The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 60

Li Rong had rarely empathized with others’ feelings in the past. Compared to his overly kind and compassionate parents, he seemed much colder, almost detached.

Perhaps it was because his life had been too smooth and trouble-free growing up, requiring him to experience hardship before he could truly understand the pain of others.

There was still a week until Cen Xiao’s birthday, and Li Rong had yet to come up with any plans.

The group meeting couldn’t drag on for too long; otherwise, Cen Xiao might grow suspicious.

Li Rong waved Lin Zhen and Jian Fu off, urging them to hurry back to class. Since he was already guaranteed admission to A University, his schedule was more relaxed. Even if he didn’t show up to class on time, his teachers turned a blind eye.

He looked down and sent a message to Cen Xiao:

[I’m heading over to A University for a bit.]

Cen Xiao quickly replied with a simple [Alright.]

It was perfectly reasonable for him to visit A University, so Cen Xiao likely wouldn’t suspect that the group had just held a meeting.

Li Rong didn’t know the specifics of Cen Xiao’s family situation, but given Jian Fu’s and Lin Zhen’s current ages and levels of maturity, they weren’t likely to come up with effective solutions. Li Rong wanted to discuss it with someone older and more experienced.

He thought of Xu Tanghui.

The last time Li Rong sent a message to Xu Tanghui, there had been no reply.

They had always been cautious. Outside of face-to-face conversations about matters related to Li Qingli, they avoided leaving any evidence in text messages.

So at first, Li Rong didn’t think much of it.

He took a taxi to A University’s plaza, putting on a mask when he got out.

As expected, the plaza was bustling. With the weather warming up, it had become the go-to spot for nearby residents.

But when he reached the familiar spot, he didn’t see any sign of Xu Tanghui.

Standing at a distance, he squinted slightly, his lips tightening under the mask.

At this hour, Xu Tanghui should have been out with her stall.

He pulled out his phone, considering calling her. But his finger hovered over the dial button for a long time before he ultimately decided against it.

If the call could go through, she would have replied to his messages.

Unless Xu Tanghui was unable to reply at all.

For the first time, Li Rong felt just how fragile human connections were. Beyond her phone and this fixed spot at University A, he had no way of reaching Xu Tanghui.

He didn’t even know where she lived, how many family members she had, or if she was married or had children.

Lowering his phone, Li Rong gazed blankly at the empty space ahead.

Perhaps because Aunt Hui’s cart was always in the same spot, over time, that patch of pavement seemed cleaner than the rest.

Even though the plaza was crowded, the emptiness of that spot felt glaringly incomplete to Li Rong.

From his previous life to now, the familiar calls and the kind face seemed etched into his heart.

He took a few steps forward. A young girl laughing and squealing darted past him, accidentally bumping into his arm.

The girl wobbled a bit, her smile vanishing as she nervously looked up at him.

Li Rong snapped out of his thoughts, lowered his gaze, and smiled gently at her.

Before he could say anything, a voice with a thick regional accent called out: “Suisui, come over here! Don’t run around!”

The little girl gulped, blinking her wide eyes. She hesitated, her lips moving as if to apologize but failing to get the words out. Finally, giving up, she turned and dashed away.

Li Rong followed her with his eyes, watching her run toward her mother, who was also running a stall at the plaza.

Her mother’s stall was much more practical than Aunt Hui’s, selling things like keychains and phone cases—small items that people often replaced.

Li Rong approached them.

The little girl, thinking he was coming to settle accounts, quickly buried herself in her mother’s arms, peeking at him warily.

The woman, however, was friendly and straightforward. “Did she bump into you?” She looked down at her daughter. “Why didn’t you apologize to your brother?”

The girl stuck out her tongue, squirming as she shyly buried her face deeper into her mother’s chest.

Li Rong had a pair of strikingly beautiful eyes, the kind that could capture attention effortlessly.

When he smiled and spoke gently, strangers often found themselves liking him instinctively—a natural advantage gifted by his parents that he’d been using more frequently in recent months.

Lowering his mask slightly, Li Rong asked, “Is she okay?”

The woman quickly waved her hand and laughed. “She’s tough as nails. I noticed you don’t have a phone case. Want me to give you one?”

Having sold goods at the plaza for years, she wasn’t usually so enthusiastic.

The monotony of life dulled emotions, keeping her in a state of numb pragmatism most of the time.

But Li Rong’s appearance was undeniably striking. The woman even wondered if he was some minor internet celebrity or an up-and-coming actor.

Seeing such an attractive face amid the dull routine of her days felt like a rare moment of brightness.

Li Rong crouched down, picking up a phone case and pretending to examine it against his phone. Casually, he asked, “A while ago, I bought a scarf from the stall nearby. It didn’t last long before the threads started coming loose. Do you know where the scarf vendor went?”

The woman paused, glancing at the empty spot. After a moment of thought, she murmured, “Oh, you mean Sister Hui? She said someone back home is sick and went to take care of them for a while. She’ll be back when everything’s settled. Is the scarf problem serious? I could fix it for you if you’d like.”

“She went back home?” Li Rong muttered to himself.

Feeling a bit of relief, he set the phone case back down, his mind finally at ease.

Perhaps he’d been too paranoid. Xu Tanghui wasn’t entirely alone—she must have other family members.

If a relative was sick, going back to care for them was only natural.

Having spent time in a hospital himself, he knew how exhausting it was to care for a patient. Not replying to his messages under such circumstances was perfectly understandable. He could wait until she returned to ask her about it.

Supporting himself on his knees, Li Rong stood up. “Never mind. I don’t need the scarf for now anyway.”

The woman smiled warmly. “Alright, no problem.”

***

A week flew by, and April 21st arrived.

Coincidentally, it was also the day that the application portal for Blue Pivot District Nine closed. The exam was scheduled for July, the month after the college entrance exams.

Just as Jian Fu had advised, everyone acted as though it was just another ordinary day.

Lin Zhen, who had recently passed the film academy’s interview, was busy cramming for his academic exams.

With his current scores, he’d have no trouble exceeding the film academy’s threshold. However, competition in the film industry was fierce, and the real battle often began the moment students entered the program.

Lin Zhen’s family has no background in the entertainment industry. Among those who passed the same interview, three or four were already somewhat famous child stars, attracting media attention right from the start of the art school exams, with accompanying filming and trending social media posts along the way.

For Lin Zhen to stand out, the easiest way was to secure the top spot.

Every year, the first-place student at the film academy garners considerable attention and expectations. If things went smoothly, he might even land some advertisement deals during the summer.

Jian Fu lazily wandered over to Cen Xiao’s desk, lifted the chubby kid sitting at the desk in front of him with one hand, and commandeered the seat. He sat backward on the chair, his posture casual yet imposing.

“Bro, how about an all-night gaming session tonight? I just bought two new games, imported ones,” he said, eyebrows wiggling suggestively at Cen Xiao.

Cen Xiao saw through Jian Fu’s attempt to distract him. While he wasn’t particularly fond of going home on this particular day every year, he was no longer the child who used to hide away.

Cen Xiao had little interest in games now and was about to refuse when Li Rong spoke calmly, “He’s not going. I’m taking him out for dinner to celebrate.”

Cen Xiao paused, giving Li Rong a meaningful look.

Jian Fu’s inner alarms rang loudly as he frantically gestured at Li Rong, practically spelling it out: I already told you my bro doesn’t like birthdays!

Clearly, Li Rong had been spacing out earlier and hadn’t absorbed that detail.

Cen Xiao, however, remained composed and glanced up. “What are you treating me to?”

He was well aware it was his birthday today and suspected that Li Rong wanted to do something for him. 

But he truly didn’t look forward to birthdays. Every year, the memories of past events played vividly in his mind—moments with Cen Qing and Xiao Muran that left him with suffocating, dark emotions, forming a lasting imprint.

Yet, he wouldn’t outright reject Li Rong.

Li Rong looked at him, his eyes curving slightly with a hint of mischief. “Guess.”

Jian Fu was desperate now. He lightly kicked Li Rong under the table and coughed, “What dinner? My new games are super exclusive—you won’t get another chance like this!”

He was trying to signal Li Rong to abandon any plans for birthday surprises. His brother wasn’t like others—he never enjoyed surprises.

Li Rong, however, brushed the dust off his pant leg and replied nonchalantly, “You go play on your own. He’s coming with me.”

Jian Fu looked to Cen Xiao, seeking help. “Bro?”

Cen Xiao took a deep breath, suppressing the restlessness bubbling inside him, and replied, “I’m not interested in games. You go ahead.”

For three solid seconds, Jian Fu was too stunned to respond. Later, he calculated that he had experienced a moment of genuine heartbreak when Cen Xiao turned him down.

Years of unshakable brotherly loyalty had been outdone by a face capable of bending people to its will.

Even someone who once loathed and avoided anything birthday-related had caved just for Li Rong?

It wasn’t just Cen Xiao. There was Lin Zhen, who was utterly obedient to Li Rong; Ji Xiaochuan, full of gratitude and devotion; and Jian Fu himself, constantly roped into doing tasks for him without question.

Looking back on the once-proud and distant Li Rong in his memories, then comparing him to the present, Jian Fu found himself musing over those old folktales where kind-hearted fox spirits bewitched mortals. Perhaps those stories had some basis in reality.

Feeling deflated, Jian Fu shuffled away like a kite with no wind. He drifted over to Lin Zhen and, with no regard for reason, yanked the pen from Lin Zhen’s hand. He tapped at Lin Zhen’s error workbook, whining, “Wanna game with me tonight? My bro’s been bewitched by some… uh, panda spirit. No, a demon fox.”

Lin Zhen knew all too well that the random nicknames Jian Fu used were aimed at Li Rong, but he naturally sided with Li Rong. He glared at Jian Fu and retorted, “Who’s gaming with you? I’ve got to study.”

In need of comfort, Jian Fu thought Lin Zhen would be a perfect companion. He cozied up to him, nudging him with his shoulder. “Come on, it’s super fun! Relax a bit, will ya?”

Lin Zhen was jostled back and forth but had long since grown accustomed to Jian Fu’s antics. So, he simply relaxed his body, closed his eyes, and waited for Jian Fu to tire himself out.

When Lin Zhen didn’t resist, Jian Fu felt like he was pushing against cotton. After seven or eight shoves, Jian Fu finally stopped, but Lin Zhen’s natural reaction caused his head to bump Jian Fu’s chin.

In that brief moment, Lin Zhen sat bolt upright, his expression frozen. His ear, still warm from the accidental contact, seemed to carry a lingering sensation. He wasn’t sure if Jian Fu hadn’t shaved properly, but he felt an odd prickly, itchy sensation.

Jian Fu froze as well, awkwardly touching his chin. The idea of gaming flew right out of his head.

Being so close to Lin Zhen, he caught the faint scent of a unique laundry detergent. He thought to himself, Maybe all future stars are like this—smelling nice and keeping a good temper.

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