Chapter 522: Your Advanced Study, My Advanced Study Seem a Bit Different! – Daily Gossip in the Sickly Aunt’s Compound

Chapter 522: Your Advanced Study and Mine Seem a Bit Different! – The Sickly Young Girl’s Gossipy Days in the Compound

Perhaps because Liu Meilan worked in an environment mostly surrounded by male colleagues, she rarely had the desire for casual conversation. Every day was just work, work, and more work. Having Lin Qing accompany her was a rare treat. Moreover, Lin Qing was downright eye-catching, and not only was she beautiful, but she also had such a sweet, obedient air, which made Liu Meilan’s urge to chat grow stronger.

"Xiao Lin, how old are you? Are you married?"

"I’m twenty. I’ve been married two years now!"

"Married that young?" Liu Meilan looked at Lin Qing, who seemed barely out of her teens, and was surprised she was already married.

"Then why were you brought here to help?" Liu Meilan was quite curious.

Lin Qing chuckled helplessly. "I’m just an accountant here in the capital for advanced study!" Who knew she’d be pressed into service?

Liu Meilan almost choked on her food. "Ah, you’re an accountant here for advanced study?"

Lin Qing nodded. "I just arrived the day before yesterday, sat for an exam yesterday, and got pulled here today!"

"Ahem!" Liu Meilan suddenly didn’t know what to say.

With a quick thought, she realized the test Lin Qing mentioned must have been Old Liu’s way of vetting candidates.

Honestly, she had considered an accountant—after all, in this era, no one else could work an abacus that fast. But she had assumed they were only selecting from locals in the capital, never expecting they’d recruit from outside the city!

She hadn’t realized their research institute had that kind of clout!

But considering the importance and urgency of this project, it made sense.

Thinking that the young girl was from out of town and would eventually have to return, Liu Meilan grew anxious. "How long is your advanced study supposed to last?"

"About half a month, including travel time—around twenty days in total."

"That short?" The tight timeline lit a fire under Liu Meilan.

"Mhm." Lin Qing nodded, though she wasn’t sure if there’d be any unexpected changes—just like how she had no idea her advanced study would land her in grunt work.

After learning this, Liu Meilan wolfed down her meal like her life depended on it, then practically dragged Lin Qing back to the lab.

In the afternoon, Lin Qing and Liu Meilan still made a killer team, piling up another stack of crunched numbers.

Soon, it was time to clock out. Liu Meilan hated to cut Lin Qing loose, but since Lin Qing was staying at the machine works’ dorm, it was a hassle to keep her too late.

So Lin Qing left at the usual time, just like Liu Hongjun and the others.

Before the end of the day, Old Liu came by again, beaming at Lin Qing. "Xiao Lin, how was today? Did you adjust well?"

Lin Qing nodded. "It was fine."

"Good, good!" Old Liu suddenly grinned. "Xiao Lin, would you be interested in brushing up on a few things?"

"Ah?" Lin Qing didn’t understand what he meant.

"Well, since you’re here for advanced study, no point letting this chance go to waste, right?"

Lin Qing was still baffled. So…?

She watched as he pulled out two books from behind him. Squinting, she saw the title: *Advanced Mathematics*. There was another book beneath it, but she couldn’t make out the name.

Her eyes went dinner-plate wide. What was this about?

Old Liu directly pressed the two books into her hands, "I noticed you're a quick learner. Take these books home to study first. If there's anything you don't understand, bring them to the lab to ask me!"

Liu Meilan, standing nearby, also widened her eyes in shock, "This is... this is..."

Lin Qing looked at Old Liu, then at the books in her hands. After a moment's thought, she realized these were the mathematics she loved—it seemed doable. She smiled softly and said, "Alright! Thank you!"

"Good, good! Study hard, study hard!"

"Mm-hmm." Lin Qing nodded, clutching the two books tightly.

Finally, Liu Meilan walked Lin to the door and gently patted her shoulder, "Study hard! You can do it!"

"Mm-hmm, I will!"

"Hahaha! Maybe we’ll even become colleagues someday!" Liu Meilan joked.

Lin Qing chuckled without responding—that seemed unlikely, since she still had to return home.

"Go on! See you tomorrow!"

"See you!" Lin Qing said goodbye and went downstairs to meet up with the others.

The group was driven back by the same vehicle that had picked them up in the morning.

Once in the car, Liu Hongjun asked, "How was your day today?"

Bi Fangfang scrunched her face, "All that abacus work nearly made me sick!"

"Tell me about it!" Hu Juanjuan chimed in.

Lin Qing glanced at the other two, who remained silent, and noticed their tired, drained looks. It seemed everyone had a tough day.

Lin Qing yawned—she wasn’t much better off. Though she calculated faster and handled at least a third more calculations, she was just as dead tired by day’s end.

Unconsciously, they all shared a knowing smile of shared exhaustion.

Yawning is contagious. Soon, everyone in the car was yawning repeatedly. For the next half-hour of the ride back, no one spoke—each too tired and drowsy.

A sudden stop jolted everyone. Were they there?

Lin Qing blinked sleepily, "We’re here!"

They got off the car and headed to the cafeteria together. Since it got dark early and they returned early, they hadn’t eaten at the lab.

After dinner in the cafeteria, they all split up.

Lin Qing, Bi Fangfang, and Hu Juanjuan didn’t live in the same building, so they didn’t walk back together.

Walking alone on her way back, Lin Qing yawned tiredly, her eyes welling up with tears from exhaustion, her vision slightly blurred.

Today, she had too tired to notice anything else—just focusing on the path ahead.

But sometimes, life’s full of surprises.

Lin Qing blinked, then her eyes went wide, her hand flew to her hair.

Was that Zheng Ruoyun ahead?

Was she seeing things?

Who is that man next to her?

I don't think I've seen him before!

Lin Qing looked up at the sky again: Your "advanced study" and mine seem completely different!

Hers took a different path but was still focused on learning. But how is your "advanced study" just about finding men?

How long has it even been?

It's only been three days! Is it that urgent?

Lin Qing chose not to disturb them, but she also didn’t want to take a detour, so she slowly followed them from behind.

Apparently the man was walking Zheng Ruoyun back to the dorm. Who knows what they were getting into?

Yes, that’s right! Being here was really eye-opening for her!

People came here from all corners of the country, and hardly anyone knew each other’s background. Married people could easily hide their status and date.

Lin Qing didn't know if Zheng Ruoyun or the man beside her were married.

But Zheng Ruoyun was a few years older than her, so her marital status was unclear.

And Zhang Mengting…

Sigh… She just hoped they wouldn't do anything that would make the whole group look bad!