Rebirth: He Decides to Lie Flat
Chapter 379 - 379 374 Set in Advance

Chapter 379: Chapter 374: Set in Advance Chapter 379: Chapter 374: Set in Advance Although it was already winter vacation, Mu Jiawen was extremely busy lately, because Professor Li had taken her into the lab ahead of time.

By coincidence, He Yitang was also in this research project team.

In the half year since returning to the country, he had almost been polished by experiments and interpersonal relationships to the point where he had no time to care about his feelings. He never expected that his teammates, who had only studied for their Master’s and Ph.D.’s domestically, would actually have stronger capabilities than his, and were even more diligent.

The sense of superiority he held when he first returned to the country was now thoroughly trampled underfoot. All he could do was to strive to become a diligent experimenter.

Yu Ci and his team had also returned, and He Yitang had thought about going to find him but was stopped by his mother.

He had brought up this request with Yu Ci before he returned, so it was impossible for him not to remember.

If he remembered but still did not contact him after returning, then it implied that Yu Ci didn’t actually want him to join. If you went to find him under these circumstances, wouldn’t that obviously make things awkward for others?

Besides, he was just getting familiar with the current research project. To recklessly switch teams would not look good for his reputation.

Tang Meng truly lived up to being a teacher, adept at comforting and mediating her son’s psyche. Anyway, he had only recently returned to the country after graduation. Why not calm down and devote himself to learning in his current team? If you’re gold, you will shine eventually. Once he had research outcomes or got papers published, wouldn’t other teams scramble to have him then?

At all times, capability is the foundation that determines how far you’ll go.

Professor Li took Mu Jiawen into this research group merely to broaden her horizons and had no intention of letting her do much. At the same time, he wanted to claim this student early and let others know that Mu Jiawen was with him and off-limits to them.

This young girl was highly talented and intelligent, securing her position in research and Ph.D. studies was a sure thing.

Furthermore, she was skilled at Chinese painting, which really suited Professor Li’s tastes.

Professor Li, a venerated national treasure in the Physics Department of Beijing University, was highly capable but had an old-fashioned temperament. He rarely took on students, and when he did, he picked from his undergraduates rather than directly from prospective graduate or doctoral students.

Being a graduate or doctoral student did not necessarily indicate a high talent or creativity, after all, outcomes in physical research sometimes can’t be achieved simply through hard work.

This is also why, every six or seven years, he would ask to return to the university to mentor undergrads. Firstly, he wanted to see if there was a student suitable for him, and secondly, to observe the current learning environment and atmosphere in physics so he could provide timely advice or suggestions for improvement to the department.

The Vice Dean of the Physics College, Ma, was Professor Li’s direct and principal disciple. Naturally, he was now Mu Jiawen’s senior as well.

Yu Ci, who had originally wanted his sister to join his own team, said nothing when he saw her accepted by Professor Li.

Luckily, Yu Yue, his capable cousin, joined his team and had provided great help, allowing him to catch his breath for a while and not be so tightly wound up.

…

While Mu Jiawen was busy, Jiang Yan was busy too.

On one hand, the electronics factory was developing a new product, and on the other, he also had to look after the specialty store. Just when he was spinning around from all the busyness, Qi Lihong requested leave.

He thought she would ask for time off closer to the New Year, but instead, she wanted to take three days off after just one week into the vacation.

Jiang Yan was surprised, “Taking three days now, then going back for the New Year, isn’t that too troublesome?”

Her home was on the southern side of Kang City, just a three-hour train ride from Beijing. Although the distance was not considered far, the overcrowded trains before the New Year’s rush was something Jiang Yan could imagine even if he had never experienced it himself.

After spending more time together, Qui Lihong was no longer as afraid of the class leader as she used to be. She explained in a low voice, “I want to bring my mom here and not go back anymore. The two of us will spend the New Year here. By the way, does the store need someone on duty? I can do it.”

The house that Liu Wenhui had given her had already been cleaned a long time ago, and it remained unrented for the sole purpose of bringing her mother over.

However, it was said that the neighborhood was scheduled for demolition next year.

But right now, she couldn’t be concerned with that; she just wanted to bring her mother over first.

After requesting leave, Qi Lihong hurried back to her hometown.

Winter nights come early; it wasn’t even six in the afternoon when darkness had completely fallen. The spotty lighting of the old and decrepit residential area came on, and some seven or eight-year-old kids, holding sparklers, happily ran past her, with occasional “bangs” sounding off on the broken concrete road.

Her family lived at the very inner part of the community, in a corner, inside a five-story building. This house originally belonged to her grandparents, but later, as a dowry for marrying her mother, they gave the small fifth-floor apartment to him. Even though his legs were not so good, having such an apartment twenty years ago was enviable.

Enviable?

Qui Lihong’s lips twisted into a mocking smile. She knew that from the time she could remember, life in this so-called “home” had been nothing but punches, kicks, curses, and the stench of vomit mixed with alcohol and smoke. Every time she thought about it, nothing but fear filled her heart.

She had become frightened of being beaten, even though she knew she had grown up and didn’t need to fear him anymore. But the brutal side of that man, ingrained in her bones since childhood, made her tremble uncontrollably at the mere thought of him.

“Lihong?”

The neighborhood was so old and dilapidated that no one bothered to fix the broken streetlights anymore. Aunt Liao, the neighbor from the second floor who was coming down to take out the trash, was initially scared by the still shadow at the bottom of the building. Then, with the light coming from a ground-floor window, she recognized Qui Lihong, the crippled and mute man’s daughter from the fifth floor.

This kid was also accomplished, having been admitted to Beijing University – that was indeed a first in their area. After going to university, she had changed a lot, her bright and pretty appearance was indeed rare to see.

It was a pity, though, that she was born into such a family and coupled with such a father. One could only say that the child was unlucky.

Unless she one day took flight and never returned, her father would inevitably drag her down.

“Aunt Liao.”

“Are you just returning now?” Seeing her still carrying a backpack, Aunt Liao hurriedly said, “Quickly go up. It’s so cold outside. Your mom is off work. Half an hour earlier, I saw her come back from grocery shopping. She’s probably almost finished cooking by now.”

Qui Lihong bid farewell to the woman and lowered her head to enter the building.

Aunt Liao watched Qi Lihong’s retreating figure, sighed helplessly, and shook her head.

“I told you to buy liquor, what the hell did you get me?”

Just as Qui Lihong reached the fifth floor and was about to knock on the door, a familiar roar came from inside the house. Her entire body couldn’t help but shudder.

But after all, she had been in university for a year and a half, and her thoughts, insights, and experiences were very different from before. So, after the initial shudder, she quickly regained her composure. As the second shout came from inside, she raised her hand again and knocked on the door loudly and rapidly, “bang bang.”

Because she also heard the sound of a liquor bottle smashing on the floor, she suspected he was throwing the bottle at her mother again.

Qui Lihong was anxious…