The CEO is domineering, the devil Boss is addicted to pampering

Chapter 1246: Yun Rui's sincerity: the lasting effect of a sentence

Late at night in the Hunan University laboratory, moonlight leaked in through the gaps in the blinds, cutting silver stripes on Lin Xu's experimental notebook.

He gently touched the scabbed wound at the corner of his mouth, and the stinging sensation reminded him of the conflict during the day.

"The more you explain, the more it seems like a cover-up." This sentence affects more than just Qi Ruixiang.

Neither Qi Ruixiang nor Gu Yunqian could compare to him, the person involved, in terms of how this sentence enlightened them. This sentence was like the tentacles of an octopus, spreading continuously in the hearts of the three people and weaving an impenetrable net.

The sound of Zhou Zhengming's leather shoes came from the end of the corridor, the rhythm was steady and powerful, and every step seemed to be stepping on Lin Xu's heart.

The door of the laboratory was pushed open. Zhou Zhengming glanced at the scars on his face. His eyes behind the lenses were as cold as ice. "The provincial seminar is still three days away. Are you going to represent the team like this?"

He slammed a stack of information on the table. "So many people are trying so hard to get this opportunity, but you're spending all your energy on fighting!"

Lin Xu lowered his eyes and stared at the gaps between the tiles on the floor. The white caulking agent looked like his shattered dreams.

He recalled the scene when Gu Yunxi brought him into the team. The laboratory was full of hope at that time, but now, even the sound of reagent bottles colliding sounded distant.

"Speak!" Zhou Zhengming's roar shook the pens on the table. "Do you think you are so special? If it weren't for your cleverness..."

"I'm sorry." Lin Xu finally spoke, his voice as hoarse as sandpaper grinding against glass, "I will withdraw from the seminar." These words made the air freeze instantly. Zhou Zhengming opened his mouth, but in the end he just snorted coldly, grabbed his coat and slammed the door and left.

Lin Xu stood there alone, the shadows of the sycamore trees outside the window swayed in the moonlight, like countless pairs of mocking hands.

He slowly walked to the operating table. The instruments that once made him excited were now covered with a layer of frost.

Wang Lei passed by with the experimental samples in his arms, paused, and finally just quickened his pace and left; Li Wen lowered her head to organize the reagents, and even avoided eye contact.

He recalled the day when Gu Yunxi was suspended. The entire team sat in the conference room, silent as a grave.

At that time, he thought that as long as he worked hard, he could make up for his mistakes, but now he understands that once some cracks appear, they can never be repaired.

Back in the dormitory, Lin Xu carefully wiped the wound in front of the mirror.

The alcohol cotton pad touched the broken skin, and the stinging sensation sobered him up. The phone screen lit up, and it was a message from his mother: "How are you doing in school? Don't work too hard."

He clutched his phone, his throat tightened, and in the end he just replied with an emoticon saying "Everything is fine".

The campus was especially quiet late at night, and Lin Xu sat alone on the stands in the playground.

The laboratory in the distance was brightly lit, and he knew that it no longer belonged to him.

The wind blew up the fallen leaves on the ground, and a rustling sound made him think of Qi Ruixiang's scrutinizing gaze during the day. The complex emotions in that man's eyes were like a mirror, reflecting his miserable situation.

"Maybe I should really leave." He whispered to himself. But when he thought of the research project that Gu Yunxi had devoted his efforts to, and the scientific research problems that had not yet been solved, he felt unwilling to leave.

He loved it so much, but was forced into a corner by public opinion and misunderstanding, and even deprived of the courage to explain.

The next day, the late autumn sun shone through the glass windows of the laboratory, casting mottled shadows on the ground. Lin Xu stood at the door of Zhou Zhengming's office, his knuckles hanging above the door for a long time, and finally knocked gently.

"Come in." Zhou Zhengming's voice came from inside, with a bit of impatience.

Lin Xu pushed open the door and saw Zhou Zhengming, who was reviewing documents at his desk.

On the desk, the list of participants in the provincial seminar was clearly visible, and his name was still in the reporter column.

"Professor Zhou, I... I want to apply to withdraw from the team." Lin Xu's voice was very soft, but it was particularly clear in the silent office.

Zhou Zhengming stopped writing with his pen. He slowly raised his head, his eyes behind the glasses full of scrutiny: "Do you know what you are talking about?"

"I know." Lin Xu straightened his back, his eyes firm, "During this period, because of my incident, the atmosphere in the team has become very bad. I don't want to affect everyone's research progress because of me."

He recalled the deliberately distant looks Wang Lei and Li Wen had given him in the past few days, and the stagnant silence in the air every time he walked into the laboratory. "Besides, I am not suitable for this position."

Zhou Zhengming leaned back in his chair, crossed his hands over his chest, and looked at him with a half-smile: "Do you think that quitting can solve the problem? You are at the center of public opinion. If you leave now, people will only say that you are guilty."

"Maybe." Lin Xu laughed at himself, "But at least, I won't cause any more trouble to the team." His eyes fell on the list of participants in the seminar, "This opportunity should be left to someone more suitable."

Zhou Zhengming was silent for a moment, then suddenly sneered: "Interesting, do you know what it means to attend this seminar? So many people are scrambling for this spot, young man, I advise you to be realistic."

He picked up the pen and circled Lin Xu's name on the list.

"However, you are right about one thing. You are causing trouble for the team... But then again, everyone is a team player and won't hold it against you. My suggestion is that you..."

"No thanks, Professor Zhou." Lin Xu interrupted Zhou Zhengming and bowed deeply, "This is my decision after careful consideration."

When Lin Xu walked out of the office, the news spread quickly throughout the team as if it had wings.

The test tube in Li Wen's hand almost slipped. She looked at Lin Xu in disbelief: "Are you crazy? Such a good opportunity..."

Wang Lei also frowned, hesitating: "Actually, everyone..."

"I know, I know everything." Lin Xu interrupted him, "Thank you all for your tolerance towards me during this period. Thank you very much."

He looked at the familiar instruments in the laboratory, the equipment that carried his dreams.

"I have an unshirkable responsibility for the team's current situation. Leaving is the best outcome. I really hope that this project can continue to move forward."

In fact, there was one more thing Lin Xu couldn't say, which was that if he had left earlier, perhaps Gu Yunxi would not have been suspended, and Zhou Zhengming would not have had the opportunity to take over this project.

Everyone wouldn't be tortured so badly by that old man...

"Useless! Don't do the project with your current level. Go back to the countryside and feed pigs!" Zhou Zhengming grabbed a stack of reports and slammed them on the table. The papers fell like snowflakes at Li Wen's feet. "You guys still want to go to the seminar!"

The day before the seminar, Zhou Zhengming's tie was crooked due to a phone call from the school leader.

"Professor Zhou, I heard that you are going to temporarily replace someone?" The voice in the receiver was cold, "Xiang University's academic reputation can't stand such a toss."

His hand holding the phone was shaking. He glanced at the dusty Lin Xu version of the experimental model on the laboratory table and suddenly discovered that those designs that he had criticized as "fantastic" actually contained the key to breaking through the bottleneck.

"Go find Lin Xu!" Zhou Zhengming loosened his tie and threw the document in front of Wang Lei. "Tell him that as long as he comes back, I can let him lead the project!"

Wang Lei and Li Wen looked at each other and saw bitterness in each other's eyes - they remained silent in the face of the rumors, so why should they make the boy come back now?