Ch 26: Those who wronged me are now begging me for mercy

Little Dr. Rong, I’m Hungry QaQ

The overachievers who logged in to check the thread were all dumbfounded. They couldn’t believe their eyes—wasn’t Rong Ziyin supposed to be the kind of guy who would take blurry photos where you couldn’t even tell what was in the picture?

Yet here he was, posting food photos that could rival those of late-night food bloggers! These had to be fake, right?

What made it worse was that Rong Ziyin occasionally shared his thoughts on the taste. It wasn’t that his descriptions were overly dramatic; it was just the timing that was so infuriating.

Right at mealtimes, when everyone was busy and hungry, trying to save time by wolfing down a quick bun or a cup of instant noodles, Rong Ziyin’s colorful, aromatic dishes looked especially mouthwatering.

Suddenly, everything felt even harder to bear.

Same overachievers, same paper-writing grind, but while they were greasy-haired and starving, Rong Ziyin was living a “luxurious” life where food was served to him on a plate. It was infuriatingly enviable.

Was having someone bring you food such a big deal? Being the group favorite such a big deal?

Damn it, it really was a big deal. Ugh.

In their deep frustration, these once relentless overachievers found themselves following in Rong Ziyin’s footsteps down the path of indulgence.

Not only did they stop forgetting to eat, but they also started flocking to the cafeteria at mealtimes, and even if they couldn’t get away, they would ask friends or classmates to bring food to them.

Inspired by Rong Ziyin, these overachievers not only learned how to find the right lighting and angles for food photography, but they also started using filters instinctively.

“Come on! Let’s all stick it to the world together! Haha!”

Soon, innocent students who happened to check the forum during mealtimes were utterly bewildered.

Suddenly, they understood what it meant to be mere bystanders in a battle of the gods.

In this positive atmosphere, a week later, Rong Ziyin was the first to announce that he had finished his paper.

Rong Ziyin: “Keep it up, everyone!”

The other overachievers responded in unison: “Don’t come near me. Just get lost.”

Frustration level: 1000

Rong Ziyin couldn’t help but laugh, knowing that they were upset about not being able to surpass him.

But given the current situation, Rong Ziyin was confident that they would all finish their papers on time, so he decided not to bother them anymore. He packed up his things and exited the forum to focus on his own tasks.

The system, however, didn’t quite understand. Seeing that Rong Ziyin was no longer busy, it asked, “Master, why did you start that thread?”

It was genuinely confused, as Rong Ziyin’s self-discipline was strong enough that he didn’t seem to need to take such steps.

Rong Ziyin continued packing his things as he explained, “Because this issue does involve me. If it weren’t for that rich young master’s rivalry with me, he wouldn’t have gone to the trouble of submitting a paper to try to outdo me.”

“I’ve seen parts of his paper. Although it’s mostly filler, the person who wrote it clearly has real skills. The subsequent report might have been a setup by the person who sold the paper to him.”

“Is that person crazy? Didn’t they take money to ghostwrite it?”

Rong Ziyin chuckled. “They took the money, but the research was real. My guess is that they didn’t want a part of their research credited to someone else. So after taking the money, they decided to report it.”

“But the rich young master got reported, so what’s in it for the ghostwriter?”

“Exactly, so they didn’t specify who they were reporting. The veterinary department had two submissions, and I was one of the people whose recommendation was canceled, right?”

“What a bunch of garbage!” The system was furious, thinking that the ghostwriter was just as much of a jerk as the rich young master.

“Yeah, so in this situation, I’m the fuse, and the others who had their papers rejected are collateral damage.”

“The academic world is especially tough; just because you put your heart into research doesn’t guarantee results. Talent, hard work, and luck are all essential.”

“A core journal submission is a rare opportunity. Missing out on it when you had a chance is bound to leave a sense of regret.”

“I was going to give it my all anyway, so what’s the difference between doing it alone and rallying a group to do it together?”

The system was silent for a while, unsure of what to say.

Just then, the system issued a notification: Respect points from overachiever Wen Xiaoyu: 5000; respect points from overachiever Yuan Shu: 6214… In total, there were seven names that sounded unfamiliar, but given the system’s prefix, these were likely the seven overachievers who had joined Rong Ziyin in writing papers.

Clearly, after this incident, they were all thoroughly impressed with Rong Ziyin, and their respect points had reached the threshold for being considered as followers.

System: “Would you like to take them on as your followers?”

Rong Ziyin: “No. I’m not a grandfather; I don’t need seven rescue gourd babies.”

As soon as Rong Ziyin finished speaking, another respect point came through—this time from the eighth overachiever.

System: “Now that there are eight, it can’t be considered gourd babies anymore.”

Rong Ziyin argued confidently, “Why not? There’s also the Gourd King Kong. This last one could be the sixth baby.”

(T/N: Gourd King Kong and the sixth baby are characters from a classic Chinese animated series called Calabash Brothers (葫芦兄弟), also known as Gourd Brothers. The series features seven brothers who were born from calabashes (gourds) and each possesses a unique power. The “sixth baby” specifically refers to the sixth brother in the series, who has the ability to become invisible.)

So who exactly is the sixth baby…? The system couldn’t resist looking it up, and then it understood. Oh, the sixth baby is the one who can turn invisible.

Comparing a robust adult man to the petite and delicate sixth baby, Rong Ziyin’s wit was just a bit too wicked.

But this time, the system didn’t press further on why Rong Ziyin didn’t take them on as followers because his actions and words had already explained everything.

Rong Ziyin wasn’t without ambition, but he was firm in his principles. He didn’t covet what wasn’t his. From childhood to adulthood, he’d climbed his way up, just seeking to live with a clear conscience and a sense of integrity.

After dealing with the overachievers, Rong Ziyin did one final check on his three completed papers. Then he sent them all to his mentor’s email and gave him a call.

Once that was done, Rong Ziyin went to check on the egg in the incubator. After turning it, he packed up his things and prepared to go home.

It was already 9 p.m., and the sky was completely dark. But since it was summer, he could still see the villagers sitting in their yards, enjoying the cool evening air.

“Dr. Rong, are you done for the day?” someone called out to Rong Ziyin cheerfully.

“Yep, all done,” Rong Ziyin replied with a smile, greeting everyone along the way.

Chatting as he walked, Rong Ziyin didn’t feel lonely and soon arrived at his doorstep.

But to his surprise, he found that the gate to his courtyard was open.

Someone had come in? Rong Ziyin instinctively became cautious, quietly peering inside, only to see someone sitting at his doorstep, holding a large white goose.

Is that… Ji Shu? He couldn’t see the person’s face clearly, but the goose was unforgettable. Wasn’t it the same one that had tried to “claim” him as its dad the other day?

At that moment, Ji Shu, sitting at the doorstep, heard the noise and looked up at Rong Ziyin.

“Dr. Rong, you’re back!” Ji Shu’s previously despondent eyes lit up the moment he saw Rong Ziyin, though his tone sounded pitiful.

As Rong Ziyin walked closer, he noticed that under the moonlight, Ji Shu’s beautiful peach blossom eyes were slightly pink, as if he’d been grievously wronged, making one want to comfort him.

And just then, the goose in Ji Shu’s arms displayed a bright red heart above its head, with a pitiful message floating out: “Dad, why did you come back so late, QaQ?”

Rong Ziyin stood in silence for a moment, glancing around to make sure this was indeed his home. So, what exactly was going on with this person and this goose?

Ji Shu, already feeling quite familiar, sidled up to Rong Ziyin, draping an arm around his shoulder and whining playfully, “Dr. Rong, I’m hungry, QaQ.”

The goose eagerly nodded along in agreement, “I’m hungry too, Daddy! Feed me, and you’ll be my forever daddy!”

How did they end up in such a pitiful state? Isn’t he supposed to be a rich young master? Rong Ziyin couldn’t help but laugh at their antics and asked a few simple questions.

It turned out that Ji Shu was in the village to buy some land, so he needed to stay for a few days to assess the area. After discussing it, the village chief decided to let Ji Shu stay temporarily at Rong Ziyin’s place.

The main reason was that Rong Ziyin’s courtyard had the best environment, and half of the house was still empty. When they initially allocated this house to Rong Ziyin, they were concerned he might not be used to living there after returning from the city. Now that Ji Shu was here, the village chief figured it wouldn’t hurt to have him stay there too.

However, Rong Ziyin had been busy writing papers for the past few days, so the village chief hadn’t found a chance to explain the situation to him. Ji Shu arrived earlier than expected, and with no other choice, the village chief let Ji Shu wait at Rong Ziyin’s door until he returned.

“So, you didn’t eat dinner?”

“No. I thought I could wait for you to come back, and we’d eat together, but… the food stand closed at 8 o’clock.” Ji Shu, probably starving, spoke with less and less energy, eventually slumping against Rong Ziyin’s shoulder. “There’s no takeout here, and I’m starving to death.”

“It’s just one meal, hang in there, man.” Rong Ziyin peeled Ji Shu off and set him aside, then headed toward the stove.

Since he was feeling a bit hungry himself, he decided to make something for Ji Shu as well. After all, Ji Shu was a guest of the village chief and was here to buy land; it wouldn’t do to let him starve.

The system chimed in, “That’s weird, he didn’t hit on you today.”

Rong Ziyin couldn’t help but chuckle, remembering that Ji Shu did seem interested in him before. But given the current situation, Rong Ziyin figured Ji Shu might have forgotten about that. After all, when you’re starving, eating is the priority.

He lit the stove and put on a pot of water to boil, then headed out to the yard to pick a few tomatoes and some greens.

Since it was a late-night snack, it would be best to make something warm and easy to digest. Rong Ziyin decided on dumpling soup.

Ji Shu stayed close to Rong Ziyin, curiously watching his every move, while the goose excitedly ran around the house. Eventually, it grabbed a leaf and brought it over to Rong Ziyin.

“Daddy~ Can I eat this?” The goose blinked its beady eyes, tilting its head, with its tuft of hair bobbing adorably, looking incredibly silly.

Rong Ziyin couldn’t help but laugh, giving the tuft of hair a gentle pinch. “Go ahead!”

The goose happily flapped its wings.

As Rong Ziyin resumed chopping vegetables, he noticed Ji Shu’s intense gaze on him.

Desire level: 9999

The system exclaimed, “Wow, he’s still at it! But I have to say, Master, this guy may be shameless, but he’s a real cash cow. Just let him look a little longer, and we’ll have enough for whatever we need.”

Rong Ziyin was even more speechless.

He turned to meet Ji Shu’s gaze, only to be met with a flawless smile.

In response, Rong Ziyin grabbed a bowl and scooped up some feed from the back, handing it to Ji Shu.

Ji Shu: “What’s this?”

Rong Ziyin: “If you’ve got nothing better to do than stare at me, go feed the ducks.”

Ji Shu: “…”

Frustration level: 100

Feeding the ducks didn’t take much time, so Ji Shu was back in just a few minutes, once again circling around Rong Ziyin as he cooked.

Rong Ziyin wasn’t particularly skilled in the kitchen, but he could handle simple dishes like dumpling soup.

He started by crushing the tomatoes in the pot. After just a short simmer, the fragrance of the tomatoes filled the air.

Curious, Ji Shu scooped up a bit with a spoon to taste.

Sour! That was Ji Shu’s first impression, but soon, the unique aroma of the tomatoes spread through his mouth, and the strong acidity became a hook that teased his appetite.

“It’s delicious!” Ji Shu gave an honest evaluation.

Seeing that Ji Shu liked it, Rong Ziyin added the dumplings to the pot.

The red of the tomatoes, the green of the vegetables, and the golden yellow of the egg flowers created a visually rich dish that tantalized Ji Shu’s hungry stomach. A pinch of salt brought out the flavors of the simple ingredients, satisfying their craving for a hearty meal.

Ji Shu, who rarely ate such simple food, sat beside Rong Ziyin, devouring the meal without looking up.

Noticing that Ji Shu really was starving, Rong Ziyin took a closer look at him and realized he seemed a bit different from their last meeting. He didn’t seem as flamboyant and was actually kind of cute in a soft, subdued way.

After the meal, the two of them sat back in their chairs, enjoying the evening breeze as they digested.

When Ji Shu was being serious, he was very charming. His knowledge was broad, and talking with him was always pleasant.

The conversation flowed naturally, and before they knew it, it was nearly midnight. Rong Ziyin, who had to work the next day, knew it was time to call it a night.

Sensing this, Ji Shu quickly seized the opportunity to say, “We’re friends now, right? It feels too formal to keep calling each other Mr. Ji and Dr. Rong.”

“What do you mean?” Rong Ziyin didn’t quite catch on.

“Well…” Ji Shu scooted his chair closer to Rong Ziyin, propping an arm on the table and leaning in to suggest, “How about we come up with nicknames for each other?”

“Something that shows we’re really close!” Ji Shu’s face was very close to Rong Ziyin’s, and his gaze became more daring and playful.

“Don’t get so close.” Rong Ziyin extended a finger to push Ji Shu’s head back.

Undeterred, Ji Shu pressed on, “So, do you agree?”

“I guess I could, but I can’t think of anything that fits right now.”

“There are lots of options!” Ji Shu began offering suggestions. “How about ‘baby,’ ‘darling’…”

Ji Shu’s tone was full of hints, becoming more and more suggestive, only to be interrupted by Rong Ziyin with one word.

“Buddy?”

Ji Shu: “???”

Rong Ziyin: “Not fitting? Then how about ‘bro’?”

Ji Shu: “…”

Seeing that Ji Shu didn’t seem to like any of these, Rong Ziyin thought for a moment and said, “This isn’t urgent. It’s late; let’s sleep on it and talk tomorrow!”

He then sent Ji Shu to his own room before heading back to his own room to sleep.

Ji Shu’s confusion level +1000.

The system was laughing hysterically: “Hahaha, Ji Shu really misplaced his hopes by focusing on a straight guy like you!”

But Rong Ziyin didn’t mind at all and was getting ready to wash up and go to sleep. Ji Shu was a good person—not the type to force things and knew how to act within limits—so as long as he didn’t try to get too close, Rong Ziyin didn’t mind getting along with him.

System: “What if he tries to force things?”

Rong Ziyin thought for a moment: “Then he probably won’t be able to beat me. After all, he’s not well.”

🍉🫐🍇🍒🥝