The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 54

Despite Jiang Weide’s efforts to console the group, the networking event still ended on a sour note.

Some attendees made excuses about personal matters and left early. Others, though they stayed at the Seven Stars Hotel, were preoccupied with phone calls, unable to focus on socializing.

Those who could still smile and exchange pleasantries seemed entirely distracted by updates on the RQ trend.

Jiang Weide, exhausted from attempting to defend the Hongsuo Research Institute, wore an increasingly forced and unnatural smile.

Eventually, he slumped into a chair, unwilling to say another word.

Han Jiang approached, handing him a cup of warm water.

Jiang Weide looked up at him. Just as he reached for the water, Han Jiang let out a cold chuckle.

“The taste of being forced to lie isn’t pleasant, is it?”

Jiang Weide’s hand froze, his tired eyes betraying a wary glint.

He slowly withdrew his hand, averting his gaze without speaking.

Though he didn’t admit it, his discomfort was evident.

Han Jiang closed his eyes briefly, then shoved the cup of water into Jiang Weide’s hand, saying coolly, “Don’t get me wrong; I’m not mocking you. Just advising the Hongsuo Research Institute to stop being so arrogant and figure out the truth soon.”

Jiang Weide glared at Han Jiang, setting the cup down heavily on the nearby table. He enunciated each word firmly: “There is no hidden truth. This is merely an internal decision by the Hongsuo Research Institute.”

Han Jiang scoffed but merely shook his head, saying nothing more.

Clearly, he didn’t believe a word of Jiang Weide’s explanation.

Jiang Weide’s irritation was evident. His neck, marked by a scar from a past surgery, flushed red, the scar resembling a raised worm on his skin—unsightly and unsettling.

“This matter doesn’t seem to concern District Nine.” 

Han Jiang’s tone remained calm. “What’s this? Has Professor Jiang become so agitated that he can no longer recognize a well-meaning reminder?”

Jiang Weide shot Han Jiang a long, deep look before standing up with the help of the table. Without a word, he left, leaving Han Jiang behind.

***

The next morning, a thin layer of frost blanketed the ground. Trees were adorned in white, their branches trembling precariously in the chilly morning breeze.

The city, under a sheath of ice and snow, seemed more sluggish than usual.

Not only the city but also the people wrapped in warm blankets, savoring the holiday’s respite, seemed reluctant to stir.

Even online moderators tasked with monitoring posts found themselves with less work these days.

The news of Li Qingli’s hypothesis publication began to circulate within a small academic circle.

Although its reach was limited, it prompted a few voices to emerge.

@RootedTreeInCityA: “I’ll be blunt—there’s something I’ve never understood. Forget the rest; that luxury car photo is obviously fake. That car is the crown jewel of an automobile museum. When did it become someone’s private ride? These sensationalists lack any moral compass.”

“??? A photo from the car museum?”

“Exactly, a lot of people don’t know this. That car is a collector’s item; there’s no way it belongs to Li.”

“I’ve never been to that museum, and even I believed it. Why didn’t anyone come out to debunk this at the time?”

“They did, you just didn’t see it. But they got drowned out, accused of trying to cover for Li.”

“So what if the luxury car is fake? Who cares whether he has a luxury car? The fact that Luyinxu harmed people is true, and that’s all that matters. He’s not innocent.”

“Nobody said he’s innocent, but can’t we even question things? Why haven’t the media outlets that fabricated the luxury car story come out to apologize?”

“I saw Li’s hypothesis, and it really is impressive. I respect his talent in scientific research.”

“Respect him? For what? For making fake drugs that harmed people? For skimming research funds to prop up his company?”

“Can you stop being so black-and-white? Saying his hypothesis has value doesn’t mean I approve of everything else he’s done.”

“Ha, anyone truly involved in research can see that this whole thing doesn’t add up logically. But I wouldn’t dare say it.”

“And if you do, so what? You explain how research funding approvals work, and people say they don’t get it. You break down the feasibility of Luyinxu’s treatment principles, and they can’t be bothered to read it. You analyze how impactful this hypothesis could be for the future, and they complain it’s too long to read.”

“I don’t get it. Why is it that an obviously flawed story is now treated as indisputable just because Li is dead?”

“The only ones who can see the flaws are people like you and me. You have to understand, between individuals, between industries, there are gaps as vast as chasms. They’ll never be bridged.”

“Not true. There are people like me who are just passing by but are willing to spend the time to dig for the truth.”

…

Although these questioning voices were faint and confined to certain circles, their emergence prompted some to revisit Li Qingli’s case and scrutinize the news.

No one could accurately count how many people were doing this or how much of the truth they might uncover.

But fortunately, there remain the immeasurable persistence of human curiosity and the inescapable nature of the truth.

***

On the first day of school.

Jian Fu, looking like an agitated husky, darted over to Li Rong’s desk. Before even bringing up the real topic, he started excitedly thumping on Li Rong’s desk.

“Holy cr*p! Holy cr*p! Holy cr*p!”

Apart from Cui Mingyang’s clique, no one in the class cared much about online news. Most of them were too swamped with cram school to even have time for internet entertainment. As a result, the majority just stared in confusion at Jian Fu’s seemingly manic behavior.

Jian Fu was genuinely shocked.

The night of the networking event, he had racked his brains to fool his parents into letting him skip it. He’d gone off happily to watch Lin Zhen and the arts class’s mock interviews.

It was his first time encountering the art school crowd.

He had to admit, their overall appearance was definitely a cut above their own class.

But even among these handsome and beautiful students, Lin Zhen stood out.

Although all of them claimed to have been studying art since childhood, Jian Fu honestly couldn’t see anything extraordinary about most of them.

In contrast, Lin Zhen’s singing immediately captivated him.

With natural musical sensitivity, a unique voice, and the guidance of professional teachers, Lin Zhen truly shone.

Jian Fu recalled how Lin Zhen had once said in the cafeteria that he dreamed of performing onstage and holding a concert for tens of thousands. At the time, Jian Fu had laughed at him.

But now, thinking of the random, mediocre celebrities in the entertainment industry and then thinking of Lin Zhen…

Why couldn’t he hold a concert? He absolutely deserved to. If a crowd of ten thousand wasn’t enough, Jian Fu would invite everyone from District One to come listen!

After Lin Zhen’s mock exam, Jian Fu didn’t even think about checking the news. Instead, he dragged Lin Zhen to a karaoke room, making him sing a few more songs just for his enjoyment.

Lin Zhen rolled his eyes multiple times but seemed secretly pleased by Jian Fu’s enthusiasm.

The two spent the night singing, drinking, and pulling an all-nighter.

When Jian Fu finally returned home, he overheard his parents, Jian Changli and Liang Yu, animatedly discussing what had happened at the networking event. Only then did he realize just how big of a deal it had been.

It turned out that during the event, while the most prominent members of the Hongsuo Research Institute and several Blue Pivot leaders were gathered, Li Qingli’s previously submitted paper was published.

Many people’s faces turned green on the spot. The entire banquet hall turned into a chaotic spectacle, like a botched stage play—utter chaos.

It wasn’t until Jiang Weide stepped in to address the crowd that things were somewhat calmed down.

Jian Changli and Liang Yu were deep in heated discussion, completely unaware that Jian Fu was about to lose his mind with excitement.

For once, he knew something his parents didn’t. He was privy to secrets that District One hadn’t uncovered. He wasn’t just in the know; he was an indispensable member of a small, elite group—a vital figure in their team!

Jian Fu wanted nothing more than to break into a gymnastics routine, chug two bottles of German stout, and end it all with a gentlemanly bow, leaving without a trace.

While Jian Changli speculated whether Hongsuo had helped Li Qingli submit the paper, Jian Fu was internally shouting a resounding “No!” 365 times.

He knew the one who had submitted it could only be Li Rong.

Li Rong, a mere high school student, had outplayed a bunch of old scholars, even producing a hypothesis worthy of publication in From Zero!

Even with his subpar grades, Jian Fu knew how rigorous the review process for a journal submission was. Most submitters received tons of revision requests and questions from reviewers.

For Li Rong to not only draft the hypothesis but also respond to all reviewer feedback meant that he had a full grasp of the concepts and ideas he was presenting.

This was the signature project of a Hongsuo Research Institute honorary professor!

To pull this off with such proficiency and expertise was beyond what Jian Fu could fathom.

This was like the plot of his favorite shonen manga, except Li Rong wasn’t a fictional protagonist—he was a real person right in front of him.

Then again, it wasn’t so surprising that something this epic had happened to Li Rong.

Their little team was just that impressive.

Jian Fu originally planned to pester Li Rong for answers over the holiday, but Cen Xiao stopped him.

[Jian Fu: Bro, bro! OMG! I’ll pay big bucks for footage from the networking event!]

[Cen Xiao: You should’ve said so earlier. I wouldn’t mind earning that money.]

[Jian Fu: Is what Jiang Weide said true? Did you guys know about this? My parents are dumbfounded!]

[Cen Xiao: It’s fake.] 

[Jian Fu: It’s Li Rong, isn’t it? I knew it! I’m going to ask him!]

[Cen Xiao: Don’t. He drank too much, wants to sleep in, and put his phone on silent to avoid being disturbed.] 

[Jian Fu: ??? How do you know he wants to sleep in?]

[Cen Xiao: What do you think?]

[Jian Fu: …]

Jian Fu didn’t dare jump to conclusions, so he spent two agonizing days waiting for school to start. The moment he arrived, he bolted straight to Li Rong’s desk without even putting down his bag, unleashing the soul cry he had bottled up for days.

Li Rong felt his ears buzzing, as if a hundred bees were buzzing noisily nearby. 

He turned his head and shouted toward the second-to-last row, “Lin Zhen! Come over and drag him away!”

He didn’t really want Lin Zhen to drag Jian Fu away—he just wanted to gather them both and explain everything at once. Otherwise, he’d have to repeat himself when Lin Zhen inevitably asked.

Lin Zhen, hearing his name called, cheerfully ran over and gave Jian Fu a hearty slap on the back. “What are you causing a ruckus about this time?”

Jian Fu had been strictly warned by Cen Xiao not to bother Li Rong, but he couldn’t hold back and had unloaded everything onto Lin Zhen during the break. Lin Zhen had learned all about the networking event from Jian Fu’s rambling and speculated that it wasn’t the work of the Hongsuo Institute but rather Li Rong’s doing.

However, unlike Jian Fu, Lin Zhen wouldn’t pry into Li Rong’s secrets. If Li Rong didn’t bring it up, Lin Zhen wouldn’t ask.

Jian Fu hooked an arm around Lin Zhen’s neck in mock intimidation. “Tsk, you’ve gotten bolder, huh? Even daring to hit me now.”

Lin Zhen wasn’t hurt in the least, but he couldn’t break free of Jian Fu’s arm either. Resigned, he turned Jian Fu’s arm into a makeshift scarf, laughing. “Class monitor, look at him!”

Li Rong chuckled helplessly. Knowing Lin Zhen had long outgrown his earlier submissive personality, he didn’t intervene, letting them sort it out themselves.

Li Rong: “There’s something you two should know.”

Lin Zhen glanced around quickly to make sure no one but the perpetually nosy Cui Mingyang was paying attention. Only then did he nod solemnly.

Jian Fu, finding Lin Zhen’s shoulder particularly comfy, didn’t bother moving his arm. “We know! We know! Spill!”

Li Rong mouthed the words: “It was me. Don’t tell anyone.”

Then he pursed his lips, his peach blossom eyes twinkling as he smiled at Lin Zhen and Jian Fu.

The cloak-and-dagger delivery of this “top-secret” information only ignited Jian Fu’s overactive imagination. He practically glowed with excitement, as if he had just received classified intel.

Lin Zhen earnestly nodded and made a hand gesture, pledging absolute secrecy, his expression resolute like a martyr headed to the gallows.

After Jian Fu and Lin Zhen returned to their seats, satisfied, Cen Xiao couldn’t help but chuckle. “So this is your way of making team members feel valued and accomplished?”

Li Rong shrugged. “Don’t you think they look happy?”

Cen Xiao turned his head, his tone layered with meaning. “And what about my value?”

Li Rong raised his eyes, his gaze meeting Cen Xiao’s. He smiled faintly, pressed his lips together, and gently tapped his chest with a finger.

“Here.”

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