The Mysterious Heiress: Researcher In Disguise

Escorted by working staff, Sheng Hua began to walk outside.

At that moment, the group of reporters noticed the students and teachers from No.1 High School that had come to receive Sheng Hua. All of them rushed over to them like a bunch of hungry wolves pouncing on their prey as they flashed their cameras at the three students.

There were plenty of excellent students in No.1 High School. However, Gu Yan was the only one who was both a member of the association as well as a participant.

Director Liu’s heart was thumping as fast as a fluttering little bird in his chest. He looked at Gu Yan with a surprised expression etched on his face and shouted, “That’s awesome, Gu Yan! Why did you not tell us in advance that you’d be giving a lecture to all the participants…”

After all, the fact that someone as prestigious as Sheng Hua would say that Gu Yan was his teacher and friend meant that she had to occupy a special place in his heart.

Even Physics teachers like Ma Mingquan and Qian Wenrui were stunned as all of them looked at her.

It was a fact that Gu Yan knew Sheng Hua. Even though the two of them had talked to each other and discussed Physics problems before, she had never expected him to have such a high opinion of her. She felt shocked and flattered at the same time.

She then opened her mouth and said, “I didn’t expect Master Sheng Hua to come to see me either.”

She indeed had not expected this. It felt like she was dreaming, but her ego was boosted.

Lu Yubai stifled a glance at her and frowned.

At the same time, Sheng Hua had arrived in front of them, prompting Lu Yubai to stand up straight.

Gu Yan walked up to him and said, “Master Gu Yan, the vehicle prepared by the school authorities is waiting for you outside. Do you want to go have lunch at a restaurant nearby first?”

“You will come with me,” Sheng Hua replied simply. When he saw Fu Zhi, who had dozed off on a chair not far away, he felt a sting in his heart. “Everyone else can go back to school and rest.”

Initially, Director Liu had wanted Gu Yan to introduce Lu Yubai and Fu Zhi to Sheng Hua, but it now seemed to him that Sheng Hua wanted nothing to do with them. He laughed dryly and bobbed his head.

He went to call over Fu Zhi, who was sleeping upright on that chair, so he said exasperatedly, “Wake up. Time to go. You just lost your only chance to meet the greatest person in the world, yet you still want to oppose Gu Yan? Do you know who you just offended?”

“No idea,” Fu Zhi answered, shaking her head. She groggily rose to her feet, picked up her bag, and began to head outside.

Gu Yan was in a good mood. She glanced at Fu Zhi contemptuously with a wide grin etched on her face before turning back to Sheng Hua, talking with him while allowing the reporters on the scene to take photos of them.

While Lu Yubai was about to leave, Gu Yan called out to him. “Master Sheng Hua, this is Lu Yubai, who added you on WeChat the other day. Can he tag along?”

There was no expression on Sheng Hua’s face as he studied Lu Yubai. Before he could say anything, Lu Yubai said, “I’m sorry, Master Sheng Hua, but I have to take my cousin back to school first.”

Gu Yan was stunned.

Sheng Hua looked in the direction Fu Zhi was walking to and fell silent.

“That’s okay. Please take care of her,” Sheng Hua said with a serious, earnest tone. “You can reach me through WeChat if you come across any issues with your studies in the future.”

Lu Yubai bowed his head in return before glancing at Gu Yan.

The last strand of suspicion in his heart was gone. It was all thanks to Gu Yan. If it were not for her, he would not have gotten Sheng Hua’s WeChat or his promise. After he got into his car with Fu Zhi, he sent a text message to Gu Yan. “I owe you one. If you need any help in the future, just let me know. I’ll do my best to help.”

*

At six o’clock in the evening, after school…

It kept drizzling nonstop.

When Lu Yushen came to pick Gu Yan up from school, he bumped into Lu Yumo, who was licking a lollipop.

Lu Yumo’s expression turned dark, and when he saw the umbrella in his brother’s hand, he muttered, “What a poser.”

He sent a text message to Fu Zhi, but it was Su Xing who replied. She said that she had invited Fu Zhi to have a sleepover at her house.

Lu Yushen had been avoiding Fu Zhi lately.

When Lu Yumo thought of that, he felt even more frustrated. Rolling his eyes at Gu Yan, he sneered, “Yo, do you know that you two look like peas and carrots?”

“Yeah,” Gu Yan replied, her cheeks flushing. “I promise we will stay like this forever and ever.”

Lu Yumo did not know what to say. He turned to look at his brother. Lu Yushen kept his head low and was clutching the handle of the umbrella so tightly that his fingers were turning white.

There were plenty of parents outside No.1 High School, so it was crowded. Lu Yushen seemed like he was having a hard time breathing.

Lu Yumo thought for a while and an idea suddenly took shape in his head. He ran up to Lu Yushen, grabbed his arm, and before Gu Yan could do anything, he threw his brother into the car. Then, he told the driver, “Gu Yan said she’s going to walk home today. Start the car now. Don’t wait for her!”

*

Fu Zhi went to have a follow-up check with Li Nanli.

As usual, it was Liu Mi who came to pick her up.

When they arrived at the Li Mansion, Liu Mi led her to Li Nanli’s room. “President Li has a fever today. He’s gotten better, so he’s taking a bath now. You can wait for him in his room.”

After saying that, Liu Mi left the room, leaving Fu Zhi to sit on Li Nanli’s bed alone while checking her phone.

She wanted to find a way to cheer up her second brother. Then, she suddenly heard Li Nanli’s voice.

“Liu Mi.”

“He’s not here.” Fu Zhi got up from the bed and began walking outside. “I’ll help you get him.”

“Zhizhi.”

His voice came from the bathroom again, tickling Fu Zhi’s ears.

She paused in her tracks and replied, “Yeah?”

“My bath towel fell on the floor. Can you help me get another one?” He paused for a second before adding, “It’s in the fourth drawer. I’m having a small headache, so can you make it quick?”

He sounded weak, and it seemed to Fu Zhi that he could not wait until Liu Mi came up to get the towel for him.

Fu Zhi looked around and went into the dressing room.

There were not many things in the closet. Other than a few neatly-folded sweaters, there was only one white bath towel.

Fu Zhi knocked on the door, and the door was opened from the inside. Li Nanli stuck his arm out and took the towel from Fu Zhi’s hand.

“Thanks.”

Fu Zhi then said earnestly, “Don’t drop it again. This is the last one in the drawer.”

“Okay,” the man replied. The corners of his lips were curled upward, and it was apparent that he was in a good mood right now.

Fu Zhi went back to sit on the bed. A few minutes later, the door opened once again and Li Nanli emerged from the bathroom. He was wearing a white shirt, and water droplets dripped from the tips of his hair and traveled down his jawline before falling on the red carpet. He had left the two buttons at the top unfastened, exposing his fair skin to the air.

Staring blankly at his collarbone, Fu Zhi said, “Your shirt…”

Li Nanli walked up to her and patted her head. “It’s hot.”

Then, he crouched in front of her. When he focused on the girl’s rosy lips with his eyes, he swallowed hard and his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down in his throat.

“Xiao Li!” Fu Zhi called out to him, but he did not reply.

She looked toward the window, and upon realizing that it was almost winter, she raised her hand and fastened the two buttons. Then, she patted his head the way he had patted hers and said gravely, “Xiao Li, I understand that kids your age like to show off their body, but the weather is cold and this is not good for your health. You have to put on more clothes, understand?”

Li Nanli was speechless. His eyebrows twitched, and just as a bad hunch welled in his stomach pit, Fu Zhi grabbed his wrist and began taking his pulse.

“You are too weak.” Fu Zhi sighed. “Don’t take your youth for granted. You have to take care of your body while you’re still young, not to mention that you’re no longer that young.”

Li Nanli said after a pause, “You’re worrying too much.”

His lips were tightly drawn in a fine line, and Fu Zhi could see that he was not happy. She asked, “You are not happy?”

As if she had remembered something, her eyes glowed and she pressed on. “What could make you happy again?”