Chapter 376 - Afternoon Tea

Xiong Zhi looked at him questioningly. All her accounts, both business and personal, were now handled by Linfeng.

"A bug with a silver mane. He thought I was you. He said that today, the researchers and the doctors will be having an appointment with you."

"Oh." Xiong Zhi knew who and what he was talking about. "Did he mention if they will be bringing in the research materials?"

Linfeng nodded. "Yes. The researchers and the doctors will give it to you. But he himself won't come. He is busy." Linfeng added the last word in a cold tone, a severe light flashing in his eyes.

Xiong Zhi and that bug might be friends, but that did not mean he could not touch that pervert. There were so many ways to get back to him. 

Xiong Zhi did not ask how he handled Lu Yin Ze. She already told the latter in their last meeting that unless Lu Yin Ze give up pursuing her, she would not meet her personally as a friend or even as a business partner.

It sounded from Linfeng's tone that the man still had not even given up yet. Regarding this matter, Xiong Zhi could only pity him and wish that he would soon give up this one-sided love.

****

On the other side, Lu Yin Ze was staring at his laptop. His breakfast on the table was left untouched. 

Old Lu passed by his grandson. 

"So early in the morning, yet you are already working?" 

But the young man seemed to not hear his question.

Old Lu coughed, a bit embarrassed that he got ignored. Alright, his grandson was busy learning the business ropes after all. He could forgive him in his heart.

"You should eat breakfast first before working. Did those old directors make you slave away at work? Those old fools. You are young and should enjoy life. Do not take work so seriously..."

This was an advice that could summon a rain of eggs and stones, but the young man still did not give any response.

"..." What's up with this kid?

The old man observed this grandson. He realized that the young man was not even typing, but just staring blankly in front of the computer.

Old Lu's heart thumped. Did his grandson have another anxiety attack? Or did something trigger his trauma? 

His grandson was getting regular counseling therapy and treatment over the past years. He knew from the professionals' reports that he was improving well. But what happened now?

Was he looking at a picture that triggered his trauma?

Old Lu dragged his old body behind his grandson. Just by reading the first sentence on the screen, his old body froze.

Anger surged up.

Whose family was it who was so brazen to insult and threaten his precious grandson like this?!

On the screen, these words were written:

[Don't you dare come near me again after what you did. I don't want to be under the same roof with you, nor breathe the same air, nor see the same view. In other words, you have to be at least a mile away from me. Oh, I also don't want to hear your voice. All the things that you gave to me before was already burned in a sea of fire, by the way. 

[If I see you once again, I will remove your annoying mouth, break both of your arms, and break all of your fingers one by one. Oh right, I won't forget to cut off the tiny snake dangling on your not-so-great body.

[PS. By the way, don't think about it at all. It's just like I got kissed by a bug. No offense.]

Lu Yin Ze's mind was blank. All he sent was just a report with a greeting.

[Good morning, Zhi. The researchers and the doctors will come today at the said time and place. They will be bringing the data. You can use them at your disposal. I hope they can be of use to you. ]

Did he say something wrong with this?

*****

The appointment in the afternoon quickly came. 

Xiong Zhi invited them personally to the Xiong Mansion. The main branch's Xiong Mansion was safer than other places.

This visit was highly confidential and must not be discovered. Xiong Zhi and Lu Yin Ze both knew that they were likely being observed outside in the distance.

To ensure that the trip from the research facility to the Xiong Mansion was not noticed by prying eyes, the escorting personnel used different routes and casually changed cars multiples time to chase away the people on their tails, if ever there was someone following their moves from the research facility.

Thus, a low-key luxury car, which was the usual mode of transportation by the butlers and maids, entered the Xiong Mansion without catching anyone's attention.

This was very important to Xiong Zhi's plans after all. She must be careful not to alarm the enemy and spoil her plans.

The researchers and the doctors, who sported wan faces and dark eye bags due to several days of non-stop research, were quite taken aback with this arrangement.

They were even more stunned when they finally arrived at the foot of the famous Xiong Mansion. Not only that, in front of them were the two masters of the house. 

They were the cream of the crop of the country's biochemical scientists, who won various awards and published many achievements in the molecular biology field. Yet they still feel at awe with the legendary families they have heard about since young.

Old Xiong sat on the main seat with imposing manner. He did not have any idea what was happening, he was just dragged here by his granddaughter after having lunch with her. But he somehow knew it must be related to his granddaughter's great plans.

Since he allowed Xiong Zhi to run amok as his heir more than two years ago, a lot of things were kept hidden by her until whatever the matter was was solved. And once it was solved completely, she would turn to him to report.

He was uncomfortable at first with this kind of attitude. But later on, he got used to it and even found it novel and interesting on how his granddaughter solved things in an unusual and imposing manner, more so than him. 

When he casually commented about it to his butler, Butler Zhou Min at his side had the urge to correct his master's thought.

'Master you can just say that you found your granddaughter cute.'

But knowing the old man, he would never say these, even if he had to bury himself into the ground.

Back to the scene.

Xiong Zhi was sitting beside Old Xiong. Behind her, Linfeng carried a doc.u.ment file and a small box. He handed her first the file, which was the report he took from the researchers after entering the mansion, containing the results from the research facility.

She skimmed through the doc.u.ment. Not a lot was added to the initial report that the researchers had sent to her two days ago.

"Can you please brief us with what you have found recently with your research?" She naturally knew this, but she asked for the sake of the old man here. It was better for the old man to hear it directly from the professionals.

The doctor glanced at Old Xiong before speaking.

"There is more than one molecular structure detected in the samples. First was the drug used as the base. Drug XLX is a biologically corrosive substance which causes the patient's cells to be damaged. In the gaseous state, if it is inhaled one or two times, it is not that dangerous.

"However, if it is inhaled every day, even just by small amount, it can lead to increased cellular density, manifested as tumors or what you call cancer..." The doctor continued to explain the details of a certain drug, inputting many scientific jargons in his speech.

"By this substance alone, obvious evidences can be seen through health checks, although it is hard to treat. It also tends to leave forensically detectable inorganic residues..."

The silent Old Xiong felt his head ache. He was not a scientist but a businessman. Except for the first few sentences, he failed to fully understand the long narration afterwards. 

***

Little Stage Play:

During lunch,

Zhi: Grandfather, let's have afternoon tea together.

Old Xiong was stunned. What a rare suggestion coming from his granddaughter. Was it the legendary sweet time between grandparents and grandchildren?

Old Xiong glanced at Zhou Min who always gave him advice on a situation like this. Zhou Min gave an 'Ok' thumb.

Old Xiong nodded in a dignified manner. 

Old Xiong: I am busy. But I can spare a minute.

Zhi: Good.

Afternoon tea time.

Old Xiong's dark face stared at the excessive people in this 'tea party'.

Old Xiong: So what is your business?

Excessive people: Biochemistry

Zhi: Revenge time.

Old Xiong: ....