Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation
Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
On the third floor of the laboratory department, Zhang Shuguang paid a visit to the sample preparation team at Zhou Wen’s research lab.
The research equipment in there were rather basic, which included electronic scales, thermometers, hygrometers, pH meters, a distilled water machine, incubators, etc.
He randomly checked the apparatus as he put on gloves.
“Is this a reagent?”
Zhang Shuguang had sharp eyes, so he knew what Zhou Wen was doing by looking at the equipment and apparatus’s setup.
The team leader of the sample preparation team, Liu Weiping passed by right at that time, and he was surprised as he saw Zhang Shuguang. “Hey, you’re finally free to pay a visit, Zhang?”
Zhang Shuguang answered with a smile, “Nah, I’m just here to see what my team member was doing in the last two days.”
“Who is that?”
“Zhou Wen.”
“Oh, isn’t that the young man Lin Huaidong mentioned during the meeting two days ago?”
“Yes, you’re right.”
Liu Weiping complimented with a smile, “He is really a high potential young man, and his work has been above average so far; even Yang couldn’t stop praising him when we talked about him yesterday.”
Having chuckled, Zhang Shuguang added, “He is just playing petty tricks.”
Liu Weiping waved his hand to dismiss the remark and continued, “No, no, no, he is indeed a potentially capable young man. Yang also agreed that he is not just living by one’s wits, but he made an excellent judgment call on the day of the incident according to the victim’s condition at that moment. That requires a very strong and knowledgeable fundamental.”
Having paused, Liu Weiping added as he smiled, “In addition, I’ve heard that the concentration of DNA in the samples he extracted are much higher than those extracted by the experienced pharmacists; moreover, the amplification effect is excellent! Isn’t that the reason you made an exception for him?”
Zhang Shuguang responded, “Well, do you know that his zodiac sign is that of the Monkey? Monkeys are good at climbing along the pole and messing up things. Look how many times he has got me into trouble since he reported to work.”
Though Zhang Shuguang could not stop badmouthing Zhou Wen, he had a smile on his face the entire time.
Liu Weiping laughed and added, “What’s the big deal? He is welcome to my team to create more problems as long as he is capable!”
“Hehe, no way. He is our full-time experimenter. If he is gone, where can I find…”
…
It was 10 o’clock sharp when Zhou Wen returned to the comprehensive laboratory.
Wei Zhaogong said to him, “I was just about to call you! We have finished using the DNA samples; please extract some more.”
“Sure.”
Zhou Wen began to get busy right after he acknowledged the instruction.
“Where are Jiang Hexuan and the rest?” Zhou Wen asked as he began working on his tasks.
“Downstairs.”
Zhao Weigong asked again after answering Zhou Wen, “What have you been up to the past couple of days? I haven’t seen you at all.”
“Oh, just some personal matters.”
“I’ve heard from Xu Jiajia and her buddies that your formal employment has been issued, right?”
“Uhmmm, yes.”
“Congratulations!”
“Hehe.” Zhou Wen smiled. In fact, he wanted to say that it did not really matter whether he got a formal contract of employment or not, but he might sound like he was arrogant.
“I’ll treat you all to a meal one day… No, I think let’s go for karaoke.”
Wei Zhaogong laughed out loud upon hearing his proposal.
Zhou Wen mentioned before that he got traumatized having meals with his peers, and he always had the instinct that it would be messed up.
“No time like the present; how about tonight?”
“I’m drafting my final year essay. How about next week?”
“I’m fine with that too…”
They continued chatting as they worked.
Zhou Wen managed to extract the DNA samples before lunchtime, and Wu Yan approached him during lunch as she saw him alone. “Hey, are you staying at the hostel, or do you rent a place on your own?”
Although Zhou Wen’s formal employment had been approved, he had not signed the employment contract. Nevertheless, he received confirmation of his remuneration package via verbal agreement.
It included CNY 7,000 as his basic salary with CNY 600 for housing allowance and an additional CNY 600 for meal allowance. Unfortunately, there were no allocations for overtime work.
Certainly, the job was relatively relaxed as he basically got to rest every alternate day. Moreover, Sunday would be his off day.
At most, he would only need to work half a day of overtime if there was a lot of work to complete. In conclusion, he only had to work eight hours a day, three days a week.
Comfortable and chilled indeed.
“There are too many restrictions staying in the hostel. I think staying on my own is better.”
“Alright, here is your employment ID and meal card. I’ll pass you two sets of uniforms and the keys to the information room later. Here, your temporary meal card…”
After talking for a bit, Wu Yan left, and Zhou Wen followed right after.
He took a look at his employment ID as he walked.
Name- Zhou Wen.
Department- Laboratory Department.
Position- PCR Team Experimenter.
Zhou Wen smiled and inserted the meal card into the cardholder with his employment ID in it, and then put it into his pocket.
The difference between the doctors in the outpatient department and the staff from the laboratory department was that they did not usually wear their employment ID with a lanyard. Meanwhile, the doctors did.
The reason was probably similar to the psychological reason behind the change of logo on the vehicles from BMW Brilliance to BMW.
Certainly, Zhou Wen did not think that they were less significant than the doctors. However, it would be strange if he wears it, but his own colleagues did not.
Right at that moment, he found a hard textured card in his pocket.
He took it out and had a look – it was the ICBC card given by the old lady this morning. Coincidentally, he passed by the ATM in the hospital; hence, he was thinking, ‘Should I just check it out? Anyway, checking is not an offense; I’m not taking the money.’
Swiftly, Zhou Wen was standing by the ATM and inserted the card into the machine after glancing at the first and last three digits of the card’s numbers.
Reading card… Insert password…
Inquiring…
After waiting for a few seconds, the page related to the balance information was shown on the screen.
Balance – 572,864.19
Available balance – 572,864.19
ATM daily withdrawal balance limit – 20,000.00
“One, tens, hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands…”
Zhou Wen was silent. He really did not expect that the old lady would just give him a bank card with a few hundred thousand in it. Despite his shock, he could certainly understand her predicament.
It was indeed a heartbreaking experience for the elderly to lose their beloved children. Additionally, listening to the family members’ grief about their loss made the old lady feel desperate and miserable as well.
Therefore, it was not strange that the old lady gave him such a valuable gift.
However, that was also the reason he should not accept it. In fact, there would be more problems for him if he had too much money. Zhou Wen turned away and left as he put the bank card into his pocket.
For the second half of his day, he stayed in Wu Yan’s tiny office to search for the information he needed for his final year essay.
He finished work at 5.30 pm sharp.
Zhou Wen received a call from Zhang Wei on his way home that he was going to buy them a farewell dinner tonight as he has got his internship offer.
Since Zhou Wen was reluctant to reject, he agreed to join the dinner as it would be difficult for them to gather again after tonight. It reminded him of Shi Lei as it was as though he had disappeared from his life.
After a quick shower, Zhou Wen hurried to the restaurant outside the school.
It was the same Sichuan cuisine which he treated his friends to earlier.
Other than Liu Yukun and himself, the rest also brought their family along, including Xiao Lingling.
Xu Shuangyu was the last to arrive but she managed to reach the restaurant before the food was served.
She was wearing a lose-knitted-white top with an A-shaped skirt a little lower than her knees. The outfit made her look fresh.
Chen Ziyuan got Xu Shuangyu to sit beside Zhou Wen.
Xu Shuangyu did not behave shyly but sat down and smiled to Zhou Wen. “Are you surprised?”
Zhou Wen took a glimpse of her closely and Xu Shuangyu’s pretty face was so clear under the ceiling light as she did not wear a baseball cap today.
Her eyes were crystal clear, situated below her elegant eyebrows as her lashes danced from time to time. Her skin was smooth and a rosy complexion was visible from her fair skin. Not only that, her thin lips were as charming as rose petals.
‘She is definitely beautiful.’ Zhou Wen praised her silently and asked with a smile as he filled her cup with Yang Wei Duo, “Why didn’t you ask if I’m happy?”
Xu Shuangyu secretly peeked around and whispered as she noticed the rest were busy placing orders, “Do I have to ask? I’m sure you’re very happy, aren’t you?”
Zhou Wen nodded reluctantly. “Are you here because of me?”
Xu Shuangyu glimpsed at him as she squinted her eyes. Arrogantly, she said, “You’re really self-centered.”
Suddenly, Zhang Wei shouted when Zhou Wen, who was about to reply. “Hey, stop having a small talk. Let’s toast and have fun tonight!”
“Cheers!”
“…”
A few of them in the room were very cheeky; hence, the ‘farewell dinner’ did not end with sadness but with joy.
One and a half hours had passed since they started the feast.
At around eight o’clock, Chen Ziyuan suggested going to sing at a karaoke box but Liu Yukun disagreed, “It’s boring; let’s go to the foot massage center.”
Lu Niang and Zhang Wei cheerfully agreed. Therefore, Chen Ziyuan was on board with the idea too. “Sure, let’s go to the foot massage center.”
Xiao Lingling added, “Alright! You guys go to the foot massage center; we will go to the pub.”
However, Chen Zhiyuan disagreed with the proposal, “What are you going to do there alone? Don’t go.”
Xiao Lingling argued, “Since you can go to the massage center, why can’t we go to the pub?”
Chen Ziyuan explained, “We are men, we can protect ourselves; you will just let others take advantage of you if you go to the pub.”
“…”
As they started to argue, Zhang Wei said, “Forget about it. Let’s go home!”
In the end, the trip to the massage center was canceled.
As usual, Zhou Wen and Xu Shuangyu returned to school together.
However, something that was different this time was that Xu Shuangyu did not have to pretend that she was injured; hence, they walked together side by side.
Upon entering the school campus, the noises of the city were completely isolated outside, and they were only surrounded by peace and quietness.
The moon was hanging above the sky with a breeze gently carressing their faces. Unknowingly, that made Zhou Wen feel a little depressed.
Xu Shuangyu asked, “Hey, what are you thinking about?”
Zhou Wen said, “I’m wondering which bastard would end up marrying such a beautiful girl like you…”