Chapter 16 (1/2)

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation

Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Wu Yan knew that Zhou Wen must have possessed his unique extraction technique.

However, she did not press on the topic anymore after noticing his reluctance to divulge any trade secrets. After all, this was Zhou Wen’s specialty; it would bring more disadvantages than advantages to him if he revealed it to others.

Soon afterward, they discussed the terms of employment for a while. Wu Yan basically repeated what she had already explained to Shi Lei previously. In the end, she smiled and asked, “Do you have any questions?”

Zhou Wen thought about the mission at that moment. He said, “May I inquire if I’m considered a contract worker or a formal employee?”

“Uh…” Wu Yan hesitated for a moment. She did not expect that Zhou Wen would ask such a question.

She believed that Zhou Wen should have a clear idea of his situation, given his biology degree. A contract with the First People’s Hospital in Jiangzhou District with such a generous remuneration was highly sought after. Many biology students wished to get a job like this, even postgraduate and doctoral students.

Perhaps, he had gone a little too far for his wish to attain the highest level in just one step. In fact, Wu Yan was still a contract worker until now. Wu Yan considered his question carefully and said, “Generally, if the hospital employs you, you will certainly become a formal employee. However, if the laboratory department’s PCR team offers you an employment contract, I’m afraid that you will only be a contract worker.”

“Contract worker, huh…” Zhou Wen hesitated.

Actually, he had no qualms with being a contract worker or a formal employee. As long as he could have a practical internship in a laboratory department, he was even willing to be a part-time worker.

However, due to the mission requirement stating that he needed to become a formal employee within a week, he could not just let this matter pass so easily.

The rewards were 1000 Course XP, 1000 Points, and one black metal loot box chance.

Wu Yan was under the assumption that the matter was already managed appropriately; she did not expect new issues to be raised. Hence, she advised in earnest words and with good intentions by saying, “Even though you’re just a contract worker, the terms of employment are applied according to a formal employee’s standards. There’s no difference.”

“On the other hand, you should take things step by step. Come to work first; it won’t be too late for you to solve any issue related to your employment terms later on.”

Zhou Wen asked smilingly, “You’re my senior, and you’ve been working in the hospital for a year. Please tell me frankly, if I were to sign the agreement to become a contract worker, when will I be able to solve the issue of employment terms?”

“Uh…” Wu Yan felt slightly embarrassed, so she picked up the coffee mug to conceal her shyness.

After buying some time, she placed the mug back down and said, “Here’s my suggestion. I shall go back and ask around for you. However, don’t put too much hope in it, to be honest.”

Zhou Wen nodded and replied smilingly, “Alright. Thank you for taking the trouble to do this, senior.”

“You’re welcome.”

Zhou Wen still had something in centrifugation in the laboratory, so he did not want to stay too long either. He stood up and left after making some small talk.

…

By the time he returned to the laboratory, Yang Yudong and Gu Hongyun eagerly asked if he succeeded in the interview.

Zhou Wen chuckled and said, “I named a term, and she said that she would go back and discuss it with her team leader before giving me an offer letter.”

Yang Yudong felt speechless. He said, “The terms of employment are already so superior, and you’re still naming a term?”

Zhou Wen replied, “I’m just seizing the rare opportunity to test them out.”

Yang Yudong was speechless.

He genuinely wanted to use a pipette to extract a little sample of Zhou Wen’s brain to see what this brain was thinking about throughout the day.

Zhou Wen sniggered and went ahead to carry out the PCR Experiment.

The full name for PCR was Polymerase Chain Reaction.

It was a method widely used to amplify the number of DNA fragments rapidly and was invented in the mid-’80s.

It allowed the production of millions to billions of copies using just a small sample of DNA and could be done in a short period. Its principle was basically the same as the DNA replication process of the cells inside the human body, but the process was relatively more straightforward.

This did not mean that the PCR was simple, of course. On the contrary, the PCR was a complicated method.

Firstly, the hydrogen bonds between complementary bases of the double-stranded DNA template had to be broken to yield two single-stranded DNA molecules in the process of denaturation.

The reaction temperature was lowered in the next step, allowing annealing of the primers to each of the single-stranded DNA templates. In the end process of elongation, the optimum activity temperature was applied, and the result was that the number of DNA target sequences was doubled.

The processes of denaturation, annealing, and elongation constituted a single cycle. Multiple cycles were required to amplify the DNA target to millions of copies.

One copy turned to two, two to four, four to eight, eight to 16, 16 to 32…

Through the PCR method, one could amplify a large amount of DNA from a strand of hair, a drop of blood, and even a single cell for genetic testing and detailed study.

For example, it could be applied to paternity testing, vaccine research, and even disease control. These were all the processes that required the application of PCR in large numbers.

Of course, the rice root aphid reagent test that Zhou Wen performed today did not need the application of the PCR technique.

The aphid was a very low-level insect. Generally, one would only need to apply the biochemical reagent on its body directly and observe its hereditary trait afterward.