The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 128

Scoring first in the grade was indeed a good thing—it meant thousands in scholarship money. But for Li Rong, there wasn’t much to celebrate; it was far too routine for him.

After grabbing a simple bowl of ramen at a restaurant near their apartment, he and Cen Xiao returned home to stare at the blackboard, lost in thought.

Ever since discovering Zhai Ning, Li Rong had been treading carefully.

Cen Xiao couldn’t recklessly utilize District Nine’s resources; otherwise, Han Jiang would undoubtedly notice. And without being certain whether Han Jiang and Suhe Biotech were allies or foes—let alone having any leverage against Han Jiang—they couldn’t afford to expand their enemy base for now.

Li Rong, meanwhile, was racking his brain over how to get Zhai Ning to spill the truth.

Zhai Ning’s life appeared flawless—glamorous, busy with work, and still celebrated as an inspirational public figure.

Unlike He Dayong, who had a clear weakness in He Changfeng, Zhai Ning seemed untouchable. She had never married or had children, pouring all her time and energy into her career, which had become her entire world.

She had no obvious faith, nor any evident vulnerabilities, leaving Li Rong without a good entry point.

They had even considered bribing others at Jiajia Central Hospital, but it was unlikely those people knew the full scope of events, and doing so could easily tip Zhai Ning off.

Since the Lunar New Year was approaching, there was no point in rushing. Li Rong decided to put the blackboard in the middle of the path between the bathroom and bedroom, forcing himself to see it every day in hopes of sparking inspiration.

This New Year’s Eve was a bit unusual.

Xiao Muran’s mother had fallen seriously ill—so ill that her recovery was uncertain. As a result, Xiao Muran had to spend New Year’s at her parents’ home with Cen Qian and Cen Xiao.

Ever since discovering that her and Le Qingli’s breakup had been orchestrated by her parents, Xiao Muran had grown distant from them. While she still lived under their control, the cold war was her sole form of rebellion.

At nearly twenty years old, Cen Xiao had rarely seen his mother visit her parents’ home, not even for holidays. 

But blood ties remained, and upon hearing of her mother’s illness, Xiao Muran begrudgingly softened and decided to bring her family back for New Year’s.

With Xiao Muran agreeing, Cen Xiao had no reason to refuse.

Meanwhile, Li Rong wouldn’t be idle on New Year’s Eve either.

The old lady heard from Gu Zhaonian that Li Rong once again ranked first in his grade at the end of the semester and even qualified for a national scholarship. Determined to share the news, she insisted that Li Rong come back for a visit.

The old lady had a personality that seemed to “forget the pain after the wound healed.” Despite the fact that every meeting with Li Rong inevitably ended in sarcasm and a falling-out, she still took pride in his achievements and wanted all the relatives to hear about them.

Even if Li Rong didn’t care about saving face for these relatives, he had to do it for his mother.

After all, Gu Nong was dutiful.

She often said that raising two children on her own had been no easy task for the old lady. Her stubbornness and occasional unreasonableness came from years of self-defense, which eventually became an ingrained habit she couldn’t change.

However, Li Rong didn’t plan to stay long. He intended to drop off gifts and leave quickly to avoid any prolonged disputes with her.

For the old lady, this was the second year without Li Qingli and Gu Nong at home, a continued source of sadness and emptiness. Her insistence on having Li Rong visit was an attempt to fill that void.

But for Li Rong, it was already the eighth New Year’s Eve without his parents.

He was used to it.

The only downside was that the old lady’s home was in the development zone of A City, while Xiao’s parents had moved to a coastal city in the south for better care. With such a long distance between the two places, it was certain that Li Rong and Cen Xiao wouldn’t be able to see each other that day.

Luckily, neither of them were overly sentimental or clingy. They didn’t feel the need to be together every moment.

Squatting down, Li Rong used a small knife to open a cardboard box and took out a bottle of skim milk. 

While pouring it into a glass, he spoke calmly: “The coastal area isn’t bad. Take the opportunity to stay a few extra days. It’s the holidays—don’t think too much. Just rest. I’ve arranged to train with Tang He on New Year’s Day, so you don’t need to rush back.”

Leaning back on the sofa, Cen Xiao was equally composed, his gaze fixed on the news playing on TV. He replied, “My grandparents will probably take me to meet some old friends. That area’s a tourist hotspot, so it’s bound to be crowded with visitors. There won’t be much to do anyway. Don’t push yourself too hard during training—it’s been a while, and Tang He can be a bit heavy-handed sometimes.”

Li Rong drank a few gulps of milk and said, “Got it. It’s not like I’m inexperienced.”

Cen Xiao replied, “Mm.”

The day before New Year’s Eve, Li Rong gathered the six-person group for a meal, though this time they picked a more secluded restaurant.

This was because Lin Zhen’s talent show had aired. Although only one episode had been broadcast, and Lin Zhen didn’t have much screen time, one particular moment involving him unexpectedly gained traction online.

Ironically, the scene that made him go viral wasn’t even his main spotlight. It happened when another contestant was introducing themselves, and Lin Zhen accidentally appeared in the background.

Thinking he wasn’t on camera, his expressions and movements were completely unguarded and casual.

Other contestants knew to invite professional fans to the recording to cheer them on, but Lin Zhen didn’t have that experience. As a result, his self-introduction segment seemed especially underwhelming.

Unable to bear the disparity, Jian Fu reluctantly pulled out a light-up sign with Lin Zhen’s name, attached batteries, and held it high.

Feeling embarrassed by such “fangirl behavior,” Jian Fu even donned oversized sunglasses in an attempt to conceal his face—flamboyant yet self-conscious.

While this wasn’t particularly noticeable to the audience, Lin Zhen, on stage, saw it all clearly.

Lin Zhen couldn’t help but burst into laughter at Jian Fu’s words. Realizing his lapse in composure, he quickly turned his head away, trying hard to suppress his smile and smooth the corners of his lips. Unfortunately, the way his eyes curved betrayed his true emotions.

Unbeknownst to him, this vivid and animated expression left a lasting impression on anyone who saw it.

This unintentional moment caught on camera completely stole the spotlight from the actual contestant. Lin Zhen’s photo quickly went viral online.

To avoid causing a commotion, Li Rong and the others had no choice but to help Lin Zhen dodge the public eye.

Li Rong gave everyone a New Year’s gift—not extravagant, but thoughtful, tailored to what each person needed most.

“Enjoy the New Year properly. We’ll think about everything else afterward.”

Ji Xiaochuan had been planning to apply for an internship at Suhe BioTech, but Li Rong gently stopped her.

“First-year students haven’t learned much yet, and big companies like Suhe wouldn’t be interested. Besides, without a clear plan, I’m worried you might make mistakes and end up giving people ammunition against you.”

Jian Fu grumbled, “The New Year is just the same old thing—less meaningful every year. It’s just a disguised form of socializing.”

Lin Zhen sighed. “Ever since I joined this industry, I haven’t really celebrated the New Year. I’ve even got a recording scheduled for the holiday.”

Jian Fu, however, was delighted. “That’s great! I’ll hold up a sign for you during the recording. Better than just sitting around.” Then he turned to Cen Xiao and asked, “Bro, you’re heading back to Aunt Xiao’s place, right? So you won’t see the giant panda for the next few days?”

Cen Xiao replied calmly, “Yeah, I’ll be back in two or three days.”

Jian Fu nodded thoughtfully. “Oh.”

Li Rong remained composed. “It’s just two or three days.”

Ji Xiaochuan added, “That’s short! Aunt Hui’s going back to her hometown and won’t be back for five or six days.”

Xu Tanghui said, “Some relatives back home won’t be around much longer, so I need to visit them while I still can.”

Lin Zhen chimed in, “Looks like everyone’s got something to do.”

Finally, New Year’s Eve arrived. From three in the morning, a light snow began to fall, blanketing the ground with a thin layer of white by dawn.

The world was covered in a soft, white haze, yet it didn’t feel oppressive, perhaps because of all the festive New Year decorations lining the streets and adorning the storefronts, creating an atmosphere of joy.

Ji Xiaochuan hadn’t been home in a long time.

Her home wasn’t far from A University, but ever since her parents had turned her room into her brother’s study and replaced her bed with a foldable one stored against the wall, she hadn’t felt any desire to return.

Her parents always had their reasons—her brother couldn’t concentrate elsewhere, the room was just sitting empty anyway, and it could easily be restored when she came back.

Ji Xiaochuan had grown numb to it.

But on New Year’s Eve, she had no choice but to return home.

The holiday was special, after all, and family reunion was expected. With Aunt Hui away, staying at school seemed equally unappealing.

When she finally stepped back into the home where she had lived for over a decade, Ji Xiaochuan found it oddly unfamiliar.

In the six months since she had started at A University, she had changed a great deal, but her family seemed to be treading water, stuck in the same place.

For the first time, she realized how small her home was. The bedroom she once cared so much about now seemed insignificant in such a tiny space.

Her parents weren’t as towering as she remembered. Her mother, in fact, was half a head shorter than her now and had to look up when speaking to her.

Even the fists that had once terrified her no longer seemed threatening—her father had injured his back and now hobbled when he walked.

The younger brother she had envied so much? He no longer lived in the same world as her, in terms of what he ate, wore, or used.

She now ran Aunt Hui’s online store, traveled with Li Rong and Cen Xiao, and encountered a flood of new experiences every day—things she had never dreamed of seeing.

She was no longer the high school girl who thought a grilled sausage was a treasure.

Although she still liked grilled sausages, she could now afford better restaurants and buy more expensive clothes.

Her parents pulled out the folding bed, set it up in the study’s open space, and took out sheets and blankets from the wardrobe to make it up for her.

While dusting, they grumbled, “You never come home, not even once in half a year. You don’t seem to care about us anymore. And look at your clothes and shoes—they look so expensive. Your brother’s never worn anything like that brand. Everyone says college kids spend money like water these days, all for vanity, trying to outdo others.”

Her younger brother glanced at her shoes curiously. 

At his age, he didn’t understand branded goods, but he did wonder why their parents wouldn’t buy such things for him while his sister had them.

Ji Xiaochuan responded flatly, “I didn’t ask you for money, did I?”

The room fell silent for a moment before her parents came back even more self-righteously, “So where did you get the money? Don’t go taking out campus loans—they’re scams! They’ll pile on interest until you can’t pay it back. We don’t have money to help you, so you better watch yourself. Our family is poor—we can’t compete with others over luxuries.”

Ji Xiaochuan looked around the cramped living room and suddenly felt no urge to argue.

She had already left this world far behind. She owed Li Rong for helping her break away from it.

That New Year’s Eve, Jian Fu and Jian Changli shared a bottle of red wine, both drinking more than they should.

Though Jian Changli had long known that Jian Fu drank, this was their first father-son contest of alcohol tolerance.

Jian Fu, glassy-eyed, draped an arm over Jian Changli’s shoulder and grinned. “Dad, it’s New Year’s. I just have one favor to ask—can you promise me?”

Even tipsy, Jian Changli’s mind stayed sharp. He brushed Jian Fu’s arm away and squinted at him. “No.”

Jian Fu protested, “Why not?”

Jian Changli scoffed, “You’re not up to anything good.”

Jian Fu chuckled and leaned in conspiratorially. “Maybe not, but I’ve hit a wall. I’m investigating Han Jiang’s son, but Han Jiang’s too clean—I can’t find anything. Could you look into it for me?”

Jian Changli widened his eyes. “You’re actually daring to investigate Han Jiang? Have you gone mad, Jian Fu?!”

Jian Fu, entirely unbothered by Jian Changli’s scolding, replied, “Dad, why are you so timid? What’s so special about Han Jiang? Isn’t that position meant for my brother anyway?”

Jian Changli was speechless with frustration. His son had clearly been influenced too deeply by Cen Xiao, and at this point, it was too late to pull him back.

Jian Fu pressed on, attempting to reason with passion. “Han Jiang already knows we in District One are involved. Things have reached this stage—Dad, we’re supposed to be on the same side. Investigate him!”

Jian Changli: “…”

Jian Fu then turned his head, raising his voice, “Mom! What’s Dad’s admin password? Can you send it to my phone?”

Jian Changli nearly fainted from anger. “Why don’t I just hand over the throne to you, Crown Prince?!”

Jian Fu, completely oblivious to the sarcasm, cheerfully replied, “Oh, not yet! At least wait until I graduate college.”

Jian Changli kicked him in frustration. “Get back to your room and keep dreaming!”

***

After recording wrapped up on New Year’s Eve, Lin Zhen was immediately whisked away by his parents to his grandmother’s house.

His parents were well aware of his recent surge in popularity. 

After all, who in this line of work didn’t dream of fame? Lin Zhen had managed to stand out among a hundred contestants—not for his singing skills, but through an unrelated, candid shot that stole the spotlight. Lin Zhen’s father and mother were bursting with pride.

Mother Lin said, “It’s because I gave birth to such a handsome son. Sure, singing matters, but in this industry, looks are just as important.”

His father chimed in, “It’s because he takes after me! He’s a spitting image of how I looked when I was younger. If only I’d thought of entering this line of work back then!”

Mother Lin scoffed, “What nonsense! He looks nothing like you. He’s clearly my double. People have been saying so since he was little. His fair skin? That’s from me. His thick hair? Mine. His big eyes? Definitely from me.”

Lin Zhen could only play along. “Fine, fine. I look like both of you, happy now?”

His mother turned to him curiously. “Son, I haven’t asked you yet—what were you looking at on stage that made you suddenly smile like that? I saw netizens commenting about ‘sweet, sweet love,’ and now there are even memes of it.”

Lin Zhen swallowed hard, lowered his head, and muttered, “I forgot what it was. It was a while ago, probably just something that made me laugh.”

His mother sighed admiringly. “Ah, my son’s smile is so beautiful. I’ve never seen you smile like that before. It must be because you’ve grown up and know how to charm the girls now.”

Lin Zhen whispered, “I wasn’t trying to charm anyone. I wasn’t thinking about that.”

But his mother persisted. “Oh, I’ve seen the comments online. Everyone wants to date you. Let me tell you, that smile of yours—so natural and captivating—it really tugs at the heartstrings. Next time, try smiling like that more often, even when you act.”

Lin Zhen tightened his grip on his chopsticks, feeling a wave of nervousness.

His acting skills weren’t refined enough to summon a specific expression at will. That particular smile? It had only ever appeared when he was around one specific person.

***

At five in the morning on New Year’s Eve, Cen Xiao caught his flight to the Xiao family home. Li Rong vaguely heard the sound of the door closing but couldn’t fully wake up and soon drifted back to sleep.

When he finally awoke to daylight, he didn’t feel anything unusual about the empty apartment. After showering and tidying up, he headed to his grandmother’s house as planned.

This time, it seemed both sides had learned their lesson. No one brought up the sensitive topics of Li Qingli and Gu Nong. The large family managed to maintain a fragile semblance of peace.

However, Li Rong only stayed long enough to have a bite of lunch before insisting on returning home. 

He found comfort in being alone and didn’t see New Year’s Eve as anything particularly special. With Cen Xiao away, he planned to catch up on half a year’s worth of movies, get a good night’s sleep, and train with Tang He the next day.

***

From the moment Cen Xiao’s plane landed, he was kept busy. Being their only grandchild, Xiao’s parents adored him deeply. Even though Xiao Muran had long rebelled against her parents, they still saw her marriage to Cen Qing as their crowning achievement—and Cen Xiao as their greatest reward.

In their eyes, as long as Cen Xiao existed, the Xiao and Cen families would remain an unshakable alliance, ensuring their mutual prosperity for generations.

When Mother Xiao saw Cen Xiao, her spirits lifted. Sitting up in bed, she held his hand tightly and asked warmly, “Cen Xiao, I heard you’ve already started working in District Nine. Juggling work and studies must be exhausting, isn’t it?”

Having already heard of his achievements in the Ghost-Eye Unit, Mother Xiao was immensely proud, looking at him with even more affection.

Cen Xiao nodded. “It’s manageable.”

Mother Xiao beamed. “You’re truly exceptional, even more so than your parents. Your future is boundless, and one day, everything from the Xiao and Cen families will be yours.”

Cen Xiao had little interest in wealth, but he didn’t bother arguing and simply replied, “Got it.”

Mother Xiao continued, “You’re turning 20 soon—not so young anymore. I know a granddaughter of a good friend of mine. She’s got great character and looks, and her family background matches ours perfectly. She’s even a few months younger than you. Would you consider meeting her? That other girl your mother suggested before, what was her name… Song something? Their family wasn’t suitable at all, and thankfully, you didn’t agree.”

Xiao Muran, listening to this, felt her old resentment start to boil again. She couldn’t understand why her parents insisted on controlling not only her marriage but also Cen Xiao’s.

Just as she was about to speak, Cen Xiao calmly said, “I already have someone I like.”

Xiao Muran froze.

She had always suspected Cen Xiao liked someone, but she had no idea who it was. Now that he worked in the Ghost-Eye Unit, his confidentiality had only increased, leaving her completely in the dark.

What surprised her more was how similar Cen Xiao’s words were to her own when her parents had once tried to push Cen Qing onto her: “No need. I already have someone I like.”

Mother Xiao immediately grew cautious, frowning as she asked, “Who is it? Have you really gotten to know them? Your work with the Ghost-Eye Unit is no ordinary job, so you need to be extra careful about relationships. What’s their family background like?”

Cen Xiao: “Better than me.”

Indeed, he was better—someone Cen Xiao had envied since childhood.

Loved by his parents, carefree, with a host of endearing quirks and habits that Cen Xiao couldn’t help but adore.

For example, Li Rong, while mentally mature, enjoyed being humored by others. But when he was happy, he wouldn’t show it too much, as if fearing it might make him seem childish.

For example, when he made someone angry and realized it was his fault, he’d rack his brains to change the topic. If he succeeded, he’d pretend nothing happened; if not, he’d resort to pouting—because once he did, Cen Xiao couldn’t resist giving in.

For example, despite knowing his own preference for light flavors and Cen Xiao’s for stronger ones, he would sometimes pretend to be generous and suggest spicy Sichuan cuisine. But if Cen Xiao proposed dim sum instead, he’d instantly beam with joy.

For example, his high self-expectations: after a month of training, he’d want to spar with Cen Xiao. When he lost easily, he’d feel a bit disgruntled and insist on beating him at something else to restore his pride. And once his pride was restored, he would be even more enthusiastic later in bed.

In his previous life, he was used to being aloof and detached from everyone. But in this life, with so many friends and so much affection surrounding him, he was genuinely happy. His smiles grew more frequent, and the way he crinkled his eyes in delight was particularly captivating.

…

Eight hours apart, Cen Xiao realized he missed his wife.