For some reason, Rover felt that after Zane finished crying, the way he looked at her had become especially intense.
Just as she was about to ask what was going on, a commotion came from outside the simulation room.
"Zane, you hold no official position. How dare you injure someone in public!"
The man who arrived was wearing a clean white lab coat and a pair of black-framed glasses.
His appearance was neat and composed, but his narrow, cramped eyes gave off a different impression.
"Oh? I wonder where Vice Director Zhang is coming from with that statement?"
Zane dropped his usual careless attitude and smiled as he met Zhang's gaze.
The man was none other than the vice director of the Huaxu Research Institute, and the distant uncle of that fat man.
"Uncle, you have to stand up for me." The fat man lying on the ground, seeing his backer arrive, revealed a cruel smile on his greasy face, but his tone became even more submissive.
"I was only concerned about Rover's safety just now. Maybe I got a little emotional with my words."
"But Zane relied on his status as a relative of the Magistrate and came in beating me without any regard for Jinzhou's laws."
It had to be said, someone experienced in society really knew how to speak. No matter how big the grudge, they would never leave anything for others to use against them.
"How can you..." Chixia grew anxious and was about to argue, but Zane stopped her with a single motion.
Seeing Zane shake his head slightly at her, Chixia could only stomp her foot in frustration.
"Oh my, Zane, you're being a bit too generous with your words. I'm only a vice director, far from the director's level of contribution to the institute.", As he spoke, he casually kicked the fat man on the ground.
Seeing that the vice director had easily sidestepped the trap he had set, Zane didn't get flustered. He simply waved lightly at Yangyang and the others, signaling them not to worry.
"Come now, with your contributions to the institute, isn't the director's position only a matter of time? You're being too modest."
Hearing Zane's flattery, the vice director narrowed his eyes and cursed inwardly, 'little fox.'
Right from the start, he had set a big trap.
This was blatant flattery meant to destroy him. If he accepted the title "Director Zhang" without objection, he would be undermined by others tomorrow.
Director Zhang knew that continuing this back-and-forth would only buy Zane time until the Magistrate arrived.
He immediately decided to pin the issue on Zane injuring someone and settle the matter quickly.
"Zane, I know you're a talented young man, and you have the courage to act in anger for a woman."
"But this is the Huaxu Research Institute. This kid may be a bit unruly, but when it comes to research, he would never act without reason."
'Even if you had disagreements, you shouldn't assault someone in public here, right?"
'Young people are hot-blooded. Beating a research expert in public over a woman...do you know what kind of impact that would have?'
The pale fluorescent light shone on Director Zhang's glasses, reflecting a cold white glare. No one could see what emotions lay behind those narrow eyes.
"Of course, Buqun may also be at fault. I, Director Zhang, will apologize here on behalf of this disobedient nephew to Lord Zane."
'Why don't we each take a step back and call it even?'
With that, Director Zhang actually bent his waist.
But how could Zane let him do that? He immediately stepped forward, grabbed Director Zhang's arm, and stopped him.
"Director Zhang, I can't accept such a grand gesture. If my sister finds out, she'll skin me alive."
'Old man, don't try to pressure me with status. My sister is the Magistrate!'
Zane and Director Zhang continued pulling against each other, exchanging veiled words. Neither was willing to give in.
"What are they even talking about? Shouldn't this be about deciding that fat man's crime?", Chixia leaned closer to Yangyang, who had her brows tightly furrowed, and asked in confusion.
"It's not that simple…" Yangyang frowned deeply, feeling increasingly uneasy.
Since Director Zhang dared to show up here and didn't mention the fat researcher's wrongdoing at all, he must have something to rely on. They just didn't know what that backing was.
"The moment Director Zhang arrived, he used Zane's lack of official position as an argument, combined with an interrogative tone, trying to disrupt Zane's footing."
Baizhi, who had the most experience with this kind of situation among them, quickly grasped the key point of their exchange.
"Then why didn't Vice Director Zhang keep pressing that point?" In the crowd, a researcher quietly asked a colleague.
"Because there are rumors that Zane has a special patrol identity under the Magistrate. If he keeps pushing the official position angle, it could backfire."
"And from the fact that Zane didn't counterattack using his position, it's clear he doesn't want to drag the Magistrate into this matter."
"After all, if taken seriously, the Magistrate could be accused of favoritism. So Zane used the title 'Director' to shift the topic through flattery, and Director Zhang went along with it, no longer focusing on positions."
"But he didn't realize this and kept clinging to the 'Zane is a relative of the Magistrate' point, so after changing the topic, Vice Director Zhang even kicked him."
"Oh..."
The other researchers nodded and clapped softly. So it could be handled like that.
Of course, the two people at the center of the storm paid no attention to the surrounding discussion.
Director Zhang watched the situation gradually reach a stalemate and felt uneasy.
He had originally thought Zane was just a brute with simple thinking and strong limbs. First, he used the issue of official status to strike first, something that only a careful and bold person could handle.
Then, through the fat researcher, he painted Zane as someone who relied on borrowed authority, a spoiled brat who ignored the law under the Magistrate's protection.
Yet Zane didn't take the bait. Instead, he stopped the patrol officer who wanted to rush forward and beat the fat researcher.
If Zane had shown even a hint of anger, Director Zhang could have used the charge of malicious assault to take him down.
If he pushed harder, he could even accuse him of attempted murder… and at that point, even the Magistrate would have to pay a price. This strategy required calm and intelligence to counter.
Yet Zane brushed past it lightly.
At the same time, Zane looked at the constantly changing expressions on Director Zhang's face and revealed a playful smile.
"Vice Director Zhang, since you're so certain your nephew did nothing wrong, why not pull up the surveillance footage and take a look?" Rover said, stepping forward and staring straight at Director Zhang.
"Oh?" Director Zhang turned his head and looked at Rover who made the suggestion. A flash of surprise crossed his murky eyes.
"So this is the famous Rover? Truly, meeting you is better than hearing about you. A pleasure, a pleasure."
'Given how much Jinhsi valued this Rover, wouldn't any problem be solved with just a word from her?'
As he spoke, Director Zhang smiled and extended his hand toward Rover…
Rover looked at the man trying to shake her hand and instinctively grabbed Zane's sleeve, stepping behind him.
Seeing Director Zhang's hand hanging awkwardly in the air without being acknowledged, Zane sneered, "I say, Director Zhang, according to handshake etiquette, when shaking hands with the opposite sex, the woman should extend her hand first."
"Since when does a man take the initiative to shake hands with a lady… oh!" Zane clapped his hands as if realizing something.
"So you're not a man? You're a woman? My apologies, my apologies."
The moment Zane finished speaking, he felt a slender hand climb onto the soft flesh at his waist, then twist a full 360 degrees.
"So you do know that women should extend their hand first when shaking hands? Then who was it that grabbed my hand so eagerly when we first met?"
Hearing the girl's soft whisper by his ear, her warm breath brushing against it, the faint fragrance around her seemed to linger in the air.
Faced with such an intimate atmosphere, Zane felt his heart pounding rapidly, as if it were about to burst out of his chest…
And then run away from this place of trouble.
'This is terrifying.'
"Um... how about we talk about this later?"
"Sure."
Zane didn't expect her to agree so easily. 'Looks like she still cares about me…'
"I'll deal with you later."
'Ah, my mouth!'
Zane gritted his teeth. Zane broke into a cold sweat. Zane typed GG. Zane was peacefully buried…
This wasn't the first time he wanted to slap himself.
Watching the pair flirting and bickering right in front of him, Director Zhang gritted his teeth in frustration.
"Since Rover has spoken, Liu, go to the surveillance room."
"Understood."
Director Zhang's confidence made Rover, who was standing behind Zane, frown. For some reason, she felt like Director Zhang still had something up his sleeve.
Just as she was feeling uneasy, a pair of warm hands gently covered hers.
"Don't worry. No matter how strong he is, I, Zane, will always be above him."
Looking at Zane's confident smile from the side, Rover suddenly felt that when he was serious, he was actually a little handsome… Just a little.