Chapter 22 Part 4

Lu Yanzhou stepped back and adjusted the tie’s position.

“All set.”

Lin Juan snapped back to attention and looked up, straight into the man’s profound eyes.

“I…” He opened his mouth, momentarily at a loss for words, his tone carrying a faint, barely detectable panic. “Since it’s done, let’s go.”

With that, he turned and strode out.

Lu Yanzhou followed a step behind, watching the young man’s retreating back as he rubbed his fingers.

He caught up.

The car waited outside.

Lin Juan got in first, and Lu Yanzhou sat beside him.

“In a bit, I’ll have to trouble Xiao Juan to push my wheelchair,” Lu Yanzhou broke the silence.

Lin Juan hummed in acknowledgment and lowered his head to check his phone.

Zhuang Yufeng had messaged him, asking if he had time the day after tomorrow. The 【Water Tower】 had mostly recovered and was ready for the next treatment round.

To ensure sustainable use of the 【Water Tower】, Zhuang Yufeng gave it three to five days of rest after fishing out each “seed.”

At first, it was one or two days, but later they found that wasn’t enough recovery time—the attraction to the pollution “seeds” inside the human body was insufficient—so they extended it.

By his calculations, the day after tomorrow marked seven days since the last treatment.

After replying, Lin Juan realized he now had a job that was far less leisurely than his previous self-indulgent days.

The day after tomorrow was Friday.

Lin Juan frowned.

One side was a prior commitment, the other his new job—neither could be delayed.

Why did nothing happen when he was idle, but everything pile up at once?

He’d ask Lu Yanzhou if Friday was busy.

Maybe he could bring him along. Until the hidden enemies were identified and the safety issues resolved, Lin Juan couldn’t leave him unattended.

What if the attackers struck just when he was away?

Whether from their bond over this time or the generous pay and Lu Family rewards, Lin Juan wouldn’t allow that to happen.

He pondered the whole way, and Lu Yanzhou didn’t disturb him.

The car stopped. A bodyguard wheeled out the chair. Lin Juan came back to himself, helped Lu Yanzhou into the wheelchair, and—remembering his words—stood behind it to take over pushing.

The bodyguard, squeezed aside, looked at Lu Yanzhou uncertainly.

Lu Yanzhou gave a small shake of his head.

The bodyguard lowered his head and stepped back.

Lu Corporation Headquarters stood in the city’s most bustling central district, with several office buildings under their name.

The towers soared into the clouds, grand and imposing. Lin Juan pushed Lu Yanzhou into the elevator that went straight to the top floor.

Compared to his original world, this book’s world was exaggerated in many ways.

The major families, commercial empires, and bloody business tactics were all things Lin Juan had never witnessed before.

The corporate wars in his original world—poisoning a rival’s money tree, stealing seals…

Seemed utterly childish by comparison.

But he had to admit, at least they were safe—no constant fear of life-threatening danger.

Not like now.

Lin Juan glanced down at Lu Yanzhou.

A man who had nearly lost his life to business warfare and still faced ongoing threats.

He wondered when the crises around Lu Yanzhou would end.

Thinking of the high salary from the Lu Family and the corporation shares in his hands, Lin Juan clenched his fist inwardly: He would protect this golden goose, Lu Yanzhou!

Lu Yanzhou’s president’s office was on the top floor, extremely spacious, with an adjacent workspace for over a dozen assistants.

Liang Boyu, Special Assistant Liang, was Lu Yanzhou’s right-hand man and one of his most trusted subordinates. He had learned in advance that Lu Yanzhou would bring a new assistant.

Previously, all president’s office assistants had gone through layers of company screening. This was the first one personally brought by Lu Yanzhou.

Unsure of the proper attitude, Special Assistant Liang probed with a few questions—normal work arrangements or what?—and got an answer that left him baffled.

President Lu said not to assign the new assistant any work. He wouldn’t even work in the assistants’ area but directly in the president’s office.

The implication was clear. Special Assistant Liang couldn’t help overthinking.

Was their President Lu, that iron tree, finally blooming—and blooming big?

Though shocked, Special Assistant Liang dutifully arranged everything and notified the other assistants ahead of time.

They handled different areas with little competition between them. With the Lu Corporation’s generous benefits, they got along well.

Seeing the group message, everyone’s first reaction was:

[Special Assistant Liang, are you sure? You’re certain the new assistant is brought by our President Lu, not President Li from next door?]

President Li, the weirdo obsessed with role-playing with his little lovers at the company.

[President Li Whatever was fired ages ago. No more President Li.]

[Has our President Lu mutated?]

[Is the iron tree that is President Lu finally blooming?]

[Maybe there’s more to it. Like, looks like an assistant but is actually a super-powered expert here to protect President Lu.]

After all, as Lu Yanzhou’s assistants, they knew all about the assassination attempts on him.

[Won’t we know once we see the person? It’s almost eight. President Lu is coming up soon.]

Everyone waited with full vigilance.

At the same time, at the Research Institute.

Because he wanted to build his own faction at the Research Institute, Zhuang Yufeng had spent more time there lately. Leveraging his rebirth advantage, he found several Ability Users and talented researchers ahead of schedule and, with help from Director Liu and others, quietly inserted them into the Research Institute.

“What did Mr. Lin say?” Across from him, Professor Lu’s eyes brimmed with undisguisable anticipation.

Ever since he learned the name Lin Juan, he had pulled strings everywhere to dig up information. He already knew that Lin Juan had grown up in the mountains with limited education and only started shining after the Lu Family took him in and he married the Lu Family Head.

Old Master Lu had deliberately kept things under wraps. After the Anomalous Affairs Bureau discovered that Lin Juan’s marriage to the Lu Family Head had been a desperate bid for good fortune, they consulted the Lu Family and Lin Juan himself before thoroughly erasing all traces of it. As such, Professor Lu and the others only learned that Old Master Lu had arranged the marriage to Lu Yanzhou out of gratitude.

When they found that out, Professor Lu and the rest thought in unison: Had the Lu Family saved the planet in a past life? Why else would their repayment be bringing home such a powerhouse?

And yet Lin Juan stayed with the Lu Family willingly.

Once they learned this history, everyone at the Research Institute started cooking up little schemes. If they could win Lin Juan over and bring him to their side, it would be a massive boost for the Institute.

The temptation was too great for anyone to ignore.

Zhuang Yufeng noticed the restless scheming among some at the Institute, but he didn’t try to shatter their illusions. Some people wouldn’t turn back until they hit a brick wall.

Still, he worried a bit that Lin Juan might actually be swayed.

While exchanging veiled barbs with Professor Lu and the others, Zhuang Yufeng planned how to warn Lin Juan that the Research Institute wasn’t a good partner.

Suddenly, it hit him—had Lin Juan refused to bring Lu Yanzhou to the Institute earlier because he knew something?

“I’ve arranged the timing. Don’t forget your promises. No disturbing Mr. Lin while he saves the man,” Zhuang Yufeng said coldly.

“Lives hung in the balance. Of course we know better,” Professor Lu assured him, taking the lead.

They needed to make a good first impression. Winning him over couldn’t be rushed.

The stronger the person, the bigger the temper. They wouldn’t act rashly.

Lin Juan had no idea the Research Institute was scheming to recruit him. He wheeled Lu Yanzhou into the office and, whether by illusion or not, heard several sharp intakes of breath.

Special Assistant Liang came in to report on work and, while waiting for President Lu’s reply, couldn’t resist glancing at the young man on the sofa.

His first impression: beautiful.

A beauty beyond words. He simply sat there, drawing every eye.

This probably wasn’t just some bodyguard, Special Assistant Liang thought.

Brought personally by President Lu, placed right in his own office, without even a pretense of secrecy…

The more he thought, the more it reminded him of President Li’s behavior back then.

Stop!

Special Assistant Liang quickly shut down that train of thought. Whatever the young man’s relationship with President Lu, it wasn’t his place to meddle.

All morning, Lin Juan stayed with Lu Yanzhou. While Lu Yanzhou worked, Lin Juan played on the tablet. When he tired of that, he switched to the computer, then the phone.

Worried he’d get bored, Lu Yanzhou had Special Assistant Liang fetch a few magazines.

A bit later, he had an assistant bring in snacks.

In the executive office, assistants came and went, each stealing glances at Lin Juan on entry.

Mindful of Lu Yanzhou’s presence, none dared linger. They kept cool on the surface, but their inner turmoil was theirs alone.

The one delivering snacks was a bubbly young woman fresh out of her PhD. Seeing President Lu buried in work, she couldn’t resist chatting with Lin Juan.

“Assistant Lin, this one’s super tasty.” She nudged a small cookie toward him.

“Thanks,” Lin Juan took it and ate. “It’s delicious.”

His voice was so pleasant. The young assistant clutched her cheeks inwardly. And he was so handsome.

She didn’t linger. After delivering the snacks, she left.

Lin Juan ate for a while, then saw Lu Yanzhou still swamped. He brought over a small box of cookies. “Want to try some? They’re really good.”

With both hands occupied, Lin Juan paused. “If it’s inconvenient, I can feed you?”

Lu Yanzhou parted his lips slightly.

Taking the cue, Lin Juan picked up a cookie and held it to Lu Yanzhou’s mouth. Then, remembering something, he added, “I washed my hands before eating.”

Lu Yanzhou said nothing and ate the cookie.

One fed, the other ate. Soon, the box was empty.

Lin Juan’s peripheral glance caught the design blueprint on Lu Yanzhou’s computer. Distracted, his hand inched forward. When Lu Yanzhou opened his mouth, he accidentally took Lin Juan’s fingers in as well.

Warm lips brushed his fingers. Both froze.

Lin Juan yanked his hand back.

“Sorry.” Lu Yanzhou turned to look at him.

“No problem.” Lin Juan rubbed his fingers, dodging. “I’ll get you some water.”

He fetched water for Lu Yanzhou, then finished the remaining cookies himself. His fingers still tingled, as if retaining a damp warmth.

At lunchtime, the housekeeper from Lu Garden delivered meals for the two.

The assistants, bottled up all morning, finally gathered in the restaurant corner at lunch, whispering.

“Heavens, did you see? President Lu actually brought a total beauty to the office.”

“Is this our iron-fisted, work-obsessed, romance-proof President Lu?”

“You didn’t see it, but when I dropped off files, I caught President Lu asking the new assistant so gently if he was bored. Oh my god, I’ve never seen him that patient with anyone!”

“That’s more than patience, isn’t it?”

“And get this—when I went in just now, guess what? The new assistant was playing games on President Lu’s work tablet!”

“No way. That thing’s loaded with confidential files. This has to be no ordinary relationship.”

“So… what do you think the new assistant and President Lu are to each other?”

Silence fell.

After a long moment, the newest assistant ventured, “Could he be our president’s spouse? I talked to him when I brought snacks. His voice was amazing, and he’s so good-looking.”

The silence deepened.

“No way…” Someone finally mumbled.

“Why not?” The most senior assistant adjusted his glasses. “Didn’t President Lu get married recently?”

“So…” The young assistant clutched her cheeks. “Our BOSS has that kind of flair?”

Dressing his spouse as an assistant to keep him company at work. Quite the player.