"Welcome back, Big Boss."
Zhao Min greeted them the moment Chen Mo and Xiao Yu returned to the company. Seeing Chen Mo in good spirits, she finally let out a long-held breath and smiled with genuine relief.
When Chen Mo had fallen into a coma, she had been terrified.
Chen Mo wasn't just the company's brain—he was its heart and soul. If something had happened to him, the impact on the Marching Ant Company would've been catastrophic.
Now that he was fine and back from a proper rest, she could finally relax.
"Xiao Yu, let your husband give me a hug," Zhao Min said with a sly grin.
Chen Mo's face twitched slightly. "..."
"You're only allowed to hug," Xiao Yu glanced at Chen Mo, joining in with the playful tone.
"..."
Chen Mo was momentarily speechless. He didn't expect Xiao Yu to join in on the teasing. The world really had changed.
Zhao Min chuckled, then stepped forward and gave Chen Mo a brief hug. "How was the vacation? You're glowing. Xiao Yu didn't treat you badly, I hope?"
"Vacation, family time, and a bit of sightseeing—what else could I ask for?" Chen Mo smiled. "But I've been idle too long; my brain's starting to rust."
"Let's avoid another scare like last time. Seriously. If something like that happens again, we'll all have a heart attack."
"I'll be careful," Chen Mo replied. Though, deep down, he knew—this wasn't something he could control. No one could predict what would happen next time he accessed the Technology Library.
"Xiao Yu, this can't go on. Just in case, someone has to keep a close eye on him. Want to be his personal secretary?" Zhao Min asked with mock seriousness.
"Zhao Jie, I don't think I can do that," Xiao Yu replied before Chen Mo could say a word.
While she often helped with reports and occasionally assisted with work-related tasks, being Chen Mo's full-time personal secretary—handling both work and daily life—was another story. That kind of constant proximity was a recipe for friction.
"You'd better hire someone else for the secretary job."
"Oh? Aren't you afraid I'll find him some stunning beauty for the role?"
Xiao Yu smirked. "Then it's a win for him. At least his eyes will have something nice to look at."
"...Do I even get a say in this?" Chen Mo asked, exasperated. "You're talking about finding me a secretary like I'm not even here."
"Your opinion doesn't count," Xiao Yu said firmly. "This is the second time you've collapsed. It's not happening again—we need someone keeping an eye on you."
"How does my opinion not count? I'm the chairman!"
"I'm the chairman's wife."
"..."
Zhao Min burst out laughing, thoroughly enjoying the exchange. "You two are fun."
Chen Mo cleared his throat. "Let's be practical. Who could even be my secretary? They'd need access to Building 1 and the lab. You think it's safe to let just anyone into those places?"
The room quieted instantly.
Everyone understood what Chen Mo meant.
Building 1 was a fortress of cutting-edge secrets—room-temperature superconductors, superconducting computers, high-precision 3D printers, AI-enhanced ink production, advanced robotics, exotic materials, and prototype pharmaceutical compounds. Any single one of those technologies could give birth to a trillion-dollar empire—or shatter global industries.
In all of Marching Ant Company, only Chen Mo and two others could enter Building 1 freely. Even top researchers like Julie and Li Lingfeng needed special permissions and were strictly limited in what areas they could access.
"You get the point," Chen Mo said, smiling at their silence. "Don't waste time thinking about some beauty secretary. Not everyone qualifies. Zhao Min, you keep running the company. For smaller things, we've got robots and Mo Nu. If it's really minor, Xiao Yu can help out when she feels like it."
"Alright, fine," Zhao Min said, shrugging. "I was trying to give you some eye candy. If you don't appreciate the thought, forget it. I've got real work to do."
"Don't work too hard," Chen Mo teased.
Xiao Yu gave him a parting glance, then followed Zhao Min out of the office.
Once the door closed, Mo Nu's holographic figure materialized.
"Big Brother Mo, the wedding dress for Sister Xiao Yu is finished."
"Oh?" Chen Mo perked up. That was a surprise.
Though he had estimated it would be completed this month, this was slightly ahead of schedule.
He made his way to the lab in Building 1 where the wedding dress had been developed.
There, on a transparent mannequin, stood the finished piece.
The wedding dress was crafted entirely from dream fiber, and its simple, elegant white silhouette immediately caught the eye. As he touched it gently, it felt like a second skin—soft, smooth, like the surface of still water.
"Mo Nu, show me the transformation."
"Okay, Big Brother."
A soft beam of light shone down on the dress. Then, like a living canvas, the pure white fabric began to shimmer.
Soft color gradients emerged—dreamy pastels flowing across the fabric like the aurora. Then it shifted into a calming sea-blue, tiny shimmering fibers catching the light like sunlight on ocean waves. Embedded white diamonds scattered through the fabric glistened like sea foam, flowing seamlessly into a noble, regal purple.
It was a vision—fluid, elegant, breathtaking.
After successfully synthesizing dream fiber, production had moved forward. To create this dress, Chen Mo had specifically pulled a seamless knitting technique—similar to Nike's 3Du-Knit—from the Technology Library. The garments were woven in one continuous process, without the need for cutting or stitching. No waste, no seams. Maximum comfort and perfect fit.
Custom knitting machines were built. Mo Nu had precisely calculated the design. Then dozens of intelligent robots worked around the clock to complete it.
The production process alone had cost upwards of 60 million yuan. When factoring in the creation of dream fiber—whose full potential was still being explored—the wedding dress's true value was practically incalculable.
This wasn't just a wedding dress. It was a piece of high technology, a tribute to love, beauty, and the future.
Chen Mo stared at the shimmering fabric in silence, deeply satisfied.
He had promised Xiao Yu something unforgettable—and he had delivered.
"Do you want me to tell Sister Xiao Yu to come try it on?" Mo Nu asked, floating by his side.
Chen Mo shook his head, lips curling into a small smile. "No. Let's surprise her."
He remained in the lab for a little while longer, admiring the dress, before returning to the physics lab.
Among all his laboratories, the physics lab was the largest—hosting research in lasers, holography, high-precision laser 3D printing, and material physics. Now, it would serve as the birthplace of something even more ambitious.
His break was over.
After the coma, Xiao Yu had forbidden him from working—especially anything involving his brain. She had insisted on complete rest. But now, with her more relaxed and his health recovered, it was time to resume his true work.
"Mo Nu," Chen Mo said, looking at the array of tech before him, "it's time to begin again."
"What project are we starting?" she asked eagerly.
"Controllable hydrogen nuclear fusion."