Composed in the heart, steady in action, unhurried and unwavering in belief. This was Wang Zhuo’s psychological state at that moment. After the news of the weight-loss drug went public, he was immediately thrust into the spotlight, the focus of universal attention and the target of widespread criticism, yet he maintained this equilibrium, unruffled even if Mount Tai were to collapse before him.
Facing all manner of open attacks and hidden barbs, and countless voices of doubt, Wang Zhuo chose silence for the first time. This only fueled the arrogance of his detractors and slanderers, and for a time, public opinion gradually turned into a one-sided torrent.
But the true peers in the industry were deeply uneasy about his achievement. All the criticism was merely an outlet for venting; no amount of slander could undo the unveiling of a groundbreaking scientific achievement. If "Life Ark" was truly as effective as its inventor claimed, it would undoubtedly be etched into the annals of human medical history.
In a casual conversation, mighty fleets are reduced to ashes. Only those who truly hold the reins can laugh until the very end.
Finally, it was senior year. How did it become senior year? It truly is senior year!
This is the common sentiment among many undergraduates, but for students like Wang Zhuo, engaged in the arduous eight-year marathon of combined bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral studies, the haste of life is equally palpable. In just over half a year, he would be bidding farewell to some of the very people who started school alongside him.
That day, Wang Zhuo was sitting in his dormitory, deeply engrossed in a massive medical tome, when the doorbell rang—he had a visitor. Even in the prestigious medical university, filled with hidden talents, a student like him was a true oddity. Although faculty and students largely viewed him as just a businessman occasionally involved in product R&D, the development process of "Angel..." had already spread throughout the campus, and his abilities were acknowledged. Even those who envied his good fortune had to admit that he possessed the strength first, which then created the opportunity for luck.
Researchers often encounter results where "a determined effort bears no fruit, yet an idle gesture yields an unexpected success," or, "I searched for her a thousand times in the crowd, then suddenly turned back, and there she was, in the dim lamplight." This is what one calls an accidental breakthrough; perhaps others toil for decades without results, while you stumble upon the right path immediately upon arrival and soar to the skies.
Famous examples of such happy accidents would naturally include Coca-Cola and Viagra, perhaps with Wang Zhuo’s "New Life Hair Removal" thrown in.
And now? Everyone was watching. Seeing just how far Wang Zhuo’s weight-loss drug would go.
“Who is it?” Wang Zhuo responded casually, rising to open the door.
Standing outside were Geng Bin and two unfamiliar young women.
“Boss, these are two freshmen from this year. I brought them to tour the graduate dorms. I heard they are your admirers, so I brought them over!”
After the summer break, Geng Bin, who had returned to school, had ballooned back to two hundred pounds. This time, he was quite troubled. With three years of university life passing, he had become accustomed to the company of formalin and scalpels, and his appetite had gradually returned, making his weight difficult to control.
However, thanks to the weight-loss agent provided by Wang Zhuo, he quickly saw immediate results. In the month since senior year began, he had already shed twenty pounds, now resembling the burly one-hundred-eighty-pound figure from last semester, rather than the obese man he had become.
Hearing the introduction, Wang Zhuo looked toward the two young women. One was fair-skinned and tender, of average height, with a touch of baby fat, possessing a dimple on her left cheek when she smiled. The other was about 1.70 meters tall, her temperament bearing a slight resemblance to He Ye from the past; her looks were equally matched with He Ye’s, marking her as a campus beauty of the highest caliber.
Wang Zhuo didn't know that this was the famed “Sister Rong” who had become the talk of the school since the new semester began. Ever since he had welcomed He Ye into his inner circle, no girl had managed to supplant the former Campus Belle He’s position, and the appearance of Sister Rong caused the thirsty male population to exclaim that the Flower Queen had arrived!
“Please, come in,” he smiled and nodded at the two girls, turning to usher them into the dormitory.
At the Medical University, there were countless versions of gossip concerning Wang Zhuo, but one point was universally agreed upon: Wang Zhuo looked harmless, yet he was actually a beauty-killer.
In this era that valued being unconventional, the title of beauty-killer was perhaps a form of compliment, proving he had capability, skill, and charm with women. Girls with notable looks were often intensely curious: could their own beauty capture the attention of this influential figure?
Rong Xuehan, today, had come with exactly that objective.
After they were seated, Geng Bin naturally began the introductions. The girl with the dimple was named Dai Shan, and her surname, Dai, came about because when her grandfather was registering the household, the registration officer found the character (Dài - to wear/support) troublesome and casually wrote the simplified character (Dài - generation/substitute) instead, and so her family ended up with the surname Dai.
“That works?” Wang Zhuo laughed wryly.
“It’s actually quite nice,” Dai Shan giggled. “It only takes five strokes to write! It saves a lot of trouble when signing documents!”
Geng Bin interjected cheerfully, “Exactly! When I was in elementary school, I envied names like yours, Wang Zhuo, they were so much easier to write than mine!”
“Xuehan’s name has three characters, compared to the three of us, she’s at a disadvantage,” Dai Shan teased.
“The surname Rong isn’t that common,” Wang Zhuo nodded. “Is it the character for cold, (hán)?”
He silently mused, Rong Xuehan—that name was indeed quite cold, not quite fitting for this rather shy girl when she smiled, but rather suitable for Fu Xinran.
Rong Xuehan smiled faintly. “It used to be. Later, my aunt said such a cold name wasn't good for a girl, so it was changed to a different character: the radical for mouth, , plus the character for contain, (hán)—it’s a bit obscure…”
Mouth radical plus the character for 'contain'? Wang Zhuo pieced it together in his mind and couldn't help but smile thoughtfully.
Not only was it somewhat obscure, but he had never even seen that character before. Was it in the dictionary? Moreover, that character was too easily associated with things inappropriate for children!
“Who changed that character for you?” he asked, suppressing a laugh.
Although he was holding back his laughter, the slight upward curve at the corner of his mouth could not escape anyone’s notice. Dai Shan covered her mouth with the back of her hand, her eyes crinkling with laughter, while Geng Bin pretended to eat an orange, adopting an expression of non-interest.
“We hired a Daoist priest to calculate it,” Rong Xuehan said with a helpless smile. “I used it for three years in middle school, but when I got to high school and wanted to change it, I already had my ID card, and the household registration department wouldn't approve it…”
Wang Zhuo shook his head, laughing. Either the Daoist priest had gone foolish from cultivation, or he was deliberately playing a prank; otherwise, how could he give a girl such a name? Wasn't that setting her up for trouble!
Rong Xuehan’s delicate face flushed slightly, but her expression was relatively free and easy. It was clear she was an open-minded girl, not overly concerned by this rather awkward name.
She smiled, then shrugged. “Anyway, now it’s the internet age. I use my screen name more often than my real name. I usually go by Rong Xue—the 'Rong' from melting, (róng).”
Wang Zhuo nodded. “Melting snow?”
Rong Xuehan smiled and shook her head. “No, it means causing the snow to melt…”
“Oh…” Wang Zhuo looked at her, feeling this girl was rather interesting. She seemed to have substance, not just a decorative beauty.
Just then, his phone on the table began to ring. Picking it up, he saw it was Guan Yingying calling.
“Please, sit down, have some fruit.”
“I’m going to take this call…” He said to the three of them, heading toward the bedroom.
He lived alone in a three-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, which made Dai Shan and Rong Xuehan quite envious. Geng Bin lived in the same layout, but all three rooms were occupied.
“How’s the rest going, busy bee…”
On the phone, Guan Yingying asked cheerfully.
“Refreshed,” Wang Zhuo laughed. “I’m reading in my room. What are you doing?”
“Me? I’m online shopping. I just picked out an ink wash painting,” Guan Yingying replied. “Are you coming over tonight?”
“Of course, I’ll come over now and find you guys,” Wang Zhuo replied swiftly and decisively.
Guan Yingying sounded surprised. “Now? It’s only three o’clock; we haven’t even gotten off work yet…”
“Alright, it’s settled then!” Wang Zhuo said to himself, then hung up.
Looking at the phone he had abruptly hung up, Guan Yingying seemed to understand. Wang Zhuo likely had some social engagement he wished to avoid, using this as an excuse to slip away!
A little over half an hour later, he arrived at the corporate offices of Shengshi Dynasty. Passing through the employee area, he was met with numerous surprised glances.
Am I seeing things? It’s Wang Zhuo, Boss Wang! What business does he have here? Has the sun risen in the west today?
Some looks treated him as a complete stranger; one security guard even started to approach, wanting to ask questions. Fortunately, an older employee pulled the guard aside. Wang Zhuo felt a little awkward; having been an absentee owner for so long, even his company employees didn't recognize him! This certainly aligned with his low-key style, but was it a good thing or a bad thing?
In Qi Fei’s office, the iron lady was listening to her subordinate’s cost accounting report. Wang Zhuo waved his hand with a smile, first heading to the adjacent room because he could see with his clairvoyance that Guan Yingying was alone inside.
Guan Yingying, at work, was wearing office lady attire, the same style as Fu Xinran’s usual clothes. However, hers was more sharp and mature, as the status of a female CEO needed to be highlighted.
Black, shiny high heels, soft black silk stockings, a dark green suit, a snow-white shirt collar, her hair impeccably pinned up, bright red lipstick, and gold-rimmed glasses framed her face elegantly and professionally—she looked like a fashion model posing for a shoot.
“Wow, Sister, you look stunning today. I could feel your aura from a hundred meters away,” Wang Zhuo said, giving her a thumbs-up and praising her cheerfully.
“Stop your sweet-talking. Even though I look this good, you don’t come to see me every day,” Guan Yingying huffed, gesturing for him to lock the door.