Chapter 74

After expending a great deal of effort to calm his mother, who was raging with anger, Zhou Yi used the excuse of being tired from the journey to check into the reserved suite with Ororo and the others. Xiarisi, on the other hand, was left behind to receive her mother's education alone.

One must taste the bitter fruit of one's own making, and even his own sister was no exception. Especially this time, Zhou Yi had no intention of shouldering any of Xiarisi's burden.

After putting down their luggage, the exhausted girls quickly went to rest. Ororo and Jean Grey also went into their room together. Although Zhou Yi wanted to join them, not only did he doubt if Ororo and the others would agree, but the presence of Zhou Lan and Xiarisi also made it impossible for him to do so.

In this situation, he could only choose to rest alone. As for Logan, he was completely out of Zhou Yi's consideration. Logan was an adult with his own thoughts, and whatever he did was none of Zhou Yi's business.

Rarely sleeping in, Zhou Yi was woken up by a sudden doorbell. After tidying himself up a bit, he opened the door to the suite. To his surprise, it wasn't Xiarisi or Ororo standing there, but someone he wasn't very familiar with.

Naughty Mary stood there, looking somewhat uneasy as she asked, "Good morning, sir. I have something to bother you with, could I take some of your time?"

"Of course, please come in, Miss Mary." Stepping aside to let the girl, who was wrapped up tightly, into his room, Zhou Yi scratched his head and said, "I'm sorry, I haven't been this relaxed in a long time, and I overslept. Miss Mary, what brings you here?"

"It's like this, sir." Sitting on the sofa, Naughty Mary asked with a mix of fear and anticipation, "You said before that you could solve my problem. Is it true?"

"From a certain perspective, it is true." Zhou Yi took a bottle of milk from the fridge and handed it to her. "However, it might not be what you think. The method I propose is not to eliminate your abilities, but to add a layer of insurance to your body!"

"Insurance?" Naughty Mary looked somewhat disappointed but also hopeful. She hoped that Zhou Yi's explanation would help her return to her original state, even if it was just on the surface.

"Yes, have you heard of nanomaterials?" Zhou Yi asked.

This question made Naughty Mary think for a moment, but she did have some basic knowledge. After a brief hesitation, she answered, "You mean those very small microscopic materials?"

"Yes, exactly." Considering that Mary's family issues might have made her less familiar with this relatively obscure high-tech material, Zhou Yi tried to explain as clearly as possible. "Nanomaterials are one of the mainstream directions of future high-tech materials. Their microscopic structure can solve many problems, including your body contact issue."

"Sir, I don't quite understand?" Mary held the milk and said softly. Although she didn't want to appear ignorant, given the importance of her future, she had to ask. This was very important to her.

"Nanometers, also known as nanometers, are units of length. For example, if a hair has a diameter of 0.05 millimeters, and you cut it into 50,000 equal parts, each part would be about one nanometer thick. That is, one nanometer is 0.000001 millimeters. For humans, this is an almost imperceptible thickness. Using nanomaterials is the method to solve your problem."

"Sir, do you mean to wrap me in something as thin as a nanometer?" Naughty Mary listened to Zhou Yi's explanation and looked somewhat horrified. "Would that really work, or would it be dangerous? I'm sorry, I know that's not what you mean, but I'm still a bit scared. Would that suffocate me?"

"You're overthinking it, child!" Zhou Yi laughed and comforted her. "What you're thinking is ridiculous to professionals. Nanomaterials are not like cling film; they don't protect your body in the way you imagine. Think about the air you breathe; the microorganisms and bacteria in it are much larger than that. Do they affect you?"

"Moreover, even when applied to the body, it doesn't stick to you like you think. It forms a nanoscale outer layer on your skin, and the nanometals are so small that you won't feel anything at all." "Sir, I think I understand what you mean. Can I know where I can get this material?" Naughty Mary understood Zhou Yi's explanation but also knew that there's no free lunch. To get something, you have to pay a price.

"You're lucky, child. If there's anyone in the world who is most skilled in this area, it's the advanced research institutions under my name. And not long ago, these institutions have developed a sufficiently mature product. Although it's not yet ready for market, producing a small sample is not a problem." Zhou Yi looked at Naughty Mary as he said this, wanting to see her reaction.

Although such a technological product was insignificant to him, it wasn't something to be given away casually. Especially when the recipient showed no gratitude, all his investment would be wasted.

If that were the case, Zhou Yi would rather not be the one to foot the bill. So he needed to see if Naughty Mary's reaction was worth his investment.

"Sir, may I ask the price of this product?" Naughty Mary was very cautious, needing something to gauge how much she should pay. Money is always the most universal measure.

"15,680 dollars per ounce, that's just the raw material cost. If it's made into a product suitable for you, the manufacturing cost would be at least ten times that. 100,000 dollars is my lowest quote!"

Hearing Zhou Yi's words, Naughty Mary's face turned pale. 100,000 dollars might be a meal or a night out for some, but for Naughty Mary, who relied on Charles' support for her living, it was an impossible sum.

She tried to steady her shaking body and make herself look strong.

"I'm sorry, sir. I can't afford that. I'm sorry for disturbing you!" With that, Naughty Mary was ready to leave.

Zhou Yi stopped her from leaving, smiling. "Little girl, you need to know that not everything in the world can be measured by money. Money is not important to me. What I need, and what you can offer, is not that kind of thing."

Naughty Mary's eyes widened, looking shocked. At that moment, Zhou Yi seemed to transform into a different person, a hypocrite with a hidden agenda.

"What do you want? I won't agree to such a request." Her words were filled with disgust, completely losing the respect she initially had for her teacher and instead showing revulsion towards a predator.

Hearing the girl's unkind words and realizing she had completely misunderstood him, Zhou Yi's face showed a mix of amusement and frustration.

"You're overthinking it, child. To me, you're still a little girl, and you have no appeal. Moreover, my relationship with Ororo and the others means I wouldn't consider you in that way. I meant something else."

Not wanting to be misunderstood again, Zhou Yi decided to be straightforward. Playing guessing games with a naive girl was a waste of time. He explained clearly.

"I can give you this product directly, and you don't need to pay me money. All you need to do is help me with some of my plans. Is that too much to ask?"

"I'm sorry, sir. I misunderstood you!" Naughty Mary apologized for her behavior and then asked cautiously, "Can I know what kind of plans? Without knowing the specifics, I can't agree to this."

"You're a smart girl!" Looking at her deeply, Zhou Yi felt it was necessary to be honest with this young girl. She might really be able to help with his plans.

"From a long time ago, I've been planning something. It's about the reputation of mutants. Xiarisi is my sister, but as my sister, she can't even appear in public. This has always made me feel guilty. I've always wanted to make up for it, but no matter what material things I give her, they can't make up for the freedom she has lost. So, I started planning something."

"This plan requires the effort of all mutants. It wasn't until recently that I presented this issue to Professor Charles and the teachers at the school. For me, the plan is now mature and ready to be implemented. However, Ororo and the others have too many concerns. They are always hesitant about my plan, wasting time and even letting opportunities slip away. So, I need someone to do something to push this plan forward."

"Do you think you can help?"

"Of course, because you are a mutant." Zhou Yi nodded. "My position limits my influence. Xiarisi is also a mutant, but my influence is too obvious. The school won't listen to her. But you are different. You are an outsider. Even your status as a student can help you rally more voices within the school."

"Once Charles and the others hear your voices and your wishes, this plan has a good chance of being accepted."

"It won't be dangerous, right?" Naughty Mary made her final confirmation.

"No, I won't put Xiarisi in danger. You can rest assured. My power and status are enough to protect you."

"Then, I agree, sir!"

In Zhou Yi's eyes, Naughty Mary made the right choice. For Zhou Yi, he got what he wanted at a minimal cost.

"Let's work together!" A grown man and a young girl shook hands. From that moment on, a plan that had been brewing for many years began to take shape within the mutant community.