Chapter 268 The Real World (Part 7) What exactly is reality? ...
At this moment, Song Yuanshuang, who was in the data room, suddenly tightened her grip on the pen, her face turning as pale as paper.
She never imagined that simply taking nearly two years' worth of accumulated leave to care for her son Song Ce at the hospital after he had just woken up and whose vital signs were unstable would be the subject of such vile rumors spread by her colleagues!
Professor Cui is a senior researcher in the lab and is usually very considerate of his colleagues. Last time in the break room, he casually asked about Song Ce's health out of concern. How did that become what they called "flirtatious" and "affectionate"?
This is outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!
A surge of anger welled up from the bottom of her heart, and Song Yuanshuang could no longer sit still. She pushed open the door of the data room and walked out.
Liu Fengmei, Zhao Baiying, and Li Yuli were chatting animatedly by the window at the end of the corridor when they were startled to see someone suddenly emerge from the data room. Upon recognizing Song Yuanshuang, their smiles froze, and their eyes darted away.
Zhao Baiying was the first to react, quickly concealing the panic on her face and forcing herself to remain calm, saying, "Teacher Song, you're busy with a new project! If you ask me, this big chromatography project is all thanks to you; our unit was able to secure it. You're a major contributor this quarter!"
"That's right, that's right! Teacher Song's professional skills are beyond reproach!"
"I just made some coffee, would you like a cup to perk yourself up, Professor Song?"
Seeing their guilty expressions and desperate attempts to cover up their mistakes, Song Yuanshuang sneered, her voice filled with barely suppressed anger: "Is this funny? I heard everything you said! I took leave because of my son's health, and it has nothing to do with Teacher Cui! Besides, Teacher Cui and I only have a normal working relationship. How can you spread rumors like this?"
Liu Fengmei had always disliked Song Yuanshuang's aloof and self-important attitude. Why was it that everyone said Song Yuanshuang was highly capable and reliable when the data department was mentioned? It was simply because she was younger and prettier than Liu Fengmei! She crossed her arms, adopting a righteous expression: "Teacher Song, you're wrong to say that. We were just chatting casually, why did you take it so seriously? Besides, there's no smoke without fire; it's not just me saying it, everyone's saying it!"
"Everyone's spreading this?" Song Yuanshuang trembled with anger, shouting, "Then who are 'everyone'? Call them out for a face-to-face confrontation! Making things up without evidence is malicious slander!"
"Teacher Song, please keep your voice down! Calm down!" Li Yuli quickly tried to smooth things over: "If we said anything offensive or inappropriate just now, we apologize to you! Calm down, calm down."
"Hmph! Xiaoli, what are you afraid of? We didn't say anything excessive! It was just colleagues chatting. Teacher Song, why are you so agitated? Could it be that we guessed right and you have something to hide?" Liu Fengmei sneered.
"I have something to hide?" Song Yuanshuang's eyes widened, hardly believing her ears. "You were the ones spreading rumors behind my back, and now you're turning around and biting me? If you dare to talk nonsense again, don't blame me for being impolite!"
"You're welcome? Are you going to complain to the boss again?" Liu Fengmei retorted, looking fearless. "That's right, what kind of relationship do you have with Teacher Cui? She's definitely on your side! Isn't that why you were able to secure that big contract with Beijing Olympic Sports Center?"
"Alright, Fengmei, just shut up..."
"Sister Zhao, don't stop me! I've been holding back for so long!"
Just as the two sides were deadlocked, a series of hurried footsteps came from the laboratory. Then, several simply dressed people walked over. Leading them was Professor Cui, whom the three had mentioned. He bowed slightly, and every move he made was very respectful.
The middle-aged man at the head of the group, wearing an ordinary gray jacket, was Professor Du Xidun from the Beijing Municipal Institute of Physics. Beside him were Lin Anliang, the principal of No. 3 Middle School, and Li Wenzhu, Song Ce's homeroom teacher. Behind them were two smaller teams of eight people each.
Teacher Cui immediately noticed Song Yuanshuang's pale face and red eyes, along with her three flustered and guilty colleagues opposite her. He frowned and asked in a deep voice, "Teacher Song, are you alright? What happened?"
Good heavens! These people today are all very important, especially Du Xidun, who's leading the way—he's a senior professor at the Beijing Institute of Physics! He brought such a large entourage to a small lab, specifically requesting to see Song Yuanshuang; who knows what good he's up to! He probably wants to leverage the institute's influence to secure a few more contracts! And what have they got to do?! Of all the times they could cause trouble, they had to choose today! Now, the cooperation is definitely off the table!
Song Yuanshuang was taken aback by the sudden arrival of a client at the lab. She paused, about to explain, but Liu Fengmei spoke first, "Professor Cui, it's nothing. We were just chatting about work. Professor Song is being too sensitive; she probably misunderstood us..."
Teacher Cui clearly didn't believe Liu Fengmei's words. He looked at Song Yuanshuang and said in a very gentle tone, "Teacher Song, you tell us."
Song Yuanshuang responded and, without further ado, immediately pulled up the surveillance recording from the ceiling above the corridor. The next second, Liu Fengmei's slightly shrill voice came through the phone.
"I think there might be something else going on."
"She was dressed in a flamboyant way, and she was practically whispering sweet nothings to Teacher Cui!"
"Nine times out of ten, the divorce is because of her, Song Yuanshuang!"
"...Some people, you can know their faces but not their hearts! Their methods are truly extraordinary!"
The sound from the recording echoed clearly in the laboratory corridor, and everyone's expression changed!
Teacher Cui's face instantly darkened. He never expected that one of his technicians would maliciously slander him and Song Yuanshuang behind their backs, and that the leaders of the Institute of Physics would witness such a scene! He took a deep breath, barely suppressing his anger, and looked at Liu Fengmei and the other two: "You, is this how you usually spread rumors and maliciously slander your colleagues behind their backs?"
Liu Fengmei opened her mouth to defend herself, but the recording was right there, and there was no way to deny it! She bit her lip tightly, her resentful eyes almost piercing through the ground beneath her feet!
Du Xidun, being a worldly man, chuckled and turned his gaze to Professor Cui: "Technician Cui, it seems your lab's internal management needs improvement!"
Everyone present was shrewd; they could tell at a glance that this group was there to support Song Yuanshuang! Teacher Cui smiled awkwardly, then quickly became serious and said, "Professor Du, I'm so sorry you had to see this. I will handle this matter as soon as possible and give Teacher Song an explanation!"
"Oh? Then I wonder how Technician Cui plans to handle this impartially?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Baiying immediately walked up to Song Yuanshuang and bowed deeply, her tone full of shame: "I'm so sorry, Teacher Song. I didn't understand the cause and effect of the matter and just blindly followed the crowd. I shouldn't have believed the rumors, and I shouldn't have joined them in making up stories about you! I'm sorry, can you forgive me?"
Li Yuli was always a fence-sitter, and since she was close to Zhao Baiying, she quickly followed suit and apologized as well.
"Teacher Song, I was also wrong. I shouldn't have joined in the fun and spread these baseless rumors. I apologize to you, please don't take it to heart!"
Seeing the two people in front of her looking so apologetic, Song Yuanshuang's anger subsided slightly. She took a deep breath and said calmly, "I accept your apologies, but I hope you can watch your mouths in the future and stop spreading rumors. Otherwise, I will not let it go so easily next time."
"Don't worry, Teacher Song, there will definitely not be a next time!"
Seeing that the two girls were sensible enough, Teacher Cui snorted, "Li Yuli, Zhao Baiying, you two write a self-criticism and hand it in today. Tomorrow, it will be announced to the entire lab. You must deeply reflect on your problems! If there is a next time, I will directly submit it to the personnel department for dismissal!"
"Yes, yes..."
Liu Fengmei hadn't expected that the two people who had just been on her side would back down so quickly. Her face turned pale and then red as she stood there, alone, without saying a word.
She harbored a deep resentment. Ever since Song Yuanshuang joined the lab, she had gradually become a marginal figure! In terms of age, she was more than ten years older than Song Yuanshuang and deserved to be called Sister Liu; in terms of experience in various projects, she had participated in hundreds, if not thousands, of projects, definitely more than Song Yuanshuang; in terms of years of service in the lab, she had been there since its early days, making her a veteran! Yet, whenever someone mentioned the data department leadership team, the first person they thought of was Song Yuanshuang!
On what grounds?
Why should Song Yuanshuang be recognized by everyone? She refused to accept it!
Seeing Liu Fengmei's stubbornness, Teacher Cui became furious, and her face turned even uglier.
"Liu Fengmei, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and apologize to Teacher Song!"
"Apologize?"
Liu Fengmei raised her head, her eyes full of resentment: "Professor Cui, I'm one of the senior technicians in our lab, why..."
Before she could finish speaking, Teacher Cui's face turned ashen, and she pointed at Liu Fengmei, shouting, "On what grounds? Just because you made up stories about your colleagues without any evidence, and you're still unrepentant! From today onwards, you're suspended and sent home to reflect! You can come back to work when you can properly apologize to Teacher Song!"
After saying that, Teacher Cui ignored Liu Fengmei's pale face, rubbed her hands together and smiled awkwardly, "Professor Du, don't you think we should get down to business first? Let's not waste time on these trivial matters?"
Du Xidun's gaze fell on Song Yuanshuang, who was wearing a light brown suit, and he extended his hand in a very friendly manner: "Hello, are you Ms. Song Yuanshuang?"
Song Yuanshuang gently returned the handshake, "Yes, it is. I didn't know you were looking for me..."
Du Xidun smiled good-naturedly. "Ms. Song, I am Du Xidun from the Beijing Institute of Physics. We are here to discuss with you the matter of your son, Song Ce, going to the Institute of Physics."
Upon hearing this, everyone except the few people in the know was stunned.
Song Yuanshuang's son? How could that boy, who's supposedly in poor health, be connected to the Beijing Municipal Institute of Physics? After all, a place like that isn't for just anyone! How could an ordinary, sickly student have such a good opportunity?
Song Yuanshuang was still reeling from her anger and was momentarily stunned.
"You...you said what? My son, Song Ce?? Going to the Institute of Physics?"
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Author's note: Still revising, almost done. I'll post a long chapter tomorrow [covering face and peeking].
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