Chapter 158: A Group of Suffering People
Zhang Yang felt a rush of excitement! He thought he had misheard and leaned closer, asking softly, "Jing-jie, say that again."
"I didn't say anything. Forget it…" Yang Jing blushed. She didn't even know what was wrong with her—how could she say something like that? To actually… offer to help him with that? That was way beyond her limits.
But before she knew it, her hand was caught by Zhang Yang. Just as she was panicking, she realized her hand was being guided downward. At some point, he had secretly taken everything off, and soon her slender fingers brushed through a patch of soft hair, then touched something hot and hard.
Her hand trembled, her body shook, and her face instantly flushed red down to her neck. Anyone would know what that was.
"You…" She hadn't expected Zhang Yang to be so bold and direct. This guy really was a pervert!
But remembering what she had just said, she couldn't help but let out a soft whimper and give in. She whispered, "But I… I don't really know how… If it's uncomfortable, you have to tell me…"
"Mm!" Zhang Yang groaned comfortably. Yang Jing's soft hand carried a faint coolness—it felt incredible.
Her movements were clumsy at first, but under Zhang Yang's guidance, she quickly got the hang of it. Her touch soon became so skillful that Zhang Yang almost cried out… If it weren't for her period, he would've definitely pinned her down without hesitation…
In the end, Yang Jing fulfilled her earlier promise and helped him with her hand. Zhang Yang had wanted her to take off her top, but Yang Jing firmly refused. However, they compromised—she removed her nightgown, leaving only her cotton thermal underwear. With those faintly visible, perky buds and her alluring figure, she teased Zhang Yang mercilessly.
Afterwards, she pinched Zhang Yang hard, making him grimace in pain.
"You're such a bad man." Yang Jing looked both shy and angry, helpless and regretful. But still, she obediently fell asleep in Zhang Yang's arms.
"Tonight's events… you must never tell anyone!" She repeated that line over and over, even muttering it several times in her sleep.
Failing to verify whether she was a Star Mender left Zhang Yang a bit disappointed. After all, making Yang Jing completely open her heart—and her chest—to him, letting him touch those pink buds, was too much to hope for.
But he believed that since they'd come this far, that day wasn't too far away. Still, completing the task before the system refresh was impossible.
The next morning, the two took an early flight back to Meining.
The release of Lingguang One once again shocked the entire medical and biological community. The World Health Organization's senior expert team, the Huaxia CDC, the World Cardiovascular Alliance chairman, the International Life Sciences Association—all sorts of foundations sent representatives to visit.
The small Rehabilitation Center couldn't possibly accommodate that many experts and officials, so they had to hold the conference in the Meining City Government Auditorium. Thanks to this, Meining City's name spread far and wide, and this previously obscure southeastern city became the world's focus within two months.
As the chief researchers of Lingguang One, Zheng Yuntai, Ding Pengshan, Liu Zixuan, and Qiao Xier naturally became the focus of Huaxia and even global attention.
In Stockholm, Sweden, the Nobel Committee for Physiology or Medicine at the Karolinska Institute was probably in a dilemma. With Nanxing One and Lingguang One being such groundbreaking achievements, they would undoubtedly dominate the Nobel Prizes for the next few years. The committee would have to decide which one came first.
At the press conference, Professor Shangguan Hong, the head of the Dragonborn Project research team, Qiao Xier, the director of Nuwa Pharmaceuticals, and Dr. Yang Jing, the head of the Nuwa Cancer Rehabilitation Center, jointly announced that the production and further development of Lingguang One would also be fully managed by Nuwa Company.
The moment the news was released, Nuwa Company's reputation reached a new peak.
If last time had surprised people, then this time, with Lingguang One again being handled entirely by Nuwa, even fools could see it clearly—the Dragonborn Project research team and Nuwa Company were practically one and the same!
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In Mingzhou, on the top floor of the six-star Dragon Pavilion Hotel, inside the enclosed private room called the Moon View Pavilion, the decor was extravagant—the ceiling was an ornate European chandelier design, and the floor was lined with Spanish carpet. Around the vast room sat a circle of royal ivory sofas.
On the sofas sat more than a dozen middle-aged and elderly men, each dressed in a way that made it obvious they were all big shots.
Of course, they were. The Dragon Pavilion Hotel was the only six-star hotel in Mingzhou, usually reserved for hosting foreign dignitaries. Right next to the Moon View Pavilion was the presidential suite.
That suite had hosted no fewer than thirty foreign national leaders, and the Moon View Pavilion was the usual spot for the Southeast Province's top officials to meet important guests.
But today, not one of those present had direct ties to politics. Yet any one of them could shake the entire Southeast Province with a single move.
For instance… the Du family's patriarch Du Hong, the Lin family's elder from Shangyan City, the Dong family's elder from Gaodeng City, and the Peng family's elder from Meining City, Peng Huai…
Simply put, today's Moon View Pavilion gathering was a meeting of the Southeast Province's long-standing powerhouses. Normally, it would be a casual tea session among old friends—but today, not one of them looked relaxed. Instead, all eyes were fixed on the massive plasma TV at the front of the room, their faces twisted as if they had just swallowed something foul.
On TV, CCTV was broadcasting the joint press conference of Meining University's Dragonborn Project research team and Nuwa Pharmaceuticals.
Watching the speakers talk proudly on screen, the big shots in the Moon View Pavilion all looked sickly.
Finally, someone couldn't take it anymore. The Peng family's patriarch, Peng Huai, glanced at Du Hong on the right and frowned. "Old Du, maybe we should stop watching."
"Heh, Old Peng, getting flustered over a little setback? That's not like you. Don't embarrass our Southeast Tea Club." Du Hong glanced at Peng Huai with a faint smile, took a white unmarked cigarette box from the table, pulled one out, lit it, took a puff, and squinted as he said, "A host once said something good—we should enjoy applause during our highs and embrace life during our lows. It's often during the lows that we truly learn life's lessons."
"Old Du, I hate to spoil the mood, but every year we hold this tea party, everyone's smiling. This year… it's bad luck." The Dong family's elder sighed. "Our Gao Foundation took two major hits this year. Forget Bai Pharmaceuticals—our collaboration with the U.S. Shute Group to distribute their blood-thinning gel products is now doomed thanks to Lingguang One."
"Ours is worse. With that Rehabilitation Center's rise, our anti-tumor drugs like Aibituo and Fenling are basically dead. Not to mention, our joint venture with the German Derma Group to produce high-precision radiotherapy equipment is on hold."
"Even worse, at this rate, cancer hospitals might as well shut down."
Du Hong quietly listened until he finished his cigarette. Only then did he speak calmly, "What you're complaining about is nothing. Compared to the Du family's losses, yours are insignificant. If I'm not panicking, why are you?"
"Old Du, what could your Du family possibly lose? You just invested in Bai Group, and now you even control it." The Dong family's elder said with a flattering smile.
Du Hong glanced at him, then closed his eyes and said nothing… Whether out of grief or anger, no one could tell.
Early next year, his eldest son Du Zhengyu was supposed to be promoted. In a few years, he could've become the third highest official in the Southeast Province. But now, with Meining's top officials frequently appearing on TV alongside Nanxing One and Lingguang One, it seemed they were the ones more likely to rise.
"Heh, I know what Old Du lost… But don't worry, Old Du. Whatever you've lost today, I, Cai Yu, will reclaim it for you in time…"
Just as everyone was speculating, a calm voice came from the hallway outside the private room. Judging by the tone, it belonged to a young man.
But the Southeast Tea Club was always made up of family patriarchs—so where did a young man come from?
Everyone's expressions shifted slightly.
Hearing that voice, Du Hong's half-closed eyes suddenly snapped open, and he stood up immediately.