Chapter 63 Online Romance with a Bad Beta 16: Unable to Enjoy the Beauty's Favor

Weng Li and her group of followers, who were clamoring to check the surveillance footage, were taken away by the teachers to fulfill their wishes.

Personally speaking, teachers tend to trust Xi Congshuang more than Xi Congshuang, who might have committed a crime.

Not only because she had an excellent reputation since joining the company, but also because someone had finally managed to make Weng Li lose face and teach her a lesson for her arrogant temper.

That's so satisfying! It's really exhilarating!

Red Apple described the incident as a case of "evil people will be punished by evil people."

It was truly baffling that anyone would be so foolish as to provoke Xi Congshuang.

Before the teachers left, they comforted Xi Congshuang, telling her to eat well and that they would let her know if anything happened.

Xi Congshuang agreed to each of them, but she seemed a little absent-minded, constantly looking at her hands.

The teacher walking at the back thought she had injured her hand and hurriedly asked, "Assistant Xi, what happened to your hand?"

Xi Congshuang knew her actions were too obvious, so she suppressed her impatience and slowly withdrew her hand, saying, "It's nothing."

The others, not knowing what was going on, had no choice but to leave.

Tan Yicheng suddenly remembered the sound of water that he often heard at Xi Congshuang's house and during his hospitalization.

She immediately understood the meaning behind her action. Xi Congshuang felt that her hands were dirty from touching others and wanted to wash them.

"..." No, how do I know what she's thinking?

Tan Yicheng was surprised that he thought he understood Xi Congshuang. The human heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea; who knows what she was thinking at this moment? He missed the opportunity to leave.

By the time she came to her senses, she was already standing in front of her. Seeing that something was wrong, Qi Qianqian turned around and went downstairs.

The second floor was disturbed by Weng Li and her people, and then the teacher came over. There was no one in the booths in this area; everyone felt it wasn't quiet enough.

Now, Tan Yicheng complains that it's too quiet, so quiet that it's just the two of them.

"Why did you come up here today?" Xi Congshuang asked, her curiosity clearly visible in her smoky gray eyes. "Are you worried about me?"

After hearing these words, Xi Congshuang suddenly realized the truth. The doubts that had been building up in her heart finally had a place to be released, and her thoughts became clear.

This realization struck her as something entirely new, as if she were being worried about by someone she had never expected.

In reality, she was still stuck in the period when Tan Yicheng hated her and couldn't react. Even though Tan Yicheng started to keep his distance from her later, she instinctively thought that she was disliked.

She was disliked, hated, or loathed by many people, even her own parents. It was normal for her to be disliked by outsiders, so she didn't really care.

Moreover, Xi Congshuang's goal has always been clear: to get close to the female lead to eliminate the collapse value, gain points, and save her own life.

It's because her motives were impure. Perhaps she was caught when she was being insincere, so it's normal for her to be disliked. You can't have it all.

But things have developed in a way that has exceeded her expectations and forcibly changed her mind.

Xi Congshuang, like a child receiving a toy for the first time, combed her hair while curiously approaching the other person.

Tan Yicheng stepped back, and she stepped forward without any politeness, until she cornered him against the wall and his back was pressed against the opaque glass wall.

With Alpha's hearing, she could hear the discussions coming from downstairs even through the glass.

They were talking about Weng Li, Xi Congshuang, and why one student hadn't come down yet, and why he was still on the second floor.

Some people have already suggested that we come up and take a look, and the imminent prospect of being seen makes Tan Yicheng feel extremely helpless.

But none of these things had the same obvious presence as the person in front of her. Every move he made attracted her five senses, and she wanted to push him away and leave.

Having made the decision, I had barely raised my hand when someone grabbed my wrist—it was that familiar warmth.

Ren Wengli couldn't figure out why the same action, performed by the same person, would evoke completely different feelings.

While he was all smiles and tenderness as he pulled Shi Tanyicheng along, he was actually aiming to break her wrist.

Tan Yicheng tried to move his hand, but failed to break free. He was still firmly held by the gentle yet strong hand, so he had no choice but to give up.

"Let go, I'm leaving," Tan Yicheng said.

Xi Congshuang bent down and leaned closer, the elegant scent of her perfume instantly filling Tan Yicheng's senses. She asked, "Are you concerned about me? Can't you answer me?"

Tan Yicheng gritted her teeth, her calm expression gradually warming up, turning flushed.

She glanced at Xi Congshuang and refused to look at her: "Why do you have so many questions?"

"..."

In the blink of an eye, after shedding her preconceived notions, Xi Congshuang realized that this expression of resistance was not genuine disgust, at least it was completely different from what she had felt before.

Tan Yicheng: "Let go."

Xi Congshuang: "My food was knocked away, and I didn't get enough to eat."

She didn't know why she said it; it just came out naturally as she watched Tan Yicheng's reaction intently.

This time, Tan Yicheng's reaction was different from what she expected. She still insisted, "Let go, I'm leaving."

Xi Congshuang had no choice but to let go, a vague disappointment flashing across her face.

This emotion flashed by so quickly that she didn't even realize it herself, and she simply watched calmly as she left.

Tan Yicheng's voice came from the stairwell: "We'll talk about it next time, my class is about to start!"

As she walked downstairs, she raised her wrist and said to the AI, "Qianqian, are you full? Bring me a bottle of nutrient solution while you're at it."

Upon hearing this reply, the inexplicable emotions in Xi Congshuang's heart vanished instantly.

Red Apple: "Something's not right. Something's not right with you."

Xi Congshuang asked, "What's wrong with me?"

She rationally believed that by analyzing the narrative from a third-party perspective, she could understand why she had these emotions and how these emotions should be categorized.

However, she asked the wrong person; the person in front of her was an artificial intelligence that did not understand emotions.

Red Apple: "...I can't explain it." This feeling is damn familiar.

But the next second, the system announcement shattered all of Red Apple's plans.

"Honkai value -3, current Honkai value 41.95."

"..."

Red Apple said with a heavy heart, "At least, at least the mission is accomplished. Even if something is wrong, I have to bear it!"

Xi Congshuang: "?"

Red Apple, determined, shouted, "I wasn't wrong, I'll just have to endure it!"

"Hunger drives people mad! I never thought an artificial intelligence like myself would stoop to this level! Following you, a host who is barely alive and perpetually peaceful, I'll starve to death every three days!"

Xi Congshuang: "??"

Red Apple finally found an opportunity to vent her frustrations from the past few days, her words dripping with hunger: "How can someone get angry for only three seconds? I didn't even get to smell the aroma of their emotions! Whoosh—it's gone!"

Xi Congshuang: "???"

"Tell me, why do your emotions come and go so quickly?" Red Apple approached, flapping its wings, its whole body glowing red.

Xi Congshuang recalled: "Because I taught her a lesson, she was punished, and she's not worth wasting my emotions on.

"That's right, that's exactly it!" Red Apple cried, on the verge of tears. "It's because of your way of thinking that I'll starve to death sooner or later."

"I hate you, Xi Congshuang, waaaaaah—ahhhhhh QAQ"

Xi Congshuang: "...Hate it, don't you?"

Let's not make things difficult for an artificial intelligence; consider today's question as a waste of time.

Humans can't discuss answers to questions with a system that spouts nonsense, but the emotions in Red Apple's words caught her attention.

Taking the wailing, delirious system downstairs, Xi Congshuang recalled the contents of her transaction with it, which contained no clauses related to the "emotional meal."

While the possibility of the system adding contract conditions on its own cannot be ruled out, given its usual rigid and conscientious work style, it is unlikely that it would add contract conditions on its own.

Its self-righteous attitude must be something it has allowed itself.

Based on her current memory, she did not give permission.

The red apple sobbed as it went downstairs; it had no tears, nor could it truly shed them.

To express his inner sorrow, he had to use his face as an electronic screen, simulating two wide lines of tears, pretending to be a strong system that could cry in the wind.

Moreover, it had to keep flapping its wings to catch up with Xi Congshuang in front of it, which was both pitiful and comical.

*

The First Academy's punishment came quickly; Xi Congshuang received the news the very next day, and she escaped unscathed.

Weng Li was not injured. Her broken hand was intact. The doctor in charge of the diagnosis said that even if she suddenly had the urge to knit a sweater, it would not affect her accuracy.

Even if there were surveillance footage to review, no one would believe she was injured, or that Assistant Xi would be punished for it.

Moreover, another piece of irrefutable evidence shown in the surveillance footage is that, at the beginning of the incident, it was indeed Weng Li who led people up to provoke and cause trouble.

Assistant Xi was having a meal and only looked up at the other person after a while. She only retaliated when someone reached out to touch her face.

Regardless of the circumstances, Weng Li is in the wrong and will face being asked to resign.

For the past few years since she enrolled, her credits have consistently been just barely enough to advance to the next level. She has only one year left before graduation, and if such a student were to graduate smoothly, it could damage the school's reputation.

The remaining few follower alphas will also face expulsion or repeating a grade, depending on the circumstances.

Weng Li and his cronies strongly objected, believing the school's punishment was too harsh and demanding a retrial. It wasn't until Mr. Weng, who was on another planet, rushed over and slapped Weng Li.

That slap shattered all her rebellious spirit. Covering her face in disbelief, she asked, "Mom, why did you hit me?"

Ms. Weng's face was clearly flushed with anger. She gritted her teeth and said, "What good deeds have you done that you dare to ask me?"

"I told you to go to school and join the military to help out the family, but what have you been doing? It's one thing to mess with your classmates, but to go and mess with President Xi?"

Weng Li: "When did I offend President Xi...you mean Xi Zhaoxue?"

Mr. Weng paced anxiously around the room: "What Xi Zhaoxue? It's Xi Congshuang! She had someone send over a contract to terminate the cooperation agreement. Do you know what she put in it? A document stating that the first half of the year 1206 in the Star Calendar failed the test. The document is headed with the name Cui Lai."

Weng Li didn't quite understand what this meant, and just stared blankly at her mother pacing back and forth: "Is this serious? If we terminate the contract, wouldn't Future Pharmaceuticals be in breach of contract? We should make them pay the penalty for breach of contract..."

Ms. Weng turned her head and realized for the first time that her previous decisions were wrong. She had spoiled the child too much and raised a fool who couldn't see the truth of the matter.

She said, "You think I'm saying this because I'm short of money? This is a warning for the future of pharmaceuticals. Your mother is going to be sued!"

Weng Li was shocked: "What?!"

*

A few days later, Xi Congshuang did not get the promised "next time" response. Instead, she was greeted by the Weng family mother and daughter, who looked guilty and were anxious to apologize.

Along with this, there was also Xi Lianghan, who was used as a lobbyist.

Actually, Ms. Weng said that her child was naive, and she herself was naive too, otherwise why would she think that Xi Lianghan would play a positive role in this conversation?

Xi Congshuang was stopped on her way home from get off work. There were many people coming and going at the time, and she was invited to get in the car, assuring them that they needed to find a quiet place to talk.

They called it clarifying some misunderstandings.

Xi Congshuang raised her wrist to check the time: "There's no need. Vice President Xi, are you going to side with outsiders and ruin your own business?"

The first sentence was spoken to the Weng family mother and daughter, while the second sentence was spoken to Xi Lianghan.

Xi Lianghan: "Xiao Shuang, you're here..."

Xi Congshuang interrupted again: "I know I am young and inexperienced. If we really want to clarify this matter, why don't we hold a meeting next week and have experienced senior executives participate in the discussion to see if we should terminate the cooperation?"

He looked at the two women with a calm gaze: "I think their experience will allow them to make a better judgment."

Needless to say, the company's senior management wasn't going to sit idly by; of course, they agreed to terminate the contract.

From the company's development perspective, since this batch of goods has already been destroyed, we should move in the direction that minimizes the damage.

Moreover, even if they continue to cooperate with Cui Lai, it won't have any positive impact on them, so why create unnecessary trouble?

Xi Lianghan's expression changed, his lips twitched, and he looked at President Weng with a troubled expression.

Mr. Weng's expression also turned strange. Xi Congshuang knew that the two of them were well aware of the situation. Mr. Weng used all his strength to keep from saying, "It was your uncle who agreed to the purchase and gave you the documents to sign."

Seeing that the two were silent, Xi Congshuang said, "Then that's settled. I have to go now."

She left those words behind, boarded the aircraft, and departed.

Mr. Weng: "What should we do? If we really sue, I'll be in jail for several years, and the company will suffer a heavy blow. You have to give me a solution."

Xi Lianghan: "Don't worry, there will be a solution. If you ask me, we shouldn't have sold this batch of goods to Future Pharmaceuticals in the first place."

"What? You're already planning to sever ties so quickly?" President Weng curled her red lips. "Stop being a Monday morning quarterback."

"I still have the original chat logs, showing who approved the review and whose people watched the goods being stored in the warehouse."

Xi Lianghan had nothing to say.

Mr. Weng threatened in a low voice: "If I can't turn things around, you won't get away with it either."

Xi Lianghan was furious for a moment, but quickly forced himself to calm down and tried to soothe the impatient alpha's feelings: "You're too anxious. I haven't even figured out how to tell you how to solve this problem."

"Then tell me, I'm right here listening."

"..."

The two left behind were each in a state of panic, while Weng Li, who had been ignored the whole time, remained silent for a long time, and only then did she realize that she was in a state of panic.

Her mother, who is all-powerful and can handle anything, is now overwhelmed with this situation and may not be able to resolve it.

What should she do then?

Should I really drop out of school and live like an ordinary person?

She felt she might as well die now; she couldn't accept the huge difference in their circumstances.

To this day, she still doesn't understand why simply repeating what she did before has led to this situation.

The person who was lost in thought suddenly felt a jolt in their wrist, and she shuddered as well, not daring to look at the AI.

As she expected, her wrist began to tremble incessantly, signaling the arrival of a series of messages.

These were all sent by her former lackeys whom she had once commanded at will. Now that she was gone, her followers had scattered. Those people who had eaten and drunk her food actually felt that they were innocent and had been implicated, and kept sending messages to insult Weng Li.

She implicated them, causing them to be punished and forever barred from the gates of the First Academy.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up." Unable to bear it any longer, Weng Li ripped the smart device off his wrist and smashed it to pieces. Finally, the world was quiet.

*

The matter of taking Laicui to the interstellar court for substandard products and damaging the future commercial value of pharmaceuticals will not be resolved so quickly.

Xi Congshuang remained at the school, with only an intern by her side to handle daily operations. This intern was responsible for compiling information and informing Xi Congshuang.

The rest of the matters were handled by Gloria, who was far away at the headquarters of Future Pharmaceuticals. Xi Congshuang was in charge of the main direction, and Gloria was only responsible for acting as Xi Congshuang's ears and eyes at the headquarters.

When Xi Congshuang left, many people thought that this playboy had set his sights on another alpha and was going off to do nothing productive.

Little did she know that this was the beginning of her swift and decisive reorganization of the company.

By the time those who have let their guard down realize what's happening, many opportunities have already been missed.

Despite being cursed day and night by Xi Lianghan's faction, who wished she would die in the spaceship crash like her parents, Xi Congshuang still served as her school doctor's assistant during the day.

Meticulous and conscientious, he maintained a high level of attention to the Lai Cui case even at night.

This was Xi Congshuang's way of making an example of someone, and also her way of luring the snake out of its hole.

This dual-job lifestyle was so busy that Red Apple felt a subtle sense of guilt, to the point that it forgot something.

— With only three years left to live, Xi Congshuang focuses all her energy on the female lead, instead of devoting half of it to the company.

No matter how well the pharmaceutical industry develops in the future, or how many cancers are eradicated, it will have nothing to do with her afterward.

Instead of wasting energy, it's better to hurry up and win over the female lead and leave as soon as possible.

But Xi Congshuang did the opposite.

Today was no different. Xi Congshuang, who was casually tidying up the medicine cabinet, was attracted by the commotion outside. She turned around and peeked out from the cabinet, just as Dr. Fan saw her.

"I almost forgot, Assistant Xi is here too. Come with me somewhere," Dr. Fan said, and the person she was talking to turned and left.

Judging from his military uniform, he looks like an alpha with military rank who came from the military to give a lecture.

Xi Congshuang caught up with Dr. Fan, who was carrying a medicine box: "Where are we going? Is anyone injured?"

Generally speaking, minor injuries can be treated on one's own, while serious injuries require treatment at an off-campus hospital. Why would the school clinic be called? Is it some kind of emergency?

Dr. Fan waved his hand: "No one was injured. It was just that the students from the mecha department were doing simulation training today. They were wearing sensors, and they were bound to get injured after the training. So we went to help treat them."

"It won't be too difficult. It's just bandaging and spraying some medicine. If the students are too noisy or annoying, you can just ignore them."

When Xi Congshuang arrived at the scene, she finally understood why Dr. Fan had said those words.

Almost all the mecha students from this academic year were here, and the venue was packed with people.

They arrived at just the right time. The huge field was full of mecha students who had just finished simulation training. Most of them were injured and lay sprawled on the ground without any restraint.

Xi Congshuang's first reaction was to leave.

She was often secretly criticized by Hong Pingguo and Tan Yicheng for being a spoiled rich girl, and this was no exaggeration. She truly had the temperament of a spoiled rich girl and could not tolerate any dirt, mess, or lack of manners.

She was also asked to help apply medicine to the alphas scattered all over the ground; she had overestimated her tolerance.

The alphas quickly noticed that someone had arrived at the venue. They all looked up curiously, and when they saw who was standing in front of the door, a small commotion broke out.

Many people know about Assistant Xi's existence. With so many people coming and going these days, who doesn't know that there's a cold beauty in the school clinic?

However, after Dr. Fan warned them that they often made excuses to go to the school clinic, they stopped doing so.

Everyone loves beauty, so how could I not be excited to see the other person come in person?

Amidst the expectant gazes of the crowd, Xi Congshuang finally moved and walked into the venue.

After weighing the pros and cons, Xi Congshuang stopped in front of Tan Yicheng with her first-aid kit: "Classmate, do you need any help?"

"..." Before Tan Yicheng could answer, he could already feel the daggers in his eyes from all directions.

No wonder there was a saying on ancient Earth: "I am not fortunate enough to enjoy the favor of a beautiful woman."

That's how she feels right now.

————————

Hey classmate, need any help? (Seriously) (Carrying a first-aid kit) (Don't ask, I'm deaf) (Can't hear anyone)