684 Isll repay kindness with kindness (1/2)
Coro Island, lab.
Lu Yuan was organizing the experimental documents of the graphene materials.
After saying goodbye to the scientist still working, he headed to the change room by the door.
According to the laboratory's confidentiality system, any information after work hours must be archived in the designated area strictly in accordance with procedures. Going on and off work requires a security screening procedure with mobile phones, USBs, and all other electronic devices were restricted from entering and leaving the research site. Future Group's security measure for its research information was done to the extreme.
Lu Yuan picked up his phone and headed to the parking lot.
Just as he was about to start the car to go home, his phone vibrated.
It was an email from his old friend.
”Congratulations, Old Lu, the Noble Prize should be yours right?”
Wang Botao, his university classmate from the same hometown. After graduation they both entered the Institute of Research in separate departments. Although Lu Yuan wasn't the most successful in the material science department, this friend of his always treated him well, and he has always been thankful.
Even if he decided to leave in the end.
A smile emerged on Lu Yuan's face. It would be untruthful to say he did not feel proud from his friend's compliment. He tapped a few times on the screen and send an message back.
”I just got named, it is not determined yet.”
Beep-
The message went through. Just as he was about to close his phone, his friend instantly replied.
”I'm at the beach restaurant, the one by the west coast, want to have a drink with me?”
Lu Yuan was surprised, he replied immediately.
”You're in Xin?”
”That's right. Do you not want to have a drink?”
Lu Yuan's fingers hung in the air, after hesitating for a moment, he typed a few words on the screen.
”Wait for me… if we are only having a drink.”
”Of course.”
Lu Yuan drove to the west coast, parked the car, looked at the crowd of people, took a deep breath, and walked to the restaurant.
Instinct told him that his old friend was not here just to catch up and must have other intentions. But even then, he should still meet him after he had traveled so far.
Inside the restaurant, he scanned the crowded place before seeing his friend in the corner waving at him.
Wang Botao patted him on the shoulder after they met and said joyously.
”Haha, are you surprised to see me? Hello, please grab us two beers!”
”This guy, why didn't you tell me you were going to come?” Lu Yuan complained to his friend after he sat across from him. Then he picked up the menu, ”Dinner is on me, feel free.”
”No need, I already ordered everything. You're a busy person and it is great you still remember me, how could I let you treat me! Don't think about the bill, I already paid!” Wang Botao shook the bill in his hand and stuffed it into his pocket.
”Who pays before eating!” Lu Yuan complained but had to settle.
Quickly, the dishes began to arrive. After a few beers, the conservation began to flow. Since he remembered Jiang Chen's words at heart, Lu Yuan was afraid to drink too much. He did not mention anything related to his work and just chatted about his life.
But to Lu Yuan's surprise, Wang Baotao didn't try to subtly ask about the graphene project. He really did look like he was here for fun and decided to catch up with his friend.
Just as Lu Yuan felt relived at the fact that he no longer need to be bothered with how to reject his friend's request, Wang Baotao suddenly said.
”Old Yuan.”
”Eh.”
”I always have been wondering that with the way I call you Old Yuan (Old Yuan in Chinese refers to be suffering from injustice), did I call all of your luck away?”
”Why is that?” Lu Yuan took a sip.
”When you were in the institute before, the director of your department always threw you the most difficult project. If you had any success, he always put his name at the front. If the project didn't have any results, then he used your name as a scapegoat…”