Chapter 517: The Aloof Female Director

Two hours later.

On the office sofa.

Su Monong's cheek… pressed against Lin Yuan's warm chest.

She listened to this man's steady, powerful heartbeat.

After the martial arts battle just now, Su Monong's nerves, which had been taut all morning… finally relaxed.

She lifted her head, with residual red bloodshots still in her eyes.

Her nose brushed against Lin Yuan's shirt.

Su Monong whispered: "You just said you have a way? What way? Those capital institutions only trust solid evidence; empty talk can't convince them."

Lin Yuan lowered his head, looking at the dependent look of the person in his arms, and raised his hand to gently wipe away her fatigue at the corner of her eyes.

Lin Yuan spoke in a gentle tone:

The Qian Shi Group is suppressing us financially; on the surface it looks like a capital crush, but actually they are using public opinion to sway investors, making them lose confidence in the Su Group. That is their deadliest weapon.

"I know." Su Monong curled into his arms.

But the core lacking confidence fundamentally… can't avoid the X Vaccine. Qian Renhao not only poached the entire core R&D team, but also left no key data from the lab; now he holds the technology patent and sues us for infringement, the lawsuit has lasted three months, and we have remained passive." Su Monong said helplessly.

When mentioning the X Vaccine, Su Monong's voice became tinged with a strong sense of helplessness.

She raised her hand to rub her throbbing temples, her tone full of defeat.

Now rumors spread that the Su Clan will collapse because of this project; can shareholders not sell? Qian Renhao has grasped our weak point.

Lin Yuan tightened his arms, holding her even closer.

His chin rested on Su Monong's head, smelling the faint gardenia fragrance.

Exactly, but Director Su, if you think the other way, as long as we solve the dilemma of the X Vaccine project, wouldn't this stock‑selling crisis be readily resolved?" Lin Yuan said.

You make it sound so simple!" Su Monong sat up from his arms, her almond eyes wide, her tone tinged with helplessness.

Do you know how hard it is to develop the X Project vaccine? It's cutting‑edge technology in the lipid‑lowering field, involving gene‑sequence recombination and protein extraction; our previous team spent two years just solving one antigen‑stability problem. In the past six months I've sought out over twenty top domestic and foreign R&D teams, even consulted professors from Harvard Medical School in the US, yet nobody dares to take on this mess." Su Monong shook her head helplessly.

The more she spoke, the more agitated she became, gesturing with her hands: "Qian Renhao poached the world's top team in this field; they took not only the technology but also years of accumulated clinical data. We are now like a skillful cook without rice—we don't even have a decent experimental base."

Lin Yuan watched her agitated state, without refuting.

He simply, leisurely… pulled out a steel pen from his suit pocket.

Lin Yuan began to draw on the sticky note on the office desk.

What he drew was not a complex formula, but a simple traditional Chinese medicine meridian chart…

He marked the positions of the 'Spleen Meridian' and 'Kidney Meridian'.

Western medicine not working doesn't mean Chinese medicine can't either." Lin Yuan pushed the sticky note toward Su Monong.

His fingertip pointed at the meridian chart: "The essence of the X Project vaccine is to regulate human lipid metabolism; Western medicine relies on external interference with protein synthesis, while Chinese medicine emphasizes 'supporting the righteous and consolidating the foundation,' adjusting organ function from the root."

In Chinese medicine, lipid imbalance belongs to the categories of 'phlegm‑damp' and 'blood stasis,' closely related to spleen dysfunction in transformation and insufficient kidney warming.

Su Monong frowned at that meridian chart, her eyes full of doubt.

But what does this have to do with vaccine development? Chinese medicine adjustment is individual‑specific, whereas vaccines are mass‑produced biological products; they are fundamentally different." Su Monong asked.

It is the same matter, just a different approach." Lin Yuan said.

I can use Chinese medicine's compatibility theory, combined with modern bio‑extraction technology, to draw active ingredients from food‑medicine dual‑use materials—for example, hawthorn's lipid‑lowering enzyme, tangerine peel's volatile oil, and combine it with the mechanism of acupoint stimulation from acupuncture, to develop a 'Chinese medicine targeted conditioning agent' whose efficacy will not be inferior to the X Vaccine, with fewer side effects and lower cost." Lin Yuan said very seriously.

At this moment, Su Monong was a bit dazed??

Lin Yuan turned his head, looked at Su Monong, and said: "The X Project vaccine—I can use Chinese medicine methods to help you re‑research it, and even do better than Qian Renhao."

Su Monong froze, staring into Lin Yuan's eyes, trying to find a hint of joking.

But what she saw… was only Lin Yuan's earnestness.

This man, is he serious??

You… aren't joking?" Su Monong asked again, she also became serious, "Do you have confidence?"

Lin Yuan said seriously, "I'm not joking."

Su Monong's beautiful eyes gazed deeply at Lin Yuan.

Her fingertip unconsciously traced the edge of the office desk: "Chinese medicine, really? This isn't just simple body conditioning; it's cutting‑edge vaccine development."

Lin Yuan merely pushed the sticky note toward her again.

Lin Yuan's fingertip pointed beside the characters 'phlegm‑damp', he said seriously:

We can give it a try. Director Su, my family has a scholarly tradition; my grasp of Chinese medicine knowledge is fairly solid. Many active ingredients of medicinal herbs, after modern extraction processing, can fully replace part of Western and synthetic drugs' efficacy, with better compatibility—this is exactly the advantage currently missing in the X Vaccine.

But I still don't quite believe it." Su Monong bit her lower lip.

Her gaze swept across Lin Yuan's face, suddenly as if she had thought of something, a flash of slyness appearing in her eyes.

Su Monong walked slowly toward Lin Yuan.

Her silver high‑heels tapped on the floor, making a crisp sound.

She brought a fragrant breeze close to him: "Unless… unless you help me again, sister?"

Lin Yuan froze…

He hadn't even reacted when Su Monong again lightly pressed his shoulder.

Lately, because of the stock‑market affair, I've been suffering insomnia and frequent dreams, my complexion is terrible. If you can let me sleep a sound sleep, I will fully trust you—lab, funds, manpower, you name it, I'll provide.

Lin Yuan could clearly see the rippling light in her eyes,

Director Su, this…" Lin Yuan was about to speak when Su Monong pressed his lips with her fingertip.

Her fingertip was slightly cool, carrying a hint of hand‑cream fragrance.

Then,

…

Two o'clock in the afternoon.

Su Monong personally led Lin Yuan to the medical experimental building under the Su Group.

This building with a full glass curtain wall…… stands on the west side of the group's campus.

There is dedicated personnel guarding the entrance, and entry and exit require swiping an access card.

Upon entering the lobby, the air is filled with a faint scent of disinfectant.

Researchers in white lab coats come and go, all with focused expressions.

"This is our group's core R&D base; the previous experiments for the X Vaccine were conducted on the third floor." Su Monong said while walking.

Her high heels…… tapped on the polished marble floor, producing a crisp sound.

"The director in charge of medicinal material R&D is Shen Nan Zhi, a well-known expert in the industry; back then Sun Licheng spent a lot of money to lure her back from overseas, and she holds more than half of the company's medical technology patents. However, she belongs to the Sun Licheng Faction." Su Monong explained.

Lin Yuan's steps paused, he looked at Su Monong: "Sun Licheng's person? If I have her cooperate with my R&D, will there be problems?"

"There will definitely be problems, so I'm telling you to be cautious." Su Monong stopped, turned to look at him seriously, "Shen Nan Zhi's professionalism is beyond reproach, but her temperament is very stubborn; once she makes up her mind, not even ten oxen can pull her back. Over the years she has followed Sun Licheng, often opposing my decisions. If we let you two work together, she will likely trip you up."

Su Monong paused, a hint of calculation flickering in his eyes: "But this is also an opportunity. Currently, all medicinal material technology R&D in the company is handled by the Sun Licheng Faction. So I want to seize this area."

"An opportunity? What opportunity?" Lin Yuan asked doubtfully.

"This time I'm letting you participate in the X Project R&D, so that you can use this to break into the medical R&D sector."

"If you have a way…… to win over Shen Nan Zhi and bring her to our faction, then Sun Licheng's foothold in the company will waver, and later our project promotion will go much more smoothly." Su Monong's beautiful eyes gazed lovingly.

"Win her over?" Lin Yuan blinked at the words, somewhat puzzled and asked back, "What do you mean?"

Su Monong covered her mouth and laughed lightly, "Literally. Shen Nan Zhi is thirty-eight this year, very beautiful, her looks and temperament are not inferior to mine, and she has remained single all these years."

"It's said her standards for a partner are extremely high; she hasn't met anyone suitable in all these years. If you can win her over and make her sincerely submit, that would be a great achievement."

"Director Su, you're just joking." Lin Yuan shook his head helplessly, "My mind is all on work right now, I don't have the energy to consider these things. Besides, using feelings as a bargaining chip isn't appropriate, is it?"

"I'm not joking with you." Su Monong wiped away her smile, her tone turning a bit more serious.

"Shen Nan Zhi is someone who values feelings; once she acknowledges you, she will devote herself wholeheartedly. Of course, I'm not forcing you, just giving you a heads-up. It would be great if you could win her, but if not, it's fine as long as it doesn't affect the R&D progress."

Lin Yuan was speechless; for a moment he didn't know how to respond.

Soon, Su Monong led him to the core laboratory of the experimental building.

In the core laboratory on the third floor.

The bright shadowless lamp illuminated the workbench, revealing every detail.

A woman in a white lab coat stood before the bench.

She leaned slightly forward…… observing the medicinal sample in the culture dish.

She had a head of black long hair, the hair stood up, with a few strands of bangs falling onto her forehead, accentuating the smooth and delicate lines of her side profile.

On her delicate nose she wore a pair of thin-frame gold-wire glasses; behind the lenses her eyes were narrow, clear and bright, with pupils like transparent amber.

When focused, she slightly narrowed her eyes, revealing a hint of coldness and sharpness.

She wore a white lab coat, with a matching-color belt lightly tied at her waist, outlining her slender yet curvaceous figure.

Underneath she wore a black silk shirt, with two buttons undone at the collar, revealing an exquisite collarbone, softening the sternness of the white coat.

Her fingers were long and fair; the tips of her gloved hands…… held the tweezers.

She gently and precisely picked up a piece of medicinal material, bringing it close to the light for careful examination.

Sunlight streamed through the glass window…… falling on her, giving the white coat a soft sheen.

She possessed both the composed intellect of a researcher and the elegant charm of a mature woman……

This, is a woman beautiful to the core.

"She is Shen Nan Zhi, our group's medicinal R&D director, and also the only executive with an annual salary over ten million." Su Monong explained softly.

Lin Yuan heard this, nodded. Meanwhile he felt emotionally moved.

Shen Nan Zhi's salary is truly high.

Annual salary of ten million.

What does that mean.

Ordinary commoners, even after working ten lifetimes, couldn't earn that much money.

Whereas Shen Nan Zhi only needs one year.

Su Monong led Lin Yuan, slowly walking into the laboratory.

Hearing the footsteps, Shen Nan Zhi raised her head.

Seeing Su Monong arrive.

Sun Anzhi then took off her gloves, the gaze behind the lenses lingering briefly on Lin Yuan.

Immediately, she turned toward Su Monong, her tone flat yet polite: "Director Su."

Su Monong quickly stepped forward and affectionately patted Shen Nan Zhi's shoulder.

Immediately, Su Monong turned sideways, making way for Lin Yuan behind her.

Su Monong introduced, "Nan Zhi, let me introduce you: this is Lin Yuan, the group's Risk Control Director and also my right-hand man; he is very capable. He proposed using traditional Chinese medicine methods to help advance our X Vaccine R&D project; you two should discuss it thoroughly."

"Traditional Chinese medicine?" Shen Nan Zhi's eyebrows instantly knitted.

A flash of obvious disdain flickered in Shen Nan Zhi's amber eyes.

She sized up Lin Yuan from head to toe, her gaze sweeping over his suit and leather shoes, the corner of her mouth curling into a cold arc: "Director Su, forgive my frankness, this is simply ridiculous."

Shen Nan Zhi walked to the workbench, picked up a thick experimental report…… and handed it to Su Monong.

"The X Vaccine…… involves gene recombination and protein targeting technology; our previous team spent three years just completing the basic framework."

Shen Nan Zhi gave Lin Yuan a cold glance, "Relying on traditional Chinese medicine, those so-called inspection, listening, questioning, and palpation, and herbs and tree bark, could advance research? This is utterly disrespectful to science."