Chapter 23 — From Collapse to Brilliance: I Don't Need You

Six months after the fateful confrontation, the Dawn Institute's biotherapy research project officially entered the expanded testing phase, after the national research ethics council re-approved the entire data safety process - a process that Diệu Kỳ himself built and strengthened after the incident with Ý Nhi.

The former volunteer, after fully recovering, volunteered to return to participate in the next phase of the trial, an action that deeply moved the entire research team. “I believe in what you guys are doing,” he said during the meeting before restarting the process. "And I believe in the prudence of Ms. Diệu Kỳ, who did not hesitate to protect the truth."

The results of the extended testing phase far exceeded all initial expectations. The biological therapy using gene editing technology that the team developed shows remarkable effectiveness in controlling symptoms of rare genetic diseases, with a much higher level of safety than existing treatments on the market. News of this success quickly spread in the scientific community, attracting the attention of many prestigious research journals as well as large domestic and foreign investment funds.

Diệu Kỳ, as the main person in charge of data management and protection of the project, was invited to write the first scientific article in her career, co-authoring it with Bách Sơn and the entire research team. The article, after a rigorous peer review process, was accepted for publication in a reputable biotechnology journal, marking an important milestone in her fledgling academic journey.

"Can you believe it," Bách Sơn said, holding the acceptance notice in his hand, eyes filled with pride, "less than a year after changing majors, I was named in an internationally recognized research project."

Diệu Kỳ held the paper, her hands shaking slightly with emotion. She remembered the first morning she woke up in her second life, when she wasn't sure whether the path she had chosen was the right one or whether giving up everything she had built in the medical field was a wise decision. Now, looking back, she knows that was exactly the decision that saved her life.

"I'm still surprised," she said, smiling slightly. "But I think, this is not just my own success, but the achievement of a whole team that has overcome many difficulties together."

Not long after that, the investment fund that Bách Sơn was in charge of received a large investment from an international pharmaceutical corporation, interested in commercializing the biological therapy the group had developed. This is an important turning point, not only for the project, but also for the entire development orientation of the Dawn Institute in the future.

Diệu Kỳ's mother, when she heard that her daughter appeared in a science and technology article, called that night, her voice so emotional that it was broken. "I read the article, even though I didn't understand all the technical terms, but when I saw your name mentioned, I was very proud. The day you said you wanted to change majors, I was so worried, afraid you would go down the wrong path. Looking back now, I'm glad I trusted you."

"Thank you mom for always supporting me, even though I don't fully understand the reason," Diệu Kỳ said, her voice choked up. She knows that, even though she cannot share her past life memories with her mother, her family's unconditional love and trust are always a solid fulcrum, helping her have the courage to walk on the thorny path she has chosen.

The media also began to pay attention to her inspirational story - a young student who dared to give up a promising medical path to pursue a completely new field, then achieved outstanding success in just a short time. A science magazine for young people contacted her, wanting to conduct an in-depth interview about her journey, seeing it as an inspirational story for students who are wondering whether to persevere with their initial choice or courageously change direction when they feel it is no longer suitable.

In that interview, when asked about the secret to overcoming the most difficult period in her journey, Diệu Kỳ just smiled and responded briefly but meaningfully. "My secret, perhaps, is simply to learn to listen to your own intuition, and constantly equip yourself with enough knowledge and preparation to be able to protect yourself against any adversity. No one can predict the future, but we can completely prepare for every possibility that may arise."

During the investment cooperation signing ceremony, held solemnly in the institute's large hall, Diệu Kỳ was invited to speak as a representative of the young research team that contributed to the success of the project. Standing in front of a crowd of scientists, investors, and even some reporters, she felt an indescribable thrill and pride.

"When I decided to change my career from medicine to biotechnology, many people didn't understand why," she says, her voice ringing clear and confident. "But I believe that, sometimes, to find the true path for us, we need to be brave enough to leave what is familiar, no matter how safe and convenient it seems."

She looked towards Bách Sơn, standing in the front row, his eyes were full of support. "I also want to say that this journey would not be complete without the trust and support from companions who are willing to stand for the truth, even in the most difficult moments. This research project is not just about science, but also about faith — faith in transparency, in honesty, and in the true value of each person, judged by ability and effort, not by rumors or tricks."

Her speech received warm applause from the entire hall. After the ceremony, many journalists came to interview her, curious about her surprising career change journey and her contributions to the project. Diệu Kỳ answered humbly, without going into details about the incident with Ý Nhi — she wanted her story to be known through scientific achievements, not through personal tragedy.

Professor Đoàn Khắc Tuấn, who was also present at the ceremony as a guest, came to congratulate her after all the noise subsided. "I'm really proud of you, Diệu Kỳ. Looking at you standing on stage today, I realized that your decision to change majors that day, even though I didn't understand it, turned out to be one of the wisest decisions I've ever witnessed in a student."

"Thank you, teacher," Diệu Kỳ said, bowing her head with sincere respect. "What you taught me in the medical lab, about meticulousness and responsibility in research, has always been an important foundation to help me firmly step on this new path."

Nhật Lam, who has also officially shifted his research direction to a field related to applied biotechnology, now regularly collaborates with Diệu Kỳ's team on a number of small projects. The friendship between the two, forged through trials, becomes stronger than ever.

As for Thảo My and Đình Vũ, although they are no longer as close as before, the relationship between them and Diệu Kỳ has gradually healed over time, step by step, exactly as Diệu Kỳ proposed in the conversation at the coffee shop. Occasionally, the group still meets together to review old memories, although the atmosphere is no longer quite the same as the first days - a change that they have all learned to accept as an inevitable part of growing up.

Standing on the balcony of the Dawn Institute building late one afternoon, looking down at the campus that was gradually lighting up, Diệu Kỳ felt a deep contentment spread throughout her body. She has come a long way, from a helpless victim of fate in her previous life, to a woman writing her own success story in this second life.

But she knows, the journey still continues. There are still many things ahead to explore, to build, and to love. And for the first time in both lives, she allowed herself to fully believe that the future ahead would only be full of bright things, built with her own hands, intellect, and heart.

The afternoon breeze blew gently through the balcony, bringing with it the gentle coolness of the sunset that was falling over the city. Diệu Kỳ closed her eyes for a moment, took a deep breath, letting that feeling of peace permeate every cell in her body. This was the feeling she had craved all her previous life — not fame, not recognition from the crowd, but simply the feeling of living as her true self, no longer having to pretend, no longer having to be afraid, no longer having to be wary of anyone.