The Scheming Ex-Husband's Courtship-Chapter 562 - 492: Handsomeness Reaches New Heights

Chapter 562: Chapter 492: Handsomeness Reaches New Heights
Susu was obviously feeling guilty as she hung her head low. She has never been good at lying, and such a gesture could almost serve as proof that she was hiding something from everyone.
Xinyu couldn’t stand it anymore and gently tugged at her sleeve: "Boss, at a time like this, just come out and say it, no need to beat around the bush. If you’re really sure that there’s nothing about Qi Hao that’s suspicious, we’ll look for other reasons."
"I, I..." Susu stammered for a while and then looked at Mu Chenxi before suddenly bursting into tears, "Fourth, I admit that when Qi Hao was looking at the thesis, he accidentally sliced his finger with a blade, and there was a lot of blood. I ran out to buy a band-aid without thinking, but really, he didn’t do it on purpose. He even wanted to go with me, but I didn’t let him."
"Cut a finger with a knife while reading a thesis? Don’t you think that’s a little too coincidental? Even if it took only ten minutes to buy a band-aid, in those ten minutes, he would have had enough time to take photos of the entire thesis with his phone."
"It really couldn’t have been him," Susu insisted. "Didn’t I just analyze it? He has no reason to do it. What would he gain from such an act?"
"Reasons? Let me give you a reason," Quan Jin said, dismissing Mu Chenxi’s warning look with a cold sneer: "Qiao Tong is Qi Hao’s ex-girlfriend. They’ve been together since high school. How about that for a reason?"
Susu looked at her in shock, "What?"
Not just Susu, but the other two were also unbelievably wide-eyed.
"It looks like your dear Qi Hao hasn’t told you that Qiao Tong is his ex-girlfriend. They’ve been an item since high school, but they hid it because they were afraid of the teachers and parents finding out. Qi Hao even chose the medical school because of Qiao Tong. His original choice was a university specializing in science and technology. But they started arguing as soon as they got to university. I heard from others that,"
"You’re making this up." Susu yelled out before Quan Jin could finish, seemingly unable to believe what Quan Jin was saying: "Quan Jin, I know you don’t like Qi Hao, but you can’t just fabricate stories out of thin air. How could he be involved with that Qiao Tong?"
Quan Jin smirked, "The fact that Qi Hao had a girlfriend before, I’m sure you’re aware of, you just didn’t know that she’s our department’s top student, Qiao Tong. Now, it’s very clear. Qi Hao stole Chenxi’s thesis and gave it to Qiao Tong, who then colluded with Teacher Qu. The three of them conspired to steal Chenxi’s hard work."
"Impossible, it’s impossible." Susu was still trying to argue, holding Mu Chenxi’s hand and weeping, "Fourth, it can’t be what Quan Jin described, there must be some misunderstanding. Think again, did you really never give your thesis to someone else?"
"All right, Susu, you know very well, don’t you? This was Qi Hao’s doing, you just don’t want to believe it." Quan Jin said, pissed off, "Chenxi is kind-hearted and always considers others before herself, but I can’t swallow the injustice she’s suffering. If you truly consider her your good sister, you would go and confront Qi Hao instead of standing here trying to make excuses."
"That’s enough, Little Quan Zi." Mu Chenxi suddenly spoke up to interrupt Quan Jin: "Let’s put an end to this matter. I don’t want to investigate further. Whoever is at fault, I don’t want to delve into it anymore."
"Fourth," Quan Jin looked at her, puzzled, "Do you want to let that Qiao Tong become Professor Luo’s assistant? After you’ve worked so hard for so long, how can you be willing to give up halfway and let these villains benefit?"
"Yes, it’s all my fault after all. I should have kept my thesis safe on my own. No matter how Susu begged me, I shouldn’t have lent it to her. Now that trouble has arisen, it’s my own fault. So, let it be. Pretend I never did the experiment and never wrote that paper." After Mu Chenxi said all this in one breath, she grabbed the magazine and turned to leave, "I’m heading back to the dorm now."
"Fourth." Xinyu glanced at Quan Jin and Susu, shook her head, and quickly followed, "I’ll go back with you."
After the two had walked away, Quan Jin said to Susu: "Everyone has their own standard of judgment. Fourth doesn’t pursue the matter because she doesn’t want to see you and me arguing, or you and Qi Hao unhappy. She treasures the sisterhood among us so much, she’d rather suffer herself than let any of us be put in a difficult position. But Susu, ask yourself, is what you’ve done fair to Fourth’s trust and her efforts?"
Susu hung her head, silenced by Quan Jin’s words.
"There’s one more thing I didn’t want to tell you, to avoid you claiming I had no proof. But now, even if you don’t believe me, I must say I once saw Qi Hao and Qiao Tong embracing in the woods behind the hill. Whether it’s a rekindling of old feelings, I’m not sure, but you should be more cautious. Since Fourth said she doesn’t want to pursue it anymore, I won’t say more. What to do next is up to you." After saying this, Quan Jin gave Susu a deep look and hurried off to catch up with Mu Chenxi.
～
Mu Chenxi hadn’t reached the dormitory when she received a text message from Luo Shangqing.
"Come to my office. I have materials for you."
She didn’t reply immediately, but stood still for a while. It was only after Xinyu tapped her and asked why she wasn’t moving that she said, "I’m going to Professor Luo’s office."
"Right, we still have Professor Luo to support you." Xinyu said with excitement, seeing a glimmer of hope for the situation: "As long as Professor Luo steps in, he will surely get to the bottom of it. That Teacher Qu, appearing so much like a role model on the surface, how could he do something so despicable? And that Qiao Tong, what a top student, more like scum."
"Xinyu, I’ve said that I won’t pursue this matter any further, and I really don’t want to judge who is right or wrong. Theses can be rewritten, but not all things can start over again." Mu Chenxi stuffed the magazine into her arms, "I’m off to Professor Luo’s place."
Luo Shangqing was sitting at his desk writing something. Hearing the knock, he said, "Come in."
"Professor Luo." Mu Chenxi pushed open the door, and upon seeing him, she felt an inexplicable sourness in her nose, and a wave of grievance overwhelmed her. Her hard work had been stolen just like that. She couldn’t help but feel sad, especially since this affected whether she could successfully become Professor Luo’s assistant. But, was it really worth falling out with Susu and Qi Hao over one thesis, leaving Susu unable to lift her head in the dormitory from now on? This was not what she wanted to see.
Moreover, the image of Professor Luo standing arm in arm with Cheng Lin that day was still seared into her memory. So, she decided to give up on becoming his assistant. This situation also provided her with a reason and an opportunity; perhaps it was best to just go with the flow.
"How is the thesis coming along?" Luo Shangqing rotated the pen in his hand and looked towards her.
"I’ve encountered some problems."
"What problems?"
"It’s not complicated, I should be able to slowly figure it out." Mu Chenxi was looking down, her eyes fixed on the tips of her shoes, "Professor Luo, your materials, please? I have a lab class in the afternoon."
Luo Shangqing stared at her for a while. She kept her head down, her black hair revealing a neat hairline, tied into two simple braids.
"They’re here." Luo Shangqing pointed to a corner of his desk, "They’ll be helpful for your thesis. Ask me if there’s anything you don’t understand."
"Thank you, Professor Luo." Mu Chenxi reached for the materials, but her wrist was suddenly held down. She panicked, her nerves taut as a wire, and she looked at Luo Shangqing in dismay.
Luo Shangqing saw her obviously guilty eyes, his slender fingers still pressing on the back of her hand, "Are you hiding something from me?"
"No, nothing, what could I possibly be hiding from you?" Mu Chenxi forced a smile, her pretty dimples showing on her rosy cheeks, "Professor Luo, you’re so perceptive, how could I hide anything from you?"
Luo Shangqing scrutinized her more closely. His obsidian-like eyes were slightly narrowed, a glint of sharpness making them irresistible, a deep gaze that seemed to extract secrets with just a few more glances. Because of this, Mu Chenxi quickly averted her eyes, pretending to look at the green plants on the windowsill.
"Professor Luo, let me water the plants for you." Mu Chenxi took the opportunity to withdraw her hand and skillfully found the watering can, "What kind of plant is this, Professor Luo? It doesn’t flower or bear fruit, just grows leaves."
"That’s Bottle Grass, it has medicinal uses," Luo Shangqing glanced at the plant, "It can cure snake bites and also throat illnesses. If you like it, take a pot home to grow."
Mu Chenxi sprayed some water on it, curiously asking, "Then why do some have two leaves and others three?"
"A single-leaf grass represents hope, a two-leaf clover representing effort, a three-leaf clover happiness, and a four-leaf clover luck," explained Luo Shangqing indifferently, "This is what the person who gave me these plants once told me."
"Professor Luo, you really know a lot." Mu Chenxi cheerfully picked a pot, "Then I’ll take this one, all the leaves are three-leaf clovers."
Luo Shangqing nodded, "Take anything else you like as well."
"No need, no need, just this one is fine." Mu Chenxi hurriedly waved her hand, then picked up the materials, "I’m going back, Professor Luo. Thanks for the Bottle Grass."
Luo Shangqing tapped the fountain pen against the tabletop, not responding immediately. Only when Mu Chenxi reached the door did he suddenly ask, "Are you really not hiding anything from me?"
Mu Chenxi’s footsteps hesitated. Since she was facing away from him, she could freely express her sadness. She wanted to share her resentment and grievances with him, but what was the point?
Taking a deep breath, Mu Chenxi turned around with a beaming face, "If I must say there’s something I’m hiding from you, it’s that I really want to tell you, Professor Luo, you’ve reached a new peak in handsomeness today."