Bringing Along a Ball and Hiding from Foreign Devils
I’ll fill the missing chapters from this novel, I had theses chapters since I like this novel quite a lot so from chapter 15 to 22, then 51 to the end ?
Ren Zhouyuan didn’t want to take An An to participate in Vichy’s competition, but seeing An An’s enthusiasm growing day by day, those small hands working magic on the drone components, dismantling and reassembling faster each time, and that increasingly confident little face, Ren Zhouyuan ultimately couldn’t say no.
Before every dismantling and reassembly, An An would place a small timer on the table—a gift from Fan Wenfeng. He would ceremoniously raise his hands before pressing the timer, and when he finished faster than the previous time, he would excitedly show Ren Zhouyuan the timer. That joyful little face made Ren Zhouyuan both happy and conflicted.
Vichy’s competition was scheduled for Saturday morning. As the date approached, An An’s excitement grew more evident. Even while walking, he fiddled with his drone and robots. Teacher Chen told Ren Zhouyuan that An An was so engrossed in playing with these models at kindergarten that he neglected interacting with other children.
Ren Zhouyuan was initially worried that An An might become more isolated, but Teacher Chen said that An An had found something he liked. Although he still hadn’t made friends, he wasn’t stingy when other children gathered around to watch. He would generously introduce his models and teach them how to assemble them, appearing more open than before.
Ren Zhouyuan hadn’t expected these little drones and models to have such a positive impact, so he let An An continue tinkering with them. However, he still hadn’t fully committed to accompanying An An to the competition, even though he could see An An’s anticipation.
While Ren Zhouyuan was internally debating, he received bad news from Fan Wenfeng.
After leaving the archaeological team, Ren Zhouyuan, under the pen name “An Yi”, published his first academic paper based on his archaeological experiences and research. It was featured in a top-tier journal in the field. This paper made “An Yi” a renowned name. Subsequent papers were frequently reprinted both domestically and internationally, making “An Yi” a respected figure in the academic world, despite never appearing publicly.
When Ren Zhouyuan and Fan Wenfeng first met, Fan Wenfeng quickly realized that Ren Zhouyuan was “An Yi”. Fan Wenfeng, also in academic research, was well aware of “Any’s” prominence. Before meeting Ren Zhouyuan, Fan Wenfeng assumed “An Yi” was a seasoned professor or researcher. When he learned that Ren Zhouyuan was “An Yi”, he was so shocked that he initially thought Ren Zhouyuan was joking.
Fan Wenfeng understood the importance of maintaining a pen name’s reputation. “An Yi” had a high starting point with excellent papers as a foundation, and he didn’t want this to go to waste. Over the years, Fan Wenfeng helped Ren Zhouyuan maintain several pen names, though none achieved the success of “An Yi”. This success was partly due to Fan Wenfeng’s careful selection of topics and publication channels.
“An Yi” was highly valued in Fan Wenfeng’s cultural dissemination company and the industry. However, news broke that Ren Zhouyuan’s debut paper was allegedly based on stolen internal archaeological team data.
Ren Zhouyuan received a call from Fan Wenfeng, who sounded breathless and anxious. He briefly explained the situation, mentioning that the company was discussing countermeasures before hurriedly hanging up.
Frowning at the disconnected call, Ren Zhouyuan felt wronged. He knew he hadn’t committed the accused actions, and the timing of this resurfaced accusation seemed suspicious.
He returned to his room and retrieved the preserved materials from when he wrote the paper. Flipping through them brought back memories of living in a tiny rented room with An An.
Ren Zhouyuan meticulously wrote that paper, a process etched in his memory due to the hardships he endured. The accusations of stolen work were infuriating to someone who usually preferred to avoid conflict.
Gathering the necessary materials, including some miscellaneous documents, he planned to go to Fan Wenfeng’s company to discuss solutions with the higher-ups.
As he left the room with his bag, he saw An An sitting quietly on the sofa with his backpack, waiting for him.
Ren Zhouyuan paused, suddenly remembering that today was the day of An An’s competition. Torn between his responsibilities, he struggled to find a solution. An An’s bright, expectant eyes made it hard for Ren Zhouyuan to refuse outright, knowing how much An An had looked forward to this day.
Sensing something was off, An An asked softly, “Daddy, do you have to work?”
In An An’s mind, nothing seemed more important than Ren Zhouyuan’s work. Sometimes, An An felt his father’s job was more significant than himself, like now.
After a moment of hesitation, Ren Zhouyuan knelt down and said, “An An, be good. Daddy has something very important to take care of.” Seeing An An’s disappointed expression, he added, “I’ll take you to Uncle Wenfeng’s place first. If I finish early, I’ll take you to the competition, okay?”
An An fiddled with his fingers before nodding silently.
Ren Zhouyuan took An An to Fan Wenfeng’s company. It was his first time there as “An Yi”. Even when initially signing with the company, he had delegated the task to Fan Wenfeng. Only Fan Wenfeng knew his true identity.
Given the gravity of the situation, Ren Zhouyuan couldn’t just wait at home. “An Yi” and his other pen names were products of years of hard work involving not just his efforts but also those of Fan Wenfeng and other colleagues. Yet, arriving at the company’s entrance, Ren Zhouyuan felt exposed, as if he were about to lay himself bare to the world.
He called Fan Wenfeng upon arriving, who quickly rushed down to meet him, surprised by his presence.
“What are you doing here?” Fan Wenfeng asked urgently. “I told you to wait at home. We can handle this.”
Ren Zhouyuan patted his briefcase and said, “I brought some materials from when I wrote the paper. I hope it can help.”
Fan Wenfeng glanced at the briefcase and then at An An, surprised to see him with his backpack. “Isn’t An An supposed to compete today?”
Ren Zhouyuan sighed, looking at An An, who had been quiet and downcast. It pained him to see his son so disappointed.
He shrugged, and Fan Wenfeng seemed to understand, refraining from mentioning the competition again as he briefed Ren Zhouyuan on the current situation.
Inside the conference room, silence fell as Ren Zhouyuan and Fan Wenfeng entered, followed by An An. The introduction was met with mixed reactions of disbelief and excitement, given Ren Zhouyuan’s youth.
“Everyone, this is Mr. Ren Zhouyuan, also known as ‘An Yi’. He’s here to see if he can help with the situation,” Fan Wenfeng introduced him.
Some eyes were filled with shock, others with a glint of greed, recognizing the value Ren Zhouyuan represented.
Feeling uneasy, Ren Zhouyuan greeted everyone before taking a seat. Only then did the attendees notice An An, whose presence momentarily diverted their attention.
Not liking the stares directed at his son, Ren Zhouyuan frowned and glanced at An An, who remained quiet, fiddling with his small drone, making Ren Zhouyuan sigh helplessly.
“Sorry, everyone,” Ren Zhouyuan spoke up. “My son has an important competition today, but this issue is equally important. If possible, I’d like to ask Wenfeng to take my son to the competition.”
An An’s eyes lit up, filled with hope, looking between Ren Zhouyuan and Fan Wenfeng.
Given the situation and seeing An An’s expression, the attendees quickly agreed.
Ren Zhouyuan and Fan Wenfeng stepped outside the conference room. After giving some instructions, Ren Zhouyuan knelt to kiss An An’s forehead. “An An, I’m sorry. Daddy has to handle this. Uncle Wenfeng will take you to the competition. As soon as I finish, I’ll come to see you, okay?”
An An nodded, understanding but still a bit sad that his father wouldn’t be there. “Daddy, you can do it. An An will too!”
Ren Zhouyuan watched them leave before returning to the conference room, where discussions resumed.
Fan Wenfeng had briefed Ren Zhouyuan on the worst-case scenario earlier, allowing him to piece together the event’s background.
The issue started with a post from someone named “Sikong” online, listing many “evidences” suggesting Ren Zhouyuan’s paper plagiarized the archaeological team’s findings.
Initially dismissing it as a smear attempt, Ren Zhouyuan was taken aback by the high quality and credibility of Sikong’s article, indicating the person wasn’t just an ordinary scholar but possibly someone familiar with the archaeological team.
He couldn’t recall anyone named Sikong from his time there, but the details suggested an insider.
Ren Zhouyuan shared his materials with the group, affirming his paper’s originality. The meeting continued for over two hours, bolstered by the new evidence Ren Zhouyuan provided, offering hope for a turnaround.
Amidst the heated discussion, a sudden phone ring interrupted them. Seeing Fan Wenfeng’s name, Ren Zhouyuan’s heart raced.
Excusing himself, he quickly answered, hearing Fan Wenfeng’s urgent voice, “An An is in trouble. Come quickly!”