Juan looked in, confirmed the meeting was over, walked in, and stood behind Lu Yanzhou's wheelchair.

In a hushed voice, he asked, "How did it go?"

"Very smoothly," Lu Yanzhou replied, seeming at ease now that the cooperation was settled. "I won’t be as busy after this."

Mr. Zhao intentionally hung back on purpose until the end. Seeing the long-haired young man return to push Lu Yanzhou's wheelchair and noting their friendly dynamic, he came over quickly, glad the young man didn't look angry.

"Mr. Lu."

Hearing footsteps behind him, Lin Juan paused.

Mr. Zhao walked up to Lu Yanzhou. "I wonder if Mr. Lu has time to join me for a casual lunch?"

"I was out of line earlier. I’d like to apologize to both Mr. Lu and Mr. Lin."

Lin Juan: ?

"Was it?"

He hadn’t noticed.

Or had Mr. Zhao offended Lu Yanzhou while he was away?

Lin Juan's blank look eased some of the worry in Mr. Zhao's heart.

"Would you both do me the honor?"

"If your poor attitude was toward Mr. Lu, why invite me too?" Lin Juan asked, confused.

It seemed he genuinely hadn’t noticed Mr. Zhao's earlier demeanor.

Mr. Zhao let out a sigh of relief, but was also both amused and exasperated. "It's not about Lu Yanzhou—I mainly wanted to invite you. I had some misunderstandings about your identity earlier."

With Mr. Zhao being so humble, Lin Juan found it hard to refuse. It was just a change of location for a meal; as long as the food was good, he had no objections.

Keeping Lin Juan's preferences in mind, Mr. Zhao chose a Sichuan restaurant. Lin Juan was very satisfied with the meal and pulled out a pre-selected business card, handing it to Mr. Zhao.

Mr. Zhao took it, looking puzzled. "What's this?"

"My business card," Lin Juan said with a smile. "I expect Mr. Zhao already knows my identity. If you ever need anything in the future, you can contact me. As thanks for the meal, I can give you a 20% discount."

By the end of the meal, especially after seeing the young superpowered individual and getting chased down for an autograph, Lin Juan realized that Mr. Zhao’s drastic change in attitude was likely due to having learned something.

Seizing the opportunity to promote his not-yet-established business seemed like a good idea.

"If any of Mr. Zhao’s acquaintances have needs, they can also contact me. Top quality, budget price—payment guarantees results."

"Certainly, certainly." Mr. Zhao was pleasantly surprised and clutched the card like a treasure.

Both left satisfied.

"So happy?" Back home, Lu Yanzhou noticed that Lin Juan hadn’t stopped smiling.

"Of course! I was worried about how to hand out my card. The people Mr. Zhao knows probably are well-off, right?"

Not being short on money meant they could become a reliable stream of income for him.

"By the way, I need to go to the research institute. Do you have time? Would you like to come with me or stay at home?"

"Let’s go together." Lu Yanzhou had a plan in mind.

Lin Juan’s presence was a tremendous treasure. As the anomalous phenomena were still in their early stages, the world was bound to change dramatically in the future. He could seize this opportunity to build a stronger safety net for Lin Juan.

With the new collaboration settled, the company entered a brief holiday period. After the break, they would return to their busy work schedules.

News of what happened in the meeting room had spread.

Lu Yanzhou had no intention of hushing it up. At first, people only dared to discuss it privately, but when they realized management wasn’t stepping in, they grew bolder.

"Did you hear about what happened that day?"

"My supervisor was in the meeting room. He said the first half of the negotiation wasn’t going well—the other side seemed reluctant to cooperate. Then, in the second half, something changed. The pace of the negotiation sped up like a rocket, and the other side’s attitude completely shifted. They quickly finalized the deal."

"I heard about it too. Their mid-break was like a dramatic turnaround."

"A dramatic turnaround indeed! But do any of you know the reason behind it?"

"Not really."

"It must be because of our Lu Yanzhou. With him leading, is there any deal he can’t secure?"

"No, no, not this time. This time, it was because of Assistant Lin."

"Assistant Lin?"

"The Assistant Lin that Lu Yanzhou brought personally?"

"Yes. You should have seen Mr. Zhao’s attitude toward Assistant Lin after the second half of the negotiation. Mr. Zhao personally invited Assistant Lin to a meal and treated him with great respect, addressing him repeatedly as 'Mr. Lin.'"

"Really? What exactly is Assistant Lin’s background?"

"It definitely isn’t simple. He must be a VIP in some industry. Otherwise, why would Mr. Zhao show him such respect? Mr. Zhao is known for looking down on shady connections."

"No wonder Lu Yanzhou, who’s always strict about separating personal and professional matters, brought in an assistant out of nowhere to our company. Turns out he was bringing someone undercover to check things out."

"Alright, alright, enough talk. Everyone, get back to work."

Before long, it was time to go to the research institute.

Zhuang Yufeng drove over to pick them up. He didn’t ask why Lu Yanzhou was coming along but mentioned during the ride that several professors from the institute would be observing.

"I’ve already warned them. They won’t disturb you." Zhuang Yufeng was determined not to let those people interact with Lin Juan alone.

Having been there several times, Lin Juan knew the drill by now. It was Lu Yanzhou’s first time, so he needed to get a temporary ID badge.

As usual, Lin Juan first went to the specialized swimming pool to transport the "Water Tower."

It wasn’t that Zhuang Yufeng was going out of his way to trouble him; it was just that the "Water Tower" only behaved obediently around him. If other superpowered individuals approached, the largely recovered anomaly would become agitated and hard to control.

Once, when they sent other superpowered individuals, the "Water Tower" punctured several holes in those who got too close. Lin Juan had to save the day.

Only when he was present would the "Water Tower" remain calm, retracting its thick spikes and behaving like a harmless giant water blob.

It looked utterly innocent.

This led those who didn’t know better to believe they were mistreating it.

"I don’t know what some people were thinking, insisting the 'Water Tower' is innocent and pitiful, claiming we’re abusing it and wanting to set it free. If Director Liu hadn’t stationed dedicated personnel to keep watch in secret, that person might have succeeded." Zhuang Yufeng had a lot to complain about this incident.

It happened over half a month ago.

In the middle of the night, alarms suddenly blared. Zhuang Yufeng was awakened by his phone ringing and was told that someone had tried to steal the "Water Tower." He almost laughed in disbelief.

On his way there, he suspected researchers from the institute, outside groups, and many others—but it never crossed his mind that someone genuinely believed the anomaly was pitiful and needed help.

When he heard the interrogation results, Zhuang Yufeng was so angry he let out a bitter laugh. He went to the interrogation room, grabbed the intruder by the throat, and said, "You pity the anomaly? Then who pities the people killed by it?"

"The anomaly is innocent? Aren’t the victims innocent too?"

No one expected Zhuang Yufeng to lose his temper so severely—his powers briefly slipped out of control. Fortunately, it lasted only a moment.

He quickly got himself under control.

He admitted he was extreme when it came to dealing with anomalies. Anyone who had watched friends and family die one after another at the hands of anomalies would become extreme.

Since then, Zhuang Yufeng tightened the security, and no one dared to approach the swimming pool where the "Water Tower" was held.

The area where the "Water Tower" was confined was equipped with many pollution shielding devices. Above the swimming pool was a massive iron cage, with currents of electricity flickering across it.

This was a specially designed "Secret Lock" to restrict anomaly movement, modified from the "shell" of the Wuchang Snail.

Zhuang Yufeng pressed a switch, and the cage opened. The "Water Tower," submerged at the bottom of the pool, slowly rose to the surface.

Its size was now controlled to roughly five feet across—just enough to attract the "seeds" without being difficult to manage.

A metal plate rose from the bottom of the pool, lifting the "Water Tower" to the edge.

Lin Juan expertly loaded the "Water Tower" into a large containment unit and headed to the treatment room.

Sure enough, there were several unfamiliar faces outside the treatment room.

Upon seeing Lin Juan, Professor Lu and his team smiled kindly and were about to step forward to greet him, but were stopped by the paranormal operatives who had been guarding them.

In just a moment, Lin Juan had already entered the treatment room.

Lin Juan had the procedure down pat, and each time it took less and less time. This time, it only took five minutes to finish.

Professor Lu and the others stared in astonishment.

They had seen the surveillance footage before and witnessed Lin Juan's power, but watching it on video was nothing compared to seeing it in person. They had suspected that the Paranormal Special Affairs Office might have exaggerated Lin Juan's abilities, but after witnessing it firsthand, that thought instantly vanished.

Some things can be faked, heroes can be manufactured, but true power is beyond human fabrication.

Once you've seen Lin Juan's strength with your own eyes, you would never doubt it.

After the treatment, the "Water Tower" was only half the height of a person. As usual, water gushed out from the holes punctured in the "Water Tower's" body.

After a while, the floor was completely soaked, and the "Water Tower" shrank to only half an arm's size.

Lin Juan scooped up the "Water Tower": "If you keep leaking, you'll drown me out."

After working together for so long, Lin Juan's attitude toward the "Water Tower" was less stern than at first.

This was also because the "Water Tower" was keenly aware.

Knowing it couldn't beat Lin Juan, it was utterly obedient to him.

The "Water Tower" immediately stopped leaking.

Lin Juan gave it a squish—it was soft but somewhat resilient, and squeezing it was very therapeutic.

He couldn't help but squeeze it a few more times.

The "Water Tower" stayed still, taking the squeezing.

This scene made Professor Lu even more astonished.

"A miracle, truly a miracle," Professor Lu murmured. He had studied anomalies for so long but had never seen one exhibit such friendly behavior.

Even when briefly controlling anomalies, they could never behave like this. Once they broke free from control, they would become even more enraged, seeking mad revenge against those who tried to manipulate them.

How did he do it?

Lin Juan couldn't ignore the piercing stare. He turned his head and saw a man in a white lab coat standing outside the specially made transparent wall, his eyes alight with fascination.

Was that the professor Zhuang Yufeng mentioned?

Lin Juan thought for a moment but dismissed it and averted his eyes.

He put the "Water Tower" back into the box, handed it to the assigned operative, wiped his hands, and walked out of the treatment room.

Lu Yanzhou wasn't there.

"Where's Mr. Lu?" Lin Juan scanned the area but didn't see him.

"Mr. Lu and Director Liu are in my office."

Zhuang Yufeng's office.

"We will consider Mr. Lu's proposal," Director Liu began.

Lu Yanzhou had proposed that a tech firm under the Lu Group partner with the Paranormal Special Affairs Office to develop various instruments and weapons specifically targeting anomalies. Director Liu had indeed been considering partnering with a capable company.

The Lu Group was a good choice.

Whether it was the Lu Group's financial clout or the relationship between the Lu family and Lin Juan.

Especially the latter.

This made Director Liu all the more intrigued.

"I will transfer this company to Xiao Juan's name. It will remain under the Lu Group for now, but in the future, if Xiao Juan wishes, I will separate it," Lu Yanzhou said calmly.

Director Liu suddenly jolted upright: "You mean, if we strike a deal, our actual partner would be Mr. Lin?"

"Regardless of whether the collaboration happens, I will transfer that company to Xiao Juan's name."

Yaoxing Technology, the fastest-rising tech company under the Lu Group, represented not just money but also state-of-the-art tech.

The fact that Lu Yanzhou was willing to hand it over just like that surprised Director Liu.

"Are you sure? You realize the implications, don't you? I don’t need to elaborate."

"Of course, I’ve weighed this carefully, Director Liu. Xiao Juan and I will sort out our personal affairs ourselves. You just need to give me an answer."

Even though he was in a wheelchair, Lu Yanzhou's aura was just as commanding as anyone else's.

Director Liu thought for a moment: "I'd be very open to collaborating with Yaoxing."

With Yaoxing, not the Lu Group, and not Lu Yanzhou.

Understanding the implied meaning in his words, Lu Yanzhou smiled: "Then, let’s look forward to working together."

When Lin Juan caught up with them, the two were discussing the details of the collaboration. Upon seeing him, they stopped talking.

"What were you talking about? Why did you stop when I came in?" Lin Juan asked curiously.

Lu Yanzhou deflected: "Finished? Want to grab a bite later?"

Lin Juan's attention was easily sidetracked: "Sure, let's eat before heading back."

Over the next few days, Lin Juan noticed that besides working from the Lu Group headquarters, Lu Yanzhou occasionally took him to another tech company.

Yaoxing Technology was Lu Yanzhou’s own startup before he joined the Lu Group. Several of the company's old-timers were his former classmates, and they were far more at ease with Lu Yanzhou compared to those at the headquarters.

When Lu Yanzhou brought a young man with long hair no one had seen before, Cheng Xiaoyu, the head of R&D, asked curiously: "President Lu, who is this?"

"Your new chairman from now on."

"Chairman?" Cheng Xiaoyu was surprised.

"Huh?" Lin Juan snapped to attention, "Ah? I thought I was just tagging along? How did I become chairman?"

He loved money, but he only took what he rightfully earned. He didn’t want a company just handed to him.

Besides, he didn’t understand how to run a company. What if he ran it into the ground?

So many employees depend on this company for their living.

No way.

I can't accept it.

Lin Juan refused, "I'm not; don't listen to his nonsense."

Cheng Xiaoyu could tell that the long-haired young man and Lu Yanzhou had a special relationship. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Was the stuff you had me organize earlier because of this?"

"Hmm," Lu Yanzhou responded.

Cheng Xiaoyu tsked in amazement. "Anyway, it's your company. You can give it to whoever you want. I'll go fetch President Ke. You brought him here to sign the contract, right?"

"Just brought him to meet some people," Lu Yanzhou neither confirmed nor denied.

Cheng Xiaoyu went to fetch someone. Lin Juan poked Lu Yanzhou’s shoulder as he was reviewing files. "What did you mean by what you said earlier? Are you really giving me a company?"

"Yes," Lu Yanzhou put down the documents. "I worked out a deal with Director Liu. He said he’ll only work with us if you’re the company owner."

That was his explanation for why he was giving Lin Juan the company.

"Why would he say that? It's clearly your company. I can't accept it." Lin Juan picked up the phone. "I'll go talk to him."

Lu Yanzhou had only said that because he was afraid Lin Juan wouldn't accept it. He couldn’t actually let him call. Besides, it wasn't Director Liu who demanded a change in the company's chairman.

It was just his own selfish idea.

"The collaboration is already settled, Xiao Juan. It’ll just be under your name. You'll still be the same as before; you don't have to do anything. You have a strong reputation and it will greatly benefit the company's future research and development of technologies related to the paranormal."

Lu Yanzhou was so smooth with his words, appealing to both public and private interests, emotion and logic, making it seem as if Lin Juan's refusal would be a huge loss for the company.

Lin Juan got talked in circles and agreed vaguely.

Just then, Cheng Xiaoyu brought the documents, and Lu Yanzhou took the opportunity to have him sign.

After signing, Lin Juan finally snapped out of it. Holding the pen, he looked at Lu Yanzhou. "You said it's just under my name."

"Yes," Lu Yanzhou nodded.

Such a vast fortune given away so easily, and through coaxing and trickery at that, made Cheng Xiaoyu let out an impressed whistle.

Rich people sure do romance differently.

Under Lu Yanzhou's guidance, Lin Juan met all the higher-ups of Yaoxing Technology, and Lu Yanzhou also introduced Lin Juan to them.

"Who is this Lin Juan? Worthy of our President Lu going to such lengths to sweet-talk him?" one executive asked curiously.

"Don't you know? President Lu got hitched not long ago," Cheng Xiaoyu said shockingly.

"You mean he's President Lu's husband?!" President Ke was astonished.

"Yes, coming and going together, accompanying him to work every day. Our President Lu, the iron tree has finally bloomed late."

For a moment, the executives didn't know whether to be shocked that President Lu married so young or that he was all lovey-dovey with his new husband.

Isn't it just affection?

If it weren't for love, why go through all the trouble of sweet-talking and tricking the other into signing the transfer agreement? This is Yaoxing Technology, the tech company with the most rapid growth, not some insignificant small company or a failing enterprise.

"Is this how rich people do relationships?"

The speaking executive looked bewildered.

"Wake up, only President Lu is like this. From what I know, several others signed prenuptial agreements before marriage, afraid their spouses would take their assets in a divorce."

Thanks, instant disillusionment with rich folks.

With a company under his name, Lin Juan's life didn't change much. He still split his time between Lu Manor and the company, occasionally going to the research institute.

After getting the business cards finalized, Lu Yanzhou had some printed. When Lin Juan went to the research institute, he gave two or three cards to each superpower holder he knew. Even if they didn't need them, they could give them to friends and family.

"Mr. Lin really isn't coming to our Paranormal Special Affairs Office?" The young superpower holder who received the card was happy at first but couldn’t hide his disappointment.

Powerful people can be stuck-up, some with difficult personalities, but Mr. Lin wasn't like that. He was powerful yet easygoing, easy to get along with. Everyone hoped to work with him someday.

"Feel free to ask if you need help. If time allows, I'll definitely help," Lin Juan didn't answer the question about joining the Paranormal Special Affairs Office.

The superpower holder wanted to say more but was pulled by someone nearby. Realizing he had overstepped his bounds, he swallowed his words.

The night before the last patient was discharged, Zhuang Yufeng got into a heated argument with Professor Zhou from the research institute.

The reason was that Professor Zhou, knowing he was close to Lin Juan, wanted him to act as a middleman and ask if Lin Juan could help at the research institute for a couple of days.

He spoke vaguely, but Zhuang Yufeng still understood his underlying meaning: the so-called ‘help’ was actually an attempt to study Lin Juan.

"Don't think I don't know what you really mean. I've said it before, some lines you don’t cross!" Zhuang Yufeng was firm.

They are human, and humans should have boundaries that must not be crossed, such as experimenting on superpower holders.

Not long ago, someone at the research institute suggested running tests on superpower holders, but Zhuang Yufeng sternly refused.

He knew that some at the institute were trying to experiment on superpower holders. Regardless of the purpose, he would never allow such things to happen!

As long as he is around, these people won’t lay a hand on any humans.

Neither superpower holders nor ordinary people!

"Dr. Zhuang, we're just curious why he has such a strong deterrent effect on the paranormal. Aren't you curious? If we can research the cause, couldn't we replicate this ability? That way, casualties when dealing with the paranormal would be greatly reduced," Professor Zhou pushed back.

They had tried to contact higher-ups directly, hoping to pressure from above to initiate research on superpower holders. With enough samples, they believed they could uncover the secrets of evolution and create more superpower holders!

Unfortunately, their proposal was rejected.

Something about not conforming to humanitarian principles. At a critical juncture for humanity's survival, why care about humanitarian principles?

Especially Director Liu, leveraging his father's high position, directly rejected their proposal and reprimanded them.

If not for that, why would they bother playing nice with Dr. Zhuang?

"Whether it's for humanity or your own selfish desires, you know in your hearts," Dr. Zhuang felt disgusted deep down at the thought of these people's plans.

He knew some at the future research institute would take a wrong turn but didn't expect signs to appear so early.

Fortunately, he had planned ahead this time. He would never let the past life tragedies repeat.

"This matter is not up for discussion. I warn you and those behind you: stay away from Mr. Lin, and don’t try anything with superpower holders."

Dr. Zhuang stopped hiding his disgust.

Professor Zhou was flushed with anger by his retort and left in humiliation.

"So, is he willing to make the connection?" Their plan was to lure Lin Juan into coming first. Once he was there, they had plenty of ways to deal with him.

If it weren't for Zhuang Yufeng's strict vigilance, they wouldn't have gone so long without getting to study a single superpower holder.

"Forget it, he won't budge," Professor Zhou said grimly. "I might have alerted them. Let's keep a low profile for a while and not give Zhuang Yufeng any reason to send us away."

Relying on his connections, Zhuang Yufeng had gotten rid of quite a few of their people after being assigned to the institute.

Although those were just minor lackeys, without them, they found themselves hampered at every step, nothing like the ease they had before.

"By the way, didn't Lin Juan give out his contact info to everyone? I managed to get one. Why don't we set up a situation and ask for his help?"

"Not for now. Zhuang Yufeng will definitely tell Lin Juan about Old Zhou reaching out, making him cautious. If we ask for help while in danger right now, it would seem too deliberate. We need to plan this carefully."

As he predicted, Zhuang Yufeng promptly told Lin Juan about the matter, urging him to be cautious.

"I have a feeling they won't give up easily. You must be careful, Mr. Lin."

Why was he being targeted too?

Lin Juan hated being plotted against.

"Let them come. If they dare plot against me, they shouldn't blame me for retaliating," Lin Juan said, propping his chin thoughtfully. "If they make the first move, and I beat them up, that should count as self-defense, right?"

"Of course it does." Seeing that Lin Juan was confident, Zhuang Yufeng felt relieved.

After all, Lin Juan was incredibly powerful. In the face of absolute strength, all schemes and tricks were useless.

"Are you just going to let this slide?" Lu Yanzhou asked unhappily.

"There's no other way. The institute is critically short-staffed, and they're very careful. Without solid evidence, we can't risk alerting them prematurely."

To take action, we must first find out exactly how many of them there are.

Otherwise, removing one problem while leaving others hidden deeper would only create greater future risks.

With equally sharp minds, Lu Yanzhou understood as soon as Zhuang Yufeng explained.

"Don't involve Xiao Juan."

"I know." He had originally intended to keep Lin Juan under wraps, but Lin Juan was far too powerful to conceal what he had done.

Since he couldn't be hidden, it was better to put him front and center. Under public scrutiny, anyone with ill intentions would have to think twice.

Oblivious to these intricacies and unconcerned, Lin Juan asked, "The patients are all cured. What do you plan to do with the [Water Tower]?"

The "Water Tower" was also coveted by many at the institute, as it was the only live paranormal entity brought back, making it invaluable. Previously, saving lives gave Zhuang Yufeng reason to deny research requests, but now that the patients were cured, it would be harder to refuse such applications.

However, without Lin Juan, studying the "Water Tower" would be far from easy.

After all, without Lin Juan around, the "Water Tower" was far from a harmless, docile water creature.

"You were the one who brought back the [Water Tower]. What are your thoughts?" Zhuang Yufeng sought Lin Juan's opinion.

"We can't release it, and it wouldn't be right to kill it outright. It might be useful in the future," Lin Juan pondered.

"Shall we keep it maintained for now?"

That seemed the only option.

"What does the [Water Tower] usually eat?" Lin Juan hadn't paid attention before but asked casually since Zhuang Yufeng suggested keeping it.

"Generally, just water."

It was a very easy-to-care-for water baby.

"That's good," Lin Juan said, since he couldn't completely ignore something he had captured. "Contact me anytime if there are issues with the [Water Tower]."

On his way out, Lin Juan encountered several familiar superpower holders.

"Mr. Lin!"

An eagle-eyed superpower holder spotted Lin Juan and hurried over. "Mr. Lin, I've discovered a new use for my superpower. Can you take a look?"

Crap, he got there first.

The slower superpower holder glared daggers at the one who spoke first.

"I don't think I have time today. I have something to do."

"Eh? What is Mr. Lin busy with? Can we help?"

"Yes, Mr. Lin, if you need anything, just ask. We all have time."

The superpower holders eagerly offered.

"Nothing urgent," Lin Juan thanked them for their kindness. "I have to accompany Mr. Lu to his company. I'm his assistant now."

With that, Lin Juan showed his employee badge to the surrounding superpower holders.

!!!

The superpower holders were stunned.

Who could tell them why Lin Juan had gone to work as someone's assistant?!

The person who managed to hire Mr. Lin must have saved the universe in a past life!

For a moment, looks of envy and jealousy fell upon Lu Yanzhou.

"Why—" exclaimed the superpower holder who had recently asked Lin Juan why he wasn't joining the Paranormal Special Affairs Office.

"Mr. Lin, may I ask, what's your relationship with Mr. Lu?"

"We are..." Lin Juan hesitated. "Registered in the same household?"

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