The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 175

Perhaps Zhang Zhaohe was surprised to see that Li Rong hadn’t fallen into despair over the destruction of Luyinxu. 

At first, there was a flicker of astonishment in his eyes, so brief it would’ve gone unnoticed if Li Rong weren’t so observant.

This time, Zhang Zhaohe wasn’t seated behind his desk but stood before Li Rong, leaning on a cane and meeting him eye to eye.

Unlike his usual pristine appearance, Zhang Zhaohe’s hair was unkempt, with a few stray strands sticking out, making his thin face look weary.

The pen he always wore at his chest hung askew, tugging his shirt into faint creases.

“I didn’t expect you to come to class today.” Zhang Zhaohe sighed after speaking, raising a hand as if to pat Li Rong’s shoulder, but midway, he hesitated, thinking better of it, and awkwardly withdrew.

Li Rong’s eyes were dull as he replied flatly, “Was I not supposed to come?”

Zhang Zhaohe gave a wry smile and shook his head. “After everything that’s happened, I thought… Look, I even prepared a leave of absence for you.”

He gestured toward his desk, where a stack of forms lay. Each had been meticulously signed “Zhang Zhaohe,” with the date fields left blank, as if he had no idea how long Li Rong might need.

Li Rong glanced at them briefly before looking away, his expression unchanging, his tone numb. “Thank you.”

Zhang Zhaohe gazed at him deeply, his voice low. “Are you disappointed? So disappointed that you’ve lost faith in the world? You’ve realized your past victories were nothing but illusions, cruel jokes played by life. What you thought was a monumental turnaround turned out to be fleeting fireworks. Without Luyinxu, how long can those cheering crowds persist? How long can those righteous patients boycotting Jiaketing hold out? In the end, they’ll act as if the fireworks never happened, returning to their normal lives. Suhe Biotech will revive, producing Jiaketing as always. And you? It feels like you’ve gained nothing, like the world has abandoned you.”

Li Rong’s lips trembled slightly. His fingers clenched involuntarily, the muscles under his thin T-shirt tightening.

He didn’t lift his head or respond to Zhang Zhaohe’s words. All his usual pride seemed drained, leaving him too weary to even refute.

In the cramped office, the air felt stagnant. The lingering glow of sunset slipped from the windowsill, disappearing completely.

Zhang Zhaohe spoke with weight. “Li Rong, no one understands you better than I do. I’ve told you before—we’re the same kind of person.”

Li Rong’s eyelids flickered slightly, but even this comment failed to spark his interest.

Although he had come to class today, he hadn’t performed well. When the teacher called on him, he appeared utterly lost, as if his spirit had left him.

Reports about him had already reached Zhang Zhaohe:

“Li Rong was distracted in class and didn’t answer questions, resulting in a two-point deduction.”

“Li Rong’s logic was incoherent; he stared blankly at the slides without moving.”

“Li Rong arrived late and couldn’t come up with an excuse for it.”

“Li Rong fell asleep in class, claiming insomnia and skipping lunch.”

…

All signs pointed to someone emotionally drained, utterly disheartened, clinging to a fragile semblance of composure.

Now, seeing him in person confirmed it.

Zhang Zhaohe finally raised his hand and gently patted Li Rong’s shoulder.

His hand was thin and dry, offering little comfort, though Zhang Zhaohe didn’t seem to think so.

With a melancholy sigh, Zhang Zhaohe said, “Do you remember when I took you to climb Ta Mountain? That day, the two of us were the first to reach the top. I often recall that day—it always seems to overlap with images from more than ten years ago, leaving a bittersweet feeling that’s hard to put into words.”

That day.

Li Rong’s Adam’s apple tightened.

That was the first time he stepped into Zhang Zhaohe’s way of thinking. He couldn’t deny that Zhang Zhaohe’s logic was flawless, even giving him the illusion of finding a kindred spirit.

Had he not returned to meet Shen Gui and Tongtong—remembering the promise he had made to cure Tong Tong’s illness—he might have truly become someone like Zhang Zhaohe.

Children are forthright and innocent. They are the only ones who can pierce through the logical loops because they don’t abide by rules or logic. Love is love; hate is hate.

Zhang Zhaohe continued, “That day, where we stood was the same place I stood with your father. Like you, he looked out from the summit, gazing at the crowds arriving one after another below. He said, ‘If only everyone could be so carefree and happy, loving life without illness or suffering.’ Back then, we stood there, filled with hope and love for the world. I couldn’t agree with him more. We worked tirelessly, hoping that one day, everyone could smile, call out to friends, and climb to the highest point together. The weather that day was beautiful—clear skies and a gentle breeze—it felt as though even nature agreed with us. But what was the outcome?”

Hearing him mention his father, Li Rong finally raised his eyes. His gaze was bloodshot, his lips pressed tightly together, and a spark of anger seemed to stir him from his numb despondency.

Zhang Zhaohe’s expression turned earnest as he said, “The outcome was that your father suffered a tragic fate, persecuted with no one to stand by him. Those he sought to help and save became the very knives that killed him. And then, on some absurdly delayed day, they flocked to random accounts online to apologize, like ridiculous clowns. The supposedly just cries and celebrations—your father could no longer witness them. What he saw before his death was an overwhelming storm of insults, curses, and heartless betrayal. He left all the data on Luyinxu as his final act of kindness for those insignificant ants, yet it was all reduced to ashes, utterly destroyed!”

Zhang Zhaohe’s emotions surged. He grabbed Li Rong’s shoulders with clenched teeth and said, “Why should it have been him to endure such injustice? Why should it be you bearing this now? They’ve wronged both of you. They’re unworthy of even a shred of your compassion. Li Rong, you’re your father and mother’s only child. You survived. Don’t live like them. Live for yourself—that’s what they would have wanted!”

Li Rong’s eyes brimmed with tears. The bloodshot veins beneath them made the tears look almost red. 

His teeth chattered as he asked harshly, “Who… Zheng Zhupan is already down. Who burned Luyinxu!?”

Zhang Zhaohe slowly released Li Rong’s shoulders, his bitter smile laced with tears. “Li Rong, do you really think bringing down Zheng Zhupan solved everything? Do you know how many people don’t want your father’s grievances redressed? Any one of them could have set that fire. Even if the flames weren’t in the archives, they were already burning in their hearts! 

Back then, when the incident happened, the public was in an uproar, absurd rumors spread wildly, and the condemnation was deafening. People convicted your parents at the speed of light, never giving them a chance to defend themselves.

At that time, what was Hongsuo doing? Realizing the danger, Zhu Yan took the lead in severing ties. He immediately removed your father and mother’s names from Hongsuo’s website and suspended all their experimental projects. Even the group photos hanging in the research institute’s lobby were taken down!

Did he ever think of standing up for your father? Did he think of using his position as the head of Hongsuo to vouch for him? No, he didn’t! He was just a selfish, petty man with no courage or integrity.”

Li Rong frowned deeply, seemingly hearing Zhu Yan’s name for the first time. His reaction was a mixture of anger, confusion, and unfamiliarity.

Zhang Zhaohe took a deep breath as if the outburst had left him oxygen-deprived. He continued in a calmer tone, “And what about Blue Pivot? What were Blue Pivot’s commerce association and District Nine doing? Like rats born in sewers, they exploited the chaos to amass wealth, taking over all your father’s business partners by coercion or bribery. In just a few months, Hongsuo was severely weakened due to this incident, losing many upstream and downstream collaborators who defected to Blue Pivot. Meanwhile, Blue Pivot raked in silent profits, adding over a thousand new companies as registered members, each paying annual fees in the tens of thousands.

And District Nine? What did they do? Han Jiang, who prides himself on being decisive and intolerant of corruption, discovered that his subordinates had been infiltrated like a sieve. If not for District Six being disbanded, they wouldn’t have known how long Suhe Biotech had been hiding its filth within Blue Pivot!”

A flicker of surprise crossed Li Rong’s face. He had recognized enemies within Hongsuo but hadn’t realized how Blue Pivot had also profited from his parents’ tragedy.

The shock in his expression quickly gave way to suppression. He turned his face away, using the pretense of wiping his tears to hide the momentary lapse. He didn’t want Zhang Zhaohe to see.

But Zhang Zhaohe saw it anyway.

He gently pulled Li Rong’s hand away and noticed that his eyes were already red from the rough sleeve.

With earnest conviction, Zhang Zhaohe said, “I’ve always spared you the full truth because you were young. I didn’t want to burden you. But now, you have the right to know, and it’s time you stop being kept in the dark.

Never see Blue Pivot as an ally. Do you think they’re helping you? They’re just using your strength to weaken Hongsuo. Right now, you must hate Hongsuo, believing the one who burned Luyinxu is among them. After all, they held a month-long conference discussing its reboot. Too many people knew the details.

You’ve brought down Suhe Biotech. Is Hongsuo Research Institute your next target? That’s precisely their goal! Blue Pivot’s District One and District Three gained real benefits from the tragedy years ago. Borrowing power to defeat Suhe Biotech was good, but don’t fall too deeply into their schemes and mistake enemies for friends!”

Li Rong’s face turned pale, and he stumbled back a step. It was as if he didn’t want to hear more, retreating with a trembling voice, “I have something to do. I’ll leave now.”

Zhang Zhaohe tightly grabbed Li Rong’s wrist with a surprising strength that defied his frail, aging frame.

“Li Rong, are you still unwilling to face reality?”

Li Rong frowned deeply, his tear-streaked face full of disarray. He tried to shake Zhang Zhaohe’s hand off, but when he failed, he lashed out irritably, “Stop talking!”

Zhang Zhaohe pressed further, relentless. “Acknowledging the truth is painful, but does that mean you can just avoid it? You’ve truly disappointed me! I thought, after all this, you’d at least be a fighter. But no—you’re not even half the person your parents were!”

Li Rong exploded in anger, shouting like a frustrated child, “What am I supposed to do?! You’re telling me Hongsuo is my enemy, Blue Pivot is my enemy, and there’s no place for me in this entire world. So what? Am I supposed to believe the problem is me? That I should just follow my parents’ path and choose death?!”

“You are not them!” Zhang Zhaohe’s voice thundered with conviction. His bony face flushed slightly from the tension, his sharp, hawk-like eyes gleaming fiercely. His disheveled hair fluttered, and his chest heaved with intensity as he spoke. “Li Rong, of course you have a choice! Did your parents never tell you about the High Tower Group?”

Li Rong froze, his anger suddenly drained.

The term left him bewildered, as though it was something he had once faintly heard but could not clearly recall.

The High Tower Group.

The name seemed ordinary, something so generic it could be easily overlooked. But now, it carried an unfamiliar weight.

Li Rong struggled to remember if his parents had ever mentioned it. He was certain they had never spoken of it often, if at all.

Zhang Zhaohe hurriedly returned to his desk, crouching to pull open the bottom drawer. From the very bottom, he unearthed a file. The paper bore a golden insignia—a stylized, conical tower.

Li Rong recognized the symbol. He had caught a fleeting glimpse of it in this very office before.

Zhang Zhaohe placed the file in front of Li Rong. “Over a decade ago, after a case involving a falsely accused administrator being dismissed, your father realized that researchers in schools and institutes had little voice. The real power rested with higher-ups who barely understood science. Everything—research funding, project directions, even standing up for what’s right—depended on the whims of those in control.

So, your father decided to form a union for researchers, to ensure that their voices would be heard, their concerns respected, and their strength recognized.

In the beginning, the union had only ten members. The ten of us climbed Ta* Mountain together. Standing at the summit, your father was inspired and named the group the High Tower Group—meaning, ‘Standing atop the high tower, relieving the suffering of the many.’
* means tower

Over the years, every project led by group members was given a GT* designation. You can look them up: biology, physics, mathematics, materials science…not one project was for personal gain. Every single one was for the public good.
* high tower in chinese is Gao Ta

When your parents’ tragedy occurred, it wasn’t that no one saw the truth. Some did. But they also saw the false prosperity that the Hongsuo Research Institute projected. After realizing this, they joined the High Tower Group. Today, our members number over 20,000—more than half of Hongsuo’s registered researchers.

They respected your parents, admired them, mourned them. They are your allies.

Li Rong, your father was the first leader of the High Tower Group, and in their hearts, he always will be. You have the intelligence and talent to inherit their legacy. Now, it’s time for you to go home!”

The golden tower emblem, weathered with age, shimmered faintly. It stood tall and resolute, exuding a quiet, unwavering strength. The fading sunlight outside seemed to retreat, as though awed into surrender.

Li Rong suddenly recalled something—the GT letters stamped inconspicuously on the kraft paper envelope holding Li Qingli’s manuscripts.

So, this was their meaning.

GT201—its origins lay with the High Tower Group.

Zhang Zhaohe watched as Li Rong left his office in a daze, clutching a document stamped with a golden tower emblem tightly to his chest.

Zhang Zhaohe’s expression was tinged with worry, but he still managed a faint, reassuring smile.

After stepping out of Zhang Zhaohe’s office, Li Rong heard the old wooden door slowly close behind him. It was only then that his blank expression softened slightly.

Maintaining his stunned and stiff demeanor, he walked to a surveillance blind spot in the corridor. There, he slowly raised his hand to gently wipe the tears from the corner of his eyes with his fingertip. Then, he lifted his gaze, revealing a faint and ambiguous smile.

Li Rong believed that most of what Zhang Zhaohe had told him today was true—the origin of the High Tower Group, its history, and the developments that followed the incident.

If he hadn’t known Jiang Zheng or Zhang Zhaohe’s role in the Xu Tanghui incident, he might have completely believed everything Zhang Zhaohe said today. He would have felt a deep sense of belonging to his “new home,” been immensely grateful to Zhang Zhaohe, and turned himself into a sharp blade aimed at Cen Xiao and Jian Fu.

The destruction of Luyinxu had devastated him.

Now, he was at his most vulnerable, sensitive, and confused—a prime target for manipulation and recruitment.

Someone was bound to make a move, and Zhang Zhaohe was the one who seized the opportunity.

Li Rong had always harbored doubts about Zhang Zhaohe, and that was because of his experiences in his previous life.

Based on descriptions, Zhang Zhaohe seemed to have been one of the High Tower Group’s first-generation leaders, a pivotal figure. But in his previous life, Zhang Zhaohe had never appeared. The first person to bring the letters “GT” to his attention was Jiang Weide.

If what Zhang Zhaohe said was true—that every member of the High Tower Group deeply respected and remembered his parents—then how could they have ignored him in his times of greatest need?

He had endured extreme hardship, burdened with debt and without a stable home, yet none of these people extended a helping hand.

Later, when he joined the Hongsuo Research Institute, the first person to show him care and kindness was his mentor, Jiang Weide.

Jiang Weide had allowed him to research bacterial premature aging syndrome and personally named the project code GT201. Though Jiang Weide wouldn’t reveal the meaning behind the code, it was clearly a tribute to his parents.

Jiang Weide was, of course, a member of the High Tower Group from the very beginning.

But Jiang Weide, his mentor, was temperamental, rigid, and wholly devoted to his academic pursuits. It was unlikely that he held much sway within the High Tower Group.

Even his parents, who were idealistic and uninterested in fame or fortune, were not ideal leaders for the group.

Everyone has their own interests. The people who came together because of the Xu Tanghui incident weren’t necessarily destined to stay united forever.

That year, when they climbed Ta Mountain together and gazed into the distance, his parents had been full of ambition and passion. But what had Zhang Zhaohe been thinking?

Was he already viewing it as an opportunity to bring Zhu Yan down?

Zhang Zhaohe had said they were the same kind of person. Li Rong pondered this and felt he could guess why Zhang Zhaohe had appeared in this life.

Because, in this lifetime, he held undeniable value.

In the previous life, his conflict with Cen Xiao effectively estranged him from Blue Pivot Districts 1 and 3. He had thrown himself into scientific research for years, working tirelessly to fulfill his parents’ dreams, completely unaware that the entire ordeal had been orchestrated from the start.

Zhang Zhaohe must have been disappointed, thinking Li Rong unworthy of the High Tower Group’s attention.

Back then, Li Rong’s focus on developing a cure to help the “insignificant masses” seemed laughably naive and shortsighted. He wasn’t worth recruiting.

But this time was different. As a high school student, he submitted a hypothesis under Li Qingli’s name, indirectly causing Xu Wei to avoid returning to the country and humiliating Jiang Weide in front of everyone. He dismantled the powerful alliance between Meijiang Pharmaceuticals, Jiajia Central Hospital, and Suhe Biotech. He collaborated with Blue Pivot Districts 1 and 3, as well as a trending celebrity, to ruin the deeply entrenched Suhe Biotech. His mastery of public opinion forced Zhu Yan into disgrace and exhaustion.

Unintentionally, Li Rong had amassed a formidable influence—loyal fans, Blue Pivot Districts 1, 3, and 9. What seemed like a group of kids fooling around actually wielded considerable sway in terms of public discourse, finances, and power.

He had become so aggressive, so valuable—not an enemy to be made, but an asset to the High Tower Group.

Conveniently, the High Tower Group had been founded by his father. Everything fit together seamlessly.

***

That night, everyone gathered again at Xu Tanghui’s old home.

Hidden in plain sight, the community was incredibly discreet. Lin Zhen’s fans would never have guessed their idol would visit such a place.

Li Rong pushed the documents Zhang Zhaohe had given him toward Xu Tanghui and asked softly, “Aunt Hui, is this what you saw back then?”

Xu Tanghui accepted the file, furrowing her brow as she examined it carefully. Slowly, her expression relaxed, and a look of realization crossed her face. She pointed to the golden tower emblem and exclaimed, “Yes, yes, that’s it! I remember now. I saw it when I was at—”

Li Rong finished her sentence for her: “At my father’s place.”

Xu Tanghui nodded fervently. “Yes! Back then, I had just decided to set up a stall at A University’s plaza. I couldn’t get anything right—my gloves were all over the place, and my crafts weren’t good enough, so no one bought them. Professor Li saw me and told me not to waste my time. He said he’d get me a campus card so I could read more at the library. He told me that when you can’t figure something out, reading books and learning history might help. The next day, when he gave me the student card, there was a document underneath it. That document had this emblem on it. I only glanced at it, but under the sunlight, it seemed to shimmer…”

Jian Fu was stunned, craning his neck to scrutinize the emblem. The more he looked, the more confused he became. “Huh? How could it be Professor Li? I thought…”

He had assumed this symbol was undoubtedly connected to their enemies.

Lin Zhen was also puzzled. “But if it belonged to Professor Li, why didn’t the class monitor ever know about it?”

Xu Tanghui asked anxiously, “Who gave this to you? How did they have it? Were they a friend of your parents?”

Li Rong slowly sat down, setting the document aside and chuckling softly. “My parents didn’t like bringing work home, so they rarely talked about business matters in front of me. It’s normal that I never heard of or noticed it. And maybe, to them, this was just an ordinary union, no different from a climbing club, cycling club, or badminton association.”

Ji Xiaochuan, now sporting freshly cut shoulder-length hair that made her look youthful, asked curiously, “A… union?”

Li Rong recounted what Zhang Zhaohe had told him about the High Tower Group.

His knowledge of the group was limited.

Xu Tanghui was shocked, muttering to herself, “Was it because of me?”

She never imagined that the initial motivation for Li Qingli to establish this group had been her own grievance.

Her heart filled with mixed emotions—on one hand, comforted that her plight had been taken so seriously, inspiring change; on the other, sorrowful that Li Qingli’s tragic fate seemed, in a way, connected to her.

Li Rong said calmly, “The hard drive theft incident and my appearance at the police station with Aunt Hui made our connection obvious. Zhang Zhaohe likely believed my father had told Aunt Hui about the High Tower Group’s founding, so he assumed I would hear the story from her. That would lend credibility to his claims and make me fully trust him. I’d see the High Tower Group as my home, setting myself against the Hongsuo Research Institute represented by Zhu Yan and against the districts of Blue Pivot you inhabit.”

“D*mn! If we hadn’t met Geng An and stumbled upon the hidden truth about Jiang Zheng and Han Ying, Zhang Zhaohe’s words would’ve been airtight!” Jian Fu shivered. “I’ve said it before: good thing we’re on Li Rong’s side. If he were our enemy, it’d be terrifying.”

Lin Zhen added, “Exactly. He barely lied—it’s just a partial truth. Zhang Zhaohe also threatened the weak Jiang Zheng back then. He’s not a good person.”

Li Rong and Cen Xiao both knew that meeting Geng An and uncovering Han Jiang’s secrets wasn’t a coincidence; it was part of the clues left by Du Mingli in the previous life.

Li Rong said, “Still, I didn’t expect that the High Tower Group, which started with just ten people more than a decade ago, has now grown into an organization of over 20,000 researchers because of my father’s efforts. Its members now outnumber half of Hongsuo Research Institute’s registered personnel. Doesn’t that mean they’ve already overshadowed Zhu Yan’s authority?”

Jian Fu slapped his thigh and suddenly realized: “So this old fox is really cunning. He only mentioned how the Hongsuo Group suffered severe losses and that the Blue Pivot Group took advantage of the chaos, but he conveniently left out how the High Tower Group also grew stronger during this period. And later, because of the Sixth District and Meijiang Pharmaceuticals incident, the Blue Pivot Group also suffered heavy blows. In the end, only the High Tower Group rose to prominence.”

Cen Xiao, who had remained silent the whole time, finally spoke up at this moment, adding, “Do you remember at your parents’ funeral, when we asked each other what we had discovered? You said that the marketing accounts might not be a trick of Li Baishou, and I said Jiang Weide’s overly polite attitude toward Zhang Zhaohe seemed strange.”

Li Rong’s memories instantly came flooding back.

At that time, Cen Xiao had even asked him what Jiang Weide’s personality was like and used the opportunity to make a seemingly casual compliment about Jiang Weide’s high moral standards.

Now it was clear—Jiang Weide’s unusual courtesy toward Zhang Zhaohe, stepping aside to make way for him to pay his respects, was entirely because…

Cen Xiao said coldly, “It’s likely that within the High Tower Group, Zhang Zhaohe holds a position higher than Jiang Weide. This difference in status even surpasses that between a lecturer and an honorary professor.”

Li Rong raised an eyebrow and murmured, “I guess Zhang Zhaohe is probably the second leader of the High Tower Group.”

As Cen Xiao and Li Rong exchanged these words, the others were left completely stunned. They hadn’t attended the funeral, but they were all shocked by the conclusion.

An obscure lecturer, notoriously at the bottom of the ranking in A University, turned out to be the leader of the High Tower Group? And he even outranked someone as esteemed as Jiang Weide?

Ji Xiaochuan, recovering from his astonishment, quietly asked, “Boss, is… is he trying to recruit you into… into the group? What are… you going to do?”

Zhang Zhaohe was strange and dangerous, but the High Tower Group was the legacy of Professor Li and his original vision. It was natural for Li Rong to feel a sense of belonging to it. Besides, the group was full of people who had supported his parents.

Li Rong didn’t directly answer Ji Xiaochuan’s question. Instead, he looked deeply at Cen Xiao.

Cen Xiao met his gaze for a few seconds but then deliberately averted his eyes, as if avoiding something.

Li Rong’s eyelid twitched before he turned to Ji Xiaochuan and murmured, “I’ll think about it. You all should go back and rest early.”

After the team meeting was adjourned, Li Rong intentionally dragged his feet. He saw off Ji Xiaochuan, then Lin Zhen and Jian Fu, said goodbye to Aunt Hui, and finally intercepted Cen Xiao at the narrow and secluded pathway of the residential area.

Li Rong crossed his arms in a relaxed and casual manner. He looked up with an innocent smile on his face: “Team Leader Cen, the first time I mentioned the High Tower Group, you didn’t seem surprised. Care to explain why?”

Cen Xiao froze for a moment and then burst into laughter: “Nothing escapes your eyes. You must’ve been holding back this whole time—was it hard?”

Cen Xiao reached out as if to touch Li Rong’s face, but Li Rong swatted his hand away. “Hiding things from me.”

Li Rong’s tone carried a hint of playful reproach, as if implying that without a proper explanation, Cen Xiao wouldn’t be allowed back into his bed.

Cen Xiao raised his hands in surrender: “Fine, fine, I’ll tell you everything. I wasn’t hearing about the High Tower Group for the first time.”

Li Rong’s expression instantly turned serious. He narrowed his eyes, waiting for Cen Xiao to give a full account.

In his previous life, Li Rong might not have bothered to ask for reasons. If someone deliberately hid something from him, he would’ve automatically shut them out of his life.

But now, he deeply understood the pain caused by miscommunication and mutual secrecy, so he was willing to give others a chance to explain.

Neither of them could afford another self-righteous confrontation.

Cen Xiao slowly began, “The first time I heard about this group was the day I went to seek revenge on Du Mingli. No matter what, I didn’t want to tell you about it—that’s the truth.”

Li Rong couldn’t help but uncross his arms and furrow his brow.

Cen Xiao continued, “Before Du Mingli died, he asked me if I’d ever heard of the High Tower Group. He said Han Jiang and Zhu Yan were complete fools, as were many others in Blue Pivot and Hongsuo—and even me. He claimed we were all caught up in the Luyinxu incident, stripped of our facades, and forced to reveal our ugly, dark sides.”

“He said your parents’ deaths were part of a sacrificial ritual—a bloody feast meant to conduct an unprecedented purge of the Hongsuo Research Institute. The goal was to plant the High Tower Plan deep into the hearts of certain individuals, letting hatred and anger ferment into an unstoppable catastrophe. They firmly believed that to achieve change, sacrifices were necessary. They used death to elevate themselves as the supreme gods of the High Tower Group.”

“Du Mingli believed that once the truth of the Luyinxu incident was revealed, everyone tangled in the web of interests would be affected. The Blue Pivot United Commerce Association and the Hongsuo Research Institute would completely lose their credibility. When that happened, the market order would inevitably collapse, impacting countless people. That was his ‘big picture.’ So, to protect this ‘big picture,’ he chose to sacrifice Li Qingli and Gu Nong, ensuring the majority could live in the illusion of false stability.”

“Now, just two years later, the High Tower Group already has more than twenty thousand members. In the previous timeline, after six years, who knows what this organization had grown into? The world is full of vile, despicable people, or so Du Mingli believed—even your parents. At the time, you were in the critical phase of taking down Suhe Biotech. I didn’t tell you because I was afraid it would shake your resolve.”

Cen Xiao knew Li Rong but didn’t know Li Rong’s parents. The deceased couldn’t defend themselves, and Cen Xiao had no way of verifying the truth of Du Mingli’s convictions.

If what Du Mingli said was true, then everything Li Rong was fighting for would have been a farce.

So, he couldn’t tell him.

Li Rong listened and then smiled lightly. He leaned casually against the wall, relaxed and unbothered: “I once read a book that described something called titanium white. It’s the most stable white in the world, capable of covering any color. To me, my parents are titanium white—their kindness is pure and unstained, untouchable by any impurity. They were wholly good people. Everything they did had only one goal: to help others. Any suggestion of selfishness, ambition, or greed is a stain on that purity. I can’t believe such claims, and they can’t possibly shake my resolve.”

Cen Xiao pulled Li Rong off the cold wall into his arms, gently stroking his back. “Alright, alright, it was my own small-mindedness.”

As long as Li Rong said it, Cen Xiao believed him.

Nestled in the warmth of Cen Xiao’s embrace, Li Rong murmured softly, “But I’m not like my parents. They wanted stability and order, but I prefer to stir everything up. When it comes to the High Tower Group, I’m genuinely interested.”

Cen Xiao raised an eyebrow and indulgently asked, “What do you plan to do?”

Li Rong smiled. Even in the darkness, his eyes remained clear and bright. “Zhang Zhaohe thought he had me cornered by dismantling Luyinxu, leaving me no way out. What he doesn’t know is that I have GT201, personally guided by Jiang Weide. I need the High Tower Group’s resources, a proper lab, and brilliant assistants to complete GT201 as quickly as possible. If I can finish it before the public loses interest, I’ll be able to eliminate bacterial progeria. That’s why I must join the High Tower Group.”

Li Rong’s fingers brushed lightly against Cen Xiao’s collar, teasing the skin near his collarbone. Then, he stood on tiptoe slightly and bit Cen Xiao’s lips with just the right amount of force. His breath was soft, and his gaze was sly. “Team Leader Cen, play along with me. Let’s return to the dynamic we had in the previous life.”

Cen Xiao’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he licked the spot where Li Rong had bitten him. “The untouchable aloof flower versus the spoiled playboy who insists on picking it?”

Li Rong couldn’t help but laugh. “Something like that. Or you could just cut ties with me like sworn brothers splitting their robes.”

Cen Xiao took a deep breath, looking somewhat exasperated. Through gritted teeth, he asked, “Does that mean even hugging you will become difficult?”

Their dynamic from the previous life was a shadow that loomed large over him.

Li Rong’s eyes curved into crescents as he playfully teased, “Don’t tell me Team Leader Cen has forgotten all the forceful tricks you used back then.”

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