Chapter 58: Threatening Jiang Lai

Professor Cheng and the assistant were left outside the door, only Jiang Lai entered alone.

Professor Cheng was a bit worried about Jiang Lai's condition; when the assistant asked him to leave, he only stepped a few paces away, still waiting at the doorway.

The assistant said nothing more and went on with work.

When Professor Cheng recalled, Jiang Lai said Lin Shutong had also arrived; there was no major issue at the institute now, so why would an external expert like Lin Shutong, who doesn't even handle core data, be here?

He kept his guard up and began to look around.

It actually made him see at the corner a flash of a bright skirt; moving a little closer, the sight of high heels made him even more certain.

Few people in the institute dress themselves like Lin Shutong; after all, when they get busy everyone is as busy as a spinning top, and when they're not busy they think about going home to spend more time with family and friends, leaving no time.

"Expert Lin?"

Lin Shutong's spine stiffened, and she hurriedly hid her phone; because she was overly nervous, the phone couldn't be put into her bag and fell to the ground.

The screen happened to show the photo she had just snapped.

It was also the only photo that could show Jiang Lai in profile.

Unfortunately, the woman in the photo wore a white mask covering most of her face, her eyebrows and eyes slightly lowered, and a few strands of hair blocked her forehead.

If one is not very familiar, a single profile would be impossible to recognize.

Professor Cheng personally bent down to pick up the phone.

Lin Shutong was extremely nervous; the institute forbids personal phones and strictly bans photography.

Although Professor Cheng's rank is lower than her grandfather's, he is far senior to her, a senior, unlike the others in the project team who can easily push someone around.

"Professor Cheng, I—I came with my grandfather and forgot to turn off the phone."

At a moment like this, Lin Shutong could only bring up her grandfather.

Everyone says Professor Cheng treats people kindly, but his ways are rather smooth; he shouldn't make the relationship tense over a single photo, right?

"I see, it's fine, just remember next time," Professor Cheng smiled, deleted the candid photos from her phone, also cleared the recycle bin, then handed it back, saying, "Anyway, nothing important was captured; it was just a dropped phone."

Lin Shutong breathed a sigh of relief, took the phone and found the photos were gone for good, felt a bit angry, but smiled brightly and said, "Thank you, Professor Cheng."

"The person just now beside Professor Cheng was Dr. Jiang, right? I've long admired Dr. Jiang's great reputation, yet I've never met her."

"It's her," Professor Cheng smiled, "Dr. Jiang is quite busy, so it's not surprising Expert Lin hasn't met her; many people in the institute never get to see her, and of course they don't dare force a meeting, because it can easily invite investigation."

That last sentence was deliberately said for Lin Shutong to hear.

Lin Shutong felt a lingering fear; if Professor Cheng reported that she had taken photos in the institute, or that Dr. Jiang was photographed, both she and her grandfather would be investigated together.

"Professor Cheng is right, I have something to attend to, I'll leave now," Lin Shutong had to depart, looking back every few steps.

She realized that when the shot wasn't clear she had planned to wait for someone to leave and take another, but now Professor Cheng was standing here, so she couldn't.

Lin Shutong left dejectedly.

……

In the office.

Ji Lao first praised Jiang Lai, saying that the project's progress to this point was largely due to her.

He then turned the conversation, adding that the project's success also owed to the hard work of every researcher.

Jiang Lai agreed, recited each team member's duties and progress, but she did not mention Lin Shutong.

Ji Lao's expression changed slightly, saying, "Expert Lin? She's been here a month, surely she has contributed many new ideas to the project."

"Not even a month." As for the alleged new ideas, Jiang Lai refrained from commenting, fearing it would upset the elder.

Lin Shutong dressed neatly each day and sat there like an exquisite, beautiful vase.

But the project data are stored on hard drives, not in a vase.

"Jiang Lai, you resemble your teacher too much," Ji Lao stared at her solemnly, "Young people should not follow others' old paths."

Cui Lao is seen by everyone as an academic madman, his heart wholly devoted to research; he is straightforward, saying whatever he thinks, and has often offended the academic establishment.

Jiang Lai pretended not to understand and sincerely said, "If one day I can reach my teacher's position, I will be very proud."

"You!" Ji Lao didn't want to continue dealing with her, "Jiang Lai, don't be oblivious; Elder Cui isn't afraid to offend people because his own standing is high, and you…"

"Thank you for the advice, Ji Lao."

He doesn't take any bribes.

Ji Lao waved his hand, sat down, and directly ordered Jiang Lai, "Expert Lin wants to see the project's core data; you personally take it to her."

"She hasn't been fully involved in this project, so she can't have access to the core data," Jiang Lai replied calmly, "Her having core data would be a betrayal of everyone's hard work."

"Who opposes? Tell me," Ji Lao said, looking incredulous.

Jiang Lai, of course, would not mention other members, and said firmly, "I."

"Everyone else doesn't oppose, why do you? Jiang Lai, you're just an orphan; I haven't been unreasonable like others, demanding you give up the leader and first-author positions; I only want you to let Expert Lin see the core data!"

Ji Lao became angry.

"The core data can be shown to Expert Lin, but I will also take the project and patents and leave the institute," Jiang Lai remained unmoved.

Ji Lao's pupils dilated.

"Are you threatening me?"

"You threatened me first, Ji Lao," Jiang Lai, with a courteous demeanor, began to counter with the same words, "Ji Lao, you sent Expert Lin into my project; I also didn't act unreasonably, didn't report like others, I just don't want Expert Lin to have core data."

Ji Lao was so angry he could barely breathe, his chest rising and falling.

Jiang Lai asked, "Do you need me to call a doctor for you?"

"Get out!" Ji Lao pointed toward the door.

Jiang Lai turned and left, and Ji Lao's warning followed behind her.

"Jiang Lai, you're a promising researcher, but the academic road won't take you far!"

"If you drop this project, who will still dare to invest in you!"

"Young man, narrowing the road won't…"

The door closed.

Finally quiet.

Jiang Lai took a deep breath and walked toward Professor Cheng.

Professor Cheng instantly stepped forward, blocked her, hurriedly removed the mask she had on her wrist and put it on her, even as if wishing the mask were larger—covering her whole face, leaving only two eyes to see the road.

"Professor Cheng, what's wrong?"

"Lin Shutong was secretly filming you just now," Professor Cheng said, "You should keep a tighter cover lately, remember to change clothes when entering or leaving the institute, you must never let her know who you are. If she teams up with Shen Xun... I'm afraid they might, for the sake of experimental data and the chance to make a name for themselves, act against you."

"Opening the database requires your fingerprint and iris recognition, so you must protect your hands and eyes. Understood?"