Senior Brother's Interest

Zhang Yan’s voice on the other end of the line was casual, "We received internal notification that Good Group is preparing a large-scale welfare distribution event."

"The higher-ups are worried that the power struggle between internet capitalists will once again throw the food delivery market into chaos, affecting the employment of delivery riderss. So they asked us to produce an analysis report."

But how would I know anything about that? I could only come to you."

Lin Yuan no longer cared about evening self-study; he simply found a nearby bench and sat down.

"Where did you get the news about this event?"

"Huh? From your tone, you don’t know yet."

Lin Yuan knew that was impossible. "We have no internal rumors at all."

"It was a notice from above. Maybe it’s because of that algorithm update by Good Group that caused a stir before, so they’ve been paying extra attention."

Lin Yuan didn't delve deeper.

"We can talk about this matter thoroughly."

Hearing Lin Yuan’s serious tone, Zhang Yan curiously asked, "Is there something fishy about this matter?"

"Hmm~~, I think we should find a place to talk face-to-face."

"Is it that exaggerated?"

"When has Senior Brother ever lied~~" Lin Yuan was halfway through his sentence when a new call interrupted him. He pulled his phone away from his ear. It was Gu Xuan again.

So Lin Yuan tapped "Hold and Answer."

"Gu Xuan, I have something on today, so I won't be coming to evening self-study. Thanks though."

"Lin Yuan, do you want to pass your final exams~~"

Lin Yuan immediately hung up the phone.

"Hello, Xia Ye, a call just came in. Give me your location, I'll come find you."

"Where are you? I'll come find~~"

Damn it, Gu Xuan's call came again.

Lin Yuan chuckled, and he answered again.

"Lin Yuan, there are only a few days left until the final exams. I've been very busy recently; Dean Li gave me an important task. I specifically made time to tutor you. If you have this attitude, then with Professor Zhang~~"

"Alright, alright, I get it. I'm really busy." Lin Yuan didn't want to waste words with him.

"Lin Yuan, don't bring your Tangcheng Institute of Technology study attitude to our school. It'll be hard for you to graduate like this."

Listening to Gu Xuan's scolding, Lin Yuan truly got angry.

It was fine for him to show off to him, but bringing up his academic background touched a raw nerve.

"What's wrong with my Tangcheng Institute of Technology? Gu Xuan, did you eat gunpowder or something? You have anger with nowhere to vent, so you come here to show off to me?"

"I'm kindly tutoring you, and you're still talking back to me?"

"Kindly tutoring? Professor Zhang clearly told you to try your best to cooperate with my schedule recently and help me with the final exams. But what about you? You come to evening self-study whenever you feel like it, and if you don't come, you don't even give advance notice. And I'm just absent once today."

"This is because Dean Li gave me an important task."

"Dean Li also made it clear that the work he's given you recently isn't that busy."

To appear convincing to OCR, Lin Yuan had already used the excuse of recent final exams to proactively request a reduction in his freelance workload from OCR, to avoid seeming too proactive.

So, while Gu Xuan had been quite busy before, he wasn't actually busy during this recent period.

"The task Dean Li gave is very important. What do you, a scumbag student, understand? Do you still want me to carry you through the thesis?"

Lin Yuan was somewhat surprised by Gu Xuan's sudden change in attitude, but after a moment's thought, he probably understood.

This guy probably thought he had gotten in Dean Li's good graces.

One should know that this guy was previously afraid Professor Zhang wouldn't give him tasks, but this time he was overtly compliant yet covertly defiant regarding Professor Zhang's request to 'tutor Lin Yuan', and he kept mentioning Dean Li.

Now he even directly threatened Lin Yuan with the thesis.

Previously, Gu Xuan had thought Lin Yuan was related to Professor Zhang, and he had proactively offered to include Lin Yuan in the thesis, attempting to curry favor with Professor Zhang.

'I knew it.' Lin Yuan usually didn't care much about this guy, purely using him as a tool, but he didn't expect this tool to have a change of heart.

'I'm treating you as a laborer, and you're acting superior.'

Alright, Lin Yuan's last shred of guilt towards Gu Xuan vanished.

Lin Yuan thought to himself, 'People like Gu Xuan really are... the moment they think they've gained power, they immediately get cocky. With Old Li's scheming nature, you're in for a treat.'

"Isn't it just a broken SCI? I really don't care."

"You said that."

"Cut the act, stop showing off. One day, your grandpa will publish a top-tier paper for you to see." After Lin Yuan finished speaking, he hung up and blocked him in one smooth motion.

He didn't know what kind of benevolent impulse Professor Zhang had that made him think of having Gu Xuan tutor him; perhaps he valued the other party's academic performance.

If Gu Xuan had handled this matter well, Lin Yuan would genuinely have felt awkward exploiting him as a laborer, and Professor Zhang wouldn't have agreed to continue treating him that way.

This was actually an opportunity for Gu Xuan. Well, he just ruined it with his own hands.

Lin Yuan quickly redialed Zhang Yan's number.

"I know where your school is, I'm already on my way driving. What happened just now, were you very busy?"

"Just drive carefully, let's talk when we meet. I'll wait for you at the side gate of the school."

Half an hour later, Lin Yuan got into Zhang Yan's SUV at the school's side gate.

"What's wrong? You look unhappy."

Lin Yuan buckled his seatbelt. "Annoyed by an idiot."

Zhang Yan blurted out, "Do you want me to see if he can withstand an investigation?"

"I appreciate the thought, but there's no need to cross the line for a small fry."

"Alright, where are we going now? Want to buy some milk tea and chat while we drink?"

"Let's just find a place to park the car and talk inside."

"Senior Brother, even though I'm the one asking for a favor, I came all this way, and you can't even buy me a cup of milk tea?"

Lin Yuan smiled, "Or how about we just go sit at my wife's place?"

Zhang Yan couldn't miss the sarcasm in his words. "What's that supposed to mean? Making it sound like we're doing something shady."

"Comrade, watch your words. The nature of our work does indeed have to be kept discreet."

Although Zhang Yan complained, her actions followed Lin Yuan's instructions.

Soon, the car stopped in a small alley outside the school.

"Senior Brother, why do we absolutely have to talk face-to-face?"

"How's the sound insulation in this car?"

"Excellent. If you play music inside, you can't hear the lyrics outside."

"Important matters are best not discussed over the phone. Good Group should have a big move coming soon."

"Are you saying that the large welfare event is just a prelude for Good Group?"

"I'm not sure if it's a prelude. But since there's no internal news about this kind of event, and from the preparation of the algorithm guarantee work I'm involved in, Good Group is already eager to make a move. All things considered, I'll be able to pay you back that million very soon."

"Oh, you made me come all this way just to tell me you'll be able to pay me back a million soon?"

"Can you stop always acting like money is dirt?"

"Thank you for the compliment, Senior Brother."

"Compliment you? Some people truly see money as dirt, but you clearly genuinely treat money as dirt."

Zhang Yan thought for a moment. "Is there a difference between those two sentences?" She carefully pondered it and finally tasted the wrong note in Lin Yuan's words. "Would you die if you didn't mock me? Quickly tell me how to write the report."

"Do you usually go to major IT companies to provide guidance?"

"Guidance? Occasionally, we do go around under the guise of providing guidance, but we can't really guide any work. Senior Brother, you know, who among us really knows how to code?"

"Then do you want to go to Good Group to provide some guidance this time?"

"Why?"

"To pay you back some interest."

"What does going to Good Group to provide guidance have to do with you paying me back interest?"

"Because this time, no matter how you guide them, Good Group's reputation will soar."

Zhang Yan's mouth dropped open, her expression as if enlightened.

"That's right. As you said before, Good Group's stock price will first fall then rise. That means Good Group is boosting its stock price by reversing its reputation. You're telling me to go claim credit in advance?"

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow, tacitly agreeing.

"Wow~~, Senior Brother, you're too good to me." Zhang Yan said, then lunged towards the passenger seat, hooking her arms around Lin Yuan's neck.

Lin Yuan didn't expect her to do that, and with quick reflexes, he pushed her face away.

Zhang Yan quickly recoiled. "Senior Brother, what are you doing? I wasn't going to kiss you."

"Uh... I was just startled, a reflex."

"Hmph, reimburse me for the round trip gas money."

"What?"

"Didn't you just mock me for treating money like dirt? Now I love money, so you owe me gas money."

"Stop messing around late at night, hurry back and prepare. Go to Good Group to provide guidance tomorrow, okay?"

"Buy me milk tea, or I'm not leaving."

"How about I send you a red packet and you buy it yourself? Is that okay?"

"Is it the red packet I care about? We can just wear masks, right?"

"If I wear a mask, you won't recognize me?" Lin Yuan's implication: If you recognize me, won't others?

"Spoilsport. Then I'll go buy it myself, you wait in the car."

Zhang Yan got out of the car as she spoke, then locked Lin Yuan inside, as if afraid he would run away.

Lin Yuan could only watch with a resentful gaze as she made faces at him from outside the car.