The School of Foreign Languages was extremely busy, and Chen Bingrui, being a proper teacher, readily added Chen Meizhen's name to the list upon hearing his recommendation.
Bai Jiaojiao received this task and prepared with Xiang Anqi with trepidation, never letting up until the very last moment.
Chen Meizhen, on the other hand, focused all her energy on bragging to others about being the simultaneous interpreter for this exchange. In the following days, when Chen Bingrui asked her about her progress, she realized that she hadn't prepared anything and that it seemed impossible to accomplish this task with her blind confidence alone.
Chen Meizhen panicked and locked herself away to translate the materials, only to find that she didn't even have time to memorize them, let alone understand them thoroughly enough to accurately translate the lecturer's meaning on the spot.
This meeting was actually a class, with many senior students from the college in attendance. It wasn't just a closed-door exchange; there were also reporters and cameramen from the newspaper in the front row. Whatever happened at this meeting would appear in tomorrow's newspaper and might even be sold all over the country.
Chen Meizhen began to feel afraid, afraid of making a fool of herself. Looking at the obscure and difficult professional words, she realized that the spoken language was not what she had imagined. She knew in her heart that she could not handle the job, so she began to pretend to be sick.
Chen Bingrui usually kept Chen Meizhen in strict control, but he couldn't do anything about her at this moment. Fortunately, the two meetings at their medical school were scheduled at different times today, so he waited early at the entrance of the auditorium for Bai Jiaojiao to come to the rescue.
"Teacher Ji, Teacher Chen said that Chen Meizhen can't come to translate anymore, and asked me to fill in. I'm not prepared at all, how can I fill in?" Bai Jiaojiao wasn't very confident and didn't want to take on this hot potato.
"These are all related disciplines, so what do I need to prepare?" Chen Bingrui was very anxious as he saw that time was running out.
"Professor Chen, this conference is about cancer pathology, while the one you're in charge of is about surgery. How can they be the same?"
Chen Bingrui was originally a teacher in Ji Guizhang's team, and even if he attended the meeting, he would be in charge of this part of the meeting. But for the sake of his daughter, he volunteered to go there to help, and Ji Guizhang let him go. Who knew that this would happen?
Bai Jiaojiao looked at Ji Guizhang as if pleading for help.
Ji Guizhang frowned, about to reprimand Chen Bingrui, when he saw Professor Peng, the person in charge, anxiously approaching: "Professor Chen, have you found anyone? It's about to start! Do you really want an old man like me to go up and act as a translator for these foreigners?"
Professor Peng is a respected figure. It's fine to ask him to teach these students, but to expect him to repeat everything they say is simply shameless.
However, there wasn't a single translator in the entire team who could be considered competent.
When Professor Peng saw Bai Jiaojiao, he knew she was the person Chen Bingrui had come to see, and said, “Student, the situation is urgent and of great importance. It’s a small matter if I lose face, but he is a professor and I am a professor too. If we let a professor from our school act as a translator for someone else, it’s a disgrace to our school and our country.”
That's true, otherwise the School of Foreign Languages wouldn't be in such a state of worry.
"Bai Jiaojiao, do you think you're confident?" Ji Guizhang was not only the leader of his team, but also the vice dean of the medical school. He was considering the honor of the entire school.
Bai Jiaojiao understood immediately and gritted her teeth, saying, "We've actually studied surgery in class, and I've researched some of the professional terms... Professor Chen, since Chen Meizhen can't come, could you give me the materials she prepared beforehand? If I encounter anything I don't understand, I can use them as a reference."
Bai Jiaojiao was going all out, and Chen Bingrui, upon hearing this, quickly handed her the materials he had prepared beforehand.
"Good girl, come with me quickly." Professor Peng took Bai Jiaojiao and left. Bai Jiaojiao took the documents, ignored Chen Bingrui, and left.
Chen Bingrui wanted to leave together, but Ji Guizhang stopped him: "Is Chen Meizhen really sick?"
Ji Guizhang was a soldier, and he had the utmost contempt for deserters.
Chen Meizhen deserted her post, disregarding everyone's dignity; such behavior absolutely cannot be tolerated.
"Of course he's really sick."
Chen Bingrui sounded somewhat guilty, and Ji Guizhang immediately noticed it.
Where is she now?
"She's feeling unwell and is lying at home."
“Take me to your house, I want to see her.” Ji Guizhang’s expression was icy. Chen Bingrui knew he was suspicious and shuddered.
"No need, it's no trouble for you to visit her. It's just a minor illness..."
"You can't even attend such an important meeting? How can it be a minor illness? As the vice dean, I should care about the students in the department. Enough with the nonsense, take me there!"
Ji Guizhang's last sentence could be described as intimidation and coercion.
Chen Bingrui was caught in a dilemma, and could only hope in his heart that Chen Meizhen could put on a convincing act.
"Well, alright then..." He couldn't refuse, and Chen Bingrui felt that even if the vice dean refused, he would still go, given his temperament.
Ji Guizhang gave Chen Bingrui a cold look and walked ahead.
Chen Bingrui also lives in the faculty and staff residential area, which is right inside the school, so it's convenient for him to go there.
Ji Guizhang, a seasoned veteran, wouldn't let Chen Bingrui play any tricks. He instructed them from downstairs: "Your daughter isn't well, so please be quiet when you go upstairs. Don't make any noise. You have the key, so you don't need to call her to open the door. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Chen Bingrui was already intimidated by Ji Guizhang, and now, with Ji staring at him like that, his legs went weak. Coupled with his guilty conscience, he nodded shakily.
The house wasn't well soundproofed. As soon as they went upstairs, they could hear the radio playing the TV series "Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties."
The Chen family's door wasn't locked at all; it was wide open, letting in a draft.
Ji Guizhang stood at the door and immediately saw Chen Meizhen leaning back on the sofa, sitting cross-legged and leisurely eating oranges.
"This is utter nonsense!" Ji Guizhang slammed the door of the Chen family's house shut. Chen Meizhen inside jumped up in fright as she heard Ji Guizhang's angry roar outside the door.
"Is this what you mean by Chen Meizhen suddenly falling seriously ill? She's faking illness to enjoy herself at home and dumping the mess on others? Does she even realize how serious this meeting and exchange is?!"
Ji Guizhang's voice echoed throughout the entire building. Chen Meizhen was terrified even through the door, let alone Chen Bingrui, who was right across from him.
"Dean Ji... this morning Chen Meizhen's stomach was really hurting terribly. She should be better now, yes, she should have rested for a while and felt much better, so she got up to eat something and distract herself..."
Ji Guizhang angrily interrupted Chen Bingrui: "Yan University cultivates character and morality; it doesn't need a student like this! Her college entrance exam score wasn't high enough to begin with; she only got into the university because of you, her father, but now it seems she can't become a qualified Yan University student! I will report this to the dean; there will be absolutely no leniency!"
Ji Guizhang's words were strong; he meant to fire Chen Meizhen.
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