Chapter Seventy-Four: Business

Gao Ning didn’t say much; he simply highlighted a few key points they needed to keep in mind. With a new company and new staff, everyone was still unfamiliar with each other, and it would take at least two weeks of working together before any real rapport formed.

Besides, this company was just a front—whether it was well-run or not made little difference.

With Lu Yingying keeping an eye on things, no major issues would arise.

After the meeting, instead of dispersing, they all went straight to a seafood buffet for a meal. Amid the clinking of glasses, the awkward atmosphere thawed considerably.

After having a glass of wine with everyone, Gao Ning sat down with Lu Yingying elsewhere.

“So, is there something you want to discuss with me?” Lu Yingying crossed her long legs, her tone nonchalant.

Gao Ning laughed. “I can never hide anything from you! Yes, there is something, but it’s good news. Honestly, I didn’t expect things to go so smoothly—the company’s framework is in place far faster than I thought, thanks to you. I figured it would take at least two weeks, but you had everything set up in no time. You’re more talented in this than I am. So, I’d like you to take over the research department as well—spend what needs to be spent, recruit who needs to be recruited. If you think something is right, you have the final say.”

As he spoke, Gao Ning took out a delicate, unbranded bottle from his pocket.

“This is the original version of the imitation product—a polymer compound with some restorative effects on human skin cells. Its effect is a level above anything currently on the market, even better than medical repair agents. Once the research department is up and running, hand this directly to the lab supervisor and have them use it as a model to develop a whole series of products.”

Lu Yingying narrowed her eyes, turning the little bottle over in her hand. “You’re giving me something so valuable just like that? Aren’t you afraid I’ll sell it to another pharmaceutical company and make a fortune on the side?”

Gao Ning burst out laughing. “Impossible. The Lu Yingying I know isn’t so shortsighted. Given our history, if the company takes off, you’re guaranteed to be second-in-command—answerable only to one, commanding thousands. You’ll have access to hundreds of millions in funds. Even if you wanted to run off with the money, it would take at least several billion to tempt you. A mere bottle of polymer compound is nothing in your eyes!”

Lu Yingying smirked. “You’re flattering me to the skies. Alright, I’ll take charge this time.”

Gao Ning nodded, handing her his briefcase. “Inside are my personal seal, the company stamp, and some other documents. If you need to spend money, use your judgment. Only come to me if you’re really unsure about something.”

“So you’re basically handing the whole company over to me?” This genuinely surprised her. Was he really entrusting her with a hundred million dollars?

“It’s not that dramatic—the funds are from overseas. The parent company won’t stop monitoring the accounts, so if anything goes wrong, someone will come knocking. And you know how massive the cosmetics market is globally. If we can gain a foothold, money will flow in like water.”

Gao Ning smiled and continued, “Besides, if I can’t trust you, who can I trust?”

Lu Yingying was silent for a moment before slapping the table and exclaiming, “Gao Ning, let’s go get a marriage certificate!”

Gao Ning jumped. “Don’t joke! It’s just a bit of money. Besides, I have no choice but to hand things over to you—I have other matters that need my attention in the coming days. In the early stages, a research-based business doesn’t require much—just find a reliable lab director and get the department up and running. Then, it’s just about consolidating the company’s structure and waiting for research results. All of this takes time, which I don’t have the patience for. So, please keep an eye on things for me.”

Lu Yingying looked at Gao Ning seriously for a long moment before shaking her head and sighing, “This is absurd. Young, rich, and childhood friends—and yet I don’t feel the slightest bit attracted to you! Maybe I was supposed to be a man in this life.”

Gao Ning could only laugh helplessly.

Strictly speaking, Gao Ning wasn’t lying to Lu Yingying. As long as his Red Alert page remained accessible, money was just a number to him.

He could only stay in the real world for thirty days. At first glance, that seemed like plenty, but in reality, there was little he could accomplish in such a short time.

Gao Ning didn’t want to waste all his time on the company. What he wanted was to sample more delicacies, hunt down more professional books, or even find a filmmaker to sponsor a studio and delve deep into film plots and hidden stories. Alternatively, he could hire a few screenwriters to create scripts to his liking and then invest in getting them made.

Whether they made money or not was irrelevant—the real goal was to find special loopholes, ideally in worlds where he could easily, without danger, obtain rare artifacts or master peerless martial arts.

If, in the future, he had the chance to choose the world for a mission, he’d be well prepared.

Now that he was aboard the mysterious train, studying film was his primary task.

Gao Ning even considered learning to act, just in case he needed it for complicated situations ahead.

In short, there were too many things to do and not enough time.

Besides, even if Lu Yingying turned against him, Gao Ning had plenty of ways to handle it—forceful control or simply vanishing from her world, neither would be difficult. At worst, it would just cost him some time currency.

These days, since returning home, Gao Ning was out and about constantly, busy with mysterious errands, which eventually attracted his parents’ attention.

One evening, when he returned, he found his parents had come home early and were sitting on the sofa watching TV—a rare occurrence.

“You’re back!” his mother called out.

“I am! I’m exhausted—my whole body aches!” Gao Ning complained, rubbing his neck.

It was true; after being modified by the universal medical pod, his muscle cells had been developed to their limits. In his private carriage, where time didn’t flow, he hadn’t noticed. But back in the real world, he acutely felt the burden of all that muscle, always on the verge of wanting to unleash his strength. If this urge wasn’t satisfied, his muscles protested.

His father looked at him curiously. “You finally come home, and instead of relaxing or catching up with old classmates, you’re out all day, every day. What are you up to?”

Gao Ning perked up at the question, sat down opposite his parents, and said, “I landed an investment—an American pharmaceutical company wants to enter the Greater China region. I passed their interview and a half-year evaluation with excellent results, so I was appointed as the head of the region, responsible for setting up the branch and overseeing research. The initial investment is a hundred million dollars, already in the account. I’ve been busy building the company these past few days.”