"Moreover, is there a more reliable partner in all of China than Luo Corporation? Today, I’ve gathered the key members of our institute in Beijing here to show Luo Yao our stance, and also to inform you of something."
"Luo Yao isn’t just our partner—she’s also the largest benefactor of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. All three of our university research projects bear her imprint. We didn’t tell you before because we didn’t think it necessary, assuming you researchers only needed to focus on your work."
"But now, we have to make it clear. Because I’ve noticed that as your status has risen, you’ve begun to forget your original purpose. Now, you’re even using your positions to attack others. Without her financial support, no matter how capable you are, you wouldn’t have the means to achieve anything. Remember—don’t overestimate yourselves."
Chen Buhui grew anxious. The thought of apologizing to Luo Yao was worse than death to her.
"I refuse. I’m Luo Yao’s elder—I won’t apologize to her."
"Today, whether you like it or not, you will apologize. Otherwise, I’ll expel you from the Academy. You know I have that authority."
Wei Junjie’s demeanor shifted as he spoke. Normally refined and composed, his anger transformed him into a figure even the Academy feared.
Just then, someone entered to report.
"Director, Luo Corporation’s car has arrived."
Wei Junjie immediately stood. "Let’s go greet her together."
He led the group out of the room, with everyone following in silence.
These researchers, usually reserved and immersed in their studies, were now visibly nervous about meeting a corporate magnate.
Of course, two exceptions stood out—Chen Buhui and Wei Junjie.
When they reached the building’s entrance, Luo Corporation’s convoy had arrived. To their surprise, Luo Yao wasn’t there—instead, Liu Meng stepped out.
"Assistant Liu, where’s President Luo?" Wei Junjie asked hurriedly, glancing behind her.
"President Luo is occupied and couldn’t make it. You can relay anything to me."
"Can you represent her?"
"Yes."
The experts—men and women, all middle-aged or older, with the youngest in their forties—were taken aback by Liu Meng’s commanding presence.
"Very well, Assistant Liu. Welcome." Wei Junjie extended a hand. Liu Meng gave him a cold glance but eventually shook it.
She didn’t dislike men, but years alongside Luo Yao had conditioned her to keep them at a distance. Still, as the Academy’s director, Wei Junjie deserved basic courtesy.
"Director Wei, let’s get straight to the point."
With these scholars, there was no need for subtlety. Experts though they were, flowery language would likely be lost on them. Directness worked best—a skill Liu Meng had mastered.
Wei Junjie took no offense. "Of course, of course. Assistant Liu, please come inside."
As Wei Junjie escorted her in, Chen Buhui stared intently, but Liu Meng didn’t spare her a glance.
Chen Buhui exhaled in relief. She’d braced herself to apologize to Luo Yao, but with Luo Yao absent, perhaps she could avoid it altogether.
Had Luo Yao come, she’d have had no choice—though she could’ve refused, she didn’t dare. Without the Academy’s backing, she was nothing.
Inside the room, Liu Meng was seated in a place of honor, experiencing the treatment of a high-ranking executive.
"Director Wei, let’s keep this brief. President Luo expects my report soon—she needs to return to her husband, Lin Ran. He can’t function without her."
Wei Junjie forced an awkward smile. "Right, of course. Here’s the situation—I’ve asked Xiao Chen to apologize to President Luo. Could we let this matter rest?"
Liu Meng’s expression remained neutral, but her mind raced.
She’d suspected official interference, but it was Chen Buhui all along.
On the way, she’d even considered scrapping the project and cutting ties with three Academy collaborations as punishment.
Her confidence came from Luo Yao’s unconditional trust: "Do as you see fit. Even if the sky falls, it’s fine."
Those words had steeled her resolve.
"An apology to President Luo isn’t necessary."
At this, Chen Buhui visibly relaxed, shooting Liu Meng a smug look that said, "Know your place."
"However," Liu Meng continued, "you will apologize to her husband, Lin Ran, and publicly explain the entire incident. Additionally, the Academy will concede three percentage points of profit from the Tech City project. After all, Lin Ran loves money, and President Luo wants to pad his allowance."
The room fell silent.
Something felt… off. Wasn’t this reasoning absurd?
Chen Buhui’s face twisted in shock and fury.
"Apologize? Why should I apologize? I never bullied Lin Ran."
Liu Meng retorted, "Our President Luo Yao said you called Young Master Lin an unfilial descendant in Shanghai. Even if there is some connection between Young Master Lin and your Chen family, that doesn’t give you the right to speak about him that way. In this world, no one except President Luo Yao has the privilege to bully him—including you."
Liu Meng understood Luo Yao’s stance. Back when Chen Buhui had called Lin Ran unfilial, Luo Yao had been furious but temporarily set it aside due to the bidding matters.
This time, she was determined to settle the score for President Luo.
What was owed would eventually be repaid.
Chen Buhui tried to argue, but Wei Junjie cut her off with a sharp command, "Apologize."
Chen Buhui glanced at Wei Junjie, then at the other experts, feeling as if her dignity was being ground into the dirt.
Under the weight of everyone’s stares, she finally cracked.
"I’m sorry. I was wrong."
Liu Meng shook her head. "The way you apologized is wrong, and the person you’re apologizing to is also wrong."
She pulled out her phone and started recording a video on the spot.
"Professor Chen, if you make a mistake, own up to it. If you deserve punishment, take it standing tall. President Luo Yao is already going easy on you by just demanding a public apology to our boss."
The words were a ruthless blow.
Chen Buhui took a deep breath, suppressing her anger as she faced the camera. "Lin Ran, I’m sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have called you unfilial. From now on, outside the Chen family, I will never speak to you as an elder again."
Liu Meng stopped the recording, indifferent to Chen Buhui’s last remark. It didn’t matter if Lin Ran severed all ties with the Chen family.
In fact, if Lin Ran really cut off the Chens, President Luo Yao would be thrilled.
She even secretly hoped Lin Ran would break with the Chen family entirely—just so he could spend all his time in a pure, love-filled daily life with their President Luo.
s + Rent Collection Wealth】 At the start, he inherited a rundown house in the urban village from his grandfather. The house had no tenants, but the moment he was diagnosed with a terminal illness, a self-proclaimed empress from the Tianxuan Continent arrived as his first tenant. Ye Chuan soon discovered that with every new tenant moving in, not only did he receive massive daily payments, but he also obtained unique items related to their backgrounds. 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Tiger Strength Pill—dramatically enhances physical power!】 【Acquired Bai Qianshuang’s related item: Deer Blood Pill—significantly boosts vitality!】 …… From that day on, all sorts of bizarre tenants began appearing in the house: the empress from Tianxuan Continent, an apocalyptic sorceress from the Magic Realm, a mysterious scientific girl who fell through a spacetime rift… Every single day, he received strange, powerful items and endless money. Then one day, he suddenly realized—he had become invincible. Enough, enough! Stop giving me more!
] [Lone Wolf, No Male Gaze] [Protagonist is pursued early on; extreme protagonist-stans, stay away!] The "Carnival Paradise" descends and slowly devours the real world in the form of a game. By chance, Zhu Yan awakens the talent [Roleplay], becoming one of the first beta players. He thought he could develop safely, but after clearing the first instance, he is branded by humanity as the chief culprit behind the game's spread—a traitorous villain. A villain? Who would ever... become one! He'll be the villain! From then on, Zhu Yan is not only a player but also a lackey for the Carnival Paradise. Between the straight path and the crooked path, he chooses the con. With his left hand, he dons the villain's mantle, staging scenes within instances, infuriating players who decry him as a despicable traitor, all while the game happily promotes him. With his right hand, he joins the non-human organization "Fangcun Mountain," which opposes the Carnival Paradise, transforming into a mysterious player who slaughters game bosses, earning cheers of "Long live the expert!" from fellow players. Gradually, Zhu Yan rises to become an S-rank human player in Fangcun Mountain's archives, while also being the Carnival Paradise's certified top game Boss. But when the final war erupts and both major factions place their hopes in him— Players tag his various aliases: "Experts, this offensive depends on you." The Carnival Paradise's supreme Boss throws an arm around his neck: "Bro, you're the iron, I'm the steel; you can't let me down again!"
transmigrates into the role of a villainous rich second-generation kid in an urban fantasy novel, and gets bound to a god-tier choice system. Right at the start, he catches the female lead stealing exam papers! This triggers the villain's choice options! [Choice 1: Pretend you didn't see anything] [Choice 2: Loudly call her out, drawing everyone's attention] [Choice 3: ...] And thus, a twisted villain is born. To avoid getting killed by the protagonist, he has no choice but to take down all the protagonists first. Jiang Che: Nobody understands being twisted better than me!
nd fell into a coma while saving his younger sister from an out-of-control car. He became a vegetable. No one knew that his consciousness had crossed into a world of cultivation. Over the course of sixty years, he began as the lowest kind of mine slave, struggling to survive amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood. By sheer chance, he eventually obtained the complete memories of a fallen Immortal King. Alchemy, medicine, formations, feng shui, physiognomy, artifact forging… Every great inheritance of the cultivation world was now his. But when he opened his eyes again, he discovered that ten full years had passed in the modern world. To pay for his treatment, his father had sold the family’s shop and house, leaving himself covered in lasting injuries and illness. His mother had cared for him day and night, and more than half of her hair had already turned white. His younger sister, who had been only fifteen back then, was now twenty-five. To help repay the family’s debts, she had been forced to lower her head and put on a smiling face in places of glittering lights and endless revelry. Only then did Chen Xuan understand that what he had lost was not merely ten years. He had lost the life his entire family was meant to have. The good news was that he had brought back the memories of an Immortal King’s entire lifetime. The bad news was that his soul had returned alone—his cultivation had not come with him. Spiritual energy was scarce, resources were depleted, and the modern world still had firearms, surveillance, capital, and laws. If he wanted to protect his family, break free from everyone’s control, and become truly invincible beneath the heavens, he would have to start all over again.
