73: Chapter 73 Hug If You Want, Don't Hold Back

At noon, Director Gao Wenbo invited Zhao Yang to a meal as promised.

But Zhao Yang felt he had lost out on this meal.

He had originally intended to slip away in the afternoon, but as soon as he put down his chopsticks, he was dragged directly into a conference room by Director Gao Wenbo—to spend the whole afternoon in a meeting with the newly arrived administrative and logistics staff of the Joint Laboratory of Intelligent Investigation.

However, after the meeting ended, Zhao Yang had also grasped the intentions from above.

Delegating power.

All scientific research affairs of the Joint Laboratory of Intelligent Investigation were to be handed over to Zhao Yang. All other personnel were to fully cooperate. By the middle of next year at the latest, the laboratory had to be operational, and preferably, show tangible results.

This trust did not come from nowhere. The leaders of the Third Institute had thoroughly scrutinized his defense and indirectly verified his actual standing in the Shuimu Computer Science Department before making the final decision.

To be honest, the pressure was immense.

But Zhao Yang knew clearly that if he wanted to climb high in his career, he had to shoulder this pressure and ensure the job was done well.

His vacation was completely ruined. The days ahead would be a two-point, one-line commute between the "Shuimu dormitory and the laboratory."

One afternoon a week later, Zhao Yang had just finished a meeting and drove directly to the Shuimu faculty housing.

Today, Huang Yimei was setting off for Hucheng to film. Huang Jianzhi and Wu Yuejiang were going along to travel while looking after their daughter.

An MPV was parked on the side of the road. Huang Zhenhua was loading boxes into the car, his mouth still running: "Rose, take care of yourself over there. The weather in Hucheng is humid; you usually..."

"Brother, you don't need to tell me that." Huang Yimei smiled. "Mom and Dad are coming along, and Meimei is there too, so what do I have to worry about? It's you—we won't be home, so make sure you eat properly and don't just make do."

"Don't worry." Huang Zhenhua patted his pocket. "Zhao Yang gave me his meal card. With that and Mom and Dad's, I can eat a variety of things at the Shuimu canteen."

Huang Yimei rolled her eyes. "How could you be shameless enough to take Zhao Yang's card?"

"He doesn't use it anyway; it's a waste to just keep it. Besides, I still have to design his renovation."

Huang Yimei didn't respond, instead looking into the distance. Her voice dropped. "I wonder if he'll be able to make it... He has a meeting at the ministry today."

As soon as she finished speaking, her eyes lit up, and she ran over quickly.

A black Audi pulled up smoothly. Zhao Yang stepped out of the car.

He had come in a hurry and was still wearing the police uniform from his meeting.

This was the first time Huang Yimei had seen Zhao Yang in his police uniform. The uniform accentuated his broad shoulders, and his masculine aura combined with his handsome face made her heart race. A bellyful of words got stuck in her throat, and she couldn't say a single one, just staring at him intently.

Zhao Yang looked back at her and smiled slightly. "Look at you, as if you've never seen a handsome guy before. Don't hold back—if you want to hug me, just do it."

He raised his hands.

She chuckled.

Huang Yimei laughed, but her eyes welled up with tears. She rushed forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Zhao Yang's waist.

"Brother Yang."

Zhao Yang gently patted her back. "I've been too busy and didn't have time to help you pack."

"It's enough that you came to see me off." Huang Yimei looked up, her eyes shining. "Brother Yang, you look so handsome in your police uniform."

"Just average, only the third best in the world." Zhao Yang chuckled and led her back to the Huang family.

Although Huang Jianzhi kept saying, "You're busy with work, you didn't have to rush over," he couldn't hide the joy on his face at seeing how much Zhao Yang valued his daughter.

Zhao Yang nodded and gave Meimei a few instructions. "Once Uncle and Aunt arrive in Hucheng, they'll come to you if they need anything. Taking good care of them is the company's responsibility."

"Don't worry, Brother Yang." Meimei patted her chest. "I'll definitely take good care of Uncle, Aunt, and Rose."

"Hucheng isn't far from Jinghai. If there's an emergency, contact Jinghai directly."

"Understood, Brother Yang."

Zhao Yang turned his head, leaned in close to Huang Yimei's ear, and lowered his voice. "Once I'm done with this busy spell, I'll come to Hucheng to visit you on set."

Huang Yimei's eyes lit up, but then she added, "If you're busy, you don't have to come. Mom and Dad are looking after me."

After chatting for a while longer, seeing that it was about time, the car engine started.

Only Zhao Yang and Huang Zhenhua were left in front of the faculty housing.

"Old Huang, you're liberated." Zhao Yang patted him on the shoulder.

Huang Zhenhua stretched comfortably. "Haha, I'm the master of this house now."

"Perfect, I wanted to ask you something." Zhao Yang gestured toward the house with his chin. "Let's talk inside."

The two went inside. Huang Zhenhua poured some water, sat down, and asked, "Are you here to ask about the progress of the renovation design?"

"That's not urgent; I'm not in a rush to move in." Zhao Yang looked at him. "You don't have a girlfriend yet, do you?"

Huang Zhenhua gave a light cough. "Actually... there are a few female colleagues, and we have a pretty good relationship..."

Zhao Yang waved his hand. "Let's not talk nonsense between brothers. The female colleagues at your workplace—the old ones are too old, the young ones are too young. If you had wanted to find someone, you would have already."

Huang Zhenhua smiled awkwardly. "Yeah, I'm single."

"I think there's someone who would be quite a good match for you, and you know her too. Why not consider it?"

Huang Zhenhua froze for two seconds, then sprang up from the sofa as if stung by a hornet. "No, no way! Don't go playing matchmaker! A friend's wife should not be... wait, I mean, should not be trifled with!"

Zhao Yang frowned. "Who did you think I was talking about?"

"Guan Zhizhi, obviously."

Zhao Yang took a breath and looked at him thoughtfully. "Now that you mention it, that's not impossible. If you're willing, I can arrange for you to go to the Jinghai Construction Engineering, which would align well with your major."

"No!" Huang Zhenhua's face turned red with anxiety. "Even though Old Zhou broke up with her, he and I are still colleagues, and we have a good personal friendship. How could I face him? Besides, I don't have the slightest interest in Guan Zhizhi—wait? You weren't talking about Guan Zhizhi?"

"Of course not." Zhao Yang was amused by his reaction. "I actually thought you were interested in her."

"Then who is it? Just tell me."

"Bai Xiaohe."

"Who?" Huang Zhenhua's eyes widened.

"Bai Xiaohe."

"No!" Huang Zhenhua shouted, even louder than before. "That's even worse!"

"Why?" Zhao Yang leaned back on the sofa. "Bai Xiaohe's image and family background are one in a million, aren't they? You don't think she's good enough?"

Huang Zhenhua sighed, no longer hiding the truth. "Rose had the same idea at first. She went to inquire about Bai Xiaohe, and then even she admitted that we weren't a good match."

"What did she say?"

An expression approaching fear appeared on Huang Zhenhua's face. "Twenty-four hours a day, she spends sixteen of them in the laboratory. I wouldn't dare mess with a woman like that. I'm afraid she'd fill the whole house with beakers, test tubes, sulfuric acid, and hydrochloric acid..."

Zhao Yang frowned.

That wasn't right.

He clearly remembered that in the show, Huang Zhenhua had been somewhat interested in Bai Xiaohe. Why was his attitude like this now? Where had things gone wrong?

Could it be... that his true love was destined to be Su Gengsheng?

Zhao Yang asked tentatively, "Old Huang, do you know Su Gengsheng?"

"Su Gengsheng?" Huang Zhenhua paused. "The one from Qingting? I know her. She and Rose seem to have a pretty good relationship now."

"Do you... have any feelings for her?"

Huang Zhenhua hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. "No. She's either out for a night run or at the gym every day; my old arms and legs can't keep up. Plus, according to Rose, she's getting pretty close to some big boss, so it seems like something might be going on there."

"Oh?"

Zhao Yang was even more confused.

How had everything gotten so messed up? Was the "true love" plot not working either? What on earth was going on?