Why could you do it too?

Just after eleven, Ji Ting's car pulled up outside the Capital University of Science and Technology.

"Teacher Ji, you really didn't need to come out of your way to pick me up. I could've taken the subway," Xu Ren said after getting in.

"It's fine. It was on the way."

As Xu Ren fastened his seat belt, Ji Ting turned the steering wheel and drove away from the university gates.

Xu Ren had barely clicked the buckle into place before turning around to greet the other passenger. "President Ji, good af-"

Before he could finish, his eyes flew wide open-

Oh my god, why did President Ji look so handsome today??

It wasn't that Ji Yanzhi wasn't normally good-looking, but today there was something, something... Xu Ren couldn't put his finger on it. He simply felt as though he were looking at an unsheathed blade studded with jewels, magnificent and regal, yet cold and razor-sharp.

Seeing him stare in a daze, Ji Yanzhi gave a cool nod. "Good afternoon."

Xu Ren snapped out of it and hurriedly returned the greeting.

He turned back around and looked curiously at Ji Ting, but Ji Ting was concentrating on driving and missed his signal.

After a brief silence in the car, Ji Yanzhi asked about Xu Ren's journal submission.

"My advisor is helping me organize the material!" The moment the topic came up, Xu Ren's voice grew excited. "He said I shouldn't even think about the top five journals with my qualifications, but I have a very good chance with LSA. He told me to make sure I seize the opportunity."

As he spoke, he looked at Ji Ting with shining eyes. Ji Ting's lips curved into a faint smile, and he nodded in encouragement.

Ji Yanzhi understood the importance of it, of course. "If you need any help, just let me know. Don't hesitate."

"Thank you, President Ji."

After another fifteen minutes or so, Ji Ting's sports car stopped outside the Chantilly Club.

A greeter jogged over to open the door. The moment Xu Ren stepped out, a sharp gasp escaped his throat.

Lu Yanchu walked out from inside, seeming to glow with the soft luster of jade. Even the curve of his smile was impossibly perfect.

"Ji Ting." He greeted Ji Ting before turning to Ji Yanzhi. "President Ji, what a coincidence. We meet again."

Ji Yanzhi cast a cold glance at his outstretched hand, then reached out to shake it. "Not much of a coincidence. I just saw you on the news yesterday."

Lu Yanchu didn't rise to Ji Yanzhi's barbed remark, merely offering a polite smile.

To avoid putting Ji Ting in an awkward position, he knew he would have to humor Ji Yanzhi a little today.

Ji Ting came around the front of the car and introduced them. "Mr. Lu, this is my friend, Xu Ren."

"Hello, Xu Ren. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Xu Ren couldn't take his eyes off him. "H-hello."

If Ji Yanzhi was a dazzling, jeweled blade, then Lu Yanchu was a jade vase shimmering with precious light. The faint smile on his lips seemed veiled in mist and rain, drawing anyone who saw him into an unwitting trance.

"Everything's ready inside. Let's head in."

"Xu Ren, let's go."

Only when he heard Ji Ting's voice did Xu Ren come out of his daze. He hurried a couple of steps to catch up and whispered, "Teacher Ji, do President Ji and Lu Yanchu really like the same person?"

"Yes."

Xu Ren marveled inwardly. God, how amazing did someone have to be to make two men this outstanding compete over them? He had no idea yet that Ji Ting had once "admired" Ling Xi too. Otherwise, he would have thought Ling Xi was some deity descended to earth.

They entered the area prepared for them. They hadn't seen any other guests along the way; clearly, Lu Yanchu had booked the entire club for the day.

Knowing they hadn't come just to eat, he asked the manager before entering to arrange things as appropriate and bring the food in later.

Once the four of them were seated, Lu Yanchu wasted no time getting to the point. "President Ji, Ji Ting should have told you about my predicament yesterday. Since you're willing to lend a hand, I..."

"You're jumping to conclusions a little too soon, Mr. Lu." Though Ji Yanzhi's tone had lost its mockery, it held little emotion. "Tapping someone else's communications is illegal in itself. Even if you suspect them of espionage, do you have evidence to prove it?"

Ji Yanzhi wasn't deliberately making things difficult, but the technology would have to come from Shili. He couldn't make a rash decision based solely on Lu Yanchu's word.

Lu Yanchu really didn't have any conclusive evidence. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so desperate to seek Ji Ting's help. But he had managed to uncover a few leads.

"One moment." He rose, fetched a bag from the sofa nearby, and took out a laptop.

"After discovering that they intended to tamper with the film, I focused my investigation on these postproduction companies first." Lu Yanchu moved the mouse and opened a file. "This visual effects company, Mengli, received outside financing the year before last..."

Xu Ren couldn't follow their discussion of business matters, and sitting there doing nothing was boring, so he secretly took out his phone and messaged Ji Ting.

[Teacher Ji, President Ji doesn't seem all that uncompromising to me.]

Ji Ting took out his phone, glanced at it, and replied: [Yes. Ji Yanzhi doesn't let petty feelings get in the way of serious business.]

Ever since Ji Yanzhi became Shili's President, there had been no further illegal activity within the Ji Corporation. He had also provided quite a few patented technologies free of charge for several projects in collaboration with the government, earning considerable displeasure throughout the Board of Directors.

Xu Ren: [Then do you think President Ji will end up helping his romantic rival?]

Ji Ting thought for a moment, then replied that he didn't know.

He genuinely wasn't sure. After all, in the novel, no matter how shrewd, capable, or resourceful the three tops were in their careers, whenever the original bottom was involved, they would gladly suffer a thousand losses themselves just to inflict eight hundred on a rival.

Ji Yanzhi and Lu Yanchu had been discussing the matter on and off for over half an hour and were still talking when both suddenly heard Ji Ting's voice.

[I'm hungry.]

Ji Yanzhi instinctively prepared to interrupt, only for Lu Yanchu to stop on his own and abruptly change the subject. "We've been talking for so long, the food should be ready by now. Why don't we eat first?"

Lu Yanchu looked at Ji Yanzhi, intending to ask his opinion, only to find him frowning with an odd expression and staring straight at him.

Assuming Ji Yanzhi was displeased with his behavior, he smiled. "Ji Ting and Mr. Xu must be bored just sitting here. Why don't we let them eat first?"

Ji Yanzhi gave a cool nod, concealing the astonishment and suspicion filling his mind.

To test his suspicions, he waited until Lu Yanchu got up and went outside, then said, "Ji Ting, come here."

Ji Ting walked over to him. "What is it?"

Ji Yanzhi didn't speak immediately. He tilted his head slightly back, as though listening for movement outside.

When he heard Lu Yanchu's returning footsteps, he suddenly said, "You've been listening all this time too. Do you think we should help him?"

Ji Ting parted his lips, but Ji Yanzhi cut him off. "Think it through carefully in your head before you answer."

Ji Ting blinked lightly. [Even without these leads today, I'd already decided to help Lu Yanchu.]

Just as the thought ended, Lu Yanchu walked in.

Ji Yanzhi whipped his head around, catching the fleeting smile at the corner of Lu Yanchu's lips.