The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 201

Since Cen Xiao has had a psychological shadow regarding birthdays since childhood, every year when his birthday approaches, Li Rong tries to come up with something special to rebuild his impression of this day.

For Cen Xiao, directly expressing his expectations for his birthday is difficult—it feels childish. At his current psychological age, openly talking about birthdays seems almost out of place.

But he is undeniably as excited as a child.

After their relationship became public knowledge within the Hongsuo and Blue Pivot organizations, the two no longer pretended to act discreetly.

Li Rong’s work hours are irregular, so most of the time, Cen Xiao drives to the entrance of the Hongsuo Research Institute to pick him up from work.

If he has to wait a long time, he simply heads to Li Rong’s office to sit and wait.

Of course, his presence always causes some commotion.

Previously, Hongsuo’s staff would treat his arrival as though facing a formidable enemy. Now, their reactions are far more complex and ambiguous. Even after he leaves, they whisper among themselves for ages.

Li Rong’s assistant is particularly dramatic. Ever since learning that Cen Xiao is the “spouse” of his boss, the assistant’s attitude has done a complete 180-degree turn. Whenever they meet, he greets Cen Xiao with a textbook-perfect smile, showing exactly eight teeth.

On the day of the birthday, Li Rong specifically requested leave from Jiang Weide, packed up early, and went to the Ninth District to find Cen Xiao.

The Ninth District’s building was far more luxurious than the Hongsuo Research Institute, with even faint traces of formaldehyde lingering in the corners.

Dressed in casual clothes, Li Rong leisurely walked to the security booth and gently knocked on the window. “Hello, can you register me? I’m here to see your Ghost Eye Team Leader.”

Without lifting his head, the guard asked, “Do you have an appointment?”

Li Rong blinked. “No, my work hours are irregular, so I couldn’t schedule one in advance.”

The guard, his eyes glued to his tablet, lazily replied, “Then no can do. To see the Team Leader of the Ninth District, you need to schedule at least three days in advance. Come back tomorrow.”

Li Rong raised an eyebrow but remained unhurried. “So many rules in the Ninth District, huh?”

The guard snorted. “Of course. Otherwise, if we let anyone in, it’d be chaos.”

Nodding thoughtfully, Li Rong calmly pulled out his phone. “Alright then, I’ll have Team Leader Cen come down to see me.”

Only then did the guard look up from the drama on his screen to glance at Li Rong.

His first reaction: Good-looking.

The guard was new to the Ninth District and didn’t follow the news, so he had no idea who Li Rong was.

The young and handsome figure before him naturally left a favorable impression.

Li Rong had already dialed a number, one hand in his pocket, casually tapping the marble floor with the toe of his shoe. “Are you done with work yet?”

Cen Xiao’s voice came through the phone, low and gentle: “Almost done. Should I come pick you up in a bit?”

A glimmer of amusement flickered in Li Rong’s eyes as he slyly replied, “I’m a little impatient. Why don’t you come pick me up now?”

Cen Xiao didn’t hesitate for even a second. “Alright,” he said immediately.

After hanging up, Li Rong turned to the security guard and said, “I won’t go upstairs. I’ll just wait for him here.”

The guard sized Li Rong up, still mulling over the earlier conversation. If the man had really been speaking with Team Leader Cen, then the two of them seemed pretty close.

Just then, Du Mingli returned from outside, carrying a briefcase with two assistants trailing behind him. He was in a rush to head upstairs but stopped dead in his tracks when his gaze landed on Li Rong, standing idly in the middle of the lobby.

A grin spread across Du Mingli’s face as he called out, “Well, well, Team Leader Li! It’s not easy catching a glimpse of you in the Ninth District.”

Li Rong looked up at him and responded with a faint smile, “Busy.”

Du Mingli chuckled. “Looks like the High Tower team is just as swamped as our Ghost Eye team. You and Team Leader Cen really work hard.”

“Mm, it’s alright,” Li Rong replied coolly.

After a brief pause, Du Mingli added with a hint of sarcasm, “But why are you still waiting downstairs? I’d have thought someone would roll out the red carpet and carry you up in a sedan chair by now.” He laughed heartily after saying this. “Just joking, Team Leader Li. Hope you don’t mind.”

Li Rong knew well that Du Mingli had always seen Cen Xiao as a rival, though he hadn’t been able to find any leverage against him.

Du Mingli’s downfall had started with the Meijiang Pharmaceuticals incident, which Li Rong had managed to turn around completely. Since then, he had harbored a grudge against Li Rong.

The subtext of Du Mingli’s words today was clear: he was mocking the idea that a respected High Tower Team Leader like Li Rong would stoop to relying on someone else to gain power.

If Li Rong were someone thin-skinned or prone to insecurity, Du Mingli’s words might have struck a nerve. Unfortunately for Du Mingli, Li Rong was neither.

“High positions come with hard falls,” Li Rong said lightly. “Cen Xiao and I both hold important roles. It’s better to keep a low profile. Wouldn’t want to give opportunists anything to exploit.”

Du Mingli forced a laugh. “Heh.”

Li Rong glanced at his watch. “It’s work hours, Captain Du. Do you have time for idle chatter with me?”

Grinding his teeth silently, Du Mingli gave a faint smile. “Then I’ll be heading upstairs.”

The security guard, still watching from the sidelines, quietly asked, “Captain Du, who’s this?”

Raising his voice deliberately, Du Mingli replied, “Next time he visits, make sure you’re extra courteous and let him through right away. This is Team Leader Cen’s… significant other.”

Before he could finish, a voice from the elevator drowned him out. “This is Li Rong, Team Leader of High Tower and head of the GT201 project.”

The elevator doors opened slowly, and Cen Xiao stepped out.

He cast a cold glance at Du Mingli before striding directly toward Li Rong.

“Why are you waiting here?” Cen Xiao asked, his voice now markedly softer than it had been on the phone.

Li Rong, calm as ever, replied, “It’s your birthday, so I left work early.”

Cen Xiao naturally wrapped his arm around Li Rong’s waist as they walked out. “I was just about to come pick you up.”

Li Rong stole a glance at Du Mingli, who was quietly fuming, and the security guard, who was audibly gasping. Smiling, he walked out of the Ninth District’s gate with Cen Xiao.

As they strolled, he asked, “Why do you still keep Du Mingli around? What’s your angle?”

Cen Xiao let out a soft chuckle. “Don’t you think making him stay under my command, following my orders, and obeying my instructions is the ultimate torment for him?”

Li Rong clicked his tongue. “Team Leader Cen, you’re really ruthless. This time around, he hasn’t done anything to betray us. In fact, he’s even helped out.”

Cen Xiao laughed quietly. “Right back at you, Team Leader Li. You’re not exactly kind with your sharp tongue when mocking him.”

He had already heard the exchange in the lobby while in the elevator. Li Rong’s comment about holding an important position had clearly struck a nerve with Du Mingli.

Once they stepped out onto the street, Li Rong instinctively raised a hand to shield his eyes from the setting sun. The sky was still a vivid blue, with the sun hanging low, and the air was pleasantly mild—not too hot or cold.

It was rare for them to witness the sky at this hour. Though their lives were as busy as ever, their mindset was completely different from what it had been in their previous life.

Li Rong extended a finger and playfully poked Cen Xiao’s abs, his face full of mischief. “Team Leader Cen, you’ve been looking forward to my arrival, haven’t you? Acting all serious and proper.”

Cen Xiao glanced around briefly before catching Li Rong’s finger in his palm, gently stroking it. “Stop teasing.”

Li Rong had always been irresistible to him. Even the smallest gestures could elicit a reaction.

His waist, in particular, was still quite sensitive.

Li Rong, dropping his playful demeanor, sighed. “It’s a good thing Jian Fu is accompanying Lin Zhen to the filming center. Otherwise, he’d be crashing the party again.”

Whenever Jian Fu was around for Cen Xiao’s birthday, it inevitably turned into a chaotic evening of multiplayer games or card matches. The night would only end once Ji Xiaochuan and Lin Zhen were crouched under the table, clutching their heads in despair after losing spectacularly.

Cen Xiao shook his head in resignation. “So, what’s the plan for today?”

Li Rong pulled two musical tickets out of his pocket and waved them in front of Cen Xiao.

Cen Xiao frowned slightly. “A musical?”

Li Rong blinked. “It’s a rare performance of Singing in the Rain. Nearly impossible to get tickets for. I had to ask Lin Zhen to help secure these. As for your birthday gift, that’ll have to wait until 10 p.m.”

Cen Xiao raised an eyebrow. “Why 10 p.m.?”

Li Rong smiled mysteriously and said nothing.

Despite the rare musical and its status as a classic, Cen Xiao barely registered what was happening on stage.

His thoughts were consumed by one question: What could the 10 p.m. birthday gift possibly be?

The entire audience focused on the stage, but only Cen Xiao kept glancing at his watch, wishing the next second would bring ten o’clock.

During intermission, whispers floated around him.

“That guy keeps checking his watch—he can’t wait for this to be over.”

“Oh my gosh, how can he not enjoy this? And with such good seats—it’s such a waste.”

“Totally! He gives off nouveau riche vibes.”

Cen Xiao: “…”

Finally, the musical ended, and it was nearly 10 PM.

Cen Xiao impatiently tugged Li Rong toward the parking lot, desperate to drive home as quickly as possible.

It wasn’t that he was overly eager for the birthday gift. Well, maybe just a little.

Li Rong, on the other hand, wasn’t in any rush. He let Cen Xiao pull him along but deliberately dragged his feet. “Why so impatient? Everyone else is still savoring the experience.”

Cen Xiao turned back, narrowing his eyes at Li Rong. “You know why.”

With Li Rong’s intelligence, there was no way he couldn’t tell what Cen Xiao was anticipating. There was no point in hiding it—he might as well be straightforward.

Li Rong’s eyes curved into crescents, dark and gleaming, as he let out a meaningful “Oh.”

He let himself be pulled into the car, fastened his seatbelt, and sat quietly as the car crawled out of the underground parking lot with the evening traffic. By then, the clock struck 10.

They weren’t even home yet, and Cen Xiao was already getting restless.

Li Rong, still fiddling with his phone, suddenly cleared his throat after a few minutes. “Pull over for a moment.”

Perplexed, Cen Xiao parked by the side of the road.

Li Rong licked his lips lightly and turned to look at Cen Xiao with an enigmatic smile. “Open your phone and check today’s news.”

Cen Xiao, puzzled, unlocked his phone and opened a news app.

Several push notifications popped up instantly:

[Li Rong of the Hongsuo Research Institute featured again in top-tier international journal From Zero!]

[A breakthrough for hemophilia patients: A major step forward in science from Li Rong’s team!]

[Quick read: Translation of Li Rong’s From Zero article!]

….

Given Li Rong’s reputation, such headlines and attention were hardly surprising.

News Comments:

“Holy crap, this is incredible! Featured in From Zero again!”

“Insane. My first time stanning a scientist, and they’re already top-tier!”

“Ugh, as a fellow researcher, why does submitting to From Zero feel like a pipe dream for me, but Li Rong makes it look like a game?”

“This research is such a blessing to the public. As expected of Li Qingli and Gu Nong’s son.”

“Guys, did you see the last line of the acknowledgements? I’m speechless!”

“‘To my beloved, Cen Xiao.’ What does that mean? Like, literally? Beloved? Cen Xiao?”

“Who the heck is Cen Xiao? Oh my god! Being mentioned in a research paper by Li Rong—I’m so jealous!”

“I’m from A University and know this: Cen Xiao is the Team Leader of the Ghost Eye Group. Guess those campus rumors weren’t baseless!”

“Ahhh, is this a confession? It’s so romantic! I envy this Cen Xiao girl so much!”

“Fun fact: Cen Xiao is a guy, everyone…”

“Li Rong is wild. He knows his paper will circulate widely, even be cited by students. And yet!”

“This is crazy love! I’m kinda jealous of Cen Xiao now.”

Cen Xiao stared in disbelief. “You mentioned me in your paper?”

Li Rong leaned closer with a smile, pressing a kiss to his lips. In a soft voice, he said, “Happy birthday, husband.”