"Ororo, my Darling Ororo, please stop treating me with that glacial attitude!" Zhou Yi tried to hug Ororo's waist from behind, but she ruthlessly pulled away. "You acting like this makes me truly sad."
"Then why don't you consider my feelings? I am sad too. Why didn't you discuss such a major issue with me first? Instead, you went straight to the Professor? Do you think my opinion holds no value?"
Ororo was extremely upset about Zhou Yi taking a group of her students away, especially after learning that a new, vulnerable student named Rogue was among the invited children.
"Do you even realize how dangerous her situation is? We've gone to extraordinary lengths to protect her here at the Academy. And yet you're just taking her straight outside. Do you know who is waiting out there for her?"
"I know!" Rubbing his temples, Zhou Yi felt a headache brewing from Ororo's intense emotion. "Of course, I know who that man is; the Professor told me everything."
"You know?" Ororo's voice suddenly rose sharply. "If you know, why would you still...? Wait, you're doing this on purpose! The Professor asked you to help deal with him?"
When she said this, even Jean Grey, who had been sitting nearby, feigning disinterest in a book, snapped her head up and stared at him in disbelief.
Under the weight of their dual gaze, Zhou Yi felt immense pressure. He forced a nonchalant shrug, adopting a 'no big deal' expression.
"The Professor said he had a plan, and he just needed a little assistance from me."
"This is utterly reckless. You should not be involved in this. You'll be in danger; no, I'm going to talk to the Professor right now." Ororo pushed the door open and started to leave.
Before she exited the room, she looked back at Zhou Yi with a grave expression. "Promise me you won't leave here before I return."
"Of course, I swear!" He held up three fingers, making a solemn, theatrical vow.
Although everyone knew the man was no believer in a deity, they also knew his promises were reliable. So Ororo left, her mind slightly eased.
After she departed, Jean Grey turned and spoke earnestly to Zhou Yi:
"You should know, she's not being unreasonable. She's just deeply worried about the Children and worried about your safety." As Ororo's closest friend, Jean Grey—despite the intimate complication that existed between the three of them—was still performing her duty as a friend.
"You are not like us; you are not a Mutant. Magneto will show absolutely no mercy to a human."
"I know exactly what kind of person Ororo is, naturally. So you don't need to worry about me at all." He took a few steps, closing the distance to Jean Grey, leaning so close that he was almost pressing his face against hers. "Compared to her concern, I'd rather know what you're thinking? Come on, hearing that I'm about to face the ultimate boss of the Mutant World, do you feel a sense of trepidation?"
Jean Grey gently pushed against Zhou Yi's chest as he leaned in, then glanced around with a guilty conscience. After confirming that no one was peeking in, she lowered her voice to a whisper:
"Are you insane? This is a school, not the place for your ridiculous games."
"Alright, alright, next time I'll be sure to choose a different venue." Zhou Yi grinned mischievously, persistent as ever. "But you still have to tell me what you're thinking! Don't tell me you aren't worried about me at all; that would truly wound my ego."
Jean Grey shot the carefree man an exasperated look but felt compelled to answer him honestly:
"Fine, I admit it, alright? I am extremely worried about you, you infuriating man; I'm practically worried sick."
"Perfect!" Rubbing his slightly prickly chin, Zhou Yi smiled like a fox that had just snatched a prize chicken. "To be so earnestly thought of by the beautiful Young Miss Jean Grey, that, for me, is truly a great honor. Does this not also mean that I, having been favored by Young Miss Jean Grey, can officially be considered an outstanding male?"
"You're utterly full of nonsense!" Jean Grey was amused by Zhou Yi's exaggerated declaration and burst out laughing.
Strictly speaking, her relationship with Zhou Yi was undeniably ambiguous. But neither of them seemed bothered. For one, their involvement had never been made public, and for another, both of them somewhat enjoyed the thrill of the clandestine arrangement.
Men always crave a bit of flirtation, and women are rarely as well-behaved as they pretend to be. Although Zhou Yi felt a little pity for Jean Grey's nominal boyfriend, he honestly believed that gloomy guy was entirely unworthy of her; compared to himself, he was simply too far behind.
Their conversation continued, but it quickly shifted from their personal dynamic to other matters. This was, after all, a school with many observant eyes and ears, and neither of them wanted to be too obvious and create trouble. Besides, even the most intimate relationships require shared topics and hobbies to maintain their depth.
Just now, to an outsider, they appeared to be engaged in high-level academic research on current affairs and cutting-edge technology. But in reality, they were using this common intellectual ground to deepen their affection.
"I heard that Osborn Industries has achieved a significant Breakthrough in advanced genetic research. Do you know the specifics?"
"The information Osborn Industries sent me indicates they've had success in transgenic engineering. They claim to have completed preliminary experiments on some small insects, supposedly creating a super spider. But unfortunately, that is mostly propaganda for external consumption."
"How so?" Jean Grey listened intently. As a Mutant, despite her genius-level expertise in the field, she was often shut out by the scientific community. Without a suitable social circle, it was nearly impossible for her to obtain first-hand cutting-edge information.
Consequently, much of her research insight and materials had to be sourced through Zhou Yi. This had been Zhou Yi's crucial method for approaching this intellectual beauty in the early days, and even now, with their close relationship, it remained a vital way to maintain their connection.
"That transgenic project started a long time ago, but ever since the brilliant researcher who initiated it unfortunately passed away, the project has been stagnant for over a decade. Even those few small spiders were the work of that late gentleman."
"Is that true? What a shame." Jean Grey sighed regretfully.
The World of science is brutal. Mediocre individuals can only maintain the status quo; they cannot generate real momentum. The true drivers of scientific progress are always those Genius minds who far surpass their peers.
"It is a pity, but Osborn still retains one decent fellow, and his experimental projects appear to be making some headway. It's also in the field of bioengineering."
"Osborn Industries always seems obsessed with bioengineering. I genuinely can't tell if they are trying to be a military enterprise or a medical enterprise," Jean Grey joked. After a slight complaint about the company's focus, she rolled her beautiful eyes and teased, "Let me guess: who is this decent fellow you speak of?"
"Please do. Would you like a little hint?" Zhou Yi leaned against the desk, shifting into a more relaxed position as he continued the conversation.
"Absolutely not!" A flash of insight gleamed in Jean Grey's eyes, and she quickly found the answer. "Is it Professor Curt Connors, right? I read his articles a long time ago. He has quite unique insights into biological regeneration, but it's rather unfortunate that his progress seems to have been difficult."
"It's said he has achieved some results with animals, but it is still under observation," Zhou Yi confirmed her guess, detailing the situation. "He appears to have successfully isolated the regeneration factor in lizard genes and already extracted it. However, due to the company's current situation, his experiments are on hold."
"What's wrong? Has Osborn Industries run into problems?" If an international giant encounters trouble, it sends ripples across society. Even Mutants are concerned, as these massive corporations indirectly affect their quality of life.
"The Osborn Family has always suffered from an Innate genetic disease, and Mr. Osborn seems to be nearing his end," Zhou Yi shrugged, expressing a sense of corporate helplessness. "To maintain the company's stability, the shareholders have unanimously agreed to halt all unnecessary developmental experiments until the company stabilizes."
"Well, it looks like Professor Connors' dream will have to be delayed for quite some time, then," Jean Grey said with a touch of sympathy. Curt Connors was a disabled Scientist whose primary research goal was to cure his own disability. Suspending the experiment meant he was one step further from his recovery, a genuinely tragic setback.
"No choice, we must be prudent." As a major shareholder, Zhou Yi had no other option. The stability of a massive corporation affects the employment of tens of thousands of people, demanding extreme caution. In the face of that, Professor Connors' personal issues were far less significant.
Understanding Zhou Yi's awkward position, Jean Grey tactfully steered the conversation away, discussing Zhou Yi's recent travel experiences instead.
The two maintained their lively, intimate exchange until the sound of someone entering broke the moment.
"Teacher Jean, are you here?" The person who entered was a man of average height but powerfully built. He had a highly distinctive hairstyle and facial hair, giving him a wild, Beast-like appearance. Combined with his rugged features, he exuded the aura of a mature, tough man. His subtle, involuntary military bearing added to his rough appeal.
Zhou Yi noticed his small, unconscious actions, such as his subtle scanning of the room and an almost involuntary sniffing motion. These suggested a deep-seated lack of inner security. Given the powerful demeanor he exuded, if he wasn't a deeply hidden coward, he must have endured too many traumatic experiences, leaving him with profound, inherent vigilance.
"Your friend?" Zhou Yi tilted his head, asking Jean Grey about the newcomer.
Jean Grey stood up and made the introductions. "Yi, allow me to introduce you. This is Logan, a fellow Mutant who has just arrived at the school. Logan, this is Zhou Yi. He is not a Mutant, but his younger sister is one of our kind, and our relationship has always been very good."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Logan. I'm Zhou Yi, and I believe we'll become quite familiar with each other in the future."