C2 Beauty Are You Feeling Uncomfortable?

When Lee Mu arrived at the lab today, he noticed Xu Jin coughing, a clear sign that she was in the early stages of an infectious disease—coughing, headaches, followed by loss of appetite and persistent fever.

"Um, Xu, are you feeling okay?" Lee Mu was aware it was rude to interrupt someone at work, but this was a matter of life and death.

"Little White, draw blood from the test subject. I need his sample."

"Data team, double-check the numbers."

"You two, keep the B07 sample frozen and get ready for Phase II of the experiment."

Xu Jin was thrilled with the data she collected after Lee Mu had fainted; it confirmed that her research was effective on humans. She was so focused on directing her team that she didn't notice Lee Mu behind her, pale and looking utterly helpless.

As the lab functioned smoothly under Xu Jin's direction, she suddenly felt a blur before her eyes. Without a chance to steady herself, she started to sway and collapsed backward. Lee Mu, who had just risen from the test chair, was right behind her. He quickly stepped forward and caught Xu Jin in his arms.

A scent!

Instantly, a delicate lily fragrance emanated from the woman he held, sending a ripple through Lee Mu's heart.

The lilies of the valley, tender and fragrant.

Ah, was this the scent of a mature woman?

"Ms. Xu!"

The rest of the research team noticed Xu Jin fainting into Lee Mu's arms and quickly surrounded them. Their concerned faces showed that Xu Jin was well-liked among her colleagues.

"Oh no, she's burning up," exclaimed a girl with large eyes as she touched Xu Jin's forehead. "Xu Jin has a high fever."

"Lee Mu, what are you waiting for? Carry Xu Jin to the emergency room, now!" someone called out.

Lee Mu was no stranger to being a test subject; the research team recognized him.

He gently pressed his hand to Xu Jin's forehead to gauge her temperature.

"Our emergency room is set up for clinical trials; it might not be equipped to handle Xu Jin's condition," Lee Mu remarked.

Lee Mu wasn't making things up. The group's R&D department had an emergency room specifically for test subjects involved in research projects, primarily to address urgent situations like drug allergies. Even if they brought Xu Jin there, the emergency room staff would likely be at a loss.

"Let's take her to the hospital. I'll drive," someone said, removing his mask to fetch the car keys.

"It's rush hour now. It'll take at least an hour to reach the nearest hospital from here, and that's not even counting potential traffic jams. Maybe we should see if there's a clinic nearby?" another person proposed.

"A clinic might be even less equipped than the emergency room. We should head to the hospital. I have a friend in the traffic police. Maybe they can help clear a path for us."

Amidst the debate, Lee Mu raised his phone, showing the navigation map awash in deep red.

"With traffic like this, not even the police can help us. Is there a quiet lounge somewhere here?"

"Yes!"

"How did we forget that Lee Mu studied medicine!"

"Come on, we'll show you the way."

The R&D department's lounge was a suite with a sitting area furnished with a tea table and sofa, and an inner room resembling a standard hotel room, intended for staff who needed to work in the lab for extended periods.

Several female members gently laid Xu Jin on the bed and turned to Lee Mu, "What can we do?"

"Just close the door, please."

As they spoke, Lee Mu had already retrieved silver acupuncture needles from his backpack.

Indeed, his major in college was traditional Chinese medicine.

Since acupuncture shouldn't be performed in a draft, the women from the R&D department stepped out of the room, thoughtfully closing the door behind them as they left.

With a whoosh, Lee Mu exhaled in relief once he heard their departing footsteps.

Looking back at Xu Jin on the bed, his brow creased slightly.

He had refused to let the R&D team take Xu Jin to the hospital because he had noticed a change in her cellular profile.

The virus count had turned a deep, alarming red, indicating that the psittacosis virus levels in Xu Jin's body had reached a critical threshold.

"Let's give it a try and see if the Super Microorganism Chip is just a figment of my imagination or if it truly exists."

Lee Mu took a deep breath, retrieved a face mask from his backpack, and put it on. He then used alcohol to sterilize the silver acupuncture needles he would need.

Once he had finished these preparations, he gently cradled Xu Jin's soft right hand in his own.

Xu Jin's skin was fair, and her hands were smooth with a subtle, milky sheen, indicating regular care. Moreover, her fingers were long, slender, and well-proportioned, surpassing those of many hand models Lee Mu had encountered.

"Quite beautiful, but still not quite as lovely as my girlfriend's," he mused to himself.

With a practiced touch, Lee Mu located the Shao Shang point on her thumb and began to massage it, a standard preparatory step in acupuncture designed to ensure proper blood circulation at the site. His touch was both even and gentle. Once the Shao Shang point on Xu Jin's thumb became warm and flushed, he moved to the head of the bed and squatted down. Taking Xu Jin's earlobe between his thumb and forefinger, he started to gently knead it.

It's a well-known fact that many women have sensitive ears.

Xu Jin was no exception.

Hardly a moment passed before Xu Jin, eyes tightly shut, furrowed her brow and awkwardly shifted her neck.

"Hmm..."

With a soft murmur, Xu Jin began to stir awake.

"What are you doing?" she demanded, her eyes snapping open to find Lee Mu crouched by her bedside, which made her frown deepen.

"I'm treating an ailment. What did you think I was doing?"

"I'm not sick," Xu Jin retorted sharply, attempting to rise from the bed.

She had just finished the initial phase of a new project and needed to rush back to the lab for a second round of sample refinement. There was simply no time for illness.

Truth be told, she had felt under the weather since yesterday, but she had concealed her discomfort from the research team due to today's clinical trials.

"Do you have a parrot at home?" Lee Mu inquired, not hindering Xu Jin's attempt to leave the bed. When dealing with a workaholic like her, the most effective strategy was to first breach her psychological defenses.

Xu Jin was momentarily taken aback, her gaze fixed on Lee Mu.

"How did you find out?"

"I also know that you've only recently bought that parrot and have been hand-feeding it ever since," Lee Mu said, locking eyes with Xu Jin.

"You're not wrong. Is there an issue with that?"

"Answer me!" Lee Mu's tone suddenly turned icy as he raised his voice.

Startled by Lee Mu's outburst, Xu Jin instinctively responded, "Yes... yes, that's correct."

"As a pharmaceutical engineer, you're well aware of the safety hazards of working while ill. Ms. Xu, your actions are a grave disrespect to your profession." Lee Mu didn't allow Xu Jin to interject, pressing on, "Are you aware that the flu comes in viral and infectious forms? If you have a viral flu, the virus could spread to the test subjects through the air and saliva. What would be the outcome?"

"The data collected would be inaccurate," Xu Jin murmured.

It's often said that the more aloof a woman usually is, the more it tugs at the heartstrings to see her vulnerable.

"Come over here and lie down," Lee Mu said, his voice now gentle.

It was only then that Xu Jin snapped back to reality, realizing how she had been intimidated by someone a few years her junior.

This was an embarrassment!

"Why should I listen to you? If I'm sick, I should be going to the hospital, not taking advice from a medical student like you," Xu Jin retorted, attempting to regain some control.

"Then go ahead," Lee Mu replied nonchalantly, shrugging his shoulders as he watched Xu Jin's retreating figure. "A viral cold needs at least seven days of treatment. By your department's standards, you won't be able to return to work for at least ten days."

Xu Jin halted, her fists clenched in frustration.

This was blackmail!

If she weren't feeling so weak from her illness, she would have loved to slap some sense into this presumptuous young man.

Specimen B07 had only three days left for improvement before moving on to Phase II clinical trials. Despite her disdain for Lee Mu, Xu Jin had to concede that he was right. She couldn't afford to seek hospital treatment, as it would delay the project's timeline and cause her research team to lose ten precious days. For them, time was indeed everything.