Chapter 36: Is She Going on Another Date with That Lu Guy?

The door of the refrigerated cabinet seemed to tremble slightly. A blurred shadow flashed past at incredible speed.

“Stop!” Fu Yancheng shouted sharply, instinctively wanting to give chase, but his arm was seized tightly by Qiao Xi. He halted abruptly, turning back to look at her. In the faint light, her face was pale, her eyes still filled with lingering terror.

In that instant, the urge to protect her overwhelmed everything else. He could not leave her alone here.

Suppressing his impulse to pursue, Fu Yancheng drew Qiao Xi closer into his embrace. His voice was deep and steady, “Someone sneaked in during the blackout.” The cabinet door bore marks of forced entry, but it seemed not to have been fully opened. For now, nothing appeared to be missing.

He took out his phone and immediately called Zhou Ze. “Seal off the entire research building right now!” After giving his orders, Fu Yancheng put away his phone.

Seeing Qiao Xi still shaken in his arms, a wave of fear and tenderness surged within him. If he had arrived just a moment later...

Fu Yancheng dared not dwell on the thought. He held her hand tightly. “Don’t be afraid, it’s all right now. The intruder has fled. I’m here.” As he spoke, his brows remained furrowed, eyes swirling with deep concern and barely contained anger.

“We need to leave this place first.” Fu Yancheng wrapped his arm protectively around her shoulders, shielding her with his whole body. Qiao Xi nodded, still frightened, clinging tightly to him.

Using the light from their phone, the two hurried away. Fu Yancheng kept Qiao Xi close all the way, not relaxing until they were safely in the car, driving away from the Fu Corporation building.

Only then did Qiao Xi’s tense nerves ease a little.

When they returned to the villa, Qiao Xi was still somewhat dazed. Fu Yancheng helped her sit on the sofa, knelt down to remove her coat and shoes, then poured a glass of warm water and pressed it into her hands.

Noticing her mood, he sat beside her, extending a long arm to pull her into his embrace.

Softly he asked, “What’s wrong? Are you still thinking about what just happened? Don’t be afraid, it’s over now.”

Qiao Xi cradled the cup, shook her head, and sighed softly.

“It’s not that... It’s about the project,” she replied quietly.

Fu Yancheng sat beside her. “Is the project in trouble again? Is it Qin Yiren?”

“It’s not her fault...” Qiao Xi leaned on his shoulder, her brows knotted. “It’s my side... The experiment urgently needs a special catalyst.”

“I’ve searched all supplier catalogs, contacted several top laboratories at home and abroad, but none have it in stock—not even sample cultures. Without it, none of the subsequent processes can continue...”

The more she spoke, the more hopeless it seemed. “This catalyst isn’t available anywhere in the market. I really don’t know what to do...”

So this was what troubled her.

Fu Yancheng listened quietly, committing every word to heart. Seeing the worried look on the woman in his arms, he kissed her forehead tenderly.

“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” he soothed in a low voice. “There will be a way.”

“What’s the name of the catalyst? Any specific requirements?”

Qiao Xi assumed he was concerned about the project’s progress and explained several technical terms in detail.

Fu Yancheng listened carefully, memorizing everything.

After sitting with her for a while and coaxing her to wash up and rest, Fu Yancheng took his phone and went to the study.

He opened WeChat and sent the technical terms to Mu Cen Shan.

“No matter the cost, just make sure to get it. Absolute confidentiality.”

Mu Cen Shan quickly replied with an “OK” emoji.

Fu Yancheng knew Qiao Xi was proud and wanted to solve the problem on her own. But he couldn’t bear to see her troubled.

All he could do was quietly clear obstacles from her path, paving the way for her to chase her dreams without worry.

The next day.

Qiao Xi’s team followed the usual experimental protocol, but failed repeatedly—the results diverged significantly from theoretical expectations.

Qiao Xi’s brows were tightly furrowed as she pointed to several sets of abnormal data on the projection screen.

“The deviation in this parallel experiment is too large,” she said. “Engineer Lin, are you sure you followed the procedure exactly as I outlined?”

Lin Moran and the other researchers exchanged uneasy glances.

“Team Leader Qiao... We double-checked three times. Every step was strictly by your revised protocol, absolutely no mistakes!” Lin Moran replied anxiously. “But the results... just don’t match the expected outcome!”

Qiao Xi was baffled. She could only check the procedures and cross-reference data over and over, sinking into self-doubt and distress.

Meanwhile, Qin Yiren, beaming, carried a new document and knocked on the CEO’s office door.

“President Fu, though I’m no longer directly in charge of the ‘Youthful Complex Project,’ I still care deeply about it,” she said, placing the report on Fu Yancheng’s desk and watching his expression closely.

“As far as I know, since Team Leader Qiao took over, the experiments have repeatedly failed and progress has stalled almost completely.”

Qin Yiren sighed, appearing deeply concerned for the company’s project.

“I know she works hard, but maybe she’s not yet accustomed to leading such a significant project.”

She smiled faintly, handing the document to Fu Yancheng.

“This is an ideal model and data set I recalculated recently. Please take a look—I hope it can help Engineer Qiao overcome these difficulties.”

Fu Yancheng leafed through the report. The content was indeed precise, seemingly valuable.

He glanced up at her, his gaze deep and unreadable. “Thank you, Dr. Qin. These ideas are quite constructive.”

Hearing his affirmation, Qin Yiren was ecstatic inside, though she maintained a modest facade.

“It’s my duty to do my best for the project,” she replied.

Her actions successfully created an illusion: when Qiao Xi was overwhelmed and making frequent mistakes, it was Qin Yiren who found the correct direction for the team and rescued the project.

Fu Yancheng looked at the flawless data in his hands, recalling Qiao Xi’s recent distress and repeated failures—his brows furrowed unconsciously.

He did not comment immediately, only saying in a low voice, “Understood. I’ll pass this on to Engineer Qiao. You may go.”

Qin Yiren knew she had achieved her aim and did not linger, smiling charmingly as she turned to leave.

Just then, Qiao Xi approached the CEO’s office with a stack of experimental data, her brows knitted in worry, and happened to cross paths with Qin Yiren as she exited.

Qin Yiren’s triumphant smile grew brighter upon seeing Qiao Xi.

Feigning concern, she said, “Team Leader Qiao, what a coincidence.”

“By the way, I’ve already calculated the final data for you. You should just rest.”

Qiao Xi halted in her tracks.

Final data?

She and Lin Moran hadn’t yet produced it—how could Qin Yiren have done so?

Seeing the unusual smugness in Qin Yiren’s eyes, Qiao Xi grew even more uneasy, a strong sense of discord rising within her.

She replied coldly, “No need for your concern, Dr. Qin.”

As they passed each other, Qin Yiren glanced back at her, her red lips curling into a cold smile.