Chapter 51: Oh No

Dew seeped from the green walls, reflecting a cold, faint light.

The willow branches were dyed half-yellow by the frost, and the morning Wind knocked against the wind chimes, emitting a delicate, crisp sound.

Queues formed in twos and threes in front of the windows, and the aroma permeated the entire canteen.

With a full tray, Lin Sicheng first took the porridge and set it in front of Wang Qi Zhi: "Eat a little!"

With acid churning in his stomach, how could he possibly eat?

Wang Qi Zhi shook his head, rubbed his throbbing temples, and let out a heavy breath of alcohol.

He leaned lazily against the back of the chair, as if his bones had been removed, unable to muster a shred of energy.

Lin Sicheng laughed as he ate: last night, he had been patting his chest and pouring chicken soup for the soul for himself, but after just one night, he was the one who had been set up?

It must have been shortly after he sent him back that the college leadership called him: it was probably some joint-construction unit requesting the college to provide guidance on short notice, and the college had arranged for him to lead the team.

The key lay in the words "short notice" and "guidance": if nothing went wrong, it was likely the joint-construction unit had encountered a sudden problem and was seeking support.

Under normal circumstances, Wang Qi Zhi naturally wouldn't be afraid, but in his current state: his brain felt like it had been stirred into paste, and he couldn't even straighten his tongue when he spoke. Never mind solving problems for the joint-construction unit; it was questionable whether he could even speak clearly on stage.

More importantly: he had just arrived and was already snatching projects and occupying a position, and who knew how many eyes were fixed on him. Helping was out of the question; they were just waiting for him to make a fool of himself.

The more Lin Sicheng thought about it, the more he laughed.

What was it he said yesterday: just when you need to hit the brakes the most, countless hands reach out from behind in the shadows...

Wang Qi Zhi pointed at him: "Stop laughing, hurry and help me think of a way!"

Lin Sicheng tried hard to keep a straight face: "Which joint-construction unit?"

"I was so drunk at the time, I didn't remember at all!"

"Then how am I supposed to help you?"

Wang Qi Zhi rubbed his brow: "There are only a few joint-construction units for the college, either the Museum or some association, and they invited us so urgently? I reckon it's nine times out of ten related to appraisal... The key is that it's too urgent; there isn't even a chance for delay or error correction..."

Stunned for a moment, a bad premonition surfaced in Lin Sicheng's heart: "And then?"

"Then you come with me. In case... I mean in case: if I really have to step in and others stand by and watch, then you do it!"

No... Professor Wang, can we not talk nonsense?

Seeing Lin Sicheng's bewildered expression, Wang Qi Zhi blinked: "Don't tell me you don't know how?"

Is this a question of knowing how or not?

Lin Sicheng looked incredulous: "In what capacity would you use me?"

With a "swish," Wang Qi Zhi's face turned bitter.

No matter how awesome Lin Sicheng was, he was still just a student, and besides, who else knew he was awesome?

Whether it was for guidance or study, some brought secretaries, some brought teaching assistants, and some brought graduate students, but who had ever seen anyone bring an undergraduate?

Lin Sicheng thought for a moment: "How about I go buy you two bottles of Glucose? Dilute it as soon as possible, maybe you'll be sober by the time we get there..."

Wang Qi Zhi glared at him.

Two bottles of old liquor plus one bottle of new, at least two jin or more, and he had drunk at least a jin and a half.

What kind of Glucose could dilute that?

"Forget it, let's just go first!" Wang Qi Zhi exhaled sharply, "Lin Sicheng, you don't want to see your future Graduate Tutor make a huge fool of himself just half a month after starting the job, do you?"

Lin Sicheng was speechless.

The logic was sound, but the problem was, what would he be doing there?

"Professor Wang, isn't this a bit rash?"

"Nonsense? But it's better than being embarrassed... It's decided!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his phone rang with a "ding-dong," Wang Qi Zhi glanced at it and hurriedly answered:

"Hello, Dean... Ah, they've arrived? Good, good, good, I'll be there immediately..."

"Quick, stop eating, let's go..."

Lin Sicheng sighed, finished his soy milk in one gulp, and grabbed a few steamed buns.

"The college leadership will probably ask, and when they do, I'll say you're interning in my lab and I pulled you in as a temporary hand..."

"You're coming with me just to be responsible for recording..."

"What about the Teaching Assistant Feng?"

"Of course, she's sick." Wang Qi Zhi rubbed his nose, "She only got sick this morning!"

Lin Sicheng was stunned for a moment and gave a thumbs up.

The two muttered to each other and entered the College Office. And indeed, there were quite a few people: college leaders, professors from various departments, teaching assistants, graduate students... a total of more than a dozen people.

Glancing over, Lin Sicheng saw a few police caps in the crowd.

He was subconsciously stunned: Haha... what a coincidence: Guan Xingmin?

That's right, why hadn't he thought of it: the Heritage College, the Municipal Appraisal Center, and the Provincial Department Appraisal Center were all joint-construction units?

Just as he was looking curious, the Deputy Director introduced him to Guan Xingmin: "Director Guan, this is our college's Party Secretary Wang..."

"He is our college's youngest professor and also the youngest Graduate Tutor..."

"Today's joint-construction study will be led by Secretary Wang..."

The four hands shook together, and Guan Xingmin smiled very humbly.

But his heart was pounding: his eyelids were puffy, his eyes were bloodshot, and the alcohol breath spraying from his mouth made people's eyes sting.

His feet were unsteady, his palms were sweating, and he was slurring his words... just how much had he drunk?

At a glance, he was clearly still drunk and hadn't sobered up; how could he provide guidance?

Just as he was secretly criticizing him, a familiar figure flashed before his eyes, and Guan Xingmin was stunned: Lin Sicheng?

What was he doing here?

Then, four eyes blinked and blinked, blinked and blinked.

Wang Qi Zhi's spirits lifted: Haha, do these two know each other?

Immediately, he remembered: When the joint construction unit was established with the Municipal Bureau, Lin Zhangqing served as Deputy Director and was the Person in Charge for the coordination at that time. Even now, he is still a Consultant for the Municipal Appraisal Center...

Then, wouldn't the problem of taking Lin Sicheng to the Appraisal Center be solved?

He rolled his eyes: "Director Guan, this is my student Lin Sicheng. He often goes to your Center... Since you know each other, I won't introduce you..."

Lin Sicheng has been to the Appraisal Center... How come I didn't know?

But it doesn't matter; since they've run into each other, he must take him to have a look.

Guan Xingmin did not think deeply and patted Lin Sicheng on the shoulder: "Perfect!"

At first, the Deputy Director was still suspicious: What is Wang Qi Zhi taking Lin Sicheng to do?

He had just prepared to ask, but seeing Guan Xingmin's familiar manner, he swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

It's probably Professor Lin pulling strings through the Backdoor again. Even the newly arrived Secretary Wang knows that Lin Sicheng has been there many times?

Forget it, let him go if he wants...

After some brief pleasantries, Guan Xingmin invited the professors to set off.

While going downstairs, he mentioned something to Lin Sicheng: "I've mentioned the reason for this joint construction to you before... The most critical part is that one item belonging to Li Guojun's Partner!"

Li Guojun, the father of Gu Ming's prospective girlfriend?

What a coincidence, isn't it?

With just that one sentence, Guan Xingmin signaled for the professors to board the vehicle, and Wang Qi Zhi intentionally lagged behind a bit.

"What's wrong?"

Lin Sicheng lowered his voice: "Going to the Municipal Bureau today is to assist the Appraisal Center in re-appraising physical evidence, the most important item of which is a Kangxi Imitation of a Great Ming Xuande Incense Burner...

The key is that both the Municipal Bureau and the Provincial Department have identified it as a fake, but the suspect, the witnesses, and the Expert invited from Beijing by the Lawyer all insist the physical evidence is genuine..."

It's this complicated?

Looking at the professors boarding the vehicle one after another, Wang Qi Zhi's eyelids twitched violently: No wonder out of the six professors in the entire guidance group, he is the only one who does Artifact Research on Bronze?

I'm afraid today is going to be a disaster...