The Martial Artist Turned Movie Mogul

Cheng Ranran couldn't take it anymore after enduring a week of "lingering stares."

It was simply a calamity out of nowhere.

"Shu, it's not that I don't want to help you, it's just that the enemies are too many, and my hands are tied~~"

Ye Xiaohui nodded in firm agreement. For the first time, she shared the same opinion as her childhood friend, pulling Tang Shu's hand to tug her towards the dormitory.

"Someone's here to look for you. We've got other things to attend to, so we'll make ourselves scarce now. Best of luck!"

The two of them practically ran off, half-dragging each other, leaving Tang Shu stunned and watching them disappear in frustration. As she turned back, her gaze collided with a familiar figure.

"Senior Du."

"Junior Sister Tang, what a coincidence. Fancy seeing you again."

Tang Shu responded with a polite smile but didn't reply.

Running into him three times in a week really was something—considering that before the research team was formed, Du An's appearances on the Medical University campus were rarer than the number of dramas she filmed in a year.

"How's your exam prep going, Junior Sister Tang?"

Du An hadn't expected to reverse the decision he'd made a few days ago so quickly, all thanks to the whirlwind of news spiraling online lately.

She turned out to be "She and Yu"? How could she possibly be "She and Yu," the highly skilled practitioner of traditional medicine he'd spent years painstakingly searching for!

If Tang Shu's abilities showcased during the research had previously caught his attention, he could still attribute those to talent and the substantial support of Professor Yu. After all, Tang Shu was just a student—impressive, yes, but to recruit her into the company would have to wait until she graduated at the earliest.

But this "She and Yu" was a game-changer, someone worthy of his utmost seriousness and thorough reconsideration.

The skillful techniques she possessed to enhance the potency of most herbs simply by altering processing techniques were far beyond the scope of an undergraduate student. Her formula innovations had single-handedly skyrocketed Cloudscape Pharma's revenue, leaving Du Pharmaceutical trailing far behind.

Not to mention the recent public revelation that Tang Shu and Jing Yu were engaged. The bond between them had only grown tighter, leaving Du An in a full-blown panic.

If this continued, Du Pharmaceutical wouldn't just fail to catch up with Cloudscape—at this rate, it might not even survive in the Imperial Capital. Meanwhile, Cloudscape would continue dominating the market, setting industry benchmarks in both profitability and influence.

How could he possibly recruit her into the company? This question had been plaguing Du An for quite some time.

Tang Shu froze at his question. After stopping her multiple times, was he really here just to check in on her graduate exam preparation?

Of course not. Even if she didn't do well this year, she could always try again next year. Worst-case scenario, she still had the option of guaranteed postgraduate admission. This wasn't something he should be overly concerned about.

"It's going okay."

"If you need any help, just let me know. You're aiming for the main campus, right?"

"Yes."

Imperial Capital Medical University was the best medical institution in the nation, and given her focus on traditional medicine, there was no need to study abroad—it was undoubtedly her top choice.

Du An gave a knowing smile. "The exam questions at the main campus are typically written by a few professors. I happen to have a collection of them on hand; perhaps you could use it?"

"That's not necessary. The library resources at school are already rich enough."

"Well then... Best of luck. I believe you can do it."

"Thank you for the encouragement, Senior Du. I'll do my best."

"By the way, Qianyu's been mentioning you a lot lately, saying you haven't come back home for dinner in a long time. How about we arrange something when you have time?"

"...Alright, but it'll have to wait until the exams are over."

A flicker of complexity flashed across Tang Shu's eyes before they returned to calm.

"It's getting late. I still have some matters to attend to, so I won't hold you up."

Once Du An's silhouette disappeared from view, Tang Shu finally lowered her gaze.

That dinner was probably never going to happen. For someone like Xu Qianyu, who was so proud... Still, Tang Shu genuinely felt the goodwill from the other side.

***

In mid-December, Tang Shu entered the exam hall in the morning, along with the large crowd of test-takers, ushering in the two-day postgraduate exam.

By the Nth time she'd encountered questions on "Exquisite Plant" and various herb processing techniques, she finally realized just what kind of academic burden she had brought upon medical students.

It was this much?

She once again felt the sharp intensity of stares falling on her... Wait, why were even the proctoring teachers looking at her?

Luckily, she still remembered those knowledge points—otherwise, the Old Tang Family and the Tang Sect wouldn't just lose face; they'd lose it completely.

Tang Shu wiped her expressionless face with her hand, gripped the pen, and wrote down answers one by one.

The two-day exam flew by in a blur. Cheng Ranran and her peers were mostly enjoying winter break at home by this point, but as Tang Shu walked out of the exam hall alone, scanning the area, there wasn't a single familiar face in sight.

"Feeling like a genius's path is awfully lonely?"

At the campus gate, Wen Nuan leaned against the SUV, casually teasing.

"Not so much lonely, but if I stayed any longer, I might drown in the resentful gazes of my senior and junior classmates."

Tang Shu swiftly climbed into the passenger seat, urging Wen Nuan to drive. She didn't even bother removing the backpack carrying her exam admission slip—essentially fleeing the scene.

"Tsk, you're finally having your day."

Wen Nuan started the car, and the two of them first dropped by a handful of baby supply stores before leisurely heading to the Yuh Ji Bun Shop in East District Alley.

In August of this year, Zhuang Jingran had given birth to a baby girl, who had just turned three months old. Tang Shu had watched the emergence of parental joy unfold in their small WeChat group, witnessing the birth of new mom and dad friends.

Especially tough-guy Yuh Jieming—he couldn't go a single day without soliciting compliments from the group members for his daughter. He was absolutely whipped on her.

Two hours later, they finally saw the white, chubby little bun baby in person, who could easily rival the buns crafted under her dad's hands.

"What's her name?"

Tang Shu was instantly melted by the pair of huge eyes resembling Zhuang Jingran's. The little bun baby was at an age where everything amazed her. One hand held a rattling drum, flailing it around while drooling non-stop.

Yuh Jieming didn't tire of wiping his daughter's mouth while flashing an incongruous goofy grin, entirely out of character for his normally imposing image.

"Bun."

"...What?!"

"Yeah, Bun. What's the issue?"

"No problem. As long as you're happy."

So their family's bun was truly hereditary—Tang Shu suddenly felt speechless. But admittedly, the name did suit the image.

Let's hope she doesn't run away from home when she grows up.

Zhuang Jingran had gained a few pounds after giving birth, but only if you looked closely would you notice. The allure she once carried was now softened with the gentle glow of motherhood—her expression so full of joy it nearly spilled over.

"What do you think—cute, right?"

"Adorable."

"Not as cute as my Xiao Xi, though."

Wen Nuan's cheeky comment deserved a smack, though Zhuang Jingran wasn't bothered at all. She herself had once believed Xiao Xi was the cutest child in the entire world, but after having her own baby, she completely understood Wen Nuan's fiercely protective instincts.

The new mom immediately shifted her focus to Tang Shu. "So you've been quite the hot topic recently—when are you planning to have one yourself? If it's a boy, we could even arrange a childhood engagement with my little Bun."