Chapter 684: I’ll repay kindness with kindness
Translator: _Min_ Editor: Rundi
Coro Island, lab.
Lu Yuan was organizing the experimental documents of the graphene materials.
After saying goodbye to the scientist still working, he headed to the change room by the door.According to the laboratory’s confidentiality system, any information after work hours must be archived in the designated area strictly in accordance with procedures. Going on and off work requires a security screening procedure with mobile phones, USBs, and all other electronic devices were restricted from entering and leaving the research site. Future Group’s security measure for its research information was done to the extreme.
Lu Yuan picked up his phone and headed to the parking lot.
Just as he was about to start the car to go home, his phone vibrated.
It was an email from his old friend.
“Congratulations, Old Lu, the Noble Prize should be yours right?”
Wang Botao, his university classmate from the same hometown. After graduation they both entered the Institute of Research in separate departments. Although Lu Yuan wasn’t the most successful in the material science department, this friend of his always treated him well, and he has always been thankful.
Even if he decided to leave in the end.A smile emerged on Lu Yuan’s face. It would be untruthful to say he did not feel proud from his friend’s compliment. He tapped a few times on the screen and send an message back.
“I just got named, it is not determined yet.”
Beep-
The message went through. Just as he was about to close his phone, his friend instantly replied.
“I’m at the beach restaurant, the one by the west coast, want to have a drink with me?”
Lu Yuan was surprised, he replied immediately.
“You’re in Xin?”
“That’s right. Do you not want to have a drink?”
Lu Yuan’s fingers hung in the air, after hesitating for a moment, he typed a few words on the screen.
“Wait for me… if we are only having a drink.”
“Of course.”
Lu Yuan drove to the west coast, parked the car, looked at the crowd of people, took a deep breath, and walked to the restaurant.
Instinct told him that his old friend was not here just to catch up and must have other intentions. But even then, he should still meet him after he had traveled so far.
Inside the restaurant, he scanned the crowded place before seeing his friend in the corner waving at him.
Wang Botao patted him on the shoulder after they met and said joyously.
“Haha, are you surprised to see me? Hello, please grab us two beers!”
“This guy, why didn’t you tell me you were going to come?” Lu Yuan complained to his friend after he sat across from him. Then he picked up the menu, “Dinner is on me, feel free.”
“No need, I already ordered everything. You’re a busy person and it is great you still remember me, how could I let you treat me! Don’t think about the bill, I already paid!” Wang Botao shook the bill in his hand and stuffed it into his pocket.
“Who pays before eating!” Lu Yuan complained but had to settle.
Quickly, the dishes began to arrive. After a few beers, the conservation began to flow. Since he remembered Jiang Chen’s words at heart, Lu Yuan was afraid to drink too much. He did not mention anything related to his work and just chatted about his life.
But to Lu Yuan’s surprise, Wang Baotao didn’t try to subtly ask about the graphene project. He really did look like he was here for fun and decided to catch up with his friend.
Just as Lu Yuan felt relived at the fact that he no longer need to be bothered with how to reject his friend’s request, Wang Baotao suddenly said.
“Old Yuan.”
“Eh.”
“I always have been wondering that with the way I call you Old Yuan (Old Yuan in Chinese refers to be suffering from injustice), did I call all of your luck away?”
“Why is that?” Lu Yuan took a sip.
“When you were in the institute before, the director of your department always threw you the most difficult project. If you had any success, he always put his name at the front. If the project didn’t have any results, then he used your name as a scapegoat…”
“Sigh, let’s not mention the things in the past, let it go!” Lu Yuan waved his hand in dismissal.
After being named for the Nobel Prize, his mentality completely changed. The reason why he left was because of the injustice he received at the institute and he no longer wanted to be treated without any respect. So he decided to accept the olive branch from Future Group in the hope that he could make a name for himself and prove to the people that prevented him from being promoted his real worth.
But when he knew that he was named for the Nobel Prize with countless media reporting him, he became peaceful.
The feeling was as if he just ascended and everything that happened in that “small circle” no longer mattered.
Then, Wang Baotao abruptly said.
“Director Li has been put on leave.”
“Put on leave? Why?” Lu Yuan was shocked.
“Dereliction of duty .This poor sucker’s graduation thesis turned out to be a fraud, Commission for Discipline Inspection came in, and disciplined the no doers. This happened a few days ago.” Wang Baotao smiled. “There is a sucker that followed Director Li who is found to have used the advantage of his position in exchange for favors. He is now in prison too. I remember that you didn’t like both of them before.
[Is that so?]
Lu Yuan wanted to say something, but when he met his friend’s grin, his words were stuck in his throat. After he chewed on the words for a bit, he said something else.
“Is it because of me?”
Wang Baotao didn’t respond to the question, but instead looked seriously at him.
“The Director of Material Science Institute position is now open. The country needs you.”
Lu Yuan got up, Wang Baotao dragged him down.
“Don’t leave just yet, just let me finish.”
“Old Wang, we are friends, I don’t want you to be the lobbyist.”
Lu Yuan insisted on leaving, but Wang Baotao tightly held onto him.
“Old Yuan, I agree that the institute has treated you unfairly on a lot of things! But please give us a chance to make it up to you! People at the top knew about what happened and the superior placed great emphasis on taking out the no doers inside the institute to clear your name! The people that took your results before will be punished. If you have anything, just tell us—”
“Is it because I was named for the Nobel Prize that the superiors finally knew what happened?” Lu Yuan stared at him, coldly.
Wang Baotao was speechless, then he finally said something.
“… Why does that matter? It is the nature of the environment.”
“Of course it matters. I see arrogance.”
Wang Baotao’s expression froze on his face and he awkwardly said, “You can’t say that.”
“I’ll repay kindness with kindness. If you mention this further, we can’t be friends anymore.”
Lu Yuan broke free from his friend and headed for the door without turning his head.
Walking on the edge of the Hot Springs Island beach, the evening breeze passed by, the coconut palm trees swayed with a sizzling sound.
Stepping on the smooth sand, Jiang Chen held the phone while listening to the Ghost Agent’s report.
“… Lu Yuan’s performance?”
“Refused harshly.” Zhu Yu replied.
“Excellent.” A smile emerged.
[He didn’t trust the wrong people.]
Nobel Prize nomination and access to graphene technology, Han will without a doubt send people to persuade him to go back. However, he should know who gave him this honor.
“How are we going to take care of Wang Baotao?”
“Investigate his visa. Find a reason to deport him and put him on the blacklist,” Jiang Chen ordered.
He was just a director from the institute and not a spy attempting to steal information. Based on the consideration of the two countries’ diplomatic relationship, it was better to keep this toned down. A deportation would be enough to warn them.
“Yes.”
