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Chen Mu emerged from his absorbed state and checked his points. Thirteen hundred. The number left him a little dazed. How had he earned so many? He shook his head, and only after confirming that his eyes were not playing tricks on him did he finally relax.
Whew, now I can finally buy those materials. That was the first thought that crossed his mind.
He had been sitting for rather too long, and his legs had gone numb. It took all his effort to stand. When he glanced around, he got a fright.
Why were there so many people? He looked at Lan Feng in confusion. She smiled with her lips pressed together. "You're far too captivating, Mr. Chen. You really have caused a sensation throughout the club this time."
"Oh," Chen Mu replied. Though some confusion remained on his face, he had no intention of dwelling on the matter. He asked Lan Feng directly, "I have more than eight hundred points now. Can I buy this batch of materials?"
"No problem! We've already prepared everything for you," Lan Feng said readily. But when she glanced at the tightly packed crowd, her expression turned somewhat helpless. "It just looks like we'll have to wait a while before we can get out."
"No need. Follow me." Chen Mu grabbed Lan Feng by the wrist and charged toward the crowd.
Even the tough water plants in the Simple Water World could not stop Chen Mu when he charged at full strength, let alone these card artisans who lacked even the strength to truss a chicken.
Like a swimming fish, he darted and wriggled through, pulling a stunned Lan Feng out of the crowd.
Bai Zheyuan was wondering how he could squeeze his way in when two people suddenly emerged from the crowd. A closer look revealed Lan Feng and a young man he did not recognize. Something stirred in Bai Zheyuan's mind, and he hurried forward to meet them.
"Lanlan, is this Mr. Chen Mu?" Bai Zheyuan asked before he even reached them.
Lan Feng looked up at Bai Zheyuan in surprise. The Club President had actually come in person? She hurriedly nodded. "Yes, this is Mr. Chen Mu. Mr. Chen, this is the head of our branch, Club President Bai Zheyuan." After briefly introducing them, Lan Feng prepared to step away. There was no need for her to remain during their conversation, and she also had to fetch Chen Mu's materials.
She was astonished. Although the Club President was always courteous to everyone, he remained lukewarm about everything. Never before had he shown such eagerness as he did today.
"The materials!" Chen Mu reminded her.
Bai Zheyuan smiled faintly and said gently, "There's no need to worry, Mr. Chen. Miss Lanlan has already gone to fetch them. They'll be here shortly."
Chen Mu said, "Oh," and fell silent.
Bai Zheyuan took no offense. Beaming like a spring breeze, he said, "Your card-making skills are truly remarkable, Mr. Chen. Watching from down here, I was filled with admiration and could hardly wait to meet you. I simply never expected you to be so captivating. Haha, you're the first person ever to have them this spellbound." Bai Zheyuan spoke at an unhurried pace, enunciating clearly, with a manner that put people at ease. His words also carried a measure of flattery.
Coming from someone of his standing, words like these would surely have left anyone else floating on air.
But for one thing, Chen Mu did not know Bai Zheyuan. He had always kept his head down making One-Star Energy Cards, and he had only begun making Illusion Cards that year. He was far less familiar with the so-called card-making world than he was with the vegetable market. For another, he had little interest in such empty talk to begin with. His mind was entirely on his materials.
Distracted, Chen Mu barely heard what Bai Zheyuan said.
Bai Zheyuan possessed remarkable composure, and his smile remained just as natural. He keenly recognized the flaw in his approach. Catching sight of Lan Feng approaching out of the corner of his eye, he smiled and said, "Here come the fruits of your labor, Mr. Chen."
Lan Feng carried a metal-trimmed case. She politely offered it to Chen Mu with both hands. "Since Black-Line Algae and clouded gel need to be stored at low temperatures, we've used a refrigerated case." The case had a built-in refrigeration card that kept its interior consistently cold.
Chen Mu took the case, and the moment he opened it, a rush of cold air struck his face. Inside lay a clump of something resembling black hair: Black-Line Algae. There were also several pieces of clouded gel, translucent like amber. Clouded gel could only be stored at low temperatures. If the temperature rose even slightly, it would turn into a gel, and unless used on the spot, it would soon lose its effectiveness.
Several other materials lay scattered inside. He counted them and found that not a single item was missing. Chen Mu was very satisfied. Though he was already exhausted, his mental excitement made him look full of energy.
Watching Chen Mu close the refrigerated case with a satisfied expression, the amusement in Bai Zheyuan's eyes deepened. He's a very simple, very pure person, Bai Zheyuan assessed privately. Someone like him is best suited to technical work.
"Er, if you don't mind my asking, what do you do for work, Mr. Chen?" Having grasped Chen Mu's temperament, Bai Zheyuan immediately changed tactics and simply asked directly.
"I don't have a job." Chen Mu did not look up as he carefully fastened the case shut. These were the most advanced materials he had ever handled.
Bai Zheyuan was delighted, and he could barely conceal the eagerness on his face. "Then might you be interested in joining our branch as Technical Director, Mr. Chen?" He promptly added, "Of course, I'm sure the terms we offer will demonstrate ample sincerity."
Beside them, Lan Feng nearly cried out in shock. Reacting swiftly, she covered her mouth with her right hand to keep herself from making the slightest sound.
Technical Director! What kind of position was that? Even her immediate superior-the supervisor-was two ranks below the Technical Director. As far as she knew, the Club President himself had held that position for the past two years.
Could this young man already be skilled enough to serve as Technical Director? She could scarcely believe her eyes and ears. Yet the person making this seemingly absurd proposal was none other than the Club President, whose word was law within the branch and who had always been renowned for his sound judgment!
The branch may be in for a massive upheaval! Lan Feng's expression shifted.
"Technical Director? What does that job involve?" Chen Mu asked a question that nearly made Lan Feng topple over.
Bai Zheyuan's expression did not change. Still smiling, he said, "Well, it's actually very simple. It involves doing things much like what you did today. Of course, the workload isn't nearly as heavy. There are only a few dozen problems a year."
"Oh, solving problems." Chen Mu looked as though he understood. Beside him, Lan Feng felt black lines gathering over her forehead. Technical Director, the highest authority on technical matters, had actually been reduced to someone who solved problems...
Bai Zheyuan's smile broadened further, and he nodded in agreement. "It really is very simple. Just solving problems. What do you think? Interested?"
(End of chapter)