Chapter 130 (One Hundred and Thirty Chapters) - Bad Luck
On his way to Director Huang's office, Lin Yuanshu asked his assistant, "Did Director Huang want to see me about something?"
It would be best to get the information from the assistant, but it doesn't matter if you can't.
The assistant had no intention of hiding anything from Lin Yuanshu. He knew he had to do what was right when necessary, since he might need Lin Yuanshu to speak well of him to Director Huang someday.
“I’m not quite sure what happened either. I only know that after Director Yu and Team Leader Lü from the First Research Institute arrived, Director Huang instructed me to call you to his office.”
Lin Yuanshu nodded thoughtfully. She guessed that the reason Director Yu and Team Leader Lü came to see her at this time was most likely related to penicillin. This was the only thing she had in common with them, but she couldn't think of the specifics for the time being.
However, she wasn't too concerned about it. She figured she'd deal with whatever came her way, and once she met Director Yu and Team Leader Lü, she'd know what was going on.
Before long, the two arrived at Director Huang's office. Lin Yuanshu pushed the door open and went inside, while the assistant stayed outside. After all, he couldn't follow Director Huang in without his permission.
When Director Huang saw Lin Yuanshu enter the office, he stopped what he was doing, walked to the sofa and sat down, and said with a smile, "You came very quickly. Please sit down and rest for a while. Director Yu and Team Leader Lü have something they want to discuss with you."
Lin Yuanshu glanced at Director Yu and Team Leader Lü sitting on the sofa, then chose to sit next to Director Huang and talk to them face to face.
Director Huang didn't keep them in suspense and went straight to the point: "Director Yu and Team Leader Lü came here today to ask you for a favor. They hope that Comrade Tang Dasi can return to the First Research Institute, and then they will arrange for two other comrades to join your project team. I think since Comrade Tang Dasi is a member of your team, it's better for you to decide this matter. I won't interfere."
Team Leader Lü quickly looked at Lin Yuanshu and tried to persuade him with reason and emotion: "I know this matter is very difficult for you, but my project has encountered a bottleneck. Only Comrade Tang Dasi can solve it at present. So I hope you can be accommodating and put the overall situation first, and let Comrade Tang Dasi return to her original project team. When you encounter difficulties in the future, I will definitely help you as much as I can. Besides, even if Comrade Tang Dasi leaves your project team, you will not suffer, because we will arrange for two new comrades to join your project team. They, like Comrade Tang Dasi, have a deep understanding of penicillin."
After saying this, he looked at Lin Yuanshu expectantly. In order for Tang Dasi to return to the First Research Institute, he had already taken the initiative to lower his posture and speak to Lin Yuanshu, a junior.
Lin Yuanshu pursed her lips, her expression quite subtle. She hadn't expected Tang Dasi to be so capable, managing to get Director Yu and Team Leader Lü to come and discuss with her the matter of Tang Dasi returning to the First Research Institute.
To say they value Tang Dasi is an overstatement, yet they didn't consult her on such an important matter; to say they don't value it is also an overstatement, yet they personally came to the Dongfanghong Research Institute to discuss this matter with Director Huang and her.
However, she didn't want to make this decision for Tang Dasi, to avoid making a decision that contradicted Tang Dasi's thoughts. If Tang Dasi didn't want to stay in her project team, and she refused Team Leader Lü's request to let Tang Dasi continue to stay at the Dongfanghong Research Institute, then their relationship would be quite awkward in the future.
Conversely, she didn't want to strain her relationship with Tang Dasi.
She feigned a troubled expression and said softly, "I really want to help, but I think it's better for Comrade Tang Dasi to decide this matter. After all, she is the person involved, and she has the right to decide whether to stay at the Dongfanghong Research Institute or return to the First Research Institute. I'm giving her the choice. If she doesn't want to, I hope you can treat this matter with a normal attitude and not blame her."
Director Yu was taken aback. He hadn't expected Lin Yuanshu to be so considerate of Tang Dasi. He patted his chest and assured her, "Don't worry, even if Comrade Tang Dasi wants to stay in your project team, we won't be angry with her. After all, we were the ones who transferred her to the Dongfanghong Research Institute. It's only natural that she wouldn't want to give up the work she's done here."
Team Leader Lü did not object. In his opinion, if Tang Dasi had to choose, she would definitely choose to return to his project team. After all, they had worked together for so many years, and Tang Dasi had certainly put more effort into his project team than into Lin Yuanshu's project team. She could easily tell which was more important.
“Director Yu’s idea is my idea. Why don’t you go and call Comrade Tang Dasi over now, and let’s listen to her decision together? The sooner we resolve this matter, the sooner we can return to the First Research Institute with peace of mind,” Team Leader Lü suggested with a smile.
Everyone turned their attention to Lin Yuanshu, waiting for his answer.
Lin Yuanshu pondered for a moment and hesitated, then said, "If we suddenly ask Comrade Tang Dasi to make such an important decision, I'm afraid she won't be able to make a decision in a short time. Why don't you give Comrade Tang Dasi a day to consider it and let her give you an answer tomorrow?"
If we call Tang Dasi to the office now, it would be like forcing a duck onto a shelf. No matter what Tang Dasi's answer is, it will offend the party that was not chosen.
Director Huang decisively chimed in, "Comrade Lin Yuanshu's words are not without reason. As the saying goes, good things come to those who wait. You should give Comrade Tang Dasi time to think, lest he regret his choice today in the future."
Team Leader Lü turned to look at Director Yu, who nodded slightly. After all, they were there to discuss matters, not to offend anyone, so speaking politely was better than being confrontational.
Subsequently, the two agreed to Lin Yuanshu's suggestion and decided to visit the Dongfanghong Research Institute again the next day.
Lin Yuanshu exchanged a few more pleasantries with Director Yu before returning to the office area, which was now empty. She had no choice but to go to the laboratory to find someone.
She called Tang Dasi out of the laboratory. Hong Shuang'er looked at Lin Yuanshu, then at Tang Dasi, and couldn't help but wonder what had happened.
Lin Yuanshu didn't notice Hong Shuang'er's gaze. She led Tang Dasi back to the office area, closed the door, and then began to talk about what had happened in Director Huang's office.
After listening to Lin Yuanshu's words, Tang Dasi's expression was indescribable. She didn't know what to say because she never expected that she would return to Team Leader Lü's project team one day.
Lin Yuanshu hadn't expected Tang Dasi's expression to be neither happy nor troubled, but rather constipated. She coughed twice and comforted her, "You can take your time to think about it. Anyway, I won't give you an answer until tomorrow. Whatever your choice is, I won't be angry."
The reason she wasn't angry was that she didn't absolutely need Tang Dasi. Although Tang Dasi was capable at work, she could accept it if it were someone else. Tang Dasi's work ability wasn't so outstanding that he was indispensable.
Tang Dasi sighed and frowned, saying, "I don't want to go back to Team Leader Lü's project team, but I'm worried that my refusal will offend him. Although he says he doesn't care, it's hard to say what the actual situation is. I'm worried that after I finish your project and return to the First Research Institute, Team Leader Lü will make things difficult for me."
She's not stupid. Going back to Team Leader Lü's project team now would just mean cleaning up their mess. If she had a good experimental plan, she could go back and try, but the problem is she doesn't!
Although she noticed that there was a problem with the research direction of Team Leader Lü's project team, it didn't necessarily mean that she knew the correct research direction.
If she had known, she would have already started a fight with the project team members, instead of working as an assistant in Team Leader Lü's project team every day.
Besides, Team Leader Lin's project is progressing very smoothly. Even if they fail to successfully improve the strain, they can still submit the project task by simplifying the purification process.
On one side is a bright future, on the other is an uncertain future. Even a fool would know which to choose. She simply doesn't have the ability to meet Team Leader Lü's expectations.
Lin Yuanshu stroked his chin and asked, "Are you sure you don't want to go back to Team Leader Lü's project team?"
She wasn't surprised by Tang Dasi's decision; after all, if it were her, she wouldn't be happy to return to Team Leader Lü's project team either.
That's a complete mess. If it's resolved, everyone's happy. If it's not resolved, Tang Dasi is the perfect scapegoat.
Tang Dasi nodded vigorously, looking at Lin Yuanshu with anticipation and asking pitifully, "I'm absolutely sure, Team Leader Lin, do you have any way to avoid going back to Team Leader Lü's project team, without offending the director and Team Leader Lü?"
Lin Yuanshu said thoughtfully, "I can't control people's hearts either. However, you can leave work early this afternoon and go to the First Research Institute to see Director Yu and Team Leader Lü. Tell them that you don't have the ability to turn the tide and that they overestimate you. Refuse them tactfully. Doing so is better than refusing them in front of Director Huang. Without Director Huang, they won't be so easily angered."
Tang Dasi looked at Lin Yuanshu with a determined gaze and said righteously, "I will try my best to persuade them. It may be a little difficult to show my work ability, but it is easy to show that I am not good at my work."
Now we have no choice but to try anything, even if it means offending Team Leader Lü, it's better than going back to clean up the mess.
Lin Yuanshu: "..."
That's so true, she couldn't even refute it.
After the two discussed the specific details, Lin Yuanshu said softly, "Actually, you don't need to worry too much about Team Leader Lü making things difficult for you. Once we complete the penicillin improvement project, Director Yu will naturally see your work ability and will definitely promote you. He might even let you lead a project team on your own. If Director Yu doesn't see it, it doesn't matter. I'll have Director Huang talk to Director Yu about transferring you to the Dongfanghong Research Institute. To keep you there, he won't let anyone else make things difficult for you. Director Yu won't make the same mistake twice..."
Seeing that Tang Dasi had chosen her without wavering, she was still willing to do her best to solve Tang Dasi's problems, which could be considered as giving Tang Dasi peace of mind.
Tang Dasi was initially a little uneasy, but after hearing Lin Yuanshu's words, she instantly felt relieved. It was truly an unexpected disaster. If she had known things would turn out this way, she shouldn't have said anything in the first place.
It was precisely because of her talkativeness that she was isolated by the members of Team Leader Lü's project team. Just when her work was finally on track, her previous words were brought up again, and now they want to drag her into the mire once more.
Following Lin Yuanshu's suggestion, Tang Dasi left work an hour early. Full of confidence, she walked into the First Research Institute and met Team Leader Lü in Director Yu's office.
Upon seeing Tang Dasi, Team Leader Lü exclaimed excitedly, "Comrade Tang Dasi, have you thought this through? I've already prepared your workstation, and we're just waiting for you to come back."
Tang Dasi smiled awkwardly, looking helpless, and said, "Although I really want to help Team Leader Lü's project team solve the bottleneck problem, my current work ability is insufficient. I really am willing but unable. I have been in Team Leader Lin's project team for so long, and my mind is full of Team Leader Lin's research plan. If you ask me to come up with another plan now, I really can't think of anything even if I rack my brains..."
Team Leader Lü, unwilling to give up, asked, "Are you really unable to do it? You discovered that my penicillin research had gone astray; you're not incapable."
Tang Dasi said with utmost sincerity, "If I can do it, I really don't need to stay in Team Leader Lin's project team. After all, the most important person in Team Leader Lin's project team is Team Leader Lin, not me. It would be better to go back to Team Leader Lü's project team and turn the tide."
It would have been better not to have discovered it at all!
Director Yu pursed his lips and said in a heavy tone, "We promised Comrade Lin Yuanshu that we would support your decision. Since you have made your decision, we will not say anything more. I will tell Director Huang about your decision tomorrow. You can continue to work at the Dongfanghong Research Institute. Do a good job and don't embarrass the First Research Institute."
He wouldn't force a cow to eat grass.
Tang Dasi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his joy, and pretended to be very sad as he reluctantly left Director Yu's office.
Team Leader Lü's expression was very unpleasant. He hadn't expected Tang Dasi to refuse to return to the project team, and he certainly hadn't expected that Tang Dasi wouldn't be able to solve the problems in his project team.
The latter is more distressing than the former. The former can be resolved by finding a way, but the latter is truly unsolvable; it's simply impossible.
Director Yu patted Team Leader Lü on the shoulder and encouraged him, "You've done your best. There's no point in thinking about it anymore. Instead of placing your hopes on others, you should think about what to do next. I believe you can definitely find a way to solve the problem at hand."
He still trusted Team Leader Lü's abilities and felt that Team Leader Lü was just temporarily facing difficulties and getting stuck in a rut, and that things would definitely get better later.
Team Leader Lü forced a smile, said a few nice words about how he would try his best, and then left Director Yu's office dejectedly, returning to the laboratory.
Seeing that Team Leader Lü was in low spirits, the team members were secretly pleased. One of them tentatively asked, "Team Leader, is it because Comrade Tang Dasi refuses to come back? I knew she was ungrateful and short-sighted. It's better that she's not coming back; we can still complete the project."
Another team member chimed in, “That’s right! As long as Team Leader Lü is here, we have a pillar of support. It doesn’t matter whether Comrade Tang Dasi is here or not! We have never lacked the courage to start from scratch.”
Listening to the team members' positive words, Team Leader Lü felt a surge of pride. He said confidently, "Since you are all so confident, I, as the team leader, naturally cannot hold you back. Let's start researching penicillin from scratch. Since the previous path is blocked, let's find a new one."
The group members all said in unison, "Okay."
The next morning, Director Yu went to see Director Huang. He did not tell Director Huang that Tang Dasi had met with them the night before and had rejected them.
Instead, he said that he went back and thought about it yesterday, and realized that his behavior of going back on his word was wrong, so he decided to let it go regarding Tang Dasi's return to the First Research Institute.
Although Director Huang didn't know what had happened, he knew that things were definitely not as Director Yu had said. How could Director Yu possibly have a change of heart? Director Yu didn't have any conscience at all!
However, he didn't care much about it. After all, Tang Dasi wasn't a researcher at the Dongfanghong Research Institute, so leaving or staying made no difference to him.
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