Chapter 146: Independence to the End
The supply ship was much faster than the ferry, and it took less than an hour to get from the island to the Dongshan City Pier.
Gu Qingye wanted to send Lu Youyou to the 507th Institute first, and then turned the car around at the intersection near the military area and drove to the other side.
"The research institute is outside the military zone?"
"Yes, but it's not far away. Just keep going straight for five minutes from the intersection and you will reach the military district gate."
Lu Youyou nodded and looked outside carefully until the car stopped outside a courtyard gate.
After two levels of screening, they were allowed in.
Gu Qingye stayed with Lu Youyou until she completed the entry and exit procedures.
"Comrade Lu, please sit in the reception room for a while. The director is in a meeting and will be here in a while."
"It doesn't matter."
Lu Youyou went to the reception room as she was told and waited for an hour.
There were seats and hot tea, but no one came.
If she was full of expectations before coming here, now she has realized that things are not as simple as she thought.
After another ten minutes, footsteps were finally heard outside the door. It was the same staff member.
"Comrade Lu, please follow me."
Lu Youyou followed him to an office building and stopped in front of a door at the right end of the first floor.
Then Lu Youyou finally saw the director who had been invisible for more than an hour. Besides him, there were four other men, most of whom were in their forties or above.
"Comrade Lu, right? I'm Luo Mingde, deputy director of the institute. These are Staff Officer Zhang from the General Staff Office, Director Li from the Equipment Department, and two senior researchers from our institute, Engineer Liu and Engineer Wang."
It's like saying nothing. With four new faces, it's impossible to tell what they are up to. It's also unclear who instructed the benching this morning.
Director Luo didn't seem to want to exchange pleasantries. After the introduction, he got straight to the point and said, "Comrade Lu, we have read your report. Could you please give us a brief oral version of it?"
The assessment starts right at the beginning, with no prior notice and no preparation time. Unless you have real talent, you will definitely be caught off guard.
Of course, Lu Youyou is definitely not included.
After the humanoid computer was turned on, it was obvious that the expressions of the two researchers changed from scrutiny to more seriousness. They opened their notebooks almost at the same time, occasionally making a few notes. It was visibly that the time they spent writing was getting longer and longer.
Deputy Director Luo's expression became more serious.
He was also a technician in his early years. Although he had worked in an administrative position for a long time, he still had some basic skills. Although he could not immediately follow what Lu Youyou said, he could at least make one thing clear: this young female comrade was indeed capable.
Director Li of the Equipment Department seemed very relaxed. Even if he was a little worried at the beginning, now seeing the expressions of the three experts from the research institute, he felt much relieved.
Only Staff Officer Zhang had a serious expression, which even became more and more serious.
While Lu Youyou was madly attacking, he also had time to observe the various people. Four of them could be put aside for the time being, except for this Staff Officer Zhang...
Her expression remained unchanged. She not only repeated what was already in the report, but also added the latest research findings from the past few days.
Engineers Wang and Liu finally couldn't help it and threw out question after question, and finally formed a discussion group of three.
It seems that these two are academic fanatics who are devoted to research. They are left alone by their leaders and are immersed in the sparks of knowledge.
When the spark came from a plug-in fifty years later, Lu Youyou was no longer the strange lesbian that made people suspicious. She was now the fragrant braised pork, exuding an alluring academic aroma.
Deputy Director Luo had previously worried that Lu Youyou was a relative of the leader. He hated the behavior of laymen guiding experts. Now that he knew that she had a lot of ideas in her mind, he regretted leaving her alone for so long.
He couldn't help but glance at Staff Officer Zhang. They were under the jurisdiction of the General Staff Department, but had always been relatively independent. He didn't expect Staff Officer Zhang to come today. He also said that there was no rush to meet people. He had to observe the young man's temperament first and couldn't rashly let anyone join a confidential project.
What he said was true, but the facts were before them. Lu Youyou was a talent who convinced the two senior researchers in just ten to twenty minutes. The so-called "observation" became neglect, and the people from the General Staff would just walk away, leaving the mess for them to clean up.
Deputy Director Luo smiled bitterly. What was going on? What kind of gods were fighting here again? The research institute was made of porcelain and could not withstand any damage!
When Lu Youyou finished speaking, the two researchers were still not satisfied and even asked her to continue the discussion in detail later.
Staff Officer Zhang finally spoke: "Comrade Lu, do you know why you are here this time?"
Lu Youyou: "To verify the new concept of diving equipment?"
Staff Officer Zhang still had a face that said "he was dedicated to the public good", and his expression hardly changed from beginning to end.
"Institute 507 is a confidential unit. Outsiders are not allowed to enter or leave at will. We can provide venues, personnel and some equipment. Comrade Lu and the institute will conduct experiments in groups so that we can have a comparison." After saying this, he looked to both sides, "What do you think?"
It seemed a little right, but also a little wrong. Deputy Director Luo didn't understand what he meant for a moment.
Speaking of which, Staff Officer Zhang is his direct superior. Although they have not dealt with each other for many years, they cannot but take the words of the General Staff seriously.
"You mean we should assign a few members to Comrade Lu?"
"Yes, setting aside a separate area will also make it easier for Comrade Lu to display his talents!"
Staff Officer Zhang smiled. This was the first smile he showed since Lu Youyou came in.
Director Li of the Equipment Department felt that it was inappropriate, but he was just a supporting role. If the diving suit did not involve logistical equipment, he would not have a place in today's meeting.
"Isn't this a bit too much trouble?"
Staff Officer Zhang looked at him and said, "It's better to be a little troublesome to ensure the safe operation of the institute. There is more than just the diving suit project here."
This sentence touched Deputy Director Luo. No matter how talented Lu Youyou was, she was just a young female comrade under 20 years old, with only a high school diploma. Whether she was self-taught or had family background, she could not compare with the formal research projects in the institute.
This is also what most people think. On one hand, there is a research institute with great importance and a high level of confidentiality, and on the other hand, there is a temporary project that is not sure whether it can be researched out, plus an "outsider" who does not seem very reliable. It is easy to decide which is more important.
Just like that, after sitting on the bench for more than an hour and making a report for another hour, Lu Youyou finally had a "relaxed and free" research environment that she had never imagined.
She is the boss, she has the final say, and she even has two assistants, although one is so old that his hair is white, and the other looks about the same age as her.
Oh, by the way, she also has a work badge, and the access areas include the main gate, her own laboratory, the cafeteria, and the dormitory.
It can be said that they are independent to the extreme!
(End of this chapter)
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