Zhong Yun picked at his ear with his little finger, saying innocently, "Actually, I didn't know she had such a big background at first, but since I've already hooked up with her, I can't just dump her, can I?"

What he said was pretty outrageous. Zhong Pingjiang glared at him but said nothing; the shock in his heart hadn't subsided. He knew exactly what the name Yang Bingchang represented: the "Marshal's lineage." To say the Yang family held absolute power in Dawa was no exaggeration.

In the military, the Yang family's prestige was unparalleled. In business, the wealth owned by the Yang family was unmatched, and they controlled the nation's largest weapons manufacturing company. Simply put, if the Yang family stamped their foot, all thirteen planets would tremble.

So, what was the status of Yang Bingchang's daughter? Even if his imagination were a hundred times richer, he could never have conceived that his son would have any intersection with her, let alone be dating her.

In an instant, Zhong Pingjiang's mind was filled with just four words: Utterly absurd.

Seeing his cup empty, Zhong Yun picked up the teapot and refilled it for him, then continued to savor his father's mercurial expression. This was truly rare; usually, his father maintained an air of being completely in control and unflappable. It was seldom he saw him lose his composure like this.

After a long pause, Zhong Pingjiang looked gravely at his son, unable to help but confirm again, "What you said is all true?"

"Why would I lie to you?"

"How did you two meet?" Zhong Pingjiang’s expression was very serious.

"Good heavens, you’re not actually interested in my romance, are you?" Zhong Yun slapped his forehead, feigning distress.

Zhong Pingjiang’s lips moved a few times. In the end, he didn't voice what was in his heart, sighing inwardly. This kind of matter was ultimately hard to manage.

His first reaction upon learning his son was dating Yang Bingchang's daughter wasn't elation, but deep-seated worry. The gap in their status was too vast; he feared his son would be the one to suffer in the relationship. Women from prominent families were mostly spoiled and accustomed to having their way, often throwing tantrums on a whim. They were definitely not ideal candidates for a girlfriend or wife.

Furthermore, his son sometimes had a stubborn temper. Although he had become cheerier recently, Zhong Pingjiang could see an underlying pride in him—he wasn't the type to swallow insults easily. If a conflict arose between the two, his son would surely be the one disadvantaged.

If what his son said was true, and Yang Bingchang was giving him such a significant benefit purely for his daughter's sake, it proved how highly he valued her. If, one day, she felt wronged and ran to complain to her father, the consequences...

"Wait a minute." Zhong Pingjiang remembered what his son had just said. "You just mentioned you have two girlfriends?"

Zhong Yun rested his chin on his hand and nodded. "To be precise, two and a half. One is currently in the reserve state."

Zhong Pingjiang opened his mouth, taking a moment before speaking, "Does she know about that?"

Zhong Yun knew he was asking about Liu Yunqi. He thought for a moment, "She probably knows, but she hasn't asked me."

Zhong Pingjiang was utterly speechless. Have I fallen behind the times? Young people these days... Thinking of their age, he figured they were probably just fooling around, treating it like child's play. Thinking this way, he felt a bit more at ease.

However, contemplating that a business deal worth hundreds of billions was secured because of some youthful, make-believe romance, he couldn't help but feel a flood of complex emotions.

After a moment, Zhong Pingjiang remembered the main business, and stated sternly, "That 'Stabilizer' thing, you developed that too, didn't you? I won't pry into your girlfriends, but you must give me a clear explanation about this device. Tell me, who gave it to you?"

Zhong Yun stuck out his tongue at his father's severe tone. "If I said I invented it, would you believe me?"

"What do you think?" Zhong Pingjiang retorted. He knew his son's capabilities well enough. When he first started school, his IQ score was so low that several schools rejected him before he finally enrolled in a public school. Although things improved slightly after junior high, he was still just average.

Even with his recent significant academic improvements, Zhong Pingjiang couldn't believe his son could invent such a groundbreaking machine. He had studied the device; the knowledge involved was immensely complex, some even involving new theories in physics. Not to mention a middle schooler like Zhong Yun, even an A-level physicist couldn't possibly master that much knowledge.

In modern society with its increasingly specialized division of labor, no major invention was accomplished by just one person; it required teams of talent from different fields. A single person's life and energy are limited; even dedicating a lifetime to one field might yield minimal achievement. It was unthinkable for someone to possess mastery across multiple fields—such a figure only existed in legends.

Therefore, he simply didn't believe Zhong Yun's explanation.

"If you don't believe me, there's nothing I can do," Zhong Yun shrugged, unconcerned. He remembered something and cautioned, "Also, Dad, absolutely do not tell anyone that I invented it. If people ask you, just say it’s a trade secret. I don't want to be treated like a freak."

Hearing his son say this, Zhong Pingjiang felt a flicker of belief—though only a flicker. The truth would eventually surface one day. Thinking this, he set the matter aside for the moment.

He responded noncommittally, "Did you come here today just to talk about this?"

Zhong Yun snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot! If you hadn't brought it up, I would have missed the real business."

"Oh? What is it?" Zhong Pingjiang sat up straighter. Since his son grew billions worth of flowers, then secured a B-class mechanic to staff the newly opened company, and brought in a heavyweight partner like the Colossus Group, he found it difficult to view his son as merely a seventeen-year-old boy.

A mischievous smile spread across Zhong Yun's face. "I've found you another collaboration project. How will you reward me?"

His brow twitching, Zhong Pingjiang smiled and said, "That depends on which company you found."

"Starfall Group. Is that heavyweight enough?" Zhong Yun revealed the answer with a sly grin.

"Hiss—" Even though Zhong Pingjiang was somewhat mentally prepared, he was still stunned by his son's words. Starfall Group, a giant in the metallurgy industry; although slightly less influential than the Colossus Group, it was still a behemoth that the Zhong clan could only look up to.

Who were these people his son was acquainted with?

One such event once made his blood pressure spike with excitement. Another one? Zhong Pingjiang wasn't sure his heart could take it.

Taking a deep breath, Zhong Pingjiang said with a slight tremble, "Don't tell me your other girlfriend is Chen Feng's daughter."

Fortunately, Zhong Yun just shook his head. "I have a best friend who happens to be from the Chen family."

That was a relief. Zhong Pingjiang let out a breath, then put on a stern face. "You can't mess around this time. You nearly embarrassed me last time. You need to explain the cooperation details to me thoroughly."

"I was just about to tell you," Zhong Yun chuckled inwardly. A joke like that couldn't happen again; if it did, his father might really explode.

He took out a file folder from his backpack and handed it over. "This is the preliminary contract I settled on with the Chen family. Take a look."

Zhong Pingjiang took it, glanced at it a few times, then looked up at Zhong Yun. "Don't tell me this 'Cloud Alloy' was also invented by you."

Under his suspicious gaze, Zhong Yun nodded innocently.

P: Remember to vote after reading the book; your support is my greatest motivation.