Chapter 71: You Are Not Dr. Q at All

Fu Yanchen strode quickly toward the backstage area.

He immediately spotted Qiao Xi standing alone at the end of the corridor and hurried over, naturally taking the items from her hands.

“Have you been waiting long?”

He asked in a low voice, his gaze lingering on her face, brows slightly furrowed.

“Why do you look so pale? Were you too exhausted just now?”

Qiao Xi raised her head and met his concerned eyes, forcing herself to muster a relaxed smile as she shook her head.

“I’m fine, probably just a bit nervous, and I focused too intently earlier. Let’s go back to the hotel.”

She deftly avoided mentioning the wager with Qi Qi, unwilling to let him worry.

Fu Yanchen silently studied her for a few seconds; his dark eyes seemed to penetrate all her pretense.

But he didn’t press further, only wrapped his arm gently around her shoulders, drawing her close in a protective embrace as they walked out.

“All right, let’s go back.”

His deep voice sounded in her ear, “If you don’t want to talk about it, you don’t have to.”

“But remember this: no matter what happens, I will always be your strongest support.”

He paused, his tone laced with pride and indulgence:

“And today, you weren’t just outstanding—you were radiant, so dazzling I couldn’t look away.”

His words, like the warmest stream, instantly washed away the shadows in her heart caused by Qi Qi.

“Thank you, Yanchen.”

Qiao Xi finally lifted her head, a soft light returning to her eyes. “Thank you for believing in me, for supporting me.”

Meanwhile, at the top-floor office of the Lu Group.

Lu Yanzhi sat alone in an expansive leather chair, the giant screen before him frozen on an image from Qiao Xi’s competition.

The cold glow of the screen illuminated his expressionless face.

The office lights were off, leaving only a desk lamp sketching half of his profile, the other half shrouded in darkness, making him appear especially deep and inscrutable.

“What a... remarkable spectacle.”

He murmured to himself, a faint curve at the corner of his lips—a smile that never reached his eyes.

He picked up the remote, leisurely replaying several key moments.

Then, Lu Yanzhi turned off the screen, plunging the room into utter darkness.

He slowly rose and walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the sparkling city night.

The headquarters of the Fu Group shone brightly not far away.

“The game is only just beginning, Fu Yanchen.”

He raised his wine glass toward the Fu building, a subtle gesture, his gaze sharp as an eagle in the gloom.

“You prize everything—I’ll take it, piece by piece.

Including your brilliant Mrs. Fu.”

The following day marked the grand finale.

The atmosphere inside the venue had reached a fever pitch.

At the main hall of the International Conference Center in country M, thousands of seats were filled, the crowd surging.

Industry elites, scholars, and investors from around the globe conversed quietly, anticipation palpable in the air.

Dozens of massive circular screens encircled the venue, broadcasting the event live, flashing the competition logo.

Media representatives, both domestic and international, lined the flanks of the stands, their cameras ready. The logos of CNN, BBC, and leading local outlets stood out, flashes flickering sporadically.

All eyes focused on the brilliantly lit central stage, awaiting the crowning of the ultimate champion.

Qi Qi, exuding confidence and certainty, was first to present her final results.

Her meticulously crafted 3D holographic animation vividly demonstrated how active ingredients interacted with aging cells, drawing repeated astonishment from the judges.

The anti-aging serum developed by Radiance Group, in terms of innovative composition, comprehensive data, and presentation, appeared flawless.

“Our proprietary ‘Luhua Glow’ technology targets telomerase activity zones, and with our biomimetic delivery system, achieves up to 95% targeted repair efficiency.”

Qi Qi confidently revealed this impressive core statistic, instantly garnering more admiring glances from the audience.

The judges nodded, exchanging whispers affirming the breakthrough.

However.

When Qi Qi proudly explained how her key ingredients bonded and activated telomerase via “biomimetic phosphodiester linkage,” Qiao Xi, seated below, narrowed her eyes at the screen, her mind racing.

This type of linkage is extremely unstable in the described physiological environment, its half-life far too short to support the claimed sustained targeted repair.

It was a classic case of theoretical novelty overshadowing practical chemical stability—a mistake commonly found in doctoral theses with insufficient industrial application experience.

Such an error should never appear at the core of a supposed commercial product soon to be launched.

Immediately, Qiao Xi realized that Qi Qi had either directly stolen one of her early, incomplete theoretical studies and embellished it excessively...

Or her team had made a fundamental misjudgment in their drive for radical innovation.

As Qi Qi finished her presentation, thunderous applause swept the hall.

Her teammates gathered around her, flashbulbs popping, nearly overwhelming her figure.

“Dr. Q! That was brilliant!”

“This is true breakthrough innovation!”

“The Radiance team lives up to its name!”

Excited cheers erupted from the crowd; many industry peers stood up in excitement.

Her name and the prestigious title “Dr. Q” were shouted repeatedly, the roar almost shaking the roof.

On the judges’ podium, several veteran experts smiled and nodded, exchanging admiring looks.

In that moment, she seemed already crowned, bathed in the infinite glory of victory.

Fu Yanchen sat among the judges, his face calm, applauding out of courtesy.

His gaze traveled over the noisy crowd, settling on a particularly quiet figure.

Qiao Xi’s eyes were cast down.

No one knew what thoughts stirred beneath her composed exterior.

Qi Qi basked in the wave of adulation, smiling and acknowledging all sides.

As she left the stage, she lifted her chin and deliberately shot Qiao Xi a triumphant glance.

Her look seemed to say: See? This is what it means to be the people’s choice.

Soon, it was Qiao Xi’s turn for the finale.

All eyes converged on the Chinese engineer who had endured yesterday’s turmoil and proven her remarkable ability.

Qiao Xi’s expression was steady and serene as she carried the final sample—a culmination of countless effort and wisdom—step by step to the presentation platform.

“Good afternoon, judges.”

Her clear voice resonated through the hall via the microphone; she skipped pleasantries and went straight to the point.

“Before I present my work, please allow me to offer an academic... dissent regarding Dr. Qi’s theory.”

The entire hall fell silent.

The judges exchanged glances; Qi Qi’s smile froze instantly.

Qiao Xi calmly directed her gaze at Qi Qi.

“Dr. Qi’s theory is novel and bold, highly imaginative.”

She continued, her tone suddenly turning cold, “But with all due respect, based on my understanding and study of the authentic Dr. Q’s rigorous past publications…”

“She would never make such a basic mistake!”

The hall erupted.

“Qiao Xi! What do you mean!”

Qi Qi sprang to her feet, her face drained, her voice shrill with shock and fury, her composure utterly lost.

Qiao Xi ignored her outburst, facing the judges and audience, her words deliberate:

“I’m saying—you are not Dr. Q!”