“Alright! You two despicable b*stards working together! Actually teaming up to mess with us?”
Xu Kaiqing shouted coldly. Before the two could react, he charged forward.
“Old Qian, I actually thought you were some decent person! Didn’t expect you and that Fu guy are the same kind of scum!”
Xu Kaiqing pointed at his nose, spitting in his face: “I actually considered you a good friend, shared my heart and secrets with you for so many years, and you deserve this?!”
Qian Youwen was stunned by the scolding, and only after a moment did he react: “…You, you speak properly, why are you cursing?”
“Speak properly? Do you deserve it? I’m scolding you, and I’ll push it to the limit!” Don’t let Xu Kaiqing’s age fool you; the old man looked kindly, but when he scolded, it was full of force.
“Although your academics are average, your medical skills are average, relying only on age and seniority, at least you’re a professor, an expert, right? How come you do such shameless things?! Breaking promises, kicking someone when they’re down, lying without blinking, even beggars on the street are nobler, they know to survive on their own ability, not harm others or commit crimes!”
Xu Kaiqing rolled up his sleeves, in a style no one knew whether he learned from some street aunt, full of force and energy.
“Who’s committing crimes?” Qian Youwen took a small step back, lacking confidence: “Xu Kaiqing, I warn you, don’t think you can just rely on your age and status as a grand authority to lord over people! Physicists may fear you, but I’m a doctor, I don’t!”
“Yo! Yo-yo! Yo-yo-yo!” The three sounds, higher and higher, sarcastic yet catchy, Xu Kaiqing sized him up and down like looking at a clown, “I hit your sore spot, humiliated, now you’re angry and ready to tear your face off, right?”
“I was blind before, why didn’t I see you for what you are? They say a doctor has a benevolent heart, but I see you as black-hearted! Greedy! Disgusting! An old worm!”
“You-you-you, you…” Qian Youwen’s lips weren’t as fast as his tongue, plus he felt a bit guilty, couldn’t counterattack, trembling with anger.
Soon, doctoral students who heard the commotion crowded around, some hiding behind, holding phones to secretly record.
“What’s happening?”
“Isn’t that Old Xu from the Physics Department?”
“I knew Old Xu was strong academically, didn’t know his cursing skills are top-notch too. Learned something today.”
“Medical experts and a physics grand authority cursing on the street, what a bombshell gossip!”
“Let’s report this to my advisor later. God knows, how can a grown man enjoy watching drama so much.”
“Wasn’t Old Qian and Old Xu good friends? I’ve seen them eat together in the cafeteria before.”
“I bet 100 bucks, something big’s happening this time!”
“…”
Voices murmured and debated.
Among them were Qian Youwen’s own graduate students, doctoral students, visiting scholars for exchange, and interns from other departments borrowing lab equipment from the affiliated hospital.
He could control his own students’ mouths, but not others.
Especially a few proud disciples of competitors were among them.
By tomorrow, the whole affiliated hospital and medical department would likely be buzzing.
These days, being a university mentor, once your character is questioned, your professional ethics would also be doubted.
Politely: called careless with reputation; bluntly: uprightness lacking, unfit to be a teacher!
How could this be acceptable?!
Qian Youwen, panicked, blurted out: “Shut up!”
Xu Kaiqing didn’t buy it: “Already done, and afraid of what people say? Worried it will ruin your reputation? Ha, losing the inside and still wanting face, how can your face be so thick?”
“You’re talking nonsense!”
“Hiding secretly, tricking us into thinking you’re not here, is that nonsense? So many eyes are watching, and you say you’re solving problems in your department? I think it’s your head that has the problem!”
Qian Youwen almost cried from the scolding.
“This was originally my clinical data, what’s wrong with not giving it to you? Do you want me to forcibly hand it over?”
Xu Kaiqing: “Bah, You’re not the only obstetrics professor in the country, nor the only one with those data. If you didn’t want to give it, say it earlier! Luring us here, hiding, not showing up, funny, is it? If you had just said on the phone you didn’t want to, I wouldn’t have come even if you carried me in a sedan chair!”
“Oh, now we’re here, you invited us, said we’d discuss face-to-face, and what happened? Made us sit here like fools waiting for two hours, are you proud of that?”
“If after we arrived, you could have stood up immediately and openly said ‘I won’t give it,’ I, Xu Kaiqing, would respect you, Qian Youwen, as a man. But alas, you won’t be a good person instead hiding like a turtle.”
“Ultimately, just petty behavior, shameless and immoral!”
Xu Kaiqing’s barrage left Qian Youwen speechless.
The onlookers were dizzy from the massive information revealed in the dialogue:
Hiding?
Making others wait?
Being a turtle?
Petty behavior, shameless and immoral!
That last sentence hit hard, the momentum was entirely Xu Kaiqing’s victory!
Suddenly…
Someone said: “Look, isn’t that Goddess Yue in the corner?”
“Holy cr*p! It really is her!”
“So, Goddess Yue hasn’t spoken lately because she’s studying Tosaki Kawashima’s paper? Came here today to get clinical data from Old Qian, and then…”
“They say academia is ruthless, digging pits for each other, apparently true.”
“Professor Qian not only refused to provide clinical data but also tricked people here and humiliated them, bold move.”
“Anyway, I don’t believe that Tosaki Kawashima paper, d*mn it… just jealous of China’s research achievements, trying to interfere.”
“Support Sister Yue!”
“Even if the miracle drug really harms fetuses, it couldn’t be banned. If infected with Schankwo, the mother would die, survival comes first. Still, I trust Sister Yue; if she didn’t disclose SAP and GEP defects initially, then the drug is likely fine.”
“Also support Goddess Yue! Can’t understand those in China who jump to criticize her without evidence.”
“What else? Green-eyed jealousy, that’s all.”
“Feeling threatened? Goddess Yue gets the Lasker Award, maybe a Nobel soon, and some can’t sit still.”
“Can’t do it themselves, so try to make others fail, how pathetic.”
“National honor, global pandemic efforts, in front of these people, their self-interest outweighs everything, ridiculous!”
“Sister Yue, we support you!” Someone suddenly shouted.
Immediately, others echoed: “Yes! Smack Tosaki Kawashima’s face so hard, even his mother won’t recognize him!”
“Support Goddess Yue! Protect China’s academic light!”
“…”
Jiang Fuyue’s gaze swept over the crowd, a surging power filling her heart.
Yes, these people are China’s future!
And them…
Her eyes passed over Qian Youwen, already scolded to the point of despair, his face dark green, finally resting on Fu Zhengxin, sitting silently on the sofa since arrival.
Rotten wood, even if intact outside, is hollow inside, how can it compare to a thriving new generation of researchers?
The more they panic, the more chaotic, the more scheming, they only prove their decline with time.
Jiang Fuyue approached Fu Zhengxin, looking down at him: “Professor Fu, since NY, it’s good to see you again.”
Fu Zhengxin frowned, disliked being looked down upon, stood up, meeting Jiang Fuyue’s gaze.
He tried to suppress this young girl with his long-standing authority, but she was unmoved, fearless.
Instead, he saw a terrifying coldness and ruthlessness in her youthful face.
An invisible war spread, the tension between them thickening.
Suddenly, Fu Zhengxin forced a smile: “Yes, good to see you again. Everything well?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Thanks to you, professor, all is smooth.”
“Oh? But I heard the medical field’s been turbulent lately?”
“What does the turbulence in medicine has to do with me? As long as I’m fine, that’s enough.”
Fu Zhengxin frowned: “The Schankwo miracle drug was developed by you. Now there’s a problem, shouldn’t you be responsible? Yet you say you’re fine?”
“Firstly, whether the drug is truly problematic is another matter. Based on just Tosaki Kawashima’s paper, it’s not conclusive.”
“Since Professor Fu is so enthusiastic, an expert in immunology, and so supportive of Tosaki Kawashima’s view, then why don’t you just redo his experimental process?”
Fu Zhengxin choked.
He hadn’t even read Tosaki Kawashima’s paper, only knew it claimed the miracle drug was harmful to pregnant women and fetuses.
And The Lancet had published it, wasn’t that enough to prove the correctness of the viewpoint?
“Young lady, a piece of advice, don’t be too arrogant.”
Jiang Fuyue curved her lips: “Courtesy begets courtesy, then let me also remind you, don’t go too far in your actions, don’t offend people too harshly. What goes around comes around, who knows where the wind will turn tomorrow? Leave some face for later, so it’s easier to meet again in the future.”
“Hmph!” Fu Zhengxin sneered, “Still defiant at death’s door, I see you…”
“Hey! What are you doing?!” Xu Kaiqing, seeing this, couldn’t continue scolding Qian Youwen, immediately jumped forward, putting his body between Fu Zhengxin and Jiang Fuyue, and firmly shielded the girl behind him.
“I heard everything! That was you stirring up trouble just now!”
“And all that talk about grass and trees, I think you’re the grass, straw-brained grass!”
It began again, after scolding Qian Youwen, Xu Kaiqing started on Fu Zhengxin.
“It could have been a straightforward fight, but you love being a rat in the gutter, can’t face people head-on, first at tripping them from behind. From inside out, from top to bottom, all rotten!”
Fu Zhengxin had saliva sprayed all over his face, even smelled the tea-stale and saccharine sweetness from Xu Kaiqing’s mouth.
But every time he opened his mouth to retaliate, the next sentence came immediately, giving him no chance to reply.
Grass!
Compared to Qian Youwen’s daze, Fu Zhengxin felt more irritation, but couldn’t show it on his face, leaving him at a disadvantage.
So…
He could only hold it in, clenching his teeth.
“Actually, the most insidious are people like you, scheming, manipulative, only acting behind others’ backs, narrow-minded, petty-minded. Having experts and scholars like you is a misfortune for the industry!”
“…”
Finally, after Xu Kaiqing delivered the last line: “Birds of a feather, sticking together in filth,” it all ended.
He left with a contemptuous snort, walking tall with Jiang Fuyue, leaving behind Fu Zhengxin covered in spit, Qian Youwen’s dignity shattered, and a crowd of dumbfounded, endlessly admiring onlookers.
Whoosh!
…
“Sorry, I didn’t know Old… Qian Youwen was a two-faced b*stard, made you waste a trip.” Outside Hongzhi Building, Xu Kaiqing put away his battle mode, leaving only guilt in his eyes.
He personally apologized to Jiang Fuyue.
Jiang Fuyue only waved her hand, looking far calmer than Xu Kaiqing: “It’s fine. I’ll head back to the lab first.”
…
Back in the lab, Jiang Fuyue sat in a chair, leaned back, eyes blank, rubbed her temples wearily.
The next second, a pair of long legs in suit pants came into view. Jiang Fuyue sat upright abruptly, turned quickly, and met Xie Dingyuan’s gentle, smiling eyes.
She smiled too.
“What are you doing here? You didn’t make a sound…”
“You were too focused to hear the door open and close.” Xie Dingyuan stepped forward, placing a thermal container on the small table in front of her.
“You brought it for me?” Jiang Fuyue blinked.
“Otherwise? I know you wouldn’t eat properly.”
She rubbed her stomach: “Actually, I just had a mille-feuille.”
“Enough to fill you?”
“En… a little.”
Xie Dingyuan tapped the thermal container: “So eat now?”
Jiang Fuyue agreed immediately, eager: “Sure!”
Sweet and sour pork ribs, tomato and egg, braised chicken wings, Mapo tofu, and a fish-head vegetable tofu soup.
Meat and vegetables, color, aroma, and taste all included.
And all were Jiang Fuyue’s favorites.
Xie Dingyuan opened the thermal container, took out the small compartments, lined them up, placed two chopsticks together in her hands, adjusted the spoon, and perfectly aligned the square tissue underneath.
“All set, eat.”
The usual compulsive behavior, but Jiang Fuyue was used to it, even found the neat arrangement a little… pleasing?
Jiang Fuyue began eating.
Xie Dingyuan just watched her.
Occasionally, the girl fed him with chopsticks; the man opened his mouth obediently.
He didn’t care if the chopsticks were used, instantly cured his OCD, no magic pill could work better.
Jiang Fuyue: “Who made this?”
Xie Dingyuan: “The house’s maid. How’s the taste?”
“You’ve already tasted it yourself, couldn’t tell if it’s good or bad?”
“My taste isn’t the same as yours…”
Low, disappointed, aggrieved tone, as if someone bullied him.
Jiang Fuyue sighed: “Delicious! I really like it.”
Not lying, the sugar-to-vinegar ratio on the ribs was just right, more sugar would be cloying, less vinegar would be salty.
“If you like it, eat more… slowly, no rush…”
They ate and watched, occasionally playing the feeding game, atmosphere cheerful with a hint of intimacy, until,
“That Tosaki Kawashima paper…”
Xie Dingyuan couldn’t help but bring it up.
Jiang Fuyue glanced, casually, picking up a chicken wing: “The paper?”
“Yueyue…” A sigh escaped, his eyes showing disappointment, regret, and a bit of frustration. “Tell me, am I failing?”
Jiang Fuyue was surprised, puzzled: “Why do you say that?!”
“Every time there’s trouble, my girlfriend doesn’t immediately think of me, won’t let me help, doesn’t even mention it, handles it alone, am I not failing as a boyfriend?”
Jiang Fuyue understood, burst out laughing: “Maybe this girlfriend is already capable, doesn’t need a boyfriend’s help, can solve all problems herself?”
“Then what use is a boyfriend?”
“To love, and to propagate descendants!”
“Cough! Cough cough…” Xie Dingyuan’s cheeks flamed red, burning up to his ears.
Eyes didn’t dare meet hers.
At this moment, Jiang Fuyue finished the last bite, cleared all the meat, and set down her chopsticks satisfied.
Suddenly, she leaned forward, drew close, peach blossom eyes clear and bright, subtly charming, and slowly said: “Isn’t that right?”
Love…
Propagate descendants…
Seems… reasonable.
While the man was stunned, Jiang Fuyue lightly pressed her cheek against his, not using her lips (just ate, would affect experience).
Xie Dingyuan’s chest tightened, scalp tingled, body froze.
“So, you’re not failing at all, and even bring me food and soup, simply a perfect boyfriend!”
Xie Dingyuan, just recovering, blushed again.
Perfect… boyfriend?
…
Afterward, cleaning the table, Xie Dingyuan asked Jiang Fuyue about the current situation.
Jiang Fuyue wasn’t stubborn; she wouldn’t shoulder everything herself.
Since Xie Dingyuan asked and offered help, she wouldn’t reject his goodwill.
You don’t come, I handle it alone.
You come, we face it together.
This is her definition of their relationship,
With you, I can; without you, I’m fine too.
They are equal, status, soul, and position.
No one depends on the other, no one must help, no “earning and providing” or “beauty as duty”, because,
He can rely on her, she can rely on him, they support each other, moving forward side by side.
She can “earn and provide,” and “be beautiful.”
And he can too.
Jiang Fuyue simply explained her hypotheses and verification ideas about the paper to Xie Dingyuan.
“…That’s roughly it.”
The man pondered: “…So, the biggest problem now is the lack of clinical trial data meeting the criteria?”
Jiang Fuyue nodded: “You could say that.”
He suddenly smiled: “Maybe you forgot what I do?”
Jiang Fuyue paused, then eyes lit up…
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