Chapter 11 — From Collapse to Brilliance: I Don't Need You

In the weeks that followed, Diệu Kỳ chose to face detractors with silence and absolute focus on work. She understands that arguing or clarifying at this time will only make things more confusing, while she does not have enough evidence to confront her decisively. Instead, she put all her energy into the biological therapy research project, seeing it as a way to prove her worth through her own work results, instead of having to explain or justify against baseless rumors.

Every day, she arrived at the Dawn Institute's laboratory early in the morning, leaving when it was already dark. She spent hours perfecting her proposed data storage and control system, meticulously building each layer of protection — from encrypting the original data files, to setting up automatic logging for every change in the system, to retraining the entire research team on standardized data entry procedures to minimize human error.

Nhan Bách Sơn closely monitored her work progress, and many times expressed his impression of how she handled complex technical issues. "The system you built is even more rigorous than I originally expected," he commented during a progress report meeting, when the research team gathered around a large conference table. "If applied successfully, this could become a common standard for all future research projects of the institute."

That compliment made the two graduate students in the same group look at Diệu Kỳ with admiration. She smiled modestly, but inside she couldn't hide her pride - this was the first time, since she was reborn, that she felt her own value was fully recognized, without any doubts or calculations from others.

Outside of official working hours, Bách Sơn also gradually became someone that Diệu Kỳ could trust to share her thoughts, although she still kept the story of her past life and her doubts about Ý Nhi a secret. There were late evenings, when they both stayed in the lab to complete reports, and they often talked to each other about topics beyond work — about the books they were reading, about their outlook on life, about their dreams and ambitions for the future.

"Do you ever regret leaving medicine?" Bách Sơn asked on such an evening, when both were resting after a stressful day of work, sitting at a small table in the corner of the laboratory, fluorescent lights shining down to create a quiet, private space.

Diệu Kỳ thought for a moment before answering. "There are times when I miss my old friends, I miss the feeling of attachment to my first lab. But I do not regret the decision to change majors. I believe that sometimes, to protect what is most important, you need to accept giving up the things you once cherished."

Bách Sơn looked at her, his eyes showing thoughtfulness. "Your answers always make me feel like I'm listening to someone who has lived through many ups and downs, not a twenty-year-old third-year student."

Diệu Kỳ was slightly startled by that comment, but tried to keep a calm expression. "Maybe I'm just thinking a little more than usual."

"Maybe so," Bách Sơn said, without asking further questions, but his eyes still held a deep concern, as if trying to decipher a complex puzzle hidden behind her calm appearance.

Meanwhile, rumors from the old lab continue to spread, although they no longer directly affect Diệu Kỳ's daily work. Occasionally, she still heard indirect gossip through other students in the department — that she had "abandoned her responsibility", that she "cleverly found a way to escape at the right time", that perhaps she "knew something but didn't say it".

Diệu Kỳ learned how to let those words pass without letting them affect her mood or work performance. She reminded herself that, in her previous life, caring too much about what others thought of her, wanting too much to be recognized and loved by everyone, had made her vulnerable and easily manipulated. This time, she chose to build her self-worth based on actual work results, based on the trust of people who truly understand and appreciate her abilities — like Bách Sơn, like two new fellow graduate students.

One afternoon, while re-checking test data on animal models, Diệu Kỳ discovered a small anomaly in the measurement results — a biochemical index that was not within the initial prediction range. Instead of ignoring it as a random error, she decided to find the root cause, spending an entire evening to compare the entire experimental process, from sample preparation to the final measurement.

Ultimately, she discovered that a batch of test chemicals had been stored at the wrong temperature for a short period of time, leading to a slight change in the biological activity of the sample. This is an important finding, which can help the research team avoid a bigger mistake if they continue to use that batch of chemicals in subsequent tests.

When Diệu Kỳ reported this discovery to Bách Sơn, he spent a separate meeting re-evaluating the entire chemical preservation process of the laboratory, and publicly recognized her contribution in front of the entire research team.

"Diệu Kỳ's meticulousness and caution helped us avoid a significant risk," he told the group, his eyes filled with confidence. "This is exactly the kind of thinking that a serious research project requires."

Diệu Kỳ felt a warm pride spread in her heart, different from the constant feeling of fear and insecurity that she had to endure during the last months of her previous life. Here, in this new environment, she doesn't have to pretend to be weak to be loved, doesn't have to depend on the kindness of others to feel safe — she just needs to do her job well, and that in itself is enough to earn her the respect she deserves.

That night, when returning to her room, Diệu Kỳ opened her secret notebook, not to write down more evidence about Ý Nhi, but to write down a new thought that was gradually forming in her heart: "Perhaps, the real way to escape the shadow of the past is not to be forever defensive and vigilant, but to learn how to build a life that is solid enough, meaningful enough, so that the plots and tricks of others can no longer reach it."

She closed the notebook and looked out the window, where the moonlight was gently illuminating the trees in the dormitory yard. For the first time since she was reborn, she felt a true peace in her heart — not because all the dangers had passed, but because she had found a way to stand firm in the face of those dangers, with her own strength and values.

That weekend, Khuong, a doctoral student specializing in molecular biology in the same group, invited Diệu Kỳ to participate in a small seminar on the application of gene editing technology, held right in the hall of the Dawn Institute. This is the first time Diệu Kỳ has come into contact with a broader academic community beyond her research group, meeting graduate students and lecturers from other institutes who are also pursuing similar research directions.

During the seminar, she boldly asked a critical question about data quality control methods in a presentation, causing the speaker to stop and think for a long time before giving a satisfactory answer. After the seminar, many people came to ask about her, curious about the academic background of a young student with such sharp critical thinking.

Bách Sơn, observing from afar during the seminar, could not hide his satisfied smile when he saw Diệu Kỳ confidently expressing himself among an unfamiliar academic group. On the way back, as the two of them walked across the schoolyard, the sunset dyed the sky orange, he spoke to her, his tone somewhat joking. "You made that professor sweat. Not many first-year students dare to question a leading expert like that." Diệu Kỳ laughed, feeling much more comfortable than the usual seriousness of both of them during working hours. "I'm just saying what I really wonder about. If I don't ask, maybe our group will encounter the same problem in the future."

"That's exactly the mindset that a good researcher needs to have," Bách Sơn said, his eyes gently looking at her in the sunset. "Never lose that straightforwardness, no matter how much pressure you face from public opinion or anyone else in the future."

That sentence, even though he did not know the entire story behind it, was like a timely encouragement, giving Diệu Kỳ the strength to continue steadfastly on the path he had chosen, despite the storms that were still smoldering ahead.