Jiang Fuyue got down from the lab table and walked over: “I didn’t mean that. It’s so late, aren’t you going back to rest?”
Xie Dingyuan: “Not going back.”
“?”
“I’m staying to help you.”
So much data, let alone importing and analyzing it, just the initial screening and organizing would take a lot of time.
Now, as outside discussions about the miracle drug grew louder, delaying a day to provide strong evidence would just allow rumors to spread another day.
The other side was clearly using the paper by Tosaki Kawashima to stir things up domestically, intensifying the conflict between Jiang Fuyue and the medical community, aiming to ruin the reputation of the so-called “genius scientist,” hoping she would never recover.
Don’t underestimate a few rumors; as the saying goes, “many mouths can melt metal, accumulated slander can destroy bones!”
Some things, even if not true, spread so much that they become accepted as fact.
The top priority was to produce solid experimental data proving the errors in Tosaki Kawashima’s paper.
Only then could the trend be reversed and the situation salvaged.
Jiang Fuyue: “But there’s only one lounge here…”
“I don’t mind sleeping on the sofa.”
“Then what about your daily change of clothes…”
Xie Dingyuan pointed to the bag in the corner: “I have clothes.”
Got it!
So he was planning to wait here for her.
Jiang Fuyue smirked: “Quite the smooth move…”
“What are you talking about? Don’t understand.” He spread his hands.
“Still pretending!”
“Alright, alright, I’m not pretending, I’ll lay it out…”
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow.
“Actually,” he lightly cleared his throat, “I just want to be with you.”
Although the girlfriend was capable of solving any difficulty on her own, the boyfriend still wanted to face it together.
“Thank you…” Jiang Fuyue rested her head against his chest, face down, sniffing.
“Fool.” Xie Dingyuan wrapped his arms around her.
At that moment, the sound of a fingerprint unlock abruptly rang in the quiet, warm atmosphere. The next second, the door was pushed open from outside. Xu Kaiqing walked in carrying a woven bag, muttering as he came.
“I went back and thought carefully, and decided to come help! I know nothing about medicine, but I understand basic research methods and thinking, so I can help organize data, do miscellaneous work, and so on…”
Uh!
Xu Kaiqing hadn’t finished speaking. As soon as he looked up, he froze.
He stared at the couple embracing in front of the lab table, his legs stiffening like weathered stone, expressionless.
Bang!
Old Peter lagged a step behind, following him in. Xu Kaiqing suddenly stopped; Old Peter couldn’t brake in time and bumped into him: “Oh! God, you…”
The next second, he saw the same scene and froze, speechless.
Xie Dingyuan and Jiang Fuyue realized, quickly separated, but what needed to be seen was already seen.
So both sides just looked at each other.
The air was filled with a hint of awkwardness.
Finally, Jiang Fuyue spoke to break the silence: “Why are you here?”
Xu Kaiqing: “I… came to help!”
Old Peter swallowed and nodded: “We agreed to come together.”
“At this hour, aren’t you resting?”
“The lab can house people too, right? I brought change of clothes and toiletries,” Xu Kaiqing said, shaking the woven bag, “You take the lounge; Peter and I will take turns sleeping on the sofa.”
Xie Dingyuan, who had his eye on the sofa all along: “…”
The imagined “two-person world”, bang, shattered!
“Uh, maybe… we came at the wrong time?” Xu Kaiqing glanced at Xie Dingyuan beside Jiang Fuyue.
The brat, quite the one, chasing his girlfriend all the way to the lab, and hugging…
If it weren’t for him and Old Peter unexpectedly barging in, they might have been… already kissing!
Tsk tsk… never realized the Xie family boy was so flirtatious before.
Xu Kaiqing’s eyes flashed with disdain, disrupting work, no sense of occasion, bad review!
Xie Dingyuan: “?”
Just that one moment, really just one, and the two old men ran into it. What bad luck!
Jiang Fuyue saw they were both older but had come to help, warming her heart. Naturally, she accepted the favor: “No, you came at just the right time. There’s a pile of data here that hasn’t been sorted yet.”
Xu Kaiqing rolled up his sleeves: “This I’m good at, no problem at all!!”
Old Peter quickly followed: “Let Cho… uh! Little Yueyue organize it!” With Xie Dingyuan present, he changed how he addressed her.
Jiang Fuyue: “You two rest first. Tomorrow…”
“No need!” they said in unison.
Xu Kaiqing: “We already caught up on sleep during the day. We have energy now.”
Old Peter: “We guessed you’d get the data tonight, so we rested in advance and can start working now.”
Jiang Fuyue looked at Xie Dingyuan; he shrugged: “While you were busy, I napped in the chair.”
Meaning: I won’t sleep, I can still work.
“Good! Let’s start immediately…”
By late night, Jiang Fuyue began feeling sleepy. She didn’t resist, set her alarm, and went to the lounge.
At six, she got up on time, swapping with Xu Kaiqing for rest.
At eleven, Old Peter couldn’t hold on, climbed onto the empty lab table, and collapsed asleep.
Xie Dingyuan was still busy. Jiang Fuyue poured him a cup of water: “Drink, then go rest in the lounge for a bit.”
“No need,” he took the cup, “I’m not tired yet. Wait until the first stage analysis report is out.”
Compared to Jiang Fuyue, Xie Dingyuan was more professional in pharmaceuticals.
Xu Kaiqing and Old Peter, limited by expertise, only handled basic data screening. While Jiang Fuyue rested, Xie Dingyuan controlled the overall progress.
He not only imported screened data into the analysis program, but also fixed any bugs on the spot, and recorded the output himself.
“Good.” Jiang Fuyue nodded, not forcing him.
Every researcher, especially those in high-intensity work for long hours, has their own way to manage routines. If Xie Dingyuan wanted to rest, he would.
“Move Part B to me. I’ll handle this part.”
Xie Dingyuan nodded and started working on the computer: “Already packaged and sent over. Check it.”
“In the specific steps, item three is missing two formulas.”
Xie Dingyuan frowned, leaned over her shoulder, looking at the screen: “Let me see… shouldn’t be… hidden state. Did you not have login access?”
As expected!
Jiang Fuyue slapped her forehead: “Sorry, I forgot.”
This was the key to entering the database.
Xie Dingyuan: “Check now, anything missing?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Nothing, all normal.”
They exchanged a glance and smiled.
In the afternoon, Xu Kaiqing and Old Peter woke and returned to work.
This time Xie Dingyuan rested while Jiang Fuyue controlled overall progress.
Xu Kaiqing, fresh from washing his face, saw Xie Dingyuan swagger into Jiang Fuyue’s lounge.
Huh!
This guy has no sense of discretion at all.
Seeing Xu Kaiqing, he nodded slightly: “Old Xu.”
“Mm.” Xu Kaiqing nodded. “Going to rest?”
Xie Dingyuan: “Mm.”
“Ahem! Actually, the sofa in the hall outside is soft and comfortable. Peter and I already woke up.”
Meaning: sofa is free, why sleep in the lounge? Girl’s room isn’t yours to just enter!
Xie Dingyuan agreed: “It is comfortable. I’ll rest first.”
He turned, pushed the lounge door open, went in, and closed it behind him, smooth as flowing water.
Xu Kaiqing: “?” Did he not understand, or pretended not to?
At the door, Xie Dingyuan finally relaxed. Good thing he got in quickly; otherwise, he’d have to sleep on the sofa.
Sofa is soft, but not as comfy as wife’s fragrant bed.
Really acting like a silly goose?
Xu Kaiqing: polite, aren’t you?
…
Inside, the lab was bustling.
Outside, the Ming University campus wasn’t idle either.
Somehow, someone heard something, and then the whole school started spreading that Jiang Fuyue, Xu Kaiqing, and Peter were in the lab in seclusion.
“Seems like they’re trying to refute that Tosaki Kawashima paper, doing some experiments, some rechecks… anyway, I didn’t hear too carefully. Old Xu just casually mentioned it when he came to the cafeteria to eat, and I was sitting right next to him slurping noodles, hehe… I happened to overhear it.”
“I know this! Several academic forums went crazy, all saying the miracle drug has problems, constantly bringing up that R-country guy’s paper. I just don’t get it, our country’s own academic achievements aren’t being defended, but they wave some foreign nonsense as a banner. Those researchers, do they have ping-pong balls in their heads?”
“Obviously someone is deliberately guiding public opinion, trying to smear Sister Yue!”
“I just registered an account and argued back.”
“Me too! Me too! I’m not good at academic stuff, but insulting people is easy.”
“Watch your words, don’t get Sister Yue blacklisted. If someone with ill intentions grabs onto it, it could backfire and become a point of attack against her…”
“Don’t worry! No need to remind me. Who nowadays isn’t a pro at anti-black? I neither curse nor swear, just ask them two questions, are you Chinese? Are you true to your conscience? Those academic scum immediately feel guilty and don’t dare to reply.”
So far, this matter has only caused a stir in academic circles, and hasn’t escalated to full internet discussion.
The people behind it clearly know the frightening power of Jiang Fuyue’s fans, and don’t want it to go viral, lest they themselves get exposed.
As long as Jiang Fuyue’s reputation in academia is ruined, she won’t be able to make any big waves in the future.
As for outside the circle, they don’t care.
“Right now, Sister Yue is facing doubt from the little Japanese… cough… To defend our country’s scientific achievements, to defend Ming University’s honor, Sister Yue and the others are working tirelessly, ready for battle. Are we just going to sit by and do nothing?”
“Absolutely not! Honor belongs to China and to Ming University. We absolutely cannot let the little foreigners steal it!”
“At this time, Sister Yue needs the support of the whole school. We can’t drop the ball!”
“Exactly! Even if we don’t understand experiments or those deep theories, we can still do things within our ability.”
“For example?”
Uh!
Everyone went silent for a moment.
What exactly could they do?
Everyone looked at each other, scratching their heads.
Suddenly: “Ah, I got it! I can deliver meals to Sister Yue and the professors. That way they won’t have to go to the cafeteria for every meal and can focus on research!”
“I can help clean the lab!”
“I’ll water the lawn outside the lab.”
“Whoa! All the tasks have been taken, what can I do? Ah… got it! Someone’s delivering breakfast, so I’ll deliver lunch!”
“I’ll do dinner!”
“Midnight snack?” Do Sister Yue and the professors eat midnight snacks?
“That’s right. They’re eating and sleeping in the lab now. I’ll buy a few air mattresses to send over so they at least have a place to sleep…”
“I’ll buy towels and toothbrushes!”
“I’ll buy soap!”
“…”
Never underestimate the power of a collective. When everyone pulls together in the same direction, the energy is enormous!
The students acted immediately, each taking initiative.
Those responsible for meals quickly contacted the cafeteria staff.
Sister Yue and the others were doing brainwork. Their three meals a day had to be nutritious.
Custom meal plans were just routine.
Ingredients the school didn’t have were bought immediately, either via calls to suppliers or brought from home.
When the elders found out, they not only didn’t blame anyone, but fully supported it.
No problem, go ahead and do it. Protect the light of Chinese academia, charge!
Money isn’t an issue, bring as much as you want!
Some parents even lent their nutritionists to the cafeteria, “Take them, use them freely, no charge!”
Buying beds and living supplies was even more extreme. One student’s family owned a daily goods company, and had trucks deliver the items straight to the school, all at cost, no middleman profit.
After all this, the next challenge was how to discreetly deliver the items to the lab without disturbing them.
Someone suggested having the Campus Inspection Committee handle it.
Li Chen, Liang Jingzhou, Gu Huaiyu, and Cheng Lian received the message and rushed to the scene, only to be stunned by the pile of supplies. Their eyes went wide.
Finally, they decided Li Chen, as chairman of the committee, would deliver the items to Sister Yue and the others.
There were so many things, and some were useless, baby diapers? handheld game consoles? ovens, egg steamers?
If you can think it up, they could buy it.
So Li Chen decided to select practical items to send.
Really sending everything? The lab wouldn’t have space!
…
That night, Jiang Fuyue received several air mattresses, deflated, they needed pumps to inflate, along with pillows and air-conditioning blankets.
Exactly what they needed!
“What’s this?”
Li Chen: “I’m sending these on behalf of everyone. And the stuff behind… cough! All of it…” He pointed behind him.
Jiang Fuyue looked up. Someone unfamiliar might think it was a wholesale site: towels, soap, glass cups, detergent, you name it.
Several large boxes of instant noodles, large boxes of milk, plus cookies and bottled water, stacked neatly.
Li Chen left everything without giving Jiang Fuyue a chance to refuse, then ran off.
After a short distance, he stopped, turned back, and shouted: “Almost forgot, three meals a day plus midnight snacks from now on will be delivered by us! You and the professors focus on research and watch that Kawashima nonsense get slapped down!”
…
Besides material support from the whole school, the next day Huo Fanjin came with a boy, volunteering to help with chores.
Huo Fanjin had no problem with ability; especially after interning at the Biophysics Institute, their research skills improved sharply.
As for the other boy…
The boy looked a little nervous under Jiang Fuyue’s scrutiny: “S-Sister Yue, hello, my name is Fu Chengjia…”
Fu Chengjia was a student of Peiya Class 2049, two grades above Jiang Fuyue and Huo Fanjin, now already graduated.
Although older than Jiang Fuyue, he looked extremely shy, calling her “Sister Yue” smoothly every time.
Fu Chengjia and Huo Fanjin originally met in a Ming University quiz competition to win a “gourmet gift package.”
Later, Huo Fanjin interned at the Biophysics Institute and found Fu Chengjia was also working there, not as an intern, but as a junior researcher.
Both were from Ming University, senior and junior in the same line, and often collaborated. Gradually, they got familiar.
Huo Fanjin quietly pulled Jiang Fuyue aside: “This is a treasure. I specifically brought him to help, try using him.”
Jiang Fuyue agreed to let them stay, handling basic data like Xu Kaiqing and Old Peter.
Fu Chengjia turned out to be more than twice as fast as the others, nearly catching up with Jiang Fuyue.
No wonder Huo Fanjin called him a “treasure”…
What Jiang Fuyue didn’t know: before her time at Ming University, Fu Chengjia was the campus celebrity.
He scored over 700 on the college entrance exam but had to give up due to poverty. At his lowest, Ming University offered him admission, free tuition, and a living stipend, on the condition that he enroll at Ming University and produce a set number of papers each year.
Fu Chengjia delivered.
Before Jiang Fuyue’s era, he was called “Ming University’s lone scientific prodigy,” single-handedly upholding the school’s academic reputation.
Thus, Huo Fanjin and Fu Chengjia officially stayed, adding two more daily meal deliveries.
They didn’t stay in the lab, and there was no room for them anyway; they just came to help during the day.
Fu Chengjia’s talent was so exceptional that Jiang Fuyue even assigned him some simple analysis work.
He didn’t disappoint, quick and flawless.
…
During the final stage of rechecks, everyone worked tightly, without slack.
Thus, through tireless day-and-night effort and the full support of the school, the results finally came!
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