Zhong Pingjiang, having navigated the corporate world for over a decade, managed to regain his composure after a brief lapse, ensuring no outward sign of discomposure remained.

He shook hands with the approaching Chen Musong, a genuine spark of excitement flickering across his features. "Mr. Chen, a true honor to finally meet you." This was no mere pleasantry; in his life, he had two idols: Huang Tingjian, the self-made wealthiest man, and the 'Emperor of Labor' standing before him now.

Chen Musong studied Zhong Pingjiang, a slight smile playing on his lips. "Mr. Zhong is too kind. I am the one who is truly impressed. Your firm is teeming with talent, enough to invent a groundbreaking product like the 'Stabilizer.' Could you perhaps introduce me to its inventor later?"

"Well, that..." Zhong Pingjiang felt an intense urge to scratch his head. He didn't even know the specifics of this collaboration, let alone anything about a 'Stabilizer.' He could only offer vague assurances before steering the conversation elsewhere.

Inside, however, he had already resolved that he would certainly have to punish Zhong Yun upon returning; such a major matter could not possibly be treated as a joke.

Watching their own boss engage in lively conversation with the legendary figure, the employees watching from behind were utterly awestruck, thinking how resilient their manager's temperament truly was.

Once the initial shock subsided, excitement gave way to an overwhelming sense of pride among all the staff. Look at this—even a giant like Juxie Group sought a partnership with them; it spoke volumes about their company's strength.

From this day forward, these employees developed a profound sense of belonging and honor toward Zhong’s Machinery, a company less than four months old—an entirely unexpected benefit.

As the entire group ascended into the building, reporters trailing behind them quietly followed suit.

Dong Wan was about to follow when she saw Zhong Yun beckoning her. After a moment’s hesitation, she walked over to him; it wasn't her concern today. With such a high-profile arrival, her colleagues would certainly be scrambling to serve tea and water. She wanted no part of it.

"What are you doing here?" Dong Wan looked at him, slightly confused about his relationship with the boss.

She hadn't considered the possibility that he was the boss's son because her direct superior was always boasting about her own son's unparalleled brilliance—so exceptional that he was said to be unmatched under heaven. Due to a certain psychological quirk, she had never described her son’s looks, leading others to assume her son was also exceptionally handsome.

Furthermore, in the estimation of employees like Dong Wan, with the boss's immense fortune, surely his son would be attending those elite aristocratic schools.

Zhong Yun bore no resemblance to the description 'exceptional,' and he was a student at a public school. None of the criteria matched, so Dong Wan naturally never suspected their connection.

"Watching the show," Zhong Yun replied, looking at her. "But you don't seem very interested."

"I'm just a junior employee," Dong Wan stated. "A high-level meeting like this isn't for me to be interested in."

Zhong Yun shook his head. "Being so detached isn't good for navigating the workplace, you know."

Dong Wan fell silent. Indeed, with her disposition, surviving in a workplace that prioritized interpersonal connections would be difficult. In fact, her social skills had always been poor since childhood; she had few friends of the opposite sex, and even fewer of the same sex, all attributable to her personality.

Seeing her expression turn slightly wistful, Zhong Yun intentionally teased her. "How about this: I know a job with great compensation, high benefits, and no need to interact much with others. How does that sound?"

Dong Wan’s face bloomed into a smile, like a hundred flowers opening at once. "Where is there such a wonderful job?"

"Oh, there is," Zhong Yun chuckled wickedly. "My wife."

Dong Wan's cheeks flushed faintly, and she lightly slapped him. "How dare you tease me."

Zhong Yun dodged slightly, deliberately letting her land a hit. He cried out dramatically, "Murder! Someone is trying to murder me!"

Dong Wan was both annoyed and amused. She snorted. "I'm not talking to you anymore. Sister Yun will be looking for me soon, I need to go up."

"See you later," Zhong Yun called after her. "I'll find you to hang out in a few days."

Dong Wan turned and shot back, "Don't you dare look for me." Then, she couldn't help but laugh to herself. For some reason, being with Zhong Yun always made her feel incredibly relaxed.

Perhaps it’s because he harbors no ill intent toward me, Dong Wan mused. He never looks at me with lecherous eyes.

As the group ascended the stairs, the commotion had already alerted others in the building. Although it was working hours, several secretaries were heading upstairs to deliver documents and ran right into Chen Musong and his entourage. They immediately recognized Chen Musong, who was leading the group. The Vice Executive Officer of Juxie Group was frequently in the news; hardly anyone didn't recognize him.

This was a major figure! Why was he here? The secretaries discovered colossal gossip material and were beside themselves with excitement. Upon returning to their desks, they began dissecting the news, and within moments, the entire company knew that the Vice Executive Officer of Juxie Group had visited their new building.

The news spread rapidly to other companies. In less than half an hour, everyone in the entire skyscraper knew that Chen Musong was on the 36th floor at that newly established firm.

What kind of background did this company possess to warrant the personal visit of the number two figure at Juxie Group? This question hung heavy in the minds of everyone in the building.

Chen Musong’s sudden arrival had completely caught Zhong Pingjiang off guard. Not only was he unprepared, but he didn't even know the contents of the contract. If his wife hadn't thrust a file folder into his hands right before entering the conference room, he would have been utterly lost on the spot.

Pretending to casually open the file, a mere glimpse of the contents gave him a dizzying sensation.

A joint venture to establish a new company with Juxie Group, where Zhong’s only contribution was technical expertise, while Juxie Group provided all the capital, including factory construction and equipment purchases. The investment amount over three years totaled seventy billion Davao coins. Of this new entity, Zhong’s would hold sixty percent of the shares, with the remaining forty percent going to Juxie Group.

What technology did Zhong’s possess that was worth one hundred billion? Even if Zhong Pingjiang racked his brain, he couldn't fathom it.

Even more outrageous was the fact that the management rights of the company would belong to Zhong’s. This was essentially Juxie Group funding and building a subsidiary for Zhong’s. Aside from forty percent of the profits, Juxie Group gained nothing else.

Is Ah Rong crazy? This was Zhong Pingjiang’s first thought upon finishing the read. Unless the entire executive board of Juxie Group had suffered a collective mental breakdown, they would never agree to such terms.

Zhong Pingjiang now found himself in an impossible bind; this weighty contract was something he couldn't possibly present. Even in negotiations, there had to be a reasonable basis for an opening bid; if you asked for a thousand dollars for something worth a few, the other party would surely turn and walk away.

Zhong Pingjiang’s silence seemed to be misinterpreted by Chen Musong, who chuckled and signaled to his secretary, who then presented Zhong Pingjiang with another document.

As he opened and began reading this new document, Chen Musong spoke, "This is the contract drafted by our company last night. It contains all the clauses we agreed upon yesterday, with only a few minor adjustments."

Zhong Pingjiang only scanned the first two points before his heart gave a painful lurch. This contract was almost identical to the one he had just seen, only with slightly more detailed specifications.

The further he read, the faster his heart pounded, until finally, he felt as if the entire world had been inverted.

It wasn't Ah Rong who was mad. It was me.

P: We finally managed to stay off the chopping block. Thank you all for your support, but coming in at thirteenth place is a bit precarious; please keep voting!

Finally, I recommend a friend's book, Rebirth of a Splendid Life (ISBN 1226184). A mysterious ring that allows one to understand the language of all beasts; a ring that allows one to mimic the habits of any animal...