No Wife, No Life Chapter 177

Harper finished flipping through Manuel's documents and then asked Stephen, "Can we make this stuff public?"

Stephen wasn't entirely sure what she meant, but he replied, "These are the materials Manuel handed over. He said they're not that important, so do whatever you want with them."

Indeed, the documents were merely theoretical data, an array of numbers that would be meaningless to anyone else.

"Got it," Harper said.

She logged into her Facebook account and uploaded all the documents without changing a word. She added a note: [Thanks to Manuel Bailey for this collaboration opportunity. Looking forward to seeing you at the dinner tomorrow.]

Finally, she also posted the contents of Manuel's letter.

Harper had just posted a declaration of love, and before the online buzz could die down, she uploaded yet another update.

When the netizens saw the new post, they quickly discovered that Manuel was a research fanatic currently working on bionic organ reattachment surgery.

If his research succeeded, it would be a revolutionary leap in the medical science field.

In no time, this update became a hot topic again.

Meanwhile, Harper's revelation of Manuel's value prompted many companies to hold emergency meetings.

FusionX Company naturally valued this collaboration and convened a board meeting specifically for it.

Caden was injured and Harper didn't allow him to attend, so she showed up at the board meeting alone.

The meeting had been going on for a while. The executives were arguing fiercely, mainly about who should attend the dinner.

The dinner was hosted by Manuel, and whoever went had the chance to secure the collaboration.

But they all agreed on one thing: anyone could go, except Harper.

Hearing this, Harper couldn't help but laugh. "why?"

Her smile was more mocking than anything else. "Do you even realize that the person truly invited to this dinner is me?"

"Without me, do you really think you would have been invited by Manuel?"

Everyone's eyes were on Harper, their gazes heavy.

"I know you all have issues with me, thinking my position as vice president is undeserved. So, let's bet on it."

Harper sat at the edge of the table, not caring that someone else had taken her seat.

Her tone was calm and composed. "Let's make a bet. Whoever can convince Manuel to collaborate with FusionX Company will become the vice president."

Harper's gaze was calm as she swept over the shareholders and executives.

After a moment of consideration and some discussion, they all nodded.

Manuel was a top scientist both domestically and internationally. If they could get him to work at FusionX Company, even if his research didn't yield immediate results, the company's stock would soar.

A group of people began to engage in lively discussion.

"Manuel isn't an easy person to deal with."

"I heard that a foreign company offered him a salary of hundreds of millions of dollars a year, and he refused without a second thought."

"This bet is too risky. Almost no one can win."

Harper interrupted their discussions. "How will we know if no one can do it unless we try? I think we should go ahead with this plan."

The board members didn't object further.

After the meeting, Harper didn't waste any time and headed straight to Manuel's research institute.

As she got out of the car and was about to enter, she saw a familiar person waiting at the entrance.

"Mr. Rodriguez." Seeing him, Harper greeted him with a smile.

Felix Rodriguez, one of the candidates for FusionX Company's vice president, and the youngest son of major shareholder Brody Rodriguez, stood at the entrance.

"Ms. Orsini," he greeted with a broad smile. "I heard Mr. Bailey isn't too keen on working with women, so your good looks might not be much help here."

He was clearly trying to provoke her, implying she had gotten her position based on her appearance.

Harper smiled back, unfazed. "Well, if someone like me might not work, someone like you might be even less effective."

She was clearly mocking his appearance.

Felix's face darkened.

Harper ignored him and followed a researcher into the institute.

From a distance, Harper saw a tall man standing in an open area, controlling a remote-controlled helicopter, surrounded by a group of researchers.

Hearing footsteps, he turned to look, his narrow eyes hidden behind frameless glasses.

He had a strikingly handsome face, with a refined appearance, but his eyes and expression always carried a hint of mischief.

He smiled, and it was almost wicked.

For a moment, Harper felt a bit stiff.

In her impression, Manuel was a very young scientist who had become Alvina's right-hand assistant in his teens and later rose to the top of his field, becoming a scientific maverick.

He was a once-in-a-century genius.

He had achieved heights in his teens that most people couldn't reach in a lifetime.

And now, in his thirties, he was in his prime, yet he exuded a mischievous charm.

The researchers around Manuel were all dressed in neatly buttoned lab coats, their hair perfectly combed, and their expressions serious.

But Manuel wore his lab coat like a trench coat, wide open, with a blue T-shirt underneath featuring a cartoon graphic.

Seeing this, Harper slowed her pace, deliberately falling behind Felix.

Felix, on the other hand, quickly approached Manuel, extending his hand from a distance. "Mr. Bailey, hello. I'm a representative from FusionX Company. My name is Felix Rodriguez; you can call me Felix."

Hearing Felix's words, Harper smiled but said nothing.

She didn't step forward to hand over a business card or introduce herself. Instead, she stood quietly to the side, like an observer, waiting to see how things would unfold.

This was Harper's strategy.

She didn't know much about Manuel, only that he had a peculiar personality. So, she chose to be a bystander for now, to gauge Manuel's attitude towards collaborating with FusionX Company.

Felix was speaking with fervor, his discourse seemingly endless.

Manuel didn't seem to be listening. He didn't put down the remote control or shake Felix's hand. He just continued to control the helicopter, his gaze passing over Felix's ingratiating face and landing directly on Harper.

Felix felt awkward and silently withdrew his hand, continuing to detail FusionX Company's development plans and the lucrative compensation package they were offering Manuel.

It included a multi-million dollar annual salary, luxury cars, mansions, and unlimited research funding.

Initially, the researchers seemed impatient, but they were soon intrigued by the conditions Felix was offering.

Only Manuel continued to fiddle with the helicopter, a playful smile on his lips.

Suddenly, the helicopter swooped down and landed on Harper's shoulder, even brushing against her radiant face.

Harper paused. Was he flirting with her?