Chapter 05:ㅤ"This man is too sharp."ㅤ[edited]
ㅤ
The next day.
It was almost noon when Ying Xize woke up.
He was not in a very good state last night. Fortunately, the rental house he had rented for the convenience of commuting to and from work was not too far from the Research Institute. After surviving the "phagocytosis" period, Xiang Jiayan sent him back.
Almost as soon as he got back to his room, he fell asleep exhausted.
This sleep lasted ten hours.
After simply washing, he pushed the door and walked out. Ying Xize looked up and saw Xiang Jiayan who was already waiting at the stairway.
From going to work to getting off work, he saw this man's shadow almost every time, and he has also gotten used to this shadow over the years.
As long as no "accidents" occur, they should be able to maintain this non-interference agreement for a long time.
As if he hadn't seen the man at all, Ying Xize passed by Xiang Jiayan without looking at him and went downstairs.
From the beginning, Xiang Jiayan's vision always stayed on Ying Xize.
After a night, the Institute's youngest scientific research expert have been completely free of last night's embarrassment. Except for the still indelible fatigue between his brows and eyes, the whole person was left with only a faint chill.
Xiang Jiayan wanted to say something, but the warning from Ying Xize last night appeared in his mind. All of his expressions faded and he followed without a word.
Because of the special nature of the Institute, as long as the on-the-job personnel can submit the experimental data on time, the commuting time is very flexible.
The matter in Qiufeng District made everyone more or less traumatized. Ying Xize arrived at lunchtime. It was not too late compared with other colleagues who were on duty together yesterday.
The cafeteria was bustling with people coming and going.
Not long after Ying Xize sat down, Yu Qingyi and other colleagues from Group E also sat down with dinner plates. All of them were people who had been to the scene yesterday, and they discussed related topics while eating.
"Don't say it, those people do things quite quickly. It's only been a night since the incident in Qiufeng District, and it was reported directly in the newspaper."
"It's pretty fast, but the words used to cover up are indeed somewhat old-fashioned. And what massive gas explosion? It's probably the fourth time this year, isn't it? Although Qiufeng is certainly an old community, this way of diverting people's attention is somewhat a disaster."
"You're right. With all the online abuse going on, the authorities involved are probably slapping the table and cursing their mother."
In fact, early this morning, the entry #Qiufeng District Large-scale Gas Explosion# has already been on the hot search on Weibo, which quickly attracted the attention of the entire Internet.
If possible, the authorities would not want the incident to escalate, but this time it is difficult to hide the fact that the entire community is involved.
Trying to quietly bury the truth without causing panic is, after all, a huge project.
On the one hand, it gives the most suitable cover for the masses to accept. On the other hand, the guides of the independent teams in the Logistics Department must be busy brainwashing other people in the victim's relationship network, rewriting memories to ensure safety.
In comparison, the researchers who were also involved to the "accident" only had to conduct experiments on the active samples brought back, which is much easier.
In recent years, there have been so many such "accidents" and too many contacts that everyone has naturally become accustomed to it.
From being ill at ease at the beginning, it was now a commonplace.
Talking about this, Yu Qingyi also shared with her colleagues what she had just learned. "I was passing by Team Chen's office when I heard him talking on the phone, and it seems that the above are urging us to proceed with the experiment. I've never seen them so anxious before. It always makes me feel that Ningcheng hasn't been very peaceful lately. Especially the guard post of Chenshan Cave, I had no idea what was going on. Not long ago, a lot of people had just been transferred and yesterday, they suddenly applied for a special order. This time, even the Seventh Team had been called directly."
The shocking scene at the scene yesterday directly made the intern Wen Ren's idol list have another name of Su Fengzhou.
At this time, when he heard the words, he looked over. "Seventh Team? Is it the Seventh Team who came to the scene yesterday?"
Yu Qingyi nodded, "Otherwise, can you find a second Seventh Team?"
Wen Ren shrank his neck.
"That's not right, is it? Aren't the people in the Department of Elimination and Investigation only responsible for city security? I remember that the people in charge of the cave are the people of the defense team." Wang Zheng swallowed secretly, "The Captain Su from the Seventh Team made a lot of commotion when they came out of the defense team. At that time, the face was completely torn, and the defense team could still even ask for help? Well... it'll be a disaster then."
"Your situation is too small, right? How else can you say that Captain Su can afford to let go? He really agreed, and had already taken the people of the Seventh Team to the guard post to report." Speaking of this, Yu Qingyi also sighed a little, "What a man! If I hadn't already had brother He, I would have been moved to see such a man."
The others followed a flurry of jeers.
Yu Qingyi's beautiful eyes rolled, not the slightest bit concerned.
Glancing at Ying Xize, who had been eating quietly next to her, she suddenly pulled up a meaningful smile at the corners of her mouth, "Speaking of which, Ying Gong, you seem to be the only one who have spoken to Captain Su here."
The conversation suddenly shifted to himself, and Ying Xize looked up at her inquiringly.
Yu Qingyi blinked and suddenly began to gossip, "You didn't feel anything then?"
Others, including Xiang Jiayan, followed suit.
Only Ying Xize, who did not seem to understand the meaning of this sentence very well, twisted his eyebrows slightly, and the man's gaze toward him began to come to mind.
It was sharp, like a hungry wolf staring at its prey.
After a pause, he began flatly, "This man is too sharp."
That's it?
This is certainly not the answer Yu Qingyi envisioned.
But after being stunned for a moment, she seemed to know something from this reply, and shook her head emotionally. "As expected, it's hard to enlighten."
Ever since Ying Xize arrived in Group E, someone will come over to make a great show of affection. During the whole process, their colleagues didn't help him block those rotten peach blossoms.
Sometimes one can't help but wonder what kind of person will get into the eyes of their young scientific research genius. Now he has managed to bump ino such a person as Su Fengzhou, but she never thought she'd get such a calm answer.
Not only is it hard to enlighten, it is simply hopeless!
Yu Qingyi often played the role of a matchmaker for those single dogs who work from dawn to dusk. At this time, she probably felt that her heart was really broken, and she silently rubbed her temples.
She didn't know whether she was comforting Ying Xize or comforting herself. "In fact, it is good not to feel too much. Whether it's the defense team or those in the Department of Elimination and Investigation, they are on the front line of 'accidents' all day long. Maybe one day if you don't pay attention, the person will be gone. If you really like them, you'll have to worry and torture yourself instead."
Someone couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Yu Meiren, your family's He Jitong seems to be from the defense team?
Yu Qingyi glared at him angrily, "That's why I have the most say!"
The others burst into laughter.
The pleasant lunch hour soon ended.
Just as she was about to leave, Yu Qingyi quietly pulled Xiang Jiayan aside and winked suggestively. "How about it, Assistant Xiang? Ying Gong's response is still a good thing for you, right? Although sometimes it is very easy for a person to see out of sight, but as far as your pleasing appearance is concerned, if you try harder, there may still be hope, don't be discouraged!"
Xiang Jiayan came to the Research Institute with Ying Xize at that time.
Sven Wen* wore a pair of gold-wire glasses on his face. Although he was not as good as Ying Xize, his face was enough to please many little girls.
(* 斯斯文文 : lit. gentle and elegant)
Everyone didn't understand it at that time. At his age, Ying Xize didn't seem like he could be assigned the rank of a special assistant, until he blocked everyone's mouth with absolutely convincing scientific research results in the next few months.
As for Xiang Jiayan, all the assistants in the same period have been promoted one after another. Only he has followed Ying Xize to the present.
Others may not see it, but the details can't escape from the fiery eyes of Yu Qingyi, a veteran matchmaker, especially with Xiang Jiayan's appearance of looking at Ying Xize through autumn water several times. It's an infatuated and bitter love to take a video and cut it casually*.
(* 拍个视频下来随便剪剪都是一段痴情苦恋。)
Once when they went out to a dinner party and got drunk, and while Ying Xize was away, Xiang Jiayan spat out the truth after drinking and nearly confessed publicly.
At this time, however, Xiang Jiayan was clearly sober.
In a clear state of mind, having heard those words, he just calmly pushed the glasses on the bridge of his nose, hiding the vaguely fluctuating emotions under his eyes. "Thank you for your concern, but my relationship with Ying Gong is really just a relationship between superiors and subordinates."
Yu Qingyi didn't believe that she had actually lost her horse's hoof and misjudged. She stared at Xiang Jiayan doubtfully, trying to find a flaw from the other party's expression. "Really?"
Xiang Jiayan looked at her, the corner of his lips evoked a gentle arc, and reiterated, "Yu Dameiren, I really don't have that kind of idea about Ying Gong, and there's no possibility of that."
After lunch, Ying Xize had returned to his laboratory.
The chemical reaction that had taken place in the container the other day had already borne fruit. After taking out the booklet and recording it stroke by stroke, he sat at the table with a calm expression.
His eyes were fixed on the special substance that had crystallized in the vessel, but his thoughts had already drifted to the night before.
All the feelings during the "phagocytosis" in the body came back to the mind bit by bit like a video replay.
The uncomfortable memory caused Ying Xize's eyebrows to twist a little, and the nib of the pen tapped gently on the paper.
Then, as in the past, he recorded all the details he could capture throughout the process without fail.
Three or four full pages of paper were packed to the brim.
Just as the last stroke fell, the ringing of the mobile phone broke the silence of the room.
Ying Xize glanced at the familiar string of numbers that was not stored in the contacts. "Hello?"
"Hello, Mr. Ying Xize." The female voice on the other end of the line was melodious and respectful, "The 'appointment' day will be in a few days. According to the usual practice, I will remind you in advance. Please arrange your work schedule for the near future, and I'm very sorry for any interruptions."
Ying Xize replied, "I see."
"On the 26th, Ying Gong has requested for a leave of absence again?" These days, everyone has been busy dealing with the active samples. It was not until Wang Zheng passed by Ying Xize's lab and saw the closed door that he reacted, "It's really a must to take off these days every month!"
As he spoke, he looked at Xiang Jiayan, who was with him in the tea room, "So is it for physical examination again? So often, is there really no serious problem?"
Xiang Jiayan put the brewed coffee in his hand and stirred it gently. He smiled at Wang Zheng. "It's really alright. It's just a routine inspection."
"What routine inspection, it takes so many days every time, ah." Wang Zheng still felt there was something wrong, but looking at Xiang Jiayan's relaxed demeanor, it really didn't seem to be a big deal. Finally, he scratched his head and dropped a sentence, "Anyway, if you really need help with any difficulties, you must remember to ask, okay?"
Xiang Jiayan chuckled, "You really think too much."
Wang Zheng: "Of course, it's best to think too much."
Seeing Wang Zheng leave, Xiang Jiayan stirred his coffee for a moment before pausing.
The warm smile disappeared in an instant. He glanced at the laboratory door, which had been tightly closed, lowered his eyes, and entered his assistant's office.
From the 26th to the 29th, Ying Xize took a total of three days off this time.
Everyone in the Research Institute was busy running the project at hand, and time passed quietly.
By the time Ying Xize reappeared, it was already the night of the 29th.
When he received a phone call from Xiang Jiayan, he just crossed the intersection directly across from the Research Institute. "En, I've come back. I had an idea for a while, so I'm planning to go to the lab... No, you don't have to come to me. I'll go back when I'm done with it. It won't affect your schedule at this time."
On the other side of the phone, Xiang Jiayan's voice still sounded a little hesitant, "But you just came back. If you go to the laboratory in this state, will you..."
The latter words were interrupted by Ying Xize indifferently. "Of course, if you really can't rest assured, I won't stop Assistant Xiang from running this trip."
There was no sound on the other end of the phone for a moment.
After a while, Xiang Jiayan spoke again, "If you feel uncomfortable, please remember to contact me at any time."
"Got it."
Ying Xize hung up the phone, looked up at the iron railings of the Research Institute, took out the work number plate and swiped it over the access control.
"Di—— !" With a sound, the gate opened.
At the same time, in the duty room, the familiar security elder brother suddenly poked out his head, and the look on his face when he saw Ying Xize was like seeing a relative. "Ying Gong, you came to work overtime? Just in time, a man from the Department of Elimination and Investigation came just now. He said there is an urgent matter that needs to be handled by your Group E so he had to wait here for someone to come. I was still trying to call team leader Chen but I couldn't get through all the time. Otherwise... you can help me out and take a look?"
Ying Xize asked, "Where is he?"
The security elder brother pointed in the direction of the laboratory. "Here, still blowing cold wind there!"
Ying Xize looked in this direction and then paused slightly.
The leader of the Seventh Team, who Yu Qingyi said should have gone to the Chenshan Cave a week ago, was currently leaning against the entrance of the Laboratory Building with his arms folded.
He was dressed in black with a tall figure.
The chill of the night draped intensely around him, eerily as if completely integrated into the night.
The sparks in his hand were still burning.
The cigarette ends fell on the floor around his feet. It seemed like he had been waiting for a long time.
The sentinel's keen senses apparently also allowed Su Fengzhou to notice the movement at the gate.
When looking up like this, it happened that their eyes were exactly facing each other.
Then, Ying Xize saw the intriguing smile that gradually surfaced under the other party's eyes.
In the next second, he walked in his direction with great strides.