72: Chapter 72 Lu Yike, are you ready to become a nuclear-powered ox or horse?

Zhong Xiaoai remembered every detail of that chance encounter clearly—the warmth of his palm when he steadied her, the arc of his back as he turned to leave.

Later, she finally found out that Zhao Yang was the anti-gang hero of Jinghai.

However, that was as far as it went.

Seeing his daughter lost in thought for quite a while, Zhong Zhengguo finally put down his teacup: "Xiaoai, what are you thinking about?"

Zhong Xiaoai snapped back to reality and smiled: "I was on the phone with a classmate yesterday and we mentioned that Zhao Yang from Jinghai. Dad, given he achieved such a great merit, how much of an advantage will he have in his career compared to his peers?"

Zhong Zhengguo shook his head indifferently: "There is some advantage, but it also depends on the organization's attitude toward him."

"Attitude? How do you gauge that?"

Zhong Xiaoai was a bit confused. Although she had grown up in an official's family, she was only in her early twenties and still lacked experience.

Zhong Zhengguo's tone remained casual. He really couldn't be bothered to pay attention to a grassroots criminal police officer. But since his daughter asked, he didn't mind saying a few more words.

"Whether they value him or not can be seen from the subsequent arrangements. If they really valued him, such a great merit would surely involve a national lecture tour, or at least a grand report in the capital. But look—ever since he received that first-class merit, has any of that happened?"

A trace of disappointment crossed Zhong Xiaoai's heart: "You mean... he hasn't been valued?"

"At the very least, he hasn't received any special attention." Zhong Zhengguo said indifferently, "This honor, at best, counts as a protective talisman, not an accelerator."

He paused, his gaze falling on his daughter's face: "Why are you so concerned about him? Xiaoai, I remember you've mentioned him more than once. You wouldn't have developed feelings for a small, grassroots police officer, would you?"

"Dad! What are you saying!" Zhong Xiaoai blushed, "I'm just curious."

"Aren't you seeing that Hou Liangping?" Zhong Zhengguo sighed, "Although his family background isn't prominent, his father is at least a deputy section-level official, and he'll have no problem reaching the section-level before retirement. He's considered a legitimate person within the System. While I'm not entirely satisfied, compared to this Zhao Yang, he's much better."

His tone became a bit heavier: "This Zhao Yang, having no connections or support, is destined to struggle on the front lines his whole life, reaching at best the county or district level within the public security System. Xiaoai, don't do anything foolish."

"Dad, don't worry. I know what I'm doing." Zhong Xiaoai replied softly, then paused and suddenly asked, "Then... what do you think of the Joint Laboratory of Intelligent Investigation? That laboratory has a very high rank. Is it possible for me to get in?"

"It's not suitable for you." Zhong Zhengguo shook his head, "The laboratory belongs to the Ministry of Public Security's Third Institute, and I don't have any connections there. Besides, it's a highly technical unit, and your major doesn't match."

"Oh..." Zhong Xiaoai nodded, as if suddenly remembering something, "It's quite a coincidence, the deputy director in charge of recruitment for that laboratory is also named Zhao Yang."

Zhong Zhengguo couldn't help but laugh: "A deputy director is at least a section-level official, and it's a technical position. How could it be the same person?"

Zhong Xiaoai also laughed: "You're right."

She stood up and returned to her room, closing the door.

Everything from that afternoon surfaced in her mind once again.

But so what?

A white moonlight... is just a white moonlight.

Zhong Xiaoai sighed softly.

The gap between the two of them was just too great.

At this moment, Zhao Yang was browsing through the resumes in his email inbox on his computer screen.

Having just had his emotion points cleared out completely, he was once again sensitive to any incoming amounts.

While flipping through the emails, he suddenly received an emotion in his consciousness—tinged with a bit of disappointment and a bit of wistfulness.

Zhao Yang's brow twitched.

Zhong Xiaoai?

The composition of this emotion... could it be that the Young Miss Zhong has a crush on me?

Wouldn't that mean I'm destined to stand on the opposite side of Director Hou in the future?

But the plot of 'In the Name of the People' won't start for another ten years or so, and it's locking me into an opponent this early?

Fortunately, the amount of emotion points was small, indicating that this emotion wasn't intense, so there wouldn't be any immediate complications.

Zhao Yang didn't take it too much to heart and continued scrolling down.

Soon, a name jumped into his view.

Lu Yike!

He paused for a moment, leaned closer to the screen, and read it again—that's right, Lu Yike, a graduate of Handong University of Political Science and Law.

"For a laboratory recruitment, how did this person end up getting recruited? The butterfly's wings are flapping a bit too unpredictably!" Zhao Yang's expression was strange, and he tapped his fingers lightly on the desk.

What Lu Yike sent wasn't a resume, but an application for graduate studies, relying on the laboratory to complete her graduation thesis.

In the supervisor column, three characters were clearly written—Director Gao Wenbo.

Zhao Yang flipped through the entire inbox, and there really was only one application for graduate studies, which was Lu Yike's.

He leaned back into his chair, "Director Gao, the way you're stuffing in these nepotistic hires is too blatant. So, in the show, Lu Yike was so arrogant not only because of a retired judge mother and a military officer father, but also because of connections at the Ministry of Public Security."

Early the next morning, Zhao Yang was sitting in the office of the Joint Laboratory of Intelligent Investigation.

He printed out the resumes he had screened yesterday, stacked them neatly, and made a pile.

As soon as Director Gao Wenbo's figure appeared in the corridor, he grabbed the materials and followed him into Director Gao Wenbo's office.

If you won't let me take a vacation, then don't expect to have a peaceful morning tea.

Director Gao Wenbo was clearly stunned for a moment, then gave a bitter smile: "You brat... don't think I don't know what you're up to."

Zhao Yang gave a sheepish laugh: "Because of this matter, a trip with a friend's family was ruined. Can't you let me vent a little frustration?"

"Fine, fine, fine." Director Gao Wenbo was amused by his attitude, "I'll treat you to lunch, okay? Let's talk business—how's the screening going?"

Zhao Yang sighed and placed the materials on the table: "We need ten people this time. I've only selected five who are fully qualified."

He paused and separated eight files: "Excluding the ones I think are completely unsuitable, there are eight left. As for these eight, none of them are exactly suitable, but they aren't unusable either. So—help me cut three more."

Director Gao Wenbo raised his eyebrows but didn't speak.

Zhao Yang continued: "There's also a graduate student applicant who sent their application to me, and the requested supervisor is you. I think since it's for graduate studies, it shouldn't take up one of these ten spots. You decide that yourself."

Director Gao Wenbo looked at him with profound meaning, and after a moment, reached out and patted his shoulder.

"Hard work."

With age comes wisdom; some things don't need to be spelled out.

Zhao Yang's meaning was very clear—this laboratory cannot be filled entirely with nepotistic hires.

I need five people who can actually do the work.

The remaining five spots are for you to use as favors.

You can do favors, but don't just stuff anyone in; choose from those eight.

I don't like any of the remaining resumes.

As for that graduate student, I won't make the decision; whoever is the supervisor gets to decide.

Director Gao Wenbo didn't say much more and lowered his head to flip through the eight resumes.

Soon, he had removed three from them.

Zhao Yang couldn't be bothered to care about the connections behind these three.

He silently noted down the ten final names and prepared to go back to send the notification emails.

Just as he stood up, Director Gao Wenbo called out to him.

"Little Zhao, wait a moment."

Zhao Yang turned back.

"That Lu Yike, although she applied to be my graduate student, once she arrives, I'll leave her for you to mentor."

Director Gao Wenbo's tone was plain but brooked no refusal, "She is a talent that Handong Province is focusing on cultivating, so put some effort into it."

Zhao Yang's lips curled, and he couldn't quite suppress the urge.

The Lu Yike in the show, her temperament—it was practically like an empress.

Now she's fallen into my hands.

Wouldn't I just use her like a nuclear-powered workhorse?

"No problem."

Zhao Yang agreed crisply and left the room with the materials.

Director Gao Wenbo watched his back, feeling that this kid had agreed a bit too readily.

Does he know Lu Yike?

That's impossible, right?