Chapter 77

Chapter 77

In the second month, the list of Global Contribution Award winners was announced.

That night, a light snow was falling. Third Uncle made a special trip to the manor, his face beaming with joy.

"Shiying, where's your eldest brother?"

Yan Shiying, who was sitting in the living room, stood up and said, "Third Uncle, my eldest brother is in the study."

As he was speaking, Yan Shiqi, alerted by the gatekeeper, happened to come downstairs.

No wonder Third Uncle was so happy. Over the years, the Global Contribution Award, especially in biology, had been almost entirely dominated by Western countries.

To be precise, Country A still had no winners in the biology category of the Global Contribution Award.

Yan Shiqi was also somewhat surprised: "Really? Who won?"

"It's not clear yet. We have to wait for the committee to post it on the website. It might be Gao Langdong's microbial cultivation project."

"If that's the case, that would be great," Yan Shiying said.

"By the way, where's Xiao Xie?" Third Uncle looked around.

Yan Shiying said, "Probably working out with Lao Wu."

"These two have been getting along quite well lately," Third Uncle chuckled. "If you didn't know better, you'd think they were a couple."

"Yeah, making someone pretty jealous," Yan Shiying said meaningfully, glancing at Yan Shizhou beside him.

Yan Shizhou stood by the window with a cigarette between his lips, his eyes dead and revealing irritation. The glowing tip of his cigarette seemed to burn brighter in the wind and snow.

Meanwhile, in the room, the two were not exercising.

"Are you sure you really want to do this?" Yi Wuyi looked at Xie Yunshen.

"Why not? Hurry up and take off your clothes," Xie Yunshen said.

Xie Yunshen was wearing a mask. As he spoke, he zipped up his black hoodie and put on his goggles—the signature look of Black Impermanence.

An old-fashioned camera sat on the table.

Yi Wuyi had no choice but to change back into that white shirt, recreating the outfit netizens called White Impermanence.

After covering up any identifying features in the room, they started recording and made a video.

Later that night, on a deserted stretch of road, they found a recycling truck, tossed the camera inside, and left.

The next day, they went to work as usual.

When the camera was picked up by a sorter at the recycling station, the video found its way onto the internet.

This method was Yi Wuyi's idea.

Xie Yunshen was impressed. "So, why didn't I think of using this method back then?"

In the video, White Impermanence sat on a chair, head bowed, the brim of his hood covering his eyes.

Black Impermanence sat beside him against a backdrop of black light-blocking cloth.

"I hope... Shang Guanhong and Bai Lebai find their happy ending." This was the first time White Impermanence had spoken online, albeit through a voice changer.

Black Impermanence: "Seconded." Also using a voice changer.

With so many imitation videos, people couldn't tell if it was real or fake. But given Shang Guanhong's terrible reputation online, even if they knew it was a spoof, it still sparked a wave of buzz.

Moreover, the physique and vibe of the Black and White Impermanence in the video were very close to the originals, leading many to believe it was the real duo personally mocking Shang Guanhong.

"So brutal, lol..."

"Watch out for a cease and desist (dog head)"

"Bai-Hong CP? Sounds kinda nice, actually."

So, amused netizens created shopped CP images of Shang Guanhong and Bai Lebai.

Xie Yunshen, using a guest account, liked each one.

They didn't wait for Shang Guanhong's response but instead got one from Bai Lebai.

Bai Lebai posted a video.

In it, a mannequin with Shang Guanhong's face pasted on it had a short carrot embedded below its waist. Bai Lebai, holding a chillingly cold fruit knife, sliced the carrot horizontally and vertically into paper-thin pieces.

The real person personally tearing apart the CP.

Bai Lebai was also quite a character. Already wanted in Country A and having fled abroad, he still dared to post a response video on foreign social media.

"Bai Lebai seems a bit angry," Xie Yunshen said, looking at the thin slices of carrot in the video.

"So, it's better to provoke Shang Guanhong than to provoke Bai Lebai," Yi Wuyi said.

"...Relax, this guy can't enter Country A now," Xie Yunshen patted his shoulder.

However, Xie Yunshen soon realized he had miscalculated.

Although Bai Lebai couldn't come to Country A, they were about to go abroad.

And this matter was discovered by Mr. Yan.

Inside the office, Yan Shiqi looked at the two: "Whose idea was this?"

Asking was just a formality; his gaze had already unhesitatingly landed on Xie Yunshen.

"Mr. Yan, how can you be so sure it was me?" Xie Yunshen said with a helpless laugh.

Yi Wuyi felt Xie Yunshen could still laugh only because he relied on Mr. Yan's indulgence. As for himself, he couldn't muster a smile.

"Only you could come up with such a hilariously frustrating idea," Yan Shiqi said.

Xie Yunshen: "..."

Yi Wuyi couldn't let Xie Yunshen take the blame alone: "Mr. Yan, actually, this was a punishment after I lost a bet."

Xie Yunshen said, "Mr. Yan, actually, this doesn't affect anything, right? Shang Guanhong doesn't know who we are."

Yan Shiqi said, "In two weeks, we're going to Country C..."

"Wait... Why are we going to Country C?"

"Gao Langdong's project won an award."

Xie Yunshen was taken aback. "He actually won?" That guy's really something.

"The official website just put up the list of winning research teams and individuals."

Since Gao Langdong currently has no legal status, this project was filed under the name of Yan's Group's research team.

"Once Gao Langdong appears at the award ceremony, it will definitely put a target on his back from Top Star Group. Yan's Group will have to cover him."

"...Country C."

Xie Yunshen and Yi Wuyi exchanged a glance, seeing despair in each other's eyes. Country C... wasn't that Bai Le Bai's turf?

Indeed, no good deed goes unpunished...

"What is it?" Yan Shiqi looked at him with a hint of a smile.

"Is Mr. Yan going too?" Xie Yunshen looked at him expectantly.

"Of course, I will attend on behalf of Yan's Group."

Xie Yunshen smiled. "Then we're good." As long as Mr. Yan, our good-luck charm, is there, Bai Le Bai is nothing to worry about.

On their way out to the underground parking garage after work, they bumped into Lin Jin.

Lin Jin strode over to them, his eyes locked on Yan Shiqi, full of suspicion and ice.

After they'd had that blow-up at the mansion last time, Lin Jin hadn't come looking for him. Xie Yunshen had shot him a text, warning him not to buy whatever Shang Guanhong was selling, but all he got back was a "k."

Xie was so pissed he almost blocked his number.

Seeing him now, he'd probably dug up something else.

Xie Yunshen moved to block Yan Shiqi. "What do you want, Lin Jin?"

"Get out of the way."

"Don't forget I'm the bodyguard here. Me, step aside? How's that supposed to work?" Xie Yunshen showed no mercy when speaking to Lin Jin.

Lin Jin took one look and snorted. "Guess you never confronted your boss, huh?"

Xie shot back, "Are you nuts? Why the hell would I?"

Lin Jin faltered, then stared at Yan Shiqi again. "What's between you and my sister?"

"Nothing." Yan Shiqi kept his cool and fired back, "What's Shang Guanhong been feeding you?"

"Nothing? Then what is this?" Lin Jin produced a faded piece of paper.

Xie Yunshen looked at it. It had the birth dates of a few girls listed. Different names, different places, but all born on the exact same day.

One of them was Lin Wanchu's details.

"The Yan family had people digging into my sister two years ago. She died a year ago. So why did I only hear from Xie Yunshen six months ago that she was pregnant? You're hiding something, aren't you?"

Xie Yunshen turned a surprised look on Yan Shiqi too.

Yan Shiqi took the paper. "Top Star has a thing for setting up marriages for the next-gen heirs of the five major families, picking partners based on their birth charts. Back then, my grandfather was head of the Yan family and bought completely into Top Star's nonsense. He might have had someone look into it on the sly."

He passed the paper back to Lin Jin. "Even if Miss Lin fit their criteria, I never even met her, much less hurt her."

Lin Jin took the paper back, suspicion still in his eyes.

Xie knew that with a protagonist like him, he'd still suspect the Yan family. He shoved him back. "Out of the way!"

He hustled Yan Shiqi into the car. In the rearview, he saw Lin Jin crouched on the ground, head in his hands.

Actually, he could understand. His only relative died under unclear circumstances, and while pregnant. If it were him, he'd be anxious too.

Xie Yunshen took out his phone and sent Lin Jin a message, planning to investigate this matter with him that night.

A hand pressed down on his, stopping him.

Xie Yunshen looked up. "Mr. Yan..."

Yan Shiqi was looking at him. "This is exactly the effect Shang Guanhong wants. Wouldn't you be falling into his trap by doing this?"

"What?"

"The only thing Shang Guanhong can confirm now is that Black Impermanence has a deep connection with Miss Lin. He deliberately released this information to pit the Yan family against Black Impermanence, wanting the Yan family to get involved."

Xie Yunshen suddenly grasped his hand and sighed. "Mr. Yan, your hands are so warm."

Yan Shiqi: "...Are you listening to me?"

Xie Yunshen immediately let go of his hand. "I'm listening. I'll delete these words right now. I definitely won't get involved."

After saying that, he deleted the text in the message box and even held up his phone to show him.

That's right. Lin Jin was the protagonist of a power fantasy novel, blessed with plot armor. How many of his mortal enemies could survive? Shang Guanhong would definitely end up thoroughly dead.

He'd better keep his own life to protect Mr. Yan.

Xie Yunshen looked out the car window and suddenly met Mr. Yan's gaze reflected in the dark glass.

Xie Yunshen's heart jolted violently, and he instinctively turned his head.

Yan Shiqi said, "A Shen, please wait a little longer. When the time comes, please help me one more time. I won't interfere with any of your decisions."

Xie Yunshen's mind buzzed. "Mr. Yan... what's wrong?"

In his memory, Mr. Yan had never shown such a humble attitude. His eyes had never revealed such sorrow.

Why was he saying this to him?

He placed his hands on Yan Shiqi's shoulders, his expression carrying a comforting quality. "Mr. Yan, I've never felt that you were interfering with me. You were just reminding me of what I should and shouldn't do."

Yan Shiqi looked at him and nodded, as if affirming the meaning of Xie Yunshen's words, or perhaps savoring their significance.

"Thank you." His gaze was profound, seeming to see through his face.

He tightly grasped Xie Yunshen's hand, as if with firm conviction, then decisively let go.

Xie Yunshen looked at his hand, still carrying the other's lingering warmth. For a moment, he felt that Mr. Yan wasn't looking at his current body, but at his very soul.