Chapter 30 – It is different (Revised)

Translator: Abo Dammen

This was just Chi Zhao’s nature, like a straightforward and loyal puppy. You could give him the cold shoulder, you could ignore him. He would feel wronged, he would feel sad, but afterwards, he would still come back to nudge you with a wet nose and wag his tail to make you smile.

Such a puppy is impossible to refuse. At first, Fu Nan’an was still reluctant to let Chi Zhao seek him out. Although he had promised not to give him the cold shoulder, he still didn’t want him to waste too much time on him. But once you soften your heart once on certain matters, there’s no going back, you can’t rein it in. Every time Chi Zhao cautiously asked him, “Is it okay?” or “Is it alright?”, hearing Chi Zhao’s so-sincere pleas, Fu Nan’an could no longer refuse him.

Just like this matter of recruiting undergraduates for the research project.

Fu Nan’an did supervise postgraduate students in psychology, but his own background was in clinical medicine, and he specialized in basic experimental research. Fu Nan’an’s newly prepared project required animal experiments, and he wanted to recruit a few clinical students to help. Chi Zhao signed up without a second thought.

[Professor Fu, do you think I’d be suitable?]

After receiving the message, Fu Nan’an didn’t reply immediately. He had been busy all day with too many patients. After getting off work in the evening, when Fu Nan’an checked his WeChat messages, Chi Zhao had already sent several more.

[Professor Fu, are you there?]

[Professor, please consider me, give me a chance to try.]

[I’ve worked with other professors before, I have experience, and I absolutely won’t bother you.]

[I promise I don’t have any other intentions, really.]

How does Chi Zhao always manage to strike a chord? That slightly plaintive tone makes it impossible to bear refusing him. Actually, at their stage, not many students are still willing to follow basic experimental projects. Everyone is planning for their future as graduation approaches. Fu Nan’an was in the Psychology Department, not Clinical Medicine, so only three or four people signed up in total. Yet Chi Zhao treated this opportunity like a treasure.

Fu Nan’an typed: [How are the preparations for studying abroad coming along?]

Chi Zhao replied instantly: [Professor, don’t worry, I will absolutely manage my time well.]

Afraid Fu Nan’an might still refuse, he hurriedly added: [And participating in experiments can be included on my resume, it will also help with my school applications!]

There was indeed some benefit to following experiments. When results were published, the names of everyone in the team could be included. Some foreign supervisors value this so having experimental experience is indeed a plus.

Having said that, Fu Nan’an had little reason to refuse anymore. Moreover, he was already somewhat preferential towards Chi Zhao. Working with familiar people is always more comfortable. Chi Zhao was a very steady and reliable person. Back when he was in the Psychology Department, he often helped Fu Nan’an with typing.

Fu Nan’an’s eyes couldn’t see, so writing documents was always somewhat inconvenient. Although he had speech recognition software, it still produced many wrong characters. When Chi Zhao was previously in the Psychology Department, he often helped Fu Nan’an check documents converted from speech. He was very meticulous, so documents checked by him rarely had errors.

Before Fu Nan’an could reply, another message came from Chi Zhao. Seeing that text wasn’t working, he directly sent a voice message.

“Professor, please just give me a chance. I really, really want to join.”

He was just too good at grasping Fu Nan’an’s mindset. The cautious tone, with its slight trailing notes and a hint of a nasal quality, hooked and tugged at him. Fu Nan’an’s heart softened completely.

It was like a small animal looking at you with damp eyes, acting coquettishly and plaintively by your ear. Fu Nan’an played the voice message two more times. The soft, gentle voice echoed in the room. Fu Nan’an pressed and held the voice message button and said, “You can come if you want to.”

Not many students had signed up, and even fewer were genuinely sincere about staying. It was around April, the time when interns were preparing for postgraduate entrance exam retest. Fu Nan’an finally confirmed three candidates: besides Chi Zhao, there was one male and one female student. The male student was from Psychology, and the female student, like Chi Zhao, was from Clinical Medicine.

“Thank you all for coming,” Fu Nan’an held a welcome meeting for them on their official entry into the project group. He said to them with a smile, “I’ll be relying on your help from now on.”

“Professor, please don’t say that,” the male student from Psychology immediately responded, “Please, you mustn’t be so polite with us.”

“Yeah, Professor, no need to be polite with us,” Chi Zhao and the female student chimed in together. Fu Nan’an nodded and said, “Then I’ll be troubling you.”

Since they had joined the project group, Fu Nan’an wouldn’t stand on ceremony with them either. They were here to work and learn. Professor Fu didn’t deal in empty

formalities. This project involved a lot of animal experiments. Fu Nan’an would have them clean cages, wash test tubes, and also teach them to analyze data and design experiments. These days were very fulfilling. Unlike some professors who only assigned manual labor to undergraduates, the three of them learned a lot about experimental thinking and knowledge here.

This was a newly started project, still in its earliest stages, preparing to apply for funding. It was a busy time. Chi Zhao was fulfilled and happy, but he also vaguely sensed a crisis very quickly. The other clinical female student who came with him seemed to have a bit of a thing for Fu Nan’an.

The girl’s name was Jiang Yingxue. She had a ponytail, big eyes, and was not only pretty but also had a great personality. She was smooth-tongued. On her very first day, she managed to compliment all the senior brothers and sisters without repeating herself, making each one beam with joy.

“Our little junior sister Yingxue is just too adorable,” one senior sister, blushing a little from the praise, said, “You’re just too good at giving compliments, I’m almost embarrassed.”

Another senior brother directly patted his chest and said, “Just say the word, little junior sister. If you need anything from us in the future, just ask. Just for your compliment skills, your Shixiong will definitely help you!”

“Everything I said was sincere,” Jiang Yingxue hurriedly said, her tone very humble. “I’m new here and don’t understand much yet. I’ll be troubling you, senior brothers and sisters, to look after me more in the future.”

Excellent people are always humble. While saying she didn’t understand, Jiang Yingxue actually had strong practical skills. Chi Zhao had previously followed other research groups and had learned many procedures. Jiang Yingxue hadn’t had much contact with this before, but when the two worked together on shifts, she could quickly grasp the essentials.

“You’re just too good,” Chi Zhao exclaimed sincerely. “Something that took me several days to learn, you figured out how to do in just a few hours.”

“It’s because you taught me well,” Jiang Yingxue remained very humble. “I only learned because I was following you.”

No one could dislike someone like her. Everyone quickly got along well with Jiang Yingxue. Chi Zhao also felt she was an outstanding and dazzling person. Working with such a person was pleasant. Until one day, when only the two of them were in the lab, Jiang Yingxue cautiously pulled Chi Zhao aside. “Chi-ge, I wanted to ask you something.”

Chi Zhao said, “Go ahead.”

Jiang Yingxue first glanced around the room, then asked Chi Zhao with a smile, “Chi-ge, does our Professor Fu have a girlfriend?”

Hearing this, Chi Zhao was momentarily stunned. A blush tinged Jiang Yingxue’s cheeks, and her eyes were full of expectation. So Chi Zhao understood everything. “You… like Professor Fu?”

“I came here specifically for him,” Jiang Yingxue’s smile was confident and bright. “I liked him from the first moment I saw him.”

She continued pressing Chi Zhao. “Professor Fu doesn’t have a partner, right? I asked several people, and they all said no. You have a good relationship with the professor. You must know for sure.”

Everyone in the project group knew Chi Zhao had a good relationship with Fu Nan’an. Fu Nan’an often asked for Chi Zhao when he needed something. Their relationship was indeed good, but there was ultimately a barrier between them—they weren’t a couple. Chi Zhao’s lips parted and closed, and he could only say, “Mhm, he doesn’t have a partner.”

“Then I’m relieved.” Jiang Yingxue smiled brilliantly, looking certain of success.

When he saw the smile on her face, a strange feeling suddenly flashed through Chi Zhao’s heart. The next afternoon, when Fu Nan’an came to the lab to check on the project, Jiang Yingxue directly brought a huge bouquet of flowers. 99 vibrant red roses were presented before Fu Nan’an. “Professor Fu, I like you. Can I pursue you?”

This was truly too bold. The lab fell silent for two seconds, then erupted in cheers and applause.

“Wow! Junior Sister Yingxue is so daring!”

“Courageous, so courageous.”

“Professor, please consider our little shimei.”

The teasing voices rose one after another. Fu Nan’an’s voice betrayed no emotion. “Come out with me for a moment.”

Jiang Yingxue went out holding the flowers. The discussion in the lab remained intense.

“Do you think Professor Fu will agree?” a senior brother asked Chi Zhao.

Chi Zhao shook his head, answering and comforting himself at the same time. “Probably not. I haven’t seen Professor Fu agree to anyone’s confession before.”

“I’m not so sure,” the senior brother clicked his tongue twice, looking like he was enjoying the drama. “The professor has praised Jiang Yingxue several times, right? He said she’s capable. They could be considered a perfect match, a talented guy and a beauty.”

Another senior sister chimed in, her face full of excitement. “Right, and Jiang Yingxue’s uncle is the vice president of our hospital. Her real uncle. If this really works out, wouldn’t it be ‘cementing ties with a marriage’?”

An internship wasn’t like high school. The relationship between supervising teachers and students isn’t so insurmountable, and the age difference isn’t that big either. Occasionally, students pursue teachers, or teachers pursue students. Whether it works out or not, it’s interesting gossip worth discussing over tea. The other senior brothersand sisters in the lab exchanged glances and teased each other. Chi Zhao, meanwhile, silently went to the side and started washing test tubes.