Chapter 673: You Stand Outside

Chapter 673: You Stand Outside

"Qian Zhengzhi, Liu Juanxiu, Zhao Hongbo, this is your second time here, so you should know my rules. Help guide this newcomer."

In front of Old Song, the three of them nodded eagerly.

After saying this, Old Song waved them off.

"You go find Yishan for class first."

Qian Zhengzhi smiled and nodded, "Alright, see you later, Old Song."

After Old Song left, Qian Zhengzhi, Liu Juanxiu, and Zhao Hongbo exchanged knowing looks.

Liu Juanxiu spoke up first, "I need to hit the restroom. You two go ahead."

Qian Zhengzhi and Zhao Hongbo added, "We’ll go too."

Liu Juanxiu then turned to Jiang Yu, "Are you coming?"

Jiang Yu shook her head, "I’ll wait here for you all."

"Fine, stay put. Wait for us."

The three headed toward the restroom but didn’t enter. Instead, they turned a corner.

Qian Zhengzhi hesitated, "Leaving her behind… isn't that wrong? It’s her first time here—she won’t know where the classroom is."

Honestly, he was ten years older than Jiang Yu. All of them were old enough to be her seniors. Playing such tricks made him feel guilty.

Liu Juanxiu gave him a sharp look, "If she hadn’t taken the spot, Qiaojie would be here with us for training today. How could someone so green qualify? The State Cotton Mill is ridiculous, letting a woman in her early twenties be made deputy manager of the third branch."

Zhao Hongbo said with a lazy glance, "However upset she is, it’s nothing compared to A’qiao."

Qian Zhengzhi went quiet and stopped mentioning Jiang Yu.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yu waited for a while but there was still no sign of the three returning. She checked the restroom—only to find it empty.

At this point, the message was clear: they'd ditched her.

Now, she had no idea where the classroom was. After searching around the institute, she finally found someone to ask and found the classroom.

By then, Tan Yishan was already halfway through the lesson.

Seeing Jiang Yu arrive late, his face darkened. He didn’t let her in.

"You stand outside."

Jiang Yu understood his anger and calmly explained, "I’m sorry, Teacher Tan. No one told me where the classroom was. I had to search all over the institute for a long time before finding it."

The area was quiet and sparsely populated—barely anyone around to ask. If she hadn’t found help, she would’ve just gone home.

However, Tan Yishan brushed off her explanation.

"If I say stand outside, then stand outside. In my class, there are only teachers and students—no deputy factory managers. Pulling rank won’t work here."

Jiang Yu shrugged. Whatever.

She turned on her heel and walked off, ignoring Tan Yishan’s furious expression.

Tan Yishan, seeing this, shouted angrily, "If you walk away today, don’t you dare come back! Our research institute has no place for a student like you!"

Jiang Yu didn’t even glance back and marched away.

Before she could leave the institute, she bumped into Lao Song on her way out.

Walking beside him was another familiar face—Elder Jiang.

"Well, if it isn’t Jiang Yu! What are you doing here?"

Jiang Yu stopped and greeted them with a smile, "Elder Jiang, Lao Song."

Lao Song gave her a sidelong glance and asked, "Shouldn’t you be in class?"

Jiang Yu explained briefly, "I couldn’t find the classroom and was late. Professor Tan barred me from entering."

Though she didn’t mention Qian Zhengzhi and the others, Lao Song read between the lines.

Otherwise, how could Jiang Yu—who had been with the other three—fail to find the classroom?

"Just because Professor Tan wouldn’t let you attend, you gave up? As the deputy factory manager of the Second State Cotton Mill, you should learn to see the forest for the trees and not act on impulse."

Jiang Yu muttered a noncommittal "*Oh*," then asked, "So...am I free to go?"

Lao Song: "..."

So, not a single word of his had gotten through to her.

He barked a humorless laugh. "Answer me one question, and I’ll let you go."

"Sure, go ahead."

Lao Song asked, "What is the raw material for polyester fiber?"

Jiang Yu was momentarily speechless. "You’re pulling my leg, right? If I remember correctly, all the polyester fiber we use now is imported. There are no domestic chemical fiber factories yet. If we already had synthetic fiber technology, you wouldn’t be breaking your back over this."

Lao Song neither confirmed nor denied her words, instead advising, "It’s precisely because we lack this technology domestically that it’s up to whippersnappers like you to step up! With your attitude, how’s China supposed to advance?"

Elder Jiang felt his words were too harsh and moved to smooth things over.

But then Jiang Yu asked, "If I nail this question, you’ll let me go?"

Lao Song gave a dry chuckle. "Yes, I’ll let you go."

Jiang Yu recalled Qin Yunan’s reply letter, which mentioned the raw material for the synthetic fabric.

But it was all jargon, and she hadn’t memorized them—only that it was:

"A petroleum byproduct."

Lao Song and Elder Jiang exchanged glances. They went stock-still, mouths gone dry.

In those few seconds, Lao Song’s mind raced through a dozen calculations at once.

"Jiang Yu, where’d you pick that up?"

No way someone her age could out-expert him.

Jiang Yu didn't feel like explaining everything and said, "Lao Song, how about you wait here while I go grab something?"

Lao Song watched her intently, not about to let her leave.

"I'll go back with you."

He was afraid Jiang Yu would just leave.

Jiang Yu had no choice but to humor him.

Back at home, she pulled out the letter Qin Yunan had sent her.

"My senior colleague is in Hong Kong. His company owns chemical fiber factories, including one that produces polyester fiber."

When it came to China's lagging chemical fiber technology, Qin Yunan was actually very willing to help the country's development but hadn't yet found the right opportunity to introduce it.

Lao Song devoured the letter in seconds, his hands shaking with excitement.

"Jiang Yu, can I copy it down?"

Jiang Yu nodded. "Of course. Even if I hadn't told you today, I was planning to turn this information in anyway."

It was just that the letter had arrived yesterday, and she hadn't had time to sort through it yet.

Lao Song buried himself in copying the letter, his eyes nearly boring holes in the paper as he carefully copied every word.

After copying down the important information, he carefully stowed it in his pocket like treasure.

Jiang Yu was both amused and exasperated. "Why don't you just take the letter with you?"

Lao Song would've loved to, but he thought it would be impolite.

More than the letter, he wanted to contact this comrade Qin Yunan.

"How could this comrade be willing to disclose such important technology to you?"

Despite his excitement, he still retained some rationality and began questioning the authenticity of the information.

Understanding his concerns, Jiang Yu explained the Qin family's background.

After hearing the whole story, Lao Song zeroed in on one thing.

"You said he wants to return to invest and build factories?"

Jiang Yu nodded. "Yes. My senior has always wanted to find an opportunity to come back but hasn't found the right chance. Not only does he want to invest in factories, but he’s also willing to freely share the chemical fiber technology his company possesses with the country, unconditionally."

Lao Song sighed. "Comrade Qin is truly righteous. I can try to apply for an invitation in the name of the research institute, inviting Comrade Qin to come to Beicheng for an exchange and study."

However, there was a lot of red tape, and there were no guarantees.

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly stopped.

"You, come back with me."

Jiang Yu: "...You said yourself that if I answered the question, I could leave."

Lao Song said matter-of-factly, "You did go home. I never said leaving meant you wouldn’t have to return to the research institute."

Jiang Yu was speechless.