(Location: HSE Rooftop – Midnight Brainstorming Session – A Symphony of Caffeine and Code)
The night sky hung heavy with the electric hum of the city, its distant lights twinkling like scattered pixels in the digital canvas of the metropolis. But above the city's slumber, on the precarious rooftop of HSE Limited, a hallowed circle of bleary-eyed interns huddled around a lone, bravely flickering laptop. Its screen illuminated their faces with a ghostly glow, reflecting the chaotic blend of brilliance and sleep deprivation that fueled their nocturnal endeavors. A cloud of steam rose from a nearby pile of discarded ramen containers, the scent of MSG mingling with the acrid aroma of burning circuit boards and the faint, unsettling fragrance of Bai Luqi's emotionally support bear.
Standing in the center of this caffeine-fueled congregation, Su Yu grinned with the unhinged enthusiasm of a mad scientist presenting his latest, potentially world-ending, invention. He was haloed by a string of half-functional fairy lights, casting him in the role of a bizarre, corporate-prophet delivering a sermon to his faithful, if slightly deranged, disciples.
Su Yu (eyes gleaming with manic inspiration):
"Alright, my interns! My coding goblins! My elite strike force of sleep-deprived innovation! Tonight, we embark on… Phase Two! Prepare yourselves! Prepare your minds! Prepare your bladders, because bathroom breaks are a sign of weakness in this sacred quest!"
With a dramatic flourish that threatened to send him tumbling off the edge of the building, he slapped a poorly laminated sheet onto a whiteboard that looked like it was held together by the sheer force of the interns' collective desperation. The tape securing it sagged precariously, mirroring the interns' collective will to live.
(The laminated sheet read, in crudely drawn lettering):
> "OFFICE WORKER SIMULATOR: REBORN™ – EXPANSION PACK BONANZA!" (Because One Level of Soul-Crushing Realism Was Simply Not Enough!)
>
> NEW LEVELS: (Unlockable Through Sheer Force of Will or Excessive Caffeine Consumption)
> * Corporate Espionage Department: Infiltrate rival companies! Steal their ideas! Befriend the water cooler! Alliances and Betrayals await you!
> * Midnight Overtime Dungeon: Battle the clock! Survive on vending machine snacks! Resist the urge to sleep at your desk! Face the demonic entity known only as… The Deadline!
> * HR Gauntlet of Grievances: Negotiate unfair contracts! Endure pointless meetings! Conquer the soul-crushing bureaucracy!
> NEW PLAYABLE CHARACTER: (With Hidden Depths and an Explosive Temper)
> * The Enigmatic Intern with a Rich Backstory and Alarming Rage Issues: (Bai Luqi looked up from her keyboard, a bead of nervous sweat trickling down her forehead. Her bear clutched her tighter.)
> MULTIPLAYER CO-OP MODE: (Because Misery Loves Company... or Sabotage)
>
> * Survive a Startup Together. Or Backstab Your Fellow Interns for a Promotion: Choose your allies wisely. Remember: There is no love, only the grind.
>
> GATCHA SYSTEM FOR ULTIMATE OFFICE ITEMS: (Because Who Needs Real World Possessions When You Can Have Virtual Ones?)
> * Legendary Stapler of +10 Paperclip Efficiency: Behold! A stapler that NEVER jams! A weapon of office destruction!
> * SSS-Rank Ergonomic Office Chair of Maximum Comfort: Reduces back pain by 99.9999%! Guarantees peak productivity... or peaceful napping.
> * Mythical Broken Coffee Machine That Summons the Ghost of Past Interns: Legends say its haunting brews are the only thing strong enough to power all-nighters. Side effects may include existential dread and the ability to see deadlines.
>
Su Yu (winking conspiratorially at Lu Yan, his expression bordering on gleeful insanity):
"And for the final boss of this glorious expansion… we shall unleash upon the unsuspecting players… the ultimate force of corporate tyranny! My loving, ever-supportive father! Lu Zhenhai: The Tyrant of Trademarked Tradewinds and Ruthless Rationalizations!"
Hang Mu (grinning with malevolent glee, already planning his attack strategies):
"Will he possess the ultimate skill: 'You Are a Disappointment to This Family'?"
Su Yu:
"No cooldown! Instantaneous emotional damage! One hit K.O. your self-esteem!"
Lu Yan (pushing up his perpetually askew glasses, maintaining a disturbingly calm demeanor amidst the surrounding madness):
"And what of Ms. 'White Hat Hacker But Demands Royalties' latest… creation?"
Su Yu:
"Ah, yes. The brainchild of our resident Ice Queen. We shall grant her heart's desire: 'Hack the Hu: A Dystopian Romance Strategy Simulator'! Players must navigate the treacherous landscape of her long-time crush slash nemesis, Brother Hu's, intricate emotional defenses! Will they succeed in hacking his heart? Or will their code be corrupted by... feelings? The power of choice is yours!"
Su Yu (raising a suggestive eyebrow):
"Multiple customizable endings, including a 'Tsundere Triumph' and a 'Heartbreak Hacker' ending. Special unlockable bonus: If you manage to raise emotional intimacy level to ten... well, let's just say things get interesting."
The interns murmured amongst themselves, a mixture of awe, excitement, and a healthy dose of fear churning in their sleep-deprived minds. Then Su Yu lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, and the flickering fairy lights seemed to dim in unison, as if sensing the impending depravity.
Su Yu (murmuring, a devilish glint in his eyes):
"And, my loyal coders, there's… another project… a certain piece of Romance DLC data… that fell into our possession, shall we say… unintentionally."
He smirked, a dangerous, tempting smirk that promised forbidden knowledge and potentially lucrative profits.
Su Yu (in his head, fantasizing with a chillingly detached enthusiasm):
"If only… if only we had an adult version of this… with her. That terrifying, captivating woman who claims to be my wife. Imagine… hidden routes! Secret endings! Boss battles that transform into… a honeymoon scene... The possibilities are endless... the potential for emotional trauma... exquisite!"
Lu Yan (silently recording every word on his phone, the footage labeled: "Potential Blackmail Material: Confirmed"):
"Note to self: Invest in more hard drives. We're going to need them."
Bai Luqi (whispering to her bear, her voice trembling slightly):
"Are… are we making a startup? Or are we accidentally developing a psychological horror game with a side of potentially illegal fanfiction?"
Su Yu (clapping his hands together, his face alight with manic energy):
"Alright, my digital warriors! The hour is upon us! Choose your mission! Code chaos! Or conquer love! Either way… we launch Demo Night next week. Sleep is optional. Sanity… discouraged. Success… is mandatory!"
(Location: Lu Mansion – Morning After the Great Escape – A Family Drama Unfolds)
The scene opened with the gentle chirping of birds, a tranquil sunrise painting the sky with hues of gold and rose. The serenity lasted approximately 0.2 seconds. Then…
Lu Zhenhai (a primal scream erupting from the depths of his being, a sound that could shatter glass and curdle milk, jolting awake in his massive, empty bed):
"WHERE IS MY SOFT, CUDDLY WIFE?! WHERE IS YUNQIAO?!"
He jolted upright in a tangle of silk sheets, clutching at empty air as if trying to grasp a vanished dream. His bloodshot eyes darted around the room, frantically searching for the source of his warmth, his comfort, his… everything. His fingers twitched in a state of cold turkey withdrawal. The soft, marshmallowy pillow that usually breathed, scolded, and occasionally used him as a human furnace at night… was conspicuously absent.
Lu Zhenhai (eyes wide with horrified realization):
"She's gone! She's gone! They took her! They stole her! My fluffy cloud of marital bliss! My walking, talking, perfectly calibrated thermostat!"
(Five minutes later… - A Man on a Mission of Desperate Wife-Retrieval)
A figure lurked in the majestic, marble-clad hallways of the Lu Mansion, moving with a surprising degree of stealth (for a man whose usual gait involved a confident, CEO-strut that could trigger seismic activity). Lu Zhenhai, clad in luxurious silk slippers and a shimmering satin robe, his hair disheveled, his eyes glazed with panic, prowled through the house like a deranged bloodhound on the scent of his missing… well, his missing wife. He peeked cautiously behind ornate curtains, sniffed the air like a man possessed, his aristocratic nose twitching with increasing desperation.
Lu Zhenhai (muttering pathetically, peering under a priceless antique Qing dynasty table):
"She couldn't have just left... I specifically remembered her birthday this year... I even complimented her new... that vigorously healthy-looking fern arrangement... twice! I offered to personally taste-test her bird's nest soup! What more does a woman want?!"
His desperate monologue was cut short by the sharp, imperious click of stiletto heels echoing down the marble hallway. Linling swept into view, looking every inch the fiery, fabulous phoenix ready for battle.
Linling (voice sharp, instantly assessing the scene):
"Still looking for your teddy bear, Father-in-law? Forget the fluff! Have you seen Lu Siyan?! That infuriating block of ice I'm unfortunately married to?"
Lu Zhenhai (spinning around, eyes wild, completely ignoring her question):
"LU SIYAN?! WHO CARES ABOUT THAT DISGRACEFUL, UNFILIAL SON WHO PROBABLY CAUSED THIS MESS?! WHERE IS MY WIFE?! WHERE IS YUNQIAO?!"
A beat of stunned silence. Linling blinked. Lu Zhenhai blinked back, momentarily realizing he'd perhaps revealed too much.
Linling (a slow, dangerously sarcastic smile spreading across her face):
"...Your wife? You mean the woman you cling to every night like a particularly needy sea cucumber seeking warmth?"
Lu Zhenhai (face flushing a deep crimson, sputtering defensively):
"...She happens to radiate a very pleasant ambient temperature! It's... energy efficient!"
Without further argument, fueled by mutual, albeit different, objectives, they both stormed towards the mansion's high-tech security room. Barging past a startled guard, they demanded the overnight surveillance footage. On the massive screen array, the previous night's events unfolded in crystal clear HD:
> There was Su Yu, looking ridiculously heroic despite his slightly torn suit, dramatically carrying the sleeping Madam Yunqiao across the lawn.
> Trailing behind him was a chaotic procession: six student interns moving with questionable stealth, two of them struggling valiantly with a mini-fridge, and Bai Luqi inexplicably striking a K-pop idol pose near a rose bush.
>
Linling (deadpan, turning to the apoplectic Lu Zhenhai):
"Hmm. Wasn't that your son? The one you declared irrelevant approximately thirty seconds ago?"
Lu Zhenhai (gasping, clutching his chest as if physically wounded, voice trembling with disbelief and mounting rage):
"H-He... he abducted her... He stole... MY SOFT WIFE!"
His fists clenched at his sides. His pupils dilated, shaking with fury. A prominent vein throbbed dangerously on his temple.
Lu Zhenhai (muttering darkly, a low growl building in his throat):
"She is mine... Mine to cherish... Mine to provide with lukewarm tea... Mine to warm my perpetually cold feet against in the winter months... YOUUUU—SUUUUU YUUUUUU! YOU UNGRATEFUL, WIFE-STEALING BRAT!"
Somewhere in the mansion, thunder inexplicably rumbled despite the clear skies outside. In the finance department, a dusty old fax machine spontaneously exploded.
(SCENE: LU ZHENHAI'S WALK-IN WARDROBE – ARMING FOR BATTLE)
Minutes later, Lu Zhenhai stood before his colossal twelve-door wardrobe, a veritable shrine to corporate power dressing. Racks upon racks of immaculate blazers, sourced from every tailor featured on a Fortune 500 cover shoot, stood at attention.
Lu Zhenhai (voice dangerously cold, dripping with paternal fury):
"If my wayward son wishes to play at running a rogue startup... then it is time he faced the true final boss."
He selected a deep navy power suit, radiating an aura of uncompromising authority. With lethal precision, he adjusted the solid gold cufflinks, slicked back his hair until it gleamed like polished obsidian, and stared into the mirror. His reflection practically vibrated with Corporate Dominance Aura™.
(SCENE: LU MANSION MAIN HALL – AN UNEXPECTED ALLIANCE (SORT OF))
Downstairs, Linling stood poised near the entrance, a vision in full battle glamour. Lips glossed a dangerous shade of crimson, heels sharp enough to puncture steel, and held delicately but purposefully in her hand… was a gleaming, lethally sharp sword. Not a prop. Not a decoration.
Linling (eyes narrowed, radiating elegant menace):
"I will teach that arrogant fool the true meaning of underestimating a woman slighted. I shall slice that infuriatingly handsome, smug face of his and personally tattoo 'Property of Linling' onto his very soul."
She raised the sword with the deadly grace of a warrior queen—only for it to be swiftly, unceremoniously SNATCHED from her grasp.
Lu Zhenhai (voice stern, brooking no argument):
"Absolutely not. No one lays a hand on my son. Not even his ridiculously over-dramatic wife-in-name."
Linling (gritting her teeth, whirling around):
"You just called him a disgrace five minutes ago! Make up your mind!"
Lu Zhenhai (expression firm, brooding, adjusting his grip on the sword):
"That was Disappointed Father Mode. This," he declared, holding the sword now like a seasoned general reborn in bespoke Armani, "is CEO Dad Mode. Activated."
Lu Zhenhai (voice chillingly calm):
"Only I possess the right to discipline my errant offspring. And discipline him, I shall."
(MEANWHILE, AT HSE OFFICE – IGNORANCE IS BLISS)
Su Yu, blissfully unaware of the impending paternal and marital doom hurtling towards him, was casually sipping lukewarm coffee from a chipped mug and enthusiastically outlining the next revolutionary update for the 'Office Worker Simulator' DLC to his bewildered interns.
"...and for the 'Passive-Aggressive Email' mini-game, we'll implement a dynamic difficulty curve based on the player's real-time blood pressure..."
Suddenly—
BAM!
The flimsy office doors burst open with the force of a category five hurricane, slamming against the walls. Dust rained down from the ceiling. Everyone froze, turning towards the entrance in stunned silence.
There stood Lu Zhenhai, radiating enough frosty authority to cause frostbite, the gleaming sword held loosely but purposefully at his side. Framed dramatically behind him stood Linling, looking like a vengeful goddess serving as his incredibly stylish backup dancer in a revenge-themed music video.
Su Yu (blinking, coffee mug halfway to his lips, whispering frantically to himself):
"...Oh dear. Oh no. My potential sugar mama... appears to have brought her extremely intimidating boss."
(SCENE: HSE OFFICE - THE CONFRONTATION)
Sensing mortal peril radiating from the doorway duo, Su Yu, with the practiced elegance of a cornered con artist, spun his duct-taped executive chair a full 180 degrees—not to reveal a hidden weapon or a cunning escape plan, but to gesture dramatically towards the back of the room.
Su Yu (voice filled with proud, if misplaced, confidence):
"Intruders! Before you proceed with whatever hostile takeover or aggressive auditing you have planned, allow me to present... the true power behind HSE Limited! Behold! Our Supreme Boss!"
The camera zoomed dramatically onto Madam Yunqiao, Su Yu's mother, who was sitting calmly amidst the chaos, legs crossed elegantly, sipping the ginger tea Hang Mu had provided earlier. She radiated an aura of serene, unshakeable queenly energy, looking utterly unfazed by the armed man and vengeful woman at the door. She gave a polite, almost imperceptible nod.
Lu Zhenhai (visibly startled, his authoritative stance faltering for a second):
"Yunqiao...? Wife… darling… what in heavens are you doing in this… this glorified storage closet playing CEO with our delusional son? Come now, let's go home. I'll have cook prepare your favourite bird's nest soup, I'll personally fluff your pillows—come along, dear." He took a step forward, his voice softening considerably.
Boss Mom (Yunqiao) (her voice calm, but carrying an unexpected weight, stopping him cold):
"Zhenhai. At home, you provide me with comfort, with stability, with things. Here," she gestured vaguely at the chaotic office, "here, I take control. It's... invigorating."
Su Yu visibly preened, bowing deeply in respect towards his 'Boss'. Lu Zhenhai looked like he'd just swallowed a particularly bitter dose of expired cough syrup.
Lu Zhenhai (muttering, defeated but with a sudden, dangerous glint in his eye):
"Fine. Fine. If you insist on playing CEO in this... hovel... then I shall adapt! I hereby tender my resignation from Lu Corporation, effective immediately! I shall become your personal secretary! Let's see just how hot this newfound office romance can get, my dear CEO."
He smirked, a possessive, challenging smirk. The temperature in the room seemed to rise several degrees. Su Yu squinted, looking utterly baffled and slightly nauseated, as if he'd just witnessed two particularly amorous slugs engage in virtual reality mating rituals.
Su Yu (gagging slightly):
"Wait! Secretary?! Who will manage the multi-billion dollar Lu Corporation then?!"
Lu Zhenhai (shrugging nonchalantly, his eyes never leaving Yunqiao):
"Details, details. I'll sell it off cheap. Or perhaps gift it to that third cousin twice removed whom I particularly despise. My priorities have... shifted."
Linling (face twitching, looking back and forth between the players in this increasingly bizarre family drama):
"Sweet merciful heavens, this entire family requires intensive, long-term psychotherapy."
Unable to contain her frustration any longer, she let out a furious shriek and lifted her sword high (having presumably retrieved it while Zhenhai was distracted), aiming directly at Su Yu—
But—SLIP!
As she lunged forward, Su Yu, perhaps sensing the killing intent or simply startled by the sudden movement, instinctively dodged sideways. Linling stumbled on a stray power cord—BOOM! They crashed together in a tangle of limbs.
Cue: Accidental Intimate Collision Trope - ACTIVATED.
They landed in a heap, Linling sprawled awkwardly across Su Yu.
Linling (panicked, cheeks flushing crimson, suddenly aware of the solid form beneath her):
"What in the blazes are you made of?! Unexpectedly solid muscles?!"
Su Yu (disgusted, shoving her off roughly as if she were contaminated):
"Get off me, you warm-blooded, Wi-Fi-signal-disrupting, sword-wielding psycho woman!"
Linling (scrambling to her feet, regaining her composure, teeth gritted):
"Mark my words, Lu Siyan! One day you'll be begging for my embrace!"
Su Yu (scoffing, dusting himself off):
"And one day, I'll invest in sword-defense lessons! And possibly a restraining order!"
Meanwhile, behind a hastily flipped conference table that now served as a makeshift bunker, the interns exchanged furtive whispers:
Hang Mu: "Okay, okay... the tension is palpable! Should we release the 'Enemies to Lovers' Romantic DLC branch now, or wait until she actually manages to stab him next time?"
Lu Yan: "Patience, young grasshopper. We need at least two more highly awkward, sexually charged near-death experiences. Then the DLC will sell like wildfire fueled by lonely tears."
(SCENE: LU MANSION – MIDNIGHT OUTSIDE THE MAIN GATE – ROUND TWO)
Linling arrived back at the Lu Mansion gates like a force of nature, her sleek convertible screeching to a halt in a spray of gravel, looking like it had just driven directly out of a high-octane thriller film.
Linling (screaming towards the imposing mansion from her open car window):
"OLD MAN LU! ARE YOU AWAKE?! YOUR ENTIRE BLOODLINE IS CERTIFIABLY INSANE!!"
Old Man Lu, clad in exquisitely embroidered silk pajamas and holding a steaming cup of calming herbal tea, emerged onto the porch with surprising serenity, followed by his small, fluffy, equally sleepy dog.
Old Man Lu (sighing, the picture of long-suffering patriarchy):
"Ah, Young Madam Linling. What fresh chaos erupts now? Did my son Zhenhai attempt to bring that ridiculously oversized sword into the office again?"
Linling leaped dramatically from her car, her rage coiled and ready to strike.
Linling (launching into a rapid-fire, exasperated explanation):
"Your son has quit his multi-billion dollar corporation to become his wife's secretary! Your grandson, the supposed heir, kidnapped his own mother to install her as the CEO of a bankrupt-looking startup run by children! And your daughter-in-law, Madam Yunqiao, seems to be thoroughly enjoying her unexpected villain arc presiding over said startup! It's madness!"
Old Man Lu (nodding calmly, taking a thoughtful sip of tea):
"Ah, yes. Zhenhai. Always the romantic fool beneath the corporate armor. He swore he'd never be distracted by women before his arranged marriage... but the moment he met Yunqiao, that man pursued her like a starving duck chasing a loaf of bread. Even resigned from three different board positions just to accommodate her Ashtanga yoga schedule back in the day…"
He gazed wistfully at the moon, his soul seemingly weary from generations of Lu family drama.
Old Man Lu (muttering):
"He has truly forsaken the stoic path of the Lu lineage... all for love. Disappointing, yet... predictable."
Linling tossed her hair back, placing her hands on her hips, sword now safely sheathed but her stance radiating defiance.
Linling:
"In light of this widespread familial incompetence—I propose a change! I should be formally recognized as the acting head, the true inheritor of the Lu family's legacy! Everyone else is clearly compromised—either hopelessly in love, tragically delusional, or demonstrably broken. I am the only sane, rational mind left standing!"
Old Man Lu lifted one bushy eyebrow, regarding her with ancient, slightly amused wisdom.
Old Man Lu:
"My dear, the designated inheritor remains Lu Siyan, regardless of his current... mental vacation. Not you. However," he added pragmatically, "since you are legally tethered to him as his wife, his fortune eventually becomes intertwined with yours. Why the unseemly rush?"
Linling (stamping her foot, furious):
"I don't just want his share! I want him! I want him kneeling at my feet, beneath my pomegranate skirt metaphorically speaking, admitting that I am the undisputed queen of this entire messed-up dynasty!"
Old Man Lu nodded sagely, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Old Man Lu:
"Ah… the fiery passion of young wives seeking dominance. Reminds me precisely of how Siyan's grandmother convinced me to quit smoking cigars back in '78. Quite effective, as I recall."
(SCENE: LINLING'S ROOM – MIDNIGHT FURY IN DESIGNER PAJAMAS)
Linling stormed back into her lavish, excessively pink-themed bedroom suite, slamming the door with such force that a small, decorative porcelain duck vibrated ominously before tumbling off its shelf with a tragic tink. Seething, she snatched her phone and speed-dialed her long-suffering manager, who likely kept tranquilizers by his bedside specifically for her calls.
Linling (shouting into the phone, pacing like a caged tigress):
"Manager Wang! Clear my schedule! I am participating in that trashy reality show, 'Couple Reborn: Love or Lie!' Sign me up! Effective immediately!"
Manager Wang (voice thick with sleep and confusion):
"Wait—Madam Linling—hold on! 'Couple Reborn'?! Isn't that the appalling dating show where they lock dysfunctional couples in a house and force them to participate in humiliating 'romantic' challenges?! You despise public displays of affection! You literally implemented a company-wide ban on handshakes last year!"
Linling (gritting her teeth, voice dangerously low):
"He. Is. My. Husband. Contractual or otherwise."
A heavy, pregnant silence hung on the line.
Manager Wang (voice trembling slightly with disbelief):
"...Madam...Forgive my confusion... Weren't you famously single right up until the day you suddenly announced your marriage to the famously reclusive Lu Siyan?! How does that even—"
Linling (yelling, cutting him off):
"Irrelevant details! Just ensure Lu Siyan is cast alongside me! Pull whatever strings necessary! Bribe producers! Threaten sponsors! I don't care how, just make it happen!"
Manager Wang (hesitantly):
"So... you want to go on national television... locked in a house with the emotionally constipated, potentially amnesiac genius Lu Siyan... and pretend to be deeply in love for ratings?"
Linling (a wicked, venomous smile spreading across her face):
"Oh, Manager Wang. We won't pretend. I will seduce him. I will confuse him. I will make him fall desperately, tragically in love with me. And then? I will crush him. I will make him suffer. And then he will die of heartbreak—metaphorically, of course—beneath my pomegranate skirt!"
She ended the call abruptly and turned to face her full-length mirror, striking a dramatic pose, perhaps unconsciously mimicking the stance she'd seen Lu Zhenhai take with the sword earlier.
Linling (to her reflection, eyes blazing):
"Let the entire nation bear witness to the glorious downfall of Lu Siyan. I'll ensure he spends the rest of his days regretting the misfortune of being born infuriatingly good-looking and pathologically emotionally unavailable."
(SCENE: MIDNIGHT ALLEY – SU YU, THE SHADOW CEO)
While Linling plotted televised revenge, the city slept—but not Su Yu. Under the flickering, unreliable glow of a single streetlamp in a suitably shady back alley, our delusional protagonist was crouched low, resembling a seasoned spy preparing for a covert exchange. He wore dark sunglasses (at midnight) and a trench coat that screamed 'purchased from a discount cosplay outlet.'
Su Yu (whispering seriously into the darkness, as if expecting enemy agents to be listening):
"Operation Frostbite Zero is proceeding according to plan. Agent Dandan, report! Have you successfully obtained the intelligence files from the designated enemy target?"
From the deeper shadows, a small figure emerged, swaggering with unearned confidence. It was Dandan, Su Yu's seven-year-old secretary/security chief, wearing oversized glasses and chewing bubblegum with intense concentration. He held up a small USB stick with dramatic flair.
Dandan (grinning, displaying a missing front tooth):
"Mission accomplished, Boss! Target system secured! They had a triple-encrypted firewall guarded by AI attack dogs, but nothing withstands my secret weapon: I fed the system pictures of cute kittens until it overloaded from sheer adorableness. Crashed harder than your dignity did when you called your own mother 'Boss' for the fifteenth time today."
Su Yu (wiping away a single, theatrical fake tear):
"Must you remind me of my moments of weakness...? But you, Dandan! You are exceptional! My first employee! My loyal right-hand man-child! When the HSE empire inevitably rises to global dominance, your name shall be inscribed upon the solid gold plaque in the lobby!"
Dandan (popping his gum thoughtfully):
"Okay, Boss. But does this golden plaque come with comprehensive dental insurance? And maybe guaranteed weekends off?"
Su Yu:
"Dental insurance is pending! Weekends are a capitalist conspiracy! But you shall receive lucrative stock options and unlimited access to all ice cream confiscated during Operation Cold Justice!"
They fist-bumped solemnly, a bizarre yet formidable child-CEO duo sealing their pact to achieve world domination (or at least, solvency).
(SCENE SWITCH: REALITY SHOW PRODUCTION OFFICE – A PRODUCER'S DREAM)
Meanwhile, in a cluttered, caffeine-fueled production office across town, Linling's manager nervously pitched the idea to the reality show's eccentric executive producer – a woman known for her leopard-print attire and a deep, abiding love for unscripted chaos.
Manager Wang (sweating slightly):
"...and so, Madam Linling wishes to participate... with her husband. You know... the notoriously reclusive, potentially unstable, emotionally unavailable tech billionaire, Lu Siyan."
Producer (rubbing her hands together gleefully, eyes gleaming like a predator spotting prey):
"Ohhhhh, Wang, you beautiful bearer of blessed chaos! This is magnificent! Delicious! Cold, untouchable CEO forced into couple's therapy games with his fiery, potentially psychopathic estranged wife?! The ratings! The drama! The sheer meme potential! It'll sell like black market gossip in a convent! Approved! Approved! Get me contracts immediately!"
(BACK AT THE ALLEY...)
Su Yu took the USB stick from Dandan, his eyes gleaming with strategic intensity as he stared at the small device containing stolen data.
Su Yu (grinning triumphantly):
"Excellent work, Agent Dandan. Now, it's time to deal with those pathetic corporations shamelessly trying to plagiarize HSE's revolutionary 'Gacha Office Supply Simulator' concept. With this intel..." his grin widened, sharp and dangerous, "...Phase Two shall be utterly, gloriously unstoppable."