The fake heiress loves to act? The max-level boss isn't interested in playing along.

Looking at the sobbing Tan Rongrong in front of him, Li Yan was filled with a mixture of anger and disappointment, his face turning frighteningly dark.

His most trusted sister betrayed him like this.

His voice rose a few decibels, and Li Yan's tone became sterner than ever before: "Such proper scientific research, such as openly saving lives..."

How come it's become a heretical practice in your mouth?

Who exactly is spouting nonsense and bewitching you?

Tan Rongrong trembled all over from his shout, and her tears fell even more fiercely.

She bit her lip tightly, lowered her head, and refused to utter a single word.

Fu Hua watched coldly from the sidelines, her mind perfectly clear.

From Tan Rongrong's inquiry about the heart valve project at a dinner party to her current data theft, she had become wary.

The mastermind behind this was none other than Kang Hua and his group.

She remained silent, waiting for Tan Rongrong to admit it herself.

Seeing that she was determined to keep it a secret, Li Yan's anger flared even more.

His eyes were icy, and his words were firm and resolute: "Are you going to talk or not? If you still refuse to confess, I'll take you to the police station right now."

Stealing core scientific research data is no small matter. There's both eyewitness testimony and physical evidence; theft must come at a price!

This was the first time Li Yan had ever been so angry with Tan Rongrong.

Her resolute tone and the disappointment in her eyes instantly threw Tan Rongrong into a panic.

From childhood to adulthood, she was always protected in Li Yan's arms.

Brother Yan was always gentle and patient with her.

She had never seen him so ferocious.

The last line of defense in my heart has completely collapsed.

Tan Rongrong choked up, her whole body trembling.

Clutching at Li Yan's clothes, she pleaded, "Brother Yan, I didn't know, it's not my fault. You can't send me to the police station, I don't want to go to jail... my company will fire me."

"Then tell the truth, who ordered you to do this?!"

Li Yan's eyes were red, feeling both heartache and despair.

Tan Rongrong cried as she intermittently recounted everything.

"It was someone from Kanghua. They contacted me and were extremely enthusiastic, promising to transfer me to a job in Beijing and buying me food and clothes."

They even told me that my current research is against the rules, that I'm going astray, and that sooner or later it will cause a major disaster and ruin my future.

They also taught me how to approach you, how to find out about the project, and how to find opportunities to steal experimental data, saying that as long as I got these things, I could bring you back to the right path…”

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yan felt as if he had been struck by lightning, and he uncontrollably staggered backward.

I barely managed to stand up by pressing my back against the edge of the table.

He never imagined that the younger sister he had protected since childhood...

He was actually used by Kanghua's people, who then betrayed him.

This is the result of the entire team's hard work day and night.

If it's because of him... then he's a traitor.

Thankfully, things haven't gotten to the worst point yet.

Fortunately, it was discovered in advance.

Filled with guilt and self-reproach, Li Yan took Tan Rongrong's hand and together they bent down towards Fu Hua.

Her voice was hoarse: "Fu Hua, I'm sorry. I didn't manage my sister well and misjudged her, causing such a big problem for the team and the project. I will accept any punishment."

Fu Hua looked at the two of them calmly.

After a moment's hesitation, he looked at Tan Rongrong and slowly began to speak: "First of all, I want to make this clear: the coronary balloon and heart valve research our team is conducting is a completely legitimate and legal medical research project that has been approved by higher authorities."

We are doing the right thing—saving lives and benefiting countless patients with coronary heart disease—not engaging in crooked or evil practices.

"On the contrary, Kanghua, in order to monopolize the market and make huge profits, resorted to any means, such as stealing scientific research results and suppressing legitimate research and development. They are the real bad guys who have broken the rules of the industry."

She paused, then caught a glimpse of Tan Rongrong out of the corner of her eye, her face filled with astonishment, before suddenly realizing what she meant.

Fu Hua continued, "Do you think you're helping Li Yan? Once this core data you stole falls into Kang Hua's hands..."

Not only would it render our entire team's years of hard work futile, but it would also disrupt the medical research and development process, causing countless patients to miss out on treatment opportunities.

The consequences would be unimaginable. This is no longer a simple theft; it involves endangering the security of a major scientific research project.

Immediately afterwards, Fu Hua turned to look at Li Yan, her eyes filled with regret.

With a firm stance: "And you, Li Yan, as a core R&D member of the project, you knew that the laboratory data was highly confidential, yet you repeatedly neglected precautions, allowing unauthorized personnel to enter and exit freely, creating opportunities for them to take advantage of the situation."

Furthermore, due to personal feelings, they repeatedly ignored potential risks, almost causing serious consequences such as data breaches.

Team trust is built on a foundation of safety and responsibility.

Now that everyone's trust in you has collapsed, the lab can no longer keep you.

You will subsequently be removed from the core research and development team and cease all experimental work.

Li Yan froze, his eyes filled with heartache.

This project is where he spent countless days and nights, pouring all his heart and soul into it.

From the initial theoretical framework to repeated experimental trials,

Every set of data and every drawing reflects his hard work and expectations.

He loves this research work and is even more reluctant to part with his team who have worked alongside him.

I'm reluctant to leave the lab where I can focus on my research.

My chest feels like it's blocked by something, both suffocating and painful.

A surge of reluctance and unwillingness welled up inside, and his fingertips clenched tightly until his knuckles turned white.

He longed to speak up and plead for it, to say he was willing to make amends.

I'm willing to accept any punishment, just to stay in the project team.

But he turned his head and looked at Tan Rongrong, who was crying beside him, trembling all over and full of regret.

This is the only family member he has protected since childhood.

It was his failure to properly manage his sister and his poor judgment of character that led to this terrible mistake.

Now that things have come to this, he should bear all the consequences.

Li Yan closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, his eyes filled with a mixture of loneliness and relief.

Her voice was terribly hoarse: "Okay, I accept."

"It's all my fault. I didn't take proper precautions for data security, and I didn't teach my sister well. This has caused a huge mistake. I will accept whatever punishment I am given."

"As long as this matter can be resolved, Rongrong won't be held responsible, and she won't have a criminal record, I'll do anything."

She was the one who caused this huge disaster, but now she's causing her brother Yan to lose his job and ruin his future.

Tan Rongrong instantly broke down in tears, shoved Li Yan aside, and rushed to Fu Hua.

He grabbed her sleeve, crying and pleading, "Comrade Fu, it's all my fault, it's all my fault. I was deceived, I was bewitched and stole the data. He didn't know anything."

This has absolutely nothing to do with Brother Yan! Punish me if you must, I admit my mistake, I'll go to jail, kill me or torture me, whatever you want, please don't punish Brother Yan.

He finally got this job, he can't just let it go to waste...

Tan Rongrong cried her heart out, her face filled with regret and self-blame.

Looking at his sister's humble and pleading appearance, Li Yan felt as if his heart was being torn apart.

The pain was so intense I could hardly breathe, yet I felt utterly helpless.

There's no way around it; people always have to pay the price for their mistakes.

This is his cause and effect.

Fu Hua looked at the scene before her, and remained silent for a moment.

Looking at Tan Rongrong, he said calmly, "It's not impossible for me not to punish him."

"However, you will have to pay the corresponding price."