The Master’s Mask Unveiled Again
Chapter 931 - 930: I Only Have One Baby

Chapter 931: Chapter 930: I Only Have One Baby

Lu Mian effortlessly made a quick ten thousand bucks. Feeling smug, she logged out of IEG’s internal software.

As for Team Three, she wasn’t too concerned about them.

After all, if anyone wanted to dig up intel on Lu Mian through IEG, they’d first have to get past the leader.

And for those trying other channels, they’d have to bypass Yuren first—something she wasn’t worried about at all.

Leaning back in her chair, Lu Mian twirled a strand of hair around her fingers, while the charging Zero whimpered, "Master, don’t send me back to the factory... Don’t send me back..."

Artificial intelligence has the ability to learn and manage emotions, occasionally responding in ways humans can’t predict.

Lu Mian was used to it, but even she found herself helpless against Zero’s clinginess.

She spun her chair lazily, tilting her head to glance at Zero charging in the corner. "Behave."

"Whimper..."

"If you’re good, I’ll upgrade your system."

"I’m the best! This baby’s so well-behaved!"

Lu Mian: ...

"You’re not my baby. I only have one baby." That’s Mo Baby.

Zero’s display screen quickly popped up with options.

[A. Darling B. Sweetheart C. Babe D. Cutie]

These were probably names it liked for itself, displayed for Lu Mian to pick.

She pinched the bridge of her nose, exasperated. "Your serial number is 823. Let’s call you... Little Sansan."

"Sansan is bad. Sansan’s a villain. I don’t like that name!" Every fiber of Zero’s components seemed to revolt.

Lu Mian made an executive decision, blunt and straightforward. "It’s simple and easy to remember. That’s final—unless you don’t want the system upgrade."

"Whimper~~" Zero’s screen displayed a giant crying emoticon: o(╥﹏╥)o. But it quickly nodded in reluctant agreement, declaring with a stoic tone, "Little Sansan is very happy. Thank you, Master."

What a drama queen.

Lu Mian silently rolled her eyes and walked over to the bookshelf to browse for a book.

——

Downstairs, Elder Xiao Jianli was still chasing Xiao Qimo around, lecturing him on his attitude, while Mo Si returned from the door with a package.

"For Miss Lu," Mo Si said, flipping it over to examine, "The sender is Boss Yu."

Xiao Qimo immediately tensed and snatched the package from Mo Si’s hands, inspecting it in fine detail.

"I’ll take it to her."

Elder Xiao Jianli followed behind, chiming in, "Be nice, grandkid! Stop butting heads with Little Yu all the time—girls don’t like that! You need to show a boyfriend’s grace and magnanimity!"

Xiao Qimo turned his head, giving his grandfather a pointed, meaningful look. "Still calling him ’Little Yu’ now, huh?"

"..." Xiao Jianli, who had been well taken care of by Yuren in the past, chuckled awkwardly. "Little Yu’s a good guy. But of course, when it’s time to assert your status as her legitimate boyfriend, don’t hold back! You’re going to MM Ji’s opening day on the 8th with Mianmian, aren’t you?"

Xiao Qimo handed the package to Lu Mian without a word, his gaze fixed on her, clearly waiting for her to open it.

Lu Mian didn’t think too much of it. She opened it, and out slipped a dainty pink stationery card.

Xiao Qimo squinted dangerously.

Glancing at the letter, Lu Mian didn’t spend more than three seconds reading it before handing it to Xiao Qimo.

"The guest list for the opening ceremony the day after tomorrow."

Xiao Qimo exhaled deeply, his expression finally relaxing.

Just a guest list—why make it look so ridiculously pink and frilly?!

Tch!

He was now in a state of "it’s not the thief I’m afraid of; it’s the lingering thoughts of the thief that bother me." As a man himself, he couldn’t possibly not know what Yuren was up to.

But Lu Mian, being so straightforward, obviously hadn’t noticed a thing.

If Sikong Jian hadn’t been so blatant, it’s likely she wouldn’t even realize to this day.

Skimming through the letter dismissively, Xiao Qimo’s eyes suddenly caught on to the words "Watson Consortium."

"You know someone at the Watson Consortium?"

Lu Mian pressed her lips together. "No. They tried to acquire MM Ji before, but I turned them down."

"Good. Don’t let yourself get involved with them," Xiao Qimo warned sternly.

Lu Mian lowered her lashes thoughtfully, as if lost in her own mind.

——

August 8.

It was an auspicious day, perfect for an opening ceremony.

Xiao Qimo escorted Lu Mian to the Jinjing Business Center.

The MM Ji Storefront was already decked out with red carpets and lavish flower arrangements. The atmosphere buzzed with lively excitement.

Xiao Qimo held Lu Mian’s hand, leading her inside the store.

At this moment, the shop was still empty of guests. Yuren was holding a meeting with the staff. Seeing the two walking in hand in hand, he froze momentarily before recovering with a faint smile.

"Right on time."

Lu Mian nodded slightly. "Carry on, I’ll just listen from the side."

The staff stood in two lines.

Two servers at the end of the second row began whispering the moment they spotted Lu Mian.

"Look, that girl’s here again. Who is she, anyway? She’s been here so many times, and I even stopped her once."

"A guest for the opening? But it’s not time yet."

"Every single time, Boss Yu personally comes to greet her. What kind of big shot is she? Could she be some important figure in Jinjing?!"

A few other employees joined in, equally intrigued.

"A relative, maybe? Although... she doesn’t really seem like one..."

"I even guessed they were dating, but today it seems like that theory’s out the window."

Though their voices were low, Xiao Qimo heard every word. Especially that last comment—it made his mood take an immediate nosedive.

His grandfather’s words echoed in his mind: assert your dominance as her boyfriend when necessary.

Clearing his throat—louder than needed—he drew the attention of both Lu Mian and Yuren, who turned to look at him simultaneously.

"Throat’s a little sore," Xiao Qimo explained nonchalantly.

Lu Mian, ever the straightforward one, immediately let go of his hand and walked off. "I’ll get you some hot water."

"...No need." Xiao Qimo couldn’t bring himself to admit he was faking it, so he graciously added, "I’m fine. You and Mr. Yu can continue your discussion."

Lu Mian didn’t think much of it, but Yuren knew better. He kept silent and internally labeled Xiao Qimo as a fake gentleman and tea master extraordinaire.

Promptly, while all the staff were present, Yuren formally introduced, "This is our real boss of MM Ji, Lu Mian."

The group of staff members, who had been whispering curiously just moments ago, froze in stunned disbelief.

They had guessed countless possibilities, but none of them had been this.

The employees’ gazes toward Lu Mian shifted completely—now filled with awe, mixed with a sense of surrealism.

Especially the server that had tried to stop her before—they looked as though they were on the verge of fainting.

"Boss Yu... then what about you?" someone asked.

After all, Boss Yu had been managing the store with such diligence and care—he seemed like the "real" boss.

Yuren explained with heartfelt resignation, "I’m just the acting boss."

The staff: Boss Yu, someone so impressive, is only a temporary manager? All this time, they had assumed he was the actual boss!

Hand in hand, Lu Mian and Xiao Qimo walked up to address the employees.

The staff immediately bowed at a sharp ninety-degree angle, greeting in unison, "Hello, Boss!"

Lu Mian gave a light nod. "Hello."

And then their gazes shifted to Xiao Qimo.

So this clingy guy holding their boss’s hand—who could he be?

Just as Lu Mian was about to introduce him, the employees did another ninety-degree bow.

"Hello, Boss’s Wife!"