After the Sickly Child Differentiates into A - Chapter 61

Being caught by the little one’s elder sister while secretly plotting to “lure” her younger sister away made Su Yue experience, for the first time in her life, such embarrassment that she could have dug a hole in the ground with her toes.

“Lin Li is in the hospital room,” Su Yue pursed her lips tightly, saying guiltily, “We’ve been thinking of other methods all along. Don’t worry.”

Wen Jingzhi didn’t respond to Su Yue, instead fixing her gaze directly on Qiao Xian: “I gave you a chance.”

Qiao Xian was taken aback, her brows slowly furrowing as she prepared to ask what that meant, but Wen Jingzhi turned and left, closing the door behind her.

Su Yue: “Hmm… I get the feeling the third young lady looks down on you.”

“What!?” Qiao Xian exclaimed in shock. “Why would she look down on me?”

“It’s been almost a year, and you still haven’t managed to win over her dear younger sister. She thinks you’re useless.”

“But, matters of the heart can’t be calculated like that!”

“Forget it, you should head back to the military base for now.”

“I’m on vacation, Professor!”

“Then go enjoy your vacation on your own!” Su Yue snapped angrily. “You’re so annoying! Why don’t you go find a love expert to teach you instead!”

Qiao Xian left, filled with grievances.

On the hospital bed, the young girl’s face was pale and devoid of color, her breathing faint.

Wen Jingzhi stood by the bedside, watching her for a long time, her gaze trembling slightly before gradually growing firm.

A little after 4 p.m., Lin Li woke up. Aside from some weakness due to blood loss, she had no major issues and was cleared to be discharged.

Before leaving the hospital, Lin Li asked Wen Jingzhi to wait a moment and went alone to Su Yue’s office.

“Are you sure?” Su Yue’s expression was extremely grim. “If you refuse, you really will.”

“I know.” Lin Li had overheard the conversation between Su Yue and her team members outside the isolation room. She was well aware of what the outcome would be, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

She couldn’t bear to be marked by someone she didn’t like, nor could she bind someone who didn’t care for her to become her “medicine.”

It wouldn’t be fair to either of them.

She refused to abandon her principles and bottom line just to stay alive.

Su Yue gritted her teeth.

Having worked at the research institute for so many years, and previously in a hospital, she had witnessed too many partings in life and death. Yet, she still couldn’t come to terms with death and remained unwilling to give up on anyone.

Especially not this young one who tugged at her heartstrings.

For nearly a decade, she had endured constant physical pain, time and again summoning the strength to pull through.

And now, she was choosing to give up.

“I…” Su Yue took a deep breath. “I need to report this to the higher-ups.”

Lin Li offered a gentle smile. “Thank you, Dr. Su.”

Su Yue covered her eyes, turning her head away and waving a hand. Lin Li left the office, quietly closing the door behind her.

After that day, Wen Jingzhi no longer went out, often shutting herself in her bedroom.

She had gathered news clippings from the past decade, both domestically and internationally, containing keywords like “medical,” “differentiation,” and “research,” along with various pieces of information about hospitals and research institutes uncovered by private investigators and Shen Yuan.

Some of the information had been publicly released, while some were merely rumors.

Wen Jingzhi needed to sift through countless pieces of information, extracting what was useful and relevant, and rely on these to analyze the answers she sought.

It was no different from searching for a needle in a haystack.

By mid-November, Elder Wen had learned that Lin Li had refused the treatment plan. He summoned her for a nearly hour-long conversation but still couldn’t change her mind.

Elder Wen was at a loss; he couldn’t force Lin Li to accept such a treatment plan. Anyone in her position would struggle and suffer.

He could only respect Lin Li’s decision.

By the time the report was delivered and approved, and Lin Li received the answer, it was already early December.

Both the research institute and the relevant leadership had agreed.

She breathed a complete sigh of relief, yet inexplicably felt a wave of sorrow. The next day, she went alone to the tattoo shop Su Ke had recommended.

On January 1st, the young one’s nineteenth birthday, there was no grand banquet. The family celebrated joyfully together at the old house.

A week after the birthday, Wen Jingzhi finally made some progress and planned to take the young one out to relax, only to find that she had gone shopping with Sun Xiaoxiao and the others.

Coincidentally, Shen Yuan had returned to the country the day before and asked to meet with her to discuss matters. She called and scheduled a meeting for 4 p.m. that afternoon.

A little past 7 p.m., Lin Li waved goodbye to Sun Xiaoxiao and Su Ke and returned to the residential complex. The driver intended to drive directly into the garage, but Lin Li refused, getting out at the entrance instead she wanted to walk for a bit.

As the driver drove into the complex, she stood at the entrance, her gaze shifting to the left, and once again spotted that familiar white car.

What a coincidence.

Lin Li suddenly laughed softly, squinting as she looked in that direction.

Wen Jingzhi got out of the car and started walking forward, then looked up and noticed Lin Li not far away. She quickened her pace. The driver’s side door opened, and Shen Yuan hurriedly chased after her, clutching a vibrant bouquet of red roses, grabbing Wen Jingzhi’s wrist and pulling her back.

They exchanged a few words, and to Lin Li’s surprise, Wen Jingzhi reached out and took the roses.

Lin Li’s eyelashes fluttered slightly. She lowered her gaze, turned around, and entered the complex.

“Shen Yuan,” Wen Jingzhi raised her right hand, and the roses slammed against the wall, falling to the ground, petals scattering. “Do you really know me?”

Shen Yuan stared at the scattered roses in the corner, stunned. “How could I not know you?” She didn’t understand. “We’ve known each other for nearly thirty years, Jingzhi. Not three years, but thirty.”

“All these years, even though I’ve been abroad, we’ve never lost touch.”

“Whether it’s personal matters or work-related issues, what don’t I know?”

“I don’t like roses,” Wen Jingzhi interrupted coldly. “I remember telling you Lin Li is allergic to roses.”

Shen Yuan frowned. “I remember, but these roses are for you. And you don’t even share a room.” She truly couldn’t comprehend it. “Back in high school, I gave you a bouquet of roses, and you accepted them.”

She had assumed Wen Jingzhi liked them.

That was only out of courtesy, for Wen Xihe’s sake.

Wen Jingzhi pressed her fingers to her temples impatiently. “If you had asked Wen Xihe.” She pursed her lips. “Never mind. You should go back now. We both need to cool off.”

She hadn’t been unaware of Shen Yuan’s subtle advances, but after so many years of friendship, she had always regarded her as a close friend. She had always been careful to maintain boundaries, unwilling to give the wrong impression.

Shen Yuan had always been tactful, never crossing the line all these years. But today, for some reason, she had suddenly broken through the unspoken understanding and confessed her feelings.

Wen Jingzhi had clearly rejected her. She had intended to drive home alone, but having had a bit to drink, she got into the car only to find a bouquet of roses in the back seat.

She had been suppressing her anger the entire ride, and to her frustration, Shen Yuan had chased after her with the roses as soon as they got out.

Now she was covered in a scent that would discomfort the young girl.

Wen Jingzhi took a deep breath, ignored Shen Yuan, and strode away quickly.

Shen Yuan stood by the remnants of the roses, lingering in the night for a long time before covering her face with a deep sigh.

She had messed up.

Normally, she wouldn’t act so impulsively, but over the past year, Wen Jingzhi’s attitude had become increasingly unpredictable. She couldn’t shake the illusion that she was on the verge of losing her, and time and opportunities kept slipping away as she waited.

Well, take it slow.

After all, she had already waited so many years.

When Wen Jingzhi returned home, the living room was empty. She breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to her bedroom, heading straight for the shower.

After drying her hair and making sure there was no lingering scent of roses on her, she went to the kitchen to fetch a cup of warm milk and knocked on the girl’s door.

“Sister.” Lin Li opened the door quickly, still wearing her usual cheerful smile. “You’re back so soon?”

“Mm.” Wen Jingzhi handed her the milk, watched her finish it, and took the empty cup. After confirming that the girl showed no signs of discomfort, she reached out and ruffled her hair. “During winter break, I’ll take you back to our hometown.”

The girl’s smile froze for a moment before quickly returning. “Okay, thank you, sister.”

Wen Jingzhi gripped the doorknob, about to close the door, when the girl suddenly looked at her, hesitating as if she wanted to say something. But in the end, she remained silent until the door shut.

Lin Li stared at the closed door, her eyes gradually reddening.

She wanted to say, “Congratulations, sister,” but the words wouldn’t come out.

She didn’t want to lie to herself.

She didn’t feel happy at all.

Time flew by quickly, and soon, only two days remained until winter break.

Wen Jingzhi had finally found the “needle” she was looking for in the “haystack.” The moment she got the answer, her expression remained blank as she crushed the mouse in her hand.

A deep sorrow rose in her eyes.

She turned to leave the bedroom, wanting to see Lin Li, but suddenly remembered the girl was still at school.

The living room was unusually quiet, and Xiao Xi was gone too Lin Li had sent the dog to the old residence yesterday, saying their grandfather missed him.

That evening, when Lin Li returned home, she was suddenly pulled into a tight embrace. The hug was soft, but the arm around her waist held her so firmly it felt as if she were being pressed into the other’s body. For some reason, Lin Li felt like crying and raised her arms to hug back.

The two of them stood in silence, holding each other for nearly three minutes before Wen Jingzhi finally released her.

That night, Wen Jingzhi didn’t retreat to her bedroom to busy herself away from Lin Li. Instead, she stayed with her in the study while she did her homework. When she stepped out to fetch a glass of milk and returned, she noticed a fine layer of sweat on the girl’s forehead.

The floor heating shouldn’t have been turned up that high.

Wen Jingzhi handed her the milk, tore off a tissue to wipe the sweat from her brow, and tossed the tissue away before asking, “Is the heating too warm?”

Lin Li shook her head with a smile. “No, it’s probably because I was stuck on a problem earlier and got a bit anxious.”

“Don’t rush.” Wen Jingzhi didn’t suspect anything and smiled, ruffling her hair again.

After leaving the study, they exchanged goodnights. But the look Lin Li gave her from her bedroom doorway made Wen Jingzhi’s heart skip a beat. She instinctively took a step toward the girl, but Lin Li simply smiled and retreated into her room, closing the door.

Frowning, Wen Jingzhi felt a growing unease. She had originally planned to visit Su Yue in a couple of days but decided to change her schedule and go the next morning instead.

Early the following day, Wen Jingzhi went to the hospital. Su Yue, having received her message in advance, was already waiting in the office when she arrived.

Wen Jingzhi entered, closed the door, and walked straight up to Su Yue, getting straight to the point. “I need to know about Lin Li’s medical condition.”

“I believe I now have sufficient authority to sign the confidentiality agreement.”

She took out her phone and sent the compiled documents to Su Yue.

Su Yue stared at her for several seconds before opening the document. Wen Jingzhi calmly took a seat.

Half an hour later, Su Yue set down her phone with a complicated expression, gazing at the person across from her as if looking at some strange creature. After a long pause, she finally spoke: “Why don’t you come work at the research institute?”

Such data analysis skills going unused in scientific research would be such a waste.

“I can sign the agreement and give you the information,” Su Yue sighed softly. “But it’s meaningless now.”

Wen Jingzhi frowned: “What do you mean?”

“Lin Li rejected the treatment plan.” Whenever Su Yue thought about this, she couldn’t help showing a trace of sadness. “She doesn’t want to be marked by an Omega without emotional foundation, nor does she want that Omega to compromise themselves.”

“Faced with life and death, she chose to uphold her principles and bottom line.”

Wen Jingzhi’s face instantly darkened: “Who allowed this?”

“All the senior leadership approved it.” Su Yue added, “Oh, and your grandfather too.”

Wen Jingzhi closed her eyes briefly, forcing herself to calm down. “First, tell me the specific treatment plan.”

Su Yue took out the confidentiality agreement from her drawer, deeply convinced of her own foresight, she had prepared this agreement after Wen Jingzhi contacted her last night.

After Wen Jingzhi signed, Su Yue handed her another document. She briefly flipped through it and signed.

With all documents signed, Su Yue handed the paper version of the treatment plan to Wen Jingzhi.

Ten minutes later, Wen Jingzhi set down the documents, her expression cold and stern. “What’s Qiao Xian’s compatibility rate with her?”

“Fifty-four percent. Among the selected Omegas, it’s the highest compatibility rate.”

Wen Jingzhi stood up, took a light breath, and asked again: “What about me?”

Su Yue’s pupils shook with surprise: “What did you say?”

Wen Jingzhi looked directly into her eyes, her expression unchanged: “What’s my compatibility rate with Lin Li?”

“Do you know what you’re asking?”

Wen Jingzhi closed her eyes firmly, then lifted her eyelids, her face still maintaining its aloof composure.

“I’m very clear about it.”

Su Yue fell silent, watching her as her expression gradually changed. She covered her face, somewhat doubting whether she was fully awake. “You!” She looked up at Wen Jingzhi: “Are you serious?”

Wen Jingzhi pressed her lips together without speaking, her expression unchanged silently confirming.

Su Yue cursed inwardly a few times, rubbed her face, feeling that both she and this Third Young Miss of the Wen family were somewhat insane.

“Although I really don’t want to say this,” Su Yue opened the drawer and pulled out a document from the very bottom, handing it to Wen Jingzhi. “This plan was created because of you.”

On that compatibility test form, the same Omega pheromones on the left side were matched with over ten different Alpha pheromones on the right. The lowest compatibility rate was forty-nine percent, while the highest column.

Wen Jingzhi’s fingers holding the corner of the page visibly trembled as she stared at that string of characters, unable to conceal her astonishment.

Ninety-seven percent.

This was an almost impossible value.

“Your pheromones are too effective on her. After your soothing, the calming effect of Qiao Xian’s pheromones on her rapidly diminished.”

“I’ve always wanted to submit your compatibility data, but I never made the final decision.”

Su Yue’s expression gradually turned serious: “I think you should understand very clearly why I haven’t submitted this data.”

Wen Jingzhi set down the data sheet. “I want her alive.” She turned to leave but paused to glance at Su Yue, adding, “I gave Qiao Xian a chance.”

Long after she had left, Su Yue trembled and collapsed into a chair, burying her face in her hands with a mournful cry.

This Third Young Miss was truly insane!

To have allowed Qiao Xian to approach Lin Li for so long, enduring it all until Qiao Xian was certain there was no hope only then did she reveal that possessive side.

Just to achieve her goal, she would spare no time or effort to search for a needle in a haystack and the problem was, she actually managed to find it!

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