Chapter 388: Side Story 8: This Is Her, Living And Breathing!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Meng Yunzhao hadn’t been in the medical laboratory for a long time, the main reason being that the requirements for entering it were extremely high. It had taken her three years to reach this goal.
She had been in the laboratory only for a few months, but every day had been lively, and she didn’t really understand it herself. She didn’t understand why she wouldn’t feel tired when she was in the laboratory, and her mind was always clear and alert, even her mental state was also at its best every day.
It seemed that everyone who entered the laboratory was the same, and that was why it was lively every day.
There was never a day like this, where it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop on the ground.
Meng Yunzhao felt that something was wrong, and glanced at Professor Li who was standing beside her. He was looking at the direction of the door, his eyes comically wide, as though he had seen something unbelievable.
Having never seen Professor Li like this, much less the entire laboratory, Meng Yunzhao followed the direction of Professor Li’s gaze.
She soon found out why the entire laboratory was in this state!
The figure she was looking at had often appeared in TV news and major international speeches. He was tall with his back straight, wearing gold-rimmed spectacles. There was less arrogance than you would usually see when he was on screen, and he appeared to be more refined in person.
That was undoubtedly Zhu Yuan.
Meng Yunzhao’s heart was pounding fiercely in her chest, obviously excited. It was no wonder everyone was reacting like this, it was because Dean Zhu was here!
As Zhu Yuan was the goal of everyone in the medical field, she felt that she should be paying more attention to him. However, her eyes were attracted to another figure without reason. She could only feel that the person was special in some ways, which made anyone looking at her ignore everything else. It was a slender figure, and she was following a few steps behind Zhu Yuan. Her pace was unhurried, with one hand in her pocket, and the other pressing against her lips. Her gaze swept around the place as she walked in.
There were question marks above the heads of those graduate students who had recently entered the laboratory.
When the person finally walked in, her eyes were looking straight ahead. She had a pair of clear, sparkling eyes, like a sea of stars under the light. The fingers that pressed against her lips were lowered slowly, and a low voice finally came from her mouth after a long while. “It has changed a lot.”
Who was this person? Why did she suddenly appear in the laboratory? And she even came with Dean Zhu?!
These same questions were running through the newcomers’ minds, before they came back to their senses and focused on Zhu Yuan instead. He was more important after all, and they were finally seeing him in person for the first time!
The stunned and shocked professors finally moved at this time, and the graduate students felt things returning to normal.
But they soon discovered they were wrong once again. At this moment, everyone’s face, including Meng Yunzhao, flashed with stunned surprise!
Because those professors didn’t move to surround Zhu Yuan, but the young woman instead!
They surrounded her so tightly, even a raindrop wouldn’t be able to squeeze in between them.
“Miss Gu, is that really you?”
“Miss Gu, you’re finally back!”
“Miss Gu, I thought that I’d never see you again...”
It only took a few seconds for this scene to unfold, and the graduate students had yet to have time to process and react to it.
What the heck? Miss Gu? These famous, talented professors were actually respectfully greeting a girl that looked to be the same age as them, Miss Gu? In their mind, there was only one person that fit this image.
But in terms of age, that person should be about forty years old, right? How the heck could she look so young?!
The younger generation in the medical laboratory felt like they were going out of their minds with all these questions running through their heads!
“So you’re saying, that’s really Miss Gu? Meng Yunzhao was still holding the microscope in her hand, but she hadn’t been working for the past half an hour. Her heart and mind was still in a jumbled mess and she still hadn’t been able to come back to herself.
Professor Li replied in a joyful mood. “That’s her alright. I didn’t expect that Miss Gu would come back.”
Before Meng Yunzhao could say anything, a boy that stood beside them opened his mouth, a look of disbelief on his face. “No way? She looks even younger than me!”
“Even if you think I’m lying to you, Dean Zhu wouldn’t lie to you, right?” Professor Li pointed at Zhu Yuan. “Although she looks younger than you, she is undoubtedly Miss Gu, because she has looked the same as she did ten years ago.”
“Ten years ago, and none of her cells have aged a single bit? Don’t you feel that’s a bit strange?” Meng Yunzhao stared with wide eyes.
Professor Li chuckled softly. “Strange? All those who have experienced life in our generation wouldn’t feel it to be weird in the slightest.”
Meng Yunzhao didn’t respond to that immediately. She naturally knew the era that Professor Li was talking about. Twenty years ago, the world went through a massive structural shift, and it seemed to be the entire human race’s step forward, and everything that happened had been recorded in detail.
All of these things were considered history in the past for her, and Meng Yunzhao didn’t dare to comment much on it.
But even though it was said to be history, there had been a lot of details that were covered up. Even a legendary person like Gu Xiqiao had become overlooked in history, and only remained in the hearts of the older generations.
“You only know Miss Gu as the founder of this laboratory, but what you don’t know is that Miss Gu is also the spiritual leader of the ancient martial arts world. Her ancient martial arts have been cultivated to the extreme, to the point that she’s practically a demigod. No one knows how long her life is, but she has always appeared to be so young. The people in the ancient martial arts world are wondering if she’s already entered the state of being a demigod a long time ago,” Professor Li’s voice was lowered as he spoke. “This part of history was never recorded down as no one dared to write it. So, all of you might think that we worship Miss Gu a little too much, but I can only tell you that none of the things I’ve said are exaggerated. In the future, if any of you are able to enter the central lab, you’ll be able to fully understand this part of history that has been covered up. Miss Gu is the ultimate goal that everyone intends to pursue after, and that includes your Academician Zhu.”
These were all things that Meng Yunzhao and the other graduate students had never heard before. There were no mentions of these things in records, nor their textbooks.
Practically a demigod, what kind of existence was she?!
Meng Yunzhao didn’t have any words to say, and could only continue to stare in the direction of Gu Xiqiao. Just looking at her like this, no one would imagine the glory that she held.
“Meng Yunzhao?” A low, melodious voice suddenly rang beside her ears, and Meng Yunzhao snapped out of her daze.
Raising her head, she saw a white, flawless face, as pretty as a painting, in front of her. Struggling to find the words, Meng Yunzhao stuttered, “Miss Gu... y-y-you’re... you’re talking to me?”
Gu Xiqiao smiled. “No need to be so formal. Are you experimenting with cell fusion?”
Maybe it was because of the gentle ambiance that Gu Xiqiao gave off, and the warm smile on her face, that made Meng Yunzhao relax subconsciously.
“That’s right, Miss Gu. This is the introduction topic in medical labs.” Meng Yunzhao glanced at the microscope in her hand, and realized that her first cell fusion had yet to be complete. She couldn’t help but hang her head in shame. “But it’s not complete yet.”
Gu Xiqiao glanced at Meng Yunzhao’s petri dish, pinpointing the crux of the problem almost immediately. “Plant cell fusion? Hmm... electrolysis can easily destroy the integrity of the cell wall. You can try it with creating a new virus instead.”
“A new virus?” Meng Yunzhao was startled at the suggestion.
“That’s right.” Gu Xiqiao looked at her phone, seeing that it was already afternoon. She thought for a while before continuing, “I’ll be here for a while during this period. If you’re able to create it, you may come to the central lab to look for me. Of course, that’s if you’re willing.”
Meng Yunzhao felt her mind go blank, she was already at a loss at what Gu Xiqiao was talking about, but she still reacted subconsciously. “Yes! Of course, yes, I’m willing!”
What a joke, this was the person that everyone’s ultimate goal was, including Dean Zhu!
“Very good.” Gu Xiqiao nodded. “I’ll be waiting for you then.”
Having said that, she left.
Meng Yunzhao gradually came back to herself, only just realizing the envy and jealousy in the gaze of everyone else around her, and Zhu Yuan was no exception.
He took off his glasses, studying Meng Yunzhao from head to toe and muttered to himself, “Strange, which part of her had caught her fancy?”
Zhu Yuan was in fact also Meng Yunzhao’s idol, and being faced with such a look from him, Meng Yunzhao felt that the world was fantastic in this moment!
“Meng Yunzhao, right?” Zhu Yuan turned away. “This is the first time she’s had the mindset of teaching someone. No matter what, you have to research this new virus. Although I don’t know what exactly it is she saw in you, I believe that her insight has never been wrong. Good luck.”
After he finished speaking, he put on his glasses once again, walking away as he made a call.
He had come back temporarily after receiving news that Gu Xiqiao had returned, but there was an important surgery that he needed to perform, and he couldn’t afford to drag it on any longer. As long as it was brought to the medical labs, he estimated that he would still need a few days to study it.
Meng Yunzhao nodded, still in a daze, then slowly realized Professor Li’s eyes were looking at her like something wonderful beyond words had happened.
“Wait a minute, how did Miss Gu know my name?” Meng Yunzhao finally asked after a long time.
Many years later, when Meng Yunzhao was standing at the peak of the entire medical field, she would finally understand why everyone had looked at her with such envy and hatred in their eyes, including Zhu Yuan, on this day.
***
Tan Yongsi returned to the dormitory that night, and found only Ye Xuan in the room.
“Why are you alone? Where’s Yunzhao and Yichen?”
Ye Xuan raised her head from where she was looking at the computer. “Yichen said something came up in her family, and took one week off. As for Yunzhao, she said that she needed to study a new virus, and she’s determined to not leave the labs if she doesn’t succeed!”
“So hardworking?” Tan Yongsi took out Xixi’s bowl, filling it with water before taking out a brown grain for it to eat. As she held the pill in her hands, she thought about it for a while, before breaking it into two pieces.
She had contacted Jiang Yirui in the afternoon, but he had seemed to be busy, and had said that Xixi would no longer cause any fuss, and assured her that she didn’t need to worry about it.
Tan Yongsi still felt worried after hearing Jiang Yirui’s words, how could she not? This was the Vermillion Bird after all. If it accidentally spat fire in the school, it would definitely be a big thing.
As she thought about it, she opened her cabinet and pulled out a cinnabar as well as some talisman, preparing to draw up a few fire prevention talisman.
“Sisi, have you seen the post today?” Ye Xuan suddenly raised her head, her chin on her palm as she looked at her friend. “How are you so calm?”
“What?” Tan Yongsi had drawn one talisman finished.
Ye Xuan grinned brightly. “Your goddess has returned.”
She has known Tan Yongsi for so many years, and was well aware that Tan Yongsi’s entire family worshipped this goddess, and that was also the reason that Tan Yongsi paid a lot of attention to this goddess.
“What did you say?!” Tan Yongsi’s hand jerked and shook, ruining the symbol that she had been drawing on the talisman. However, she didn’t feel distressed about it at all, but was looking at Ye Xuan with wide eyes, her voice trembling.
Ye Xuan held her tongue, not expecting Tan Yongsi’s reaction to be that big. “I’m saying that your goddess, your Goddess Gu, she’s back. Weibo is going nuts about this, and I can’t believe you didn’t see it.”
Tan Yongsi really didn’t know, and she quickly took out her phone. Because of her shaking hands, she nearly dropped her phone on the floor.
On Weibo, news of Gu Xiqiao’s return was splashed everywhere.
The person who had disappeared for ten years had returned unexpectedly. This was causing a huge wave to everyone everywhere.
The two didn’t realize the red bird who was drinking water suddenly stopped in its tracks, continuing to drink after a while, its movements stiff and mechanical.
***
At the same time, in Jiang Yirui’s apartment, he, Tang An, and Wang Qiming were all sitting at the edge of their seats. Tang An couldn’t help but glance at the door from time to time, and look at Jiang Yirui. “I say, did Beauty Gu really come back? Why haven’t you gone to see her yet? Didn’t we hear that she’s in A University? This place is so close to A University, she should come back here, right?”
“How would I know what she’s thinking? Anyway, if she didn’t want me to see her, I wouldn’t be able to find her no matter how hard I tried.” Jiang Yirui turned away, standing up. “Go home, you guys. She won’t be coming back here today.”
The distance between the places was so near, if she wanted to come back, she would have come back a long time ago.
“Then what about Xixi?” Tang An suddenly thought of Tan Yongsi, as well as the bird on her shoulder. “Are you going to tell your mom?”
“No need.” Jiang Yirui shook his head.
Tang An was surprised and confused. “Why not? Are you intending to surprise her?”
“I initially wanted to surprise her.” Jiang Yirui lowered his head, thinking a bit more before continuing, “She should only be able to come back in another two years, but for her to suddenly come back can only be one reason. She knows that Xixi has returned.”
“Then why doesn’t she go and look for Xixi?” Tang An felt even more puzzled than before.
Jiang Yirui didn’t respond to his question.
“Naturally, it’s because she hasn’t adjusted her feelings yet, and she’s afraid that she might just accidentally shove Xixi back into its mother’s womb to be rebuild,” Jiji replied, walking down the stairs with a handheld computer held to its chest. There was a look of helplessness on its face as it said, “Fatty Egg, I’ve already cut off connection with Beauty Qiao, how could she still know about it?”
Jiang Yirui looked at Jiji when he heard this. “Maybe it’s because of how unusual you are?”
Jiji’s eyes lit up. “How unusual are we talking about?”
Jiang Yirui replied calmly, “Unusually stupid.”
JIji: “... You’ve changed, you’re no longer the cute, pure Fatty Egg that you used to be.”
Jiang Yirui pursed his lips. “Humans are fickle beings, and they change all the time.”
Jiji: “I would never.”
Jiang Yirui: “Humans.”
Jiji’s mechanical body shook, looking at Jiang Yirui in horror. “... You... You... I shouldn’t have doubted in the beginning whether or not you were Beauty Qiao’s son! Everything you say is exactly the same as her! How could you possibly not be her son?!”
Tang An watched as Jiji paced around the living room, and couldn’t help but glance at Jiang Yirui. “What’s wrong with Jiji?”
“It’s my fault, I shouldn’t have let it out.” Jiang Yirui replied.
Jiji: Ah, I’m so angry.
Tang An continued to look at Jiang Yirui, before shifting his gaze towards Jiji, then closing his mouth. He wouldn’t be able to beat this guy and this robot, so it would be better to just stay quiet.
At this moment, Jiang Yirui’s phone rang in his pocket. Pulling it out, he found a string of unfamiliar numbers on the screen.
For someone to know his number, even if it was unfamiliar, it should be someone he knew, and so he picked up the phone without much thought.
A gentle, warm voice came from the other end. “Yirui, I’m back.”
***
In the Jiang residence in the ancient martial arts world, Shu Chen was playing cards with a bunch of people.
“Nine pairs. You’ve lost so badly yesterday already, and you still want to get it today?” Madam Tang threw down a triplet, and smiled at Shu Chen.
Shu Chen recalled the previous day’s worst loss, and even had a painted strip of paper pasted on her face, and the picture sent to their group chat. “That’s why I have to get it all back today.”
“You? Forget it.” Another lady in black clothes smiles. “You’re terrible at this game, and you haven’t improved even after so many years.”
“I have a secret weapon today.” Shu Chen said. “King pair.”
A slightly younger lady in a pale blue dress threw out a pair of Aces. If Shu Chen couldn’t pull out anything above this, then the other two wouldn’t be the ‘landlords’ either, and naturally, nobody wanted that. The lady immediately threw out another trio of cards.
Seeing that Shu Chen was about to lose once again, the butler’s voice came from outside just at this moment. “Young Madam, you’ve returned!”
At the same moment. Shu Chen stood up with a bang. “Look, my secret weapon is here!”
“Qiao Qiao, hurry and come here, help me get revenge!”
Gu Xiqiao smiled as she took Shu Chen’s seat.
The other three women who were sitting on the bench had their eyes on Gu Xiqiao in that instant. They had already heard earlier about Gu Xiqiao’s return, but they had treated it as a joke, but they didn’t expect that she really had returned!
This was her, the living, breathing, Gu Xiqiao!
Half an hour later, the other three ladies at the table all had slips of papers pasted on their faces.
As for Gu Xiqiao, there was nothing pasted on her face at all.
After sending their embarrassing pictures to the group chat, they returned home to lament to their family members. “What do you all think about this? The three of us had even secretly traded cards, but how can we not win even once? This is too illogical! I’ve been thoroughly trashed by Miss Gu.”