Without knocking, Wang Duo walked straight into the ward, not even glancing at Old Lin lying on the bed, and greeted the attending physician directly.
"How is the old man?"
"Hmph, it won't be long. He's just barely holding on. I just gave him a sleeping pill, and he's fast asleep now."
The doctor's tone was completely different from when Cheng Ran and the others had spoken, but Wang Duo curled his lips and reached out his hand.
Where is the stuff?
"This old man hid it very well. If he hadn't let it slip when he was being anesthetized, I wouldn't have been able to get such a confidential document." The doctor took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Wang Duo, as if to show off. "I didn't dare take the original, for fear of arousing his suspicion. Don't let his age fool you, he's still quite sensible. So I just copied it down. Here you go."
After reading the paper, Wang Duo stroked his almost sparse beard and nodded in satisfaction.
"You did the right thing. We couldn't take the original, otherwise how would I have framed that bitch Jiang Wanqing! This copied version is perfect. As long as we take it back and show it to them, it'll definitely make those self-proclaimed smart people dumbfounded during the exam!"
"It's good that the stuff works. Don't forget what you promised me: give my cousin a spot." The doctor patted Wang Duo's arm and reminded him.
"I know, I won't forget. I know exactly who gave me what, and I won't treat you unfairly. I'm leaving now. Contact me if you need anything. Don't ignore what that old guy does."
Wang Duo glanced coldly at Old Lin on the bed, his face showing no respect or fear, only disdain and indifference.
He chuckled, a fierce glint in his eyes. "Old people who don't die are thieves," he thought. "With these decent people interfering, his grand plan will never succeed!"
He took two steps toward the door, then turned back, looked at the doctor, and whispered something to him.
"Let this old man be buried before the exam results come out!"
"So fast? But..."
"No buts, we have to do this if we want our secrets to stay hidden!"
"Okay, I'll give it a try."
The doctor struggled, his remaining medical ethics and self-interest clashing. He stared at Old Lin on the bed and frowned.
Not long after Wang Duo left, Old Lin raised his eyelids and opened his eyes with difficulty, startling the doctor so much that his hand trembled.
"Has someone been here just now?"
"No... Professor, you must be dreaming. You and I are the only ones who can be saved here. Comrade Jiang and her husband are long gone."
"Okay, cough cough... I'm getting old, cough cough..."
"Please rest. If you need anything, just ring the bell."
Fearing that something was amiss, the doctor quickly walked away, not daring to linger.
With the entrance assessment date drawing ever closer, Jiang Wanqing and Cheng Ran remained as composed as ever, but they also noticed that the atmosphere was getting worse day by day.
The people in the office were especially wary of Jiang Wanqing, and wouldn't say a word more than necessary; they had already secretly chosen sides.
She was too lazy to waste time with unnecessary people, and whenever she was at the institute, she spent almost all her time on experiments.
The people who studied with her have grown up, but they have also become visibly haggard.
Jiang Wanqing sometimes stands by the window and gazes into the distance, but recently she has noticed some unfamiliar faces appearing at the entrance of the research institute. They wander around outside from time to time and are sometimes rudely driven away by security guards.
At first, she thought they were dangerous people like spies or enemy agents, but after observing them for several days, she found that they seemed to have other troubles. They all looked polite and refined, had similar appearances, and wore dusty clothes.
No enemy agent, no matter who they are, would be so "direct".
Finally, Jiang Wanqing couldn't help but ask the others in the lab for advice.
"Do you know what's going on with the people gathering at the entrance of our institute these past few days?"
Upon hearing this question, the people conducting the experiment stopped what they were doing. Hu Yu and Zhao Qing's expressions changed, and they hesitated to speak.
She frowned slightly: "Can't you say?"
"Well... it's not that I can't say it, but saying it won't help them, it will only add to their troubles. Sister Wanqing, you have a lot of things to do right now, so you shouldn't meddle in these kinds of things."
Upon hearing Zhao Qing use the word "help," Jiang Wanqing's eyes flickered. So, those people weren't bad, and perhaps the others present viewed the situation with sympathy and pity? That was interesting…
Jiang Wanqing pursed her lips: "In that case, I'll ask your Director Xiao later. She should be able to tell me."
"Hey, no, Wanqing, there's no need to go to so much trouble. If you want to know, we can tell you."
Sure enough, they still had worries and concerns in their hearts, hesitating and not asking or saying anything, which was really a headache.
"Then tell me, what happened?"
"Actually, those people outside are candidates who failed the exam. They all applied for positions in our institute before and feel that their scores were incorrect. So every year, some people come here to demand justice. But as you know, there's more to it than meets the eye..."
As Zhao Qing spoke, her voice grew softer and softer. Jiang Wanqing patted her shoulder to encourage her.
"Don't be afraid, keep talking."
"It's impossible for an ant to shake a tree. No one is backing them up, so they can only resort to the most foolish method: hoping to encounter a kind-hearted leader who will say a few words on their behalf, even if it's just for psychological comfort. Most of them are children from the countryside who came here through the exams, carrying the hopes of their families or even their entire villages. They couldn't settle down in Beijing, so they're ashamed to go back. They also missed other exams and offended people. Sigh..."
So, those outside are all pitiful people, candidates without family connections, who just want justice.
Jiang Wanqing frowned. The Wang father and daughter had committed many sins. It is said that blocking someone's money is like killing their parents. Haven't they also harmed one ordinary family after another, cutting off their path to upward mobility? They have also prevented truly talented people from taking the positions they deserve.
She seemed to understand Professor Xue and Elder Lin's intentions even better than before. It wasn't just the Seventh Research Institute; many other places probably needed fresh and vibrant blood!
She tightened her grip, said nothing else, and simply nodded.
"I understand. Everyone, continue the experiment. Don't get distracted. I'm going to the restroom."
She needed to get some fresh air and also to discuss something with Cheng Ran.
Just as I reached the door of Cheng Ran's office and was about to knock, I heard arguing coming from inside.
"I'll ask you one last time! Do you really want to side with that bitch from your family and go against me? I initially considered you one of my own because of your father, but you've made a mistake, Cheng Ran, you'll regret it!"
This is Wang Duo's voice. With the assessment imminent, this is his last gamble to win over Cheng Ran.
She made a slight step aside at the corner, and only after the person left did she push the door open and go inside.
Cheng Ran assumed that Wang Duo had returned, and when he looked up, his face was full of impatience and displeasure. However, when he saw that it was Jiang Wanqing who came, his mood eased considerably.
"Oh, it's you. Come and sit down. I'm not off work yet, so you'll have to wait for me."
"I didn't come here to ask you to leave work."
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