Author Archives: sandy

All non-Huaguo citizens could apply for this certificate, but whether the application would be successful depended on specific reviews. The application was voluntary and not mandatory.

As for what constituted special goods?

For example: the popular beauty serum recently launched by Huaguo overseas…

Of course, compared to the chip ID card implanted directly into the brain domestically, this certificate took the form of a wristwatch.

After all, foreign nationals would certainly not trust their country as much as Huaguo’s domestic citizens and dare to let the government put things into their brains. And the functions were also slightly different.

Once this news came out, the negative voices on foreign networks criticizing Huaguo’s nationwide replacement of chip ID cards momentarily stagnated, and a different kind of voice emerged.

“This… I heard that this Huaguo Overseas Certificate is like a VIP card for shopping malls. You don’t have to implant it in your brain like the chip ID card. Maybe we can give it a try. You know, that beauty serum from Huaguo is selling like crazy. Even if it doesn’t have the same effect as shown in the videos, it must have something unique. Why not… give it a try?”

“If it’s a wristwatch that can be taken off… I think I can accept it.”

“Although my impression of Huaguo is so-so, such a big thing can’t be too sloppy. And Huaguo’s development in the past twenty years can definitely be described as rapid. It’s not as bad as the news portrays.”

“But it’s just a shopping voucher. I really don’t understand what you guys are worried about. I’ve been eyeing that beauty serum from Huaguo for a long time. I’m going to apply for it immediately, hehe!”

“I’m going too. I heard that the company in Huaguo announced some kind of qualification for limited purchases. We definitely shouldn’t buy from scalpers. If the effect is really that good, it’s worth the trouble…”

The allure of beauty is incredibly powerful. Some people are willing to sacrifice their own health for the sake of beauty. Applying for something like a shopping voucher is no big deal.

The beauty serum not only improves appearance but also solves the body odor problem that bothers most foreigners.

Regardless of what others say, those who are enticed by the beauty serum became the first group of international individuals to apply for the “Huaguo Overseas Certificate.”

Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals had made sufficient preparations for the government’s implementation of the “Huaguo Overseas Certificate” and had stocked a large inventory, waiting for the first batch of customers from abroad to order the beauty serum.

They also launched promotional discounts on their newly established international official website.

As long as foreign people personally experience the effectiveness of the beauty serum and generate a demand for it, the number of people applying for the Huaguo Overseas Certificate will increase proportionally. When more and more foreigners start using the certificate, Huaguo no longer has to worry about receiving any threats through information, but can instead constrain its enemies.

Although the domestic population didn’t fully understand the rationale behind it, the “Huaguo Overseas Certificate” sounded upscale, and since the government was actively promoting it, it must be beneficial for the country.

Some astute individuals spontaneously left comments on Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ official website:

“I haven’t bought enough beauty serum for this month. Let’s leave this opportunity to foreign customers, so they can experience the wonders of our traditional Chinese medicine. Hahaha.”

A month’s time was nothing for our etiquette-oriented Huaguo. Let’s all apply for our country’s overseas certificate and experience the joy of staying up late to place orders together… Come on, let’s embrace beauty.

One of the biggest flaws of the people in Huaguo was their fondness for spectacles and following trends, especially when it was related to patriotism.

Thus, word spread like wildfire, and within a few days, orders for the beauty serum plummeted. Everyone wanted to show off the good things from their own country.

As a result, the first group of international applicants for the overseas certificate easily obtained the product.

With the delivery of the products, the beauty serum truly sparked a craze overseas.

M Country, New York.

Robinson High School.

A fair-skinned, skinny, blond boy with acne all over his face sat in his seat with an embarrassed expression. Several strong male and female classmates surrounded him, their expressions mocking and taunting.

“Ross, I heard you applied for that Huaguo Overseas Certificate? Is it for buying that beauty serum? Haha, you idiot actually believe in the medicine from that backward country? Aren’t you afraid of eating something that will make you even uglier?”

“That’s right, Ross, you moron. You actually believe in the online advertisements. Although those videos circulating from Huaguo don’t show any signs of editing, they must be just acting. How could there be such a magical beauty product in the world? This isn’t Harry Potter; there’s no magic in the world. It’s all just hype…”

“Julie, you shouldn’t say that. Ross has been struggling with those disgusting red bumps on his face for a long time. If there’s no hope for a cure and he looks this ugly, it would be better for him to die. It’s reasonable for him to try something with even a slight possibility. As the ugliest guy in our class, he is suffering, and you guys shouldn’t mock him. It’s really going too far.”

“That’s true. Ross really should try that beauty serum and treat his face and body odor. I really don’t understand why there’s someone so ugly and smelly in the world. His body odor is really terrible…”

“But can we trust Huaguo’s traditional medicine? What if Ross becomes even uglier after using it? Hahaha.”

The excessively harsh and piercing laughter entered Ross’s ears, making him angry and sad. However, years of being ridiculed and excluded by his classmates due to his appearance and strong body odor had made him timid, weak, and insecure. He couldn’t dare to fight back; he could only sit with embarrassment and let the mockery wash over him.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Ross tried hard to lower his head, burying his face in his chest, tears uncontrollably falling from his reddened eyes.

He wasn’t always this ugly. He used to be cute and beautiful as a child, and both boys and girls around him enjoyed playing with him. But ever since he entered middle school, red bumps started appearing on his face, and his body began to emit an odor that couldn’t be cured even by going to the hospital.

In the end, his mother took him to see a traditional Chinese doctor in Huaguo as a last resort. The doctor prescribed some medicine for him, and his condition improved slightly after taking it.

This time, with the persuasion of his good friend Bert and the recommendation of Bert’s brother David, who settled in Huaguo and had a better understanding of the country, Ross wanted to try purchasing the beauty serum that was said to be popular in Huaguo.

Somehow, the news leaked, and his classmates had been mocking him these past few days.

The surrounding mockery made Ross incredibly miserable.

Fortunately, his good friend Bert quickly appeared and angrily drove away those despicable classmates.

“Get lost! You bastards, always bullying Ross. Let me tell you, if you keep doing this, don’t blame me for being impolite. I’ve studied Judo, boxing, and even Bruce Lee’s kung fu! Be careful, or I’ll knock all your teeth out! Scram.”

Bert was tall and sturdy. Whether he knew Bruce Lee’s martial arts was unknown, but he was indeed the president of the school’s boxing club and was skilled at fighting.

No one dared to confront Bert, so they could only mutter insults like “ugly freak” and leave.

After everyone dispersed, Bert sat next to Ross, blocking Ross’s frail shoulder. He showed loyalty mixed with frustration and said, “Ross, how many times have I told you not to be so timid when others bully you? I specifically told those people that I have your back, but it’s because you’re too timid. You never tell me when you’re being bullied, and that’s why they act so arrogantly!”

“Those red bumps on your face and excessive sweating aren’t natural. They developed later on, and they can definitely be treated. Don’t worry. That beauty serum is really effective. My older brother assured me of that. Trust me.”

“Ross, I’ll say it again. You’re not allowed to be so cowardly in the future! Otherwise, I won’t bother with you anymore.”

“No, please don’t. I… I will try to change. Bert, I’ll really try, *sobs*…”

Ross became anxious upon hearing this, and he weakly grabbed onto Bert’s clothes. Tears flowed even more intensely, and he cried aloud, resembling a bundle of tears.

Bert was Ross’s best and only friend. If Bert also ignored him, he would be left all alone. It wasn’t that he was timid; he had simply become accustomed to feeling inferior. His timid and weak nature was difficult to change in a short time. However, for Bert’s sake, he would try his best.

“Alright, alright, I was just scaring you. Don’t cry. Let’s go home and see if the package has arrived. It should be about time. When it arrives, Ross will once again be the cutest and most beautiful boy.”

Bert couldn’t bear to see Ross cry, so he quickly changed his tone after speaking harshly. He switched to a gentle and comforting voice.

“Yeah!”

Ross was comforted and blushed, his eyes curved, and he obediently nodded.

After school, the two of them went home and specifically checked the package storage cabinet. Today was their lucky day as the long-awaited package had finally arrived.

Bert was even happier than Ross. He took the package and directly led Ross to his house. He adjusted the camera on his phone, carefully followed the instructions, and nervously consumed the contents of the package, waiting for the results.

After about ten minutes.

When they saw the visibly improved red bumps on Ross’s face in the mirror, Bert exclaimed, “Ross, your face is starting to improve!”

“*sobs* It… it really works…”

Ross nodded, and tears of joy once again streamed down his face.

But this time, they were tears of happiness.

Two weeks later.

Bert looked at the handsome, angelic blond boy in front of him, whose smooth skin now revealed his delicate features. His heart raced, and his tongue tied up.

“Ro-Ross, you look… you look really good…”

Ross blushed, and his emerald green eyes looked at Bert with a hint of shyness.

With the initial effectiveness of the beauty serum showcased overseas, the implementation of the Overseas Certificate went smoothly, once again demonstrating the power of those who pursued beauty.

Fang Ziyang looked at the reports sent by Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals every day, his eyes brimming with joy.

It was at this moment that he received an invitation from a government department.

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Sandy: what’s the point of writing “M country” where “New York” is right behind it? Just write USA, author come on.

Also, in the world setting where men can get pregnant through medicine, why can’t they even cure acne? Doesn’t add up.

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For the first time, Fang Ziyang realized that Xie Wenxu was actually a fool.

He had dropped such obvious hints, a green suit, a big green suit, but Xie Wenxu didn’t react at all?

Since that was the case, Fang Ziyang didn’t want to say anything more. He would let Xie Wenxu wear the green hat for a few more days and discover it himself.

After hanging up the phone, Fang Ziyang immediately sent a WeChat message to Xie Zheng, changing his mood.

【Husband, today is another day I miss you. 😘】

Receiving the message from his obedient wife, Xie Wenxu, who was working, expressed great happiness. He felt full of energy again today.

Then the spirited man decided to work through his lunch break and leave early in the evening.

“All right, everyone, get energized. Let’s continue the next meeting during lunch break and finish work early in the afternoon.”

The people at the New World Technology:…

Okay, the message was definitely sent by the boss’s wife!

…

Although Yan Tong’s online controversy caused a stir on the internet, it didn’t last long. Soon, another keyword replaced the hype. This time, it wasn’t gossip or rumors but a national news.

Yes, it was trending on national news.

The reason was the successful research on the chip ID card, and the government officially announced through official channels that everyone should replace their ID cards with the new chip ID cards. In the released video, the magical features of the chip ID cards were presented to the public.

Once this futuristic technology was announced, the attention of the entire nation was drawn to it.

In this era of popular science education, even people in their sixties or seventies understood the significance of technology for the country and its people.

At this moment, who cared about celebrities or scandals? In the face of national announcements, all those trivial matters were pushed aside.

The day after the chip ID card news was announced, the ratings for the rebroadcast of the central news soared.

And almost everyone who watched the news had expressions of shock and joy.

Subsequently, whether it was at school or in companies, the first topic people discussed when they met was the central news!

Fang Ziyang was surrounded by classmates and teachers.

The reason was simple: the news mentioned that the chip ID card was jointly developed by the government and New World Technology. Tang Xun, his older brother, was one of the main contributors to the technology. Who else would they surround if not Fang Ziyang?

“Fang Ziyang, the news said that the chip ID card is developed by the government and New World Technology together. Is it really as amazing as they described? Your brother is so amazing!”

“Same family, different destinies. I also have an older brother. Why does my brother only know how to take my pocket money all the time…?”

“Fang Ziyang, the news said that it’s directly injected into the brain, it sounds a bit scary. What did your brother tell you? Have you done it already?”

“Although the idea of injecting it into the brain is a bit scary, I also feel excited. The country wouldn’t do anything reckless. Don’t be afraid, everyone…”

“Yeah, I feel like I’m in a sci-fi movie, entering the interstellar era. Such advanced technology, hahaha.”

The classmates and teachers were all excited, surrounding Fang Ziyang and bombarding him with questions.

They didn’t necessarily need him to answer, but because the news was too shocking and joyful, they needed an outlet to express their emotions.

For the nationwide replacement of the chip ID card, the country made thorough preparations and mobilized the entire national machinery.

To prevent foreign countries from catching up and causing trouble, it was necessary to complete the replacement in the shortest possible time.

Even the military was mobilized to maintain order.

In the face of such powerful national machinery and the cooperation of the entire population, Huaguo once again demonstrated its strong cohesion and mobilization capabilities.

In just seven days, whether in cities or rural areas, or even remote mountainous regions, everyone’s ID cards were replaced.

By the time foreign countries reacted, the people of Huaguo were already immersed in exploring the functions of the chip ID card, and the whole nation was filled with joy.

Online forums and Weibo were flooded with posts and discussions about the chip ID card.

Dudu AiXinXinV:

Damn, I studied my new ID card all night yesterday. I just want to shout out now: the country is really amazing!

The new-generation ID card is not just convenient and secure as mentioned in the news… It’s clearly a multi-purpose card with holographic projection. You know, I was scared silly when I followed the instructions in the manual… With the new-generation ID card, I no longer have to worry about forgetting to bring various documents when I go out.

I have a feeling that I’ve entered the interstellar era. It feels so uplifting~

I Want to Pluck the Stars: Hahaha, what you guys have is nothing compared to trying facial recognition for boarding and withdrawing money! The new-generation ID card is not just multi-purpose, it can also serve as a bus card and a bank card!

You absolutely can’t imagine the expression on the old man’s face when he saw it on the bus. Haha… Finally, I can say that I’m one of those who use facial recognition for travel.

His Majesty the Emperor is Me: While you’re all excited about the various functions of the new-generation ID card, have you noticed the gray “unlocking” below the holographic projection? What is that? Shall we study it together?

And did none of you do the “online registration” today when you went online? It’s something that requires the new-generation ID card. I feel like our new ID cards might bring us more surprises in the future. It’s unimaginable how deep my country’s influence is! I always thought our country’s technology was backward, but… I’ve been proven wrong!

The whole country was in a state of jubilation.

However, the reaction overseas was not as joyful upon hearing about Huaguo’s new-generation ID cards. Most of the comments were negative.

After all, due to strong media manipulation and propaganda from foreign media, in the eyes of most people overseas, Huaguo was still stuck in a backward era, with men wearing braided hairstyles and women with bound feet. Huaguo’s main features were kung fu and human resources.

As for Huaguo’s technology? Besides piracy and being outdated, how could they possibly develop advanced technology like the high-tech ID card? It was simply unbelievable.

“Chip ID card? Holographic projection? Oh, why do the people in Huaguo always exaggerate the facts…”

“With the current level of technology, how could they achieve the kind of holographic projection we imagine? It’s a joke. I heard their new ID cards are chips injected into the brain. My goodness, I have to say, the people in Huaguo are really ‘brave’ haha.”

“Who doesn’t know about the level of Huaguo’s technology? Where do they get the nerve to make such big claims? Oh, I finally found a leader worse than our previous president. The people in Huaguo are simply crazy.”

Social media abroad was filled with negative comments, and even if there were occasionally unbiased statements, they were quickly drowned out.

Unfortunately, Huaguo’s image had been demonized to such an extent that foreign media refused to accept the fact that this Eastern dragon had risen and stood up in less than twenty years. They continued to guide public opinion and shape people’s thoughts.

Although it was regrettable, it indirectly demonstrated that Huaguo’s influence in the international community was gradually growing. Why would foreign media conceal positive news? Because they felt threatened.

In fact, compared to the negativity online, the moods of the high-level officials in various countries became a bit serious.

They were not ignorant masses; they were well aware of Huaguo’s situation. Therefore, when it came to the nationwide replacement of the chip ID card in Huaguo, they were shocked.

Due to the short time frame, foreign countries hadn’t been able to explore the chip ID card in detail. However, just by watching the videos sent back from Huaguo, their experts were shocked on the spot.

“No, it’s impossible… Is this really holographic projection technology? It’s even more perfect than we imagined…”

“How could Huaguo’s technology reach this level? According to our previous estimates, it would take at least fifty years to achieve this level!”

“Perfect, too perfect… This is not just a prototype; it’s a mature and perfect product. Huaguo must have been hiding their capabilities before! What a cunning country!”

Experts and professors from various countries were stunned by the functions displayed by the chip ID card.

But what was even more shocking came next.

“Oh my God! Come and see, we can’t access Huaguo’s network anymore!”

“All the people stationed in Huaguo have lost contact online. We can only communicate through phone calls for now!”

People in various countries suddenly realized that they could no longer secretly access Huaguo’s network.

In the past, accessing Huaguo’s network was as leisurely as strolling in a garden, but after the nationwide replacement of the chip ID card in Huaguo, it became impossible to maintain secrecy and anonymity, except through official channels and authorized access to Huaguo’s network.

In other words, they had lost their surveillance over Huaguo’s network!

All their agents in Huaguo became completely ineffective! If they wanted to relay messages from inside Huaguo, unless they resorted to the oldest method of meeting in person and using paper, it was simply a pipe dream to try to communicate through unofficial network channels or phone calls!

At the same time, hackers from various countries also realized this reality.

No matter how top-notch these hackers were, at this moment, trying to illegally infiltrate Huaguo’s network could only result in them staring dumbfounded at the words “Unknown Network Link Failure.”

When did Huaguo’s technology and network reach such a high level?!

This was the unanimous voice of all those who had suffered defeat while attempting to illegally access Huaguo’s network.

And at this moment…

Huaguo’s second wave of bombs continued to strike. Huaguo’s foreign affairs announced internationally that Huaguo would implement the “Huaguo Overseas Certificate” abroad. This certificate was a derivative of the Huaguo chip ID card and was introduced to open a green channel for certain special commercial products, allowing the purchase of classified goods. It was equivalent to a purchasing voucher.

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As a result, the whole incident took on a one-sided stance.

Actually, the current backlash and mockery on the internet didn’t have half the impact of the previous incident involving Fang Ziyang’s bullying. However, even so, Yan Tong was finding it increasingly unbearable.

**

The Xie family.

Yan Tong looked at Xie Wenxu, who remained indifferent no matter how he pleaded, and couldn’t contain his anger.

“Xie Wenxu! What do you want from me before you’re willing to help? It’s just a trending topic. You’re my boyfriend, why won’t you help me? Didn’t you say you wanted to forget about Fang Ziyang and move on with me? Is this how you treat me now?”

“You know that entering the entertainment industry is my dream. You said I don’t understand your computer work, that I don’t support your dreams. And what about you? Have you supported my dream?”

Yan Tong’s voice became hoarse. He was really starting to lose patience with Xie Wenxu.

Xie Wenxu looked at the person in front of him, their voice filled with frustration. He was also exhausted.

The more he spent time with Yan Tong, the more disappointed he became. He had initially decided not to dwell on everything that had happened before. He genuinely wanted to forget the past and move forward with Yan Tong. He didn’t want to be indecisive and be looked down upon by Fang Ziyang.

But Yan Tong constantly disappointed him. Especially when Yan Tong made mistakes and showed no signs of remorse, yet had the audacity to blame him.

Xie Wenxu was also deeply disappointed and angry.

“Xiao Tong, I’ve told you before not to enter the entertainment industry as a celebrity. After everything we’ve been through and the tarnished reputation we have online, even with the means to protect you, you can only go down the route of infamy. I can provide you with a comfortable and glamorous life, so why endure such hardships?”

“Furthermore, the person you offended this time, Zhong Ning, is not some nameless nobody. His partner is Qin Feng, the CEO of one of the two major entertainment giants in the industry. Even if I wanted to help you, I have no way to do it…”

“Our Xie family is not the same as when Xie Zheng was around. Our assets have shrunk by half, and we no longer have any influence in the entertainment industry. It’s not something money alone can solve by crossing over from a different field. How do you expect me to help you?”

What Xie Wenxu didn’t say was that he couldn’t understand how the Yan Tong he used to know, who was generous, kind, and gentle, could do something like deliberately harassing others over a small matter. And even after the fact, he didn’t show any signs of remorse.

However, Yan Tong didn’t listen to a word of it.

He felt that Xie Wenxu simply didn’t want to help him. Even if the Xie family was not as powerful as before, they shouldn’t be incapable of dealing with a mere stylist and a small CEO in the entertainment industry. Xie Wenxu was just making excuses. Xie Wenxu had changed his mind again.

Talking nicely didn’t work, and Yan Tong didn’t want to endure any longer. He finally revealed his true colors and mocked:

“Xie Wenxu, don’t talk nonsense. You simply don’t want to help me, do you? A stylist and a small CEO, and the Xie family can’t handle them? Do you really think I’m a fool that’s easy to deceive?”

“Give me a glamorous life? That sounds nice, Xie Wenxu, what position do you have in the Xie family now? You have to ask for pocket money, and everything you do is restricted. You clearly can’t provide anything for me, and yet you want to stop me from pursuing my dreams. Xie Wenxu, don’t you think you’re selfish?”

“Selfish…”

Xie Wenxu looked at the sarcastic Yan Tong in disbelief.

How dare Yan Tong accuse him of being selfish? How much had Xie Wenxu sacrificed for him? And now Yan Tong was saying that Xie Wenxu was the selfish one?

When did he ever stop Yan Tong from pursuing his dreams? He was just analyzing the reality for him. Yan Tong’s reputation is so bad now that becoming a celebrity would only attract criticism and controversy. He was trying to protect him by advising against it.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Instead, he was the one who was willing to give up everything, including his own dreams, for Yan Tong. Didn’t he miss the rare event last time just to accompany Yan Tong and let it slip away?

Xie Wenxu wanted to speak.

But Yan Tong was quicker, and with a sad look in his eyes, he said, “Xie Wenxu, you’ve changed, do you know that? Is this your love, always being indecisive? When your loved one is being mistreated, you shrink away like a coward… Is this how you love me?”

Xie Wenxu:…

Xie Wenxu was completely stunned.

He could understand such accusations if they were directed at Fang Ziyang, but when it came to Yan Tong, it was simply absurd and laughable! He had gone to such lengths for Yan Tong, so how could his efforts not be considered love?

Clearly, in Yan Tong’s eyes, his efforts didn’t count.

Since Xie Wenxu was his boyfriend, weren’t the things he had done before just what he was supposed to do? Moreover, if it wasn’t for Xie Wenxu mentioning his connection to a mysterious big shot for scientific collaboration, Xie Wenxu wouldn’t have been able to secure his position as the heir apparent.

That’s what he thought.

Suddenly, Yan Tong realized that, yes, even though he needed Xie Wenxu right now, Xie Wenxu seemed to need him even more, right? So why should Xie Wenxu be able to stop him? Why should he have to compromise and please Xie Wenxu?

Once he left, the scientific research project that the second branch of the Xie family was preparing would have to be put on hold.

Xie Wenxu’s current attitude towards him showed that he didn’t realize his importance. Obviously, relying solely on emotions couldn’t sustain a relationship for long; it had to be based on interests. Only when Xie Wenxu recognized his importance could he truly find his place in the Xie family when he married Xie Wenxu in the future.

A sudden realization struck him.

Yan Tong immediately wore a tired expression and said, “Acting is my dream, and I won’t give up. Xie Wenxu, we’ve been through so much recently, and I think we should take some time to cool off. For now, let’s not see each other…”

After saying that, Yan Tong looked like a heartbroken person and turned away.

Xie Wenxu stood still.

Watching Yan Tong’s departing figure, he was once again at a loss.

Wasn’t this whole situation caused by Yan Tong’s mistakes? Why did it end up making it seem like he had committed some huge mistake and abandoned Yan Tong like an unfaithful person?

It felt inexplicable.

Xie Wenxu suddenly felt that something was not quite right.

But he couldn’t figure out exactly what was wrong. He just had a vague feeling that Yan Tong’s words were off.

…

On the other side.

After leaving the Xie family once again, instead of running to a hotel like last time, Yan Tong had a place to stay this time—Lu Yan’s house.

Since he was planning to enter the entertainment industry in the future, it was necessary to get close to Lu Yan, who was one of the top actors in the industry.

Although Lu Yan couldn’t openly speak out in support of Yan Tong due to the circumstances, he could still provide him with temporary shelter and comfort.

Although Lu Yan had seen some negative information about Yan Tong online, he didn’t fully believe it. After all, he was in the entertainment industry and knew very well that online rumors couldn’t be trusted. When the storm was over, people would forget about it. Yan Tong was just facing a temporary setback. Lu Yan believed that Yan Tong was a good person who had been misunderstood by everyone.

Seeing Yan Tong coming to seek refuge with swollen and tearful eyes, Lu Yan couldn’t help but feel sympathetic and comforted him, “Don’t worry, just stay with me for now. In the entertainment industry, being criticized is normal. This is not a big deal. Just wait for the storm to pass. For the time being, don’t make any statements on Weibo. Although Zhong Ning has a bad temper, he won’t hold grudges. I will have my agent handle the public relations for you…”

While Lu Yan couldn’t openly support Yan Tong, he could provide him with a temporary refuge.

Although he couldn’t immediately resolve the situation, it was better than Xie Wenxu’s direct suggestion of quitting the industry.

Yan Tong was deeply moved and said, “Thank you, Brother Lu Yan. You’ve been so kind to me, and I don’t know how to thank you. Once I sign with your studio, I will work hard on my assignments. I just feel bad for wasting the advertising resources you arranged for me. I… I’m useless.”

He looked helpless and pitiful, with a tone full of self-blame.

Seeing this, Lu Yan, being a man who understood men, couldn’t help but have deeper feelings for him. Yan Tong’s vulnerability and weakness made it easy for a man to feel protective and possessive.

Lu Yan’s gaze became deeper. “It’s okay, you will be the first artist to sign with my studio soon. Taking care of you is my duty.”

Although it was just a polite remark, the change in his gaze made the atmosphere around them suddenly become ambiguous.

Yan Tong, being well-aware of men’s intentions and no longer an ignorant young man, immediately sensed the meaning behind Lu Yan’s gaze.

He hesitated for a moment, but thinking about how Xie Wenxu, his fiancé, was not supporting him despite needing his help, he decided it didn’t matter. He wasn’t a girl, and even if he did something with Lu Yan, Xie Wenxu wouldn’t know.

Why should Xie Wenxu be able to sway back and forth while he had to remain faithful? Moreover, he preferred a mature and experienced person like Lu Yan over Xie Wenxu, who was just a newly-adult youth. If not for the circumstances back then, he would never have been with Xie Wenxu in the first place.

Besides, Xie Wenxu wouldn’t find out, and he needed Lu Yan’s help right now.

“Brother Lu Yan, thank you. I’m glad to have met you…”

With these thoughts in mind, Yan Tong expressed his gratitude and showed his delicate and alluring neck as he lowered his head.

Lu Yan couldn’t help but gaze at him with even deeper eyes.

…

When Fang Ziyang received the report that Yan Tong had gone to seek refuge with Lu Yan and was staying at his house, it was the third day after the online controversy between Yan Tong and Zhong Ning.

Looking at the message on his phone, Fang Ziyang thought for a few minutes, then ordered a set of green suits and had them sent to Xie Wenxu as a gift.

Xie Wenxu was surprised and nervous when he suddenly received the gift. He didn’t know what it meant and was filled with anxiety. He cautiously called Fang Ziyang to inquire, “Ziyang, I received a set of suits. Is it really from you?”

This time, Fang Ziyang didn’t have a cold expression and responded in a good mood, “Yes, I sent it.”

Xie Wenxu felt a bit joyful upon hearing this but couldn’t be certain. He didn’t continue with his next question, “Ziyang, why did you suddenly think of giving me a gift? Are you… forgiving me?”

But before he could finish his sentence…

Fang Ziyang interrupted him with a smiling expression, “It’s nothing special. I just thought the suit suits you well. It’s the gift I forgot to give you before we broke up.”

A breakup gift.

That term made Xie Wenxu feel a little bitter, but he was still happy to receive the gift again.

“Thank you, I really like it. It’s just… this green color is a bit difficult to match. For suits, darker colors are more elegant.”

Xie Wenxu hinted cautiously, wanting to use the excuse of changing the color as an opportunity to make more phone calls.

Fang Ziyang:…

Fang Ziyang’s lips cracked into a smile as he replied, “As long as you’re happy.”

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“How did it come to this!”

Yan Tong looked at the hot search on the internet and was absolutely infuriated.

Lately, he hasn’t been doing well at all. In fact, ever since Fang Ziyang turned the tables in the bullying video incident, his days have been miserable, and nothing has been going smoothly!

He deeply regrets pressuring Fang Ziyang so harshly in the first place. How could he forget that Fang Ziyang is like a spring? The harder you push, the stronger the recoil. He shouldn’t have been so hasty. He should have taken things slowly, like boiling a frog in warm water.

It’s only now that he realizes this is not a paper world that can be controlled by words alone. It’s not a stagnant world where everything remains the same. Even with his advantage in the plot, it’s not as easy as he imagined to live well in this world.

Since Fang Yandong and Fang Qianhao fell from power and went to prison one after another, it has become increasingly difficult for him to get things done.

Unlike Fang Qianhao, Xie Wenxu has a natural antagonistic relationship with Fang Ziyang. Xie Wenxu can’t help him deal with Fang Ziyang like Fang Qianhao did. He even has to be cautious and hide his actions from Xie Wenxu.

This is extremely restrictive for him.

But the harsh reality is that he can’t do without Xie Wenxu in the short term. He needs Xie Wenxu as his backer, especially since he wants to use the Xie family’s cheat codes to make money. It involves a cooperative relationship, and it’s not something he can easily break away from…

Previously, he was too agitated and couldn’t help but have Shi Meijing take action against Fang Ziyang ahead of time. But who would have known that Fang Ziyang would be fine in the end, while Shi Meijing ended up disabled.

On the night when things escalated…

He had originally planned to tie up loose ends and get rid of Shi Meijing to silence her. But when he arrived at the location, he was knocked unconscious. When he woke up in the middle of nowhere, he heard the news that Shi Meijing was hospitalized.

Now, just thinking about it, Yan Tong felt a chill down his spine.

At this moment, he finally understood one thing: he had always treated Fang Ziyang as a fool to manipulate, but in reality, he was probably the real fool! Fang Ziyang must know everything!

He was too arrogant and completely forgot that even without the protagonist halo, Fang Ziyang had intelligence. If Fang Ziyang could see through his schemes during the bullying video incident, why wouldn’t he have any defenses against him afterwards?

While Shi Meijing suffered, he was only knocked unconscious. It was clearly a warning.

Although he didn’t know why Fang Ziyang spared him, Yan Tong felt a deeper fear than death itself, a sense of insignificance in the face of the contempt of death.

–

Despite feeling unwilling, after returning home restless and anxious for a while, he couldn’t muster any thoughts of scheming against Fang Ziyang anymore.

He even began to regret why he had been greedy and opposed Fang Ziyang, fighting for the protagonist’s position.

His mind must have been flooded with water to have such thoughts! He knew the plot, he could have obtained Fang Ziyang’s golden finger, and with these two advantages, he would have lived a prosperous life. Why did he have to be so short-sighted and confront Fang Ziyang unnecessarily? Look at how he had messed up his own life now.

After a few days of fear and anxiety, when he realized that Fang Ziyang didn’t seem to have any intention of killing him, Yan Tong finally breathed a sigh of relief. He decided to temporarily avoid provoking Fang Ziyang and focus on managing his own career.

After all, he had already obtained Fang Ziyang’s golden finger and snatched away the man Fang Ziyang loved the most. Fang Ziyang would never achieve the achievements described in the book.

Fortunately, Xie Wenxu hadn’t been reliable lately, and he had encountered Fang Ziyang’s little uncle, Lu Yan. Moreover, Lu Yan had developed a liking for him and was willing to help him enter the entertainment industry and fulfill his dream of becoming a star.

Thinking about this, Yan Tong felt quite proud and satisfied.

So what if Fang Ziyang was amazing? The people around him didn’t like him. It might be understandable if the Fang family father and son didn’t like Fang Ziyang, but even his own uncle, Lu Yan, felt the same. Didn’t that mean he was more charming than Fang Ziyang?

Lu Yan was a popular movie star and had connections in the entertainment industry. He even arranged for him to shoot an advertisement for ZD perfume.

ZD perfume was an international brand, and only A-list celebrities could appear in their advertisements. If they chose an ordinary person for once, that person would become an overnight sensation after the perfume ad was released!

–

This was a great opportunity, but who would have thought that the stylist he encountered during the shoot would be Zhong Ning?

He naturally remembered Zhong Ning well. It was this stylist, along with Fang Ziyang, who tricked him at the family gathering organized by the Fangs. Zhong Ning made him lose face at the gathering and stood him up, which made him furious.

He had always remembered that incident.

So when he encountered Zhong Ning again, he couldn’t help but use him as a punching bag to vent all the pent-up frustration from the past six months. He made things difficult during the advertisement shoot.

But who knew that Zhong Ning had such a bad temper? They ended up arguing right on the set.

After returning home, he was naturally angry. How could a mere stylist not take him seriously? In a fit of impulsiveness, he used a dummy account on Weibo to expose the incident.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

First, it served as an outlet for his anger. Second, it was an opportunity to gain sympathy and use it as a platform to counter the negative rumors about him on the internet.

He really didn’t expect things to turn out like this. Zhong Ning directly confronted him on Weibo! What was even more hateful was that Zhong Ning uploaded a video!

Zhong Ning’s Weibo post was as follows:

Zhong Ning V: [Today, I saw something interesting on Weibo. Although it didn’t trend, it still had a wide reach. Let me chime in… Yes, it’s about this, a certain top stylist bullying a newcomer during the ZD perfume ad shoot… It’s truly a fascinating story, isn’t it? Well, now I’ll tell you all that I’m the top stylist in this story.]

[That’s right, just like the newcomer said, I did indeed use a very harsh tone to scold this newcomer at the shoot. I don’t think I was wrong. As a professional stylist, I never slack in my work. When some ignorant person unreasonably criticizes my professional abilities, I think it’s only natural for me to be angry…]

[To the well-intentioned netizen who exposed this, I ask you, dare you release the complete video? If you don’t, then I can kindly help you with that.]

[…Now that I’ve taken my place, does anyone want to know who the “bullied” newcomer in this story is? Haha, it’s quite amusing. It’s none other than Yan Tong, who has been quite familiar to all of us in the past six months. The one who caused a stir with high school bullying, the illegitimate child of a wealthy family, the heir dispute of the Xie Group, the dramatic events in the Fang family, the college entrance exam score substitution case… and so on. Classmate Yan Tong.]

[I won’t pass judgment on Yan Tong’s legendary achievements in the online world for now. I just want to ask Yan Tong one question: Are you retaliating against me so blatantly? Do you want to be in the spotlight?]

[Very well, I’ll grant your wish now, no need to thank me.]

Finally, two videos were attached.

One was the complete footage of the incident during the ZD perfume ad shoot.

The other was the video of Zhong Ning receiving defamatory accusations from Yan Tong during his work as a stylist at the Fangs’ place.

These two videos, along with Zhong Ning’s Weibo description, were enough to let everyone understand the truth behind the whole incident.

Without a doubt, any insider claiming that a certain top stylist bullied a newcomer was pure fabrication. It was clearly Yan Tong taking advantage of the situation to seek revenge and engage in malicious publicity before his debut!

After Zhong Ning’s Weibo post, many A-list celebrities in the entertainment industry reposted it and added comments expressing their admiration for Zhong Ning’s character and professional skills.

With the fate of these A-list celebrities, public opinion had an unsurprising and complete reversal.

Netizens were amazed and astonished:

“Damn, this Yan Tong is such a master at creating drama. Previously, there were rumors online about his character issues, that he was a hypocrite with a sinister nature. I thought those rumors were a bit excessive because although those things happened because of him, it was the people who liked him acting on their own accord. I felt a bit sympathetic. But now… well, previously there was no evidence, but this time, he is truly not innocent.”

“Forget about the past. Regarding this incident with Zhong Ning, the stylist, it’s truly unbelievable. It’s obvious in the video that Yan Tong was intentionally making things difficult for Mr. Zhong, picking faults and pushing Mr. Zhong to his limits before he lost his temper. How dare they claim that a certain insider in the industry exposed Mr. Zhong bullying a newcomer? Haha… that insider is probably Yan Tong himself.”

“After watching the second video, it’s clear that when Mr. Zhong was styling Yan Tong at the Fangs’ place, Yan Tong didn’t listen to advice and made a fool of himself with his outfit choices. Instead of reflecting on himself, he blamed Mr. Zhong and Young Master Fang for conspiring to embarrass him. He even complained like that to Fang Yandong back then, trying to shift the blame. It seems he held a grudge against Mr. Zhong and now took the opportunity for revenge and publicity… but who knew it would backfire.”

“What kind of twisted logic is this? Who does Yan Tong think he is? Would Mr. Zhong accept a bribe to conspire against some unknown small figure? Perhaps Yan Tong doesn’t know much about Mr. Zhong? Mr. Zhong comes from a wealthy family too, and money is not an issue for him.”

“Exactly, I heard Mr. Zhong’s partner is a big boss in the entertainment industry, one of the heads of the two major entertainment companies. It’s just that Mr. Zhong keeps a low profile and doesn’t boast about it…”

“It’s ridiculous. Previously, there were discussions online about Yan Tong being wrongly accused, but with his character, all the incidents involving Young Master Fang are definitely connected to him, even if he didn’t do them personally!”

“And he still wants to become a star? Well, congratulations on your debut! Are you happy? Surprised?”

“He’s a professional drama queen. He’s already so famous, does he still want to be popular? Tsk, tsk…”

After several trending incidents, Yan Tong’s image in the minds of most netizens had truly taken a nosedive.

Before, Xie Wenxu had supported him, using his family’s connections and power to suppress the trending topics, control public opinion, and whitewash his image. But now, Xie Wenxu had become clear-minded and couldn’t possibly continue to unconditionally support him. Moreover, Xie Wenxu disagreed with Yan Tong entering the entertainment industry and didn’t want to be involved anymore.

Lu Yan wanted to help, but his capabilities were limited. Zhong Ning’s partner was the CEO of one of the two major entertainment giants in the industry, and Lu Yan hesitated to make a move.

---

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When it came to employee meals, New World Technology had always been very generous, especially in the research department. In order to ensure everyone’s physical condition, they had a dedicated nutrition cafeteria with stricter standards. Occasionally, they would order from a few hotels known for their healthy dishes.

Since they had some private matters to discuss, Fang Ziyang and the others didn’t eat with the rest of the staff. They had a separate room to dine in.

Rick had just suffered from Xie Zheng’s “WeChat kisses” attack, and now he was envious and jealous!

So he sat next to Tang Xun and, with the intention of showing off, he no longer feared Tang Xun’s daggers and happily helped him pick up food.

Tang Xun stared at the pile of food in front of him, blushing intensely, and kept glaring at Rick.

But Rick pretended not to see and happily continued picking up food while raising his chin towards Xie Zheng, his eyes shining as if to say, “Look, don’t think that you’re the only one with a sweetheart, I have one too, hmph!”

But was Xie Zheng the type to easily admit defeat?

Certainly not.

So, in the next moment, Xie Zheng picked up a chopstickful of food and directly fed it to Fang Ziyang’s mouth, saying seriously, “Eat more, you’re too thin. There’s barely any meat when I hold you.”

After saying that, he leaned forward and kissed Fang Ziyang’s forehead.

Come on, brothers, hurt each other.

Rick:…

This is harsh!

Tang Xun had thin skin. He didn’t dare to kiss in public; he would be beaten up.

Ah, another bite and he wants to die.

–

Rick was going to get green eyes from jealousy.

Fang Ziyang couldn’t bear to see his own man show off like this, so he interjected with a smile, “Rick, we’ve known each other for so long, but I still don’t know how you and my brother met. Could you tell me?”

Speaking of this…

Rick’s eyes brightened, and he became particularly enthusiastic. Finally, he straightened his chest and said, “This is actually a very romantic story. Since you want to hear it so much, I’ll tell you. So, it all started…”

“Bang!”

But before he could finish his sentence, Tang Xun kicked him.

“What romantic story? There’s nothing special. We just met at a regular cocktail party.” Tang Xun blushed so much it seemed like he was bleeding. He looked at his younger brother and said, “Ziyang, don’t listen to him. Nine out of ten things he says are lies.”

Now Rick was truly aggrieved. “Tang Tang, I swear, I haven’t lied since I met you! Why won’t you believe me? How can our meeting be so ordinary? It was clearly the most romantic first encounter in the world…”

“Tang Tang, do you know that it was you who mistook me for a hooligan when you were drunk and beat me up, stealing my heart? You still refuse to admit it until now, you heartless baby!”

After saying that, he held his chest, wearing a super wounded and aggrieved expression.

“And after that, when I found you, you were drunk again, and then we…”

Tang Xun interrupted with a blush, “Stop talking!”

Fang Ziyang:…

Falling in love after being mistaken for a hooligan. So, Rick, you’re a sadist. My apologies.

Wait a minute.

It seems like Mo Er also got to know Yan Tong through a similar scenario.

So, does that mean being a passionate sadist is a tradition in the James family?

Fang Ziyang couldn’t help but interrupt their flirtatious banter and curiously asked, “Rick, can you tell me about your James family? From what I know, the competition among the heirs in your family is extremely fierce. In your generation, there are five competitors. How competitive are you? Do you need my help?”

Speaking of the family, Rick’s playful smile instantly diminished.

Tang Xun and Xie Zheng also became serious. They exchanged glances and looked at Rick. “Tell him. After all, Ziyang will definitely join our research department after graduating.”

As the younger brother excelled in computer research, he would definitely join New World Technology in the future.

Rick took a deep breath.

“There’s nothing really good to say. You’ll know sooner or later, so I’ll give you a brief explanation now to prepare you mentally. Actually, I don’t plan to participate in the competition to become the heir. The James family is like a disgusting tumor and, to use your ancient saying, it’s like holding a hot potato…”

Fang Ziyang originally thought that the James family was just insanely domineering. After all, they had done unimaginable things like kidnapping and imprisoning top talents from various countries, which was extremely lawless.

But reality was even more shocking than he imagined.

According to Rick’s description, what he knew about the James family was just the tip of the iceberg. The James family wasn’t just audacious enough to kidnap and imprison top talents; they were also notorious operators in the international dark web. There were many depraved deeds that couldn’t be fully explained.

In simple terms, the James family was a tumor, and a very arrogant one at that.

“I haven’t entered the core of the family yet, so my knowledge is limited. My father told me about these things. He told me about the horrors of the family’s core circle, which were beyond my imagination…”

“My father told me countless times that he regretted entering the family’s core and that he had wanted to leave many times, but he couldn’t. He could only walk deeper and deeper into it. He said he would go to hell after he died. He truly regretted it, and he hoped that I can leave the family, especially not participate in the competition to become the heir.”

“The James family will be destroyed one day, and that time is not far away.”

Rick’s expression became heavy.

“And the main reason that made me give up is one of the competitors this time, Mo Er James.”

“Mo… Er.”

Fang Ziyang suddenly clenched his fists upon hearing those words.

“Yes, Mo Er. He is my cousin, and I don’t know how to describe him to you. I can only say that he is a devil, a crazy devil. Although he is currently just a competitor, he has already entered the core circle of the family…”

Rick said with a disgusted and mocking expression, “To be able to gain the favor of those in the core circle of the family, Mo Er is a Xīluó guài!”

Xīluó guài is a legendary creature in K-country, living in the darkness, cruel and bloodthirsty, feeding on corpses.

The Xie family was corrupt, but the James family was a malignant tumor with all five poisons.

“The reason I decided to develop in Huaguo is also because I value the country’s control. It’s difficult for the James family’s gray industry chain to develop in Huaguo…”

Trying to calm down his mood, Rick showed a smile again and looked at Tang Xun. “And now, I have a bigger pursuit.”

“Eat quickly…”

Tang Xun blushed slightly and picked up a chopstickful of food for Rick.

Rick forgot all his troubles in an instant and happily started eating. The dishes his lover picked for him were especially delicious.

Fang Ziyang smiled faintly.

Rick’s description of Mo Er’s disgust and cruelty was not exaggerated at all. After all, Fang Ziyang had experienced it all in his past life.

But Mo Er had a big weakness, and that was Mo Er’s certain “love” for Yan Tong.

He couldn’t wait to send Yan Tong over to him.

…

The topic ended.

After that, no one brought up any more gloomy topics during the meal, and the atmosphere was warm.

After having lunch with Xie Zheng and the others, Fang Ziyang didn’t want to disturb them as they had work to do in the afternoon.

So after the lunch break, Fang Ziyang went home alone.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

All the way, he was thinking about what Rick said about the James family and his plan against Mo Er, considering when to send Yan Tong over to cause trouble for the other party.

But he hadn’t come up with a conclusion yet.

Yan Tong, on the other hand, had once again made himself trend on Weibo.

As soon as he arrived home, Aunt Fen happily ran up to him, excitedly exclaiming, “Young Master Ziyang, come and see! That Yan Tong who harmed you is trending! He’s being cursed out on hot search!”

Fang Ziyang: ?????

What a coincidence. I just thought about Cao Cao, and Cao Cao has already met his end?

“Young Master Ziyang, take a look quickly. It’s so funny. This idiotic kid has spent quite some time in high society, yet he actually went and dissed Intonet Zhong Ning. Doesn’t he know that Mr. Zhong Ning is a well-known stylist in the entertainment industry, and it’s hard for even top stars and scions to get his service? Goodness me, this idiotic kid always loves to court disaster. Aunt Fen is going to laugh herself to death…”

Don’t be fooled by Aunt Fen’s old age; she still loves to surf the internet and is well-versed in the language of the younger generation. Her internet lingo is no less impressive than that of any young person.

“Aunt Fen, please hold back a little. Uncle Wang might see…”

Fang Ziyang smiled and took the tablet to have a look.

Oh!

Yan Tong was indeed quite something!

Fang Ziyang thought that Yan Tong should be feeling uneasy and keeping a low profile after what happened with Shi Meijing. He should have been cautious and quiet for a few days, focusing on causing trouble for his little uncle and Xie Wenxu.

But he never expected that Yan Tong would make himself trend on hot search before causing trouble for his little uncle and Xie Wenxu…

Are newcomers in the entertainment industry nowadays so high-profile?

ZD perfume spokesperson Yan Tong ridiculed on Weibo, claiming that Intonet Zhong Ning’s styling level is as low as that of a third-rate roadside vendor!

Zhong Ning and entertainment industry newcomer engage in a war of words online.

So this is the legendary online face-slapping?

–

As soon as he opened Weibo, several trending keywords caught his eye.

Yan Tong’s name was truly eye-catching.

Zhong Ning was also a name Fang Ziyang knew. He was the stylist who was hired for him and Yan Tong on the day of the ancestral recognition banquet when his scumbag father arranged for Yan Tong.

He was also someone who had been tricked by Yan Tong in his past life.

At that time, because of a whim, Fang Ziyang had taken a small action to let Zhong Ning see Yan Tong’s true colors, so that he would be cautious and prepared in case he encountered any tricks in the future. It could be considered saving a fellow cannon fodder who was in the same boat.

But the result was both amusing and satisfying. When Zhong Ning found out that Yan Tong was a two-faced person, he was very angry and left.

Fang Ziyang had anticipated that Yan Tong’s relationship with Zhong Ning would not be good when he entered the entertainment industry.

Who knew…

Yan Tong had just entered the entertainment industry, and he had already caused such a big commotion, directly offending Zhong Ning and making it onto hot search.

Fang Ziyang: …

He felt like laughing out loud.

---

Previous TOC Next

Rick pulled Xie Zheng out to order food.

Fang Ziyang and Tang Xun didn’t talk about the chip ID card matter when they met. Instead, they first chatted about recent events around them.

Due to the confidentiality of the research department, even Tang Xun was not allowed to bring any communication devices with him after entering here. In addition, since the newly established projects in the entire research department all depended on Tang Xun, he practically stayed in the research room day and night, even for meals and sleep.

The only contact between the two brothers on normal days was during their rest time, but due to limited time, they couldn’t chat for too long each time.

On this rare occasion, Tang Xun was more concerned about his younger brother’s daily life than anything else. Although they were only a year apart in age, Tang Xun had a completely paternal attitude towards him.

Fang Ziyang didn’t hide anything and straightforwardly told Tang Xun about his daily life and his relationship issues with Xie Zheng. He enjoyed the feeling of someone relying on him.

“It seems Rick was right. You and the boss are really compatible.”

Tang Xun felt relieved after hearing this. His younger brother had suffered too much before, and he didn’t want him to be hurt anymore.

Fang Ziyang raised the corners of his mouth, no longer concealing his emotions and revealing a bright smile.

Tang Xun reached out and ruffled his younger brother’s hair. Although he didn’t want to disrupt such a warm atmosphere, there were some things he wanted to ask.

“Ziyang, big brother hopes you can live a happy life, but big brother has discovered that you have many secrets. I don’t expect you to tell me these secrets, but I still want to know about your future plans. We are the only family we have now, and big brother wants to share that responsibility with you, understand?”

Although he couldn’t fully uncover the results of the previous robbery case, he vaguely felt that things weren’t that simple. His younger brother might have done things behind his back.

He wasn’t angry about his brother’s secrecy; he was just worried about his mental well-being. Every time he thought about it, he hated himself for not realizing the problem earlier and letting his brother grow up in a den of wolves.

Fang Ziyang remained silent, his eyes slightly lowered.

He knew that his actions couldn’t be completely hidden from his brother, but he hadn’t figured out how to tell Tang Xun yet. He understood his brother’s kindness and concern, but at the same time, he also wanted Tang Xun to be happy.

Some things he could handle on his own. Besides, he was already happy now. Compared to the despair and resolution he felt when he was reborn, he now felt that the future was full of hope.

Fang Ziyang smiled and said, “Brother, don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. There are things I don’t know how to tell you, but I can promise you, everything I do has a reason, and I haven’t violated my conscience. I want the happiness that my brother wants, and I want my brother to live a happy life. In the past, you protected me in the dark, so let me protect you now, okay?”

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Tang Xun helplessly replied, “Where’s the elder brother hiding behind the younger brother?”

“Now it’s different,” Fang Ziyang hugged Tang Xun’s arm, smiling, “Brother, you really don’t need to worry about me. My plans are simple. Slap their faces! Make money! And then marry Xie Zheng!”

“You’re already thinking about marrying the boss?” Tang Xun was surprised. Clearly, he didn’t expect his brother to have reached this point.

Based on his brother’s past records, he was a very conservative and cautious person when it came to relationships. Even though he had already agreed to marry Xie Wenxu early on, it seemed they hadn’t been as intimate as other couples.

But now, it was unexpected that he was so close to Xie Zheng. They had just confirmed their relationship and were already kissing in the elevator. And now, he casually mentioned marrying Xie Zheng as if it was an inevitable outcome.

Tang Xun looked at his boss and good friend, who he thought was a love idiot, with new eyes. He didn’t expect that his boss had been hiding so much and managed to win his brother’s heart!

“Yeah. So big brother needs to pick up the pace, or I’ll beat you to it,” Fang Ziyang winked.

Tang Xun blushed involuntarily and said, “There’s no rush for that. Now you’re taking care of your big brother. Let’s not talk about this. You wanted to ask about the chip ID card matter, right? Come on, let me take you to see it. The final product has already been tested…”

It’s embarrassing for me as the older brother to be concerned about my younger brother’s love life.

Although Tang Xun appears mature, he is only twenty years old and quite thin-skinned.

Fang Ziyang smiled knowingly and didn’t continue to dwell on it. It was enough to let the topic pass.

They ended the small talk and got up to go to the laboratory with Tang Xun.

–

This chip ID card was developed in collaboration with the government.

So in the research lab, in addition to the New World Technology staff, there were also a dozen researchers from the government.

Although Fang Ziyang didn’t know these researchers involved in the chip ID card project, before the launch of the cosmetic serum by Dongsheng Pharmaceutical, he had negotiated with the government and allowed them to arrange a few professors to participate in the research of those formulas. The circle of professors was small, so the researchers here had heard of him.

Moreover, his exceptional talent in computers made everyone happy to see him.

“Student Fang, nice to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you… Tang Xun said you were also involved in the chip ID card research. Did you provide the initial draft designs?”

Several older professors approached him without any unfamiliarity and directly asked, with a naturally friendly and affable attitude.

This was partly because some of the professors had good personalities, and partly because they had to flatter Tang Xun’s younger brother. Professors usually liked talented juniors, especially considering the significance of the chip ID card project.

Fang Ziyang didn’t falsely modest, he nodded, “Yes, I provided them. But I have to thank my grandfather and ancestors for leaving behind their inspiration and direction…”

This was what he had discussed with Tang Xun beforehand. He used the excuse of the manuscripts left by his grandfather and ancestors as the source of all the information in his “golden finger.”

But he didn’t mention the special nature of his grandfather’s family bloodline. If the people in power now protected them due to their good hearts, who knew if future rulers might get any ideas upon learning about their alien genes? It would bring calamity to future generations.

Of course, providing the designs wasn’t without benefit for him. After all, translating the information from his “golden finger” and adapting it to the materials available on Earth required a significant amount of effort and brainpower.

His confident yet humble attitude made the people in the lab have a good impression of him.

People didn’t like those who were too arrogant, but being overly humble also came across as insincere. The best attitude was one that combined confidence without excessive arrogance.

Several old professors were very pleased, their faces blooming like chrysanthemums. “Good child. Truly the grandson of Lu Yuan, your Lu family is remarkable…”

The Lu family was known for producing scientific geniuses in the industry. Although there was a break with his mother and uncle, who would have thought that Tang Xun’s two brothers would continue the legacy immediately after? They truly lived up to the name of a family of researchers.

“Alright, Old Chen, stop wasting words. Quickly show Fang the results and see if any improvements are needed.”

After exchanging greetings for a while, one impatient professor urged, his face filled with excitement.

Everyone had worked hard for several months to create this final chip ID card product, and they couldn’t wait to showcase it to outsiders.

The others were also envious, as only the main personnel were involved in the testing phase, and the rest were itching to participate.

“Alright, everyone, wait a moment. I’ll go get the things.”

Seeing the situation, Professor Chen didn’t waste any more time. He nodded and immediately went to fetch the items.

A few minutes later, Professor Chen returned.

As he opened the safe on the table, he explained, “This chip ID card, just as its name suggests, is a chip about the size of a thumb. However, this chip is significantly different from what we previously knew. Once it enters the body, it quickly fuses tightly with our skull, achieving an invisible effect. So even if a person dies, it’s impossible to separate it. It has a very high level of security…”

As Professor Chen spoke, there were also a man and a woman standing beside him. They were the volunteers who participated in the final clinical trial.

The two volunteers were in excellent condition, with happy expressions, and they demonstrated the chip ID card’s functions as Professor Chen spoke.

Thanks to everyone’s efforts, the final chip ID card had achieved all the functions outlined in Fang Ziyang’s experimental data, and even surpassed expectations.

“Once the chip ID card is widely implemented, we will truly enter the era of big data. This will greatly enhance our country’s management capabilities and make crime prevention and apprehension much easier… It will provide enormous support for our country’s future information security, confidentiality, and technological development…”

“Moreover, most importantly, this lays the foundation for our future era of intelligent brains!”

Professor Chen’s passionate and excited speech was invigorating.

Don’t think of this as just a small chip ID card. It’s a true signpost leading us into another era!

As they watched the high-tech demonstration by the two volunteers, everyone present, including Fang Ziyang, felt their blood boil with excitement.

The era of advanced technology, the true era of advanced technology, was about to arrive.

After Professor Chen finished his explanation, Fang Ziyang carefully inspected the experiment, confirming that there were no issues with the chip ID card. He then nodded with a smile, indicating that they could proceed to the next step of replacing the national ID cards for the entire population.

Several professors nodded happily. “That has already been confirmed. In addition to the nationwide replacement of our country’s ID cards, it has been decided that we will also issue a second ID card named ‘Overseas Hua State Certificate’ for use by people abroad.”

“In the future, anyone overseas who wants to purchase our country’s newly launched high-tech and pharmaceutical products will have to do so through the ‘Overseas Hua State Certificate.’ At that time, the current situation of our information security being restricted will be completely reversed!”

The role of the chip ID card was truly significant.

This was the best opportunity for the issuance of the “Overseas Hua State Certificate” since Dongsheng Pharmaceutical’s cosmetic serum had caused a wave of overseas purchases.

Fang Ziyang smiled, “That’s exactly what I hoped for.”

After chatting with the researchers for about an hour in the laboratory,

Xie Zheng and Rick, who went out to order food, returned pushing a food cart together with Secretary Li.

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Although Xie Zheng had become more tolerant lately, he still wouldn’t allow anyone to make the mistake of not putting their phones on silent before the meeting.

Xie Zheng frowned as everyone remained silent, their eyes looking at him with a somewhat eerie expression.

He pursed his lips, his voice turning cold, “Whose phone is it?”

No one in the senior management team spoke, remaining as silent as chickens.

It was the first time he asked a question and no one responded. Were they afraid to admit it? Xie Zheng’s voice became slightly low, “Answer me.”

The high-level executives still didn’t make a sound, their gazes at him becoming even more peculiar.

Xie Zheng furrowed his brows, about to lose his temper.

Finally, Secretary Li, couldn’t bear it any longer. He covered his face and pointed at the pocket of Xie Zheng’s suit jacket hanging on the chair next to him, saying, “Boss, it’s your phone.”

Xie Zheng:…

Xie Zheng realized that he wasn’t the one who had made the silly mistake just now. Calmly, he took out his phone, intending to hang up the call.

But the moment he saw the caller’s name on the screen, his expression instantly softened and all the seriousness regarding work was thrown out of his mind. His demeanor turned gentle.

He answered the call, his voice tender, “Hello? Why did you wake up so early?”

All the high-level executives shifted their gaze to the sun climbing to the center of the sky outside the floor-to-ceiling windows:… So early?

On the other end of the phone, Fang Ziyang glanced at his watch, which already showed 11 o’clock, and couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, couldn’t sleep because I missed you, so I got up.”

Xie Zheng, who never took leave, became a bit excited, “Then I’ll come back soon to have a meal with you.”

“No need to come back, I just ate. I’ll come to your company later. Can you take me to your research and development department?”

Fang Ziyang’s words delighted Xie Zheng, and his smile couldn’t be restrained on his face. His tone involuntarily took on a hint of coquetry.

Xie Zheng also responded well to this approach and immediately agreed, “Sure.”

Fang Ziyang’s eyes curved with a smile. “You agreed so quickly. Don’t you even ask me why I want to go to the R&D department? What if I wanted to steal your company’s confidential documents?”

Why did this man trust him so much? He believed everything Fang Ziyang said without any doubt. They had only recently confirmed their relationship, right?

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

But that’s just how pure Xie Zheng’s feelings were. He said, “What’s mine is yours.” So, the young man could freely visit the most confidential areas of his career.

For most men, such a statement would be a way of coaxing someone, but in Xie Zheng’s case, it was the most sincere promise. Once he made a commitment, he held nothing back.

The more Fang Ziyang spent time with Xie Zheng, the more he felt blessed by the heavens. His withered soul returned to its youthful vigor and vitality.

Smiling with narrowed eyes, Fang Ziyang called out, “Brother Xie.”

Xie Zheng’s voice softened. “Hmm…”

Fang Ziyang’s heart felt sweet. “Then I’ll give you a call when I reach the lobby of the technology building. Bye.”

Ending the call, he thought for a moment.

He opened WeChat and sent a message to Xie Zheng. “Brother Xie, I like you too, muah muah. [Cute emoji]”

Xie Zheng, who had just hung up the phone but still felt reluctant, received the WeChat message.

Instantly, his heart blossomed, and he couldn’t hide the smile on his lips.

Glancing around at the high-level executives in the conference room who had been eavesdropping on his phone call and stealing glances at him, Xie Zheng straightened his chest. He calmly pressed the button to respond on WeChat and sent a reply, his voice low, “Muah muah.”

Then, with a blush on his ears and a smile on his face, he thought, “This is how he likes to be spoiled.”

The majority of the high-level executives, who were mostly single, thought to themselves: Boss, don’t think we don’t realize you’re showing off. Having a little wife at home, isn’t that amazing?

And so, what was supposed to be a two-hour meeting was resolved in the following hour.

When Xie Zheng finished the meeting, Fang Ziyang had almost arrived at the entrance of the New World Technology building.

Due to the inconvenient disclosure of their relationship, using the term “little wife” with its gender-neutral implications, the company employees didn’t connect him with the recently talked-about boss’s wife. They just assumed he was Tang’ Xun’s younger brother visiting the company.

When they saw Fang Ziyang’s arrival, the receptionists at the front desk became extremely excited.

“Young Master Fang is here. Is he here to see Mr. Tang?”

“Young Master Fang and Mr. Tang have such a good relationship…”

“Young Master, please wait a moment. I’ll call the boss immediately. We can’t directly contact Mr. Tang’s research department from here.”

Tang Xun was also a shareholder of New World Technology, so everyone naturally welcomed Tang Xun’s younger brother, especially with the recent popularity of Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ beauty essence. Since it was Tang Xun who gave it to his brother, as the owner of Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals, Fang Ziyang received enthusiastic reception.

Upstairs, Xie Zheng had been waiting for the second call from his beloved.

When he received a report from the front desk that Young Master Fang had arrived, he maintained a calm demeanor on the surface but was eager inside. He hurried downstairs to personally receive his beloved, exuding a formidable aura of urgency.

Xie Zheng had a habit: the more excited he was inside, the better he hid his emotions on the outside, except when he was with the people he trusted the most.

So when Fang Ziyang saw him rushing towards him, Xie Zheng’s gaze appeared extremely profound, as if he was about to erupt in anger. Coupled with his urgent and determined aura, it scared the front desk girls, leaving them speechless and trembling.

Of course, Fang Ziyang could clearly see the man’s true emotions, even though Xie Zheng tried to conceal them.

He was tempted to pounce on him, brazenly act like a spoiled child in front of his new lover, and enjoy the cheesy and intellectually diminished aspects of being in love.

But in the end, he had to hold back and be a well-behaved little brother, greeting Xie Zheng with a bright smile. “Brother Xie, I’m here to find my brother. I’ll trouble you to take me to him again.”

“No trouble at all. I’ll take you there now.”

Xie Zheng was once again completely enchanted by the smile of the person in front of him.

After finishing his sentence, he pretended to have the demeanor of an elder and, amidst the infatuated gazes of the front desk girls, held his beloved’s hand and walked toward the exclusive elevator on the top floor.

Once they were inside the elevator, Xie Zheng immediately let go of his public image. He couldn’t resist pulling his lover in front of him and planting a firm kiss on his forehead.

Blushing, he whispered in embarrassment, “I can only kiss, we can’t do anything else. We’re not married yet, and it’s not good for your health to rush into things.”

Xie Zheng, the eternal virgin, maintained his old habits.

“Got it, just a kiss, one little kiss…”

Fang Ziyang couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

He didn’t mind what crazy thoughts ran through the man’s mind. He simply leaned in and pressed his lips against Xie Zheng’s, engaging in a passionate yet inexperienced French kiss.

Since they had confirmed their relationship, he wouldn’t make himself miserable. This time, he wanted to enjoy the freedom to the fullest.

Xie Zheng was different from Xie Wenxu. He was willing to open up completely to this man from the start because he was no longer the naive child who couldn’t understand human hearts. Xie Zheng was worth it.

Their lips intertwined intimately.

It wasn’t until the elevator reached the top floor and made a “ding” sound, followed by a familiar exclamation of “OMG!” from outside, that the two of them blushed and separated, their faces flushed.

The research department of New World Technology was the most confidential place in the entire company. It was located on the top floor, and the President’s exclusive elevator was the only entrance to the research department.

Just before Xie Zheng went downstairs, he had a phone call with the top floor.

Upon receiving the news of Fang Ziyang’s arrival, Rick and Tang Xun were delighted. They immediately put down what they were doing and happily rushed to the elevator door to welcome him.

But little did they know, when the elevator doors opened, the two men inside showed no concern!

“Ziyang, it seems like your relationship with the boss is progressing smoothly…”

Tang Xun looked at his blushing baby brother, whose mouth had been kissed, with mixed emotions and a tinge of resentment.

Although he strongly supported his brother’s relationship with the boss, there was still a sense of paternal possessiveness when he realized that they were really together and saw such a passionate scene firsthand.

On the other hand, Rick was envious and jealous.

Why was it that even though they were brothers, it took him so many years to occasionally get a little bit of affection from Tang Xun, while Xie Zheng could engage in elevator PDA as soon as he arrived? It was truly unfair!

Driven by jealousy, Rick decided to play the role of a villain.

He quickly pulled Fang Ziyang, who was still in a daze, out and pushed him in front of Tang Xun. Then, he himself rushed into the elevator and blocked Xie Zheng, actively saying, “Ziyang, you go talk to Tang Tang about the identity chip. It’s almost noon, and Xie Zheng and I will go to the neighboring hotel to order food. Their dishes are delicious. Wait for us, bye!”

After saying that, Rick, who had been single for nearly thirty years, quickly closed the elevator doors and looked at Xie Zheng, crying with a resentful tone, “Xie Zheng, you scoundrel! How dare you show affection in front of me!”

As someone who had experienced the complexities of relationships, he couldn’t believe that Xie Zheng, the love-struck fool, had surpassed him in pursuing a wife. He let out a howl of despair.

Xie Zheng:…

Xie Zheng straightened his chest, calmly took out his phone, and showed Rick the “muah muah” WeChat message that his beloved had sent earlier, boasting in his tone.

“And there’s another ‘muah muah.'”

Rick:…

This brother is not human!

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Initially, David’s promotional video created a small buzz among his followers.

Whether people believed it or not, the video David shared was so astonishing and magical that everyone couldn’t help but leave comments and engage in discussions.

However, when David mentioned that the beauty essence was currently only available in Huaguo and could only be purchased with a Chinese identification card, it aroused curiosity and emotions among the viewers.

Some believed it was just a marketing gimmick, and David must have accepted sponsorship from a company. After all, David had tens of thousands of fans, and the miraculous effects of the beauty essence were truly unbelievable.

Some felt that regardless of whether the product was miraculous or not, this restriction was outrageous! How could it be that only Chinese citizens could buy a beauty product? It was blatant nationality discrimination!

And there were some rational individuals who directly **checked the news on Huaguo’s websites.

But once they looked into it, they were truly shocked.

As the saying goes, “When three people say you’re a tiger, you believe it.”

When one person tells you something, you might not believe it. When two people say it, you might remain skeptical. But when the third person says the same thing, your perception becomes easily shaken.

Moreover, the effects of this beauty essence were not exaggerated in the slightest throughout the video. After the product was released, Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals didn’t even advertise it. They simply conducted a live stream that lasted over ten minutes to promote the product.

Now, the company’s inventory had already been completely sold out. The current online orders were all in the pre-order stage, with the manufacturer rushing to produce the products once customers made their payments.

While others might hype their products through endless marketing talk, the beauty essence had customers begging to buy it!

The sales situation was so hot that even Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals didn’t anticipate it. They experienced both pain and joy when they looked at the orders every day.

The company had wanted to sell more products to make a profit, but unfortunately, their raw materials and production capacity were limited. With a population of over a billion people in Huaguo, even if only a third of them made a purchase, the supply pressure would still be enormous.

So it wasn’t about Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals discriminating based on nationality by selling the product only to Chinese citizens. It was simply that they couldn’t meet the demands of the domestic market, let alone cater to the overseas market.

When overseas saw the complaints from Huaguo’s online platforms about not being able to grab the product…

The seemingly formidable overseas individuals suddenly closed their mouths and, in passing, shared some videos of people in Huaguo who had used the beauty essence to attract attention and gain traffic.

As a result, the term “beauty essence” instantly became popular on overseas social media platforms such as YouTube, blogs, Facebook, and more.

Although there were many skeptical voices, there were also a significant number of people who were captivated by the product.

Especially since this beauty essence not only provided beauty effects but also treated the troublesome issue of body odor. Oh my god, what kind of divine product was this!

However, everyone soon tragically discovered that, regardless of whether they were skeptical or curious and wanted to try it, all the discussions were in vain because they couldn’t buy the beauty essence at all.

However, some clever individuals, driven by intense curiosity, turned their attention to their Chinese friends and classmates around them, requesting help with purchasing.

Chinese people had often faced discrimination abroad, but when they had the chance to showcase their country, these overseas Chinese would naturally not refuse. They immediately contacted their friends and family in China to help with the purchases.

As the number of people making calls from abroad increased, the news quickly spread

 within China.

As a result, the hot topic of the beauty essence being able to treat body odor suddenly surged.

“Wow, my beauty essence is amazing! I never expected it could also treat body odor!”

“My mom asked me why I was kneeling to buy something, and I told her it was a product developed by a pharmaceutical company. Beauty essence is actually medicine, and they didn’t make a mistake on the packaging…”

“Haha, I actually had a slight body odor. After drinking the beauty essence, it unconsciously disappeared. I thought my nose was broken at that time.”

“Well, if it can treat body odor, can it also treat foot odor? A fifty-year-old man said it’s a realistic expectation.”

“Haha, the gentleman upstairs is awesome! Has anyone else experienced it and wants to share?”

“Foot odor is a bit too much. My sister, who was just drinking the beauty essence, said she wants to kill that old man. Hahaha…”

“But it’s worth asking Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals to research foot odor. After all, foot odor and body odor have something in common.”

“Definitely! As someone with foot odor, I’ll immediately send a strongly worded letter!”

Internet users laughed and formed groups to visit Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ official website and leave comments. And of course, before leaving, they continued to urge increased production.

Currently, they didn’t have enough supply within China, and now people from overseas were joining in the excitement. Even though Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals clearly stated that they would not take responsibility for purchasing through unofficial channels, it couldn’t stop the enthusiasm of overseas individuals acting as proxies.

Of course, in such a situation, many negative issues also emerged.

The price of the beauty essence quickly skyrocketed overseas. The more ethical proxies would only increase the price to make a profit, but others engaged in outright scams, which embarrassed the overseas market!

Such situations didn’t surprise Fang Ziyang.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

In his previous life, when Yan Tong used the items from his golden finger, he had encountered similar situations. He had long been mentally prepared for it.

Taking advantage of the situation while it was still in its early stages, he immediately took measures.

Once news about overseas proxies came out, Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals directly released an announcement on their official website:

【Recently, our company received information about some unscrupulous scalpers using counterfeit products… Therefore, our company would like to remind the general public once again, for the sake of your own health, please do not purchase through unofficial channels…】

【In addition, the beauty essence is just one of our company’s series of skincare products. In the future, other skincare products will also be released, and their sales will be subject to eligibility restrictions, including the requirement of a medical examination report. If the report shows that you have used our products but there is no record of purchase, our company will no longer sell any skincare products to you. This is to prevent falling victim to scams. Thank you for your understanding.】

【…Regarding the current issue of insufficient supply, the company is actively addressing it. Please be patient, we will soon be able to supply the domestic market and open for overseas orders.】

【Therefore, please, please do not purchase through unofficial channels! Thank you!】

Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals not only posted the announcement on their official website but also shared it on Weibo.

Once the announcement was made, the scalpers who were eagerly preparing to make a big profit were immediately dumbfounded:…

Meanwhile, internet users couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“I can feel Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ strong will to survive even through the screen, hahaha.”

“Please, please… Hahaha, just because of that sentence, I suddenly don’t feel so rushed to join the queue for purchase.”

“Although the eligibility restrictions and medical examination reports for future products might be a hassle, I truly see Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ sincerity and responsibility towards consumers. It’s comforting.”

“Seeing Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ meticulous purchase restrictions, I don’t know why, but I feel more at ease…”

“I agree with the person above. It’s better to sell fewer products and ensure quality. Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals is truly an established company, even if it’s acquired, they haven’t lost their integrity and pride.”

“It’s truly infuriating to see those unscrupulous scalpers selling fake and inferior products. It’s embarrassing if it gets exposed abroad. Something should be done to eliminate them.”

…

Although Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ announcement had strict restrictions on purchase eligibility, internet users surprisingly accepted it well.

Firstly, scarcity drives up value, and the current popularity and rarity of the beauty essence far exceeded expectations. In everyone’s eyes, it had almost become a miraculous elixir. So, it was natural for a valuable and hard-to-purchase elixir to be expensive and difficult to obtain.

Secondly, Chinese people have a tendency to value face and unity.

Despite all the criticism and complaints about the government on the internet, it was mostly internal banter. Once it involved the interests and reputation of their homeland, Chinese people always stood united like never before.

They deeply despised those who defamed their country abroad.

Moreover, since the beauty essence was an ingestible product, any mishap could lead to loss of life. If something happened to those who acted as proxies, they wouldn’t think it was their own fault for dealing with scalpers. Instead, they would view it as Chinese people being deceitful and fraudulent. It could easily escalate into an international issue with just a little provocation.

Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ powerful announcement had a significant impact.

For those who still wanted to purchase the company’s future products, it was best not to seek cheap or convenient alternatives from scalpers.

However, this couldn’t continue in the long run.

Currently, the company couldn’t immediately expand into the overseas market due to various complicated problems. Yet, the demand from abroad was even stronger after the discovery of the beauty essence’s ability to treat body odor.

If the company continued to delay opening up the overseas market, the problem of scalpers would be difficult to solve, and there would be many hidden risks.

But there was a solution.

The identity chip jointly researched by New World Technology and the government was a good means of resolution. Considering the time, Tang Xun should have almost obtained the results.

Once the trending topics on Weibo calmed down a bit…

On Saturday, after changing into his clothes, Fang Ziyang immediately dialed Xie Zheng’s number with a beaming smile.

–

New World Technology’s office building.

Conference room.

As usual, it was the monthly high-level meeting. Unlike before, the atmosphere during recent meetings had been quite gentle.

The reason was simple: their boss was in love, and everyone was happy.

Although the boss maintained his usual serious expression and seemed just as stern, the cold aura around him had noticeably warmed up to a normal level. Recently, if anyone made a mistake, the boss not only didn’t freeze them but also patiently guided them.

In short, everyone was incredibly happy lately.

Of course, the boss being relaxed didn’t mean they could slack off at work. Everyone still took the reports seriously.

Just at this moment, a vibrating sound came from a mobile phone in the conference room…

Instantly, the room fell silent.

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After his rebirth, Shi Liangchen became even more valuable to utilize.

Regardless of whether Shi Liangchen had other plans or not, one thing could be confirmed: Shi Liangchen was seeking revenge now as well.

Compared to him, Shi Liangchen’s level of deception in his previous life wasn’t that great. Since they had a common enemy, there was no need to let him go offline so quickly.

On the second day after their meeting,

Fang Ziyang began making arrangements for Shi Liangchen to go abroad.

As for the dormitory at school, he didn’t plan to stay there for the time being. He had only wanted to experience university life, but after a month, he realized that he shouldn’t force himself to endure it. After all, he had been reborn and should enjoy life. The four-person dormitory at school was really not as comfortable as Xie Zheng’s mansion!

Moreover… he was already in a relationship with Xie Zheng. How could they only rely on WeChat messages without seeing each other in person?

Once Shi Liangchen left, the dormitory would only have him and He Feijie, two single guys. He was now someone with a boyfriend, so he needed to be careful.

And he felt that chatting face-to-face would strengthen their bond even more.

Well.

Fang Ziyang firmly refused to admit that he kind of liked the feeling of Xie Zheng always speaking provocatively to him with a straight face.

…

Meanwhile, while Fang Ziyang was enthusiastically embracing the life of being in a romantic relationship and living together,

The beauty essence from Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals once again stirred up a new wave of hot topics on the internet.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Originally, with its powerful effects, the name of the beauty essence had quickly spread like a tornado, reaching the ears of almost everyone. Every young person who went online, regardless of gender, now knew how miraculous Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ beauty essence was. As long as they had a bit of disposable income, they would rush to the official website after seeing the miraculous effects of the beauty essence.

Due to the overwhelming number of purchases, Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals had to implement sales restrictions on the product.

Now, this directly caused the phrase “rare goods” to become more attractive. The more people couldn’t get it, the more they wanted it. Especially when they saw someone around them who had used it and saw the results firsthand, the desire to buy the product became even stronger!

During this period, the online discussions about the beauty essence remained high.

Then, yesterday, a couple posted the same message on domestic and international forums, once again pushing the discussion about the beauty essence to its peak.

Overnight, the topic surged on Weibo, with keywords like “beauty essence” and “cures body odor” trending!

Although the keywords were a bit awkward, the content was truly shocking.

–

To explain this entire hot topic, we need to start with an international couple.

David and Xu Rui were a same-sex couple. Despite being from different countries, having different skin colors, different languages, and even significant ideological differences, love was just that miraculous. The two met, understood each other, and fell in love while studying abroad.

Until now, the two of them have successfully registered their marriage, and David, for the sake of Xu Rui, chose to settle permanently in Huaguo.

However, although the two of them were deeply in love and their thoughts had gradually aligned over the years, there was one problem that had been bothering them.

That problem was body odor, which both David and most Westerners had as a flaw. (This was also one of the main reasons why the perfume industry developed more in foreign countries. The initial purpose of perfume was to cover up body odor.)

Although David’s issue wasn’t particularly severe and could be managed with cleanliness and the use of perfume on a daily basis, it couldn’t be hidden when they engaged in vigorous activities and sweat a lot… which was a bit embarrassing.

Even though they had been together for many years, and Xu Rui had grown accustomed to it and wouldn’t dislike him for it, David still felt embarrassed and frustrated, with a deep sense of self-doubt.

So when he saw the appearance of the beauty essence online, claiming to have detoxifying properties…

David couldn’t help but have a wild idea: Could body odor be considered a type of toxin?

After all, having lived in Huaguo for so many years, David’s Chinese proficiency was quite good. Although he couldn’t fully understand the cultivation and fantasy web novels of Huaguo, he had heard people around him talk about elixirs that granted immortality and miraculous pills that revitalized the body, etc.

So, impulsively, David went to Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ official website and made a purchase.

And then…

And then, to his great dismay, David discovered that his foreign identification card wasn’t valid. Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals hadn’t yet expanded their overseas operations, and their identity verification system currently only supported Chinese citizens!

David felt very frustrated and wanted to cry.

God knows how difficult it was to apply for Chinese citizenship. It’s not that he didn’t want to change his identification card to a Chinese one, it’s just that it wasn’t possible. They shouldn’t treat him differently like this; he was now half a Chinese person… *sobs*

He had originally wanted to surprise his spouse without revealing anything until the experiment succeeded.

But now, with his identification card being restricted, David could only cry to his spouse, “Baby~”

“I know, let’s buy, buy, buy! Tonight, we’ll sit in front of the computer together and refresh the order page.”

How could Xu Rui not know what his dear David was thinking? He waved his hand and said, “Buy it, and buy the most expensive one!”

In fact, he had been eyeing this beauty essence from Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals for a long time. Beauty wasn’t exclusively for women; men also cared about their appearance. However, since the beauty essence became popular, Dongsheng Pharmaceuticals’ official website began imposing sales restrictions, making it difficult to purchase.

Especially since the purchase required personal identification verification, which eliminated the majority of scalpers, making it even harder to obtain the product.

Now, if they wanted to buy the beauty essence, they had to rely on luck and quick reflexes.

Fortunately, their efforts paid off after several nights, and they finally managed to purchase it.

When they returned home, they decided to give it a try.

Oh my, the results were simply incredible.

Not to mention the improvement in skin condition, but David’s wild guess actually turned out to be correct.

After drinking the most expensive variant of the beauty essence for several days in a row, David miraculously discovered that his body odor had disappeared after a week!

Oh, my God.

Huaguo truly was a miraculous place.

So, the excited couple shared their experience on a domestic forum and an international forum.

Although David had settled in Huaguo, he still had family and friends in M Country, so he continued using social media platforms popular overseas. On a daily basis, he shared videos of his life, capturing some unique aspects of Huaguo’s culture. Apart from his family and friends, he had also accumulated quite a few followers.

Body odor had always been a common annoyance and problem in daily life abroad, and most people experienced it. Although everyone had gotten used to it, there were still awkward moments because of it.

Therefore, when David’s sharing video appeared, it immediately caught the attention of his followers on YouTube.

“Is this real? David, are you sure you’re not lying? Although I admit that Huaguo has many miraculous things, our country’s medical system is definitely advanced. Our doctors can’t solve this problem, but a bottle of liquid from Huaguo can? Why does it feel like a dream?”

-“It’s not a dream, my friends, please believe me, it’s real! If you don’t believe me, come and smell me!”

“Beauty essence… judging by the name, it should be a beauty product. A beauty product that treats body odor? David, today is not April Fool’s Day, thanks.”

-“Julie, I’m really not lying. This product is currently selling like crazy in Huaguo. If you don’t believe me, ** come and see for yourself.”

“Oh, David, you always love to make these jokes. How could Huaguo have something so miraculous? You really are bewitched by your beloved. I’ve always said that your beloved is a fox spirit. You should have married my sister instead. Look at how abnormal you’ve become.”

-“Dale! Shut up! If you say one more word about my beloved, I’ll fly over tomorrow and chop you up. Believe it or not!”

“Although I can’t believe it, it seems absurd to the point of Satan’s arrival. But the video seems real, with no obvious editing or beautification effects. I’m not sure about its effectiveness in treating body odor, but the beauty effects seem really good… David, please share the link, I want to buy and try it.”

-“Mhmm, David, please directly share the link. I can afford the price, and it looks really good.”

-“I want it too…”

-“I’ll wait a bit longer, waiting for you all to be my guinea pigs, hehe.”

After David’s video was uploaded to YouTube, although many people questioned it, there were also many who were interested. After all, the treatment of body odor couldn’t be seen, but the detoxifying and beauty effects shown in the video were genuine and amazing. People with sufficient financial means didn’t mind buying it to try.

However…

However, in his excitement to recommend the product, David suddenly remembered a problem.

“This… um… it seems… that this product can currently only be purchased with a Chinese identification card.”

Everyone:…

Brother, your hurtful words are a bit too much, thank you.

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“I’m sorry… I’m back.”

When Fang Ziyang received this message from Shi Liangchen, his entire face suddenly changed.

To others, this message might not seem strange, but in his eyes, it was enough to stir up a storm of astonishment, understanding the hidden meaning within.

If… if he didn’t misunderstand, did this message mean that Shi Liangchen had also been reborn?

Otherwise, why would the other person use the words “I’m sorry, I’m back”?

Although it hadn’t been confirmed face-to-face yet.

But Fang Ziyang was 90% sure about his guess.

The reason was simple. Shi Meijing had been directly disposed of this time. With Shi Liangchen’s deep affection for his sister, he would never easily accept this reality. He would definitely be very angry and relentlessly pursue the case, making it a big issue and seeking revenge against the perpetrators who harmed his sister.

He might even develop resentment towards Fang Ziyang because, on the surface, it appeared that Shi Meijing fell victim to the criminals, and he would bear some responsibility.

But now, although Shi Liangchen looks very sad, he hasn’t done anything to lose control of his emotions as a family member. He didn’t blame Fang Ziyang either, showing a level of maturity and calmness that is completely contrary to Shi Liangchen’s character of loving his sister.

And now, with Shi Liangchen’s text message, everything might make sense.

Because he has been reborn, and before his rebirth, he saw through Shi Meijing’s malicious and selfish true nature. That’s why Shi Liangchen can remain so calm about his sister’s ordeal.

“There is something important I need to tell you…”

Fang Ziyang felt mixed and restless. He didn’t want to see the previous life’s Shi Liangchen again, but reason told him that he had to meet the person.

It wasn’t about nostalgia; he needed to determine whether the person was now an enemy or a friend. Shi Liangchen’s sudden rebirth had disrupted his plans, and he couldn’t let such an unexpected event escape his control.

He had come this far and was about to fulfill his revenge soon. He couldn’t afford another defeat.

After careful consideration, Fang Ziyang decided to go to the meeting and replied to the message, confirming the meeting location.

–

Considering that the conversation might involve the topic of rebirth, Fang Ziyang didn’t simply arrange to meet at an outside café this time. Instead, he chose a private room in the Crown Club.

Translated on ho lo lo novels dot com.

Xie Zheng, with the security measures at the Crown Club, ensured that the private rooms were the safest place for a conversation.

To prevent eavesdropping, he even personally installed jamming devices before leaving.

Once everything was in order, Fang Ziyang went to the meeting.

“Ziyang…”

When Shi Liangchen saw him, he anxiously stood up from the sofa in the private room. His expression was filled with excitement and suppressed pain.

Just with that one glance, Fang Ziyang could confirm that the current Shi Liangchen was indeed reborn. After all, they had been partners for nearly ten years, and he was too familiar with Shi Liangchen’s every move.

While he had considered clearing his debts with Shi Liangchen in the previous life by sacrificing himself, when Shi Liangchen chose to accept Yan Tong’s deal in this life, Fang Ziyang could no longer have an ounce of sympathy for him.

“People can change, but their true nature is hard to overcome. We can no longer be friends, and I will never forgive you.”

“Say what you have to say directly, but if you’re going to apologize or express regret, then there’s no need for us to continue this conversation today…”

Fang Ziyang calmly sat down, his gaze cold, not hiding his attitude of keeping his distance from the other person.

With one sentence, he cut off most of what Shi Liangchen wanted to say.

“I… I deserve your hatred. Everything is my own doing.”

Shi Liangchen’s face was filled with bitterness, as if he had just bitten into a bitter gall, and the bitterness seemed to permeate his entire body.

He never expected to get the chance to be reborn. He thought it was a stroke of luck from the heavens. However, when he learned the time of his rebirth, he realized that it was just another punishment from the heavens.

He owed Ziyang too much, so much that he couldn’t repay it even in his previous life.

Taking a deep breath, Shi Liangchen tried to suppress the bitterness in his heart and said with determination, “Ziyang, I know you will never forgive me. I went down the wrong path in the previous life, and in this life, you gave me a chance, but I still couldn’t seize it. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I hope you can give me a chance to redeem myself. Let’s work together again, can we?”

“Do you think I would trust you again?”

Fang Ziyang raised his eyes and looked sarcastically at the person in front of him, the partner he once trusted the most, the one who had completely destroyed all his hopes.

“Shi Liangchen, since you have been reborn too, let me ask you, would you trust Shi Meijing again?”

No, he wouldn’t.

Of course, he wouldn’t.

Shi Liangchen’s face turned pale. Just as Fang Ziyang hated Shi Meijing, he also hated Shi Liangchen in the same way. Ziyang had suffered more in the previous life, and he couldn’t even be magnanimous. How could Ziyang ever trust him again?

But he couldn’t let that happen.

He had to cooperate with Ziyang because only through their collaboration could they achieve a perfect victory.

Swallowing the taste of blood in his mouth, Shi Liangchen’s voice trembled as he said, “But what if I tell you… I didn’t die when we escaped from the cruise ship in the previous life?”

“What do you mean?”

Fang Ziyang’s body trembled, his emotions suddenly fluctuating.

Shi Liangchen closed his eyes, holding his head in his hands, his voice filled with pain.

“I didn’t die. At that time, I also thought I died, but fate let me survive. After you escaped, the people on the cruise ship threw my ‘corpse’ into the sea. However, at that time, I was only severely injured and unconscious, which caused a momentary cardiac arrest. After being thrown into the water, I regained consciousness due to the blessing in disguise and was rescued by a passing fishing boat.”

“I wanted to find you immediately, but when I woke up in the hospital and tried to contact you, all I got was the news of your suicide by jumping off a building. The pictures were filled with blood…”

And those eyes that couldn’t find peace.

He was on the verge of collapse.

He had everything planned so well. As long as he saved Ziyang, they could immediately leave the country.

He didn’t care about Shi Meijing anymore; he didn’t care about his parents’ instructions. He had already sacrificed so much for Shi Meijing, and he wanted to live for himself once. Even if Ziyang didn’t see him as a friend anymore, even if Ziyang didn’t fall in love with him, as long as he could be by Ziyang’s side in the future, he would be content.

But he never expected that Shi Meijing would reveal his whereabouts and destroy everything.

Furthermore, he couldn’t have imagined that when he heard news of Fang Ziyang again, it was already news of his death.

Jumping off a building, blood splattered everywhere.

“I know you couldn’t have committed suicide, I…”

Fang Ziyang interrupted, “No, I jumped off myself.”

Shi Liangchen looked up in disbelief.

Fang Ziyang remained calm, his tone as if he was telling someone else’s story. “I didn’t escape. They found me and brought many people with them. Mo Er wanted to turn me into a plaything to vent his anger on Yan Tong. He wouldn’t stop until he achieved his goal. Jumping off was my only way out, at least a clean death.”

“And all of this was caused by you. If it wasn’t for your betrayal, I would have won the competition and received protection from the country. Why would you need to save me?”

Like a sharp knife piercing his heart.

Shi Liangchen staggered, his whole body freezing, the pain making it almost impossible to breathe.

Fang Ziyang revealed a sardonic smile. “Shi Liangchen, I have been living in hell all this time. What right do you have to seek redemption?”

Shi Liangchen’s face turned pale, his heart being crushed inch by inch.

Fang Ziyang saw his expression without a trace of sympathy or pity. Regardless of Xie Wenxu or Shi Liangchen’s regret and apologies, they were all just their tormented conscience seeking redemption and solace.

Those people had been so heartless to him back then, so why should he generously offer them hope of redemption?

He wasn’t a saint. Those people sowed the seeds of their own suffering, and they should reap what they had sown. There was no magic pill for regrets in the world, even if they were reborn.

“Shi Liangchen, if you truly know how much I hate you and truly regret it, then please don’t seek redemption or comfort from me, or expect anything. This version of you only makes me look down on you even more…”

Fang Ziyang calmly looked at the person in front of him.

Shi Liangchen’s face lost all color.

He let out a bitter smile, giving up the last shred of hope for recovery. After a long time, he struggled to speak.

“He’s right. I don’t deserve to like you at all. I am alive only because even the heavens couldn’t bear to punish me.”

“He?” Fang Ziyang’s gaze flickered.

Shi Liangchen took out his phone, tapped a few times with his fingers, and sent a sketched picture to Fang Ziyang’s WeChat.

“Ziyang, even if you’re unwilling to give me a chance to redeem myself, there are some things I must do. Please trust me once again, even if it’s just for the person in this sketch.”

The photo Shi Liangchen sent was a hand-drawn sketch.

The sketch wasn’t of masterful quality, but it was still well done. It depicted a man sitting in a wheelchair, tall in stature, but his face was not visible.

Because his entire face was disfigured, the only thing that could be seen clearly were the man’s sharp and profound eyes. But from the overall aura, it was evident that the man had once been a ruler standing at the pinnacle of power.

And there were some familiarities.

Fang Ziyang asked, “Who is he?”

“I don’t know.”

Shi Liangchen shook his head. “All I know is that he sacrificed everything to seek revenge for you. Though the process and the outcome were tragic, he ultimately succeeded.”

“When I learned the news of your death back then, I was in great pain. During the time I was recovering, I found out many things…”

“I used to believe that you were an arrogant, overbearing second-generation rich man with a loose and immoral private life. After all, if you weren’t really that despicable, why would your own father, brother, and uncle despise you and cast you out? But later, I realized that there are truly heartless and disgusting relatives in this world.”

“Your family’s situation, Yan Tong drugging you, all the black material on the internet, I found out everything. And Shi Meijing… She never saw me as her brother from the beginning. She always believed that her parents died because of saving me, so it was only right for me and my parents to pay for her. Even my parents’ death was caused by her. I was just a complete fool.”

Just the thought of the various truths he had learned in the previous life made Shi Liangchen wish to tear apart his own existence.

“After I was discharged from the hospital, I wanted to seek revenge for you, but I was powerless. The people around Yan Tong had too much influence, and I couldn’t do anything alone…”

“It was at that moment that the man in the wheelchair found me. His power and resources were incredibly strong, but he couldn’t appear publicly, so I became his representative outside.”

“He successfully dismantled Yan Tong’s people, but the outcome was as tragic as the effort he put in…”

As Shi Liangchen reached this point, he choked up and looked at Fang Ziyang.

“Ziyang, I know my words seem feeble and powerless, and I don’t know how to make you trust me again. But every word I say now is the truth.”

“Although you have done a lot now, and I believe you have the ability to directly kill Yan Tong, you are incapable of dealing with Mo Er at your current level. Even without Yan Tong, Mo Er would still target you. You should know how crazy the James family is for their interests…”

“That man back then was so powerful, yet he paid a heavy price to eliminate those people. Now, let me help you. Let us achieve success with the smallest cost.”

“Just consider it for the sake of saving the man in the sketch. It’s because of you that he ended up like this. He is the only person who truly loves you and has sacrificed everything for you… So, can you bear to see him fall into the hands of Mo Er’s people in the future, turning into that ghostly appearance?”

“I admit that I am despicable for using your soft-heartedness, but Ziyang… we now have a chance to change many things, don’t we?”

Shi Liangchen forced a smile through the difficulty.

As long as Ziyang was willing to let him help, he didn’t mind being a despicable and shameless person.

This was the only thing he could do for Ziyang now.

Fang Ziyang pondered as he looked at the sketch photo on his phone.

After a while, he raised his head. “Although I still can’t trust you completely, I have to admit that the sketch you presented has truly convinced me. Let’s start preparing from tomorrow, and next month, I will arrange for you to leave the country.”

Although he still couldn’t trust Shi Liangchen, he could still make use of him.

It would indeed be a waste to let go of Shi Liangchen, who had been reborn.

Finally hearing the answer he wanted, Shi Liangchen’s face lit up with a smile that came from the depths of his heart, a mix of sadness and contentment.

Even if he was just a pawn, as long as he was needed, his rebirth had meaning.

“Ziyang, if… if I had never lied to you, would you have liked me? Not just as a good friend.”

“No. Because there are no ‘ifs’.”

The clear voice echoed in the private room.

Shi Liangchen sat on the sofa and finally couldn’t hold back his tears.

He hated.

He hated himself for being so foolish.

Because of his own stupidity.

He wasn’t deserving.

…

On the other side.

After leaving the private room, Fang Ziyang could no longer maintain his cold expression.

He quickly rushed to the nearest restroom, locked the cubicle door, and couldn’t maintain his composure any longer. He couldn’t help but cover his mouth and silently cry.

He really couldn’t hold on to his sanity anymore.

The photo Shi Liangchen showed him, if the familiar feeling he sensed wasn’t wrong, then the man in the wheelchair with a disfigured face was very likely Xie Zheng.

The question that had been bothering him all along might finally have an explanation.

When he read the golden book, almost every plot had a reasonable explanation, except for one illogical part that described an overseas tycoon appearing as his “one-night stand” to seek revenge for him…

Although later, after recognizing his brother, he speculated that the so-called overseas tycoon was Rick, and Rick came back for revenge after knowing that he was Tang Xun’s biological younger brother.

But this logic, although plausible, still couldn’t explain one thing. Why would Rick appear as his “one-night stand”? With Rick’s love for his brother, how could he allow himself to be labeled with such absurdity?

But if… Xie Zheng didn’t die in the car accident, then everything would make sense.

From beginning to end, the one helping him seek revenge was Xie Zheng, and Rick and Shi Liangchen were sent as his representatives because Xie Zheng couldn’t personally appear.

Although he didn’t know what happened after his death in the previous life and how Xie Zheng sought revenge for him, Shi Liangchen’s description of the tragic circumstances made him understand.

But in the end, Rick failed and Shi Liangchen died, and it was only then that he was reborn. The outcome could be imagined…

Although the person sitting in the wheelchair in the sketch had a disfigured face and couldn’t be recognized, the figure and demeanor resembled Xie Zheng perfectly.

Besides Xie Zheng, there couldn’t be anyone else.

Fang Ziyang couldn’t describe his current emotions. He wanted to cry and laugh at the same time.

At this moment, he truly felt that he hadn’t been abandoned by everyone. Whether in the previous life or this life, there were people who genuinely liked him and treated him well.

He had his brother, Xie Zheng, and perhaps he should add another one, Brother-in-law Rick?

He didn’t know how long he stayed in the restroom, but once his emotions stabilized, he couldn’t hold back and immediately dialed Xie Zheng’s number.

“Hello?”

The call connected, and the man’s deep and magnetic voice came through.

It sounded so good. Fang Ziyang couldn’t help but cry and laugh at the same time. His voice carried a nasal tone, “Big Brother Xie, I missed you…”

On the other end of the phone, Xie Zheng’s ears turned red again. His wife always loved to act cute like this. He was really… really adorable.

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