"And maybe some extra-sturdy shoes. We have a picnic to win!"
Huaijin laughed, a sound that was pure, uncomplicated six-year-old joy, momentarily forgetting the headaches of Song Jue and the plotting of Xu Meilin.
For now, her world was perfect: her father, their shared excitement, and the promise of a ridiculously happy day out.
Professor Yuanfeng, the humble, struggling scholar of theoretical physics, carefully checked the oil level on "The Rattler," his ancient, wheezing sedan.
The hood was propped open with a rusty pole, and the engine was currently emitting a sound best described as a distressed pigeon trapped inside a tin can.
In reality, Yuanfeng was the formidable, widely revered, and terrifyingly efficient ruler of a business empire whose reach spanned continents and industries.
His true identity was so heavily guarded that a public exposé would likely crash global stock markets.
