Shu Lanzhou suddenly thought of something.
"This past year, you've been going up to the attic with me a lot more often. And although you looked like you were casually flipping through the medical books, the ones you picked were all about andrology and endocrinology, weren't they?"
"You've been trying to find a cure for Uncle's condition?"
Mu Side looked a little surprised. "I thought you hadn't noticed. Turns out you saw right through me."
"The medical books in the attic are all organized by category, and each shelf has its own key. I might not have been paying close attention, but I still noticed which cabinet you were heading to," Shu Lanzhou replied, frowning slightly. "So, did you find anything?"
Mu Side shook his head. "No. I've already examined Uncle. He doesn't have any external injuries. His recovery was quite good, and theoretically, it shouldn't have affected that part of him."
He had even suspected that the problem might be psychological and had considered giving his uncle some counseling more than once.
Looking at the troubled expression on Mu Side's face, Shu Lanzhou felt just as worried. "How about this—you find a way to get a copy of Uncle's old hospital records from when he was injured. Maybe we can go over it together?"
Mu Side leaned in. "Did something occur to you?"
Shu Lanzhou shook her head. "Not really. It's just… since his condition started right after that injury, the root cause must lie there. If we study the medical records from that time, maybe we'll find something."
It seemed like the only option they had for now.
The only problem was…
Shu Lanzhou was about to graduate from her master's program and was swamped with thesis work. Since she was pursuing a dual degree, she had to write two papers. Luckily, her thesis on cell biology could be reused from her past life, so she just needed to adapt it.
Thanks to Nan Xi's media report and her previous clashes with Han Weicheng, Shu Lanzhou's name had begun to circulate in the medical field.
Especially after she live-streamed herself writing her thesis, more professors started emphasizing the importance of practical research. Even those students who used to bury themselves in lab work began gaining attention.
Acupuncture majors were becoming more popular, and Mu Yanning had taken on more classes at the university, dragging her assistant Shu Lanzhou into a whirlwind of work as well.
As a result, she and Mu Side had less and less time together. Let alone reviewing medical records—they barely even had time for a proper date.
Fortunately, Mu Side hadn't yet managed to retrieve Mu Rongxie's case files, so Shu Lanzhou decided to focus on her thesis first and revisit the issue afterward.
—
About a month before graduation, Shu Lanzhou returned to school to attend the university's anniversary celebration. As the event wrapped up and she was leaving the campus gates, she unexpectedly ran into Tian Hua.
It had been more than half a year since their last encounter. Word had it that Tian Hua had refused Han Weicheng's offer and chose to remain quietly at the research institute.
Luckily, he had some ability. Thanks to his competence, Shi Yong and Zhou Yan hadn't given him too much trouble—in fact, they'd even offered him a few promotion opportunities.
Over the past six months, he'd made solid progress in his work, got promoted slightly, and earned decent bonuses.
But judging by his pale, exhausted face, it didn't look like things were going that well for him.
"Shu Lanzhou!" Tian Hua called out with a warm, ingratiating smile. "Long time no see."
Shu Lanzhou had been at the institute less often recently. Tian Hua had tried several times to contact her but never succeeded.
Mainly because she had blocked all their numbers. Given what had happened with Fang Ruoshi, Tian Hua didn't want to contact her unless it was absolutely necessary.
Shu Lanzhou narrowed her eyes. "What do you want?"
"Don't be so cold. We were colleagues, weren't we?" Tian Hua chuckled awkwardly. "I just wanted to introduce you to a friend."
That's when Shu Lanzhou noticed the middle-aged man standing beside him.
The man looked to be in his mid-thirties. He had narrow, upturned eyes and wore a faint, insincere smile.
One glance, and Shu Lanzhou could tell—this guy didn't look like a good person.
She took a step back. "Why don't you keep your friend to yourself? I'm not interested."
"No need to be so unfriendly, young lady." The man stepped forward, flanking her on the other side along with Tian Hua, effectively blocking her path.
He handed her a business card. "I heard you studied traditional medicine. You must know something about cosmeceuticals?"
"I just returned to China and plan to start a cosmeceutical company. Haven't found a reliable partner yet. I happened to meet Xiao Tian here, and he said you're knowledgeable."
"If you're willing to talk, name your price. I'm not short on money. I just value trustworthy partners. In business, trust is more important than profits."
"Besides, cosmeceuticals are different from regular cosmetics. I want to be responsible to the public. Every product from my company should be safe and reliable."
His last sentence made Shu Lanzhou glance at him again.
The man assumed she was intrigued and smiled even more broadly. "So, what do you say? Interested in chatting more?"
But instead of answering him, Shu Lanzhou turned to Tian Hua. "You short on money lately?"
"Why do you ask?" Tian Hua's surprised expression vanished quickly, but the flicker of embarrassment and panic in his eyes confirmed Shu Lanzhou's suspicion.
There's no such thing as a free lunch. Why would he suddenly try to introduce her to a business partner unless there was something in it for him?
Shu Lanzhou let out a soft laugh. "Sorry, mister. I'm a researcher. I don't do business. You've got the wrong person."
With that, she walked around the two men and headed for a nearby car.
The middle-aged man looked like he wanted to go after her, but as soon as he spotted Mu Side, he froze in his tracks.
Once their car drove off, the man turned around and glared at Tian Hua.
"You said she'd be interested. You promised she'd talk to me. So why was she completely uninterested?"
"Please, Mr. Zhang, don't be upset." Tian Hua hadn't expected Shu Lanzhou to shut him down so bluntly.
He thought she'd jump at the opportunity. After all, the Mu family also had a cosmeceutical business. Ever since Luo Jialin started his medical beauty company, Mu Side had been releasing rival products to compete.
But the Mu Group wasn't a specialized cosmetics brand—they weren't a match for Luo Jialin. Now that someone was offering collaboration, Shu Lanzhou should be eager.
Especially considering she wouldn't just let Luo Jialin off the hook.
Tian Hua was puzzled. "Don't worry, Mr. Zhang. I'll find a way to convince her to cooperate with you. Just wait for my good news."
"Hmph. You better convince her." Mr. Zhang snapped. "Don't forget you still owe me money. If you can't convince Shu Lanzhou, then get ready to work it off in my company."
Tian Hua smiled obsequiously. "Of course, of course. I'll make it happen. Don't worry."
He sent the man off with a flurry of bows and fake smiles. Once the man was gone, his expression turned dark.
Since Shu Lanzhou refused to cooperate, he'd have to prepare a backup plan.
He pulled out his phone and called both Fang Ruoshi and Guo Jialiang, inviting them to dinner.
Maybe it was because all three of them had fallen on hard times, but their bond seemed a little more genuine now than it had ever been back in the research team.
Especially Guo Jialiang. He'd changed the most. Once the most ruthless of them all, he now had started doing good deeds.
After hanging up, Tian Hua's face showed a hint of bitterness.
He got into a taxi and headed straight for the city prison.