Chapter 69 - The Working Class
In August, the curtain rose on Xia Yinuo’s professional career.
The High-Tech Industrial Park where AM Company was located sat about a thirty-minute drive from C University. On the day Xia Yinuo officially reported for duty, Gu Yizhi was away on business. She had specifically instructed her assistant, Xiao Ge, to provide a warm welcome to the new Technical Director.
Xia Yinuo had crossed paths with Gu Yizhi’s assistant a few times before, though they had never been formally introduced. The young woman was refined and soft-spoken; at first glance, she appeared to be the epitome of maturity and steadiness. Now that they were colleagues, Xia Yinuo offered a polite smile. "I’ll be in your care from now on, Assistant to the Director."
The young woman gave a sweet, honeyed laugh. "There aren't that many rules in this company. Don't worry about titles like 'Assistant to the Director.' In private, you can do what Sister Gu does and just call me Xiao Ge."
Since she had been so forthcoming, Xia Yinuo didn't want to seem aloof. "Alright then. I imagine we’re probably around the same age."
Once the HR formalities were settled, Xiao Ge led Xia Yinuo with a light, brisk step through the technical staff's open-plan office area. She pushed open a door at the end of the hall.
The room was bright and airy, impeccably clean and organized. Through the floor-to-ceiling glass, one could see the bustling road outside the office building and the entirety of the company’s open workspace.
"The company is still in its early stages, so we don't have a huge staff yet," the assistant explained. "There are plenty of offices, though they’re a bit on the small side. Here, this one will be yours, Director Xia."
Xia Yinuo looked around the space, her smile shy and modest. "This is wonderful. And please, just call me Xiao Xia."
The assistant burst into a sudden fit of giggles. "Haha, I was just teasing you! If you actually want me to call you that later, I might not even be willing!"
Xia Yinuo pursed her lips, amused. "Fair enough. By the way, I still don't know your full name?"
The assistant walked to the window and pulled it open. "My name is Zhou Gaige! *Gai* as in change, *Ge* as in reform!"
Hearing this, Xia Yinuo nearly choked on a laugh. Seeing the look of utter disbelief on Yinuo’s face, Zhou Gaige playfully swatted her arm. "What’s that look for? Are you making fun of my name?"
Xia Yinuo waved her hands frantically. "No, no, I didn't mean it like that at all! I just think it’s... very interesting."
Zhou Gaige pointed out the window, speaking with mock-seriousness. "Xiao Xia, look. Outside is a thriving High-Tech Industrial Park. Look back inside, and our company is filled with a group of vigorous, ambitious young people. Don't you feel a sense of pride? I’m telling you, our generation grew up bathed in the spring breeze of the Reform and Opening Up era. We are 'Red and Expert,' the backbone of building a moderately prosperous and powerful nation! What’s so strange about my name being Reform?"
Xia Yinuo asked cautiously, "Then... do you happen to have a younger brother or sister named Zhou Kaifang?"
This time, it was Zhou Gaige’s turn to be shocked. She let out a startled "Heh!" and asked, "Wait! How did you know?"
*Seriously? It’s actually true?*
The assistant then leaned in with a solemn expression. "Since you guessed that, I’ll let you in on a little family secret. My aunt is named Zhou Hong, and my father is named Zhou Zhuan. Together, they are 'Red and Expert'! How about that?"
Xia Yinuo was speechless. *That actually works?*
Mai Shining always claimed Yinuo had a dry sense of humor, but Xia Yinuo felt this assistant was on an entirely different level. She couldn't help but give a thumbs-up. "Impressive!"
On the other side of the office, Ke Dinghao had been eagerly awaiting Xia Yinuo’s arrival. Seeing her dressed in professional office attire, he spent half the morning grinning like an idiot. Xia Yinuo was exasperated. "What on earth are you laughing at?"
"Nothing! I just think you look great," Ke Dinghao replied cheerfully. "I was just thinking that when our Diandian starts working in the future, she’ll probably look like this too. I’m starting to look forward to it!"
"I heard Diandian is transferring to a PhD track?"
"Yeah. You know me—I’ve always had a soft spot for female doctors."
"You really are something else."
"Hey, I’m just being honest. You’re my Senior Sister and my future boss; you have to look out for me."
"Sorry, I’m afraid I won't be able to cover for you. You’d better find Senior Sister Gu for that."
"Don't be like that! It’s best if both of you look out for me! It’s almost lunch break—let me take you to the restaurant downstairs."
The two of them joked and laughed, the atmosphere instantly reverting to their student days in Tang Shuliang’s lab. Xia Yinuo felt that with a new environment and a fresh outlook, this job was going to be very interesting indeed.
Since science and technology were the primary productive forces, the two could never truly be separated. However, what was the real difference between corporate R&D and university research?
In terms of objectives, corporate R&D was generally product- and service-oriented, driven largely by the market. Universities, on the other hand, focused on exploring fundamental scientific questions and cultivating the basic qualities and research abilities of students. In terms of the process, corporate researchers followed a cycle of *Experiment-Testing-Market-Experiment-Testing-Market*. For university faculty and students, the cycle was *Experiment-Testing-Characterization-Experiment-Testing-Characterization*. This "characterization" was often far more complex than the "market." Ultimately, a company aimed to satisfy customer needs and gain commercial reputation and profit, while university researchers used their work to publish papers, earn degrees, apply for grants, and continue chasing their academic dreams in the pursuit of the unknown.
The key to transitioning between these two roles lay in one word: mindset.
The company's R&D department was nested within the Technical Department, collectively known as the Technology R&D Department. The director, John, was exhausted from managing both outsourced services and internal research. Xia Yinuo’s arrival was undoubtedly a godsend for him. John acted like a kind older brother, initially arranging for her to work within the technical section. Once she found her footing, she began leading a small independent team, primarily responsible for a patent application. After two weeks, she found the work quite manageable.
The only downside was the weather. The heat was explosive, with the forecast’s peak temperatures soaring to a staggering 42 degrees Celsius. Inside the laboratory, the temperature was maintained at a constant 25 degrees, so it didn't feel extreme, but the moment one stepped outside, a wave of heat would strike, making it genuinely difficult to breathe.
Xia Yinuo joked with Liang Juejun that if the 42-degree heat persisted, they wouldn't even need a water bath for heat shock during genetic transformations.
Although Xia Yinuo was born in August and even shared her surname with the word for summer, she didn't particularly care for the season. She disliked the smell of sweat in elevators, the sticky sensation on her skin, and the way people’s tempers flared alongside the rising mercury. Most importantly, summer brought far too many mosquitoes—and she was, unfortunately, their favorite delicacy.
Liang Juejun countered, "Those are just your biased generalizations. How do you explain the benefits? You can wear light clothing, go swimming, and eat ice cream and watermelon."
"Well..." Xia Yinuo argued, "First, seeing people overexposed on the streets isn't exactly aesthetic; sometimes it’s just awkward. Second, you know I don't have an athletic bone in my body, so I don't swim. And third, you can eat ice cream and watermelon in any season, not just summer."
To this, Liang Juejun could only offer one evaluation: "Sophistry."
One night, perhaps because a window hadn't been shut tight, Xia Yinuo was ravaged by mosquitoes in the middle of the night. She woke up feeling several itchy welts on her skin. Carefully, she moved Liang Juejun’s hand from her waist, preparing to get up.
Sparse moonlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains. Xia Yinuo grumbled inwardly. *Mosquitoes, oh mosquitoes. This woman next to me is lying here practically exposed, yet you don't bother her at all. You clearly have a crush on me.* Yet, she felt a secret sense of relief. It was a good thing she was a living mosquito coil; at least her partner could sleep soundly.
The night was silent, save for the low hum of the air conditioner. Xia Yinuo sat cross-legged on the bed, staring intently at Liang Juejun’s sleeping face.
*Have you ever seen the sun at three in the morning?* Some might call that a foolish question. But she had seen it. It was the moment she opened her eyes at 3:00 AM to find that gentle, tranquil face beside her. In that instant, Liang Juejun seemed to swallow all the light in the darkness. Xia Yinuo felt as though she had just tasted a spoonful of golden honey.
Smiling, she leaned over to steal a kiss on Liang Juejun’s cheek before tiptoeing out of bed to find some mosquito repellent.
The next day was Saturday. Liang Juejun left early for a meeting at the lab. Xia Yinuo slept until she woke up naturally, returned to her own small apartment to change the water and feed LoVo, bought a few things, and then leisurely made her way to the coffee shop.
However, after parking her car, she accidentally scraped a white Q5 parked in the adjacent spot while getting out. Xia Yinuo looked around, waited for a while, and seeing no one, she had no choice but to write a note and tuck it under the car’s windshield wiper: *I am terribly sorry; I accidentally scraped your car. Please contact me at xxxxxxxxxxx. — Xia.*
Inside the cafe, customers were scattered in small groups. Xia Yinuo entered, greeted the server, and headed straight past the counter to find Fan Mi in the back kitchen.
A batch of cranberry cookies had just come out of the oven. Seeing Xia Yinuo walk in with bags in hand, Fan Mi casually picked up a cookie and stuffed it into Yinuo’s mouth.
Xia Yinuo chewed and swallowed before speaking. "Mmh, that’s good. Do you know who owns that white Q5 parked out front?"
Fan Mi carefully arranged the cookies into boxes, thinking for a moment. "No idea. But that car seems to be parked there all the time, like it’s rarely used. Why?"
Xia Yinuo set down her plastic bags and washed her hands at the sink. "Oh, I accidentally scraped it just now."
Fan Mi looked up. "Huh?"
Xia Yinuo shrugged helplessly. "My own fault. I was careful while backing in, but the phone rang just as I was opening the door. I used a bit too much force and hit the other car’s door. It’ll probably need a paint job."
"What about your car?"
"Scraped a bit of paint too. I left a note with my number. I don't know when the owner will see it."
Fan Mi nodded. "Well, you’ll just have to wait and see. It’s quite a coincidence—same model as yours. But parking around these old neighborhoods is always a nightmare."
"Can't be helped," Xia Yinuo said. "That’s just how it is in these old residential areas."
Once Fan Mi finished her work and washed her hands, she rummaged through the bag Xia Yinuo had brought. "Why did you buy so much fruit? The fridge is already stocked for the next two days."
"Didn't you say you were going back to see your mom this afternoon? This is for you to take to her," Xia Yinuo replied.
Fan Mi threw an arm around Xia Yinuo’s neck. "Hey! You even thought of that! You’re way too sweet!"
Xia Yinuo laughed and broke free from Fan Mi’s "clutches." "Don't get too emotional. Senior Sister specifically reminded me; she was afraid you’d be too busy to have time to shop."
"Alright, stop being so modest. Anyway, I’ll thank you and Teacher Liang on behalf of my old lady." As she spoke, Fan Mi’s sharp eyes suddenly caught a flash of crimson on the back of Xia Yinuo’s neck. "Wait! Xiaobao! Turn around, turn around!"
Xia Yinuo was baffled.
Fan Mi forcibly turned her head and let out a sharp gasp. "Ooh! What’s this on the back of your neck? A hickey!"
The part-time girl at the counter heard the commotion and peered into the kitchen.
Xia Yinuo instinctively reached for the back of her neck.
"Don't bother looking!" Fan Mi let out a low, wild laugh. she whipped out her phone, snapped a photo, and handed it to Xia Yinuo. "Here, see for yourself! The mark of your love!"
Sure enough, the photo clearly showed a bright red bruise, neither too large nor too small, stark against Xia Yinuo’s snow-white skin.
While Xia Yinuo was still reeling in confusion, Fan Mi leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, clicking her tongue in wonder. "I really didn't expect Teacher Liang to be so... fierce. Look at that 'strawberry' she planted..."
Xia Yinuo flushed with embarrassment. "What are you talking about?!"
Fan Mi nudged her with an elbow, teasing mercilessly. "What, now that you’ve started working and can't be a 'Snail Girl' at home all day, are you playing that game? You know, 'The rice is in the pot, and I’m in the bed'?"
"Hey!" Xia Yinuo was caught between laughter and tears.
Fan Mi gave a devious grin. "Ooh! Let me see if there are any more!" She made a move as if to pull at Xia Yinuo’s clothes.
"Hey!" Xia Yinuo quickly guarded her collar. "Are you kidding me? You’ve really spent too much time around Mai Shining!"
Fan Mi’s expression was full of mischief. "Don't blame me or Mai Mai! This is a case of 'if you don't want people to know, don't do it'..."
Xia Yinuo felt like she was swallowing a bitter pill with no way to explain herself. "Sister, if it were true, I’d admit it, but this really isn't that! I was bitten by a mosquito last night, and I probably scratched it red by accident!"
Fan Mi raised an index finger and gave it a stylish "No, no, no" wag. For the rest of the day, she kept glancing at Xia Yinuo’s neck with an ambiguous smile.
Xia Yinuo felt her skin crawling with goosebumps. Frustrated, she hissed, "It was a mosquito bite! A mosquito bite! A mosquito bite!!!"
Fan Mi patted her shoulder, speaking with profound earnestness. "Explanation is just a cover-up, and a cover-up is just the truth. Young lady, I understand! Just... pace yourself, okay?"
When she returned home that evening and told Liang Juejun about the incident, Liang Juejun burst into laughter.
Xia Yinuo was gloomy. "You’re actually gloating!"
"What else should I do? You’re walking around with a hickey on your neck..."
"..."
"Since you were 'kissed' like this by a mosquito for no reason, technically, I should be the one who's jealous," Liang Juejun teased.
"..."
"But it’s alright. We can go to the bedroom and 'swat mosquitoes' now."
"..."
Liang Juejun began tugging Xiaobao toward the bedroom.
"Huh? Really? But there aren't any mosquitoes to swat right now," Xia Yinuo said, her voice trailing off.
Liang Juejun only smiled. "Let’s go!"
Xia Yinuo let out a long, whining protest. "What for? I’m not going..."
What for? To compensate Xiaobao for the double trauma to her soul and her reputation, Liang Juejun decided that Xia Yinuo’s body needed to be covered in *actual* hickeys.
Xia Yinuo could only cry out in her heart: *I am the meat on the chopping block!*
In the sweltering heat of summer, the room was filled with the radiance of spring.
***
