If Chen Zhou saw through Zhao Xiaoyu due to his prejudice against her and the training he received from his family since childhood, then Zhao Daxiong discerned Zhao Xiaoyu’s true nature after just half a month of interaction.
Out of consideration for their blood relationship, Zhao Daxiong had not exposed her. But as her audacity grew—even daring to leave his protective umbrella and run off to the military camp on the island—he began to feel alarmed.
Did she think that with the Zhao family’s connections, she could act without fear? Once she went to the island, how could he possibly protect her?
Compared to Sheng Qianyu’s consistent temperament and abilities since childhood, the higher-ups had already begun to suspect Zhao Xiaoyu!
Especially now, as Zhao Xiaoyu argued with him, playing the family card and spouting ambiguous statements like “the future situation is tense,” “Mom’s identity is special,” and “it will implicate the Zhao family.”
Of course, he knew the future situation was tense and had long been making preparations. But how did Xiaoyu, who had only been back with the Zhao family for a little over a year and had not yet truly accessed the family’s core affairs, know about this?
Moreover, she was subtly hinting that he should sever ties with Qin Fang…
Out of consideration for her as his only blood-related child and Qin Fang’s favoritism toward her, he had chosen to turn a blind eye.
But did this child’s words truly deserve Qin Fang’s affection for her?
On the spot, Zhao Daxiong’s expression turned cold. He forcibly sent her back to school for further studies, cut off her resources, and made her rely on herself.
“‘Why can Qianyu enter the Agricultural Science Academy, while I have to go back to school for further studies?'” Zhao Daxiong repeated her words, then said, “Let me tell you why. Qianyu, while in the Zhao family, relied on her outstanding academic performance, worked diligently, and skipped grades every year. Our Zhao family never gave her any special treatment. Even her entry into the Agricultural Science Academy was due to the dean’s recognition and an exception made for her.
You, however, are different. In one year, you advanced from sixth grade to the first year of high school. Apart from your own academic performance, this was the first time you used the Zhao family’s connections—though not extensively, and I didn’t hold it against you, a child. The second time, you wanted to directly take the college entrance exam. I saw that your scores on higher-level exams were unstable, but because you cried to Qin Fang, I compromised. The third time, you claimed you had mastered all the school knowledge and wanted to enter a hospital. No hospital dared to take you, and even if they did, they wouldn’t let you perform surgeries so quickly. Yet again, you relied on the Zhao family’s connections.
Qianyu never used the Zhao family’s connections and instead brought honor to the family. And you? Every time, you left evidence for others to seize, drawing the attention of the higher-ups to our Zhao family and to you. And I still have to clean up your mess.”
Hearing that the higher-ups were paying attention to her, Zhao Xiaoyu froze, her heart sinking. She saw Zhao Daxiong’s disappointed expression as he continued, “Do you really think everyone else is a fool? If it weren’t for the Zhao family’s connections covering for you, you’d probably be on an experimental table in China by now! I’m sending you back to school for further studies and telling you to behave—it’s actually to protect you! If you weren’t of Zhao blood, would I go to such lengths?!”
Zhao Xiaoyu snapped back to reality and shouted defensively, “Why are you yelling at me? These are all excuses! Everyone knows you want Sheng Qianyu to be your daughter! You’re suppressing my brilliance just to pave the way for Sheng Qianyu!”
With that, Zhao Xiaoyu ran out.
Though she said this, Zhao Xiaoyu had clearly taken his words to heart.
She had been too high-profile, and many things couldn’t withstand scrutiny. Moreover, the Zhao family was indeed under watchful eyes, and using her to find fault with the family was inevitable.She wanted to reclaim her place in the Zhao family to rise above others, to receive the exclusive love of her biological parents—not to be dragged down by the Zhao family and end up lying on an experimental table as a subject of research.
After being sent back to school, Zhao Xiaoyu was dispirited for a while, but she soon stopped slacking off and began studying diligently.
She refused to believe she would ever be inferior to Sheng Qianyu. She was unwilling to live her entire life in Sheng Qianyu’s shadow.
…
In 1966, Sheng Qianyu successfully obtained her university diploma. While preparing for graduate school entrance exams, she also focused intently on her research group’s experiments.
Even though Song Jincheng tried to trip her up with petty tricks and underhanded methods, hoping to pressure her into giving up, she remained mentally resilient. She turned a deaf ear to the gossip, made no attempts to clarify, and let her abilities speak for themselves. In the end, she successfully earned the title of deputy team leader and accelerated the sweet potato research progress by at least three years.
Their primary research goal was to address sweet potato yield issues, expanding their focus to plant cells. After countless failed experiments, their team, under Sheng Qianyu’s initial proposal, achieved small-scale success. Once might have been a coincidence, but repeated successes? Her talent could not be concealed, nor was it questionable. Even Song Jincheng, as the team leader, tried to suppress her but couldn’t.
She immersed herself in the laboratory for two years.
In truth, Sheng Qianyu could have completed the experiment half a year earlier, but she instinctively felt it was too ahead of its time. Using her graduate school preparations as an excuse, she shifted her focus to academic pursuits, thereby delaying the progress.
It was during this diversion of attention that Song Jincheng seized the opportunity, attempting to claim the experimental results as his own.
Sheng Qianyu was no pushover. She joined forces with other team members to report him to the dean.
In 1966, there was no concept of firing employees, especially given the scarcity of talent. No matter how unworthy Song Jincheng was, he was still a researcher. After discussions within the Agricultural Sciences Academy, he was reassigned to grassroots work. Even if he participated in experimental projects, he could only do so as a regular team member. Any further promotions would be hindered by the stain on his record.
Just as Sheng Qianyu thought the matter was settled, in June, China announced the decision to cancel the college entrance examinations. Fortunately, this did not affect her already obtained diploma.
As the sweet potato research neared its conclusion, Song Jincheng privately sought her out, presenting a series of documents threatening the Zhao family.
By 1966, people were already being sent down, and Sheng Qianyu naturally understood what these documents meant—her adoptive parents would face hardship.
Her adoptive parents had raised her for many years; she could not turn a blind eye.
Sheng Qianyu said, “Give me some time.”
“Fine.”
Turning around, Sheng Qianyu sought out the vice dean.
The dean had gone on an inspection tour to the countryside, and it was unclear when he would return. Given the urgency of her situation, she had no choice but to explain her predicament to the vice dean, whom she didn’t interact with much but who held the highest authority among the people she had contact with besides the dean.
Seek out Zhao Daxiong? Zhao Daxiong was already under surveillance.
Other elders in the military compound? No, they were unwilling to wade into the Zhao family’s troubles, all adopting a self-preserving attitude.
If she made too much noise, Song Jincheng would surely notice something. Seeking out the vice dean, with whom she had a neutral relationship, was the best option.
But she never expected this to be a trap set by the vice dean. Song Jincheng was merely a decoy; the one who truly wanted Sheng Qianyu’s scientific research achievements was the vice dean himself.
The vice dean had a nephew in her research group. Handing over the research results could protect the Zhao family, pave the way for his nephew’s steady rise, and allow the vice dean himself to be promoted a level higher, competing with the dean for his position.While Sheng Qianyu remained silent, the other party spoke again: “Child, you must think this through carefully. Once you step out of this door, it is tantamount to rejecting my request. Within half an hour, this stack of documents will land on the desk of the higher-ups. What will happen to the Zhao family then—need I say more?
I believe you are a child who values loyalty and righteousness. You won’t make things difficult for me, nor will you stand by and watch the Zhao family fall into trouble, right?”
What could prove fatal to the Zhao family was not Qin Fang’s background as the daughter of a capitalist, but her unintentional contact with a spy. Even if it was inadvertent, it was enough to drown her in this tense era. Regardless of the details, her research achievements could not prove that they brought sufficient value to the nation, nor could they rival the influence of the vice dean’s position. On the contrary, many people in the shadows were watching the Zhao family. Once such dangerous information was leaked, it would directly become the rice straw that broke the Zhao family’s back.
Therefore, the documents absolutely must not be leaked.
However, with the vice dean as an insurmountable obstacle, no matter how many achievements she might make in the future, they would only serve as a bridal gown for others.
Thus, she could no longer stay at the Agricultural Science Institute.