Mu Nanqing's face turned red, and she stammered as she looked at Lu Chuan, "This secret...what your elder brother did initially..."
Curiously, Lu Chuan leaned in closer.
Mu Nanqing seemed to find it hard to speak, and suddenly she turned her head, "I'm not ready yet, so I can't tell you the secret."
Lu Chuan's curiosity intensified, "Sister-in-law, you can't just tease me like this. If you don't tell me, I won't be able to sleep tonight."
Mu Nanqing glanced at Lu Chuan shyly, "Then I still can't tell you, but when the time is right, I will. For now... I need to assess you a bit more."
"Assess?" Lu Chuan was puzzled. His eyes suddenly lit up, and he quickly asked, "Sister-in-law, is my elder brother some kind of hidden tycoon? Does he have a huge inheritance waiting for me to claim, and that's why you need to assess me?"
Mu Nanqing rolled her eyes, "If your elder brother were a hidden tycoon, would we have had such a tough time in the past? Have you been watching too many TV dramas?"
Considering that, Lu Chuan sighed reluctantly, "Well, if you don't want to say it, then forget it. I won't ask anymore."
Mu Nanqing smiled with her lips pursed and gently patted Lu Chuan's head, "You can rest assured, it's definitely good news for you."
Having said that, a fleeting look of anticipation twinkled in her eyes.
Lu Chuan nodded, "Sister-in-law, let's eat dumplings today to celebrate overcoming the crisis. I've been craving the dumplings you make."
Mu Nanqing happily agreed, "Alright, I'll go buy vegetables and meat right now. You've just been through a crisis, so just stay home and get some rest."
Lu Chuan didn't refuse, smiling as he said, "Sister-in-law, you're really good to me."
It seemed Mu Nanqing was a bit proud, as she put on a pleased expression and left to do the shopping.
Lu Chuan sat on the sofa, pondering his next move.
"Lin Hu, an Inner Force Stage 5 expert like him, is nothing but an insignificant role under Long Tianya. If I want to contend with him, there's a long road ahead. Improving my strength is the most pressing matter right now."
"In the end, this crisis was stirred up by Qin Lan and Liu Kun, those despicable two. If not for my good luck, I would've probably lost my life. This grudge must be avenged!"
"But before that, I need to pay a visit to Mengyao. If it weren't for her asking Sister Hong for help, even if I had defeated Lin Hu, I would not have survived long while severely injured and unconscious. I must properly thank her."
"Speaking of which, this woman claims she doesn't care whether I live or die, yet secretly she used her connections to help me. Does she have a thing for me?"
A self-loving smile appeared on Lu Chuan's face.
When Mu Nanqing returned from shopping, Lu Chuan and she began wrapping dumplings together.
After they had eaten, Lu Chuan said, "Sister-in-law, I have to go out for a bit. You've been scared these past few days; have a good sleep at home."
Mu Nanqing gave him a reproachful look, "I haven't been to work in three days. Now that I know you're fine, I can go to work with peace of mind. If I don't show up, they'll fire me."
Lu Chuan nodded and, as he left the house, thought to himself that he must earn a lot of money in the future so that his sister-in-law could live a life without the need to work.
He arrived at Blooming Beauty Cosmetics Company, confidently making his way to the President's office door.
Inside came Chu Mengyao's irritable voice, "This medicine has to be launched in three days. We've put so much into the pre-launch promotion, and now you're telling me the production line can't produce the finished medicine? Are you playing with me?"
"President, we don't know what's happening. We could produce the finished product during R&D, but as soon as it hits the production line, it doesn't work. We've checked the production line thoroughly, but we can't find the issue at all!"
Lu Chuan's expression shifted subtly. It seemed the beautiful president was in trouble.
He pushed the door and went inside.
Chu Mengyao, in her corporate attire, stood in front of her desk, looking displeased with her arms crossed; her presence was formidable.
The secretary, the pharmaceutical developer, and the product manager stood before Chu Mengyao, heads bowed, trembling with fear.
Chu Mengyao frowned when she saw Lu Chuan enter, "What are you doing here? Didn't I say that we shouldn't see each other anymore?"
Lu Chuan said with a smile, "If I don't come, who will help you dispel your worries and solve your problems?"
He extended his hand, "Let me take a look at the formula of the medicine you were just discussing."
Chu Mengyao was speechless, "Can't you stop causing trouble? I'm furious right now and don't have the time to deal with you. Leave now, or I'll scold you too!"
Lu Chuan said seriously, "I'm not causing trouble. Just let me have a quick look at the formula."
Chu Mengyao gritted her molars, "Do you think that just because you know a bit of medicine, you can solve any problem? This is a cosmetic medicine; it's not the same as what you know. Can't you stop being so self-righteous?"
Lu Chuan said, "All laws are interconnected, and cosmetic medicine is still medicine. I can spot the problem just the same. I know you're so angry you could stab someone right now, so how about this—if I can't solve your problem, you can stab me twice with a knife, how about that?"
Chu Mengyao, infuriated to the point of laughter, seemed to be competing with Lu Chuan. She opened the drawer of her desk, took out a fruit knife, and slapped it on the table, "That's what you said. Don't think I'm joking with you!"
Lu Chuan laughed, "I said it!"
Chu Mengyao snorted and turned to the pharmaceutical developer, "Give him the formula!"
The pharmaceutical developer took out the formula and handed it to Lu Chuan, stealing a glance at him before shaking his head.
"This kid clearly has no idea what he's doing. Betting with the CEO like this is like asking to be stabbed. Why are young people nowadays so reckless?"
Lu Chuan stared at the formula for a few seconds, then said to the pharmaceutical developer, "Go and switch the order in which Yinchen and dried lotus leaves are added, and try it again."
The pharmaceutical developer was startled, "Did you... did you look at the formula carefully? You found the problem just in these few seconds?"
Lu Chuan said indifferently, "The problem is obvious. Is it necessary to waste a lot of time?"
The pharmaceutical developer was speechless, feeling that this guy was just showing off. With a serious face, he said, "This has nothing to do with the order in which the herbs are added. You're purely making this up."
Lu Chuan said, "First do as I said, then judge whether I'm messing around."
Chu Mengyao sneered, sharpened the fruit knife on the edge of the table, "Do as he says!"
The pharmaceutical developer, having no choice, nodded to Chu Mengyao, "Yes, I'll do it now."
And then he turned and left the office.
The secretary and the product manager didn't dare to continue staying in the office either. They followed out, "We'll go and help!"
Lu Chuan looked at Chu Mengyao, who was sharpening the knife with an intense look, and said somewhat awkwardly, "You don't have to keep holding that knife. Actually, I came today to thank you."
Chu Mengyao snorted, "What are you thanking me for? Do I know you?"
Lu Chuan, feeling helpless, thought to himself what a 'sharp-tongued but soft-hearted' woman she was.
"Solving the problem with the medicine today can be considered as my payback to you," he said seriously to Chu Mengyao.
Chu Mengyao scoffed, "Cut it out. Don't think too highly of yourself. Each trade has its master, and if the problem could be so easily solved, then those expensive experts I hired would be useless!"
Lu Chuan shrugged, "We shall see."
Chu Mengyao muttered under her breath, "Egotist!"
Half an hour later.
The pharmaceutical developer ran excitedly into the office, "President! President!"