Chapter 24: Sigh! Resignation & Capitalism

“Bzzz—bzzz—bzzz—”

The terminal kept vibrating incessantly.

The sun was shining brightly in the courtyard.

Zeffy rejected the incoming messages and turned to his subordinate beside him.

“Have the people over there remain on standby. The moment she appears, detain her first.”

The subordinate nodded, then said, “The office also contacted Mr. Jiang’s office regarding Subchain Technology’s research project, but—”

“It didn’t work, did it?”

Zeffy wasn’t surprised. He smiled faintly.

“That’s exactly the answer I wanted.”

The subordinate looked somewhat puzzled but said nothing.

Raising a hand, Zeffy said, “Cancel the original schedule. I’m making a trip to the academy.”

After arranging the rest of the itinerary, he turned and left.

The weather was growing hotter and hotter, drawing the sap from the greenery into the air. The scent of grass mingled with floral fragrance, creating a dizzying aroma. Perhaps because he was irritated, Zeffy snapped off every flower branch within reach as he walked through the buildings.

Not long afterward, he knocked on his mother’s bedroom door.

The room was bright and spotless, though layers of curtains obscured the view from outside.

Madame Solent sat by the bedside.

On the bed lay Little Solent, curled up beneath the soft blankets like someone who had just fallen asleep.

Zeffy was already accustomed to it.

Little Solent loved sleeping. Whenever she came home, she inevitably ended up sleeping in their mother’s bed.

Madame Solent brushed the sweat from Little Solent’s forehead and asked softly,

“Is everything arranged?”

“Yes. The project has already been approved. Siheng and Le Mans will depart in three days.”

After a brief pause, Zeffy continued,

“For now, I intend to investigate a few details first. If nothing major turns up, I’ll have him return after some time.”

“Good.”

After saying that, she added,

“Let’s talk in the reception room. I think we disturbed her.”

Zeffy nodded.

The two walked one after another into the reception room.

The door closed softly behind them.

Leaning against the window, Madame Solent looked at Zeffy.

“With her present, I didn’t ask. What happened to your injuries? You can’t even keep your younger brother under control?”

Zeffy was silent for a moment before answering,

“He has always been like this. He wanted to resist long ago. It’s only become visible now.”

“Is it that you don’t want to control him, or that you can’t?”

That was all she asked.

Zeffy’s expression remained cold.

“It’s my fault.”

Looking at his face, Madame Solent smiled.

“You’re very dissatisfied.”

“Yes.”

Zeffy answered honestly, meeting the same icy gray eyes he had inherited from her.

“I’m getting tired of cleaning up his messes. His personality is different from Aunt’s, after all.”

“You’ve been too harsh on Siheng. Under prolonged pressure, rebellion is only natural.”

Madame Solent turned around, lightly tapping her fingers against the edge of a chair.

“I told you before. If you point a sword at someone, they’ll eventually pick up a sword and fight back. But if you embrace them, they’ll lower their guard. Unfortunately, after all these years, you only learned the appearance of it. And yet you’re my child.”

Hearing that, Zeffy smiled instead.

Light reflected in his crystal-like eyes, making them appear even clearer.

Yet there was unmistakable mockery hidden in his voice.

“When someone raises a sword, I’m supposed to embrace them instead? Then after being stabbed, rely on my wounds to manipulate them?”

“That’s the part I’ve never understood.”

“…You still care about that matter.”

Madame Solent shook her head.

“Yes.”

Zeffy said,

“I don’t understand why you insisted on personally carrying and giving birth to Li Siheng. You knew her genes would contaminate—”

Realizing he had spoken out of turn, he fell silent.

“As long as one carries Nosoi blood, no one is truly whole.”

Madame Solent’s voice was gentle.

Walking up to him, she patted his shoulder lightly.

“So one day, you’ll understand what it feels like to pay any price for a missing piece of a puzzle. You’ll understand.”

Her final words drifted away with the wind.

Like a curse.

Even after leaving, Zeffy felt those words echoing in his ears.

When he pushed open the door engraved with twin roses, he stared at the intertwined blossoms as though seeing them for the first time.

He couldn’t tell which rose was wrapping around the other to draw nourishment.

Nor would he ever be able to understand a relationship of mutual parasitism like that.

Closing the door, he noticed a strand of green vine tangled around his sleeve.

It had probably gotten there while he was snapping flowers earlier.

Without a second glance, he brushed it away and walked off.

The sky was always this blue.

So blue that not looking at it felt like a waste.

At the United Military-Political Academy, the weather was clear and pleasant.

Sunlight fell evenly across the students passing through campus.

Awen looked at Lin Zhiyan with growing concern.

She hadn’t even had the chance to resolve the awkwardness between them.

Ever since a while ago, Lin Zhiyan had been smiling nonstop for several minutes.

Now she was suddenly staring up at the sky, making her seem even stranger.

“Are you okay?”

Awen asked quietly.

Lin Zhiyan continued staring upward.

The sunlight made her eyes itch.

Two more minutes passed before she finally lowered her head.

Biting her lip, Awen asked,

“Where were you planning to go?”

“Go where?”

Lin Zhiyan looked puzzled.

A few seconds later, realization dawned on her face.

A bright smile spread across her lips.

“I’m not going anymore.”

“Why?”

She sat back down beside the flower bed and beckoned Awen over, patting the spot beside her.

“I don’t want to make things difficult for you. And I don’t want to make things difficult for myself either.”

What a damn joke.

No matter how she calculated it, there was no way there was enough time.

If it were really that urgent, why not just use a holographic call?

This was obviously intentional.

Thinking it over, Lin Zhiyan turned to Awen.

“Doesn’t Le Mans have class today?”

The moment she said it, she realized she had stepped on a landmine.

As expected, Awen’s eyes dimmed.

After a while, she shook her head.

“He’s still being kept in confinement. I don’t know the details. Aunt said he’ll be transferred to another school. As for the specifics… you’ll find out eventually.”

—So Zeffy really was messing with her.

If they were truly leaving today, there was no way Awen wouldn’t know.

Then why had he insisted she rush over there?

Wait.

Could it be an assassination?

But if it was, why message her personally?

Lin Zhiyan’s confusion only deepened.

Pointing at herself, she asked,

“Me? She said I’ll find out?”

Awen nodded.

Lin Zhiyan: “…”

Find out what?

She still hadn’t figured out what Zeffy was trying to do.

After a pause, she said,

“Well, maybe Le Mans and I have been officially approved to date.”

“Huh?”

Awen froze.

Then she let out a deep breath and hugged Lin Zhiyan.

“That’s wonderful… At least I didn’t completely do the wrong thing. Before, I really got trapped in my own thoughts. I couldn’t stop myself from being jealous of Le Mans—”

“Awen.”

Lin Zhiyan patted her back and interrupted.

“I’m curious about something. Have you ever argued with Le Mans?”

“…How could that be possible?”

Awen looked shocked.

“Forget arguing. Even when I speak a sentence or two to him, I’m afraid of making him angry.”

“Then make him angry.”

Lin Zhiyan looked at her.

“Isn’t Le Mans transferring schools? Go see him off. And the moment he leaves, have a huge fight with him. Curse him out. Let him leave the Central District furious and frustrated.”

Awen blinked in confusion.

“Why?”

“Maybe because I’m repaying you.”

Resting her chin on her hand, Lin Zhiyan looked at her with dark eyes.

“That phone call saved me.”

If she hadn’t known that Le Mans and Zeffy were on their way, she would already have packed up and disappeared by now.

“That just makes me feel more guilty.”

Awen sighed.

Lin Zhiyan laughed.

“Then consider it a favor you owe me. I’ll collect repayment someday.”

“Okay.”

Awen nodded before asking,

“But I still don’t understand. Do you want me to vent my anger?”

“Something like that.”

Lin Zhiyan tapped her lightly on the head.

“Expressing anger in moderation is good for mental health.”

Awen looked embarrassed and turned away.

“Actually, there’s something I want to ask you too.”

Lin Zhiyan leaned back and crossed her legs.

“Zeffy’s mother and Li Siheng’s mother are twin sisters, right? Do you know anything about them?”

She was still wondering what Zeffy had meant by “owing.”

“All I know is that the Elder and Younger Solent sisters were famous for being inseparable.”

Awen searched her memory.

“Apparently the younger sister was sickly from birth. The older sister handled everything for her. They were extremely close.”

After thinking a little more, she added,

“There’s also a rumor that it’s the Solent family curse. People in that family tend to die young, get sick, and…”

She pointed at her head.

“Mental problems.”

Honestly, that sounded pretty accurate.

Lin Zhiyan agreed completely.

Still, she found it strange.

“What kind of curse is that powerful? Can’t gene modification cure it?”

“…I’m not sure. Don’t tell anyone.”

Awen leaned closer and whispered into her ear.

“Solent was actually a surname adopted after the Old Era War. Their original surname was Nosoi. So… their genes have problems too.”

Lin Zhiyan nearly jumped out of her skin.

She had read about this.

In the technologically advanced Old Era, people’s demands for genetic modification had long surpassed simply becoming healthier or more attractive.

They wanted things that expressed their individuality.

Cat ears.

Dog tails.

Or bizarre reproductive organs.

Ironically, despite the existence of extremely realistic wearable accessories, many people considered those artificial and therefore inferior.

As a result, a massive underground industry of illegal genetic modification emerged.

The government eventually introduced new bioethics laws and cracked down on the practice.

During the investigation, the Nosoi family was discovered to be secretly controlling much of the industry.

Experts testified that numerous post-operation cases had already contaminated the human gene pool.

For a medical technology giant, such accusations were fatal.

Multiple family members were imprisoned.

The company’s stock collapsed.

The corporation was liquidated and went bankrupt.

If the Solent family truly originated from the Nosois, then calling it a curse was entirely appropriate.

They had played God with genetic engineering, only to discover they had turned the human genome into a mountain of broken code.

Lin Zhiyan savored the irony of the technological cautionary tale before suddenly realizing something.

“Wait. Their surname is Solent?”

“Yes.”

Awen seemed unsurprised by her reaction.

“Elder Solent’s husband took her surname. Even though he technically manages the Solent family, he’s… kind of an unremarkable person.”

Lin Zhiyan recalled her encounters with Zeffy.

His need for control bordered on pathological.

His mother probably liked controlling puppets too.

She let out a long sigh.

“Why do you keep sighing?”

Awen propped her chin on her hand and watched her.

“Where were you trying to go earlier? If it’s far away, don’t worry. I can ask a driver to take you.”

“I’m not going.”

Lin Zhiyan lay back on the grass and stared up at the treetops.

“I’m thinking about how to act familiar with someone.”

Awen didn’t understand.

Still, she lay down beside her.

Looking up at the canopy, she said,

“Use an affectionate nickname?”

Lin Zhiyan suddenly turned toward her.

“That actually makes sense.”

Checking the time, she sprang to her feet and brushed the grass from her clothes.

“I’m heading to class.”

“There’s still plenty of time before class starts.”

Awen looked astonished.

Lin Zhiyan shook her head with utmost seriousness and immediately ran off.

Then she opened her terminal and sent a message.

“Bzzz—bzzz—bzzz—”

The terminal vibrated.

Jiang Yi ignored it.

He was busy fastening the buttons of his uniform, looking thoroughly annoyed.

The United Military-Political Academy prohibited ordinary clothes on campus.

The military required military uniforms.

As a result, Jiang Yi had to change clothes every time he entered or left the academy.

To make matters worse, the Ringstar Empire’s uniform aesthetics favored elaborate and complicated designs.

Sometimes Jiang Yi felt that the reason he had such a bad temper was because all of his patience had been consumed by getting dressed.

At that moment, his patience had clearly run out.

His belt hung loosely around his waist as he strode to the desk and picked up his terminal.

Who the hell keeps sending messages?

He checked.

His mood immediately worsened.

It was Zeffy.

[Zeffy: Although our discussions about cooperation have never gone particularly well, one of the Solent research institutes has recently made some discoveries regarding Subchain Technology. I believe we should discuss it again.]

[Zeffy: I hear you’ve been teaching classes recently.]

[Zeffy: I happen to be free this afternoon and would like to see how Mr. Jiang lectures.]

[Zeffy: How about we talk in the lounge after class?]

Over the years, the Solent Group had built extensive ties with politicians and helped push through countless laws and policies.

Their influence had expanded to the point where few dared underestimate them.

But people like Jiang Yi—people who knew certain parts of history and opposed the privatization of education—wanted nothing to do with the Solent family.

Receiving such a string of messages only irritated him further.

[Jiang Yi: I already told you I’m not interested.]

[Jiang Yi: Forget Subchain Technology. No one involved in biomedical research wants anything to do with the Solents.]

[Jiang Yi: Or are you using this as an excuse to probe something else?]

[Zeffy: Of course not.]

[Zeffy: I’m simply trying to create an opportunity for cooperation.]

After sending the reply, Jiang Yi felt a strong urge to curse him out.

After some thought, however, he restrained himself.

Throwing aside the terminal, he continued changing clothes.

Not long afterward, it vibrated again.

…So if I don’t lose my temper, you’ll just keep pushing?

Now genuinely irritated, Jiang Yi picked up the terminal and directly initiated a voice call.

“Are you done yet?”

His tone was impatient.

“Was the arrogance I displayed last time still not enough to make my position clear?”

The moment he finished speaking, he heard faint breathing from the other side.

Then a puzzled voice flowed into his ears like running water.

“So you really were deliberately making things difficult for me last time?”

Jiang Yi froze.

A few seconds later, he looked at the terminal.

Several messages were displayed.

[yzy: I want to talk about the teaching assistant position.]

[yzy: Could we meet before class starts?]

[yzy: If it’s inconvenient, forget it.]

Jiang Yi: “…”

Several seconds passed before he finally spoke.

“It’s not you.”

“What do you mean, not me?”

“The person I was talking about wasn’t you.”

Checking the time, he added,

“There’s still some time before class. Come find me in the lounge.”

“But your lounge requires access permissions, doesn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll send you the key.”

Then he asked,

“What is it?”

Lin Zhiyan took a deep breath.

“I’m resigning.”

Jiang Yi stared blankly for several seconds.

“What?”

“Because of certain circumstances, I feel that—”

Her terminal vibrated.

A system notification sounded.

“Access key delivered. Import into system?”

The tiny mechanical voice was quickly drowned out by Jiang Yi’s cool tone.

“Come now.”

He said,

“Explain it clearly.”

Then he hung up.

Lin Zhiyan let out a breath.

Good.

At least she had bought herself some time.

If Le Mans and Li Siheng were not actually leaving today, yet Zeffy had ordered her to go somewhere specific, then there was only one possible purpose.

To make her miss Jiang Yi’s class.

Or more precisely—

To make her disappear temporarily and observe how Jiang Yi and Louis reacted.

That would allow him to gauge exactly how important she was to them and decide how to handle her accordingly.

Having figured that out, Lin Zhiyan’s objective became very simple.

Prepare a convincing story.

She still had no idea how she was going to tell it.

But good stories were often born under pressure.

In any case, if she could seize this opportunity, it might even be possible to gain more leverage against Zeffy.

No matter what, she could not allow him to maintain control over the situation.

Otherwise she would forever be left waiting for him to toss her scraps of kindness and approval.

Taking another deep breath, Lin Zhiyan picked up her terminal and headed for the lounge.

After passing through layer upon layer of access restrictions, she arrived at the door.

Click.

The lounge door opened.

Jiang Yi sat on the sofa, page after page of documents floating above his terminal.

Lin Zhiyan stepped inside.

Jiang Yi looked up at her.

“Close the door.”

“Aren’t we supposed to avoid suspicion?”

Lin Zhiyan asked.

“At least right now, our relationship isn’t that of teacher and student.”

One eyebrow lifted slightly.

“Go on.”

“Why do you want to resign?”

Lin Zhiyan suddenly smiled.

She wasn’t even sure why.

Maybe because the last time she entered this room, she’d practically been dragged inside.

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