Yu Jiuyuan leaned closer, her eyes close to the eyepiece. In her field of vision, the previously blurry cellular structures became crystal clear, and the stained chromosomes displayed a beautiful blue-purple hue, arranged neatly.
"Wow, it's so clear!" she exclaimed sincerely, her tone brimming with just the right amount of surprise. "Yuanxu, you're amazing!"
Her straightforward praise made Yuan Xu's ears turn slightly red. He looked away somewhat awkwardly and said in a low voice, "It's just... that I happened to find the right ratio."
[System notification: Yuan Xu's favorability +3, current favorability 23.]
Yu Jiuyuan understood in her heart, but her face still maintained that pure joy.
She knew that although Yuan Xu's favorability was increasing slowly, each increase was very stable, thanks to her accurate grasp of his preferences and personality.
Just then, the laboratory door was pushed open.
Xie Zhecheng walked in.
He wore the same school uniform as Rong Shenghan, yet he managed to exude an aloof and cold aura.
He was tall and handsome, but his eyes were too cold, as if covered with a thin layer of ice, and they showed no warmth when he looked over the laboratory.
When his gaze fell on Yu Jiuyuan, he paused for a moment, then looked away without any emotion, as if he had only seen an insignificant object.
[System notification: Xie Zhecheng's favorability rating is 0, no change.]
Yu Jiuyuan was not surprised. This Xie Zhecheng was indeed, as the system data showed, an unyielding perfectionist, and seemed to have a natural aversion to her.
Yuan Xu saw Xie Zhecheng, nodded slightly as a greeting, and then continued to organize his experimental equipment. Clearly, he and Xie Zhecheng didn't have much interaction.
Xie Zhecheng walked to another corner of the laboratory, where his usual workbench was located.
He put down his things with meticulous care, even buttoning up his lab coat neatly, exuding an almost rigid rigor.
The atmosphere in the laboratory seemed to become somewhat subtle because of his arrival. The previously relaxed air seemed to be infused with a chill.
Yu Jiuyuan glanced at Xie Zhecheng, then at Yuan Xu beside her, a barely perceptible smile curving her lips.
Of the three targets, two are currently in the same space, while the third, Rong Shenghan, though absent, is like a potential variable that could affect the balance at any moment.
She turned around and continued discussing the details of the experiment with Yuan Xu, her voice soft and her tone gentle, as if she were completely unaffected by Xie Zhecheng.
But her senses were like an invisible net, capturing every subtle movement in the laboratory: the sound of Xie Zhecheng turning the pages of a book, the soft rustling of Yuan Xu adjusting the instruments, and even the rustling of leaves in the wind outside the window.
She knew that although Xie Zhecheng seemed focused on his own affairs, with his almost discerning observation skills, it was impossible for him to be completely unaware of the movements around him.
Sure enough, not long after, Xie Zhecheng's voice suddenly broke the silence of the laboratory: "Yuan Xu, there is a problem with your pipette calibration. The error exceeds 0.5 microliters."
His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable certainty.
Yuan Xu paused, frowned, picked up the pipette, examined it, and compared it with the standard solution. His expression changed slightly. "...Thank you," he said softly, his tone tinged with reluctance, yet he had to admit that the other person was right.
Xie Zhecheng did not respond, as if his previous statement was just a casual remark, or perhaps, in his view, pointing out errors was simply based on facts and did not require any further communication.
Yu Jiuyuan watched this scene, lost in thought. Xie Zhecheng's perfectionism wasn't just reflected in his demands on himself; he was equally perceptive and ruthless towards the mistakes of others. Winning over this kind of personality would probably require a more subtle approach.
She suddenly smiled, walked to Xie Zhecheng's workbench, tilted her head slightly, and asked in a tone that was both curious and polite: "Xie, do you have very high requirements for the precision of experimental equipment?"
Xie Zhecheng raised his head, his cold gaze falling on her face with a hint of scrutiny. "The accuracy of experimental data depends on every single detail." His voice was flat and unchanging, devoid of any emotional fluctuation. "A small error can lead to a huge mistake."
“You’re right,” Yu Jiuyuan nodded in agreement, her eyes clear.
"However, sometimes, if we pursue perfection too much, we might overlook some unexpected discoveries. For example, last time when I was doing a chemistry experiment, I accidentally added the reagents in the wrong order. Although the result was different from what I expected, I unexpectedly discovered a new reaction phenomenon."
Her tone was relaxed, as if she were sharing an interesting little anecdote, with a hint of mischievousness in her eyes, breaking away from her previous innocent and harmless image and adding a touch of lively spirit.
Xie Zhecheng's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, as if he hadn't expected her to say that. He remained silent for a few seconds before coldly uttering two words: "Nonsense."
After saying that, he lowered his head and ignored her.
[System notification: Xie Zhecheng's favorability rating is 0, no change.]
Yu Jiuyuan was not discouraged; instead, she revealed a faint smile. She knew that dealing with someone like Xie Zhecheng was pointless if she was impatient for quick results.
He is like a piece of hard ice, which needs to be melted patiently, little by little, or rather, a "crack" that can arouse his interest needs to be found.
She turned back to Yuan Xu's side and continued the previous conversation as if her conversation with Xie Zhecheng had never happened.
Sunlight streamed through the window, casting shifting patches of light on the floor. Inside the laboratory, the three people each occupied their own space, seemingly undisturbed, yet an unspoken tension lingered between them.
Yu Jiuyuan felt this tension, yet her heart remained calm.
She was like a seasoned chess player, carefully placing each piece on the board, observing her opponent's reactions, and calculating the next move.
Xie Zhecheng's indifference, Yuan Xu's focus, and Rong Shenghan's unfathomable nature were all under her control, yet seemed to be on the verge of slipping out of her grasp at any moment.
But that's precisely where the fun of this "game" lies, isn't it?
She lowered her eyes slightly, concealing the fleeting coldness and calculation in them. When she raised her head again, her face was once again adorned with that innocent and harmless smile. She softly said to Yuan Xu, "Yuan Xu, shall we begin preparing for this afternoon's experiment?"
Yuan Xu nodded, his gaze falling on her face with a gentleness he himself was unaware of.
In another corner of the laboratory, Xie Zhecheng's fingers, which were turning the pages of a book, paused almost imperceptibly.
This contest over "domestication" has only just begun.
Yu Jiuyuan knew that what she needed to do was to find her own rhythm in this delicate balance and, step by step, bring these young people standing at the top of the pyramid under her control.
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