Chapter 4: Misfortune Never Comes Alone
On the rooftop of the Dragon City Security Department building.
Yu Lan stood facing the wind, dressed in her military uniform. Though she was alone, she maintained a standard military posture—chest out, head up, perfectly still.
In the darkness, she looked like the statue of a goddess.
She was on a call with her superior in the capital.
“How is the mission assigned by the company progressing?”
“I am still gathering intelligence.”
“Report your progress.”
“Yes, sir! Our competitors have indeed dispatched a number of experts to Dragon City. According to my investigation, their focus is the Dragon City Scientific Research Institute.”
“Oh? And what research project at that institute interests them?”
“That is not yet clear. Please give me a little more time, sir. I will complete the mission as soon as possible.”
“Mm, make it quick… By the way, how could you be so careless as to end up in the Dragon City papers?”
“The reporters saw me at the scene, but none of them know the specific nature of my work…”
“They don’t know, and the reports only used your cover identity. But by getting into a physical altercation, you still attracted attention!”
“…”
“What’s more, your picture was published. Although you consciously avoided the cameras, several of your profiles were captured. Our competitors will certainly be able to identify you and learn of your relationship with your sister. This is not good, neither for the organization nor for you personally.”
“Understood. It was a rookie mistake. I request disciplinary action from the company!” Yu Lan said calmly.
The person on the other end was silent for a long time before speaking. “We’ll let it go this time. Make up for it by completing your mission.”
“Yes, sir!” Yu Lan responded loudly, her heels clicking together with a sharp snap.
“That concludes official business. Now we can talk privately…” The voice on the other end softened. “Lan, I miss you… Come back when this mission is over, and let’s get married.”
Yu Lan didn’t answer, but her cheeks grew slightly warm.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Lan… answer me. Will you marry me?”
“I’ll do whatever you say, sir!” Yu Lan suddenly laughed, her tone a mix of playfulness and affection.
The person on the other end chuckled, his voice filled with unconcealable joy.
“I’m so happy… Alright, I won’t keep you. Lan… be careful with everything. I wish you success.”
They exchanged a tender farewell and ended the call.
…
Fang Qiang stayed home for a full week. It was less a period of rest and more an ordeal.
First, there were the incessant harassing phone calls from rabid fans of the supermodel Yu Xin. These people were impressively resourceful, having managed to find both his mobile and home phone numbers. They called to threaten him almost every hour.
Some opened with direct insults to his parents, others angrily denounced him as a vile degenerate, and some, in their emotional fervor, claimed they were going to kill him to avenge Miss Yu Xin. A few particularly creative individuals even expressed a special interest in Fang Qiang’s anus.
Terrified, Fang Qiang eventually had to turn off his mobile phone and unplug his landline, refusing to take any more calls.
The next problem was the reporters. They staked out his home like persistent ghosts, making it impossible for him to go outside. He had to survive on canned food and cured meats he had bought previously. The television and newspapers were filled with news—or rather, “scandals”—about him. Public opinion was unanimously sympathetic toward Yu Xin, condemning him as a man of ill repute.
But all of this was mere physical discomfort. Compared to the searing pain of his breakup and the soul-crushing humiliation of his ruined reputation, it was nothing.
Fang Qiang hardly dared to think of his girlfriend—or “ex-girlfriend,” rather—Ye Ling. The moment he did, his heart felt as if it were being sliced by a knife.
The humiliation he had suffered at the police station left him with severe after-effects. He would sometimes wake up from nightmares in the middle of the night.
The female officer, Ruan Lin, had said the police were going to press charges against him. Being framed like this filled Fang Qiang with a profound sense of grief and indignation. He felt that there was truly no justice in the world.
His only solace was to pray constantly, seeking a small measure of peace for his soul.
After a week of this torment, the news that had once stirred up the entire city began to die down. The reporters, presumably bored, began to dwindle in number.
Only then did Fang Qiang dare to step outside and summon the courage to go to work.
It was a bright, sunny morning.
Wearing a coat with a high collar, Fang Qiang kept his head down and scurried out of his house like a thief. He took the bus to the Dragon City Scientific Research Institute.
No one on the way recognized him, but the moment he stepped into the building, his colleagues spotted him immediately.
Every single eye in the place locked onto him.
Whether they knew him well or not, they all stared at him as if he were an alien, their gazes filled with a strange curiosity.
“Hey, everyone. I… I’m back at work…” Fang Qiang forced a smile, mumbled a few useless words, and then fled as if his life depended on it, sprinting all the way to his office.
To the average person, religion and science were irreconcilable enemies, but Fang Qiang didn’t see it that way. His greatest hero was the scientist Isaac Newton. Newton, the man who discovered the law of universal gravitation, was also a clergyman and a devout believer in God. Fang Qiang’s dream was to follow in Newton’s footsteps and make outstanding contributions in both fields.
To that end, he had taken a wide range of natural science courses in university—biology, medicine, physics. After graduation, with a recommendation from his mentor, Professor Mo, he joined the Dragon City Scientific Research Institute as the professor’s personal assistant.
Having gotten into such immense trouble and missed ten consecutive days of work without even requesting leave—only sending a hasty email to explain—Fang Qiang was anxious the entire way to the office, worried that the notoriously strict Professor Mo would chew him out.
Pushing open the office door, Fang Qiang steeled himself and walked in. He addressed the back of Professor Mo, who was sitting at his desk. “Professor, I… I’m here…” he stammered.
Professor Mo didn’t respond, remaining hunched over his desk.
“I’m sorry, Professor. I… I didn’t mean for it to happen… It’s just… well, I don’t know how to explain it…” Fang Qiang grew more uneasy, scratching his head as he tried to explain, at a complete loss for words.
Still, Professor Mo gave no reaction. He didn’t speak, didn’t turn around, didn’t even move. He was like a wooden puppet.
Fang Qiang began to feel that something was wrong. He timidly walked around to the front of the desk and froze.
The old scientist, who had always been so upright, strong, and optimistic, was sitting there in a daze, his spirit utterly crushed. Behind his glasses, his eyes were filled with endless grief and a despair deeper than death itself.
“Professor, what’s wrong? Professor?” Fang Qiang cried out, reaching out to shake his shoulder. “Professor, I’m fine… I was only locked up for a few days, don’t worry… You don’t have to be so upset for my sake…”
At these words, Professor Mo finally showed a flicker of life. He grunted and shot Fang Qiang an annoyed look.
“Don’t flatter yourself. I’m not upset because of you.”
Deeply embarrassed, Fang Qiang mumbled, “Then what…?”
“I’m upset about my research project! Those so-called leaders who know nothing about science have canceled it!” Professor Mo choked out, his voice filled with anguish, his face a mask of grief and fury.
The news hit Fang Qiang like a thunderbolt, leaving him shocked and disappointed.
Professor Mo’s research was on a cutting-edge biotechnology: a physique enhancement agent. According to his theory, if the research was successful, this artificially synthesized drug could unlock human potential a thousandfold. It would not only enhance physical and mental strength to a level approaching that of a movie “superman” but could even allow for limb regeneration and eternal youth.
As Professor Mo’s sole assistant, Fang Qiang had dedicated countless hours of blood and sweat to the project over the years. To suddenly hear it was canceled left him feeling a sense of loss no less profound than the professor’s.
“Why? The director… why would they cancel the project?”
“They said the project has been going on for ten years, has failed too many times, and has wasted too much research funding… Hmph, a bunch of shortsighted fools! Don’t they know Edison failed eight thousand times before he invented the light bulb? And my invention is just one step away… no, half a step away from success!” Professor Mo railed indignantly.
Fang Qiang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. In the few years he had been working there, he had heard Professor Mo say they were “half a step away” dozens of times. But that half-step seemed to be an insurmountable chasm.
To be fair, Professor Mo wasn’t without progress. The current version of the agent had been successfully tested on small animals like mice, geckos, and chameleons. Fang Qiang had personally witnessed a mouse, after being injected, become incredibly brave and chase away a ferocious cat.
Unfortunately, the agent was only effective on smaller animals. When injected into larger ones like chimpanzees, cows, or horses, it had no effect at all, let alone on humans. Professor Mo had exhausted his mind and tried every possible method, but he could not solve this problem.
“What do we do now, Professor?” Fang Qiang asked blankly. He knew that with the project canceled, the institute would not be renewing Professor Mo’s contract next year. And once the professor was gone, he, as his only assistant, would have no choice but to pack his bags and leave as well.
“No matter what, my research will not end halfway!” Professor Mo shot to his feet. “I’ve already mortgaged my house. Even if I have to sell everything I own, I will fund this research myself and continue to develop the synthesis agent.”
“Professor, you don’t have to…” Fang Qiang cried out, but the words caught in his throat, and he couldn’t continue.
Professor Mo, however, grew excited, his eyes shining. “You know, Xiao Fang, I’ve figured out where the problem is. There must be some substance in small animals like mice and frogs that we don’t know about, something that catalyzes the agent’s effects. If we can extract their genes and fuse them with the current agent, then inject it into a human body, it’s bound to succeed!”
Fang Qiang was horrified. He nearly jumped out of his skin. “Doesn’t that mean… mixing animal genes… with human genes?” he stammered.
“You could put it that way. But what does it matter?” Professor Mo said. “Transplanting animal organs into critically ill patients is already widely accepted. What’s the fundamental difference between that and transplanting genes?”
“No… it’s not the same…” Fang Qiang shook his head instinctively. Though he was a scientist, he was also a Catholic. The conservative faction of the church still opposed transplanting animal organs into humans, let alone genes. Even as a member of the more progressive faction, Fang Qiang could not accept Professor Mo’s terrifying idea.
“Silly boy, put away your religious ethics! If you won’t help me, fine. I’ll do it myself!” Professor Mo scolded angrily, then stormed off to the laboratory to work.
Fang Qiang’s mind was in turmoil. He considered the situation. Professor Mo’s new method would require a lot of preparation; it wouldn’t reach the practical testing stage anytime soon. He figured he could keep working here for now. When the time came to actually transplant animal genes into humans, he could resign then.
Having made up his mind, Fang Qiang followed him into the lab and began to help in silence.
Professor Mo, thinking he had come around, was naturally pleased. He began to teach Fang Qiang all of his new theories, formulas, and techniques, holding nothing back.
Once immersed in work, time flew by. Fang Qiang was so busy with his research that he temporarily forgot the pain of his breakup and humiliation.
And the experiment progressed much faster than he had anticipated.
Five days later, in the evening, Fang Qiang was sent out to purchase some chemicals. When he returned to the lab, he found Professor Mo jumping for joy, his face flushed with excitement.
“Look! I’ve synthesized the new agent… Hahaha, it’s brilliant!” Professor Mo pointed to two small vials filled with a transparent liquid, dancing around as he spoke.
Fang Qiang was secretly alarmed. “Have you tested it already?” he asked.
“Not yet. I want to find a new chimpanzee for the injection this time, to avoid any influence from residual agents. But I’m short on funds. It’ll be next month at the earliest before I can find a suitable one,” Professor Mo said, frustrated.
Fang Qiang, however, was secretly delighted, hoping he would never find one.
“Alright, you can go home. You’ve worked hard these past few days. Take tomorrow off to rest.” As he spoke, Professor Mo seemed to remember something. He took a CD from his drawer and handed it to Fang Qiang with great solemnity.
“This contains all of my research data. It’s the culmination of my life’s work. Take it home, study it, and keep it safe.”
“Okay,” Fang Qiang agreed. Without giving it much thought, he took the CD and left.
After returning home, eating, and showering, he lay in bed and turned on the television.
“Good evening, friends. I’m Wen Qing. Welcome to this weekend’s ‘Warmth with You’…”
A gentle, pleasant voice spoke as an elegant and graceful female host appeared on the screen, smiling and waving at the camera.
She was Wen Qing, the nation’s foremost television host, hailed as a talented woman who embodied both “beauty and wisdom.” With a master’s degree, her witty, natural, and personable hosting style had made her a star across the country. In the latest online poll, she ranked first on the list of “Men’s Most Admired Dream Lovers.”
Fang Qiang was also a huge admirer of the host, practically idolizing her. He eagerly watched her weekend program, “Warmth with You,” almost every week.
“Tonight, our topic of discussion is ‘sexual harassment.’ We have a special guest with us, the famous model Miss Yu Xin. Let’s give her a warm welcome!”
Wen Qing introduced her with a smile. Amid thunderous applause and cheers, the beautiful and enchanting Yu Xin appeared from backstage. She walked onto the stage with a cat-like gait, her sexy legs on full display, and blew a kiss to the audience.
Yu Xin, who was known for her cold, aloof, and unapproachable demeanor, greeting the audience with such a warm gesture was clearly unexpected. The studio audience erupted, the applause and cheers growing even more fervent, her popularity reaching a fever pitch.
Yu Xin stood proudly in the center of the stage. She glanced at Wen Qing, who was standing beside her, a hint of a challenge in her eyes—in the “Dream Lover” poll, she had come in a close second.
Although online polls weren’t necessarily accurate, the highly competitive Yu Xin was still not convinced and took the opportunity to make a statement to her beautiful rival.
Wen Qing, however, showed great poise and pretended not to notice. In her captivating voice, she began the program.
“Miss Yu Xin, our viewers are very concerned about the incident last month in Dragon City where you were harassed by a drunk man. We’ve invited you here today to talk a little more about it…”
In front of his screen, Fang Qiang could only manage a bitter smile. His previously happy mood instantly turned sour.
Ever since that drunken disaster, he had instinctively avoided thinking about Yu Xin. He never expected to see her on television today, and of all things, discussing his most humiliating moment.
His spirits low, Fang Qiang didn’t pay much attention to the program’s content, until Wen Qing’s next question suddenly caught his ear.
“…We hear that the Dragon City judiciary is preparing to prosecute Mr. Fang as a disciplinary measure. Will you also be seeking compensation for emotional damages?”
On the screen, Yu Xin looked shocked. “He’s being prosecuted? Oh, this is the first I’m hearing of it… Um, no, I will not be seeking compensation from him. Not only that, but I would also like to appeal to the Dragon City judiciary on his behalf, in the hopes that they will drop the charges… If that’s not possible, then I hope they will be as lenient as possible in his sentencing…”
“Why is that? Have you forgiven him?”
“I will not forgive such a despicable act, but I believe that we should give people a chance to reform. Only then can our society become more tolerant and harmonious…”
Fang Qiang was dumbfounded. He almost wanted to vomit.
He might be simple and kind, but he wasn’t an idiot. He still remembered vividly how that model had menacingly shouted “beat you to death.” It was a complete contradiction to the gentle, understanding persona she was presenting on television today.
More importantly, Fang Qiang suddenly solved a nagging puzzle: why the police had fabricated charges against him. He now understood. The only logical explanation was that Yu Xin was pulling the strings from behind the scenes! First, she forced him to admit he had acted with malicious intent. Then, she leaked that she was going to press charges. Finally, she put on a show of being magnanimous and forgiving. It was all a preconceived plot!
By doing this, the beautiful but vicious model had achieved her goal of ruining his reputation while simultaneously earning herself a name for being generous and forgiving—killing two birds with one stone!
This is outrageous!
Having figured it all out, Fang Qiang angrily hurled the remote control at the screen, hitting Yu Xin’s pretty face dead on.
CRACK! The television screen shattered. It sparked a few times and then died.
Fang Qiang was too angry to care about the broken TV. He fumed for a long time before pulling the covers over his head and falling asleep in a fit of pique.
He didn’t know how long he had been asleep when he was jolted awake by the shrill ringing of the phone.
“Who is it? Calling so late…” Fang Qiang rubbed his sleepy eyes and sat up. He saw that it was two in the morning. He grabbed the receiver, ready to curse out whoever was on the other end.
But it was a colleague from the institute, calling with bad news.
“What? Professor Mo is dead? Dead in his office?”
Fang Qiang felt as if he had been struck by lightning. All sleepiness vanished. He was completely stunned.
It took him a long moment to come to his senses. “O-okay,” he stammered. “I’ll be right there, right there!”
He slammed down the phone, threw on his coat, and bolted out the door.
Twenty minutes later, Fang Qiang arrived at the institute by taxi.
In the darkness, he saw several police cars parked outside, their sirens wailing.
Four or five uniformed police officers were standing by the police tape, talking amongst themselves.
With tears in his eyes, Fang Qiang got out of the taxi and stumbled toward them.
He couldn’t believe Professor Mo was dead.
Just eight hours ago, when he had left work, the professor had been alive and well. How could he be dead now?
“Stop! What are you doing?” The officers blocked Fang Qiang, preventing him from crossing the tape.
“Let me in! I’m Professor Mo’s assistant! Let me in to see him…” Fang Qiang cried out, tears streaming down his face, his heart filled with an unbearable grief.
“The crime scene is being processed. No one is allowed inside.”
A young female officer shouted as she ran out of the institute. She and Fang Qiang came face to face, and both of their eyes widened.
It was Ruan Lin, the “Third-Class Sergeant” who had forced him to confess!
“Well, well, if it isn’t you!” Ruan Lin’s face lit up with a look of sudden realization. She grabbed him by the collar and snarled, “Spit it out! Are you involved in this case too?”
“You shut your mouth!”
Fang Qiang had reached his limit. With a roar, his eyes bloodshot, he lunged forward to slap the female officer.
The other officers shouted and rushed to pull him back.
The scene instantly descended into chaos.
And so, no one noticed that in the dark shadows nearby, a pair of clear, bright, beautiful eyes were also fixed on Fang Qiang, silently asking herself a question.
How is it him again?
