One person said: The essence of Wuhou Qimen lies not in Qimen, but in Wuhou.

Zhuge Ming's eyebrows twitched very slightly.

It wasn't because of an accident, but because he quickly searched through all the information about Lu Jin in his mind.

Lu Jin, one of the Ten Elders, is the head of the Lu family, one of the four great families. He is a flawless senior in the world of supernatural beings, a moral exemplar, and has an excellent reputation. He is the Lu Jin that Yuan Tao stared at for a lifetime before finally managing to utter the words, "Your master is petty."

If it were someone else, Zhuge Ming might not be interested in meeting them—but Lu Jin is someone he can meet.

It wasn't because Lu Jin had a high status, but because Lu Jin was a person of integrity in his conduct and dealings.

Clean people deserve to be treated cleanly.

When he spoke, a hint of doubt flickered in his voice: "Chairman Zhao, I know the basic information about the Ten Elders. But I've only heard their names, never met them. This Comrade Lu Jin actually specifically asked to report to me by name—logically speaking, the person he should be dealing with most in the company is you, the chairman. Isn't that only natural?"

Zhao Fangxu paused for about a beat upon hearing this.

His lips moved, his brain racing—he couldn't directly say, "Lu Jin is here to sound out the old master," nor could he directly say, "They're all after that pen in your hand."

He needed to find a way of expressing himself that was neither distorted nor made to seem like he was acting as a go-between.

"Director Zhuge, actually this—"

His speech was a beat slower than usual, which was extremely rare for Zhao Fangxu. "I think Senior Lu probably wants to meet you, a pillar of the nation. After all, in the eyes of such a senior who has lived for over a hundred years, we are all juniors. They always have a natural affinity for outstanding young people and want to hear their unique insights, which is only natural."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Ming's lips curled into a very subtle smile.

The smile wasn't the smugness of someone flattered, but rather a knowing look that said, "You put a lot of effort into making up that story."

He raised his hand and gently pressed it down, indicating that the other person didn't need to make up any more stories.

"I understand. Chairman Zhao, it's working hours now. Since Comrade Lu Jin has a work report to give, please have him come to my office."

He paused, then added in a calm but unambiguous tone, "Oh, by the way—in this office, it's limited to work-related matters."

Zhao Fangxu, of course, understood the meaning of those words.

It's all business; there's no room for personal relationships.

During working hours, we should only talk about work; this is Zhuge Ming's rule.

He stood up, nodded, and maintained a perfect balance between professionalism and humility on his face: "Then I will go and invite Comrade Lu Jin over to report on his work."

Zhuge Ming nodded.

Zhao Fangxu turned and walked out, gently pulling the doorknob as he closed the door; the sound of the latch engaging the keyhole was barely audible.

……

In the corridor, Zhao Fangxu quickly greeted Lu Jin, who had just entered from the main entrance.

Lu Jin was dressed in a dark gray Chinese-style jacket with a crisp fabric. His white hair was neatly combed, and he walked with a powerful stride. His leather shoes clicked on the floor tiles, making him look nothing like an old man who had lived for a century.

Zhao Fangxu hurried a few steps to barely keep up with his pace, speaking sideways as he walked, his demeanor like a tour guide accompanying a VIP.

"Senior Lu, please slow down—I can hardly keep up with you."

Zhao Fangxu's voice carried a perfectly balanced mix of helplessness and respect.

Lu Jin glanced at him sideways, her steps not stopping at all, only slowing down slightly.

His voice was loud and clear, his breath filling half the corridor: "Chairman Zhao, you're so young, you should exercise more. I, Lu Jin, am over a hundred years old, and look at me, I'm still as spry as a feather. Don't always sit in the office, go out and move around more—health is the foundation of everything."

Zhao Fangxu gave a bitter smile to himself.

His physical strength was certainly not bad, but in front of an old monster of Lu Jin's caliber, he had to pretend to be somewhat weak.

He took a couple of breaths, and said in a half-joking, half-serious tone, "How could I dare compare myself to you, Senior Lu? I know there are some things I need to say that might make you uncomfortable—but I still have to say them. This is, after all, the company headquarters, and it's working hours now."

Lu Jin finally slowed down, turned to look at Zhao Fangxu, and had a half-smile on her lips.

Having lived this long, he'd seen it all. He immediately saw through Zhao Fangxu's hesitant manner: "This is your territory. What can I, Lu Jin, do? Just say it, I'm listening."

Zhao Fangxu took a deep breath, as if he had made a great decision, and slowly said in a tone that was both tactful and straightforward: "Senior Lu, when you go to Director Zhuge's office to report on your work later—it's working time now. When you're working, you must use your title."

Lu Jin was stunned for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter.

The laughter echoed in the corridor for several seconds before dissipating.

He patted Zhao Fangxu on the shoulder, so hard that Zhao Fangxu's shoulder slumped down. After laughing, he had an expression that said, "So it's really tiring for you officials." He said, "I understand. Looking at your troubled expression, you don't look like a chairman at all. If I had known it would be this troublesome, I would have come after get off work. It wouldn't have been so complicated—it should have been just a matter of a few words."

Zhao Fangxu shook his head repeatedly, his tone now carrying a hint of sincere explanation and earnestness, as if he were helping an elder understand the rules of the new world: "Senior Lu, you can't say it like that. People nowadays are very particular about timeliness, and government agencies are no exception—going to work is going to work, leaving get off work is leaving work, work is work, and life is life, everything is clearly separated."

If you come after get off work, you'll be even less likely to see Director Zhuge. After all, a pillar of the nation like Director Zhuge has an extremely tight schedule, many tasks, and heavy responsibilities, leaving him with no spare time. It's not easy to see him—you must understand.

Lu Jin stopped completely in her tracks.

He stood in the middle of the corridor, turned to look at Zhao Fangxu, and his expression changed from teasing to an indescribable sigh.

Looking at Zhao Fangxu's face, which was full of caution and discipline, he suddenly realized that this chairman, who had always been a "junior" in his eyes, was now protecting someone in an extremely careful way—or protecting some kind of order that Lu Jin was not very familiar with.

"Today has truly opened my eyes, Lu Jin."

His tone wasn't sarcastic, but rather a pure, unadorned exclamation: "In this company—your little domain, Chairman Zhao's—why do you talk like that? Aren't you in charge? Isn't it always the case that rank trumps rank? What, is this Director Zhuge of the company higher in rank than you?"

Zhao Fangxu's expression changed in a fraction of a second.

It wasn't anger, but a kind of panic, like having your tail stepped on but not daring to bark.

Almost instinctively, he raised his hand, put his index finger to his lips, and made a "shh" gesture.

The gestures were made quickly and urgently, and combined with the expression on his face, it looked just like a middle school homeroom teacher reminding students not to speak under the national flag.