The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 49

Changheng Hotel is an old establishment in this bustling part of the city.

Precisely because it’s old, it could be built directly across from a seven-star hotel, and thanks to its prime location, people still stay there despite its outdated facilities.

Most of the guests at Changheng Hotel were out-of-town tourists visiting A City or students looking to spend holidays in the city.

For these visitors, the hotel is truly a good value for money.

Li Rong found the room number, and as soon as he pushed open the door, a damp, musty smell from long-neglected ventilation hit him in the face.

Inside the room, there was a bed, a nightstand, and a two-meter-long table affixed beneath a small TV. On the table sat two bottles of mineral water, a paid plum juice beverage, and a magazine with curling pages.

In front of a large window with iron bars hung a small sofa, still bearing the impression of someone who had recently sat on it. The dark carpet, whose age was indeterminate, clearly hadn’t been thoroughly cleaned—debris lingered in its corners.

The bed appeared clean and white, but appearances could be deceiving. Who knew how much bleach and disinfectant had been used, or what damage it might cause to the skin?

Even if Li Rong had the slightest inclination for anything, this environment would have snuffed it out completely.

He waved a hand to disperse the smell and quickly turned on the ventilation fan.

The fan, located in the bathroom, buzzed noisily, creating an irritating racket.

Yet the greatest advantage of Changheng Hotel was that from its windows, one could clearly see the banquet hall of the seven-star hotel across the street, separated by just a four-lane road.

Cen Xiao walked to the window, opened it, and let the crisp, cold air flood in.

The damp smell in the room faded, but Li Rong, hugging his arms, couldn’t suppress a sneeze.

Even wearing layers, standing still in this temperature was unbearably cold. Cen Xiao had no choice but to close the window again.

Cen Xiao turned around, his gaze briefly flicking over the conspicuously placed condoms on the nightstand before shifting away calmly. He said to Li Rong, “No choice. This angle is the best, even if the conditions are a bit lacking.”

Li Rong wrinkled his nose, trying to get used to the musty smell. “It’s fine. We’ll just stay until the social ends.”

Cen Xiao glanced at his watch. “There’s still about an hour to go. Xu Feng will probably drive my parents over, and I need to head in with them.”

Li Rong pulled his coat tighter around him, sat down on the edge of the bed, and looked up at Cen Xiao with a hint of amusement in his eyes. “So what do we do for this hour?”

The hotel might lack charm and feel disappointing to two people used to living in villas.

But this cramped space, damp air, the condoms on the nightstand, and the vibrant, sultry glow of the city’s night seeping into the room had a certain raw, provocative edge reminiscent of a risqué film.

Seeing Li Rong seated, the angle and distance required Cen Xiao to look down at him.

He looked at Li Rong’s fair profile, the soft, slightly curled strands at his temple, and the delicate sliver of neck visible through the gap in his collar.

Cen Xiao stepped closer, his shoe tips bumping against Li Rong’s, and his knees brushing against Li Rong’s knees.

He had already breached the safe distance for casual interaction, forcing Li Rong to tilt his neck upward just to meet his gaze.

Though layers of clothing separated them, the moment of contact sent a rapid signal to the brain, triggering a subtle, tingling sensation in his chest.

For adults, some words need not be spoken aloud—certain hints are already boldly evident.

Li Rong couldn’t help but curve his lips into a smile. Leaning back slightly, his palms braced against the bed, he dropped his gaze downward and softly teased, “I’m fine with anything, but will it still be calm enough to join the social later?”

Men always seem to understand each other exceptionally well. Beyond the mental attraction, even on a superficial, physical level, Cen Xiao’s interest in him was undeniable.

Otherwise, their past lives wouldn’t have been so indulgent and unrestrained.

Li Rong’s lazy, half-reclined posture was as unresisting as it could get.

If Cen Xiao wanted to, he could easily push his shoulders and pin him down.

But Li Rong’s reminder was valid—he could never leave Li Rong’s side completely unaffected.

After a few seconds of silent tension, their shoulders brushed as they sat side by side on the bed and turned on the TV.

Although the TV in the room was small, its resolution was decent. A local A City station was broadcasting scenes of bustling commercial areas.

Shopping malls, already crowded on regular days, were now teeming with shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. Popular restaurants had waitlist numbers in the hundreds, with patrons seated on small stools outside, waiting.

Li Rong muttered softly, “Why do reporters nowadays only flock to busy commercial areas for news? What happened to investigating illegal coal mines, human traffickers, or undercover reports on underground casinos?”

He remembered watching such exposés as a child, where journalists would bring these issues to light, prompting swift action by authorities to dismantle criminal operations and save lives before tragedies unfolded.

Cen Xiao replied, “The effort and reward aren’t proportional. Idealism often gets crushed by reality.”

Li Rong chuckled. “Seems to be the case in every industry. It’s not that we lack brave individuals willing to take risks—it’s that we lack an environment where they can survive safely.”

The news transitioned into a commercial:

“Blood vessels are like expressways—blockages and accidents are out of the question. When it matters, use Qingrui! Clear your vessels, feel refreshed all over. Qingrui: Your Vascular Caretaker! Treating atherosclerosis and lowering cholesterol—choose Meijiang Pharmaceuticals!”

After listening to the ad, Li Rong casually remarked, “Qingrui is just a generic drug. Back when the patent for the original was still in effect, they started skirting the rules, using a Myanmar-based shell company and hiring their own sales reps to market it as a parallel import. They got fined for it back then, but now that the patent has expired, they can legally produce it.”

Cen Xiao asked, “Meijiang Pharmaceuticals? Never heard of them.”

Li Rong replied, “It’s a small company. They wouldn’t have dared to bend the rules if they were bigger.”

After watching the boring broadcast for a while, Cen Qing called Cen Xiao.

Cen Qing: “Where are you? Your mom and I are almost there.”

Although he couldn’t hear Xiao Muran’s voice, Cen Xiao could sense a heavy tension through the quiet background noise.

Xiao Muran and Cen Qing were a textbook example of a superficial marriage. At their level of social standing, divorce wasn’t an option, so they maintained a façade of harmony for appearances.

Cen Xiao replied, “Alright. I’ll wait for you at the entrance.”

After hanging up, he stood and looked out the window, observing the Seven Star Hotel’s banquet hall, which was growing livelier by the minute.

Pulling his gaze back, Cen Xiao said to Li Rong, “My parents are here. Since I’m not officially part of the united commerce association, I’ll have to use their connections.”

“Okay.” Li Rong turned off the television, cutting short the looped Meijiang Pharmaceuticals commercial.

Cen Xiao put a small Bluetooth earpiece in his left ear and covered it with his hair. Then, he dialed Li Rong’s phone.

Li Rong picked up his phone and glanced at the screen before answering.

Cen Xiao asked, “Can you hear me?”

Li Rong softly replied into the glowing screen, “I can.”

His calm, gentle voice traveled through the sound waves to Cen Xiao’s right ear and, via the electronic signal, to his left ear.

Cen Xiao reached out to ruffle Li Rong’s hair. “I’m off.”

After Cen Xiao left, Li Rong immediately sat cross-legged on the small sofa by the window and looked outside.

With the lights off in the room, the view outside became even clearer. The night was anything but quiet—orange streetlights, white hotel chandeliers, and the crimson glow of car taillights blended together, vividly illuminating the Seven Star Hotel’s interior.

Cen Xiao stood at the hotel entrance, hands in his pockets, waiting silently.

Before long, a black car pulled up. A hotel attendant opened the door, and Cen Qing and Xiao Muran stepped out.

Though the distance wasn’t far, Li Rong still couldn’t clearly make out their faces.

Xu Feng handed the car over to the valet and followed closely behind Cen Qing.

While Cen Qing and Xiao Muran walked arm-in-arm, Xiao Muran’s body was noticeably distant from Cen Qing’s, their movements stiff and unnatural.

In his past life, Li Rong had never met Cen Qing or Xiao Muran directly as Cen Xiao’s lover.

He knew they’d flown into a rage upon finding out about him and that Cen Xiao had fallen out with them because of it.

There was a time when he had imagined being summoned by Cen Qing or Xiao Muran, who would angrily demand that he leave Cen Xiao to avoid causing trouble for the family.

He’d even rehearsed his response.

He would have kept a frosty expression, standing his ground as he retorted, “It’s your son who’s clinging to me.”

But it never happened.

Cen Qing and Xiao Muran didn’t use their power to suppress or force him. They just seemed perpetually angry, yet helpless against him.

He didn’t know what measures Cen Xiao had taken.

Cen Qing paused and asked Cen Xiao, “Where were you today?”

Cen Xiao answered carelessly, “Just wandering around.”

Cen Qing could tell it was a perfunctory response, but since Cen Xiao had to rely on him to attend the banquet, he felt he had the upper hand.

Just as he was about to press further, Xiao Muran impatiently interjected, “Let’s go in. Aren’t you cold?”

Cen Qing had no choice but to drop the matter.

Xiao Muran clearly loathed the United Commerce Association, the Hongsuo Research Institute, and all the events that required maintaining a façade of harmony.

Even now, she didn’t bother hiding her displeasure.

Xu Feng lowered his head, pretending not to notice the familiar tension.

Cen Xiao, too, remained unaffected.

Once, he couldn’t understand why, in Xiao Muran’s heart, family and kinship seemed to pale in comparison to a single word: Li.

Later, he came to understand. Those who leave leave behind an indelible mark—a pain that claws at you with every breath.

Cen Xiao suddenly asked Xiao Muran, “How’s Little Wu?”

Xiao Muran froze for a moment, evidently surprised he’d mentioned the cat. Her voice carried a hint of astonishment as she replied, “It ate and went to sleep. It can sleep more than ten hours a day.”

Though mundane, this seemed to be the calmest exchange they’d had in months.

Cen Xiao nodded. “Good.”

The blue-golden Chinchilla seemed to be living a carefree, idyllic life. Li Rong, on the other hand, had never once indulged in such leisure.

Li Rong cupped his hands into a makeshift telescope and rubbed his legs, numb from sitting.

He knew about the cat in Cen Xiao’s home. Xiao Muran appeared to have a fondness for animals, and years later, the cat would grow so plump it resembled a ball. Luckily, its enchanting features saved its breed’s reputation.

Once inside the Seven Star Hotel, Cen Qing glanced at Xu Feng and subtly signaled to him. Then, he said casually, “You don’t need to follow me. Feel free to look around and grab something to eat.”

Xu Feng nodded in understanding. “Alright, I’ll get something to eat.”

Though Xu Feng stepped aside, his task of keeping an eye on Cen Xiao had just begun.

Cen Qing acted as though nothing was amiss and asked Cen Xiao, “Your mother and I will be socializing. Are you planning to stick with us the whole time?”

Cen Xiao smirked. “Then I won’t tag along.”

Some unspoken truths were things Cen Qing had no desire to bring to light.

The banquet hall was massive, filled with high-ranking members from both Blue Pivot and Hongsuo. The hotel’s catering extended indoors and even curved into the rear garden.

The garden was adorned with string lights, featuring seven or eight wooden tables and two swing chairs. Cold-resistant plants flanked the tables, while small heaters with flickering flames warmed the seating areas.

As the clock neared 8 PM, more and more people gathered at the Seven Star Hotel. Amid the bustling crowd, it wasn’t easy to locate Li Baishou and Liu Tanzhi. Luckily, everyone was required to be present for the turkey carving ceremony, ensuring even those in the garden or the hotel’s underwater exhibit would return.

Cen Xiao held a small yogurt drink, twirling it idly as he surveyed the hotel’s decor.

He deliberately positioned himself by a window, ensuring Li Rong could see him from the opposite room.

Lowering his voice, Cen Xiao asked, “Hungry? Want me to order some takeout?”

Li Rong, fully aware Cen Xiao couldn’t see him, instinctively shook his head. “No, I’m not. Ate too much at lunch.”

After answering, Li Rong suddenly asked, surprised, “Huh? Is that a jelly yogurt stick on your right?”

“Hmm?” Cen Xiao glanced to his right.

On a small, translucent tray sat a half-plate of snacks, each wrapped in light blue packaging. Inside were slender strips of dairy treats.

Li Rong quickly continued, “Didn’t expect the Seven Star Hotel to stock those childhood snacks. I haven’t seen them in years.”

Like most children, Li Rong had loved sweets.

Even though Gu Nong was strict about health and worried about dental issues, young Li Rong had always managed to get his way.

This brand of jelly yogurt stick had been his favorite childhood snack because the local store near his house always displayed them in long strings by the entrance.

Whenever he wanted some, the elderly shopkeeper would carefully detach a few. If he bought a lot, she’d even tie them into a makeshift belt for him.

Whenever Li Rong pouted with teary eyes and looked at her pleadingly, Gu Nong’s resolve would falter, and she’d buy them for him—albeit with the condition he brush his teeth thoroughly at night.

Childhood?

Cen Xiao studied the snack carefully; he had never tried it before.

Picking up one stick, he waved it toward the window. “Is it good?”

Li Rong replied softly, “I don’t remember the taste, but since I used to beg my mom for it, it must’ve been good.”

Cen Xiao nodded and pocketed a few sticks.

Watching this, Li Rong couldn’t help but smile.

Meanwhile, Cen Qing, as the president of Blue Pivot’s District Three, was already surrounded by a crowd of admirers.

Taking a rare break under the pretext of fetching wine, he quietly asked Xu Feng, “So? Has Cen Xiao done anything out of line?”

Xu Feng hesitated, pressing a finger to his Bluetooth earpiece before answering softly, “Well, it’s a bit… odd.”

Alarm bells rang in Cen Qing’s mind. Taking a steadying sip of champagne, he stepped away from the crowd and asked urgently, “What did he do?”

Countless scenarios raced through his mind, each requiring immediate intervention.

Xu Feng sighed. “He stuffed a few yogurt sticks into his pocket. Quite strange.”