]In the simple laboratory, three male students were still conducting experiments.
One of them complained, "She went to see the professor again."
His voice was full of resentment and dissatisfaction. He knew exactly why the female student among them kept going to see the professor.
Another young man, who was conducting a chemical analysis, continued working as he said, "Isn't that normal?"
"We conquer the world with our abilities, while women only need to lie down to conquer us!"
It was a dirty joke, filled with disrespect toward women. Yet none of the three young men in the room found anything wrong with it. They even felt that this was simply how the world worked.
They had been helping the professor work for free all this time. Officially, the professor was supposed to pay them a salary, and it was not a low one—it was equivalent to the salary of an associate researcher under federal pay standards.
In reality, however, they never actually received the money. It was withheld for all kinds of reasons.
For example, if they messed up an experiment, every one of them would have their wages docked. The materials destroyed by the failed experiment might have cost only a few dollars, but they had no way to argue against it.
They did not accept this method of exploitation, which was just like that of capitalists—or even worse. But plenty of people outside wanted to join, so they could only endure it.
The first person to speak continued chatting. "At first, I thought she was different from the others, that bitch."
Someone became interested in what he had said. "You used to like her?"
The person who had started the topic did not try to hide anything. He nodded. "I tried to pursue her, but I failed."