“Caw! What? Jiang, Jiang Tian! It’s actually your son!”
Luo Wen was dumbfounded, his face turning pale with shock.
“That’s right. He was fully in charge of establishing this laboratory. What he says today is what I say. If he says you can’t be the director of this laboratory, then you can’t be.” Zhang Wanqing smiled faintly, speaking calmly.
“Chairman Zhang, look at this misunderstanding. I really spoke without thinking, please don’t take it to heart…”
Luo Wen’s expression instantly fell. His arrogance and smugness vanished. He stood up, extended both hands, trying to shake Jiang Tian’s hand, and said with an apologetic smile, “Jiang Tian—no, Young Master Jiang, you’re just too low-key. Having such a distinguished status and not even mentioning it at school—if I had known back then, I would have looked out for you a bit more. Come, come, let’s get to know each other again!”
Jiang Tian didn’t even glance at him.
Luo Wen looked awkward. Pretending to reach for a water glass, he subtly withdrew his hand and forced a laugh. “Young Master Jiang, I know I was a bit critical of you back in school, but that was for your own good. I hope you can be magnanimous and not let it affect our current partnership. Don’t worry, just hand the laboratory director position over to me, and I guarantee results within a year.”
The annual salary for the laboratory director wasn’t anything like that of an ordinary researcher—it was over a million, almost seven or eight times Luo Wen’s current salary. How could he possibly let go of such a juicy opportunity?
Without even glancing at him, Jiang Tian said, “Actually, I still respect and appreciate how strictly you supervised me back then. But I really don’t think you’re qualified for this position. I’m just handling this professionally.”
Luo Wen, still unwilling to give up, smiled bitterly. “Then who do you think is qualified to be the director of this laboratory?”
“Professor Huang Zhihui!”
“What? Me, I’m going to be the laboratory director?” Huang Zhihui was stunned, unable to believe his ears.
Over the years, in order to pay for his daughter’s medical treatment, he had sold most of his academic achievements to Luo Wen.
Even the few papers he published under his own name weren’t recognized by the academic community because his research field was too niche.
But now, a position as laboratory director with an annual salary of a million had unexpectedly landed in his lap. It was like a blessing from heaven.
“Professor Huang, I trust your research direction and your academic ability. I also believe that you will definitely achieve great things. I hope you can live up to these expectations.”
Jiang Tian said calmly, “It looks like you’re quite short on money right now. I’ll advance you two years’ salary in advance.”
“What? Advance my salary… I, if I don’t produce results for the Yao Wang Group, I’d be worse than an animal!”
Huang Zhihui was overcome with emotion, his eyes getting a bit misty.
For him, an annual salary of over a million would completely change his current living situation. It would allow him to pay for his daughter’s treatment.
More importantly, taking on this laboratory director role would enable him to pursue his own research and fulfill his ambitions.
Over the years, in his efforts to research modern extraction methods for traditional Chinese medicine, he couldn’t secure project funding. He had even spent two million of his own money to buy a lot of research equipment.
This left his family destitute, saddled with massive debts. His daughter’s illness went untreated, and his wife was on the verge of a mental breakdown, constantly arguing with him to the point where they were on the brink of divorce.
You could say that for the sake of academic research, he had sold everything he owned, given it his all, sacrificed his dignity—he was just short of selling his blood and flesh.
He had no significant reputation in academia and wasn’t recognized by his peers. At forty-five years old, he was just an ordinary associate professor.
He never expected Jiang Tian to trust and value him so much, appointing him as laboratory director, visiting him personally despite being busy, and even advancing him over two million in salary for two years. It moved him so much he didn’t know what to say.
Thinking about the hardships of the past few years, Huang Zhihui couldn’t hold back any longer. Tears streamed down his face.
Once he started crying, he couldn’t stop. This grown man sat there, sobbing like a child. His wife stood beside him, wiping away tears, crying her heart out.
Seeing Huang Zhihui cry like that, Zhang Wanqing felt a pang of sympathy. She smiled gently and comforted him, saying, “Professor Huang, don’t be so sad. Our Yao Wang Group will fully support your research from now on. Your life will get better and better!”
Jiang Tian turned to Luo Wen and said coolly, “Dean Luo, I’d like to become a lecturer at the college. What do you think?”
His words sounded like a discussion, but his tone left no room for argument—it was completely commanding. His gaze was icy cold, as if a lofty deity were looking down upon an ant. Luo Wen was so furious he nearly choked.
Luo Wen cursed inwardly, You useless, uneducated fool! You can’t even recite the Compendium of Materia Medica or the Thousand Golden Prescriptions properly, and you want to be a lecturer or professor?
Isn’t that absolutely ridiculous!
But Jiang Tian was his financial benefactor, and he couldn’t refuse.
Given Jiang Tian’s personality as a spoiled rich young master, if he didn’t get what he wanted, he might even move this laboratory out of Jinling Pharmaceutical University and collaborate personally with Professor Huang Zhihui.
And if the Yao Wang Group cut ties with Jinling Pharmaceutical University, Luo Wen would end up with nothing—not even a shred of achievement to show for it.
At this point, he had no choice but to pinch his nose, swallow his disgust, and pretend everything was fine—even complimenting the taste.
With a face full of forced smiles, he said, “Young Master Jiang, you’re a descendant of the Yao Wang Jiang family. Your family background is steeped in this tradition, with deep foundations. I’m sure you have unique expertise in medicine. Not only are you more than qualified to be a lecturer, but even becoming an adjunct professor for us would be more than sufficient.”
“Then I’ll be an adjunct professor.”
Jiang Tian’s response nearly made Luo Wen explode with rage.
Oh, come on! You really know how to push your luck, don’t you? Do you have no shame?
“Let’s leave it at that for today.”
Jiang Tian couldn’t be bothered to look at his expression. He shook Huang Zhihui’s hand again and stood up with a contented air.
“I’ll see you out!” Huang Zhihui immediately rose with a beaming smile to escort him out.
Throughout the entire time, Huang Ling’er never once showed her face at her door. As Jiang Tian got into the car, he looked up and saw the pale yellow curtains drawn in the western room on the second floor.
Though he couldn’t see Huang Ling’er’s graceful figure or her beautiful, melancholic face, Jiang Tian knew she wouldn’t be calm.
He wondered if she was hiding behind the curtain, watching him. He wondered if she still resented him…
It wasn’t until Jiang Tian’s black Passat disappeared around the corner that Huang Zhihui turned and went back inside.
As soon as he entered, he asked his wife angrily, “Where’s Ling’er?”
“She hasn’t come out for a while. She knows she was wrong. Don’t yell at her…” his wife pleaded.
Huang Zhihui opened his daughter’s door. It was pitch dark inside, the curtains drawn, the light off. He yelled, “Turning off the lights won’t stop me from scolding you! Were you trying to splash Dean Luo or Chairman Zhang?”
He fumbled for the switch and turned on the light. He saw his daughter crouched in the corner, her face covered in tears. Forgetting his anger, he said with a pained heart, “I’m not going to scold you, I’m not going to scold you. Why are you crying? No one’s going to hit you.”
…
Back in his office, Luo Wen smashed three cups in a row and cursed loudly, “Jiang Tian, who do you think you are? Just because you have some stinking money, you dare to throw your weight around in front of me! If I hadn’t let you off back then, you wouldn’t even have gotten your degree! And now you’re acting like a big shot in front of me? Have you forgotten how pathetic you looked, begging me when you were failing your courses?”
His secretary heard the commotion and walked in. “Dean Luo, what’s wrong?”
Luo Wen composed his angry expression, sank into his large office chair, and sneered coldly. “Draft a document. For the new semester, Jiang Tian will serve as an adjunct professor for our college’s course ‘Life Sciences and Future Studies’.”
“Ah? Is he up for it?”
“Never mind that. Just get it arranged.”
“Okay, Dean Luo!” The secretary accepted the order and left.
Luo Wen smiled sinisterly, grinding his teeth. “Jiang Tian, the higher you’re lifted, the harder you’ll fall. Adjunct professorships are only for renowned public figures and experts in the field. For a piece of trash like you to become an adjunct professor, I doubt there’s a single lecturer, professor, or even student in the whole college who will respect you. Just wait for them to gang up on you.”
Even though he couldn’t do anything directly to Jiang Tian, he was determined not to let him have an easy or comfortable time at Jinling Pharmaceutical University.
“This is what they call ‘killing with kindness,’ right? I am just too clever!”
Luo Wen hummed a little tune smugly, swaying as he walked out of the office.
…
On the way back to Yao Wang Group, Jiang Tian’s mother couldn’t contain her curiosity and asked, “Tian’er, if you want to do research, just go ahead and do it. Why do you need to become an adjunct professor? It’s a complete waste of time!”
“Mom, do you remember when I was in university, a girl tried to commit suicide because of me?” Jiang Tian was silent for a moment before speaking with a complex expression.
“I remember. Oh, that boy…”
His mother hesitated, a hint of reproach in her eyes. But thinking about how Jiang Tian had changed his ways, she ultimately didn’t say anything more.
She just sighed. “I tried to contact that girl back then to offer some compensation, but she wouldn’t see me. She’s a girl with pride.”
A trace of weariness flashed in Jiang Tian’s eyes. He said softly, “That girl was Professor Huang Zhihui’s daughter.”
“What? It was her! No wonder she dumped that basin of foot-washing water. So it was aimed at you! Oh, that boy…”
His mother shook her head and sighed, looking resigned.
But then, as if something suddenly occurred to her, she started, her expression turning serious. “Jiang Tian, some things are in the past. You have Qing’er now. Even if you feel guilty towards that girl, you mustn’t let it lead to anything else.”
“Mom, I understand. Don’t worry…”
Jiang Tian nodded and sank into thought.
It seemed as if some invisible hand of fate had made this world feel so small, bringing the two of them together.
But Jiang Tian now was not like the frivolous, reckless person he was in university.
He felt he owed Huang Ling’er a great debt, but guilt and indebtedness were not the same as love.
He had Qing’er now and felt very content and happy. Naturally, he couldn’t start anything ambiguous with her.
But since he owed her in the past, in this life, it wouldn’t be a problem for him to prevent that tragedy from happening and give her a life of safety, stability, happiness, and health.
