Lin Yuan's self-comfort

"How much money have I lost now?"

As the two chatted, Zhang Yan brought up the one thing Lin Yuan least wanted to discuss.

Who the hell would be happy to go around shouting: I took advantage of being close to Good Group to covertly engage in insider bottom-feeding?

"Can we not talk about this?"

"Can't I even ask? Did you lose or gain?"

Lin Yuan wished he could cover her mouth.

"You earnestly advised me not to touch it before, and now you're asking me with a cheeky smile whether I lost or gained. Young lady, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"This... this isn't contradictory, is it? I'm just curious, can't I be?"

"If you go around shouting about it again, I'll return your money immediately," Lin Yuan said coldly.

If this matter were exposed, it would be far more serious than fabricating admission notices. Lin Yuan wouldn't let her ramble on with her pampered young lady's temperament. So, he immediately stopped the topic with a cold face.

Why did Lin Yuan consider stock trading, which is not illegal, far more serious than fabricating admission notices? This is very counter-intuitive. To be precise, stock trading entails greater risks and greater costs.

Because after fabricating admission notices, he could still cling to the bigwigs, but if it were known that he secretly traded stocks for quick money, and then that the inspiration for this operation came from an internal document, his situation would be very awkward. The bigwigs would find him disgusting.

The former Lin Yuan would have found it difficult to agree with this view, but facts did not care for his agreement. So, he could only submit to the objective judgment of facts.

"Hmph! You're like this again. You've barely said a few words and you're already giving me a cold shoulder." Zhang Yan was clearly annoyed and turned to walk out of the courtyard gate.

Zhang Yan walked a few steps, her pace getting slower and slower. As she neared the courtyard gate, she couldn't help but glance back a few times.

She saw Lin Yuan seemingly take a few steps forward, looking as if he wanted to catch up but remained indifferent.

Zhang Yan watched Lin Yuan like that, her face full of anger, yet she waited for him.

Lin Yuan, meanwhile, looked hesitant.

Finally, Zhang Yan kicked a small stone closest to her.

"Senior Brother, are you trying to apologize to me?"

"Yes... I did have that thought."

"Then you can come over and apologize now."

Lin Yuan then walked over, "I'm sorry, I was just in a hurry earlier..."

"If you don't want me to talk about stock trading, you can tell me directly. Why do you have to be so fierce with me?"

"Can we not mention those two words for now?" Lin Yuan said, unconsciously glancing around, afraid someone might overhear.

"Okay, then I won't mention stock trading."

Lin Yuan rubbed his still-waking head in annoyance, grabbed Zhang Yan's arm, wanting to pull her back to the stone table in the courtyard first. This was to prevent her from constantly mentioning "stock trading."

The bigwigs were clearly meeting here to discuss matters today, so this courtyard was very spacious, but Lin Yuan and Zhang Yan were currently at the courtyard gate, making it easy for their voices to carry outside.

Lin Yuan learned his lesson this time; he didn't want to upset Zhang Yan again, so he changed his grip from her upper arm to her wrist. This was to avoid looking like he was escorting a prisoner.

He pulled her back to the stone table with as little force as possible, "Little Ancestor, let's talk here."

"Oh." Zhang Yan was much more docile now, her tone no longer containing the anger from before.

"My master says the homemade rice wine here is good. You're not driving anyway, do you want to try some later?"

Lin Yuan froze in place upon hearing this. 'Wasn't she just arguing with me about stock trading? Now she's asking me if I want to drink? What the hell?'

"I... I don't drink."

"Is that so?"

Lin Yuan saw her looking down, and he wasn't sure why she had brought up stock trading as a topic of conversation earlier.

To be safe, Lin Yuan patiently explained, "Senior Brother wasn't trying to be fierce with you. Senior Brother also knows you don't lack this bit of money. It's just that this kind of thing isn't suitable for casual conversation after a meal."

"I know," Zhang Yan said, a little aggrieved, "I only said it casually because I saw it was just the two of us here."

"But many deadly secrets are exposed that way!" Lin Yuan was not an uninhibited young master like Zhang Yan; he didn't have that much capital to squander. Although he had made the worst-case scenario plan the moment he decided to trade stocks, who would want to accept that worst-case scenario unless absolutely necessary?

"Then I won't say it. I swear I'll never mention stock trading again!" Zhang Yan said, even raising three fingers earnestly.

Lin Yuan immediately pressed down her raised hand, "You just said it again."

Zhang Yan quickly clapped her hand over her mouth.

She had received professional, systematic training and was never like this with other matters. She was impulsive, but not stupid.

Zhang Yan's heart was pounding. Her wrist, which Lin Yuan had just held, was still burning. Although Lin Yuan had avoided holding her hand due to propriety, the actual effect on Zhang Yan was akin to holding hands.

Fortunately, Lin Yuan had held her wrist tightly just now. If his hand had slipped and he had naturally taken her palm, who knew what wild words Zhang Yan might have blurted out in her excitement.

Actually, Zhang Yan bringing up "stock trading" was purely just to make conversation. She simply wanted to find some common ground with Lin Yuan. Who knew it would backfire? But this true reason couldn't be used to explain to Lin Yuan.

Therefore, Zhang Yan's low IQ was entirely due to the influence of Lin Yuan's aura.

Zhang Yan herself didn't know why this was happening; she didn't even dare to think about the question. Because even thinking about it was taboo.

"Senior Brother doesn't expect you to truly achieve it."

"I can definitely do it, believe me!" Zhang Yan said anxiously.

Lin Yuan made a shushing gesture, "Listen to me. If you accidentally bring up stock trading in the future, let's agree on an understanding. We'll just say that I made some money during the recent Big A wave in late September and early October.

During this recent wave, many people opened accounts. It's not a big deal for me to open an account and follow the trend. (The National Day holiday market in '24 was not fabricated out of thin air.)"

Zhang Yan listened carefully, "I understand. Senior Brother, you're still the stable one."

"Alright, cheer up." Lin Yuan comforted Zhang Yan.

From the moment Zhang Yan lent him money, he was certain she had some unusual feelings for him. This was originally a means for Lin Yuan to close the distance between himself and Zhang Yan.

While others thought he was clinging to his mentor's leg, he was actually clinging to Dean Li's leg with his other hand.

And what others would never have imagined was that a shadow had quietly appeared behind Lin Yuan. That shadow might very well be his true support in the future.

But theory is theory, and practice is practice.

Lin Yuan, who had decided to cling to Zhang Yan's leg, was terrible at tactical execution. This was all due to his lack of romantic experience.

However, on the other hand, this disadvantage might also be Lin Yuan's advantage. For a young master like Zhang Yan, perhaps the best strategy is no strategy at all.

Lin Yuan wasn't very clear about Zhang Yan's feelings for him.

Was it because she truly didn't care much about a million yuan, and it was entirely because of his 'Senior Brother' status? Or was it that thought he dared not entertain—that she was blind and found him somewhat agreeable?

Fortunately, not clarifying these feelings didn't affect Lin Yuan's life progression, so he would put them aside for now.

What if it exploded one day because of this? Lin Yuan could only comfort himself: I'll just treat her like my own little sister normally. If she really goes blind in the future, I'll have plenty of reasons to distance myself.

But Lin Yuan still felt like a scoundrel no matter how he thought about it.

However, Lin Yuan just couldn't help himself. Zhang Yan was like a vine carrying the aura of the Heavenly Court; what mortal wouldn't want to reach out and grasp it?

Compared to a shameless rogue like Dong Yong who stole a fairy's clothes, Lin Yuan felt he was already very civilized. He could only comfort himself this way.

"Calmness is a necessary way for two acquaintances to interact." Lin Yuan's patient explanation finally made Zhang Yan accept that when sitting with Lin Yuan, there was no need to force conversation.

Then, Zhang Yan finally returned to her original self. Out of boredom, she got up and started practicing military boxing.

Watching her powerful stance, even with the force of her punches, Lin Yuan swallowed hard. She was indeed not a weak woman; how many punches could he take from her?