Luo Shen Group.
Luo Shaoliang was handling a multitude of affairs. As dusk approached, he stood up, arms crossed, watching the bustling cityscape gradually disappear into the night, a strange sense of melancholy washing over him.
As the helmsman of the Luo Shen Group, this colossal behemoth…
In truth, Luo Shaoliang knew he hadn't done enough. The Group's once-advantageous "bio-modification" technology had not only been gradually surpassed by its subsidiaries, but other areas of strength had also been overtaken by numerous domestic and international companies.
The Luo Shen Group was like a giant mired in mud. Though seemingly vast and glamorous, it appeared to lack the ability to stand on its own. Yet, in Luo Shaoliang's view, his persistence was not wrong. Technological independence and comprehensive development, though potentially leading to temporary setbacks, offered immense potential for future growth and was beneficial to the nation and its people.
Regardless, a cause beneficial to the country and its people, one that did not betray his conscience, was what Luo Shaoliang upheld most. And this wasn't just his own conviction; it was the conviction of another dear friend who had long since passed away.
However, such persistence naturally came at a price. Without his elder brother Luo Shaowen's full support, he would have long since lost his position as leader of the Luoshen Group amidst the family's doubts. Therefore, although Luo Shaoliang somewhat misunderstood his brother, he was deeply grateful to him; without Luo Shaowen's support, he wouldn't have been able to uphold his ideals.
However, while the current situation was reassuring, Luo Shaoliang still had some worries. His eldest daughter, Luo Xuetang, had never caused him any trouble; she was very sensible and, in recent years, after joining the company, had gradually become the chairman's secretary and general manager of the public relations department. Even he couldn't ignore her help.
Moreover, his eldest daughter's marriage was also settled. In fact…
During the years Dong'er had been gone, even he had wavered, but his eldest daughter Xuetang hadn't wavered at all during several attempts, which allowed the engagement to continue. Now it was time to put the wedding on the agenda and put an end to this worry.
The problem lies with his youngest daughter, Yutang. Although she was bright and adorable as a child, she has become extremely rebellious as a teenager, causing him considerable headaches.
As for his wife, Luo Qingying, a gentle and refined woman embodying the virtues of an Eastern woman, Luo Shaoliang feels deeply guilty… not only because he has neglected her over the years, but more so because…
Jiang Yingji.
His feelings for Jiang Yingji are incredibly complex. On one hand, she is the wife of his close friend, Li Zhiyu; on the other hand…
He once harbored a deep, unrequited love for Jiang Yingji, a love that remains hidden in his heart. Even after a chance encounter with her, maintaining a purely physical relationship, his feelings haven't faded.
This is why he feels guilty towards his wife, Luo Qingying. Although he married her, he doesn't love her.
Therefore, he didn't blame his wife, Luo Qingying, for her occasional disappearances and radiant returns… even her relationship with the butler, Uncle Qin… Luo Shaoliang turned a blind eye to it all.
Thus, the two maintained a facade of mutual respect. What truly troubled and unsettled Luo Shaoliang was that on the day he was supposed to meet Jiang Yingji, she chose not to appear—the first time since their relationship began purely physical.
As for why he maintained such a relationship with his best friend's wife, the story goes back more than a decade.
At that time, the world seemed to be following a normal trajectory, before a large number of extraordinary individuals emerged to change the landscape.
However, nothing happens overnight. The storm of extraordinary individuals had been brewing in the shadows for a long time, but it remained unknown to the majority of the public.
And it was at that time that Luo Shaoliang came into contact with this world, through an extraordinary individual—his best friend, Li Zhiyu.
Li Zhiyu, the mysterious figure who later overturned the US fleet and brought the extraordinary storm into the public eye, was hailed as the initial strategic-level powerhouse.
However, no one knew that such a hero also had supporters. Luo Shaoliang was one such figure, providing Li Zhiyu with considerable assistance using the Luo family's outstanding biomedical technology. But he was considered one of them because Li Zhiyu also had a crucial supporter, or rather, partner and lover.
That was Jiang Yingji.
No one knew Li Zhiyu's origins, only that he might come from the mysterious Xiangshan Mountains, while Jiang Yingji was the heiress of a top-tier Chinese aristocratic family. Their union seemed unexpected and unbelievable, yet in a sense, it was inevitable.
Li Zhiyu was a mysterious figure, possessing exceptional martial arts skills and a special attribute: Yang True Qi. The Jiang family, on the other hand, was a powerful clan that had established itself through witchcraft for centuries. In fact, those families that survived over a century of war and turmoil from the late Ming Dynasty to the founding of the People's Republic of China all possessed, to varying degrees, extraordinary backgrounds.
However, before that… extraordinary abilities existed in the form of Taoist arts, witchcraft, and martial arts.
The allure of the mysterious and powerful Li Zhiyu to Jiang Yingji was undeniable. Sharing similar interests, they quickly grew closer…
Even though Luo Shaoliang also harbored feelings for Jiang Yingji at that time, he was destined to lose out to his close friend, Li Zhiyu.
Therefore, he chose to quietly withdraw…
Later, Luo Shaoliang learned that Jiang Yingji's constitution and Li Zhiyu's constitution were diametrically opposed—extreme Yin and extreme Yang—naturally possessing a strong attraction.
Li Zhiyu's leap in strength occurred precisely during his blissful period with Jiang Yingji. Before that, Li Zhiyu was deeply troubled by his constitution; his excessive Yang energy often injured him, making Luo Shaoliang feel as if his close friend's body was a balloon about to burst. As a biomedical practitioner, he tried his best to heal him, but with little success.
It wasn't until Li Zhiyu and Jiang Yingji had been in a relationship for some time that the Yang energy that threatened to burst his friend's body suddenly transformed into a vibrant, energetic power, allowing him to reach a cultivation level unattainable by ordinary people.
What happened afterward needs no further explanation—
When the Taiwan Strait crisis erupted, Li Zhiyu resolutely stepped forward, annihilating an aircraft carrier fleet and shocking the world before disappearing like a brilliant shooting star.
Jiang Yingji and Li Zhiyu already had a child. At that time, she wasn't yet the Queen of Shanghai and hadn't taken control of the Jiang family. She couldn't bring the child back to the Jiang family to raise without a "father."
At this point, Luo Shaoliang stepped forward, adopting a boy named "Li Dong" and arranging a marriage between him and his newborn daughter, Luo Xuetang…
Life afterward was uneventful, until several years ago…
Her youngest daughter, Yutang, was almost caught up in a series of events, becoming a victim. Before the appearance of the mysterious "Star," Jiang Yingji had already clashed with the Seven Deadly Sins several times, even being attacked by Charles of Lust on one occasion, planting a seed of desire within her.
In reality, the seed of desire is merely something that arouses sexual desire. An ordinary woman could simply grit her teeth and suppress the urge to seek out a man, then use a silicone dildo to stimulate her vagina, or even just use her fingers to press and stimulate her clitoris; it wasn't anything sinister. However, it possesses a far more potent aphrodisiac effect on women with an extremely Yin constitution than on ordinary women. This is because it's not an aphrodisiac, but rather subtly arouses their own desires. Jiang Yingji, with her extremely Yin constitution and having not sought other men for a long time, genuinely needs "Yang essence" to harmonize the surging Yin energy within her.