Chapter 19

Translated by boilpoil Edited by boilpoil

Bai Lianhua is a bit dumbfounded.

Weird. Why must that bairong fruit be eaten?

Jian Yiguang can even say those worldview-shattering stuff so casually earlier, why would he be so fixated on this little fruit?

Or is it because he peeled it himself, so the meaning is different and he shouldn’t waste it?

Bai Lianhua doesn’t understand, but his sixth sense wins over and after half a day of staring contest with the plump bairong fruit, he chooses to be obedient and starts nibbling at it, even if he isn’t hungry or want to eat it in particular.

He feels——for some reason if when Jian Yiguang comes around again and sees the bairong fruit still in the plate or god forbid is in the trash, he will be in quite the undesirable situation.

Sigh. It’s all the fault of this oddly-timed reminder just before Jian Yiguang left that made his thoughts digress so far along. Bai Lianhua stops himself from continuing to ponder over Jian Yiguang’s strange obsession over bairong fruit, and starts thinking about more serious stuff.

Jian Yiguang has made himself clear. Log onto the celestial Internet and expose all his plans, otherwise, he won’t give up this research.

It can be said that he’s managed to produce the toughest question ever for Bai Lianhua, clinically diagnosed with indecisiveness.

… What will happen if this is exposed to the public?

Given Jian Yiguang’s stellar reputation, nobody will believe it at first. They’ll accuse him of besmirching their Mr. Jian without proof and it is pure libel.

But Jian Yiguang has already revealed too much to him. If someone does look up what databanks he has accessed these years in the institute, and what machinery he has accessed in between research sessions… There will definitely be clues somewhere from all those.

Then when things line up with one another, how will people react on the celestial Internet?

They’ll probably hate, despise and fear him as much as they used to respect him, wouldn’t they?

Bai Lianhua doesn’t dare to imagine how severe the backlash would be.

He has already unintentionally ripped Jian Yiguang apart once. He doesn’t have the heart to destroy him with his hands twice… He really can’t.

And he can’t just let this go on as it is. Jian Yiguang is still working on this plan. He still has a lot of effort and time he must put in first, but it will be too late if he really postponed the matter until then.

“System, give me some ideas?”

Bai Lianhua is currently ‘ a drowning man clutching at a straw .’ Other than the system, there’s nobody he can discuss it with. He knows how unreliable the system is, but he still asks expectantly.

The system shakes its head, “This system is not sure either… Host, you must believe in your own choice. You’re a born white lotus! Your decision will definitely be the correct one for our antagonist.”

Bai Lianhua “…” Why are you putting such a crushing pressure onto the weak little white lotus?

So this white lotus here must not only have a gentle and harmless appearance but also a resolve as tough as cacti?

The system nods, “what a great summary, host!”

“No, not great!” If this pressure continues, his petals will fall one by one until none remains eventually.

Bai Lianhua concludes he must have been hit in the head to have tried to rely on this damned system.

He hesitates for a long time after turning to look at the connection pod and headset that is hooked up to the celestial Internet, and decides to first log on to have a look around.

After entering the celestial Internet, Bai Lianhua doesn’t immediately leave his room and look around outside. Instead, he sits down and uses the hologram projection in front of him to search for stuff related to Jian Yiguang——This is certainly a primitive method if these spacefarers can see him, but Bai Lianhua feels most comfortable doing it like this. It makes him feel as if he’s returned to his own world and is browsing the Internet using a computer.

Bai Lianhua looks over the information and most of the contents are praises for Jian Yiguang. How highly regarded Jian Yiguang is beyond imagination if not personally experienced.

He’s already way beyond the level of influence a high-achieving scientific researcher should have. He’s practically a walking legend in the minds of the empire’s citizens… His popularity is probably greater than all those trending celestial idols combined.

Since tastes in idols is a personal preference. Not all celebrity circles are the same. This is not a problem for Jian Yiguang, however, because there’s practically nothing for them to develop ill will towards him.

And given Jian Yiguang’s age, it is possible to envision how much brighter the light on this legend will become in the future.

In fact, Jian Yiguang’s image has long side made it onto the latest editions of the textbooks of the empire. He’s become an unavoidable part of the pedagogy of the students alongside his research.

Especially in relation to the field of psychic power. Jian Yiguang’s name is practically a barrage there. Flipping through a reference book would have the three characters of jian(簡), yi(宜) and guang(光) swimming about in your eyes… If someone can remember and understand most of the stuff related to Jian Yiguang, perhaps not a High Distinction, but a Distinction is practically guaranteed. It can’t be helped given how most of the research on psychic power is related to him.

——Maybe every time before an exam, someone would be praying to Jian Yiguang specifically like what was trendy in the world he was from.

Bai Lianhua is more and more impressed as he reads on. Before this, he didn’t even know there could be such a variety of ways of praising someone.

As this is truly fascinating to see, Bai Lianhua spends half a day happily digesting all of the interesting tidbits before stopping himself from continuing to scroll down. He himself also feels it is inexplicable how he spent so long browsing others heaping praise onto Jian Yiguang as he stands up. The antagonist sure is toxic.

Jian Yiguang mulls this over as he leaves the room, and steps into the celestial Internet.

He also doesn’t know what he should really be doing, so he walks around aimlessly. He ends up in a learning area and meets a group of academic students——Yup, a group of academic students who are holding onto their textbooks on the discipline of psychic power as they are having a heated discussion over Jian Yiguang.

Bai Lianhua’s breath is taken away. Wow, wherever he goes there’s the antagonist right here.

He listens to the group of teenagers enthusiastically talking about a difficult point in one area of research by Jian Yiguang, and they’re debating each other with their own thoughts trying to convince the others… In the end, their discussion shifts gear back onto Jian Yiguang, and remarks something like as expected of Mr. Jian, everything about him is just so extraordinary.

One teenager among them is probably one that despite his humble origins does pretty well academically and is therefore picked on in the academy. He is practically revering Jian Yiguang as his lifelong goal in his words with how he has managed to fight back from his most tragic of consequences to his current success. He is cheering himself up with Jian Yiguang’s example and saying stuff like he dare not dream of becoming the next Mr. Jian, but just becoming a bit more noble like him would be enough.

Bai Lianhua is a bit moved. He suddenly realises that if he exposes what Jian Yiguang is doing, he will not only be smearing his reputation, but he’ll also be bringing the hammer down hard on kids like them.

——That person who is radiating his dazzling brilliance in the divine pedestal he has set up for him inside his mind, is actually just an idealised delusion… How ever will he be able to accept such a complete twist like this overnight?

Bai Lianhua feels conflicted. He stands there motionless as the group of teenagers walk away out of earshot as their conversation ends and they split up and leave. Only after quite a while does he lightly sigh.

…

The research session for the next day arrives. Jian Yiguang shows up on time.

——Not knowing whether he should be angry or amused, Bai Lianhua notices the guy taking a glance at the side as expected, and appears satisfied only when it is clear the bairong fruit is probably eaten by him. He doesn’t even have the drive to diss him anymore.

As everything is laid bare between them, Jian Yiguang doesn’t follow the research procedures. He sits opposite Bai Lianhua from the very beginning, and starts talking in a casual chitchat tone.

“I was waiting throughout the previous day, but the celestial Internet has been silent… Tell me, what your decision is.”

Bai Lianhua is silent.

Seeing this, Jian Yiguang pauses before continuing, “don’t worry, if you want to make this public but is worried people won’t believe you, then I can provide evidence.”

Tch. What a cooperative and caring attitude.

Bai Lianhua doesn’t want to speak. He feels tired.

But not yet. He still needs to struggle against fate. He mustn’t give up treatment so early.

“I logged onto the celestial Internet yesterday.”

“Then I saw a lot of news about you. They’re all so positive.”

“I also saw a group of people that trusted you and took you as an exemplar for them in their hearts.”

“They really admired you.”

After speaking such one by one, Bai Lianhua looks at Jian Yiguang, “can you really not give up on this thought?”

As there’s been no result on this research yet; as this research is not made public yet; as Jian Yiguang’s crazy plan is unknown yet, won’t he give up on this morbid idea, and just stay an academic highly revered by others?

“Are you unconcerned with disappointing them?”

“Unconcerned with those who are struggling that treat you as their inspiration given your past, becoming disillusioned as their belief shatters into dust inside?”

Jian Yiguang stares directly at him, “I never concern myself with the thoughts of others.”

“From beginning to end, the only person on my mind, is you.”

This really sounds cruel and ruthless, but Bai Lianhua understands that this is the true thoughts of Jian Yiguang.

Given his ten years inside the institute, Jian Yiguang is mentally unwell. And due to the circumstances, he has become the only bit of softness in Jian Yiguang’s mind.

It is also thanks to this softness inside Jian Yiguang that he managed to succeed in his white lotus mission before. He is also depending on this bit of relationship right now to continue to complete his return of white moonlight mission.

Bai Lianhua suddenly feels as if he who is considering this carefully right now, is quite the scum… sob. He’s sad.

But Jian Yiguang is not yet finished.

His eyes are focused on Bai Lianhua.

“Then, am I someone on your mind? It seems to be so, and it seems to be much more beyond that, even, even sacrificing your psychic power for me…”

“But sometimes… I also feel, you don’t care about me at all. Why else would you not know what I really want, and why else would you be able to just leave like that?”

“I don’t understand you, Bai Lianhua. I think I have never, from beginning to end, figured out where you place me inside your mind.”

Bai Lianhua “…” Well this is awkward.

Where he places him? Of course in the position of the antagonist… His care for Jian Yiguang is genuine, but it’s that problem again. He’s always been acting with an ulterior motive.

Author’s notes: #White lotty feels bitter in his mind#

#White lotty wants to gift himself a little white flower for his funeral#

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