News from Taiwan

Chapter 47 Drawing fire from the bottom of the cauldron
Lu Qing lowered his head and shoveled down a few mouthfuls of rice, but whenever his eyes fell on his phone screen, he couldn't help but want to find out the answer.

Who exactly is this girl on the other side?

Her senior brother actually wanted to meet with her alone.

The phone screen still displayed Shen Huaizhou's WeChat reply: "Ms. Jiang, I'm sorry, I'm quite busy with work and may not be able to meet you in person. If you need anything, please contact Shen Huaizhou, and he will pass it on. I wish you all the best, thank you."

Doesn't that mean he's just a tool?

But why would someone who's just a tool need to create a group chat?
He was puzzled.

He was eating his boxed lunch while multitasking, when suddenly the broccoli on his chopsticks fell off and rolled on the table with a "thud".

Lu Qing's gaze followed the falling broccoli, watching it roll on the table, slowly approaching Shen Huaizhou, until it landed on his clothes.

Oh no, we're doomed!
My senior colleague is a germaphobe.

Sure enough, just as the thought crossed his mind, he saw Shen Huaizhou quickly unbutton his shirt and neatly take it off, revealing a white, close-fitting sports vest underneath.

"Ah, why is Senior Brother wearing so many clothes in this hot weather?" His brain couldn't keep up with the speed of his mouth.

"I'm not hot," Shen Huaizhou said calmly, his brows furrowed.

This answer seemed to open up Lu Qing's floodgates. He didn't even rush to apologize, but instead loudly asked, "Do you like the girls in the senior brother's group?"

Shen Huaizhou was using a disposable spoon to stir the sauce from the scrambled eggs with tomatoes and rice when he heard this, he stopped.

He glanced up at him, his gaze cold, and looked at Lu Qing's face, meeting his wide-open eyes, which were rounder and bigger than half a braised egg in the lunchbox. He said coldly, "Eat your food. You have more words than the scallions in this plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes."

After saying that, Lu Qing first looked down at the scallions in the scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and it seemed there were quite a lot of them.

No, is that even a question?

He slapped his forehead. "Senior, can you please stop steer the conversation off-topic?"

What you're saying is insulting to your intelligence.

When it comes to sharp tongues, Shen Huaizhou is incredibly effective.

Lu Qing moved his lips, then gave up arguing. He put down his chopsticks and said, "Senior brother, don't keep it to yourself. The big news that you have someone you like is more exciting for us fellow students than overcoming a technical problem."

"hehe."

Shen Huaizhou sneered, "More inspiring than overcoming technical difficulties? You can actually say such nonsense. Aren't you afraid of getting kicked out by the professor?"

"If the professor knew you had an idea, he'd probably be even happier than us. We might even be able to get him to personally oversee my project," Lu Qingyue said, becoming increasingly excited as he spoke, feeling the possibility growing stronger.

Shen Huaizhou couldn't stand it anymore. He put down his chopsticks, his fingers landing on the keyboard. He gestured for Lu Qing to look at the computer; it was the code he had just finished—a modification of Lu Qing's AI program's core algorithm. "Are you sure you want your fellow students and teachers to know?"

He raised an eyebrow, a confident look on his face, and threatened in the most relaxed and casual tone, "You tell them in the group right now that I guarantee you won't see this code once you say a single word."

Lu Qing's face fell instantly. He looked at the screen with longing, wanting to see his phone screen, and finally turned his gaze to Shen Huaizhou, his tone mournful, "Senior brother, don't you feel any remorse for doing this?"

"What do you say?"

Lu Qing beat his chest and stamped his feet, "Senior brother, how could you bully me like this? This move of cutting off the fuel supply is really too ruthless. I can't bear to part with my code! Why am I so useless! Professor and fellow students, I'm so sorry. I will painfully keep this secret."

He acted with great emotion, clutching his chest and feigning sorrow. Shen Huaizhou completely ignored his affected performance.

Lu Qing could only continue to eat his boxed lunch silently with his head down. After taking a couple of bites, a sudden inspiration struck him, and his eyes lit up.

"Senior, you asked me to help you find the postmark's place of origin. The person you're helping with isn't that girl in the group chat, is she?!"

"No need to check the place of origin, it has already been found."

"Ah, found it." Lu Qing was disappointed. "But it's quite amazing that someone would look for a letter's postmark address these days. It seems this letter is quite important; it must be something very important."

He poked his head with his chopsticks and casually asked, "Where did it come from?"

"Taiwan."

"Taiwan!?" Lu Qing was immediately shocked.

Before his mind could process what was happening, he heard the clattering of keyboards. Shen Huaizhou had finished eating, cleaned up the trash, and was continuing his research on code.

"I'll try to improve this code. You can have the team continue with the rest."

Shen Huaizhou stared intently at the screen, completely oblivious to Lu Qing's distracted state.

After thinking for a long time, Lu Qing finally took out his phone and secretly contacted Ms. Jiang.

While secretly watching Shen Huaizhou's movements, he quietly typed on his phone: "Miss Jiang, may I ask if I may inquire, but I just learned that the postmark address on your letter was from Taiwan Province. Is it a relative?"

He waited and waited, but there was still no response.

He didn't know that Jiang Guier had no time to look at her phone at that moment.

She was talking to Qian Xin about leaving her job. In the private room of the coffee shop, Qian Xin's suppressed sobs and pleas could be heard.

"Sister Gui'er, I beg you, I know I was wrong, I was unprofessional, can you give me another chance? I will correct my mistakes. I've been with you for so long, I don't want to leave our team." Qian Xin cried and begged Jiang Gui'er to change her mind.

But this time, Jiang Guier was determined. She had a stern face and a cold look in her eyes that was exactly like her mother, Jiang Yun.

"Qian Xin, it is because you have followed me for so long, and we have gone through thick and thin together, that our studio is where it is today, but you betrayed me."

"No, I didn't."

Qian Xin shook her head, "I know I shouldn't have told your mother about your situation, but she is your mother after all, and she only did it because she cares about you..."

"Qian Xin".

Jiang Guier interrupted coldly. She looked at Qian Xin, who was crying incessantly, and her feelings were also complicated, but she still hardened her heart. "She is my mother, but I am your boss. To put it bluntly, your actions have involved trade secrets. To put it less bluntly, you have reported my private life to another person. What reason do you think I have to let you stay?"

"Sister Gui'er... I will change."

Jiang Guier shook her head. "I think my mother would appreciate you quite a bit. My place is too small to keep you here. You can go to her place and show your skills."

Having said all she wanted to say, she got up and left the coffee shop.

She opened the car door, sat in the driver's seat, and frowned when she saw the message on her phone.

What does it mean?
(End of this chapter)