Saving the male protagonist in the dungeon only resulted in him becoming cannon fodder.

Lu Ze stood rooted to the spot, his gaze firm and sharp. He immediately retorted, "You know perfectly well what you're up to. Get out of here now and stop causing trouble." His voice was steady and powerful, each word carrying weight and an invisible authority. He slightly raised his chin, his eyes revealing unwavering determination, his hands hanging naturally at his sides, ready to respond to any unexpected situation.

Hearing Lu Ze's words, An Ning trembled with rage. His eyes widened, and he roared at Lu Ze, "With me here, what are you?" His voice echoed in the empty living room, filled with arrogance and provocation. He took a step forward, trying to intimidate Lu Ze with his height and imposing presence, but Lu Ze remained unmoved, a hint of contempt in his eyes.

Lu Ze chuckled coldly, his tone firm as he said, "Even without you, she's still my girlfriend." His eyes were filled with confidence and love, as if declaring to An Ning that his relationship with Bai Mengmeng was unbreakable. He gently held Bai Mengmeng's hand, offering her silent support and comfort.

Bai Mengmeng looked at An Ning, her eyes filled with helplessness and annoyance. She took a deep breath and said earnestly, "An Ning, my attitude made you misunderstand. I don't like you, and I don't want to have anything to do with you." Her voice was gentle, but it carried a hint of determination. She frowned slightly, a trace of weariness in her eyes, as if she was already tired of An Ning's pestering.

An Ning stared at Bai Mengmeng in disbelief, as if he had heard the most absurd thing in the world. He questioned loudly, "You actually yelled at me because of Lu Ze?" His voice was full of grievance and anger, and tears welled up in his eyes. He didn't understand why Bai Mengmeng was suddenly so cold to him.

Bai Mengmeng looked at An Ning with no pity in her eyes. She said, each word distinct, "I've wanted to cut ties with you for a long time. I don't like you, and don't bother me. My politeness towards you was simply out of kindness, and has nothing to do with anyone else." Her tone was resolute, leaving An Ning no room for illusion. She straightened her back, her gaze unwavering as she looked at An Ning, as if telling her that this was her final line.

A flicker of pain and despair flashed in An Ning's eyes. He shouted hoarsely, "My feelings for you are genuine!" His voice was filled with helplessness and sorrow, as if he were telling the whole world about his deep affection. He took two steps forward and reached out to grab Bai Mengmeng, but Bai Mengmeng dodged him.

Bai Mengmeng could no longer tolerate An Ning's harassment. A resolute glint flashed in her eyes as she strode to the door and forcefully opened it. Standing there, she looked coldly at An Ning and said, word by word, "From the moment your mother and Zhu Ting's mother joined forces to bully my mother, we could never go back." Her voice was filled with hatred and anger, each word like a sharp blade piercing An Ning's heart.

Upon hearing Bai Mengmeng's words, An Ning's face turned deathly pale. He glared angrily at Lu Ze and said viciously, "You just wait!" His eyes were filled with hatred and threat, as if warning Lu Ze that he would not let this go. Then, he turned and strode towards the elevator, his hurried steps filled with anger and resentment.

Bai Mengmeng stood at the door until she heard the elevator descend, then she breathed a sigh of relief. Her body trembled slightly, as if she had just gone through a thrilling battle. She leaned gently against the door frame, her eyes revealing a hint of exhaustion and relaxation.

Lu Ze walked to Bai Mengmeng's side, gently put his arm around her shoulder, and comforted her, "The more polite you are to this kind of person, the more they will take advantage of you. From now on, I'll make sure he doesn't bully you anymore."

His voice was gentle yet firm, as if possessing a magical power that gradually calmed Bai Mengmeng's heart. Bai Mengmeng nodded slightly, leaning against Lu Ze's chest, feeling his warmth and sense of security.

In the slightly dimly lit corridor filled with a faint, warm atmosphere, Lu Ze gently patted Bai Mengmeng's shoulder beside him, his voice gentle and with a hint of concern, and said, "Let's go home first." Bai Mengmeng nodded slightly, her eyes revealing a trace of fatigue. She dragged her somewhat heavy steps and slowly walked out of her room.

Bai Mengmeng walked step by step toward Lu Ze's room, each step seemingly requiring all her strength. As she entered Lu Ze's room, her gaze slowly swept over the room, where there were obvious signs of life.

A coat belonging to Lu Ze was casually draped over the bed, the desk was piled high with documents and books, and even several pairs of shoes were scattered on the floor. Looking at all this, Bai Mengmeng felt a surge of warmth inexplicably, as if this were her safe haven.

"I'll order takeout whatever you want to eat," Bai Mengmeng said, forcing herself to sound cheerful. Lu Ze hesitated for a moment, then said, "How about something light?"

His eyes were full of concern for her health. Bai Mengmeng smiled gently and said, "As long as you're willing to eat, that's fine." In fact, she knew in her heart that Lu Ze hadn't been eating properly lately because of work and their relationship.

The takeout arrived shortly after. The two sat on the edge of the bed and ate a simple meal. Bai Mengmeng only ate a few bites before feeling tired. She put down her chopsticks and fell asleep. Her breathing gradually became even, and the fatigue on her face slowly faded away in her sleep.

Lu Ze sat to the side, quietly watching the sleeping Bai Mengmeng, his mind heavy as if a boulder were pressing down on him. His brows were furrowed, and his eyes were filled with worry and self-reproach.

He knew Bai Mengmeng had sacrificed too much for this project and her body had reached its limit. After hesitating for a moment, Lu Ze slowly stood up, walked to the window, and dialed Li Lin's number.

Li Lin's voice came through the phone quickly: "Hey, Lu Ze, what's up?" Lu Ze took a deep breath and asked, "How's the lab progressing?"

Li Lin's voice was somewhat low: "Improving the issues raised will take a long time."

Lu Ze's expression turned even more grim, and he said urgently, "Bai Mengmeng is having health problems now."

Li Lin on the other end of the phone was clearly taken aback and asked anxiously, "How is President Bai now?"

Lu Ze's voice carried a hint of helplessness: "The situation isn't very optimistic; she's not suitable for work for the time being." Li Lin was silent for a moment, then said, "Understood."