42: Chapter 42 Destiny

Director Chu Yao still didn't look up. With a gentle twist of the blade, the last strip of apple peel fell perfectly away, landing intact in her palm.

She gently cut the apple into small pieces and placed them on a white porcelain dish. From start to finish, she hadn't looked at Lin Yu, yet it was as if she had long sensed he had something to say and was quietly waiting.

Lin Yu gazed at her beautiful, resilient profile, his heart softening. He quietly broke the silence in the ward:

"Yao-Yao."

Director Chu Yao's fingertips paused slightly. She didn't respond or look up, simply waiting quietly for what was to come.

Lin Yu took a deep breath, his gaze becoming deep and earnest. His voice was low: "Actually, there are some things I haven't told you."

"Back when I hadn't made my fortune, during my lowest point, I had a very vivid dream. In the dream, an immortal with white hair stood in the clouds and told me that I, Lin Yu, was born with an extraordinary destiny, possessing the bearing of an emperor, destined to reach the pinnacle."

Director Chu Yao's action of peeling the apple paused for a fleeting moment. She still didn't look at him, but she was listening intently.

"The immortal told me that my life is destined for greatness, and even more so, destined to be aided by beautiful women. Every woman who appears by my side is not an ordinary romantic encounter, but a female general star sent by Heaven to assist me."

Lin Yu's voice slowly deepened, his gaze locked firmly onto Director Chu Yao's back, every word striking at the heart:

"The more outstanding they are, and the more sincerely they treat me, the smoother my path becomes. My wealth, status, power, and even everything in my future, are inseparable from their dedicated support by my side. This is not me being promiscuous; it is an inescapable destiny—they are my fated benefactors. Without any single one of them, I wouldn't have reached where I am today."

He paused, his tone filled with a burning sincerity: "I didn't dare say this before, fearing you would think I was spouting nonsense. But now, you have seen it for yourselves."

"From having nothing to my current achievements, I will work even harder in the future to become the richest man in the province, the country, and even the world. I will stand at the very top of this world and become the strongest man."

"All of this is not just my own ability. It is my fated female general stars, who have used their skills, sincerity, and even risked their lives to build this up for me, little by little."

Lin Yu's voice softened: "I know you might have reservations in your hearts. But I can guarantee that I am sincere to each and every one of you. You are not a burden to me; you are the most precious source of confidence in my life."

"As long as you are by my side, I can keep climbing higher and higher, to a height that everyone will look up to. And on that day, each of you will stand by my side, sharing in the world's ultimate glory and wealth, envied and revered by all."

"This is not something I chose; it is destiny. I, Lin Yu, will rely on you, my female generals, to achieve a lifetime of hegemony."

Director Chu Yao finally looked up slowly.

There was not a trace of doubt in her eyes. She handed the porcelain dish holding the apple pieces to Lin Yu, her voice soft but filled with absolute trust:

"I believe you."

"Whether it is destiny or something else, wherever you are, I will be there. I want to be the most special woman by your side, the one you love the most."

Lin Yu took the small fork, the heavy stone in his heart finally dropping.

He had used the concept of "fated female generals" to explain the secret of the System, and he wasn't lying—the System and the white-haired immortal weren't really any different! As for whether they would believe this explanation, Lin Yu believed they would. For someone with 0 intimacy, whatever you say to them, they might think you are just fooling them, but with intimacy above 80, it was completely different.

Lin Yu forked a piece of apple and fed it to Director Chu Yao. She subconsciously opened her mouth; the sweet, refreshing juice melted on the tip of her tongue, sweet but not cloying. As she chewed the apple, her gaze subconsciously drifted to the IV stand, just in time to see the last bottle of medication slowly dripping empty, with only a tiny bit of residue left in the transparent tube.

Following the sequence the nurse had repeatedly emphasized, she picked up the next bag of medication set aside, carefully checked the label, and after confirming it was correct, skillfully pulled the IV line from the empty bottle and steadily inserted it into the rubber stopper of the new bottle.

The entire set of movements was gentle and efficient, making Lin Yu's eyes soften.

Once she sat back down by the bedside, Lin Yu stretched out his long arm, pulling her gently into his embrace.

The faint fragrance on Director Chu Yao lingered at the tip of his nose, her soft body pressed against him, and the patch of fair skin exposed at her collarbone made his heart warm slightly.

He rested his chin on the top of her head, his voice low and steady: "The market situation here in Ze City has slowly opened up; the next step is to get everything on track step by step."

Director Chu Yao looked up at him, her eyes gentle: "Mm."

"I can't keep spending all my time here." Lin Yu's fingertips gently caressed her arm. "I need to expand the battlefield and conquer new territories."

Director Chu Yao was slightly taken aback, then smiled with relief. Ze City was so small; how could it possibly trap a person like Lin Yu?

Lin Yu lowered his head, gazing into her clear eyes, his tone gentle yet full of seriousness: "I have been planning, and I want you to always stay by my side. I know you aren't interested in doing business or handling social engagements."

He paused, as if he had rehearsed this countless times in his heart:

"So, I have reserved a position for you—Director of the Charity Department. Wherever I go, you will carry out charity work. You don't need to worry about the deceit and treachery in business; just do the clean and warm things you want to do. Of course, I also respect your current job. Transportation is convenient now; me coming to find you, or you coming to find me, is very fast."

Director Chu Yao could tell that these arrangements were detailed, thoughtful, and comprehensive; they were definitely not spur-of-the-moment. He even remembered clearly what she didn't like and what she wanted.

Her heart warmed, and she proactively raised her head, planting a soft, gentle, and supple kiss on the corner of his lips.

"I... I will think about it."

"Click—" The hospital room door was pushed open directly.

Fatty came over to deliver lunch and immediately caught the scene of Lin Yu holding Director Chu Yao affectionately. His eyes widened into circles, and he immediately covered his eyes with both hands, shouting dramatically:

"Oh my, oh my! I didn't see anything! I must not look at what is improper!"

Director Chu Yao's cheeks turned bright red in a flash. As if scalded, she immediately stood up from Lin Yu's embrace and took half a step back, her earlobes turning completely red.

Lin Yu was both annoyed and amused, cursing directly: "Get the hell out of here! Don't you know how to knock before coming in?"

Fatty chuckled, lowered his hands, and placed the several insulated food containers he was carrying onto the bedside table. A scent of food immediately filled the air: "I was just in a hurry to bring you food! I specifically picked fresh items: steamed sea bass, two vegetable dishes, and a nourishing soup to build up your strength."

Director Chu Yao quickly stepped forward to help, opening the food containers one by one.

The steamed sea bass was white and tender, the broth clear, the vegetable dishes fresh and not greasy, and the soup emitted a faint aroma of medicinal herbs—it looked very suitable for a patient's taste.

Fatty cranked the hospital bed up a bit to let Lin Yu sit up slightly. Director Chu Yao naturally picked up the chopsticks, removed the fish bones, and brought the fish meat to his lips. The couple's natural, affectionate gestures made Fatty curl his lip to the side.

After the two had finished eating, Fatty rubbed his hands together and spoke with a serious expression: "Old Lin, let me tell you something important. My parents called today and said they want to expand the farming in Muli Village and build a proper farm."

He paused, his tone carrying a hint of embarrassment: "They said they've already troubled you too much, and once the food city is built, they will still have to rely on you. They absolutely refuse to let you spend any more money, afraid of owing you too much that they won't be able to pay back later. They just wanted to know... if you could put in a word with the bank so we can take out a loan ourselves."

Upon hearing this, a trace of gratification appeared in Lin Yu's eyes. Fatty's parents were honest, simple, and kind; they would rather shoulder the pressure themselves and go through formal channels for a loan than take his money for nothing. Knowing that business had risks, understanding boundaries, and not being greedy—this was very rare.

He picked up his phone and directly sent the private number of the president of the Commercial and Industrial Bank to Fatty: "Take it. Mention my name, Lin Yu, and go straight to him; everything will be easy to arrange."

"Alright!" Fatty's eyes lit up.

The three of them chatted casually. Fatty had a glib tongue, one moment talking about interesting things in the village, the next about gossip in the company. The atmosphere in the hospital room was relaxed and lively, sweeping away the previous quiet.

After lunch, Director Chu Yao quietly cleaned up the food containers and took the trash out to throw away.

With only the two of them left in the room, Fatty immediately leaned in, looking sleazy and winking: "Old Lin, hurry, teach me! How exactly did you manage to get such a great beauty as Director Chu Yao to be so submissive and so devoted to you?"

Lin Yu leaned against the headboard, glanced at him indifferently, and said in a calm tone: "Sincerity is the ultimate weapon."

Fatty was stunned for a moment, then immediately gave a thumbs up: "High! That is truly high!"

Lin Yu couldn't be bothered with him and raised his hand, intending to get out of bed: "I'm going to the bathroom."

Fatty immediately reached out to help: "I'll come, I'll come! You still have an IV drip in your hand!"

"No need." Lin Yu gently pushed him away, holding the IV stand himself, and slowly walked toward the bathroom.

Just as he reached the door, Director Chu Yao returned from throwing away the trash.

Lin Yu paused, naturally reached out to put his arm around her shoulder, and with a gentle pull, the two turned and entered the bathroom together. The door closed with a soft "click".

Fatty: "..."

He stood in place, dumbfounded, and after a long while managed to squeeze out: "Damn..."

He shouted through the door: "Then I'm leaving now!"

From inside came Lin Yu's unhurried voice: "Before you leave, fill up the Cullinan with gas and take the receipt back to the company for reimbursement."

Fatty immediately beamed: "Alright! Hehe!"

Not long after, the bathroom door opened.

Director Chu Yao helped Lin Yu walk out slowly, carefully letting him lie back on the hospital bed, and reached out to press the call button by the head of the bed.

Not long after, the nurse came in, skillfully removed the needle, disinfected the area, gave a few instructions, and left.

Once the hospital door closed, it instantly became quiet again.

Director Chu Yao lay down gently beside Lin Yu, not daring to press on his wound, just leaning against him quietly.

The two chatted casually, talking about interesting things from their childhood. Their voices grew softer and softer, their breathing gradually evened out, and they fell asleep in each other's arms without realizing it.

When they woke up again, the twilight outside was already deepening.

Director Chu Yao's gentle voice sounded in his ear: "Lin Yu, wake up, it's time for dinner."

Lin Yu rubbed his brow, looked at the dinner set before him, and couldn't help but smile self-deprecatingly: "My life right now is like a pig's—eat and sleep, sleep and eat. I used to work myself to death, hoping every day to be this idle, but now that I'm actually idle, I feel like I'm becoming useless."

Director Chu Yao was amused by him, her eyes brimming with tenderness: "That's only temporary. Once you're healed, you can be as busy as you want. Right now, taking good care of your health is the most important thing."

The dinner was simple yet exquisite.

After eating, Lin Yu really couldn't lie still and wanted to move around: "Accompany me for a walk in the ward corridor; lying down all the time makes my whole body stiff."

Director Chu Yao nodded and gently took his arm.

She had a slender figure, stunning beauty, and soft facial lines; one smile was enough to make one feel the whole world had brightened—placed in a crowd, she was almost at the level of a visual ceiling.

The two walked slowly down the corridor. Many patients and their families were moving about, and once their eyes fell on Director Chu Yao, they couldn't help but look a few more times. Looks of amazement, envy, and admiration were endless.

Lin Yu felt the gazes cast upon his companion, a surge of pride rising in his chest, thinking that such a wonderful girl was his.

Walking to the window, the night spread out, the sky filled with twinkling stars like crushed diamonds scattered on black satin.

The evening breeze was slightly cool. Director Chu Yao tilted her head gently, leaning on Lin Yu's shoulder, her voice soft and light: "Lin Yu, every year from now on, let's watch the stars together, okay?"

Lin Yu turned his head, looking at her profile, his heart softening, his voice incomparably firm: "Okay."

Time flew, and the night grew deeper.

The hospital door was gently knocked, and Tang Man walked in.

She had come to relieve Director Chu Yao so she could rest.

"Yao-Yao, thank you for your hard work." Tang Man stepped forward, her gaze concerned, "For these past two days and one night, you have been guarding him, and you just went through a car accident where you escaped death; no one could handle that. Go home and get some good rest; I'm here."

Director Chu Yao smiled and explained the situation from the day to Tang Man in detail one by one.

The two equally outstanding women, both equally devoted to Lin Yu, smiled at each other. There was no resentment, only understanding and mutual appreciation for one another, and they hugged gently.

"Then I'll be going first." Director Chu Yao picked up her bag and the black plastic bag.

Lin Yu looked at her and smiled, exhorting: "Drive slowly on the road, pay attention to safety."

"Mm."

Director Chu Yao turned and left, the hospital door closing gently.

Tang Man walked to the bedside, sat down, and gently tucked the corner of the quilt for Lin Yu, her eyes full of heartache and tenderness: "How are you feeling today? Is there anything uncomfortable?"

"I feel quite good."

Tang Man's fingertips gently brushed over the small needle hole left on the back of Lin Yu's hand from the IV, her tone as soft as the evening breeze: "These two days must have been really hard on Yao-Yao, staying by your side without leaving, and she hasn't even recovered from the car accident herself."

Lin Yu stared at the ceiling, a hint of warmth in his eyes: "She has always been strong-willed and stubborn. I tried to persuade her to rest, but she wouldn't listen."

"But she is sincere toward you." Tang Man smiled, without a hint of jealousy, but instead with admiration, "If it were me, I might not be able to be as detailed and thorough as she is."

Lin Yu turned his head to look at her. Tang Man was wearing a beige knitted dress today, her long hair loosely tied up, her temperament gentle and intellectual—a completely different kind of beauty from Director Chu Yao's cold and stunning style. She worked hard, was understanding, never overly clingy in matters of the heart, and was so sensible it made one's heart ache.

"You are the same." Lin Yu spoke indifferently, his tone sincere, "Without you keeping an eye on things at the company, I wouldn't be able to rest and recover here with peace of mind."