The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 100

It wasn’t until 9 PM that Li Rong finished his day of classes.

Originally, he had told Cen Xiao he planned to stay on campus tonight to try and get He Changfeng to open up.

But after noticing He Changfeng’s silver cross necklace, he suddenly felt too lazy to return to the dormitory.

Standing outside the school building, Li Rong hesitated for a moment before decisively hailing a cab.

Back at the apartment, he entered the passcode and opened the door to find the living room lights still on.

It turned out Cen Xiao had returned from District Nine as well.

Li Rong set his laptop bag aside and called out casually, “What did you have for dinner?”

There was no response. The apartment was eerily quiet.

Li Rong paused, adjusting his movements to make them lighter.

He walked silently to the bedroom door, cautiously turning the doorknob to peek inside.

With the light from the living room streaming in, he saw Cen Xiao lying on the bed, deeply asleep.

These days, Cen Xiao was only managing about five hours of sleep a night. Even a strong body couldn’t sustain that for long.

Though Cen Xiao never mentioned it, Li Rong knew the pressure of competing with Du Mingli and overturning Li Qingli’s case was constantly weighing on him.

He often advised Cen Xiao to balance work and rest, to slow down when needed. But the truth was, they were the same—both willing to sacrifice everything to achieve their goals.

Li Rong shook his head slightly.

He approached the bed quietly, crouching down to study Cen Xiao’s sleeping face.

Cen Xiao hadn’t stirred. His face was turned to the side, one arm under the covers, the other resting casually on the pillow, fingers naturally curled, his breathing steady and even.

Li Rong rarely had the chance to observe Cen Xiao’s face this closely while he slept. He had to admit, Cen Xiao inherited some striking features from Xiao Muran.

Xiao Muran had a softer, more delicate beauty, with gentle eyes. Cen Xiao, however, exuded an entirely different aura—sharp, brooding, and enigmatic, often radiating an oppressive authority.

Human nature is complicated. Li Rong sometimes reflected on whether his past entanglement with Cen Xiao was influenced by how attractive and well-built the man was.

Did some part of him unconsciously find Cen Xiao irresistible?

Yet what truly captivated him was not Cen Xiao’s looks but his unwavering dedication.

How fortunate must one be to find a lover willing to stand by them through life and death?

Li Rong brushed back his slightly long hair and leaned down to plant a soft kiss on Cen Xiao’s cheek.

Still, Cen Xiao remained deeply asleep.

Li Rong chuckled softly and muttered, “Completely defenseless.”

He quietly retrieved his sleepwear from the closet and went to the bathroom for a shower.

Afterward, dressed in slippers and drying his damp hair, he grabbed a hefty book and headed to Cen Xiao’s study.

Cen Xiao had outfitted the study with a spacious, comfortable office chair that could recline fully into a makeshift bed.

Li Rong always found himself curling up in this chair, legs crossed, nestled in its generous space.

Though he once had a habit of sitting properly and elegantly, without Gu Nong to keep him in check, he had grown increasingly indulgent.

Propping one elbow on the armrest, Li Rong flipped through a copy of Revelation.

The book, borrowed from the library, reminded him of his grandmother, who often stressed that Revelation was the most important part of the Bible—something everyone should study thoroughly.

If He Dayong believes in this, how does he interpret the part of the book where the righteous ‘Lamb’ ultimately defeats the evil ‘Beast’?

Or does he see himself as a lost believer, unable to resist the allure of the magnificent ‘Great City of Babylon,’ forced into dealings with the ‘Beast’?

Perhaps he believes that those who are lost will still find salvation if they one day decide to turn toward righteousness, and that they will be forgiven and redeemed by God, joining the eternally just ‘Lamb’ in welcoming a perfect new world.

After waking up, Cen Xiao went to the kitchen to pour himself some water and rinse his mouth. Passing by the study, he noticed a sliver of light escaping through the door crack. The large armchair inside swayed slightly, and through the gap beneath the armrest, he could vaguely make out a small part of someone’s knee.

He stepped into the study and gently wrapped his arms around Li Rong’s shoulders and neck from behind the chair.

The desk lamp in the study cast a warm, soft light on Li Rong’s profile. On the slightly aged book before him, the jet-black text gleamed faintly under the illumination.

Li Rong’s right hand rested lightly on the page, his slender fingers toying with a bookmark. The back of his hand appeared even paler under the light, and a tiny, sharp shadow of his fingers danced beneath it.

Li Rong had just taken a shower; his hair was half-dry, and his body carried the mingling scents of body wash and shampoo. The slightly open neckline of his pajamas revealed a hint of his chest.

Cen Xiao’s eyes traveled downward, taking in the view completely.

As he embraced Li Rong, his fingers slowly traced the delicate bones and soft hollows around his collarbone.

“Why are you back?”

Li Rong straightened his back, leaned against the chair, tilted his head up slightly, and looked at Cen Xiao with a teasing smile. “Came back for a surprise inspection.”

Cen Xiao chuckled, leaned down, and gave him a light kiss on the lips. With amusement, he asked, “And? Satisfied with the results?”

Li Rong half-closed his eyes, lazily savoring the kiss before licking the corner of his lips. “Fairly satisfied.”

He had been reading the Bible, his mind as calm as still water. But as Cen Xiao’s deep voice resonated near his ear, certain restless desires began to stir within him.

After two months of relentless busyness, they hadn’t had a moment to properly rest.

Feeling playful, Li Rong hooked his pinky finger around Cen Xiao’s, gently tugging it toward himself.

The gesture was unmistakably flirtatious, and the ambiguity in his gaze was unapologetically exposed under the lamp’s glow.

Cen Xiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed. He pushed the chair firmly, spinning it 180 degrees to bring Li Rong directly in front of him.

Grasping Li Rong’s pinky tightly, he felt its coolness gradually warm under his own dry, calloused hand. He began to slowly stroke the delicate joints.

Cen Xiao lowered his gaze, silently studying Li Rong’s elegant shoulders and back, and asked in a low voice, “Why are you reading the Bible?”

Li Rong, breathing lightly, his enchanting eyes shimmering, hesitated before replying: “He Dayong believes in it. He even gave He Changfeng a crucifix to wear around his neck. I wanted to understand his thoughts, so I had to get familiar with the teachings.”

Feeling Li Rong’s restless little finger tracing circles in his palm, Cen Xiao’s breath deepened. “He believes in this and still dares to profit unethically?”

Li Rong, with lowered eyes, slid his legs down from the chair, but he mischievously brushed his ankle against Cen Xiao’s calf. “Do you remember… my grandmother also believed in this. Because of her faith, she didn’t dare to do anything wrong in her life. But at the same time, it forced her to rationalize that my parents must have made mistakes or failed to atone for past sins—otherwise, she couldn’t continue believing in it.”

Cen Xiao’s gaze fell to Li Rong’s pale, delicate instep, mesmerized by the soft, teasing movements. His throat went dry. “Faith often comes with desires. Your grandmother sought strength and solace through hers. What does He Dayong seek?”

After over a year of recovery and exercise, Li Rong’s body had regained much of its vitality. His toes, smooth and rounded, shone a soft pinkish-white under the light, lightly tapping and swaying.

“Redemption. He commits evil, yet worships. He sins, yet repents. He’s anesthetizing himself, hoping to strike a balance—letting faith offset sin. Whether it truly balances out is merely his delusion. He has He Changfeng wear a crucifix to protect his lineage, hoping no harm will befall his son, wishing for him to live safely and peacefully.”

Cen Xiao looked down, his hand stroking Li Rong’s soft hair, his fingers gently twining through the strands.

“In the end, it’s selfishness—wanting to indulge in wealth without paying any price, not even an imagined one.”

Li Rong swallowed hard, his shoulder and neck muscles instinctively tensing. His eyes flickered, and he finally turned his attention to Cen Xiao’s buttons.

“Do you still remember the markings on the Yuanhesheng tablets?”

Cen Xiao felt the pinky finger slip decisively from his grasp, followed by the cool air seeping into his collar. “I do. Did you discover something?”

Li Rong smiled faintly, simultaneously admiring Cen Xiao’s figure while indulging in a hint of pride. “In Revelation from the New Testament, the white horse symbolizes purity and victory, the red horse bloodshed and war, the black horse disaster, and the gray horse death. The two boxes of tablets in Hu Qijiang’s possession—one bears a white horse and the other a gray one. Now we wait for the test results to see the difference in efficacy.”

A person with faith, even when committing wrongdoing, often leaves a way out for themselves—a space to repent to God, to justify their actions, and to plead for leniency.

He Dayong had no practical reason to produce tablets with differing appearances. It was inefficient and unnecessary—unless he had a specific motive.

And without achieving this motive, he would feel restless, unable to eat or sleep. Driven by fear of retribution, he had to leave a mark that would soothe his conscience.

To him, the markings on the tablets were clear hints: “I’ve already left such an obvious warning. If patients are careful and only purchase the Yuanhesheng with the white horse, they’ll be completely fine.”

Cen Xiao’s hands paused briefly. “So the patient’s condition fluctuates—sometimes Yuanhesheng is effective, and sometimes even three pills don’t work.”

Li Rong tilted his neck, letting the soft light of the study fall on his face. His gaze lingered on the beautifully defined muscle contours as he murmured, “The test results aren’t out yet; this is just my hypothesis.”

Cen Xiao raised an eyebrow, his hands stilling. A hint of surprise flickered in his eyes. “You read the entire New Testament just for a crucifix?”

Li Rong blinked, responding matter-of-factly, “It did take quite some effort.”

Cen Xiao’s gaze darkened with an intense, smoldering infatuation.

Li Rong was so intelligent, exceptional, astute, and perceptive—every fiber of his being was utterly captivating.

This was why Cen Xiao fell for him at first sight, why he remained enamored, even to death.

No one else could ever deserve his unwavering devotion like this.

Breathing heavily, his eyes deepened. “Discussing work during foreplay is certainly a novel overtime experience.”

Li Rong curved his peach blossom-shaped eyes, brimming with flirtatious charm. “You know this is flirting, don’t you?”

From thoughts to physicality, the ultimate collision and alignment brought unparalleled mental satisfaction.

Since the moment Cen Xiao encircled him from behind, every word he spoke said:

I am worthy of your obsession.