The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 50

Cen Xiao finally spotted Li Baishou and Liu Tanzhi when Jiang Weide and Han Jiang prepared to carve the turkey.

Among A City’s elite, Li Baishou wasn’t particularly noticeable, even at this event, where he stood near the back.

Waitstaff distributed trays, and everyone lined up, gazing at the freshly roasted, steaming turkey.

Li Baishou had to stand on tiptoe and crane his neck just to catch a glimpse of the bird. His height was not his strong suit.

Liu Tanzhi, equally petite, maintained a much more composed demeanor.

She skillfully peered through gaps in the crowd, avoiding any exaggerated expressions.

Perhaps it was her awareness of her own insignificance, as she didn’t bother with pretense.

Her gown was modest—not the priciest in the room, but not the cheapest either.

She was reasonably attractive, among the better-looking women in the hall. Moreover, she was young. With some effort, she could have easily stood out.

Yet, for a woman whose side business was wildly successful, Liu Tanzhi appeared to have no interest in the envious or flirtatious gazes around her.

Cen Xiao noticed her oddity after observing her for a while.

During moments when everyone’s attention was on the turkey, Liu Tanzhi would momentarily drop her guard. She subtly released her grip on Li Baishou’s arm, putting some distance between them.

The gesture mirrored the way Xiao Muran treated Cen Qing.

However, unlike Xiao Muran, Liu Tanzhi didn’t seem to loathe such gatherings. In fact, she appeared to look forward to them.

If she enjoyed socializing, she could have dressed more strikingly, but her low-key approach suggested she wasn’t seeking the limelight but rather someone’s attention.

For a 22-year-old who failed to get into graduate school to secure a marriage proposal from Li Baishou within five months of meeting him, Liu Tanzhi must have been ambitious and resourceful.

Having glimpsed a broader world through Li Baishou, a woman like her would hardly be content to stop at him.

This event was filled with leaders from various industries—each one influential. Who was Liu Tanzhi silently targeting?

Cen Xiao waited patiently, hoping she’d reveal her true intentions during the free mingling later.

Through the Bluetooth earpiece, Li Rong asked, “Found anything?”

Cen Xiao shifted his gaze and replied indifferently, “It seems Liu Tanzhi and Li Baishou really don’t have a good marriage.”

After all, he was well-versed in such superficial relationships, having observed his own parents.

Li Rong put down the binoculars and straightened his back.

The darkness of the room enveloped him, with only the heat from the air conditioner filling the space.

“That person Liu Tanzhi is concealing must have some connection to my dad.”

Cen Xiao took a deep breath. “We just haven’t figured it out yet.”

Because of Xiao Muran, because of Li Rong, Cen Xiao had kept an eye on Li Qingli and Gu Nong.

From his understanding, that couple was, by far, the most ideal victims he’d ever encountered.

Intelligent, kind-hearted, proactive, and healthy, they had impressive achievements in scientific research and a noble mission to better the world.

He could hardly fathom what kind of person would want not only to destroy their family but to ruin their reputation and leave them a disgrace for generations to come.

***

At the front of the banquet hall, Jiang Weide and Han Jiang jointly gripped the carving knife. After a brief exchange of polite words, they brought the blade down and sliced the fragrant turkey in half.

The spices inside spilled out, and the juices mixed with the oils, coating the knife.

Han Jiang said to Jiang Weide, “Let me.”

He deftly took the knife and carefully handed it to a waiting server.

Though the knife was heavy, Han Jiang wielded it effortlessly. As the leader of District Nine’s Ghost Eye Unit, he was clearly no stranger to physical training.

Li Rong seized the moment when Han Jiang turned his head to examine him more closely through the binoculars.

As he observed, he asked Cen Xiao, “What do you think of Han Jiang?”

Cen Xiao replied, “He’s diligent enough, hasn’t made any major mistakes over the years, but he seems overly cautious. He keeps his distance from the other district leaders. This time, they chose him to carve the turkey, likely to encourage him to relax and build better relationships—or at least stop causing friction.”

Han Jiang, now over 50, showed little sign of aging. His hair had few grays, and his energy was striking.

His face was sharply contoured, with pronounced cheekbones and slightly hollow cheeks. Even when smiling, his expression remained intimidating.

Years of training had kept him youthful. His neck was firm, his figure well-maintained.

Li Rong nodded to himself.

In his previous life, he’d had almost no interaction with Han Jiang. By the time Li Rong had earned the privilege to mingle at elite gatherings within the Hongsuo Research Institute, Han Jiang had already been ousted by Du Mingli.

He believed no one was completely flawless. After all, as Richelieu famously said:

“Give me six lines written by the most honest man, and I will find something in them to hang him for.”

Still, for someone as cautious as Han Jiang, who deliberately kept his distance from Blue Pivot’s district leaders, what unforgivable crime had he committed?

***

After carving the turkey, Han Jiang and Jiang Weide stepped aside, and the other guests approached in turn, slicing off small portions to place on their plates.

Han Jiang and Jiang Weide maintained their gentlemanly demeanor, assisting women without male companions by slicing turkey for them or handing them napkins.

Li Rong’s thoughts were interrupted by Cen Xiao’s voice.

“Liu Tanzhi’s been standing in line, waiting to carve the turkey, not paying attention to anyone else.”

Li Rong frowned deeply.

The line moved forward slowly, finally reaching Liu Tanzhi and Li Baishou.

Li Baishou was the type whose emotions were easily written on his face, and his personality was far from pleasant.

Their strained relationship was so obvious that he didn’t even bother to put on a facade.

When they reached the turkey, Li Baishou took the knife himself, quickly sliced off a piece, and placed it on his plate. He then busied himself adding sauce, completely ignoring Liu Tanzhi.

Carving meat from the already picked-apart turkey took some effort, as finding an easy spot to cut wasn’t simple.

Initially, Han Jiang and Jiang Weide held back because of Li Baishou’s presence. However, seeing Liu Tanzhi struggle awkwardly with the knife while Li Baishou remained indifferent, Jiang Weide’s expression grew uncomfortable.

Han Jiang, however, reacted swiftly. He stepped forward, took the knife from Liu Tanzhi, and expertly carved one of the few remaining drumsticks. He placed it on her plate and handed her a napkin.

Liu Tanzhi, holding the plate of turkey, murmured her thanks.

Li Baishou glanced at them out of the corner of his eye, then rolled his eyes and sneered at Liu Tanzhi, “That’s such a big piece. Can you even finish it? Weren’t you on a diet?”

Liu Tanzhi closed her eyes briefly, seemingly trying to process his remark.

According to Ji Xiaochuan, Liu Tanzhi wasn’t the type to quietly endure. In private, her arguments with Li Baishou were fierce.

But in a public setting like this, she clearly had more to lose than Li Baishou and didn’t want to make a scene.

Standing nearby, Jiang Weide overheard everything and became visibly more uncomfortable.

While spats between spouses weren’t unheard of, seeing them air their grievances in public was awkward for everyone.

Han Jiang, however, broke the tension with a simple smile. “My bad—I cut the piece too large.”

Even smiling, Han Jiang’s naturally stern features made him appear less than friendly. His sharp, slightly wrinkled eyes bore an innate authority as they locked onto Li Baishou, delivering an unspoken warning.

While his words diffused the situation by shifting the blame to himself, his gaze unmistakably chastised Li Baishou.

Jiang Weide stepped in to smooth things over. “Old Li, there are plenty of people waiting behind you. How about letting others have a turn?”

Li Baishou, a classic bully who preyed on the weak but feared the strong, understood that District Nine was not to be trifled with. Reluctantly, he led Liu Tanzhi away.

Watching them leave, Jiang Weide shook his head.

After all, Li Baishou was part of the Hongsuo Research Institute. Jiang Weide glanced at Han Jiang. “No matter how old people get, they’ll still quarrel.”

Han Jiang casually grabbed a napkin and wiped off some turkey juices that had splashed on his hand while carving for Liu Tanzhi.

“True,” he replied indifferently.

***

Once everyone had tried a slice of turkey, Han Jiang and Jiang Weide stepped aside, signaling the start of the free mingling session.

Liu Tanzhi, however, showed no unusual behavior.

She stuck close to Li Baishou, holding a wine glass. She didn’t initiate conversations but kept a polite smile, quietly listening as Li Baishou bragged and prattled on.

She seemed to have disappeared into thin air. Even when standing in the crowd, she exuded no sense of presence. 

Her attention wasn’t directed at anyone, as though she had already fulfilled her desires, and now the surrounding noise could no longer stir her emotions.

Cen Xiao observed Liu Tanzhi for a while and realized she was an exceptionally cautious person. 

Probably because she had worked in the media industry for so long, she understood well how much imagination a single photograph could provoke. Thus, even in this gathering where people frequently raised their phones for group photos, she remained exceedingly vigilant.

Cen Xiao didn’t go to cut a piece of turkey himself. After all, he wasn’t truly part of Blue Pivot, and no one was forcing him to participate.

The guests in the banquet hall gradually scattered. Some wandered into the small garden, others visited the underwater exhibit, while still others were engrossed in eating and lively discussions.

Cen Xiao turned around and strode decisively in a certain direction. His quick steps left the other party no time to conceal themselves.

Cen Xiao smirked and downed the remaining yogurt in his cup before speaking. “You’ve been watching me for so long. Have you figured anything out?”

Xu Feng: “…”

He had indeed relaxed his guard. When Cen Xiao suddenly turned and walked toward him, he hadn’t realized he’d been exposed. 

In his eyes, Cen Xiao was still just a high schooler. It hadn’t seemed worth exerting the effort he would use on a corporate spy.

Cen Xiao’s words reached the ear of Cen Qing, who was listening on the other end of Xu Feng’s call.

Cen Qing asked, “You’ve been discovered?”

Xu Feng coughed lightly, uncertain how to reply.

Cen Xiao gestured toward the earpiece hidden in Xu Feng’s hair.

With a sigh, Xu Feng spoke quietly to Cen Qing, “President, I’ll hang up now.”

There was no point in continuing surveillance once he’d been caught.

Cen Xiao suddenly said, “The salmon cream mushroom pasta and the Spanish seafood paella here are both good. Which one do you prefer?”

Xu Feng was taken aback. He had assumed Cen Xiao was here to hold him accountable. Although he was Cen Qing’s personal assistant, he recognized that between father and son, grudges rarely lasted overnight. He couldn’t afford to offend either party.

But he hadn’t expected Cen Xiao to ask him about food preferences in such a calm tone.

For once, Xu Feng felt a twinge of unease.

Thoughts raced through his mind: Was Cen Xiao trying to win him over, to subvert his loyalties? Was he employing a soft approach to ensnare him? Or was he attempting to mend fences with Cen Qing, using him as a go-between? Or maybe Cen Xiao genuinely wanted to discuss culinary tastes? Or… perhaps he simply wanted to invite him for a meal?

Xu Feng hesitated. “I think…”

Across the street in a small hotel, Li Rong reclined on a tiny sofa, humming to himself as he mused aloud, “What if I like both? I can’t eat two full servings.”

Cen Xiao’s voice cut through Xu Feng’s thoughts. “Whatever you can’t finish, I’ll eat.”

He raised his eyes to look at Xu Feng. “Do me a favor. Order one salmon cream mushroom pasta and one Spanish seafood paella for takeout, and have them delivered to the front desk of the Changheng Hotel across the street. I’ll pick them up later.”

Xu Feng’s eyes widened. “But… once I leave, I can’t come back in.”

This venue required Cen Qing’s presence for entry, and even Cen Xiao wasn’t allowed in on his own. Xu Feng certainly couldn’t ask Cen Qing to fetch him.

Cen Xiao patted him on the shoulder. “There’s a Starbucks at the street corner. If it’s not crowded, grab a coffee and wait for my dad.”

Xu Feng: “…”

Xu Feng: “Can I ask why you’re having takeout sent to that rundown hotel?”

Cen Xiao replied matter-of-factly, “No.”