What's Missing

Several well-informed executives at the pharmaceutical company were engaged in heated arguments.

One faction insisted the medicine couldn't be destroyed. The batch was too expensive - destroying such a large quantity of adult medication would alert the Drug Administration. The losses wouldn't just include the costs of herbs, premium ingredients, and finished product processing... it might even shake the company's foundation and market reputation. The potential damage was incalculable.

The other faction took a simpler stance: ineffective medicine couldn't be labeled, manufactured, or sold under any circumstances. Absolutely not!

The two groups argued fiercely, their voices shaking the room.

Fyren Zhang sat with his head in his hands, slumped over the table, lost in his own thoughts.

Why was everything so frustrating?

When it rains, it pours. All this bad luck coming at once...

This wasn't in the original plot, was it? What's going on? Can the system just alter the storyline whenever it wants?

Otto Long shouldn't be involved in this mess, right?

And what's with Xena Xu? Why is she suddenly out to get me?

Just then, the door swung open. Everyone immediately stood up:

"Hello, Xena!"

The room greeted Xena Xu in unison.

Fyren Zhang froze. Why was she here too?

Xena Xu took a seat across the round table and smiled at Fyren Zhang. "Fyren, I know all about the situation. What do you plan to do about it?"

"Uh..."

Fyren Zhang's mind raced.

[*This batch of medicine can't be shipped out under any circumstances - it must be destroyed!*]

Xena Xu was inwardly shocked. Her expression changed several times in rapid succession as she stared at Fyren Zhang with an unreadable look.

Must be destroyed?

That's what he really thinks?

[There! I'll just claim I want to ship the goods normally and let her lead the charge against me. She'd never allow this batch to leave the factory.]

[If I piss her off enough, she might leave me alone in the future. I'll use this chance to have a big fight with her and withdraw my shares! Yes, perfect plan!]

[I'm a fucking genius!]

Fyren Zhang started laughing at the thought.

Bitchy Team approached Xena Xu. "Xena, let me explain the situation, haha! This batch was too costly - it was my idea to cut back on premium ingredients. Sure, the medicine's effectiveness might be slightly reduced, but it's proprietary Chinese medicine! It won't kill anyone!"

"But if we destroy it, it will alert the Drug Administration. Then we'll have to hold a press conference, and our factory will be ruined! Our reputation will be destroyed! The stock price will plummet, right? Drug sales will crash, right? There'll be no more money!"

"Let's silence everyone who knows about this. We have to withstand the pressure and make a bold move now! Right?"

Fyren Zhang looked at Xena Xu with a smile on his face, though his mind raced anxiously:

[Cursing me, cursing me—curse me now! Oppose! Oppose! Oppose!

I'll withdraw my shares, you'll become the majority shareholder, and from then on, we'll never speak again, never see each other again.

You'd better go to Otto Long and become his concubine. We'll go our separate ways—no more obstacles.

Xena Xu is no pushover.

This guy has already decided in his mind to destroy this batch of herbs.

But he won't do it himself—what does it mean to make me do it?

Since when did this guy grow a conscience?

And now he's avoiding me like the plague. What the hell?

Am I so worthless that I'd become a harem member for that disgusting Otto Long?]

Xena Xu rolled her eyes and smiled. "Fyren, I was thinking the same thing! It's true the drug factory can't do without you. In critical moments, it's still you who must take the helm, naa!"

Fyren Zhang's smile instantly froze.

He stared at Xena Xu as if she were a complete stranger.

"Xena, ah, did you mishear me? What I'm suggesting is... to label, manufacture, and sell the medicine..."

"Right!" Xena Xu said. "That's exactly what I was thinking too!"

Fyren Zhang shook his head vigorously, feeling like his whole damn world had collapsed.

[What kind of nonsense is this?!

Healer Xena Xu, how could you do such a thing? How can you agree to give birth to a son with no asshole? Have you lost your mind?]

Fyren Zhang forced a smile. "Xena, you need to think carefully. This is medicine! What's its purpose? To save lives! If the medicine is substandard, it'll delay patients' recovery. Think about it—thousands will suffer because of our drugs... hehehehehe, do you understand?"

"I understand, I understand completely." Xena Xu had also made up her mind.

It was a game of chicken.

Both were secretly resolved that this batch of medicine must never leave the factory.

But both wanted the other to bring it up.

The situation now was that Xena Xu already knew Fyren Zhang's bottom line, while Fyren Zhang remained lost in a haze, unable to see through the fog.

Xena Xu had won from the start.

The dark little loli relaxed her expression and said, "It's just a batch of adult medicine—what's the big deal? If people are really harmed, it's their own bad luck. Who told them to get sick? Fyren, don't you think so?"

"Fyren, I'm with you."

"But we spent our money, and if we don't make it back, the company will suffer huge losses! In that case, I'll sign—this batch of medicine leaves the factory today, and all of it must be shipped out within three days!"

As soon as the contract was presented, the secretary handed over the signing pen. Xena Xu picked it up and prepared to sign.

Seeing that Xena Xu was really about to sign, Fyren Zhang panicked. He slammed his hand down over the signature area, glaring at her.

Xena Xu blinked up at him with big, innocent eyes. "Fyren, what's wrong?"

Fyren Zhang trembled with anger. He was utterly disappointed in Xena Xu.

[Don't call me brother from now on—you're my father!]

"Xena, have you really… thought this through?"

"I have!" Xena Xu said cheerfully. "I trust you, Fyren. I'll do whatever you say."

Fyren Zhang lowered his head, frustration boiling inside him.

Then, in one swift motion, he snatched the document and tore it to shreds.

Slamming his hands on the desk, he hung his head and growled in a low voice: "Report this to the Drug Administration. We're destroying this batch immediately—ask them to send an inspector to oversee it."

"At the same time, launch a full internal investigation. Every department involved will review their operational procedures."

"Punish everyone responsible for the substandard materials—revoke their licenses and hand them over to the authorities for prosecution."

Xena Xu smiled. She had won.

Zaring was so shocked he nearly lost his mind. "Young Master Fyren, this batch is worth over six hundred million dollars—six hundred million! Think again! Didn't you and Xena both…?"

"Scram!" Fyren Zhang unleashed his pent-up fury on Zaring, deliberately making an example of him for the others:

"Since when does the company's business concern the head of security? Can't I even enforce my own goddamn rules?"

"It's medicine! Medicine! For sick people!"

"Listen to me, and listen fucking clearly—if even a single box, carton, or capsule of this batch leaves the factory, I'll rip the offender's head off and kick it like a ball!"

"And not just today. From now on, if anyone even thinks about cutting corners with materials, I'll throw them in jail so fast they'll rot there!"

"Don't say six billion—even if it were sixty billion, six hundred billion... I'd still let them die in our medicine factory before a single speck of drug residue leaves this place!"

Fyren Zhang looked at Xena Xu. "What do you think, Xena?"

Xena Xu smiled.

This time, it was a pleased smile.

She suddenly realized she didn't know Fyren Zhang as well as she thought.

This guy… he's completely different from when he was a kid!

Were all those rumors about him being a bully who'd do anything for profit really true? Could they have been wrong?

And that temper of his just now… it was actually kind of handsome.

"Fyren, like I said—you're in charge. I'll listen to whatever you decide."

Fyren Zhang stared at Xena Xu's triumphant expression and suddenly understood.

[This damned girl has had me figured out from the start—she knew I'd never let this batch leave the factory!

[Has she not heard anything about my reputation? Big sister, I'm supposed to be the bully, the thief, the villain who'd stoop to anything for profit! How dare she play me like this?

[No… something's off. Something's definitely wrong!]

Xena Xu stood up with a smile. "Fyren, I'm celebrating my birthday next week, and you're invited. As for this mess here… I'll leave it to you."

She turned and walked away.

At this point, she was completely at ease.

Fyren Zhang… I've already handled him. No need to worry about him causing trouble in the medicine factory.

He doesn't have that kind of "talent."

Sitting in the car, Xena Xu's heart still raced with excitement.

That bastard… when he agreed to let the batch leave the factory, the way he looked at me—that disappointment, like he's the saint and I'm Crystalpeak City's number one villain!

But today… that boy really had a handsome side to him.

Just thinking about how Fyren Zhang scrambled around today, racking his brains to fight me, only to be driven to the brink of collapse… it's too hilarious!

The thought made her giggle aloud.

Her team of secretaries exchanged confused glances. The chief secretary cautiously asked, "Xena… is something wrong?"

"Oh, nothing."

She forced her face back into a serious expression—but then remembered the priceless array of defeated looks Fyren Zhang had worn today and burst out laughing again.

...

By evening, the lights flickered on.

Eliza Leng had been distracted all day.

The situation with Fyren Zhang was too strange.

Why could she suddenly hear what was going on in his mind?

And how could he accurately predict Otto Long's behavior?

He seemed to be afraid of Otto Long, but they clearly hadn't even met!

Of the people present today, only I knew that Otto Long was extremely skilled—so how could Fyren Zhang so keenly sense the danger in him?

There were too many mysteries.

This guy...for over three years, all that so-called "love me, like me, pursue me"...was it all fake?

Because Otto Long appeared, he just backed down? He didn't dare to fight anymore?

The secretary knocked on the door and peeked in. "Eliza, time to leave?"

"Hmm? Oh." Eliza Leng collected her thoughts. "Yes, leaving."

Eliza Leng felt something was wrong, as if something was missing...

Yes. Someone was missing.

For three years, at this exact time every day, that bootlicking stalker Lai Pi would be waiting at the door early—wearing a gaudy suit, holding flowers, and chasing after her while spouting nauseatingly tacky love declarations.

Every day, she had to endure that guy's harassment and hypocritical boasting, and every day at this time, she'd have to lose him again somewhere in the company building.

But not today. Staring at the empty doorway, Eliza Leng's heart suddenly felt hollow...

Walking down the hallway, the sound of her high heels seemed unusually loud in the silence.

One secretary muttered, "Huh? Why does it feel so quiet today?"

Another replied offhandedly, "Young Master Fyren didn't come!"

"Oh, that's it! Yeah, usually by now he'd already be waiting at the door, chattering nonstop."

Eliza Leng shot them a glare. "Don't you have work to do?"

The secretaries immediately fell silent, and the group quietly proceeded to the elevator.

Eliza Leng felt uncomfortable all over.

What was going on?

Hadn't she always wished Fyren Zhang would stay away from her?

Hadn't she always wanted him to disappear from this world?

Now that he was gone...why did she feel like this?

Eliza Leng was unbearably irritated.

As she reached the entrance, the flower-collecting girl who came daily was already waiting. She froze when she saw Eliza Leng and the others emerge empty-handed, then looked behind them—no sign of Fyren Zhang. Her face fell in stunned disbelief.

Eliza Leng looked at her. "He didn't come today."

Sitting in the car, Eliza Leng grew even more annoyed.

It was as if without Fyren Zhang, her life had suddenly shifted...

The irritation gnawed at her. Finally, she decisively grabbed her phone and dialed. "Hello, Fyren Zhang? I need to see you."

Fyren Zhang's side was noisy. "Huh? What? Speak up—I can't hear you!"

A girl's voice came through the phone: "Young Master Fyren, won't you drink with me?"

"Ah, hold on—I'm on a call. Eliza, I'm a bit busy right now. Let's talk another time."

Beep— The call ended.

Eliza Leng instantly erupted in fury. "Find out Fyren Zhang's location," she ordered the driver. "We're going to him."