Doctor Lu, Tour Guide and Romance on Company Time

Zhou Yu turned off the terminal screen and gripped Dania's hand even tighter.

"Fine."

He smiled.

"I just noticed that the restaurant owner came to collect the bill personally for the seafood pizza this time."

Dania tilted her head to look at him.

"Then we should eat more, to get our money's worth."

Zhou Yu ruffled her long pink hair.

With you here, we definitely won't lose money.

At the Flamebearers' Academy Square, a chaotic line of students stood beside a double-decker luxury bus.

Lupa stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of the administration building, sipping her black tea.

"Moning, my only worry is that Zhou Yu will break down Doctor Lu's psychological defenses."

Moning pushed up his glasses and looked down at the figure in the dark gray suit with a frighteningly grim expression.

"Then consider it an extra team-building perk for the medical department."

In the square, Lu Hesi held his schedule in his hand, his gaze behind his gold-rimmed glasses cold and indifferent.

Sigelica walked to the front of the car carrying the riot shield, and the moment she looked up, she met Lu Hesi's eyes.

Clang.

The riot shield slipped from her hand, its metal rim striking the instep of her foot.

Sigelica: (°ㅂ°╬) "Ouch!"

She hopped on one leg, clutching her foot, her cheeks flushed red.

Lu Hesi took a step forward.

"Sigelica, would you like some medical spray?"

Sigelica waved her hands repeatedly, wishing she could bury her face in her collar.

"No, no, Doctor Lu, what are you doing here?"

Lu Hesi adjusted his glasses.

"Entrusted by the principal, I will serve as the tour guide for this practical activity."

Zhou Yu walked over carrying two bulging canvas bags, from which came a crisp metallic clanging sound.

Sigelica immediately turned and glared at him.

"You emptied the Logistics Department's warehouse?"

Zhou Yu put the bag on the ground.

"In case we run out of seafood, we'll have to rely on compressed biscuits to keep us alive."

He glanced at the blushing Sigelica, then at the serious-looking Lu Hesi, and gave Sigelica a push from behind.

Sigelica stumbled and lunged toward the car door, but Lu Hesi reached out and caught her arm.

Zhou Yu: (≖_≖) "I think the passenger seat next to the tour guide has the best view."

"As the financial director for this trip, Sigelica should be there overseeing the itinerary."

Sigelica turned around.

Who is the CFO?

Zhou Yu patted his canvas bag.

"A person who owes a six-figure sum must always be keenly aware of money. Go on up there."

He helped Sigelica into the car, then turned to take Dania's hand.

The bus started moving, and the aroma of snacks filled the carriage.

Dania leaned softly on Zhou Yu's shoulder.

Zhou Yu tore open a bag of potato chips and held it to Dania's mouth. Dania opened her mouth and bit down, her cheeks bulging as she chewed.

Linnai, on the other side of the aisle, cupped her face in her hands.

Linnai: (✧ω✧) "Are you two here on company money to date? Can you tone it down a bit?!"

Zhou Yu tore open another jelly.

"During paid leave, employees have the right to allocate their calories freely."

He squeezed the jelly into Dania's mouth.

Dania swallowed the jelly.

"Xiao Yu, I want to eat that beef jerky again."

Zhou Yu rummaged through the bag and pulled out a packet of spicy beef jerky. He wiped his hands with a wet wipe, then tore the beef jerky into thin strips and fed it to Dania.

Dania took a big bite, and the spiciness made her stick out her tongue.

Zhou Yu quickly unscrewed the thermos and handed it over.

Eat slowly.

Dania took a big gulp of warm water, tears welling up in her eyes.

"But it's really delicious."

A boy in the front row turned around and watched Zhou Yu pull out snacks like a magician, and swallowed hard.

"Brother Yu, are you here to buy some goods?"

Zhou Yu tore the beef jerky into small strips.

"The basic quality of the Logistics Department staff is that they wouldn't let anyone else go hungry, especially not their own people."

Dania's ears turned pink, and she snuggled closer to Zhou Yu.

As the bus drove onto the coastal highway, Lu Hesi picked up the onboard microphone.

"Attention students, we are about to enter the seaside resort area. There is an unknown resonant magnetic field in the nearby waters. Do not cross the red line warning zone."

No one in the carriage paid him any attention; those in front were playing cards, and those in the back were singing.

Only Sigelica, in the passenger seat, pulled out her notebook and quickly took notes.

"Red line warning zone, do not cross."

Lu Hesi turned his head to the side.

Lu Hesi: (Ծ_Ծ) "Sigelica, you don't need to take notes, this isn't an exam."

Sigelica put down her pen, her face serious.

"No, Doctor Lu's explanation is so good, we can't let it go to waste. Please continue."

Lu Hesi looked at her profile, silently put down the microphone, took a bottle of mineral water from the car refrigerator, loosened the cap, and handed it to her.

"Have some water."

Sigelica reached out to take it, and the carriage jolted slightly, her fingers brushing against the back of Lu Hesi's fingers.

The water bottle fell into the middle of the seats.

Sigelica: (⁄⁄>⁄▽⁄<⁄⁄) "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry!"

She hurriedly bent down to pick it up, and Lu Hesi also reached out, their hands bumping together above the water bottle.

Lu Hesi quickly withdrew his hand and adjusted his glasses.

"It doesn't matter."

Zhou Yu, sitting in the back row, poked his head out.

"Doctor Lu, is relationship counseling included on our itinerary?"

Lu Hesi turned his head.

"Zhou Yu, please fasten your seatbelt."

Dania nudged Zhou Yu's arm.

"Xiao Yu, what is relationship coaching?"

Zhou Yu sat back down in his seat.

"It's an advanced course that teaches people how to turn debt into dowry."

Sigelica was going crazy up ahead.

"Zhou Yu, if you keep talking nonsense, I'll smash this riot shield over your head!"

Two hours later, the bus stopped in the resort's parking lot.

The salty sea breeze blew into the carriage, and Dania clung to the window, her eyes shining.

"Wow! There are so many stalls!"

Zhou Yu slung his canvas bag over his shoulder and helped her stand up.

Lu Hesi stood by the car door.

"Line up to get off the bus and meet in the hotel lobby first."

The students cheered and rushed off the bus, with Sigelica carrying her notebook and riot shield at the back.

Lu Hesi looked at the shield in her hand.

"Explosion-proof equipment is not needed at the beach."

Sigelica kept her head down.

"I'm used to it, it makes me feel safe."

Zhou Yu led Dania onto the beach, looking at the rows of seafood stalls with red lanterns hanging in the distance.

Zhou Yu: (¯꒳¯) "Paid leave is the highest achievement of human civilization."

Dania grabbed his arm and dragged him forward.

"Xiao Yu, hurry up! There are grilled prawns over there!"

Zhou Yu was dragged forward by her.

"Slow down, shrimp can't fly anymore."

Linnai called out from behind, carrying her suitcase.

Where is your luggage?!

Zhou Yu waved his hand without turning his head.

"The CFO will handle it, right, Sigelica?"

Sigelica looked at the pile of luggage on the ground, gritted her teeth, and kicked a sandball.

What terrible things did I do in my past life?!

Lu Hesi walked over to her and picked up the two heaviest boxes.

"Come on, I'll help you carry it."

Sigelica watched his broad back, her anger subsided by half, and she jogged after him, clutching her riot shield.

Zhou Yu led Dania to a seafood stall, where the owner enthusiastically handed her a menu.

Dania pointed to the large lobster in the picture.

I want this.

Zhou Yu took the menu, glanced at it, closed it, and slapped it on the table.

"Boss, your lobster price is 30% too high."

The boss was stunned.

"Young man, this is the price in tourist areas."

Zhou Yu took a piece of paper out of his pocket.

"The Solaris Price Bureau's guidelines for restaurants yesterday state that the markup should not exceed 15%, otherwise I will call to file a complaint."

The boss wiped his sweat.

"Okay, okay, at your price."

Dania rested her chin on her hands, looking at Zhou Yu with eyes full of adoration.

Zhou Yu pulled out a plastic chair for her to sit down, glancing down at the old-fashioned digital watch on her wrist.

The time on the clock suddenly jumped, flashing from 2 PM to midnight.

A row of red warning boxes kept popping up.

[Warn.]

[The regional weather control system code has been overridden.]

Zhou Yu raised her head.

On the edge of the clear sky, a black wall was pressing in at a speed defying hydrodynamics, and the sound of the waves became muffled.

Dania poked at the porcelain bowl with her chopsticks.

"Xiao Yu, why haven't you ordered any food?"

Zhou Yu tucked the digital watch into his sleeve, picked up the menu again, and flipped to the last page.

"Boss, ten more servings of grilled oysters, please."

He looked at the rolling dark clouds in the distance and smiled.

"I need to eat my fill, otherwise I won't have the energy to compete with the gods for the same amount of food."

Zhou Yu handed the menu to the owner and glanced up at the approaching black wall.

My digital watch vibrated again.

He looked down, and a line of small green text popped up at the top of the screen:

[Logistics Department Vehicle Dispatch System - Temporary Registration]

[Passengers: Aimis (Mechanical Manufacturing Department), Chisaki (Engineering Department)]

[Reason: Cross-departmental academic trip (not part of the preparatory class program, but with special approval from the Director of the Logistics Department to accompany)]

[Status: Effective]

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow.

He said that the empty seats in the back of the bus had been taken.

In the distance, the bus door was still open. Aimis jumped off the bus with a lollipop in her mouth, and Chisaki followed behind, holding a tablet, her glasses reflecting the light.

Linnai waved to them.

"You two are awake? You slept the whole way in the car and missed the shrimp!"

Aimis yawned.

"Free seafood is free, why not take advantage of it?"

Chisaki adjusted her glasses.

"According to the college's resource-sharing regulations, non-preparatory class members can participate in practical activities with the team under certain conditions -- Zhou Yu helped me complete the application form."

Zhou Yu tightened the screws on the thermos and didn't reply.

Dania tugged at his sleeve.

So they came too?

"Um."

Zhou Yu looked at the dark cloud that had loomed overhead, her tone calm.

"You've come at the right time; many hands make light work."

"When it comes to grabbing seafood, it's good to have two more mouths to feed."