Fu Yanchen stood in a café across from the research institute, holding a cup of American coffee that had already gone completely cold.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he could clearly see the illuminated window on the third floor of the laboratory building.
Liu Yi’an was still working overtime.
It had been five days in a row.
He took out his phone and dialed a number.
“How is it?”
A lowered voice came from the other end. “Young Master Fu, I got the pictures. She spent the whole day writing again today. As you instructed, I took several pictures while she was in the restroom.”
“Send them over.”
After hanging up, Fu Yanchen stared at his phone screen.
A few seconds later, several photos came through.
He enlarged the first one.
The page was covered with densely packed formulas and data. The handwriting was neat, and the derivation flowed seamlessly from beginning to end.
Fu Yanchen’s finger paused on the screen.
This material formulation…
He quickly flipped to the second and third pictures.
The more he looked, the worse his expression became.
Liu Yi’an was using an entirely new composite-material system. Unlike Wei Qing’s approach, which was based on improving traditional methods, she had completely overturned the existing framework and redesigned it from the molecular-structure level.
The theoretical derivations were rigorous, the experimental data was comprehensive, and she had even included cost calculations and an analysis of the feasibility of industrial production.
This wasn’t merely a research report.
It was a complete technical solution.
Fu Yanchen tightened his grip on the phone until his knuckles turned white.
He suddenly remembered what Liu Yi’an had been like years ago, when she had first joined the research institute.
Back then, she had been a newly graduated student, with a light in her eyes and a smile for everyone she met.
Whenever she achieved something, he was always the first person she ran to tell.
“Yanchen, look at this data!”
“Yanchen, my advisor said my proposal is really innovative!”
“Yanchen…”
At the time, he had only found her annoying.
He thought she was childish and noisy.
Now that he thought about it, perhaps every draft paper he had casually thrown away and every presentation he had interrupted had been of this caliber.
Fu Yanchen closed his eyes for a moment.
His phone vibrated.
Wei Qing sent him a message: “Yanchen, where are you? I need to talk to you.”
He didn’t reply.
Another message came: “I know you’re checking on Liu Yi’an’s progress. What have you found?”
Fu Yanchen stared at the message for a long time before typing: “Nothing much.”
“Really?” Wei Qing immediately sent another message. “Yanchen, are you hiding something from me?”
“No.”
“Then send me the photos so I can take a look.”
Fu Yanchen’s finger hovered above the screen.
A few seconds later, he exited the chat and turned off his phone.
At the Fu residence, in the bedroom.
Wei Qing watched as the “typing…” indicator on her phone disappeared, then angrily threw the phone onto the bed.
He really was hiding something from her.
She jumped out of bed, threw on a coat, and rushed out of the room.
The study door was ajar. She pushed it open.
Fu Yanchen wasn’t there.
Wei Qing looked around, her eyes landing on the laptop sitting on the desk.
She walked over and pressed the power button.
The password was Fu Yanchen’s birthday.
She tried it once. Wrong.
She tried again. Still wrong.
On the third attempt, she entered the date of Fu Yanchen’s elder brother’s death.
The screen lit up.
Wei Qing quickly opened the folders and searched through the most recent photos.
There they were.
She opened the first one, and her pupils suddenly contracted.
This derivation process…
She continued scrolling, and her hands began to tremble.
Impossible.
How could Liu Yi’an possibly have achieved this level?
She was obviously nothing more than a pretty face who had gotten into the research institute through connections. How could she possibly
“What are you doing?”
A cold voice came from behind her.
Wei Qing spun around.
Fu Yanchen stood in the doorway, his expression frighteningly dark.
“Yanchen, I…” Wei Qing hurriedly closed the laptop. “I just wanted to see what you had found.”
“So you took it upon yourself to use my computer?”
“I didn’t mean to. I just…” Wei Qing bit her lip, tears falling from her eyes. “I was just worried that she had deceived you.”
“Deceived?” Fu Yanchen sneered. “Wei Qing, do you think those photos are fake?”
Wei Qing was speechless.
“Or do you think Liu Yi’an isn’t capable of producing research like this?”
“I…”
“You what?” Fu Yanchen stepped toward her. “Do you dare rewrite the derivation process of your research report right here in front of me?”
Wei Qing’s face went deathly pale.
“Can’t do it?” Fu Yanchen stared at her. “Or is it that you simply don’t know how?”
“Yanchen, how can you say that to me?” Wei Qing cried even harder. “You’ve seen how many nights I stayed up working on this research!”
“What I’ve seen is you going to bed at ten every night.” Fu Yanchen’s voice was cold. “Meanwhile, Liu Yi’an has worked until three in the morning every day for five days straight.”
Wei Qing froze.
“Do you know that the wound on her hand still hasn’t healed? Do you know it has split open three times because she’s been rushing to meet the deadline?”
With every word Fu Yanchen said, Wei Qing’s face grew paler.
“Wei Qing, I seriously doubt now whether you actually did that research report yourself.”
“You ” Panic flashed through Wei Qing’s eyes. “You actually doubt me?”
“Give me a reason not to.”
Wei Qing clenched her teeth, then suddenly raised her head, her eyes turning vicious.
“Fine. You want a reason, don’t you?” she sneered. “Yanchen, don’t forget who begged me to marry into the Fu family back then.”
“It was your elder brother
“So he’s dead, and now you think you can just turn your back on us and pretend none of this ever happened?”
Fu Yanchen’s face turned livid.
“I’m telling you, I have to get Liu Yi’an’s research.” Wei Qing enunciated each word. “Whether you want to help me or not, you’re going to help.”
“What are you planning to do?”
“Steal it.” A crazed look flashed in Wei Qing’s eyes. “Her research materials have already been burned once. So what if we burn them again?”
“Have you lost your mind?” Fu Yanchen suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders. “The last fire nearly killed her, and you still want to do it a second time?”
“So what?” Wei Qing broke free of his grip. “It would be better if she died. Then she wouldn’t be in my way anymore.”
“Smack!”
The sharp sound of a slap exploded through the study.
Wei Qing covered her cheek and stared at Fu Yanchen in disbelief.
“You hit me?”
“You deserved it.” Fu Yanchen’s voice was cold. “Wei Qing, I’m warning you don’t lay a finger on Liu Yi’an again.”
“You’re protecting her?” Tears spilled from Wei Qing’s eyes. “Fu Yanchen, have you fallen for her?”
Fu Yanchen fell silent.
“Say something!” Wei Qing screamed. “Do you regret it? Do you regret not marrying her back then?”
“That’s enough.” Fu Yanchen turned and walked out of the study.
Behind him came Wei Qing’s hysterical sobs and cries.
He didn’t look back.
Late that night, in the research institute’s laboratory.
Liu Yi’an put down her pen and flexed her stiff fingers.
The fake materials on the desk were still exactly where she had left them.
She picked up her phone and glanced at the time.
Two in the morning.
It was about time.
She stood up and walked to the window.
The café outside had already closed, but she knew someone had been watching this place all along.
A cold smile curled at the corners of Liu Yi’an’s lips.
She picked up the fake materials and deliberately placed them somewhere highly visible, then turned off the lights and left.
The corridor was completely silent.
Her footsteps echoed through the empty hallway.
The elevator doors opened.
A man wearing a cleaner’s uniform was standing inside. When he saw her, his eyes flickered uneasily.
Liu Yi’an pretended not to notice and stepped into the elevator.
“You’re still not off work this late?” the man asked.”