The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 76

As soon as Cen Xiao finished speaking, he swung his arm toward Du Mingli’s neck. His movements were swift, the crimson gash on his wrist a blur as it tore through the air toward his opponent.

Du Mingli’s pupils contracted as he twisted his body with all his strength, narrowly avoiding the strike. Sweat flew from his temples, falling in an arc to the ground.

But Cen Xiao clearly didn’t intend to end the match in one move. Though his attack seemed fierce, he had subtly pulled back his strength midway.

His hand stopped abruptly, and in an instant, he raised his knee, aiming a fierce kick at Du Mingli’s waist!

Du Mingli’s throat tightened, his dry throat burning. Instead of dodging, he gritted his teeth, prepared to take the kick head-on.

But he wasn’t giving up; he planned to grab Cen Xiao’s leg, throw him off balance, and switch to close-quarters combat to conserve his energy and avoid being worn down by Cen Xiao’s relentless attacks.

Bang—

A heavy thud echoed.

The knee strike caused Du Mingli to break out in cold sweat from the pain. Despite his palm blocking part of the impact, his waist was left numb and tingling.

Fortunately, his reaction was quick. Tightening his fingers, he firmly grabbed Cen Xiao’s knee. 

In the blink of an eye, Du Mingli’s arm muscles tensed as his shoulder gave a sharp twist, exerting every ounce of strength to slam Cen Xiao to the ground.

Cen Xiao was only stunned for a second before he immediately followed the force of Du Mingli’s pull and fell forward.

“D*mn! It’s over!”

The other test-takers who had finished their trials hadn’t left yet. They stood around the training ground in a loose circle, watching the final showdown with keen interest.

“I told you the older guy would win!”

“Yeah, it’s almost over! He’s going down!”

Their eyes sparkled as they held their breath, waiting for the moment of decisive collapse.

Most of them had already assumed Du Mingli would win. After all, he was experienced and cunning—someone like that taking first place wouldn’t make them feel too embarrassed.

Du Mingli, naturally, was overjoyed. As long as he could slam Cen Xiao to the ground and pin down key areas like his lower back and spine, Cen Xiao would have no chance of escaping.

Just as he moved to secure his hold, the situation shifted in an instant.

Though Cen Xiao had lost his balance and was falling to one side, the moment his palm touched the ground, he suddenly activated his core strength. Using his arm as an axis, his body twisted in a dramatic 180-degree maneuver. Taking advantage of the rotation, his other leg swung powerfully toward Du Mingli’s head!

Whoosh—

Du Mingli felt the rush of wind tightening by his ear and instantly knew something was wrong. On instinct, he released Cen Xiao and quickly retreated backward!

The kick grazed right past Du Mingli’s face. If he had reacted a second slower, he might have suffered a mild concussion.

Cen Xiao, freed from Du Mingli’s grip, effortlessly sprang to his feet.

However, the strain on his right arm from the earlier maneuver was too much. The wound, which had stopped bleeding, was now under pressure again, and tiny beads of blood seeped through.

“D*mn! He dodged it!”

“How did he even manage that kick? His core strength is insane!”

“Can’t compare, can’t compare. After all those rounds, how does he still have this much energy?”

“I think the older guy is going to lose—his reaction time can’t keep up anymore.”

Du Mingli’s cold sweat hadn’t even dried, and now his heart pounded with shock.

His stamina was indeed flagging. While Cen Xiao’s body could still pull off such a high-difficulty counterattack, Du Mingli no longer had the strength for such moves.

Du Mingli glanced at the blood oozing from Cen Xiao’s wrist, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly as he swallowed.

He took two steps back, creating some distance between himself and Cen Xiao. He needed time to catch his breath and identify a potential weakness.

Cen Xiao, though, was not entirely unscathed.

If he had to pull off another move like that, he probably wouldn’t have the energy for it.

His right wrist throbbed, the veins swelling beneath the skin, and the wound sent continuous stabs of pain.

His breathing deepened, and his gaze grew even icier.

“Give up. You can’t beat me.”

Du Mingli forced out a mocking smile. “Are you joking?”

Cen Xiao nodded faintly, clearly unwilling to give Du Mingli more time to recover. He was confident that Du Mingli’s exhaustion was worse than his own.

He lunged at Du Mingli again. Just as he was about to close in, Du Mingli suddenly asked, “Why are you so hostile toward me?”

Cen Xiao frowned, clearly affected by the question, and his attack slowed.

Du Mingli continued, “We’ve never crossed paths. Why do you hate me?”

“Why are you wasting breath?” Cen Xiao’s face turned cold, and he decided to end things in one decisive strike to force Du Mingli out of the ring.

At the moment Cen Xiao was slightly distracted, Du Mingli made his move. With a quick shake of his hand, he suddenly pulled out a small knife from his pocket and aimed it at Cen Xiao’s chest.

The combat test allowed the use of tools, but they were all made of special plastic with paint on the edges. They would leave marks on the body without causing serious harm.

Before the match, Du Mingli had carefully chosen an unremarkable knife, believing Cen Xiao likely had his own preparations. Still, being the first to draw a weapon meant Du Mingli had already lost some ground.

However, he was a firm believer in results. As long as he secured the final victory, nothing else mattered.

When Cen Xiao saw the plastic blade rushing toward his chest, he didn’t panic. Instead, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Flipping his palm, he revealed a spring-loaded knife he’d been hiding. A sharp glint of white light sliced through the air, stopping precisely at Du Mingli’s chest.

Fluorescent paint from Du Mingli’s blade fell onto one of Cen Xiao’s shirt buttons, directly over his heart.

And on Du Mingli’s chest, just above his heart, was the faint, glowing trace of Cen Xiao’s blade.

“Winner!”

“What’s going on? Why didn’t he dodge?”

“If this were a real fight, both of them would’ve been hurt, but the exam rules state that hitting a vital area wins. Makes perfect sense!”

The surrounding contestants erupted into excited discussions, their envious gazes fixed on Cen Xiao.

Du Mingli’s expression froze as his arm hung in midair, eyes wide with disbelief.

Cen Xiao, taller than Du Mingli, naturally had a longer reach. When both attacked each other’s vital points simultaneously, Cen Xiao’s physical advantage made all the difference.

Like now.

The button on Du Mingli’s chest was already stained with paint, while his knife was still three centimeters away from Cen Xiao’s chest.

Just three centimeters.

He was so close.

He had attacked first, yet Cen Xiao, with better stamina, faster reflexes, and longer reach, had turned the situation against him.

Cen Xiao had clearly anticipated Du Mingli’s use of a weapon and could’ve countered in numerous ways. But instead of dodging, he had chosen to overpower him head-on, winning purely through physical superiority.

The three-centimeter gap was an undeniable fact, standing before Du Mingli like silent humiliation.

It wasn’t even necessarily a matter of combat skill. The only thing Du Mingli could resent was the inherent differences between them.

But those differences couldn’t be changed. Cen Xiao seemed to be openly declaring—

You were born just a bit inferior to me.

The supervisor stepped in and separated the two of them.

The result was decided—Cen Xiao would receive the highest score for the third exam: a perfect ten.

Du Mingli still hadn’t fully processed the outcome. His hand gripped the plastic blade so tightly that the supervisor had to tug at it twice to take it away.

Cen Xiao showed no visible emotion on his face, as if achieving a perfect score wasn’t particularly worth celebrating.

With a flip of his wrist, he handed the plastic blade to the supervisor. Ignoring the gazes gathering on him, he walked calmly toward the outer field as though the result was already a foregone conclusion in his mind.

Next came the standard procedures: registering scores, collecting personal belongings, treating injuries, and leaving the exam site in order.

By the time everything wrapped up, it was already 9 p.m. The night sky was dark and deep, yet not monotonous.

Above, a crescent moon hung serenely, its silvery light lending a quiet gentleness to the summer night’s breeze.

Li Rong had left a message for Cen Xiao at 7 p.m., saying he would wait for him outside.

As Cen Xiao picked up his phone, that very message lingered on the lock screen like a carefully placed note, immediately catching his attention.

Sure enough, Li Rong was waiting in the parking lot of the Economic and Cultural Activity Center.

What Li Rong hadn’t expected was that he wasn’t the only one waiting for Cen Xiao.

Cen Xiao appeared at the main entrance. Just as Li Rong raised his arm, preparing to wave, a black sedan parked about ten meters away suddenly opened its door.

Out stepped a slender, elegantly dressed woman who walked directly toward Cen Xiao.

Li Rong’s raised arm froze midair. He arched a brow and realized that the car looked familiar—it was the private car he’d ridden in with Cen Xiao several times before.

Even the driver was the same one he’d seen countless times.

Li Rong blinked, slowly lowering his hand, sliding it into his pocket, and standing still, watching from a moderate distance.

Judging by Cen Xiao’s calm demeanor, the exam must have gone well.

Meanwhile, Xiao Muran glanced at her watch while walking toward Cen Xiao. 

She frowned slightly, tidied the strands of hair disheveled by the breeze, and called out in a measured tone, “Why so late?”

Xiao Muran rarely showed concern for Cen Xiao, but even she knew that he was her only direct blood relative.

The District Nine Exam was a major event. She had deliberately cleared her schedule to pick Cen Xiao up from the exam venue.

Such actions felt foreign to her—she’d always relied on the family driver to pick up Cen Xiao when he was younger, even from school.

Expressing concern wasn’t something she was accustomed to, as her upbringing emphasized restraint.

Cen Xiao appeared surprised, glancing around briefly. However, under the cover of night and amidst the bustling crowd, it was hard to spot Li Rong.

Turning his attention back to Xiao Muran, he asked, “Why are you here?”

Xiao Muran hesitated. The two stood about a meter apart, with no warmth in their interaction—no affectionate gestures or lively conversation.

After a long pause, Xiao Muran replied earnestly, “You’re taking the District Nine Exam. Your father and I figured one of us should come.”

“Oh,” Cen Xiao responded indifferently.

Faced with such a lukewarm attitude, Xiao Muran seemed unsure how to proceed. Finally, she asked stiffly, “How did it go?”

“First place, probably,” Cen Xiao replied nonchalantly.

The conversation stalled awkwardly again.

At a loss for words, Xiao Muran turned and said, “Get in the car. We’ll talk at home.”

But Cen Xiao didn’t move. “You can go back first. I have plans.”

Xiao Muran stopped in her tracks, turning to face him. “What plans?”

Cen Xiao remained calm. “I didn’t know you’d come. I already made an appointment with someone.”

With that, he pulled out his phone and dialed Li Rong’s number.

Li Rong had no intention of getting involved in this awkward mother-son exchange.

In a previous life, Xiao Muran had strongly opposed Cen Xiao’s relationship with him, leading to a near-total fallout between Cen Xiao and his parents.

Jian Fu had complained about it to him more than once, which left Li Rong with a lingering sense of unease whenever he saw Xiao Muran. It always felt like the prelude to a dramatic confrontation.

He wasn’t eager to cross paths with Cen Xiao’s parents, much less to be caught up in pointless arguments.

Still, Cen Xiao’s call came through anyway.

With a sigh, Li Rong answered. “Hello?”

“Where are you?” Cen Xiao’s voice came through clearly, steady as ever.

Amid the same noisy surroundings, Li Rong covered his left ear and raised his voice slightly. “I see you, but your family’s with you. It’s fine if you want to head home first.”

“Hmm. Wait for me in front of the café across the street. I’ll come find you.”

“Oh?”

Li Rong raised a brow, slightly surprised, but he didn’t insist that Cen Xiao go home. After all, he’d already prepared dinner at his rented apartment and didn’t want it to go to waste.

Still, he noticed that Cen Xiao seemed just as uninterested in having him meet Xiao Muran.

After ending the call, Li Rong turned and walked toward the café across the street.

Xiao Muran, however, wasn’t ready to let it go. “Who are you meeting—Jian Fu?”

Cen Xiao chuckled lightly. “When have I ever spoken to Jian Fu so gently?”

Her alarm bells rang, and disbelief flickered across her face. “…Are you dating someone?”

Cen Xiao didn’t answer directly. Instead, he slipped his phone into his pocket. “He doesn’t like to wait for others and prefers being waited on. I’ll head over first.”

Xiao Muran was flustered. “You—”

But Cen Xiao had already walked away without looking back.

Li Rong paced back and forth near the café entrance, covering a radius of about two meters.

After roughly three minutes, he spotted Cen Xiao crossing the street, climbing the stone steps, and walking straight toward him.

Li Rong didn’t hesitate. When Cen Xiao was close enough, he spread his arms and pulled him into a hug.

The thin material of his shirt didn’t do much to shield his warmth. Pressed against each other, it seemed that even body heat could seep through the fabric.

Li Rong took a deep breath, tightened his arms around Cen Xiao’s waist, and rested his chin on his shoulder.

“Did your mom leave yet? What if she sees us?”

Li Rong carried a pleasant, dry floral tea scent—a result of switching to a new laundry detergent, which he had been thoroughly enjoying lately.

Cen Xiao chuckled softly, his hand naturally resting on Li Rong’s back, gently stroking the spine he had missed so much. “You’re already hugging me—what’s there to fear?”

Li Rong’s breath brushed against Cen Xiao’s ear as he smiled. “Of course, I’m scared. I’ve been bribed before—fifty grand to break up, remember?”

The bracelet Li Rong received from Song Yuanyuan’s mother was still in his possession. True to their word, the Song family hadn’t asked for it back after Li Rong and Song Yuanyuan split.

“Oh…” Cen Xiao’s hand slowly slid down, crumpling the hem of Li Rong’s shirt. Just a fraction lower, it would graze the beautiful, defined curves beneath. But he stopped, suppressing his desires, and pulled Li Rong closer into his embrace. His voice deepened. “So, how much am I worth?”

Li Rong rested his chin on Cen Xiao’s shoulder, his lips curling into a smile as he gazed at the plump moon hanging in the distant sky. He teased, “Do you want the truth or a lie?”

Cen Xiao wasn’t in a rush. The answer didn’t matter as much as hearing Li Rong’s voice.

“Tell me both.”

“I’m so poor—five million should suffice,” Li Rong joked.

Cen Xiao wasn’t offended. For his family, five million was nothing.

“Hmm, and the lie?”

Li Rong playfully bit his lip, his lashes trembling. “That was the lie.”

Cen Xiao raised a brow. “And the truth?”

Li Rong was silent for a moment, and Cen Xiao could only hear the sound of his steady breathing.

Cen Xiao didn’t rush him, quietly waiting. After all, no sarcastic answer from Li Rong would come as a surprise.

After a while, Li Rong let go of the embrace.

He raised his eyes to meet Cen Xiao’s gaze and said in a calm yet earnest tone, “The price that could buy my life, I suppose.”