Sixty-four stars
However, Lin Tang did not answer.
Seeing this, the host quickly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Since Milson mentioned the key person in this project, let's first ask Miss Lin to introduce herself to us."
As she finished speaking, Lin Tang regained her concentration. Unlike the others, she spoke to the camera in her native language, "Hello everyone, I'm Lin Tang from Country C, and I'm the chief scientist for the IM-WFOS project."
The reporter in the audience smiled and asked her, "Millson just said that he was very happy to work with you. I wonder how Miss Lin feels about it?"
Lin Tang, a respectable man, didn't expose their private calculations in front of the camera. He replied politely, "Well, although we had a lot of conflicts while promoting this project, it was all for the sake of the final result. As of now, I am very satisfied with this cooperation."
After the simultaneous interpreter finished translating, Mr. Dyson's eyes lit up. Combined with the secret signal that Milson had just given him, he thought that Lin Tang had finally figured it out, and he couldn't contain his joy.
Feeling the time was right, he winked at a reporter in the audience, and someone immediately asked, "Since both parties are cooperating happily, does Ms. Lin have any further ideas?"
Lin Tang's expression changed, and he had a bad feeling in his heart: "Any further thoughts?"
Mr. Dyson didn't notice anything unusual in her words and continued smugly, "Our institute has always been eager to have someone like Miss Lin to add luster to our institute. Plus, we've had some pleasant private conversations, so I wonder what Miss Lin thinks now?"
He remained silent, waiting for her to give the answer he wanted.
He was used to being reckless and arrogant on weekdays, so he wanted to use the camera to announce to the world at the first moment that the outstanding scientist next to him would soon work for their country M. This was their usual style of their country M, using empty and pretentious publicity to swear that they were powerful.
Success stories like this have happened before, so he still believes that this time it will go as he wishes.
Beyond his field of vision, Milson looked at Lin Tang worriedly, constantly sending her signals for her to accept.
However, their wishful thinking this time was dashed. Lin Tang, with a stern face, spoke to the camera word by word, "But I have no desire, nor do I feel happy about it. I have no intention of joining your research institute. I believe that your country can still shine without me, and the future is bright."
She almost said it through gritted teeth.
She didn't expect that they would ask such a question directly at the interview, but at least Dean Zhang warned her not to publicize it, so she chose to save face for them.
But after the translation ended, Mr. Dyson's expression changed instantly, and a sinister look flashed across his eyes. He glanced at Erson with hatred, then returned to his usual smiling face and said through gritted teeth, "Is that so, Miss Lin? It seems that Miss Lin is not very satisfied with our service these past few days."
Although he felt a wave of emotion threatening to burst forth, Lin Tang still tried to maintain a respectful demeanor. "Country M's hospitality is excellent, but everyone has their own aspirations. As our country says, 'People with different ideals cannot work together.' A tacit understanding in one collaboration doesn't guarantee long-term success. I think it would be best for us to stick to our respective positions."
Because of this unexpected episode, he didn't have the chance to answer the subsequent questions asked by Mr. Dyson. Since he already knew the answer, he couldn't afford to lose face.
After the media interview, he rarely stopped Lin Tang and gave him some advice, and the group from Country C returned to the hotel smoothly.
After getting off the car, a staff member came to ask Lin Tang when he would leave Country M. After getting the answer, he said politely, "Okay, we will arrange the return flight right away."
In the room, Lin Tang packed her luggage while calling Feng Chibai. The moment she picked up the phone, she asked, "Hello, where are you?"
"There are some urgent project matters to deal with over here on Cross Avenue. What's the matter?" Feng Chibai replied.
Lin Tang felt a little heavy-hearted and said sullenly, "Nothing, I didn't see you, just asking casually."
There was silence on the other side, and then he said softly, "Don't think too much, you did very well."
Lin Tang was stunned, paused, and asked hesitantly, "Did you see it?"
Feng Chibai hummed and explained, "The big screens here are all showing it, so it's probably hard not to see it."
Lin Tang sat down on the floor tiredly, his back leaning against the edge of the bed. He tugged at the quilt intermittently and said calmly, "I just wanted to tell you that my flight is at 8 o'clock this evening. If you can't come to the hotel, we'll meet in Huaizhou."
The other end responded with "OK".
Before leaving, Lin Tang met Mr. Dyson again. He was still smiling like a tiger, with none of the earlier sternness he'd felt after being rejected. Instead, he accompanied them to the airport, somewhat uncharacteristically.
He said that although the press conference was not pleasant, he was not one to hold grudges. To fulfill his duty as a good host, he had to make good use of the final work of this trip.
It was not until he saw them pass through security that Mr. Dyson smiled and waved goodbye to them.
On the return trip, they were still with the men in suits and ties who had come with them. It seemed as if they had already discussed something, and they were all in high spirits when they said goodbye to Mr. Dyson.
But Lin Tang felt a faint breathlessness in her chest. Before Mr. Dyson turned and left, she heard him say, "Ms. Lin, I sincerely hope that we will have the chance to meet again."
He was making one last confirmation.
I also heard the expected answer: "These matters are not for me to decide. You may need to talk to our dean."
He chuckled lightly, and said calmly, "Then let's not talk about it."
After saying that, he walked out of the airport without any hesitation.
The closer it got to the registration time, the heavier the feeling of depression in Lin Tang's heart became, as if a stone was pressing on her, about to fall into the black abyss along with her heart.
She pursed her lips and sat in the corner without saying a word.
An hour before the plane took off, a man stood firmly in front of her.
The moment she raised her head, Feng Chibai appeared before her. She was stunned for a moment, then slowly said, "Is it done?"
Feng Chibai hummed, his eyes still fixed on her: "It seems it's still in time."
He sat down beside her, paused, and then said, "Will Country M's special plane take you back?"
This time, it was Lin Tang who hummed, looking somewhat absentminded. He casually asked, "What about you? What time is your flight?"
Feng Chibai smiled: "What a coincidence, we're at the same time. Do you want to take my seat?"
Before he arrived, she had actually thought about this question. After all, this wasn't the first time. But this time, she wasn't the only one.
She glanced at the six researchers waiting to board the plane with her and refused: "No, I have to go with them."
Although it was not the first time for the other people to go abroad, Lin Tang, as the person in charge, would never abandon them.
"We can do it together." As she finished speaking, Feng Chibai replied neither lightly nor heavily.
Lin Tang understood what he said, but did not say anything immediately.
Forty minutes before the plane took off, passengers on flight MX3011 began to be reminded to prepare for boarding.
The time for thinking stopped, and after much hesitation, Lin Tang chose to agree.
So when boarding started, they temporarily changed their flight and seven researchers boarded Feng Chibai's private plane.
On the plane, Lin Tang was afraid that others might have problems and not be able to find anyone, so even though his eyelids were trembling, he kept resisting the urge to sleep.
It was not until nine o'clock the next morning that the plane landed safely in Huaizhou, and everyone dispersed at the airport and went home.
It’s hard to explain why this trip abroad was the most tiring one Lin Tang had ever had.
As soon as she got home, she didn't bother to tidy up her things and went back to her room to get some sleep.
Feng Chibai had slept for a few hours during the period, so he wasn't as sleepy as she was. The moment he took his phone off airplane mode, a call came in.
It's the old man's.
He picked up the phone without knowing why, and immediately heard a voice from the other end: "Xiao Chi, are you still in Country M?"
The voice on the other end was urgent. It was rare for him to hear the old man's tone almost losing his composure.
He felt a little uneasy, but he still replied, "Just got off the plane, and came back with Lin Tang."
There was silence for a moment.
"Are you two together?" He seemed eager to confirm something.
Feng Chibai hummed, "Since I was about to come back, I decided to take her with me."
He could clearly hear the old man sighing in relief, followed by a heavy voice: "That's good, that's good."
Feng Chibai immediately noticed something was wrong and asked, "What's wrong?"
The old man didn't reply immediately. He calmed down for a while before sighing, "That morning, I saw a news report saying that flight MX3011 from Country M to Country C caught fire and exploded mid-flight and crashed. I thought..."
He didn't dare to say the rest of the words, his throat was trembling.
Hearing this, Feng Chibai's heart sank suddenly. MX3011 was the flight that Lin Tang was originally going to take.
He was so shocked that he couldn't close his mouth, his chest heaving, and he subconsciously looked at the person who was sleeping in the room.
They almost never had the chance to meet each other again.
After hanging up, he immediately checked the news about the crash of MX3011. The earliest report, published at 4:00 AM, stated that MX3011 had crashed at 3:32 AM that morning, with eleven Chinese and eight American citizens on board. No one survived. The cause of the crash was currently unknown. American ATC (Air Traffic Control) initially explained that partial wing damage had prevented the pilot from properly controlling the aircraft. The sudden impact of the air on the damaged wing had sparked, causing the plane to explode mid-flight.
The comments section below was already filled with criticism of Country M. Everyone knew there were seven researchers from Country C on board this plane. Since it was their return flight, they should have carefully inspected all equipment, rather than using carelessness as an excuse after the accident.
But fifteen minutes ago, the daily newspaper republished a report, still related to the plane crash.
——Seven scientists landed safely in Huaizhou by another plane and escaped death, but four C nationals still died in the plane crash.
Feng Chibai's fingers trembled, his heart beat violently, and hot breath surged in his throat. His eyes were wide open and a little blurry at the moment. The strong pressure in his heart made him unable to help but stare at the person on the bed.
He was so close to losing her completely.
Before I could fully recover from the shock, the phone rang again. It was Ying calling.
Because Lin Tang's phone was still in flight mode, he couldn't get through, but luckily he had saved Feng Chibai's number.
As soon as I picked up the phone, the person on the other end said anxiously, "Hello, President Feng, is my boss okay?"
His voice was still a little choked, as if he had just cried.
Feng Chibai lowered his eyes, knowing he wasn't referring to physical or mental harm. That media interview was broadcast live to the world, and he must have seen some of the scenes captured on camera that day. In such a situation, one would inevitably begin to speculate whether this was a conspiracy against Lin Tanglai.
The protagonist is safe now, but the four C countrymen who were supposed to return with her died. What would Lin Tang think?
Feng Chibai deliberately walked into the study, locked the door, and then said solemnly: "She doesn't know the situation yet. She... is too tired."
The person on the other side sobbed twice and murmured, "Can we hide it from her first... No... I can't hide it..."
With reports of the plane crash all over the place, it was hard for her not to see it.
"Hide it as long as possible... She will blame herself to death..." Even though this matter has nothing to do with her.
Ying Yu's crying became increasingly louder, and Feng Chibai's uncomfortable emotions were also playing tricks on him. He whispered back, "I know."
Even though she said she was strong enough, he didn't know how much she could endure when faced with such a thing, and he didn't have the courage to test it.
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