YA Ch97: The Invitation

Ming Yan didn’t want to deal with him anymore, afraid that if he continued, he might not be able to resist punching him. He took a deep breath and said, “Go to sleep.”

But Lu Yu wasn’t willing to let him off, getting more excited as he spoke, “I knew it, if I turned into a cockroach, you wouldn’t love me anymore. You only like this handsome face of mine.”

Recently, because he had been busy with live streaming, he hadn’t had much chance to sunbathe. Lu Yu was still as pale as a peeled boiled egg. At this moment, lying on the dark-colored blanket, the contour of his jawline could be clearly distinguished, and he did indeed look somewhat handsome.

Ming Yan lowered his head, rubbed his nose against that fair and tender cheek, and said, “Yeah, I’m just that superficial of a man.”

Being this close, Lu Yu couldn’t hold back. He raised his hand to hold the back of Ming Yan’s head and exchanged a long, lingering kiss. After that, rubbing his moist lips, he asked in a low voice, “If one day I disappear, would you miss me?”

Ming Yan sighed, “Why do you always ask me these life-threatening questions? How would you disappear?”

Lu Yu pouted, kicked his legs, and said, “If Lu Dayu comes back, wouldn’t I disappear? Crossing worlds is something that’s hard to say.”

Ming Yan felt helpless, looking at the guy lying on his legs and acting spoiled, he just felt like Lu Yu had turned into a river god, constantly asking him, “Do you like this Lu Dayu or this Lu Xiaoyu?” He really wanted to say that he just wanted a normal Lu Yu.

Unfortunately, the river god was being impersonated by Lu Xiaoyu, who just wouldn’t let him go.

Ming Yan didn’t want to continue this topic. He kissed the corner of Lu Yu’s mouth and said hoarsely, “Then while you haven’t disappeared yet, let’s do something Lu Dayu wouldn’t do.”

The fresh, warm breath hit his face, and Lu Yu suddenly slapped his forehead, “Oh right, I need to do something to leave my mark in this world, to prove that Lu Xiaoyu was here.”

So, he sprang up like a carp, called over Lu Dongdong, opened a virtual keyboard, and started typing frantically.

Ming Yan glanced at the light screen and was speechless for a long while, “The mark you want to leave in the world is this ‘Alpha Son-in-Law’?”

At that moment, Lu Yu was writing a raunchy story featuring their names as the main characters at a speed of 3,000 words per hour.

Lu Yu nodded seriously, “Yeah, I have to hurry and finish this while I’m still inspired. Lu Dayu probably won’t write it.”

If he really turned into Lu Dayu, these inspirations and social skills might all disappear. He had to deal with everything while he was still himself.

Lu Yu felt like a husband who didn’t have long to live, hurrying to chop enough wood for his wife to get through the winter. Boohoo, he really was a good man.

Thinking like this, even the erotic stories he wrote became moving.

Ming Yan: “…Fine.” He silently turned off the lights and went to sleep.

When Lu Yu finished a chapter with gusto and was satisfied with his work, he suddenly realized that when Yan-ge asked him to do something Lu Dayu wouldn’t do, he didn’t mean writing stories; he meant… eating carrots!

Lu Yu beat his chest and stomped his feet.

Late at night, a donkey obsessed with grinding refused the carrot offered by its owner, insisting that it must leave enough “yellow food” for this world. The owner understood and took back the delicious carrot.

The next morning, the donkey, realizing it had done something foolish, asked the owner for the carrot from last night, but the owner ruthlessly refused.

Ming Yan: “I told you, there’s no making up for this kind of thing.”

Filled with resentment, Lu Yu got up to go to work. He was already in a bad mood, and when he saw the mountain of documents that needed his signature, he became even more irritable.

The collaboration with the Countless Tech. would take at least three months to get off the ground, not counting negotiation time. And the AI Data Alliance would be coming to inspect soon, so they could only first sign a long-term cooperation agreement specifying that after Countless Technology acquires the DCM manufacturing plant, it will be bound to Chenyu Technology’s smart assistant.

Originally, this agreement was still going through the process and would take at least a week to be signed. Mr. Zheng suddenly brought bad news—the AI Data Alliance was coming this week!

This meant that all processes had to be accelerated, and the agreement had to be signed before the AI Data Alliance inspection. And all these documents needed to be personally reviewed and signed by Lu Yu.

Zheng Wuqiong sat in the meeting room of Chenyu Technology, frowning and repeatedly muttering, “This is too rushed, and I don’t even know what they want to inspect.”

Hong Wuyang, who never worried about anything, was eating the breakfast Xiao Jiang bought on the side. Seeing Mr. Zheng like this, he silently offered him a bun and comforted him, “If the inspection fails, then it fails. You haven’t acquired DCM yet. As long as the green hills are there, there’s no fear of running out of firewood. There are plenty of good projects; investing in others is fine too.”

Mr. Zheng took the bun, took a bite, and shook his head, “I’m not short of money, but my old brothers who have been working with me can’t go without food. Smart brain manufacturing is the most compatible with our industry.”

He was in the children’s smartwatch business. Although the technical complexity was not as high as smartphones, he had become a leader in the field, supporting a group of technical experts. If they transitioned to smart brains, these people could still play a role. If they did something else, the technology gap might be too big, and these people might have to retire early.

Zheng Wuqiong was already so worried that his hair was turning gray.

Yang Chen, who understood the difficulties of technical staff, was moved when he heard this, “Mr.  Zheng, the technicians are lucky to have a boss like you. Don’t worry too much, look, your hair is turning white.”

Mr. Zheng touched his hair as if he had just come to his senses, “Ah, I’ve been so busy these days, I forgot to dye it.” He was already at an age where his hair naturally turned gray, and to look younger, he had to dye it black every few days.

“Not everyone is like you, showing anxiety directly on their hair.” Lu Yu laughed loudly, patting Lao Yang’s bald head, and all his morning frustrations vanished.

Yang Chen raised his hand without looking back and slapped him, “Go, go, go.”

As they were messing around, Xiao Jiang came over and handed a package to Lu Yu.

Lu Yu frowned, “Addressed to me?”

The company’s document exchanges were usually sent to the specific person in charge of each department. Even if it was addressed to Lu Yu, it was usually under Xiao Jiang’s name. Only personal correspondence would be directly addressed to Lu Yu.

Xiao Jiang nodded and pointed to the name on the delivery slip, which read:

[To Lu Yu (LUYU)]

“Why does it even have the pinyin?” Lu Yu muttered, holding it a bit farther away as he opened it, “Could it be some kind of prank toy? As soon as I open it, it’ll spray chalk dust all over my face.”

“It’s so thin, it shouldn’t be.” Ming Yan helplessly reached out to help him open it, but Lu Yu dodged away.

“Stand back, I don’t want you to get hurt,” Lu Yu exaggeratedly waved his hand, as if he were defusing a bomb instead of opening a package.

He squinted his eyes while opening it, and nothing happened. Inside was a simple invitation card:

[Mr. Lu Yu is cordially invited to have dinner with Professor Mitchell Li at 6 p.m. this Friday at Mulan Restaurant.]

The same content was also written in English below, with a gold-embossed logo of the AI Data Alliance at the bottom right corner.

Lu Yu asked Mr. Zheng, who had just finished eating a whole baozi with a bitter expression, “When is the AI Data Alliance’s inspection team starting their assessment this week?”

Mr. Zheng confirmed the message on his smart assistant and said, “They should be arriving here on Thursday and starting the assessment next Monday. In the meantime, we don’t know what kind of undercover visits they might do.”

Lu Yu thought for a moment and said, “Then I’ll try to gather some information at the dinner on Friday.”

Hearing this, both Zheng Wuqiang and Hong Wuyang looked at him in surprise. “What dinner on Friday?” 

“The dinner with Professor Li,” Lu Yu said, suddenly realizing something as he looked at them. “Didn’t you guys receive an invitation?”

Both of them shook their heads in confusion. Mr. Zheng’s eyes suddenly brightened, and he tightly grasped Lu Yu’s hand, trembling slightly, “President Lu, my entire fortune and life are in your hands!”

Ming Yan immediately intervened and discreetly pulled Lu Yu’s hand back, “You exaggerate, Mr. Zheng. We don’t know the situation yet; it could just be a dinner invitation. You might receive your invitation when you go back.”

After sending off the overly excited Mr. Zheng, Ming Yan returned to find Lu Yu still staring at the invitation, lost in thought.

The top supporter and Lao Yang were already gone. The reception room was empty, leaving only Lu Yu sitting there with a piece of white cardstock in his hand, looking somewhat pitiful.

Ming Yan walked over and patted his head. “Why are you sitting here by yourself?”

“Why do you think she only invited me and no one else? What does that mean?” Lu Yu looked up, rubbing his head against Ming Yan’s palm.

Ming Yan pressed his lips together. The answer was obvious; this Professor Li specifically requested to dine alone with Lu Yu, most likely because she was Li Mochiao—the biological mother Lu Yu had never met.

But speculation is always just speculation. He didn’t dare say it, afraid that if things didn’t turn out well, Lu Yu would be hurt again. So, he joked, “Maybe it’s because you went viral and crashed NiaoShu; Professor Li might be curious about what kind of extraordinary person you are.”

Lu Yu laughed, his previously blank expression becoming lively again. He hugged Ming Yan’s waist and rubbed against him. “Yan-ge, I like you so much.” His Yan-ge was carefully protecting him.

Ming Yan patted his head, “Stop being so clingy. Go to the streaming room. Are you ready with the plot changes for today?”

Lu Yu clung on, unwilling to move, “You drag me there.”

“I have to check some materials with the art team. You go first.” Ming Yan pinched Lu Yu’s cheek, coaxing him to let go.

After Lu Yu left, Ming Yan’s smile faded. He raised his hand and made a video call.

The call rang five times before it was answered. On the screen appeared the face of Lu Yu’s adoptive father, whom they had met just a few days ago. The man looked very haggard, even older than Mr. Zheng, who had been too busy to dye his hair.

Upon seeing Ming Yan, Lu Yu’s adoptive father immediately glared with anger, “How dare you call me?”

“Calm down, I’m not live-streaming or recording,” Ming Yan said slowly, seeing the man puffing up like an agitated rooster. He continued to soothe him, “You seem to be having a tough time recently, Mr. Lu. Do you need any help?”

Lu Yu’s adoptive father raised his hand, ready to hang up.

Ming Yan, unhurried, said, “I’ve recently come across some interesting information about Professor Mitchell Li. Do you know this professor, Mr. Lu?”

The pupils of Lu Yu’s adoptive father trembled, and a clear panic appeared in his eyes, though he kept his face taut. “I don’t know any Professor Li.”

Ming Yan, being an artist, was very keen on detecting changes in people’s eyes. He stared at the man’s eyes the whole time. When the man finished his evasive answer, Ming Yan nodded slightly, “I see. Thank you for your answer.”

Lu Yu’s adoptive father’s eyes widened in terror.