The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 55

Unspoken understanding carries a special kind of ambiguity.

Even though Li Rong and Cen Xiao sat next to each other, there were no overtly inappropriate displays of intimacy, apart from one instance of leaning on each other’s shoulders. 

Yet, the atmosphere between them was unmistakably steeped in romance.

Though neither said it aloud, Li Rong knew—they were in a relationship.

From the perspective of a teacher like Yang Fenfang, however, it would be seen as early dating, explicitly prohibited at A High.

***

After New Year’s, there was no more snow in A City. The days grew clearer and brighter.

Ji Xiaochuan, eager to make the most of her time to study, decisively moved out of her home and into the school dorms. It wasn’t until she started packing that she realized just how little she truly had to take.

Most of the belongings in her home belonged to her younger brother or her parents. Over the years, she had asked for almost nothing.

What few possessions were hers dated back to before her younger brother was born.

It was as if she had gradually reduced her presence in the household, and along with it, any expectations of her parents.

Reduced to the point of having no expectations at all.

Still, during the few days she spent at home over the New Year, Ji Xiaochuan managed to gather a critical piece of information for Li Rong.

Since the last time they had eaten together, she had been paying close attention to her mother’s complaints about her employers.

Ji Xiaochuan: “My mom… worked for the professor’s wife over the break. The professor and his wife… had a fight. The professor got really agitated and said… a colleague was trying to frame him, but luckily, he was cautious enough not to… fall for it. His wife was super condescending, mocking him, saying… he’s no Li Qingli. The professor told her to get lost, but she slammed the door and… went back to her room.”

Ji Xiaochuan spoke haltingly, her face turning red with nerves. She hurriedly took a sip of water before continuing.

“The professor banged on the door, but his wife… wouldn’t open it. Then the professor said he was going to… file for divorce, but she didn’t seem to agree. My mom was too scared to make a sound while cooking. When she finished, the wife… didn’t even eat. She wastes food all the time.”

Beyond this quarrel, Ji Xiaochuan knew little else.

Liu Tanzhi, after all, was a very cautious person. If not for her temper snapping or Li Baishou’s sheer foolishness, she wouldn’t have lost her composure in front of the household staff.

But then again, home is where people are most prone to letting down their guard.

Ji Xiaochuan’s mother, who had always been submissive and soft-spoken, had inadvertently let her guard down. After all, after being mistreated by Li Baishou, she needed somewhere to vent her frustration.

Li Rong and Cen Xiao exchanged a glance, silently confirming their suspicions.

Li Baishou hadn’t participated in framing Li Qingli; instead, he simply sought to claim the fabricated hypothesis for himself.

Liu Tanshi, however, knew much more than Li Baishou. She was well aware of his covetous intentions toward Li Qingli’s research. She could also ensure that no one set Li Baishou up—yet if he successfully dealt with the investigation team, the stolen hypothesis would become a ticking time bomb aimed directly at him.

But now that Liu Tanshi’s and her backers’ plans had been disrupted, they must be panicking. They needed time to figure out how much the person who published the paper knew and whether Li Qingli had entrusted them with anything before his death.

Li Rong decided to slow down his pace.

Cen Xiao hadn’t yet gained access to District Nine, nor had he reached the gates of A University. If they unearthed too many secrets but exposed too much about themselves, they’d likely be eliminated without hesitation.

Their identities as high school students provided perfect cover. The shadowy figures behind the scenes, perched high above in their lofty domains, likely thought their rules and networks were untouchable by mere children.

This underestimation was their fatal flaw.

Perhaps, they even harbored a false sense of mercy, allowing Li Rong to follow in his father’s footsteps, attend A University, join the Hongsuo Research Institute, and work under Jiang Weide. 

They kept a close eye on him, intending to offer him a comfortable and simple life as compensation—so long as he didn’t meddle with the GT201 project.

***

After evening self-study, Ji Xiaochuan went to Dormitory C to assist Li Rong as a teaching assistant.

Before her arrival, Li Rong stood by the small blackboard the dorm manager had lent him, smiling as he addressed over a dozen male students.

“I’ve recruited a teaching assistant,” he said. “She’s a top student and very shy. She gets nervous speaking in public.”

The mention of a girl stirred excitement among the boys, whose monotonous senior year lives were in dire need of any form of stimulation. Some whistled, while others snapped their fingers.

Li Rong’s smile didn’t waver, but his voice grew cold as he added, “If anyone disrespects her, they’ll be kicked out of this study group. I’m not joking.”

His tone was calm, his words soft, but his gaze carried a chilling warning.

The room fell silent. The boys understood that Li Rong wasn’t bluffing. This girl was off-limits; offending her would mean risking Li Rong’s wrath.

When Ji Xiaochuan arrived, her face flushed red, stumbling over her self-introduction, the boys finally understood why Li Rong had warned them in advance.

Ji Xiaochuan stuttered. Speaking in front of so many unfamiliar boys made her voice tremble with nerves, sounding far from normal.

Without Li Rong’s reminder, they would have likely laughed without a second thought.

Though such laughter might not have been malicious, it would have undoubtedly hurt her—something she had faced countless times before.

It had taken all of Ji Xiaochuan’s courage to come to Building C.

Moving out of her family home meant she couldn’t rely on her parents for money anymore. She had to force herself to face others, even if it meant risking ridicule and scorn.

She had prepared herself for the worst, but to her surprise, nothing happened.

Everyone’s reactions were completely normal, and after her awkwardly comical self-introduction, they even applauded warmly.

She realized that someone had helped clear away her fears and worries.

Li Rong was generous and gave Ji Xiaochuan half of the tutoring fees.

Ji Xiaochuan stepped back repeatedly, shaking her head and waving her hands to decline. “I… I can’t take it. Just… just enough to eat is fine.”

Li Rong, however, spoke earnestly. “Don’t overthink it. Money is the least significant issue. If you want to pay me back, you can do it later.”

In Ji Xiaochuan’s current world, money was the biggest problem.

Without asking her parents for financial support, she felt she couldn’t survive, which had always kept her trapped in her family situation.

But Li Rong’s words inspired her. It was as if she had already escaped her present circumstances and glimpsed a broader world.

She believed Li Rong was right—money was a small problem, and she could earn plenty in the future.

In early January, Lin Zhen attended the art school entrance exam for the film academy.

Li Rong, Cen Xiao, Jian Fu, and the shy, stuttering Ji Xiaochuan all cheered him on.

Lin Zhen and Ji Xiaochuan shared a silent understanding. Lin Zhen had once been a reserved and introverted person himself, but Ji Xiaochuan’s reticence surpassed even his own.

Seeing Ji Xiaochuan was like looking at his past self, so he couldn’t help but show her extra care.

The waiter served a large bowl of fresh, delicious whitebait soup. This prized river delicacy, low in calories, was perfect for Lin Zhen at the moment.

As the star of the day, Lin Zhen was given the first serving.

He scooped a ladleful into his bowl, sneaking a glance at Ji Xiaochuan, who kept adjusting her glasses nervously.

Cen Xiao naturally turned to Li Rong and asked, “How’s your stomach? How much can you eat?”

Li Rong, busy wrapping a spring roll, looked up and gestured with his mouth. “Just a little.”

Cen Xiao scooped three ladles of soup and placed them near Li Rong’s arm.

Jian Fu clicked his tongue. “Didn’t the panda say he only wanted a little?”

Cen Xiao replied calmly, “Yeah, one less bowl—he and I can share.”

Li Rong had just finished wrapping his spring roll and, hearing this, couldn’t help but curve his lips faintly.

At first, there seemed to be plenty of bowls, but Cen Xiao had used one to hold Puer tea.

Jian Fu muttered, “Just ask the waiter for another bowl. It’s not a big deal.”

Cen Xiao replied firmly, “No need.”

Straightening his posture, Li Rong took a bite of his spring roll, licking the shiny oil from his lips with satisfaction. He shot Jian Fu a teasing glance and chided, “You’re so inconsiderate of the staff’s workload during a busy lunch hour.”

Jian Fu: “…”

Lin Zhen glanced at Ji Xiaochuan, who was rolling her big, darting eyes and continuously nibbling on peanuts. In a soft and gentle tone, he asked, “Can’t reach it, Xiaochuan? I’ll serve you a bowl.”

Ji Xiaochuan, startled and uneasy, replied, “Thank… you.”

Jian Fu had no time to argue with Li Rong anymore. He watched as Lin Zhen rolled up his sleeves, took Ji Xiaochuan’s bowl, and gently served two spoonfuls of silverfish soup—adding an especially generous portion of silverfish.

After serving, Lin Zhen even got up and brought it directly to Ji Xiaochuan.

Ji Xiaochuan stammered out her thanks again, her ears turning red.

She had never been treated so kindly by so many friends before. These dreamlike days made her feel as if she was about to ascend to heaven.

Jian Fu witnessed the entire scene and deliberately elbowed Lin Zhen, saying nonchalantly, “Why didn’t you serve me? I’m sitting far away too.”

Lin Zhen wobbled from the nudge, quickly steadying himself by holding onto the table edge. He couldn’t help but roll his eyes. “Don’t you have hands?”

Jian Fu countered, “Li Rong doesn’t have hands, but my brother still served him.”

Li Rong, happily enjoying his food, was dragged into the exchange. He squinted at them, saying, “Leave me out of this. I’m a protected species.”

Jian Fu, acting shamelessly, tugged at Lin Zhen’s shirt and swayed him roughly. “Little celebrity, I want to be a giant panda too.”

Lin Zhen’s collar was pulled askew, and he was shaken to the point of dizziness. Finally, he pushed Jian Fu away. “Behave, or I’ll make sure you don’t attend the arts exam. Say goodbye to those beautiful examinees’ contact details.”

Jian Fu retorted, “F*ck! Who wants their contact details?”

Lin Zhen shot back, “Then why are you even going if you’re not a journalist?”

Jian Fu was momentarily stumped and couldn’t come up with an answer.

Cen Xiao observed Jian Fu’s dazed expression, then calmly retracted his gaze, lightly tapping his chopsticks on the table. “Enough. Eat properly.”

Jian Fu let out a sigh of relief.

By mid-February, Lin Zhen’s arts exam results were released. He passed the film academy’s test successfully. As long as his cultural exam scores met the standard, he could enter his dream school.

During this period, the Hongsuo Research Institute and the Blue Pivot United Commerce Association were unusually quiet, as if the publication of Li Qingli’s hypothesis had never happened.

Yang Fenfang informed Li Rong that the list for the Talented Students Program recommendations was ready for public posting. If no issues arose during the three-day public review period, his guaranteed spot would be secured, allowing him to choose any science or engineering major at A University.

But just a day before the public review began, Cui Mingyang, who hadn’t spoken to Li Rong for months, suddenly appeared at his desk.

Cui Mingyang still seemed uncomfortable around Li Rong, but his eyes no longer carried the previous hatred or disdain. Instead, they were filled with a complex frustration.

Before speaking to Li Rong, Cui Mingyang cautiously said to Cen Xiao, “I’m not up to anything. I just want to say a few words to him.”

Cen Xiao couldn’t be bothered with Cui Mingyang.

Even when Li Rong was at his weakest, Cui Mingyang wasn’t a match for him. Cen Xiao wasn’t worried about Li Rong being at a disadvantage.

Li Rong, disliking the cold outside, refused to step into the hallway with Cui Mingyang.

He had nothing to hide from Cen Xiao, so he responded indifferently, “Say what you want here.”

Cui Mingyang hesitated, glanced warily at Cen Xiao, then reluctantly bent down and lowered his voice.

“I just wanted to tell you that I don’t care about your guaranteed spot. I’d love for you to get it so I can take the city’s top scorer title!”

Li Rong lifted his eyes slightly, smiling faintly. “Even if you did care, it wouldn’t go to you.”

Cui Mingyang seemed to know something, his face turning bright red. He gritted his teeth. “But you’ll suspect me because I’m the beneficiary! I’m telling you now—if someone complains about you, it wasn’t me or my family! Don’t pin it on me!”