Chapter 36
Shi Xiaowang had been looking forward to the whole night, but by the afternoon of the next day, Jian Mo still hadn’t arrived.
In the research institute’s laboratory, Shi Xiaowang stared blankly at the instruments. The researchers who finally had some free time were browsing the StarNet, and soon some started complaining indignantly.
“Is this person sick or something…”
One researcher sneered at the screen, full of disdain.
“Can purification abilities even be faked? Or stolen? He should come and try stealing one, then.”
“What’s going on?”
Immediately, people gathered around.
Hearing the words “purification ability,” Shi Xiaowang snapped out of his daze and looked as well.
“Look! Someone actually said the little duke’s ability is stolen!”
Early this morning, someone online had suddenly reported Shi Xiaowang, claiming they also had seeds that had been purified. They said these seeds and the purification ability originally belonged to the Chamber of Commerce, and that Shi Xiaowang had stolen the Chamber of Commerce’s results through his uncle, who was in the Chamber of Commerce, and then turned around to frame the Chamber of Commerce.
At first, when the informant’s identity was unknown, some people doubted the truth.
But soon, the informant was officially revealed, and his personal information was exposed: he was the son of a high-ranking family in the Chamber of Commerce.
Now, those who had been skeptical immediately sided with Shi Xiaowang.
After the previous incident involving selling military materials, the Chamber of Commerce’s reputation had already plummeted. A high-ranking member’s son coming forward to accuse someone, even without official intervention, carried no credibility.
“What about the seeds he has? Looks like tomatoes to me.”
A colleague took a closer look at the news.
“Fake, obviously. Even if real, seeds don’t change much after purification. He has a high-ranking Guild dad; finding a tomato seed isn’t hard.”
More people chimed in.
“What are you doing? Discussing garbage in the lab?”
Meng Zhan frowned.
“Ah… we’re just analyzing it,” someone realized, smiling awkwardly at Shi Xiaowang.
“Yeah, just doing a casual study…”
“Why are you even researching it? He can say whatever he wants; I don’t care.”
Shi Xiaowang smiled, glanced at the time, and stretched his neck.
“Almost time for lunch. Let’s go eat.”
“Yay! Time to eat!”
“Ever since the little duke came to the institute, the thing I look forward to most every day is meal time!”
“What’s for lunch? What’s for dinner?”
Mentioning food immediately livened the atmosphere.
Meng Zhan clicked his tongue and pointed to a few colleagues eagerly waiting for the meal.
“Don’t just think about eating; we still have experiments to finish. The little duke isn’t here to be your chef.”
“But director, today’s experiment was successful! We’ve already seen the light at the end of the tunnel. Isn’t it worth celebrating?”
Someone cheered.
“Of course it is. Everyone’s worked hard.”
Shi Xiaowang quickly stopped Meng Zhan from speaking further and smiled.
“We stayed up all night yesterday, didn’t we? We need a balance of work and rest, Mr. Meng.”
“Let them go,” Han Ling added.
“The treatment chamber is basically stable now. Next step is clinical trials, and then we’ll see how to extend and improve the purification ability’s activity, lengthening the chamber’s usage. These can’t be done quickly, so take a break if you need one.”
“Go on, go on…”
Meng Zhan waved helplessly.
Relieved, the group noisily went out, some talking about the food, others chatting about the news.
Shi Xiaowang followed, about to leave.
“You okay?”
Meng Zhan suddenly stopped him.
Shi Xiaowang was caught off guard.
“I’m fine. Why?”
“That news…”
Han Ling also looked at him worriedly.
“Oh, that.”
Shi Xiaowang smiled.
“I knew this morning.”
“You knew already?”
Meng Zhan frowned.
“No wonder you look so listless today.”
“I… it’s not because of that.”
Shi Xiaowang lowered his eyes and touched his nose, speaking softly.
Suddenly, the guard downstairs contacted the lab, saying they were looking for Shi Xiaowang.
He paused, then answered.
“Little Duke, Xu Qingluo wants to see you. If you want, I can arrange a meeting room.”
Shi Xiaowang chuckled lightly.
“Perfect timing, I also have something to discuss with him. Please arrange it.”
After hanging up, Shi Xiaowang looked at Meng Zhan and Han Ling.
“Can you come with me?”
In the meeting room, Xu Qingluo nervously fiddled with his fingers. His eyes brightened when Shi Xiaowang entered, but seeing the two people following closely, his smile faltered.
After hesitating, he finally approached Shi Xiaowang.
“Brother Xiaowang… I saw the news. I know that person; he came to me before.”
The two others in the room turned to look at him.
Xu Qingluo took a deep breath and began confessing.
“Actually, the reason I could send you a private message in the first place was because of the Chamber of Commerce’s interference. They knew I had spiritual abilities in botany, so they used my parents’ whereabouts as leverage to make me approach you, to figure out how you used the purification ability. They originally planned…”
“To let you learn purification from me, then present you as the first person to truly purify plants while enduring hardship, and use public opinion to suppress me. Once I was completely discredited, they could monopolize the purified plants and technology in the Chamber of Commerce for profit, and also clear their name.”
Shi Xiaowang completed his sentence for him.
“How… do you know…”
Xu Qingluo froze.
Shi Xiaowang displayed his lightbrain information and said, “Jian Mo told me.”
Meng Zhan raised an eyebrow.
“Did he go personally to handle the culprit?”
“Yeah, spreading false accusations against a lifetime Federation honorary recipient, threatening citizens—it’s likely he’ll be locked up.”
Shi Xiaowang nodded.
“So I wasn’t too concerned about this matter itself.”
Hearing that, Xu Qingluo secretly relaxed. Seeing Shi Xiaowang look at him again, he hurriedly added, “I told them I wouldn’t help them, and after coming to the institute, I haven’t contacted them again…”
“But those tomato seeds were given to them by you, right?”
Shi Xiaowang interrupted.
Xu Qingluo paused, looked at him, then nodded miserably.
“Yes… at the time, I had no choice…”
“Do you remember what I told you when you came to me that day?”
Xu Qingluo lowered his head.
“Yes… ‘If there’s anything, tell me directly to avoid misunderstandings.’”
“That phrase has a time limit,” Shi Xiaowang said, no longer hiding anything.
“If you had told me then, when you were talking about your parents, I probably wouldn’t have minded. But now, the Chamber of Commerce people are using the seeds I purified to slander me. Do you think I’d still say it’s okay?”
“Now you tell me, is it because you remembered after seeing the news, fearing I’d misunderstand, so you confessed, or just to absolve yourself, fearing I’d check later and reopen the issue? I already gave you two chances: when you secretly photographed me using my ability, and when you asked for my help about your missing parents. You could have been completely honest, but you weren’t.”
“Xu Qingluo, I won’t trust you again.”
Shi Xiaowang watched Xu Qingluo’s face pale.
“Think positively; maybe you did it for your parents, making contingency plans between me and the Chamber of Commerce. But what if… how can I trust you never thought about replacing me as the first person?”
“I never thought that, really!”
Xu Qingluo immediately protested.
“I truly only did it for my parents!”
Shi Xiaowang waved his hand.
“It doesn’t matter. Whatever you say now is meaningless. I won’t give you a third chance.”
“Brother Xiaowang… I’m sorry, I really didn’t…”
Xu Qingluo looked remorseful and anxious.
“Regarding your parents, I promised not to go back on my word. As a duke, I have a duty to protect all citizens. So you…”
Shi Xiaowang paused, then looked at him again.
“Just call me Little Duke from now on.”
Xu Qingluo left crying, unsure if it was for the brief friendship or regret for the future diverging from expectations.
Shi Xiaowang didn’t care, exhaling with some annoyance.
Meng Zhan and Han Ling exchanged a glance. They hadn’t expected so many twists behind a false news story. They knew how frustrating it was for Shi Xiaowang to be betrayed by a friend.
Han Ling gently patted Shi Xiaowang’s shoulder.
“Let’s go. Didn’t you say we were going to eat? Let’s have something delicious. Tell me what you want, and I’ll make it for you.”
“I’m fine, Aunt Ling. Don’t worry.”
Shi Xiaowang smiled.
“I promised to make barbecue for everyone tonight; everything’s almost ready.”
In the past few days, for the experiments, they had purified many chickens and ducks, and Shi Xiaowang had been thinking about it.
This was Shi Xiaowang’s first time cooking meat.
Besides whole chickens and ducks, he also skewered various vegetables. The birds were coated in newly collected honey and roasted until crispy and fragrant.
Once the aroma appeared, everyone exclaimed “Wow!” Even usually composed Han Ling squeezed over curiously.
But there was less meat than people, so everything was quickly grabbed.
Luckily, everyone got familiar with the process, and someone soon took over from Shi Xiaowang.
He looked at the chicken leg and skewers on his plate.
He had originally planned for Jian Mo to try them.
The report news in the morning had reached Jian Mo first. He had said he’d personally handle it and ensure nothing similar happened again, and that Guild people wouldn’t interfere.
Shi Xiaowang sighed. The sunset had faded, and stars were beginning to sparkle.
Jian Mo wouldn’t come today, it seemed.
Thinking of this, Shi Xiaowang bit fiercely into his chicken leg, annoyed at being left waiting.
“So bold.”
A clear, cheerful voice sounded beside him.
Shi Xiaowang looked up and met Jian Mo’s smiling eyes.
“You came?”
Shi Xiaowang’s eyes curved in delight.
Jian Mo raised an eyebrow.
“Some people promise to meet the day before, then forget completely the next day.”
“I didn’t forget!”
Knowing he was teasing him, Shi Xiaowang glared.
“I just thought you’d be too busy today to come.”
“How dare I?”
Jian Mo sat beside him, smiling.
“You already left home; if I didn’t keep my promise, someone might even forget where home is.”
“Huh? Left home?”
Meng Zhan had taken a skewer from a colleague far away and ran over to watch the fun.
The little colleague shouted in despair, “Director! That’s my meat!”
“Yeah, I know you’re a chicken!”
Meng Zhan waved the skewer and turned back, eating while asking, “What happened? Did Jian Mo bully you?”
Jian Mo glanced at him.
“Eat your meat.”
Meng Zhan protested.
“What are you doing? I’m his teacher, you know. There’s a saying, ‘Once a teacher, forever a…”
“Shut up.”
Jian Mo kicked him sharply.
Meng Zhan staggered, dropping his skewer, and let out a frustrated roar.
“Damn you, Jian Mo!”
A nearby colleague laughed loudly.
“Serves you right!”
After the commotion, the initially reserved group became lively again, talking and laughing throughout the barbecue dinner.
Shi Xiaowang finally smiled.
“Marshal Jian, try the roast duck I made. Not much left—eat now or it’ll be gone.”
Han Ling placed the plate in front of Jian Mo.
“This is Aunt Ling. I think I’ve mentioned her.”
Shi Xiaowang introduced in time.
Jian Mo quickly got up and took the plate, politely replying,
“Thank you, Aunt Ling. Just call me Jian Mo.”
Han Ling smiled.
“From now on, we’ll rely on you to take care of our Xiaowang.”
“I will. Don’t worry.”
Jian Mo said earnestly.
Shi Xiaowang, chewing on a chicken bone, looked at them with curved eyes.
After Han Ling left, Jian Mo focused on the duck leg.
He tried it politely, eyes widening in surprise.
“Delicious?”
Shi Xiaowang watched him.
Jian Mo nodded repeatedly.
“Delicious. Really delicious. I can’t describe it, but it’s really good.”
Shi Xiaowang laughed at his repeated praise.
“Of course! There’s no bad barbecue in the world! I just told Aunt Ling, we could open another breeding area on the back mountain for chickens and ducks, maybe some cows and sheep, too. Meat to eat, milk to drink, and any extra milk we could use for desserts.”
Sounds tempting. Jian Mo imagined it, sincerely wishing them well.
“Hope you finish it soon.”
After finishing a duck leg, Jian Mo glanced at the fire grate, disappointed.
“Everything’s really gone…”
Meng Zhan somehow grabbed a chicken leg and proudly walked over, taking two big bites in front of him.
He earned a glaring look from Jian Mo.
“Let’s go. Instead of watching monkeys here, take me to see your mountain plot.”
Jian Mo stood and looked at Shi Xiaowang.
Shi Xiaowang almost lost it, glanced at Meng Zhan, and, adhering to his respect for teachers, forced down the smile at the corner of his mouth.
“Oh.”
“Who are you calling a monkey?”
Meng Zhan stopped eating, glaring.
Jian Mo glanced over lightly.
“Who knows? Hard to guess.”
Just as they were about to scuffle, Shi Xiaowang grabbed Jian Mo’s hand, laughing and running, leaving Meng Zhan behind, blocked by Han Ling, yelling in anger.
After running far, Shi Xiaowang laughed and stopped.
“You two are so childish.”
Jian Mo didn’t speak, smiling at him.
Seeing Jian Mo still holding his hand, Shi Xiaowang pursed his lips and let go.
“Let’s go. Didn’t you want to see my mountain plot?”
“Okay.”
The next second, Jian Mo grabbed the hand he just released.
Looking slightly stunned, Shi Xiaowang watched as Jian Mo shook the hand, smiling, urging, “Let’s go.”
“Mm…”
The back mountain was quiet, with only a few dim streetlights, less bright than the stars.
Occasional insect chirps filled the fields; a breeze carried the scent of fruits and vegetables—comfortable and pleasant.
They walked side by side in silence.
After a while, Jian Mo spoke first.
“You okay?”
“Huh?”
Shi Xiaowang came back to himself and smiled.
“Why are you asking?”
“I’m really fine.”
Shi Xiaowang unconsciously swung their joined hands.
“The first time I met him, he secretly photographed me using my purification ability. It was Da Meow who reminded me. Da Meow’s really great.”
Shi Xiaowang praised his cat.
“Mm.”
Jian Mo smiled.
Shi Xiaowang continued softly, “I’ve always thought it’s normal for people to have selfish desires. We haven’t known each other long, so even if I consider him a friend, I never thought our relationship was unbreakable. So now, whether he made contingency plans for his parents or truly believed the Chamber of Commerce, wanting to replace me, it’s reasonable. Why get angry?”
“And you?”
Jian Mo asked.
“If everyone has selfish desires, what’s yours?”
“Me?”
Shi Xiaowang smiled.
“I want to fully heal you and Da Meow, and Uncle Ye too. We can travel together, like my parents did, visit unseen places, find seeds I haven’t seen, and cook delicious food together.”
“Not hard. The purification treatment chamber succeeded; we can go wherever you want.”
Jian Mo smiled.
“So, everyone has selfish desires, but the content differs. I know you’re not angry, but disappointed—not just because he lied, but because you gave him chances, and he still deceived you. Everyone hopes those sincere to them are sincere back. So even if unhappy, it’s okay. Don’t force yourself to pretend nothing happened. Don’t be too pessimistic. He’s him; you’re you. You’ll meet people who deserve your trust.”
Shi Xiaowang was quiet, eyes down, lips pressed. After a long time, he softly called:
“Jian Mo.”
“Mm?”
“Hold me…”
Jian Mo froze.
Not immediately getting the hug, Shi Xiaowang pouted, raising his arms.
Jian Mo laughed lightly and embraced him. Seeing him buried in his arms, he got momentarily distracted.
No wonder he liked watching Da Meow act spoiled—who wouldn’t?
Shi Xiaowang buried his face fully, then, after a while, murmured:
“I’m just unhappy.”
“Mm.”
“I’m a bit sad.”
“Mm.”
“I kind of dislike Xu Qingluo…”
“Mm.”
“You do too.”
“Mm… huh?”
Shi Xiaowang pouted in his arms.
“You said you’d come find me today. I’ve been looking forward to it for a whole night and day. Why didn’t you leave it to someone else? Seeing you is more important than catching them!”
“Mm…”
Jian Mo didn’t know what to say, so he nodded.
“Fine, I was wrong.”
Shi Xiaowang looked at him, accusingly:
“Hmph, you didn’t put me first!”
Jian Mo looked back, smiling defensively:
“Unfair. I did put you first. That’s why I couldn’t stand them slandering you, so I went to catch them first. Otherwise, what if I got furious?”
Shi Xiaowang pressed his lips, pretending to think, then buried his face back.
“Oh, then I forgive you.”
“Thanks…”
The firm texture of his uniform made Shi Xiaowang sigh regretfully.
“I miss Da Meow. You’re not fluffy.”
Jian Mo chuckled.
“Next time I’ll bring him, then I won’t come.”
Shi Xiaowang hummed and shook his head.
“No, you both come.”
“So greedy?”
Jian Mo raised an eyebrow.
“Yes, all mine.”
Shi Xiaowang said matter-of-factly.
“Mm, all yours.”
Jian Mo smiled indulgently.
