"This isn't about clearing Professor Mu's name—it's about clearing your name." Zhang He grinned as she took her phone back.
"Now let's see who still dares to say you're inferior to Lin Muyao! Let's see who still has the nerve to look down on you!"
"Exactly!" The others chimed in cheerfully, genuinely happy for Shu Lanzhou.
Shu Lanzhou stood there in a daze, her mind a whirlwind of thoughts.
Joy mixed with a strange sense of melancholy.
In her past life, she had died without ever proving herself to anyone. No one believed in her. Everyone had looked at her like she was some pathetic hanger-on in Professor Han's team—a pitiful parasite who just wouldn't leave.
No talent. No ability. No background or support. The only reason she was tolerated again and again was because Professor Han and the others were kindhearted.
But the truth was—all of the team's achievements had been closely tied to her.
So why had she become the most irrelevant, the most rejected person in the group?
She clenched her fists and let out a slow breath. "Thank you… Thank you all for believing in me."
This time, she wouldn't let herself down again.
And she definitely wouldn't let down anyone who genuinely cared for her or stood by her side.
As for those who used her, who stepped on her to climb higher—
They would all pay the price.
Shu Lanzhou scrubbed her face with both hands, overwhelmed with emotion. Her heart was still racing.
Someone had finally seen her efforts. Truly seen them.
And this was just the beginning.
Everything that had been stolen from her—she would reclaim it, one piece at a time.
What belonged to her… no one would ever take again!
Dong Anlan gently patted her hand.
"We've always seen your efforts. Even if others didn't believe in you, how could we not?"
"Anyway, after this, no one will dare say your success was just because of Professor Han. And no one will think you were just a pawn for Professor Mu."
That was the greatest benefit this situation had brought Shu Lanzhou.
It also meant—at long last—her ties with Han Weicheng and his circle had been completely severed.
Shu Lanzhou got out of bed and tidied up. After waving goodbye to her roommates, she left. She had to head to the Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital today.
The second consultation for combining cellular biology and acupuncture was scheduled to begin. She had to be there.
A soft breeze greeted her as she stepped out of the dormitory building. Shu Lanzhou tilted her head upward, her longer hair fluttering gently in the wind.
She closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself soak in the sunlight and fresh air.
It was still the same sky, the same earth—
But everything just felt different.
The breeze was gentle. The sun warm.
Everything was beautiful.
"Isn't that Shu Lanzhou?"
Someone near the dorm entrance recognized her.
"She's such a cute girl… How did no one notice her before?"
"She didn't used to be like this. She only changed after leaving Professor Han's team."
"So leaving a prestigious lab actually improves your life?"
At first, just a couple of students were whispering. But as Shu Lanzhou walked further, more and more people joined in the discussion.
"Well, to be fair, Professor Han's team is notoriously strict. I don't think many could survive it. Shu Lanzhou staying for years is already impressive."
"What a shame."
"Yeah, it's a pity. She hung in there for so many years, only to quit at the critical moment."
"Wasn't it that she didn't quit on her own? Someone replaced her?"
"Maybe the department belle, Lin Muyao, is even better than her?"
"I never thought Lin Muyao was all that before. So how did she suddenly join Professor Han's elite team?"
"Who knows what's going on?"
"Maybe those plagiarism rumors were true after all…"
"Let's drop it. If she really got in through plagiarism, she'll be exposed sooner or later. We'll see how it plays out!"
"Yeah, just wait and see. I doubt this is the end of it…"
"…"
Shu Lanzhou ignored all the gossip as she made her way to the hospital. But when she got out of the car, she had the strange feeling that someone's eyes were on her the whole time.
She looked back several times, but nothing seemed unusual. Still, a sense of unease lingered—maybe the trauma from her previous kidnapping still hadn't fully passed.
"Shu Lanzhou?" He Jin spotted her glancing around near the hospital entrance and quickly walked over. "What's wrong? What are you looking for?"
Shu Lanzhou shook her head. "It's nothing. Maybe I was just imagining things. Professor He, are you here for the second consultation?"
"Yes. The patient's condition is quite unique. Surgery is inevitable, but if we can integrate traditional Chinese medicine to ease his suffering, I don't mind coming in a few more times."
With his hands behind his back, He Jin walked ahead while Shu Lanzhou jogged slightly to catch up. They chatted about today's consultation as they entered the hospital together.
Unbeknownst to them, a camera from a distance silently captured the entire scene.
Inside the conference room, Mu Yaning, He Sixin, and several others had already arrived. To Shu Lanzhou's surprise, Wu Cheng was also present.
Wu Cheng waved at her. "Professor He said I might lack clinical experience, but my theoretical foundation is solid. So he let me sit in and learn."
"I knew we'd get to collaborate eventually," Shu Lanzhou said, setting her backpack down. She noticed Mu Side hadn't arrived yet.
She glanced around.
"He's outside on a call," Mu Yaning said, pointing down the hallway. "Go call him. The meeting's about to start."
Shu Lanzhou walked down the corridor.
As she approached, she heard Mu Side growling into his phone:
"What are you saying? You want me to sell off all our companies here and go overseas with you? Have you forgotten—this is the Mu family's home base!"
"Grandmother's here. Aunt is here. The Mu legacy can't end with me. I won't do it! You'd better give up on this idea."
Eavesdropping is impolite.
Shu Lanzhou felt awkward and was about to turn back when Mu Side blocked her path.
He grabbed her wrist without hanging up the call.
"Don't bring this up again. Or don't blame me for cutting ties with you."
Only then did he end the call.
"I'm sorry," Shu Lanzhou apologized quickly. "I wasn't trying to eavesdrop. The professor said the meeting's starting, so I came to get you."
"It's nothing you can't hear," Mu Side said, releasing her wrist. "It was my father. He wants me to give up everything here and go overseas with him."
Shu Lanzhou's head snapped up.
She immediately thought of her previous life—when the Mu Corporation was acquired by the Luo family's conglomerate.
She figured that must've been when Mu Side followed his father's advice and sold off the business.
"If he keeps pressuring you like this… can you really keep refusing?" she asked, a little anxious.
Mu Side shook his head. "I don't know. I promised Grandpa I'd carry on the Mu family's medical legacy. If I fail…"
"No! You won't fail!" Shu Lanzhou gripped his hand tightly.
"Senior, I'll study the Mu family acupuncture techniques seriously. I can help carry on your family's medical tradition. Really. Please don't give up so easily, okay?"
Mu Side stared at her pale knuckles as she gripped his wrist, and a soft look passed through his eyes.
"I promised Grandpa—I wouldn't give up unless there's absolutely no other way."
He gently patted her head.
"Thank you. But passing on the Mu family's legacy is my duty as a Mu descendant. I can't let you take on that burden… unless…"
Shu Lanzhou tilted her head, puzzled. "Unless what?"
"…Nothing." Mu Side smiled and ruffled her hair. "Come on, let's go in."
He turned and walked into the conference room.
Shu Lanzhou let out a breath of relief.
If Mu Side gave up the Mu family legacy, the Luo family would become the number one medical family in Shen City. All their resources would flow to Lin Muyao.
Even though some things had changed because she'd left the team, she still couldn't change Lin Muyao—or Luo Jialin and the others.
Knowing Lin Muyao, she'd use every means available to secure her position. And her mother would do everything in her power to help her.
If Shu Lanzhou wanted to stop her, she couldn't just rely on her own strength.
She needed a team that could rival the Luo family—
In both medical skill and financial backing.