The Sickly Beauty Gives Up Struggling [Rebirth] Chapter 88

Du Mingli’s eyes flickered with surprise, but he quickly realized Han Jiang’s true intentions—he wasn’t willing to let Cen Xiao dominate the spotlight.

In comparison, Han Jiang preferred to rely on someone like Du Mingli: someone with ample social experience but a straightforward background, ensuring he wasn’t an insider from any particular faction.

Excitement mingled with cold amusement in Du Mingli’s mind.

Han Jiang’s self-righteous rhetoric and apparent concern for justice were hollow. He hadn’t truly cared about the innocent employee’s death, nor had he taken Meijiang Pharmaceuticals’ misdeeds seriously.

To Han Jiang, maintaining a balance of power over Cen Xiao mattered more than anything else. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have assigned two inexperienced leaders to such a crucial task—he would’ve chosen seasoned veterans.

Realizing this, Du Mingli became even more determined to rid the system of hypocrites like Han Jiang and restore peace and fairness to the field.

Cen Xiao’s expression remained calm. He simply looked up, staring intently at Han Jiang’s ostensibly righteous face.

His deep gaze betrayed no emotion. With a slight movement of his thumb, he capped his pen with a crisp click.

Han Jiang turned to him. “Team Leader Cen, do you have any objections?”

Cen Xiao’s lips curved into a faint smile, his gaze indifferent. “For such an important task, is the Ghost Eye Division really entrusting it to two rookies?”

This was exactly what Du Mingli had been wondering, though he hadn’t expected Cen Xiao to voice the question so fearlessly and directly.

Du Mingli didn’t believe Cen Xiao was unaware of Han Jiang’s underlying motives. His pointed question was clearly intended to embarrass Han Jiang.

Sure enough, whispers began spreading through the room:

“Yeah, for something so important, shouldn’t this be assigned to experienced team leaders? Otherwise, it’s unlikely to yield results.” 

“Rookies can’t be stronger than veterans. This seems unrealistic.”

“I don’t get it either. Wouldn’t it be more reliable to assign this to senior leaders? Now I’m getting nervous.”

“Maybe… Team Leader Han has his reasons?”

….

Han Jiang allowed the murmurs to continue for a moment before sweeping his gaze across the back rows. The whispers immediately fell silent.

Han Jiang said, “As I mentioned earlier, previous investigations yielded no results. Choosing the two of you is a strategic decision. Du Mingli has extensive social experience and has achieved notable success across various fields. I trust he’ll uncover blind spots other leaders might miss. As for you, Cen Xiao, don’t you have the Third District?”

“The Third District? What does that mean?”

“I heard Cen Xiao is the son of the Blue Pivot Third District’s president.”

“Wow, that’s quite the background. No wonder he did so well on the exam.”

“So Team Leader Han is planning to leverage the Third District’s resources through him. Clever.”

“But doesn’t the Third District have nothing to do with the medical industry?”

“You don’t get it. Is there a president in Blue Pivot who doesn’t have connections? They’ll definitely access information we can’t.”

….

Du Mingli squinted his eyes, observing Cen Xiao’s expression.

Han Jiang’s words were sharp, a mix of overt praise and subtle disparagement. First, he acknowledged and lauded Du Mingli’s abilities, only to shift the focus to Cen Xiao by merely mentioning “the Third District.”

This tactic subtly tied Cen Xiao to the Third District, implying that even if Cen Xiao uncovered the issues with Meijiang Pharmaceuticals, others would attribute his success to the Third District’s resources.

Du Mingli was well aware that he was being used as a tool to suppress Cen Xiao. Han Jiang clearly saw Cen Xiao as a greater threat, and this realization was far from pleasant for him.

It further confirmed his belief that the external accolades for Han Jiang were undeserved and that the Ninth District wasn’t as impregnable as he had imagined.

Cen Xiao, hearing the mention of the Third District, showed no signs of anger.

Had he truly been 19, he might have been indignant at being undermined through Cen Qing. 

But in his past life, he had already managed to sideline Cen Qing’s influence, rising even higher when Han Jiang was ousted.

Calmly, Cen Xiao replied, “You overestimate me. You have the entire Ninth District under your command, and even you couldn’t succeed.”

Though his tone was devoid of emotion, the underlying implication was unmistakable.

If he couldn’t uncover Meijiang Pharmaceuticals’ flaws, it would be expected since the Ninth District’s elite Ghost Eye team had failed. 

But if he did succeed, it would suggest something even more unsettling—that the Third District, a trade consortium, was more effective than the Ninth District’s investigative experts.

If the Third District could accomplish what the Ninth District could not, then what purpose did the Ninth District serve?

“Could it be…? The Third District isn’t specialized in this. How could they outperform the Ninth District?”

“Exactly. No matter how resourceful the Third District is, it can’t surpass the Ninth District. Otherwise, wouldn’t it dominate Blue Pivot altogether?”

“Looks like we can’t expect too much. I doubt these two new captains can pull this off.”

“But if someone does succeed, they’ll earn massive recognition, right?”

“Of course. Even the elite squads couldn’t do it. If anyone manages this, their prestige will be unshakable.”

…

Han Jiang frowned slightly.

He had to admit he felt a pang of unease. 

Cen Xiao’s adaptability and rhetorical precision were not at all like those of a recent high school graduate.

Han Jiang didn’t know Cen Qing well, nor had he met Cen Xiao before. He hadn’t expected Cen Qing to raise a descendant of such caliber.

He thought it would be easy to put Cen Xiao in his place and, in doing so, send a warning to Cen Qing to keep his influence out of the Ninth District.

But to his surprise, Cen Xiao was holding his ground effortlessly. If Han Jiang didn’t tread carefully, he might even suffer a setback.

Du Mingli noticed Han Jiang’s silence and realized that Han Jiang had just experienced what he had—the shock of underestimating Cen Xiao.

Du Mingli himself had once dismissed Cen Xiao as an inexperienced teenager. But in this world, there were no absolutes.

And it wasn’t just Cen Xiao; there was also the person by his side—someone equally enigmatic and difficult to gauge.

Still, Du Mingli had no intention of revealing these insights to Han Jiang.

Clearing his throat, Han Jiang avoided Cen Xiao’s gaze and said, “In any case, this mission requires your full commitment. Time is short, and every second counts.” With that, he gestured to his assistant. “Distribute the team assignments and materials.”

The Ninth District was not free from Cen Qing’s influence.

As soon as Han Jiang issued the task, Cen Qing received word.

When he heard that two captains had been appointed for a competitive mission right after joining, tasked with investigating the allegedly airtight Meijiang Pharmaceuticals, he was furious. He slammed his desk and stood up. “Ridiculous! Han Jiang isn’t just targeting Cen Xiao; he’s targeting me!”

After all, this was his son. Despite being strict with Cen Xiao, Cen Qing would protect him against outsiders.

Xu Feng, standing nearby, spoke softly to placate him. “Please calm down, President. Cen Xiao joined the Ghost Eye team with top marks. It’s only natural for Han Jiang to feel threatened. Besides, Cen Xiao’s responses were flawless, putting the Third District in an invincible position.”

Cen Qing sneered. “Han Jiang has been too complacent all these years. His brain’s gone soft from lying idle. It’s been a long time since he felt any real pressure.”

Despite his anger, he felt a hint of relief. He was glad he had sent Cen Xiao to the Ninth District to deal with Han Jiang. If he had followed Jian Changli’s advice and kept his son by his side, he might have shaved years off his own life expectancy.

Xu Feng added, “I must admit, Cen Xiao has exceeded my expectations. He even held his own against Han Jiang. I’ll reach out to some contacts in the Sixth District and dig up every piece of dirt on Meijiang Pharmaceuticals.”

Cen Qing gave Xu Feng a peculiar look. “What are you planning to do?”

Xu Feng hesitated. “Of course, to help Cen Xiao accomplish this mission.”

Cen Qing sat back in his chair, took a deep breath, and said slowly, “No need. Let him handle it himself. I want to see how far he can go. Besides, investigating Meijiang Pharmaceuticals isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”

Having worked with Cen Qing for years, Xu Feng understood his thoughts well. Cautiously, he asked, “Are you suggesting there’s more to Meijiang Pharmaceuticals?”

Cen Qing shook his head. “You’ve heard of Suhe Biotech, haven’t you? Years ago, when Meijiang Pharmaceuticals was on the verge of bankruptcy, Suhe Biotech invested in them, saving them from collapse.”

Xu Feng was puzzled. “But what does this have to do with Cen Xiao?”

Cen Qing explained, “Suhe Biotech developed Jiaketing, the only treatment for bacterial premature aging syndrome. This drug is palliative, not curative, requiring patients to use it long-term. Thanks to this drug, Suhe Biotech commands billions in annual market share. Their research claims that as patients age, their immune systems can naturally suppress the syndrome without medication. But since the syndrome only emerged a decade ago, no one knows what happens after stopping treatment. Last year, Li Qingli claimed that Luyinxu could cure the syndrome, but the phase-one trial failed.”

Xu Feng broke into a cold sweat. “Are you saying Suhe Biotech might…”

Cen Qing exhaled deeply. “I don’t know. If not for my wife, I wouldn’t have paid attention to this. Research failures are common; billions can go down the drain. Li Qingli might not have been so lucky to succeed on the first try. But where there’s no profit, there’s no motive. Li Qingli’s accidental development of Luyinxu must have worried Suhe Biotech. If Cen Xiao wants to uncover the truth about the Li family, he’ll have to follow the trail of vested interests. What other choice does he have?”

In the bakery, Li Rong was slumped over the table, half-asleep, when he felt someone gently pinching the nape of his neck.

He lazily opened his eyes, his left cheek marked with a red imprint from the table, his eyes glistening with tears of drowsiness.

Seeing Cen Xiao, he tilted his head, resting it on Cen Xiao’s forearm. The warm side of his face and his ear pressed tightly against the bone of Cen Xiao’s wrist.

“Finished the meeting?”

Cen Xiao adjusted his arm slightly to make Li Rong more comfortable.

He knew Li Rong hadn’t fully woken up yet. The way he nuzzled against Cen Xiao’s arm to shake off the remnants of sleep was just like how he rubbed his face on his pillow every morning.

Cen Xiao stroked Li Rong’s hair and the edge of his ear gently, as if handling the soft fur of Wuwangwo.

“So sleepy—did you not sleep well last night?”

After a few minutes, Li Rong finally came to his senses. He let go of Cen Xiao’s arm, stretched lazily, and rubbed his shoulder while muttering softly, “You of all people should know if I slept well or not.”

Cen Xiao: “…Wasn’t it you who wouldn’t stop last night?”

Li Rong shot him a sidelong glance and replied nonchalantly, “I was worried about your… declining skills.”

After all, Cen Xiao’s newfound restraint had him questioning whether he had inherited his “abilities” from their previous life.

Cen Xiao chuckled, “Have they declined?”

Li Rong coughed lightly, looked away, and showed no hint of embarrassment. Instead, he grumbled, “I’m not doing that again; it’s exhausting.”

Cen Xiao shook his head helplessly. “Let’s talk business.”

He recounted everything that had happened during the new member induction meeting.

After hearing it, Li Rong sneered, “Han Jiang really is a sly old fox.”

One wonders if, when Du Mingli ultimately overthrew him, Han Jiang regretted ever trusting him.

Cen Xiao said, “I’m only vaguely familiar with biopharmaceuticals, so I’ll need to rely on…”

His words trailed off as he gave Li Rong a meaningful smile.

Although Cen Xiao lacked expertise, Li Rong was destined to become the youngest research team leader at the Hongsuo Research Institute.

This understanding passed between them silently.

Li Rong pursed his lips into a faint smile, tacitly accepting the task.