Chapter 34: Chapter 34: The Tempted Top Student (8) Chapter 34: Chapter 34: The Tempted Top Student (8) Professor Zheng’s newly established laboratory was filled with doctoral students he had personally ntored, all of them top-tier talents renowned far and wide.
Each person specialized in a specific field and possessed countless honors and achievents.
Su Li’s arrival was like dropping a piece of ice into boiling water.
Young, previously unheard of, she appeared as if from nowhere, a plain duckling among a group of swans.
If not for Professor Zheng personally escorting Su Li into the lab, the favored pupils might have dissected her alive out of sheer curiosity, wondering what incredible skills she possessed to be so valued by their ntor.
Although they all shared the sa ntor, they were competitors in private, and fierce competitors at that.
Resources were limited, clearly visible right before their eyes.
If one person took more, others had to take less. The inner circle was small; if one person squeezed in, another was inevitably pushed out.
Thus, regarding Su Li’s arrival, although people outwardly smiled warmly and enthusiastically, none were genuinely pleased.
“This is Su Li, currently acting as my assistant to help complete the third phase of model establishnt… As for Yan Qing…”
The tall, thin young man nad by Professor Zheng, with a pallid face and tightly pursed lips, stoically accepted the surprised and sowhat sympathetic glances from those around him.
After contemplating for a mont, Professor Zheng decided, “As for Yan Qing, he will temporarily join Group Four.”
As the words left Professor Zheng’s mouth, more gleeful gazes appeared in secret.
Group Four was tasked with recording experintal data and other minutiae, practically equivalent to being exiled to the borders.
Returning to a core position from there would require even more effort and was not guaranteed to succeed.
A pity, but Yan Qing had always been the weakest among them, and the ntor had indeed given him opportunities; he just hadn’t seized them properly.
“Su Li, start by familiarizing yourself with the environnt…”
Professor Zheng’s special attention to Su Li redirected the resentnt previously aid at Yan Qing squarely onto Su Li.
They initially thought that by displacing Yan Qing, the freed-up spot would undoubtedly be filled by soone else from the lab, but instead… an irrelevant newcor arrived…
Yan Qing lowered his head and smiled mockingly; he knew his own circumstances and had anticipated all that had happened.
He wasn’t as resentful as the others.
“Being so young, I wonder if she can perform even the most basic experintal operations alone… You know the ntor is ruthlessly impartial at work…”
As Professor Zheng walked away, soone imdiately began to subtly challenge Su Li.
Su Li didn’t even lift her eyelids, acting as if she saw nothing, and casually strolled around the lab.
Yan Qing, on the other hand, chuckled. Ironically, the person who had just spoken had been the one to trouble him the most.
Seeing Su Li deflate his antagonist, Yan Qing’s affection for Su Li surged.
“Young sister apprentice, let help you get familiar with the upcoming tasks.”
Yan Qing had co to terms with being distanced from the core group; helping Su Li get acclimated and causing slight embarrassnt to the others made him happy.
Although he also doubted whether the young apprentice sister could handle the demanding and complex assistant tasks quickly enough.
In the academy, Yan Qing could also be called a genius; thus, in the lab, geniuses were the least valuable.
Seeing soone extend an olive branch of friendship, Su Li happily accepted, smiling, “Thank you, senior brother.”
What followed next was completely unexpected to everyone.
There were no signs of inexperience, no mistakes…
Su Li adapted surprisingly swiftly and perford brilliantly.
During group discussions, when others were clueless about one of Professor Zheng’s ideas, this young sister apprentice could quickly catch on and expand upon it.
Her reaction speed was extrely fast, her ntal calculation matched a computer, and with her alone in the group, the others could barely get involved.
By the end of one afternoon, Su Li’s coordination with Professor Zheng reached a perfect level; they completed tasks that usually required a team several days to handle.
The previously jeering crowd silently turned away, speechless.
Those in her group felt this the most.
It was a sheer domineering suppression…
Having shown a hint of her abilities, the lab’s dynamic changed instantaneously.
They called her “young sister apprentice” even more affectionately.
What kind of prodigy had Professor Zheng found? Truly remarkable…
If the gap was just slight, they would feel jealous, unwilling; but when the chasm was vast, they only had sincere admiration and submission.
People naturally admire strength.
Not to ntion those in the lab, their pursuit of strength was taken to an extre.
No matter how unruly, as long as you could genuinely impress them, integration was effortlessly achieved.
Professor Zheng hadn’t expected the continuous surprises Su Li brought him, and after completing the tasks at hand, he pondered for a mont and then suddenly said to Su Li alone, “Today you completed the workload beyond the required amount; from the three days originally planned, two are still left. I haven’t arranged any work for you for this period… However, I have a good friend whose assistant has suddenly fallen ill. His research is at a critical mont, and he can’t find a suitable replacent currently. If you are willing, I could recomnd you…”
“I didn’t expect your foundational calculating ability to be so exceptional.”
Comparable to a walking computer, yet more flexible, able to improvise.
“Speaking of which, he’s affiliated with the Military Departnt’s Biological Research Institute…”
———————
Having been recomnded by Professor Zheng to the Military Departnt’s Biological Research Institute, what was supposed to be a temporary two-day stay mysteriously turned into an indefinite one, with all staff required to sign confidentiality agreents. Despite his nurous inquiries, Professor Zheng couldn’t figure out what had happened.
His freshly acquired assistant had been snatched away.
Erging from the highly secured research institute, Su Li was followed by two plainclothes guards.
A jeep carrying several people rushed straight to the train station.
“Ah Lee, don’t be scared, if there’s an illness, we’ll treat it. Your mom and dad will be with you…” Mrs. Su’s eyes were red, she kept scrutinizing her daughter endlessly.
From boarding in their hotown to alighting now, her tears hadn’t stopped, only now was she holding back her sorrow.
How tough was her daughter’s fate…
Mr. Su, typically silent, also chid in, “Your mom’s right… Don’t worry about money, we’ve brought plenty this ti. Relatives and friends from the countryside are all willing to help us.”
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