Yu Hua wasn’t actually the sort of person who wanted to spend all day exercising. He was just unusually protective of their time alone together. He had no other aims in taking You Zhengping upstairs. They simply sat together in an office, Yu Hua taking care of business and You Zhengping sprawled next to him playing on his phone. 

There was a big couch in the office with a full set of cushions and a temperature controlled quilt. It wasn’t very different from at home. You Zhengping comfortably played on phone, occasionally looking up at Yu Hua. If Yu Hua was busy, he would keep playing his game; if at that moment Yu Hua happened to look up at him, their gazes would meet and You Zhengping would smile, then he would go back to playing his game. 

Apart from maintaining old customers and renewing contracts, Yu Hua also made a few new arrangements. 

One was for Director Ha. This husky was growing bigger and bigger. After its special ability had awakened, its fur was sleeker than ever, its bearing more robust. At first glance, it looked very healthy and happy. Many pet advertising companies had taken a liking to Director Ha. Apart from the advertising companies, there were also some invitations from production teams filming movies relating to pets. They had taken a liking to Director Ha’s cleverness on the livestreams and wanted to invite it to do a screen test for a leading part. 

Yu Hua sifted out the obvious rotten eggs among the movies and the advertisements for shoddy products. He meticulously picked out a pet movie production team and a dog food brand for Director Ha, ready to make Director Ha earn its food. 

Next came Yuan Luori. After Yuan Luori had filmed with the “Idol’s Light” crew, many investors had heard rumors about him. There was an entertainment company that wanted to sign Yuan Luori and package him up to be part of the new generation of idols. There were also some idol dramas hoping Yuan Luori could come film with them. They were giving him the role of the secondary male lead, with excellent pay. 

Yu Hua rejected these invitations and contacted a tutoring agency, saying he wanted to place Yuan Luori in a tutorial class focused on preparing him to take the university entrance exams in one year, so he could try to get into a well-known national political and legal university. Yu Hua’s black heart wasn’t only aimed at his own people. He was the same toward outsiders. He arranged with the tutoring agency that Yuan Luori would first study without paying tuition, and when he tested into the school he hoped for next year, they would pay. Also, the tutoring agency would have to give Yuan Luori an endorsement fee. If he didn’t test in, they would sell Yuan Luori’s contract and make him repay the debt himself. 

You Zhengping got tired of playing games and quietly went up to Yu Hua’s desk. Seeing several folders stacked up on the desk already, he opened them up to read. He found that Yu Hua had made future development plans for each of the studio’s members. 

Zhen Li had suspended his studies to start a business. Yu Hua was in contact with his university so they would let him take the rest of his credits online. The studio would provide a fieldwork certificate for him. When Zhen Li finished his thesis defense, he could get his diploma and degree. 

Feng Kui’s physical circumstances were unique. If he lost the protection of his special ability, his muscles would gradually be unable to bear the weight of his skeleton. The burden would soon become too great, and he would die. They had to think of a way to replace his skeleton. Even if they couldn’t replace it with an ordinary skeleton, at least they could replace it with a relatively lightweight alloy. 

Huan Zixu’s folder was empty. He had done a strain resistance report and an employment report for him. The strain resistance report concluded that his survival ability could be compared to that of certain living creatures that humans wanted to crush with their slippers. His strain resistance far surpassed that of the average person. He would live very well if left to himself. The employment report, meanwhile, was for Yu Hua’s own entertainment. Employing Huan Zixu added a great deal of enjoyment to work. 

There were even forms for the Destroyer 187 Yuan Luori and the others had captured, as well as the blank slate “Guan Shaoguang.” Yu Hua really had thought of a way out for all the Destroyers. 

“Did you…” You Zhengping looked at the new office. “Did you really rent this place?” 

The planning charts gave consideration to each person’s future. This showed that Yu Hua had seriously considered it. He wouldn’t freely squander their hard-earned money. Renting high quality office space that exceeded the studio’s capacity absolutely contradicted the thought process in the development plan charts. 

Hearing You Zhengping’s question, Yu Hua felt a chill go up his spine. He felt the guilt of his private savings being discovered. Yu Hua was the sort of person who acted calmer the guiltier he felt. He would only give the impression of weakness when he had a well-thought-out plan to trap someone. 

After going through the little world, You Zhengping fully understood Yu Hua’s character. Seeing him looking stern, he asked, “You didn’t buy these floors, did you?” 

Yu Hua didn’t speak. 

You Zhengping instantly understood the meaning behind his silence. “Where did you get so much money?” 

He only had three million and some in savings and already thought he was a winner and could start supporting Yu Hua any time, make it so Yu Hua didn’t need to worry about trivial life problems and be secure in doing whatever he wanted to do. 

You Zhengping had felt very proud of his little treasury. He would check the balance on the bank’s text messages at idle moment and feel pleased. Now, seeing that Yu Hua had truly bought two floors of an office building, he quickly went online and checked the market prices for the office buildings in the area and was instantly dazed. 

Two floors came to around eighty million. Looking at that number, You Zhengping suddenly experienced Yuan Luori’s feelings. 

Before, Yuan Luori had passed thirty-seven levels and had gone around boasting about it everywhere, thinking that he was very powerful. When he heard that the clearer’s level count was 3,841, Yuan Luori had been shattered. This was like You Zhengping with his three million and some in savings, thinking himself a little tycoon able to support a household and put food on the table. Now it turned out that Yu Hua could afford office space for eighty million. You Zhengping felt that right now he was also kind of brittle. 

“How much money do you actually have?” 

“One hundred million.” Yu Hua carefully stuck up one finger. 

You Zhengping shook and nearly fell in a faint. He lost the will to struggle. 

“Wh-where does the money come from?” You Zhengping asked, gritting his teeth. “Is it legal?” 

Yu Hua quickly stepped up to hold You Zhengping up. Awkwardly, he said, “It’s from the System. It found a childless rich person abroad who hadn’t made a will and made them my secret relative, then left their money to me. It’s completely legal. Even the world law acknowledged it.” 

If Yu Hua had used the power of his rules to get that money, or if the System had interfered in the world’s regulations for printing money, You Zhengping wouldn’t have been this struck. After all, those were unique abilities; he didn’t have to acknowledge them. But instead…the money had already existed in society. It was legal! This made You Zhengping’s little treasury instantly lose its meaning. 

He seized Yu Hua’s collar and pushed him down onto the couch. He brought up one knee and lightly pressed it to Yu Hua’s chest. His gaze was extremely dangerous, but his tone was exceedingly gentle. “When did you get the inheritance? Before or after we were married?” 

Yu Hua looked at You Zhengping looming over him and swallowed nervously. His intellect told him that this question had no good answer. No matter what he said, it would be wrong! 

If he had gotten the inheritance before they were married, then when they had been dating, he had hidden property he’d possessed before the marriage. If it was after marriage, then it was definitely all over for him. How could he not tell his husband about news that big? 

“You’re not going to answer? Are you thinking of an excuse?” You Zhengping pressed his other hand to Yu Hua’s temple. “Hm?” 

Before, Yu Hua had gripped the back of You Zhengping’s neck. Now it was You Zhengping looking loftily down on him, pressing on Yu Hua’s temple. The sense of danger made Yu Hua’s forehead break out in a cold sweat. He felt that he had never in his life faced such a great danger! 

“I had it when I arrived here. I never planned to use that money!” Yu Hua said. “I treated it like it didn’t exist. I kept it in an account to lose value. I was a completely commonplace ordinary person, relying on my two hands to make a profit and support my household. Even in the most difficult times, I didn’t plan to use it! This time, I used it because…because…” 

“Because what?” You Zhengping gently rubbed Yu Hua’s temple. 

“Because I wanted to give the Destroyers a way to survive.” Yu Hua had finally found an excuse. “I’ll treat it as the company’s fixed assets. It’s entirely the company’s assets. This way, at least the Destroyers will have somewhere to take shelter."

Hearing this explanation, You Zhengping’s mood improved slightly. The hand pressing on Yu Hua’s temple moved to stroke his cheek. In a low voice, he said, “Tell me the truth, did you use it before?” 

“I did,” Yu Hua answered sincerely. “When the phone you bought me broke, I used that money to make up the lack in our finances. I used about twenty thousand. For the broken phone, the furniture, the kitchenware, and some cash I put in the safe to be misleading.” 

“The phone?” You Zhengping took a phone out of Yu Hua’s pants pocket. “Lian Yufan fixed that phone a long time ago, didn’t he? Why haven’t you switched back to it yet?” 

“I’ll switch back tonight!” Yu Hua guaranteed. 

“What are you going to do with the old phone?” You Zhengping pinched the phone with two fingers and shook it. 

“Backup the data on it, then break it!” 

“A waste of societal resources. How many people are there who can’t afford a phone?” You Zhengping said. “Isn’t that hundred million the studio’s assets?” 

“I’ll restore it to its condition when it was just bought and give it as a reward to the first employee who joins.” 

“That’s better.” You Zhengping returned the phone to its original place and patted Yu Hua’s chest lightly with his hand. “You be good.” 

Yu Hua absolutely hadn’t expected that him being the clearer wouldn’t knock You Zhengping down but would only make him value him more, love him more, cherish him more. But a measly hundred million clearing reward had nearly created a domestic crisis. It was a good thing that he had relied on the principle of wanting to earn his living with his own two hand and practically hadn’t used that money. What luck!

Just as Yu Hua was inwardly congratulating himself on having escaped a crisis, You Zhengping undid his tie and dropped it on the ground. 

Yu Hua was just quietly waiting for whatever would happen next when someone stood at the door of the office of the director of human resources and said, “You’re not even going to close the door while canoodling in the office?” 

The two of them simultaneously turned their heads and saw Lian Yufan standing with his arms folded in front of the door. He had no intention of leaving. 

When they had been discussing the private savings before, You Zhengping had opened a space as a protective screen. When the issue had been resolved, Yu Hua had quietly used his power to open the screen to test out whether You Zhengping was still angry. 

You Zhengping hadn’t resisted. After the screen was opened, the two of them hadn’t been discussing the private savings anymore, but they had entered into another state that took no heed of the outside world. 

“Aren’t you supposed to close the door for us and quietly leave at a time like this?” You Zhengping glared at Lian Yufan. “Why are you acting like you’re the one with justice on your side?” 

“Both from the perspective of workplace order and professional ethics, I think I am the one with justice on my side,” said eternally single Lian Yufan, who didn’t understand love. “Get up, I have proper business to discuss.” 

You Zhengping was forced to unwillingly get up off the couch, then watch half-collapsed as Yu Hua entered work mode.  

Lian Yufan had primarily come to talk about Junjun coming to the studio. Junjun’s father had taken the Protection Organization’s recommendation and had persuaded Junjun’s mother using gifted education as a reason. As soon as Junjun demonstrated a special ability, he would be immediately taken to the base for training. 

On the eve of school starting, Junjun would be taken to the studio to come into more contact with special ability users and be subtly influenced to learn to use his special ability. 

Originally, Lian Yufan hadn’t especially agreed with this method. First, the excess formaldehyde in the office; while special ability users had strong resistance, Junjun was after all only a child. Second, the office had to livestream. There was very little private space. He didn’t want such a small child to accidentally appear on camera. Third, Yu Hua was with them, and Junjun knew that they were special ability users. However good the child was at keeping his mouth shut, he might still let something slip. 

Now they had changed offices, and all the problems had been easily resolved. Junjun could easily study in the room next door to the livestreaming room, and Yu Hua was apart from them on the second floor. They would have little contact. The likelihood of saying something wrong was low. 

The only problem was how to get Yu Hua to agree to let the child come to the office. Lian Yufan had decided to convince him from the point of view of Director Ha’s mental health as a pet and adding to the liveliness of the studio through the diversity of the child and dog playing together. But as soon as he mentioned it, Yu Hua agreed. 

“Why didn’t you refuse?” Lian Yufan asked in surprise. 

Yu Hua frowned. “Why would I refuse something that contributes to the cultivation of the studio’s personnel?”

“It could be habit. Even if you’ve already agreed internally, you still deliberately criticize me and force me to sign unfair agreements, then agree just before you’ve hit my bottom line, right?” Lian Yufan said uncomprehendingly. “Isn’t extorting the greatest surplus value your personal hobby?” 

Yu Hua stared blankly, then promptly said, “If you want, I could make that wish of yours come true.” 

“No need, no need!” Lian Yufan took what he could get. He quickly retreated from the office. Before leaving, he gave You Zhengping a look. 

You Zhengping stood up and stretched. He said to Yu Hua, “My back is getting sore from sitting too long. I’m going to go out and walk around.” 

Taking the hint, Yu Hua nodded. 

When the two of them arrived in a big empty conference room next door, Lian Yufan quietly said, “What are you thinking? How could you come to the studio? Don’t you know that Yuan Luori can see your identity? It’s a good thing he’s been wearing his glasses all day today. Those glasses of his kept slipping while we were moving, and I spent the whole time pushing them up for him.” 

You Zhengping said, “…I didn’t think about it too much. I have a vacation for once, so I wanted to spend more time with Yu Hua. In this last operation, over the course of a few short minutes, I spent years in the little world. People like us might not be able to come home to our families at any time. I want to treasure this time.” 

Lian Yufan’s expression froze. He had obviously thought of his parents. After a long time, he said, “I’ll have Feng Kui weld Yuan Luori’s glasses to his head.” 

“Thank you.” You Zhengping extended a friendly hand to Lian Yufan. 

The first time they had met, they had shaken hands in Director Xiao’s office, but they had only been friendly on the surface. They had never acknowledged each other’s viewpoints. After countless battles, the two of them at last understood that there wasn’t only one road leading to their goals. No matter which road they walked, as long as the end point was the same, they were comrades in arms. 

No wonder Director Xiao had been unable to judge which of them was right and wrong back then. Because there was never only one correct path. 

“Oh, right, have you felt that Yu Hua is a little different?” Lian Yufan said after they shook hands and made peace. 

You Zhengping said, “What, are you suspecting him of something?” 

Lian Yufan quickly explained himself: “Of course not. After knowing him this long, I know his character. I share the same viewpoint as you. If a person were replaced, his ‘core’ would change, and Yu Hua’s hasn’t. He’s definitely still himself. It’s just…he seems gentler.” 

“Could it be because I’m here?” You Zhengping fobbed him off with a smile. “You ought to be thanking me.” 

“Don’t boast.” Lian Yufan rolled his eyes. He didn’t want to say anything more to You Zhengping. He went downstairs to help Zhen Li plan the office. 

---

Author's Note

Yu Hua: Have I changed? 

Zhen Li: Yes. 

Yuan Luori: You’ve become more handsome. 

Lian Yufan: You’ve become kinder, just a tiny little bit. 

Director Ha: Bark-bark! 

Huan Zixu: Changed my ass! 

Feng Kui (looking at the freight elevator): Heh-heh.