Rong Yi couldn’t admit defeat; he had to prove his skills! So, he was determined, and with a flurry of operations as fierce as a tiger, he felt as if he were possessed by a god at that moment.
Then, as he pressed the Enter key one last time, watching the code scroll rapidly across the screen, Rong Yi couldn’t help but praise himself, “I’m awesome!”
This wasn’t just any minor firewall he breached! And it took such a short time! This could totally go down in history!
In contrast to his brother, who was already talking nonsense, Rong Jin remained calm. He said, “Remember to ask mom for leniency later, and when you plead, widen your eyes a bit. She falls for that.”
Rong Yi: “…”
No way, is this brother really that unreliable? Use and discard, and then ask mom for help!
Rong Jin sighed and asked, “Do you think I have the face to ask for leniency for you?”
Rong Yi thought about it and decided not to answer that question, feeling the answer might lead to a rift between brothers.
Rong Yi changed the subject, checked the surveillance he had just controlled, and said, “Hurry up, three minutes! Even if you don’t finish, you have to retreat! Otherwise, you’ll be discovered!”
If they got caught, it wasn’t something a beating from dad could solve—it would be a serious matter!
Rong Jin indicated he understood, and Rong Yi opened the “backdoor” for him.
Rong Qin was recording experimental data on the computer when suddenly a window popped up, showing his eldest son’s face.
Rong Qin: “…”
As someone who had weathered many storms, although often exasperated by his sons to the point of high blood pressure, Old Mr. Rong did not panic or shout. He calmly looked around and, seeing he was alone in the lab, locked the door.
After doing all this, Rong Qin returned to his seat.
His younger son’s voice reminded urgently, “Two minutes and forty seconds!”
Rong Qin took several deep breaths to control his rising blood pressure. He felt both his sons needed a good thrashing—they’d clearly not been beaten enough as children! How could they be doing such things! The lab’s system wasn’t something you could just casually enter!
Rong Jin quickly asked before his father could start scolding, “Dad, do you mind if people know I’m your son?”
Rong Qin replied sternly, “I really wish I never had you!”
Rong Jin said, “Although this might not be the right time, having me was mainly mom’s contribution.”
That instant and ten months of hard work surely made mom’s contribution greater!
Rong Qin: “…”
Old Mr. Rong adjusted the camera he used to record the experimental diary so that his eldest son could clearly see his expression.
Rong Yi almost wanted to kneel to his brother, “Two minutes and thirty seconds!”
Rong Jin said, “Forget it, Dad, without your effort, mom wouldn’t have had the opportunity either. But the reason I’m here is because…”
Rong Jin, using his professional acting skills, ensured clarity while speaking quickly, saying, “We can’t let people say our family isn’t worthy, right? I don’t care, but I worry that you’ll be upset when you see the news later.”
Rong Qin couldn’t hold back anymore and growled in a low voice, “If you’d listened to me earlier, this wouldn’t have happened! And what do you mean by ‘later’!”
As if he was serving a prison sentence!
Rong Yi hurriedly interrupted his dad, “One minute and thirty seconds! Dad, please, give us a clear answer!”
If they kept dragging this out, he wouldn’t be able to hold on. This wasn’t some neighborhood internet café’s firewall!
Rong Qin was furious with these two brats. He really wanted to say he didn’t care at all, that he wanted to see how they would manage. But truthfully, he cared a lot!
Who would want to see their child being unfairly criticized? What a mess!
Rong Qin took a couple of deep breaths. The words were already on the tip of his tongue, and Rong Jin understood. He said, “Alright, Dad, I get it. Next time, I’ll make sure to get criticized for coming out publicly.”
Rong Qin almost choked on his breath. What! He even wanted to come out publicly! How could he be so bold!
Whether it was his expression or Rong Jin’s deep understanding of his father, he laughed and said, “Don’t worry, Dad. I’ll choose a good time, promise not to mess things up or harm anyone.”
Rong Jin said, “Dad, this year, I’ll bring him home to meet you.”
Rong Qin didn’t have time to react before his younger son announced, “No time left! I’m cutting the feed!”
Then the video disappeared without a trace. Rong Qin sat there for a long time, pondering whether to strictly discipline these two brats or handle it quietly without airing dirty laundry.
But looking at the locked door, he knew the choice had already been made.
Rong Yi was still doing the cleanup work. Opening the “backdoor” was one thing; closing it and covering tracks was another. It was a bit disheartening.
If he could report this breach as a work achievement, he might earn quite a bonus! Maybe even a quick promotion if the leaders were pleased!
Now, for the sake of his brother’s lifelong happiness, Rong Yi’s hopes of a bonus were dashed, and there was no chance for a promotion. He had to be an unsung hero.
Seeing Rong Yi’s face all scrunched up, Rong Jin said, “I’ll cover your allowance this year.”
Rong Yi widened his eyes, and then his face turned a bit red as he smiled shyly, “That’s too much trouble…”
Before Rong Jin could say “no problem,” Rong Yi’s eyes lit up, and he asked, “Brother! Can I use your computer? That concept machine is so cool!”
He showed Rong Jin the tablet he was holding, clearly excited and eager.
Rong Yi was thrilled, “Look at this core! This configuration! Ah, it’s my dream machine! It must be so smooth, right? The performance must be amazing! How does the keyboard feel?”
Rong Jin: “…”
Rong Jin told him, “Work hard, and I’ll have your sister-in-law get you one.”
Rong Yi instantly felt that his unseen sister-in-law was like an angel! For the sake of his dream machine, he was determined to protect this relationship!
Young people are often easily passionate, and Rong Yi was even more so.
Following Rong Jin’s instructions, he quickly found what he was looking for. This task was on a different level from before. These big companies had some security awareness, but while they had the awareness, they lacked the skill. Rong Yi felt he could take them all on single-handedly, with four fingers to spare.
At first, while investigating, Rong Yi thought his brother might be paranoid. It was just a minor scandal blown into major news. Although his brother was about to be ridiculed, it seemed like an accident. Why did his brother conclude that “there are schemers out to get me”?
But after investigating, he found that there really were a lot of schemers.
Seeing his brother’s shocked face, Rong Jin said, “It’s not surprising.”
While the incident might have started as an accident, happening at this critical moment and leading to this kind of impact on the film, if Rong Jin couldn’t see what was going on, it would be a waste of his father’s highly regarded brain.
Though the scandal seemed directed at Chi Feiran, the real target was only now becoming clear.
Chi Feiran had been back in the country for a year. Though his identity wasn’t public, it wasn’t a secret in certain circles, especially after his birthday party. Many people likely understood the situation.
Using such material to smear someone who was never going to be a kept person or involved in shady deals—what was the real purpose?
Chi Feiran’s rise was swift, but had it reached a point where deliberate manipulation was needed?
It wasn’t hard for Rong Jin to realize that the smear campaign was aimed at him. Watching the situation unfold, it was heading exactly where he expected.
Online sentiments shifted quickly, like a popular TV drama. While people discussed how powerful his boyfriend was, there were already many mocking him.
The “Rong Army” gradually disappeared from conversations, and the narrative turned to how Rong Jin was clinging to a golden leg, only to be dragged down by fans.
Rong Jin knew that soon Chi Feiran’s identity would be further exposed, and among the data Rong Yi hacked, some companies had already prepared press releases suggesting that “The Warrior’s” success was just the result of two dads pampering their child.
It’s easy to witness a star’s fall, like watching a shooting star. If you don’t have new works or aren’t visible for a while, the industry will fill the void with new faces, and you’ll be forgotten.
Rong Jin had stood at the top for too long, and many were waiting to see him fall.
“The Warrior” had been breaking records for Chinese films, and many wanted to tarnish that golden signboard.
If his relationship with Chi Feiran were just a friendship, this series of events wouldn’t just displease Chi Feiran but also bring trouble from Chi Jun. No matter how deep his roots in the industry, he couldn’t withstand the true powers that be.
As Rong Jin pondered, the door opened, and a familiar figure stood there, backlit, tall and slender. His presence softened Rong Jin’s heart.
He told Rong Yi on the other end, “Do a good job, and I’ll praise you to your sister-in-law.”
Rong Yi cheered loudly, “Got it! You can count on me! You just go be sweet with your sister-in-law!”
Chi Feiran: “…”
Rong Jin cut the connection, opened his arms, and smiled charmingly.
Chi Feiran raised an eyebrow, walked over, hugged him, and asked, “Sister-in-law?”
Rong Jin calmly said, “The kid doesn’t know better. I’ll teach him to call you brother-in-law.”
Chi Feiran couldn’t help but laugh, leaning against him, then asked, “What did you have him do?”
Rong Jin replied, “Giving the vast online community a lesson in thought education.”
Chi Feiran: “…”
It sounded, somehow, quite impressive.
Author’s note:
Rong Yi: For the dream machine!
