Chapter 97
Just as the afterglow of the setting sun climbed up the glass curtain wall of the institute, the sound of neat leather shoes suddenly rang out in the corridor.
Huo Changfeng paused as he held the test tube. He quickly put the reagent bottle back in place and when he turned around, he saw the director walking towards him with a group of people in suits and leather shoes.
The leading leader had a golden party emblem on his chest, which reflected a sharp light under the incandescent light.
"Director Huo, this is..."
The director was about to introduce the identity of the big leader.
But before he could finish his words, the big boss had already extended his hand and shook hands with Huo Changfeng in a friendly manner.
The warmth from his palms seeped into Huo Changfeng's skin through his gloves.
"Director Huo, I know you. The national new material project depends on young talents like you!"
His face was full of appreciation and his expression was quite kind.
Huo Changfeng straightened his back, and the heels of his leather shoes made crisp sounds on the tiled floor: "Thank you for the compliment, leader. This project is not the result of my own efforts, but the concerted efforts of the entire institute. At the same time, this is also inseparable from the strong support of the country. We have worked hard for ten years, and it is our honor to be able to contribute to the country at this time."
The leader nodded with satisfaction, and then asked casually, "What stage has the experiment reached now?"
The director quickly signaled Huo Changfeng: "Director Huo, as the project leader, let Director Huo explain it to you in detail."
Huo Changfeng said: "The project has entered a critical stage."
He pointed sideways at the operating table. The metal instrument glowed coldly under the light. "This is the third-generation experimental sample. Its corrosion resistance is 37% higher than the previous one."
As he spoke, he put on white gloves and picked up the material, which was as thin as a cicada's wing, with tweezers.
Huo Changfeng introduced seriously: "In extreme environments..."
The leader came closer to observe, his eyes full of seriousness.
"Okay! Okay!"
The big boss suddenly clapped his hands, and his voice echoed in the laboratory: "This is a major breakthrough in the military industry!"
He turned to face his entourage and said excitedly: "At all times, scientific researchers are the backbone of the country. I sincerely thank you for your contributions and efforts."
After the words fell, the leader looked at the director again and earnestly instructed: "Comrades are all talents of the country. We must pay more attention to their working environment. If they encounter any difficulties in life, they can also raise them. The country will definitely give the greatest support."
The director saluted quickly: "Yes!"
Listening to the conversation between the two, Huo Changfeng's eyes involuntarily drifted to the wall clock.
The pointer above showed that it was 7:30 in the evening.
There is still half an hour until the time he and Mu Qingxuan agreed to meet.
Huo Changfeng's eyebrows were slightly lowered, his expression showed no expression, but he was secretly calculating the time in his heart.
The big boss picked up the enamel mug and took a sip of strong tea. The tea stains on the edge of the cup looked brown under the light.
He asked the director and Huo Changfeng to take him around other parts of the institute. Only when he was sure that all the projects in the institute were proceeding in an orderly manner did he finally smile with satisfaction.
Finally, the big boss put aside his pressure and warmly invited everyone in the institute to have a meal together.
"Just consider it as a thank you to all the comrades for their hard work."
He said so.
Everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. Finally, the director was the first to respond: "Then it would be disrespectful to refuse."
Huo Changfeng pursed his lips, a little embarrassed: "I'm really sorry, my family..."
Before he finished speaking, the director laughed knowingly.
The entourage all looked sideways, and suppressed yet ambiguous laughter was heard from the corner.
The big boss also knew that Huo Changfeng was married, and he guessed with a smile: "Is it related to his wife?"
Huo Changfeng did not answer immediately.
He thought about it, worried that if he nodded directly, it would give people the impression that Mu Qingxuan was a tigress.
Just as he was hesitating about how to answer, the leader patted him on the shoulder with satisfaction.
"It's okay, Comrade Huo, you are right to do this. A real man should manage his family, govern his country and bring peace to the world."
"If a person can't even take care of his own family and makes a mess of it, such a person probably won't have much energy to devote to work."
Then, the leader looked at the other staff members and said casually: "I don't want you to delay your family because of work."
Apart from when he is not working, the boss is quite easy-going and his words make people feel less pressured.
Seeing this, Huo Changfeng directly requested: "Thank you for your understanding, I will leave first."
"Go." The big leader looked at Huo Changfeng's hurriedly leaving back with nostalgic eyes and smiled.
"When I first got married to my wife, I was also so anxious. I missed her so much when I didn't see her for a while."
The director couldn't help but laugh after hearing this and said, "Leader, you and your wife are still on good terms, which makes others envious."
"I'm old." The big boss shook his head helplessly, "From now on, the world will be ruled by the young people."
When Huo Changfeng rushed out of the research institute, the autumn rain had just stopped.
The accumulated water reflected the orange-yellow street lights, breaking his shadow into pieces.
The cold wind blew up the hem of his lab coat, and he suddenly realized that it was already dark outside.
Huo Changfeng did not dare to delay and immediately drove towards the state-owned hotel.
*
When Mu Qingxuan opened her eyes, her mind was still a little dazed.
She shook her head, glanced around, and realized that she was in an unfamiliar environment.
The damp and musty smell was like an invisible hand, tightly strangling her throat.
She blinked her sore eyes with difficulty, her pupils slowly dilated in the darkness, gradually capturing the blurry outlines of the surroundings.
The spider webs hanging overhead swayed gently in the draft. A few pieces of gray plaster were peeling off the mottled wall and falling into the foul-smelling stagnant water with a slight "plop" sound.
This is an abandoned warehouse with a rusty iron door closed and only a few rays of dim moonlight shining through the cracks in the wall.
There were rotten wooden boxes piled in the corner, unknown insects were wriggling among the sawdust, emitting a disgusting fishy smell.
Memories came flooding back.
In the bathroom, Mu Qianqian suddenly took out a handkerchief soaked in medicine. She was unable to dodge and only smelled a pungent sweet smell, and her consciousness fell into endless darkness.
Thinking of this, Mu Qingxuan dug her nails deeply into her palms, and anger rose in her heart.
She had clearly tried her best to keep a distance from Mu Qianqian throughout the whole process, but she still fell into his trap.
A trace of regret flashed across Mu Qingxuan's face.
There was a burning pain in my wrist, and the rough hemp rope cut deeply into my flesh.
Mu Qingxuan took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.
She observed how the rope was tied and noticed that the knot was loose.
Mu Qianqian is not a professional kidnapper. The only experience she has in tying ropes was when she helped Sun Qiumei tie up pigs that were running around in the village.
Mu Qianqian subconsciously applied this experience, which was not really an experience, to Mu Qingxuan.
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