"No, no, not at all." Shu Lanzhou waved her hands quickly in denial.
In her previous life, she'd suffered from chronic stomach issues and had grown terrified of the pain. She had never had regular eating habits, especially over the past two years, when she grew even more careless. Now, she wanted to prevent any flare-ups before they started—and unexpectedly reaped benefits beyond what she imagined!
After hearing her explanation, the two others sighed in relief.
"Good, as long as you're okay. From now on, you have to eat properly. And if anything ever feels off, you have to say something. Don't bottle it up," He Sixin said with heartfelt concern.
Mu Side gave her a firm look. "Your health is your foundation. Don't push yourself too hard."
"Got it, got it! I promise I won't mistreat myself. I'll do exactly as my senior brother and sister say. I'm very obedient!" Shu Lanzhou said sweetly, her tone full of playful charm.
He Sixin couldn't resist pinching her cheek again. "Yes, yes, Lanzhou is the most well-behaved! Come on, let's go get some food—we're treating ourselves to something good tonight!"
"Afraid I can't," Shu Lanzhou glanced at Mu Side. "Someone's waiting for me at the school gate. I have to go meet them first."
He Sixin was just about to ask more when Mu Side said, "Go ahead and reserve a table. I'll accompany Lanzhou to handle something. We'll join you soon."
Seeing the serious expressions on both their faces, He Sixin didn't press further.
"If something's going on, you better tell me. Don't keep me in the dark."
Shu Lanzhou didn't want her to worry. "I know, senior. And with senior brother coming along, it's really not a big deal. Just go ahead and reserve a table—we'll be back soon."
…
The three parted ways at the school gate. Mu Side took Shu Lanzhou to the waiting car, where an undercover female officer was already inside, ready and waiting.
Meanwhile, back in the auditorium, the competition had just concluded.
The hosting professor announced a thirty-minute break, after which the top thirty projects from each group would be revealed.
As soon as the professor left, the room erupted.
"What just happened? I'm still dazed!"
"Same here. That was insane—he humiliated a former teammate in front of the whole school! How low can you go?"
"Shhh! Keep your voice down. That guy's practically a devil—you wanna die?"
"Hah… so what? He got slapped in the face by Senior He in public. That was so satisfying!"
"Totally satisfying! Serves them right—they've been arrogant for too long. Hit a wall this time, didn't they?"
"Ever think maybe it's only because Senior He and her team never entered the school competitions before? That's why those guys got so cocky."
"Exactly! And this is just the beginning of the drama. Just wait and see!"
"Well, their project is innovative, I'll give them that—but acupuncture? How's that gonna compete with something as hot as cellular biology?"
"That's their Achilles' heel. If not for that, Professor Mu wouldn't be overshadowed by Professor Han all the time."
"Let's see what the judges think. I have a feeling this whole thing isn't over yet…"
…
As the murmurs and debates grew louder, the expressions of Luo Jialin and her group grew darker.
"Happy now?" Luo Jialin turned to Du Yifan, a trace of contempt on her lips.
"Impulsive. Arrogant. How many times has Professor Han warned you? Can't you rein it in a little? This is a school competition, not your lab!"
"Shu Lanzhou is now Professor Mu's student. She's no longer your junior disciple—you don't get to scold her like you used to. Who do you think you are?"
Tian Hua sneered, "And even if you could scold her, what would that do? Give her face? Let everyone see how amazing she's become since leaving our team?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Du Yifan shot to his feet, voice sharp and uncontrolled, drawing everyone's attention.
Lin Muyao, utterly embarrassed, tugged at his sleeve.
"Don't get worked up, senior. Everyone's watching. And honestly, I don't think this is your fault—it's that sly senior sister. She tricked you into losing face. Who would've guessed she'd learn so fast? It's unreal!"
Others, who had secretly blamed Du Yifan for being too rash, also showed hints of doubt.
"Back when she was with our team, she took forever to grasp a concept. Sometimes it took her days just to get through a few pages, let alone memorize anything."
Guo Jialiang spread his hands. "I just can't wrap my head around it. She leaves for one month and now she's some kind of genius? Memorizing everything at will, mastering things overnight? Something's not adding up."
"She's always been diligent. Maybe…" Fang Ruoshi trailed off, unsure how to finish.
Tian Hua nodded. "It's true—she worked hard and took her studies seriously. But she never learned this fast. I remember when we started professional courses, she didn't understand half the lectures. And now…"
"It is weird!"
Du Yifan remained silent, face stormy. Inside, he was fuming.
He'd never been this humiliated—publicly called out by a teacher, no less! He felt utterly disgraced.
What made it worse was the gossip from clueless students who didn't know the full story—mocking him behind his back, stripping him of all dignity and authority. How could he ever show his face around campus again?
He was about to explode.
"Senior, don't be mad. I don't think senior sister meant to embarrass you. She's studying acupuncture now, so of course she'd side with her new team."
Lin Muyao gently patted his chest, softening her tone.
"I don't know if I'm right, but… you all say she was slow to learn cellular biology. What if—just maybe—she didn't actually spend much time on it at all?"
"What if, while she was in our team, she was secretly studying acupuncture all along?"
The others looked unsure, but as they thought about it, the theory started to sound… plausible.
Seeing their hesitation, Lin Muyao continued, "With you all guiding her through competitions and exams, she didn't need to try too hard to pass. If she was secretly studying a second major, then when she graduates, she'll hold dual degrees."
"Also, after her paper was published, I've been puzzled—why would Professor Mu favor her so much? Unless…"
She trailed off dramatically, leaving the sentence unfinished.
"Unless she's had dealings with Professor Mu for a while now—but couldn't show it openly because of Professor Han," Guo Jialiang picked up the thread.
"No wonder she left so decisively. So she had a backup plan all along? Professor Mu must really be pulling out all the stops to challenge Professor Han—even sending in an undercover student?"
…
Silence fell. No one knew whether to believe it or not.
Lin Muyao felt a rush of glee. Guo Jialiang was always such a useful mouthpiece. All it took was a gentle nudge, and he'd stir the pot for her like a pro.
How convenient.
"I don't know about that…" Fang Ruoshi was doubtful. "Lanzhou already left the team. Sure, she's learned most of the essentials, but with her past performance, it'll be hard to pass the next few exams."
"Let alone graduate with a dual degree! And I've known her for years—I've never once seen her study acupuncture, much less meet with Professor Mu."
Tian Hua nodded. "Yeah, I don't think it's that deep. And dragging Professor Mu into it? No way—Shu Lanzhou isn't that calculating."
"Honestly, I don't buy it either," even Du Yifan said, shaking his head. "It just sounds too far-fetched."
Lin Muyao cursed Fang Ruoshi silently but forced a sheepish smile.
"Haha… I was just rambling. Don't take it seriously. I'm just curious why Professor Mu dotes on her so much, and how she learned acupuncture so fast. I was just guessing—pure speculation!"
Then Luo Jialin added her voice.
"I don't think Muyao's guess is completely off the mark. Professor Mu and Professor Han have been at odds for years. Sending someone into Han's team to spy wouldn't be out of the question."
"Then that makes Shu Lanzhou terrifying," Du Yifan exclaimed, stunned. "No wonder she's changed so much—she's been acting this whole time?"