Zhao Hailun's sudden, perceptive question had caught Su Yi off guard, but only for a fraction of a second. In the chaotic landscape of New York's superhero scene, passive defense was a liability; audacious honesty, sometimes, was the greatest shield.
Su Yi chose to boldly admit the truth, turning the passive situation into a devastatingly active one.
"You guessed correctly, Helen. We are a couple, and she is one of my confidantes," Su Yi confirmed, his voice calm, yet radiating sincerity. He saw no reason to stop there. "Tony's former assistant, now the CEO of Stark Industries, is also one of my confidantes. And there are several others. They are aware of the situation and do not interfere with each other's happiness or independence."
Zhao Hailun, who had initially expected Su Yi might have only one secret partner, was momentarily speechless. She had known Tony Stark was a notorious playboy, but Su Yi's arrangement was executed with such deliberate, almost businesslike, precision and stability. It was genuinely impressive.
Helen had always maintained high standards, never pursuing a relationship due to the lack of a suitable intellectual or emotional match.
From every perspective, Su Yi was the highest quality male she had ever encountered: physically attractive, possessing financial independence, and blessed with dual intelligences—an IQ that rivaled Tony's and an EQ that allowed him to navigate complex, multi-person relationships without drama.
While Helen was still wrestling with the ethical framework of this revelation, Su Yi closed the gap, ensuring she couldn't retreat. He gently put his arm around Zhao Hailun, his touch firm and reassuring, not aggressive.
"Now you know the full answer, Helen, and I don't want to hide anything from you. Are you willing to become my confidante?"
The proximity and the directness of the question sent a surge of tension through Helen's body, a sensation she hadn't experienced in years. Her scientific mind fought for logic, but her heart was swayed by the sheer, exhilarating prospect of sharing life with such an extraordinary man.
"I..." she stammered, still wrestling with the complexity.
Su Yi continued to reassure her, preempting her reservations. "I promise, I genuinely like you, Helen, and I want to spend quality time with you. If you don't plan to meet or interact with the others, that is absolutely fine. I will not let these things affect your normal work and life. Just like Pepper. She has her own work, her life at the company, and I accompany her when she has free time. Your work here is vital, and I respect it."
Although Zhao Hailun was highly intelligent and educated, her inexperience in romance, combined with Su Yi's sincere thoughtfulness and respect for her independence, completely disarmed her. She looked up at Su Yi, the hesitation replaced by a new, intense acceptance.
Without waiting for a verbal answer, Su Yi knew. He took the initiative, a soft, confident claim on her first kiss.
"Today's research wasn't smooth, Helen," Su Yi murmured against her ear, smiling. "I think we should relax a bit and achieve maximum coupling, then we can resume our theoretical research another day."
Zhao Hailun, her initial resistance long gone, smiled back, her cheeks flushed. Su Yi's decisive nature was exactly what her own hesitant personality needed.
As for a location, Su Yi had no need for complicated logistics. As long as they avoided immediate attention, a single teleportation could get them home.
Back in the Nanotech lab, Tony Stark, after sending Maya Hansen back to the botanical laboratory, returned to his workstation, eager to continue researching the self-replicating armor. He had a new structural model—Model 79—and was eager to discuss the theoretical coupling points with Helen Cho.
He glanced around the lab. "Oh right, she said she had something to talk to Su Yi about for a while."
"Then I'll wait a bit longer," Tony grumbled, pouring himself a fresh espresso. He worked alone in the lab, firing off commands to J.A.R.V.I.S., but his efficiency was dampened by the lack of immediate intellectual sparring.
An hour passed without him realizing it, his concentration fractured. It was only when Tony checked the time and saw the sun beginning to dip toward the horizon that he realized Zhao Hailun wasn't returning.
"Damn it," Tony muttered, throwing his hands up in mock defeat. "I shouldn't have let him come to the lab. He's supposed to be an investor, not a disruption generator. It seems I'll have to keep myself busy and work alone."
Meanwhile, Su Yi and Zhao Hailun had indeed successfully "researched" a coupling model for a while, but without a final, publishable conclusion.
"Do you want to stay for dinner, Helen? Besides me, there's only one other friend at home," Su Yi offered, already knowing the answer.
"Friend?" Helen repeated, raising a curious eyebrow. She immediately understood: that friend had to be female, likely one of the other "confidantes" he'd mentioned.
Zhao Hailun shook her head firmly. "No, I think we're good as we are now. I won't interfere with you and others, and you won't delay my work. This independence is essential."
"That's your decision, and I support you completely," Su Yi agreed. This arrangement was definitely the best. It ensured they each had their independent lives, minimized the chances of accidental meetings, and dramatically reduced the likelihood of personal conflicts. If they all lived together, even with the best intentions, the possibility of "palace intrigue" was too high to risk.
After sending Zhao Hailun back to the research park, Su Yi felt much more relaxed, securing another pillar in his life. He returned his focus to his original plan: visiting Dr. Christine Palmer.
As a talented surgeon, Christine was relatively busy, and Su Yi knew he couldn't wait for her to take the initiative; he had to make time for her.
Su Yi arrived at Metropolitan Hospital as planned, waiting patiently for Christine to finish her shift. Most doctors followed a fixed schedule, though delays were common.
Christine, slightly surprised and very pleased to see Su Yi after his recent whirlwind of activity, gave him a tired but sincere smile.
"Su Yi! I haven't seen you in weeks. Wait for me a bit, I still have a few critical patients to check on and sign off."
"No problem, I'll wait," Su Yi replied, settling into a comfortable waiting area chair.
Although Christine wasn't as exceptionally talented as Dr. Stephen Strange, she was a diligent, empathetic, and excellent doctor. She moved efficiently through the corridors, diligently making her final rounds.
Su Yi followed discreetly behind, enjoying the simple rhythm of watching Christine busy herself in her element. While idly bored, he suddenly felt a powerful, jarring sensation: an unusual and immense energy fluctuation within the hospital walls.
Since acquiring the ability of Infinite Devour, Su Yi's perception of energy—its quality, its type, and its source—had become exceptionally sensitive. This energy was different from the normal, clean electrical energy, or even the volatile bio-energy of Max Dillon. It was a peculiar, almost radioactive, surging energy signature.
Su Yi looked at Christine, who was still deeply engrossed in a patient's chart. He subtly excused himself and walked alone toward the direction of the energy fluctuation, which seemed to emanate from the hospital's secluded VIP area.
He continued forward, the strange, unstable energy signature growing stronger. It was coming from a single, heavily monitored private patient room.
Without the slightest hesitation—security cameras and privacy were inconsequential to him—Su Yi gently pushed the door open and stepped inside, immediately taking in the scene.
A young girl lay on the hospital bed, unconscious and utterly still, kept alive solely by a complex array of medical equipment. The girl, who looked no older than eighteen, was extremely frail and thin, her illness having wasted her body.
"The energy in her body seems violently unstable, which is why she fell into a perpetual coma," Su Yi analyzed. "It's an incredibly high concentration of a foreign, powerful energy that her system can't process. If the energy within her body could be balanced and stabilized, she might be able to wake up."
Su Yi quickly scanned the medical record chart clipped to the foot of the bed, needing to know her identity and the accident that caused this state. The name written on the top was clear:
Jessica Campbell, Age 18.
Diagnosis: "Coma induced by massive internal trauma and cellular damage sustained from an accidental exposure to radioactive chemical agents during a severe car collision."
Su Yi's mind worked quickly, putting the pieces together. Jessica Campbell. Car accident. Radioactive agents.
After a two-second pause, the pieces locked into place, triggering a rare moment of surprise. "Jessica Jones! It's actually her."
He was looking at the origin point of a future Avenger, a powerhouse, and a detective: Jessica Jones.
At this moment, Jessica, tormented by the powerful, surging energy and coma, still showed traces of deep pain on her face. Her body was weak, far from the powerful form she would later possess.
Su Yi knew he had the tools for this. "I can't just absorb it, it's too complex and volatile. But I have an option."
He considered the nature of her condition. Her powers—super strength and flight—were struggling to properly integrate into her biology due to the toxic, radioactive catalyst.
The Horse Talisman has the power to heal and purify abnormal energies within the body. This wasn't merely a healing potion like the Senzu Bean; it was a power that could bring the body's chaotic elements back to a state of perfect, harmonious balance. The only unknown was how the purification would affect the nascent powers.
Looking at the still immensely pained Jessica in her coma, Su Yi decided he wouldn't let her linger. This was a critical nexus point in the timeline, and he had the power to fundamentally alter the origin story for the better, mitigating the prolonged suffering that would have plagued her for years.