Chapter 120 (The Interview)
Upon hearing this, Director Yu couldn't help but frown, and said in a firm tone, "There's nothing we can do about it. We can't disobey the Ministry of Health's requirements. If the people we send there can't handle the situation and don't know much about penicillin, it will only be a disgrace to our institute. You have to consider the overall situation."
If he were to send an unprofessional comrade, Director Huang would likely ridicule him about it for a long time after he found out. More importantly, the leaders of the Ministry of Health would also be dissatisfied, feeling that he was being hypocritical and perfunctory.
Team Leader Lü gave a helpless look. Director Yu had already put it this way, and if he continued to refuse, he would only seem foolish. He could only agree, "Okay, I'll go back and discuss it with my colleagues in the team, and see who has the least workload, and then I'll assign them to that job."
Director Huang nodded in satisfaction, then said sternly, "Don't be like Team Leader Bai and try to play the double-dealing game with me. I hope you can clear your head and think twice before you act."
If it weren't for Team Leader Bai's selfish motives, he would have transferred Lin Yuanshu to the First Research Institute long ago, and Director Huang wouldn't have gotten such a great deal. As a result, when he meets with other directors of medical research institutes, everyone secretly laughs at him for being blind and missing out on such an outstanding talent.
Team Leader Lü was not upset by Director Huang's distrust and assured him confidently, "Don't worry, I won't be as foolish as Team Leader Bai, who would do something to harm the institute's interests out of jealousy of Comrade Lin Yuanshu. I will definitely treat the work you assigned me well and will not do anything that is outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant."
Director Yu had a lot of confidence in Team Leader Lü. Team Leader Lü only got stuck on things when it came to Team Leader Bai's matter; otherwise, he was quite reliable.
The two did not chat for long before Team Leader Lü left the director's office and headed towards the laboratory. As soon as he stepped into his office, he saw Team Leader Bai sitting on the sofa.
"What brings you to my office?" Team Leader Lü asked irritably.
Team Leader Bai revealed a gloating smile, and said sarcastically, "Of course I'm here to congratulate you. I heard that Comrade Lin Yuanshu has also started researching penicillin. It seems that the Ministry of Health is getting impatient because you haven't made any progress yet. How great! Someone is sharing the burden with you, so your pressure won't be so great..."
He was initially furious because Lin Yuanshu had completed the project to improve the acetaminophen production process, but then he heard the good news that Lin Yuanshu had started researching penicillin. Now it was Team Leader Lü's turn to be in trouble, and he made sarcastic remarks from the side.
He himself hadn't gained any advantage from Lin Yuanshu, so he hoped that Team Leader Lü would suffer the same fate as him.
Hearing this, Team Leader Lü was angry, but he suppressed his anger and said with a disdainful look, "Do you think I would do what you did, resorting to underhanded tactics just because Comrade Lin Yuanshu is better than me? So what if she surpasses me? I am still a researcher at the First Research Institute. You care about face, but I don't. I was only surpassed once, while you were surpassed twice. In fact, you are more shameful than me."
As Team Leader Lü spoke, a hint of smugness crept into his tone. Regardless of whether Lin Yuanshu would surpass him, he was invincible.
Team Leader Bai didn't expect Team Leader Lü to be so shameless. He tried to save face and said, "I'd like to see what kind of end you'll get!"
Team Leader Lü raised an eyebrow and smiled broadly, "You don't need to worry about my affairs. You should worry about yourself. After all, almost all of your subordinates have left. Apologize to Director Yu, and maybe he can arrange a good project for you."
Team Leader Bai sneered and gritted his teeth, saying, "My men are almost all gone, and that's a good thing. I don't need your crocodile tears."
After saying this, Team Leader Bai left Team Leader Lü's office. It's true that there's no point in talking to someone as shameless as Team Leader Lü. When Lin Yuanshu finishes the project before Team Leader Lü, Team Leader Lü will experience the same feeling he had before.
Team Leader Lü felt he had won against Team Leader Bai and went to the lab with a smile. He had been quite aggrieved because he had to ask his team members to help Lin Yuanshu with his research, but after Team Leader Bai's meddling, he no longer felt aggrieved. After all, no one was more aggrieved than Team Leader Bai.
Team Leader Lü entered the laboratory and, in front of his team members, said with a serious expression, "I have some very unfortunate news to tell you. The Ministry of Health has issued an order to the research institute, requiring them to assign a comrade familiar with penicillin to assist Comrade Lin Yuanshu..."
After listening to Team Leader Lü's words, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. With the project nearing completion, no one wanted to leave the project team at such a crucial moment; they didn't want their efforts to go to waste.
“I think Comrade Tang Dasi is quite suitable to go to the Dongfanghong Research Institute. She doesn’t have a heavy workload right now, and the project team won’t be greatly affected without her. We can’t delay the project’s progress because of personnel transfer. In addition, her home is closer to the Dongfanghong Research Institute, so it will be more convenient for her to work there. Moreover, she and Comrade Lin Yuanshu are both women, so they will definitely be able to get along well,” one of the group members said confidently.
The other group members immediately agreed.
"That's right! The order from the Ministry of Health is important, and our project is equally important. There is no one more suitable than Comrade Tang Dasi. We are all tied up, and our departure would definitely affect the project's progress!"
“It’s not that we want Comrade Tang Dasi to leave. We are doing this for the sake of the overall situation, and Comrade Tang Dasi will surely understand us.”
Tang Dasi was unmoved when she heard everyone unanimously recommend her to go to the Dongfanghong Research Institute. After hearing what Team Leader Lü said, she had expected that the choice would eventually fall to her. After all, her relationship with these people was just so-so, and they had no other choice but her.
She initially got along well with everyone, but ever since she pointed out that their research on penicillin was flawed, no one wanted to talk to her anymore. They all thought she was saying it on purpose to show off her abilities.
She was truly suffering in silence. She clearly wanted to work with everyone to complete the project, but because of this, she was ostracized by everyone.
Everyone thought that since she felt there was a problem with the research direction, there was no need to let her get involved in the project; she could only do some simple assistant work.
She had also raised this issue with Team Leader Lü, but he completely disregarded it and told her not to say such things, saying that she was undermining unity and that she shouldn't make a fuss just because the assigned work didn't suit her.
Over time, she gave up. Team Leader Lü trusted their words more than she did.
After listening to everyone's comments, Team Leader Lü turned his attention to Tang Dasi. Although he wasn't very familiar with this woman, he still asked for her opinion, "Comrade Tang Dasi, what are your thoughts? Would you be willing to go to the Dongfanghong Research Institute to assist Comrade Lin Yuanshu in completing the project?"
Without hesitation, Tang Dasi said, "I am willing to go to the Dongfanghong Research Institute. Just like everyone said, the work I have is the least important. Even if I leave, it will not affect the progress of everyone's projects."
Rather than staying in the research institute and sitting on the sidelines, it's better to go to the Dongfanghong Research Institute, where you might be able to create a different world.
At least Comrade Lin Yuanshu is not an unknown figure. He is qualified to be the person in charge of a project. With Comrade Lin Yuanshu around, her situation would not have been as bad as it is now, no matter how bad it was.
Seeing that Tang Dasi agreed, Team Leader Lü didn't think much of it and readily agreed, saying, "Okay, then I'll put your name on the register. After you go to the Dongfanghong Research Institute, just follow Comrade Lin Yuanshu's instructions. Do whatever she tells you to do! Don't cause trouble for our institute. If you disagree with Comrade Lin Yuanshu, don't say it to her face. You can communicate privately. There's no need for you to hold anything back. Your most important task is to fully assist Comrade Lin Yuanshu in completing the project..."
He didn't want to cause a rift with Lin Yuanshu because of Tang Dasi's matter, and he was even more afraid that Team Leader Bai would say that he deliberately sent Tang Dasi there to make things difficult for Lin Yuanshu. He didn't want to be unable to defend himself, so he had to make sure to remind him clearly.
Tang Dasi's expression was quite subtle. This was the first time Team Leader Lü had spoken so much to her. She quickly nodded, indicating that she wouldn't do anything reckless.
The other group members all felt a sense of relief, thankful that they wouldn't be sent to the Dongfanghong Research Institute. Tang Dasi wasn't entirely useless; at least in this situation, he was very useful.
As night fell, Zhang Xin took the books he had borrowed from the library and went home.
Grandpa Zhang asked in confusion, "Weren't you going to work? Why did you bring back so many books?"
Zhang Xin truthfully stated, "I need to study hard so that I can better assist Comrade Lin Yuanshu in completing the project."
Comrade Lin Yuanshu is different from others. She values him so much, and he cannot let Comrade Lin Yuanshu down or betray her trust.
Grandpa Zhang bluntly said, "I don't understand what you young people are thinking. I clearly told you that I could let you take charge of a project team on your own, but you refused and insisted on working under someone else. You really embarrass me."
Zhang Xin retorted in a low voice, "You think too highly of me. I know my own limitations. Anyway, I'm going back to my room to read."
He will be in charge of a project team someday, but not now. Even someone as capable as Comrade Lin Yuanshu still needs to learn, let alone him!
Grandpa Zhang sighed as he looked at Zhang Xin's useless appearance, thinking, "He's a hopeless case!"
The next day, the list of interviewees for the afternoon was posted on the institute's bulletin board. Those who were able to participate in the interview were naturally overjoyed, as they were just one step away from joining Comrade Lin Yuanshu's project team.
Although those who couldn't attend the interview were disappointed, they thought about it again: the list only included those who could attend the interview, not those who were not selected, so it wouldn't be too embarrassing for them, since not many people knew they had filled out the application form.
When Mas looked at the list of interviewees, he was so angry that he laughed. They said to his face that they wouldn't write an application, but secretly submitted one, and now they still had to go to an interview.
A group of traitors, short-sighted and foolish, will pay the price for what happened today sooner or later.
Everyone felt a little uneasy under Mas's gaze. One of them forced a smile and said, "Deputy Director Liu has already agreed to let us submit our application. We have not betrayed Deputy Director Liu."
Mas sneered and, as he walked past the comrade, muttered under his breath, "A bunch of self-righteous idiots!"
Upon hearing this, the comrade became displeased and retorted sarcastically, "You're the fool. No matter what, we would never use someone else's name to intimidate others. You're the one who offended Comrade Lin Yuanshu, yet you want to drag us down with you. Do you really think we don't know your little scheme? As the saying goes, a wise man submits to circumstances. You should also consider your own situation and stop pretending to be clear-headed."
The two argued more and more fiercely, and eventually parted on bad terms. After this incident, the interns who were close to Mas also began to distance themselves from him, and Mas could never go back to the days when he could command a large following.
In the afternoon, Lin Yuanshu arrived at the conference room early, only to find the door already full of interviewees. She thought she had arrived early, but seeing this, she felt like she was late.
The interviewees were still a little nervous when they saw Lin Yuanshu. Although Lin Yuanshu was younger than them and his position was not much higher, they became nervous at the thought that Lin Yuanshu could decide whether they joined the project team.
To ease the tension, Lin Yuanshu said with a smile, "Since everyone is here, I'll start the interviews early. The sooner you finish your interviews, the sooner you can get back to your posts, so as not to delay your work. I'll interview you one by one. Those whose names are called, please come with me into the meeting room."
She missed Zhou Moli a little. What she needed most right now was a capable assistant, but unfortunately Zhou Moli knew nothing about pharmaceuticals, so there was really no way to get her into the research institute.
Upon hearing this, everyone became even more nervous.
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