"Teacher Xu, please watch what you say!" the male student whose bone Xu Lai had just set said with a grimace. "Senior Ruan Lan is the kindest person in the world, and I won't allow you to speak ill of her! Otherwise, I'll file a complaint against you!"

Zhou Feng and Liu Nanwei exchanged a bizarre look. File a complaint against Xu Lai? The student must be dreaming.

Throughout all of Dongli University, Xu Lai was undoubtedly the single most important person there, without equal. That wasn't even mentioning the subtle affection that Board Director Su Daiyi held for Director Xu. As for his medical skills, they were held in the highest regard across the entire medical field. A chess manual he casually produced had sent the whole Go community into a frenzy. Even in the Martial Dao, he had a significant reputation.

The board of directors would be falling over themselves to curry favor with him, let alone dare to file a complaint. They'd just be asking to be put in their place!

Unlike his indignant friend, the male student whose bone was being set by Liu Nanwei gave a sheepish smile. "Sorry, Director Xu. Senior Ruan Lan is my friend's lifesaver, so I can't accept anyone speaking ill of her."

"Lifesaver?" Xu Lai's interest was piqued. "Tell me more."

"And I should tell you just because you asked?" Wang Jing snorted coldly. "I, Wang Jing, am a man of integrity. Since you showed disrespect to Senior Ruan Lan just now, we have a score to settle!"

Liu Nanwei pressed a hand to her forehead. "Don't you know that Director Xu is Ruan Lan's brother-in-law?"

Wang Jing was speechless. "...Who? The senior's brother-in-law? You must be joking…"

The two male students looked at Xu Lai in disbelief, especially Wang Jing, who rubbed his hands together, his expression one of extreme awkwardness. But his embarrassment lasted less than a minute. Forgetting his earlier vow, Wang Jing took the initiative to speak.

"Director Xu, this time last year, I had a falling out with my family and ran away from home. I was being robbed by some thugs on the beach when Senior Ruan Lan appeared."

"And then?" Zhou Feng couldn't help but ask.

"I still remember that day perfectly. She was wearing black and shouted, 'Let go of that boy!'" Wang Jing said with a look of adoration. "And just like that, I was saved."

The corner of Xu Lai's mouth twitched. Why does this sound so much like an eight o'clock melodrama? But this is definitely my little sister-in-law's style. Who cares if you can win? When you see an injustice, you have to roar.

"To honor Ruan Lan for saving your life, that's all the more reason you shouldn't be skipping class," Xu Lai said, patting the student's shoulder. "You should study hard and become a person who is useful to the country and society."

Wang Jing's face flushed with shame. "I understand, Director Xu. I'll never skip class again. I'll work hard to become someone Senior Ruan Lan likes!"

So it begins. A young rascal wants to win his senior's affections. Though my little sister-in-law would definitely kick this suitor to the curb and scoff, 'I don't even remember saving someone as trivial as you.'

After hesitating for a moment, Xu Lai refrained from crushing the young man's spirits and instead offered a word of encouragement. "Keep it up."

After seeing the two young men off, the time reached five in the afternoon. Xu Lai stretched lazily and said, "Time's up. See you tomorrow."

"Okay, see you tomorrow, Director Xu," Zhou Feng and Liu Nanwei said, waving at him.

He first went to his wife's company, Above the White Clouds. Although he came every day, the company was still expanding at an astonishing rate. Each department had grown by about a dozen people, and the lively atmosphere filled with female employees was a pleasant sight.

"The Lady Boss is here!"

"Good afternoon, Lady Boss!"

"..."

Xu Lai smiled and greeted the group of women. Hearing the commotion, Ruan Tang packed up her things and walked out of her office. "Let's go," she said coolly.

Xu Lai offered her his arm.

Ruan Tang gave Xu Lai a look but didn't take his arm, instead walking out on her own. Only when they were in the elevator heading down to the underground parking garage did Ruan Tang finally take his arm, chiding, "I need to maintain my authority at the company. Otherwise, with a team of all women, it's hard to lead!"

What's so hard about leading them? Xu Lai actually found the young ladies at the company quite approachable, but as soon as the thought crossed his mind, he knew he was in trouble.

Sure enough, Ruan Tang smiled. "Mr. Xu, why don't you come to the company and guest star as the general manager?"

"Forget it. My charm is too great. If I took a position here, they might start fighting over me."

"Pah, shameless!"

"What good is my pride? Having you is all I need."

"..."

Bantering with Ruan Tang all the way, they picked up their daughter, Yiyi, from kindergarten. The family of three then headed home to Haitang Court. On the way, Ruan Tang's eyebrows knitted slightly as she suddenly said, "By the way, Xu Lai, Dreamland Company from Europe contacted me again. They said we could continue our collaboration and invited me to dinner tomorrow to discuss the details. Do you think it's reliable?"

Xu Lai frowned. Dreamland's head of Asian markets was already struck dead by a bolt of Heavenly Thunder. Are they sending someone new to swindle Ruan Tang this time?

Driving the car, Xu Lai said calmly, "It's fine. I'll go with you."

Ruan Tang's pretty face blushed slightly. "Thank you."

This was exactly what she had been hoping for. With Xu Lai by her side, she felt completely at ease, daring enough to brave a mountain of blades and a sea of fire. Because Ruan Tang knew, Xu Lai would never let her suffer even the slightest harm.

「Haitang Court」

Ruan Lan had no classes, so she'd been sleeping at home all afternoon. With her hair sticking up and still in her pajamas, she rubbed her bleary eyes and skillfully turned on the TV, connecting the game controller.

Without turning her head, she asked, "I'm so hungry. Brother-in-law, what are we eating tonight?"

"Daddy, Yiyi wants meat!" Xu Yiyi said expectantly.

"Alright."

Xu Lai never refused his precious daughter's requests. He took out the last of the meat from his Storage Space. They would have beef buns tonight, along with a few stir-fried vegetable dishes.

While in the middle of preparing the buns, Xu Lai's hands paused. His gaze pierced through the living room toward the base of Mount Haitang, then retracted.

At the foot of the mountain were several uninvited guests: Human Race Martial Artists. The aura of their bloodlines came from the same lineage as the Martial Artists who had been killed by the Sea Demons on Sea Temple Island a few days prior. They were from the Lin Family of Jiangbei.

There were four of them in total. They snuck onto Mount Haitang, their Boundaries neither high nor low, perhaps slightly weaker than Tan Chang, who had reached the peak of the Eighth Grade. Aided by a Stealth Cultivation Technique, they had actually managed to evade detection from Tan Chang, who lived in the residential complex at the foot of the mountain.

However, the four of them soon stopped in their tracks, utterly stunned by the terrifying Spiritual Energy emanating from Mount Haitang's Spirit Vein.

"This Mount Haitang… it's probably more than just a Spirit Vein," the leading Lin Family Martial Artist said, breathing heavily as his eyes shimmered with intense greed. "Even if it hasn't reached the level of a Dragon Vein, it can't be far off!"

"A Dragon Vein!?"

The other three Martial Artists gasped. There were only three Dragon Veins in all of Hua Country. Could this become the fourth? At the same time, they began to understand why the Lin Family Head had dispatched them to investigate Haitang Court and Xu Lai.

As they were lost in their suspicions, their bodies suddenly stiffened, and they broke out in a cold sweat. From within the clouds above, a deep, heavy breathing sound echoed down. Accompanying it was a terrifying pressure that made their very souls tremble.

Suppressing their terror, they shakily turned their heads to look, and their scalps went numb with sheer terror.

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