"Team Leader Chen, you've been hiding this really well, haven't you?"

In an atmosphere thick with bewildered expressions, a female colleague who had a close relationship with Chen Yinuo finally spoke up.

"Hiding? Hiding what?" Chen Yinuo was completely lost.

"Team Leader Chen, we all heard a bit about what happened at Carlton yesterday!" the colleague said.

"Huh?"

Chen Yinuo was stunned, utterly flabbergasted.

Yesterday at the Carlton Hotel... Was this about Yihua's wedding fiasco?

But what did that have to do with her? And how could that possibly explain the sudden shift in how everyone at work was treating her?

"Team Leader Chen, we even felt bad for you before, thinking your husband was, you know... well, that. But it turns out the rumors were false. And what's more, we never expected you to keep such a tight lid on this!" the colleague exclaimed.

"And on top of that, just one phone call from you not only summoned our boss, Mr. Li, and Mr. Zhang from Yunshan Network, but also a slew of high-profile heirs and young elites. They even brought in a wave of internet celebrities and singers to liven things up. Not to mention, even those wealthy heirs and our boss and Mr. Zhang all addressed your husband as 'Brother' and called you 'Sister-in-law.' Goodness, what's your husband's background, really?"

This revelation left the entire office staring at Chen Yinuo with eager anticipation.

But at the same time, they couldn't figure it out.

If her husband was so powerful, then why was she subjected to constant bullying when she worked in the Sales Department?

This line of thought led them to remember the former company vice president, Wang Tao.

Wang Tao was notorious for targeting and harassing Chen Yinuo. When she was promoted to Team Leader of the Business Cooperation Group, Wang Tao even spread slanderous rumors about her.

But it wasn't long before Wang Tao was fired by their boss, Li Changfeng, and sent packing.

The sudden dismissal sparked widespread gossip since Wang Tao and Li Changfeng were known to be relatives.

For a while, some even speculated that Wang Tao's departure was because Zhang Jingshan from Yunshan Network had stepped in on Chen Yinuo's behalf, forcing Li Changfeng to dismiss him for the sake of peace.

Looking back now, such rumors seemed utterly ridiculous!

It was clear that the real reason lay in the fact that Team Leader Chen had a husband so influential that even the company president had to show him respect.

And yet, Chen Yinuo remained unaware of the conclusions people were drawing.

If she had known, she might have been so frustrated that she'd spit blood.

Just a couple of months ago, she couldn't even afford her child's school fees or her rent and had nearly ended up homeless.

Is this what "hiding your true strength" looks like?

At that moment, under the expectant gazes of her colleagues, Chen Yinuo forced a bitter smile and said, "Background? If I told you he has no background and is just an ordinary person, would you believe me?"

"Sis, do you think we'd believe that?" the female colleague replied, dropping the formal title of "Team Leader" in favor of a more intimate term.

"An ordinary person can summon a multimillion-dollar convoy with just one phone call? Forget the rich kids for a moment—even our boss, Mr. Li, and Mr. Zhang from Yunshan Network, address your husband as 'Brother' and call you 'Sister-in-law!'"

Chen Yinuo could only shake her head helplessly.

"Honestly, my husband, Ye Chen, only met Mr. Li and Mr. Zhang recently. It's not as complicated as you think. They're just giving him some face because they've built a little rapport. That's all."

"Giving face? Just like that?"

But those who knew more couldn't help but point out that Ye Chen had only made one phone call.

From the videos circulating online, it didn't look like the elite heirs and executives were merely "giving face" to Ye Chen. On the contrary, they seemed entirely deferential to him.

Still, with Chen Yinuo dodging their questions, they couldn't dig any deeper.

One thing was certain, though: From this day forward, Chen Yinuo was considered a powerful figure in Huaxing Commerce, someone even more respected than their boss, Li Changfeng.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, Chen Yihao, Lin Qiwen, Liu Xueqin, and Chen Jianguo were also basking in the limelight, as everyone saw them as people who could benefit from the same influential connections.

But for Liu Xueqin and Chen Jianguo, the situation was nerve-wracking.

The more attention and flattery they received, the more anxious and uneasy they became.

After all, Ye Chen and his family barely acknowledged them. They didn't even know where their daughter and son-in-law were living.

As for Ye Chen himself, he was having a much calmer day.

By noon, after transferring 30 million yuan to Peng Jun—the researcher developing the Wuxia Cream—he finally received a call from the man after more than ten days.

At the upscale "A" Western Restaurant, Peng Jun, who had once been a vice president, found himself a bit out of his depth.

"I thought you ran away," Ye Chen joked, sipping on a glass of water.

"Run away? Even for 30 billion, I wouldn't do that! Honestly, I don't care much about money. I only need enough to get by," Peng Jun replied candidly.

Ye Chen chuckled, knowing Peng Jun well enough to believe him.

"Alright, let's order first, then we'll talk," Ye Chen said with a shake of his head.

"Sure, I won't hold back!" Peng Jun said, picking up the electronic menu and placing his order swiftly.

After putting down the menu, Ye Chen got to the point. "So, what's up? Did the lab finally work out? Are we entering the R&D stage?"

"Not exactly. That's not why I reached out," Peng Jun replied, shaking his head.

"Oh? Then what's the matter? Do you need more funding?" Ye Chen asked.

"No, we still have plenty left. That's not it," Peng Jun said.

"Then what is it?"

"Remember when you mentioned acquiring a factory to prepare for producing the Wuxia Cream? I've found an even better opportunity for you. It's up to you if you want to take it," Peng Jun said with a mysterious grin.