Lu Jiaojiao bit her lip hard.
She couldn't say it, of course she couldn't, because the person who saved Ji Mohan wasn't her at all.
That gold and jade pendant was not her belonging.
During her freshman year, there was a competition for the university celebration party host. She and another female classmate both made it to the finals. On the day of the final round, she had a cold and, afraid of losing, she secretly took that girl's gold and jade pendant...
She had heard the girl say it was a keepsake from her deceased elder sister.
When the pendant went missing, the girl searched everywhere for it and consequently missed the final round.
Lu Jiaojiao had casually thrown the pendant into her backpack.
One afternoon, she unexpectedly ran into Ji Mohan. Her backpack was knocked over by someone, and the gold and jade pendant fell to the ground, catching Ji Mohan's eye.
She still remembered Ji Mohan's trembling voice that day: "Classmate, was it you who saved me by the lake a few months ago? I've been looking for you for so long. Was it you?"
The female classmates around her all started teasing.
Ji Mohan, a bit embarrassed, added her contact information and then hurried off.
She quickly found out that Ji Mohan was actually the top genius among their entire year...
Everything fell into place naturally.
After all these years, having the truth ripped open like this—how could she possibly accept it?
Ji Mohan said coldly, "Was that gold and jade pendant something you found, or did you steal it from someone else?"
The word "steal" shattered Lu Jiaojiao's composure.
"I didn't steal it."
She gritted her teeth, emphasizing the words heavily.
Ji Mohan's eyes were full of disappointment.
Before, bound by the moral shackle of her being his lifesaver, he would subconsciously attribute all sorts of positive qualities to Lu Jiaojiao, unwilling to speculate about her with the worst intentions.
But now, he only wanted to describe her with one word: thief.
Stealing the lifesaving token.
Stealing academic achievements.
He had been deceived by such a person for so many years.
He was a complete and utter fool.
He didn't want to say anything more to Lu Jiaojiao. He hung up the phone and blocked and deleted all her contact information.
Early in the morning.
The capital was unusually blessed with bright sunshine. Rong Yu got up early, packed her luggage, and prepared to return to Haicheng.
Ji Yanting had filming to do.
Ji Mohan was under investigation and couldn't leave the capital.
She returned to Haicheng alone.
As soon as she got off the plane, she saw her old son standing at the arrival gate, standing on tiptoe and looking around.
A smile appeared on her face, and she waved. "Yingbao."
Old Master Ji rushed forward. If it weren't for the crowd, he would have given her a bear hug.
Since being reunited with his mother, this was the first time they had been apart for so many days. He was even a little afraid that their reunion was just an illusory dream.
Rong Yu took a lollipop out of her pocket. "The flight attendants were giving candy to the kids on the plane. Those eight or nine-year-olds really love these, so I shamelessly asked for two. Try one."
Old Master Ji almost burst into tears.
So, in his mother's heart, he would always be that eight-year-old child from back then.
He unwrapped the lollipop and popped it into his mouth, reaching for the other one to unwrap it too.
But Rong Yu slapped the back of his hand. "One for you, one for Duoduo. Don't hog them both. Learn to share."
Old Master Ji obediently replied, "Okay, Mom."
Mother and son walked out together. The driver helped Rong Yu with her luggage and loaded it into the car.
"Yingbao, you go home first," Rong Yu said. "I need to go to the Fourth Aerospace Institute first to submit the project data."
Old Master Ji took a lick of his lollipop. "I'll go with you. I'll wait for you outside."
Otherwise, once his mom got immersed in her work, she might forget to come home.
The car drove to the Fourth Aerospace Institute. Old Master Ji stayed in the car enjoying his lollipop. Rong Yu ruffled his white hair and went inside.
As soon as she entered the core area, she heard a celebratory atmosphere.
"Xiao Yu, you came back at just the right time," Dr. Wang Xiaoli grabbed a big handful of candy for her. "Have some wedding candy, share in the joy."
Rong Yu saw the flowers, chocolates, and candies on the desk and immediately understood. The team leader from the neighboring project group had proposed to Wang Xiaoli.
She took the wedding candy and put it in her pocket. "Congratulations! When's the wedding?"
Wang Xiaoli coughed. "Well, this project of ours has just started. Let's talk about marriage after the first phase launch is successful."
The man beside her wore a pained expression. "Heavens, does that mean I have to wait at least three to five more years?"
"How can you be thinking about romance when the nation's great undertaking is not yet accomplished?" Wang Xiaoli snorted. "Besides, with a genius like Xiao Yu here, the first phase definitely won't take three to five years..."
After chatting for a while, the group quickly changed the subject and got back to work.
The element Shi was indeed a good thing, perfectly solving the problems they were currently facing...
Rong Yu delegated the work and prepared to leave since her old son was waiting outside. Just as she stepped out of the core area, she saw Song Huai walking towards her.
Song Huai said with a complex expression, "I never imagined you were in charge of such an important project."
He didn't know what the overall project was.
But being responsible for a separate branch was enough to prove Rong Yu's excellence.
At that press conference, over a dozen professors surrounded her, wanting to claim her as their student. He heard she didn't acknowledge any of them in the end.
He didn't know what she was thinking.
But he had to admit, Rong Yu's ability might be above his.
He spoke up, "Since you're unwilling to acknowledge professors as teachers, what about an academician? My mentor, Liu Jinyue..."
Rong Yu frowned slightly.
She acknowledged that Song Huai was a very good student.
But sometimes, he was really too annoying.
Always saying these things, over and over, endlessly.
She said calmly, "Classmate Song, I already have a teacher, a truly remarkable master. Please stop randomly introducing teachers to me."
Song Huai was taken aback. "Who is it?"
But Rong Yu had already walked away.
She hurried outside to the car. The driver respectfully opened the door for her. As soon as she got in, she pulled the candy from her pocket. "Now you don't have to fight Duoduo for it. Have as much as you want."
Driving home.
Rong Yu sighed with contentment; it was still most comfortable in one's own home.
As soon as mother and son entered the hall, they saw a huge bouquet of roses on the coffee table. It looked like ninety-nine roses, very large and particularly eye-catching.
Old Master Ji pulled the lollipop from his mouth, his eyes wide. "A Yuan, investigate immediately! Find out which scoundrel had the nerve to send flowers so openly to your great-grandmother! They must be tired of living!"
The corner of Ji Zhiyuan's mouth twitched. "Old Master, here's the card from the sender. Please take a look."
Old Master Ji snatched it grumpily, glanced at it, and was completely stunned.
Rong Yu also wanted to know.
Who on earth sent her flowers.
She leaned over to look, but Old Master Ji dodged her. "Mom, Mom, don't look. It'll dirty your eyes."
Rong Yu's curiosity was piqued. "Hurry up, let me see."
Old Master Ji tore the card into pieces and stuffed them into the mouth of Songguo, the dog who happened to run in wagging its tail.
Rong Yu: "..."
Now her curiosity was even stronger, itching like a kitten scratching at her heart.
Ji Zhiyuan said leisurely, "Great-grandma, that bouquet... was sent by an elderly lady... for the Old Master..."
"Old Master Ji, shut your mouth!" Old Master Ji's face flushed crimson. "No, where's my cane? Where has my cane gone?"
