Why are you pulling my hand? And putting an arm around my waist?

Li Ming's thoughtless self-recommendation amused Lu Chengze. He looked at Bai Jin. "It seems he really is your friend."

Taking the opportunity, Bai Jin slipped his hand out of Lu Chengze's grasp and grabbed Li Ming, who still wanted to keep talking, before asking in confusion, "Why?"

"He's as innocent as you." After saying that, Lu Chengze smiled at Li Ming. "If I remember correctly, the Li Family's medical cooperation contract with Lu Group Corporation expires in two months, doesn't it?"

Lu Group Corporation had many industries, and its medical equipment sector was one of A Country's leading industries.

The Dragon Family had secretly supported it as well. Since the Dragon Family's influence and resources were concentrated in the military and political sectors, they placed particular importance on medical care.

After all, many senior figures in A Country needed a safe, secure place to recuperate after retirement.

Li Ming nodded. "I think so. I'm not too sure."

A smile tugged at Lu Jin's lips as he stepped forward and pulled the foolishly clueless Li Ming aside. "Come, come, little friend. Let's discuss this matter in detail..."

Birds of a feather flocked together.

Young Master Bai, so innocent and harmless, had friends who were just as adorable as he was.

Li Ming recognized the person dragging him away, so he dared not voice his anger. "..."

But inwardly, he was cursing wildly: What the hell are you doing? If you wanted to send me away, you could've just said so. Why are you pulling my hand? And putting an arm around my waist?

Bai Jin watched helplessly as Lu Jin dragged Li Ming away. The despairing expression on Li Ming's face was simply too pitiful. He lightly tugged at Lu Chengze's sleeve and said softly, "Fifth Master, Li Ming just admires you. He doesn't mean any harm. Tell Lu Jin not to make things difficult for him!"

Lu Chengze smiled and caught Bai Jin's little paw. "Don't worry. Lu Jin doesn't beat children."

Bai Jin glared at Lu Chengze and fell silent.

Ai Huainan coughed lightly. "Well, Chengze, it's getting late. How about you let Bai Jin into the lab first?"

He had to get this little ancestor to let Bai Jin go, then properly coax him. Otherwise, who knew whether the anger in his heart would ever subside?

Lu Chengze asked Bai Jin, "Are you still going to the lab? If you don't want to go, I can get you leave."

"I'm going. Some experiments can't be left unattended." Bai Jin had no intention of taking leave and leaving just like that. Today, he had to make certain people understand that Bai Jin was not someone they could bully so easily.

Weren't they jealous that he had become the experimental team leader?

Then he would let them see exactly how he had earned that position.

And there was that idiot who kept tirelessly causing him trouble despite having a broken hand... Breaking just his right hand had been far too lenient. If something had to be broken, it should be the thing he prized most.

For example, the fiancé he had stolen.

"Fine, go ahead. I'll take you out for lunch at noon." Seeing Bai Jin lower his eyes with an obedient look, Lu Chengze did not force him and let him go inside.

As soon as Bai Jin entered the lab, Ai Huainan immediately came over and, without allowing any refusal, pulled Lu Chengze outside. "Come, come, Chengze. I just got a tin of excellent tea in my office. Help me taste it."

He had to keep an eye on him. The people from Lu Group Corporation would be coming over soon to sign the contract.

Lu Chengze did not refuse and followed Ai Huainan away.

Zhan Zhou and Jiang Hongfeng looked at each other. After a while, when only the two of them remained in the corridor, Zhan Zhou quietly asked, "Old Jiang, what exactly is Bai Jin's background? Why is Old Ai so nervous over such a small matter?"

Although he had watched everything happen, he still could not understand what it was about Bai Jin that made Fifth Master Lu care so much.

Jiang Hongfeng clasped his hands behind his back and slowly walked inward. "Little Zhan, no matter what background Bai Jin has, as long as he has caught the eye of that little tyrant from the Lu Family, he is an ancestor our lab has to worship. Do you remember what Old Ai said? Our lab's experimental funding for the second half of the year is all riding on Bai Jin."

Zhan Zhou nodded. "All right, Old Jiang. I understand."

Because of certain special reasons, several major investors had withdrawn their shares from this year's experimental funding. Their funds were truly stretched thin. If getting Bai Jin to join the lab could secure additional funding, then naturally they supported it with both hands.

Besides, if their school had not recruited him, then given Bai Jin's ability and talent, any prestigious university in the country would have fought to take him.

--

After changing clothes, Bai Jin appeared in the lab with an indifferent expression. Ignoring everyone else's ingratiating yet apologetic looks, he calmly began assigning everyone's tasks for the day.

This time, no one dared raise any objections. They obediently accepted their assignments and went to their respective workstations.

Only after everyone calmed down did they realize that while assigning tasks, Bai Jin clearly knew the progress each person had made in their experiments over the past few days.

What did that mean?

It meant that Bai Jin had already understood every one of their strengths and capabilities before taking over as team leader.

So just how stupid had they been to think Bai Jin had stolen the team leader position from Bai Jianian?

When Bai Jianian had been in their lab, aside from being sweet-talking, generous, and good at catering to everyone's preferences, he truly had no particularly outstanding strengths in experimental research.

The reason everyone had been willing to recommend him as the experimental team leader was entirely out of consideration for Shen Mo.

After all, the Shen Family had also invested in this experimental research.

Once the experiment succeeded, they could use Bai Jianian and Shen Mo's relationship to become among the first group to obtain resources...

But now that they thought about it, in terms of both ability and resources, Fifth Master Lu was clearly the biggest and best choice, wasn't he?

Bai Jin's relationship with Fifth Master Lu was obviously unusual. Winning Bai Jin over was equivalent to grabbing hold of Fifth Master Lu's thick thigh.

Those with quick minds had already begun trying to get closer to Bai Jin. "Bai Jin, there seems to be something wrong with my experimental data. Could you help me take a look?"

Bai Jin said nothing, but he still walked over and carefully picked up the data to begin analyzing it.

The others were unwilling to fall behind and began using all sorts of methods to ingratiate themselves with Bai Jin.

Without realizing it, the distance between everyone and Bai Jin began to change.

The coordination among the team members also became increasingly seamless.

Outside the window, Zhan Zhou and Jiang Hongfeng had been observing Bai Jin the whole time. They saw that although Bai Jin was not much of a talker, he was extremely serious and responsible.

"Now we can finally rest easy. Bai Jin is truly outstanding."

"Yes." Zhan Zhou nodded and left with Jiang Hongfeng.

But neither of them knew that after they left the window, Bai Jin turned his head to stare at where they had been standing, a cold smile slowly curling across his lips.