Looks More Academic

The interview was drawing to a close.

Belinda put away her recorder and suggested with a smile,

"By the way, could we use a photo of you?"

"A photo?" Lu Zhou asked.

Belinda nodded. "Yes. We'd like to put you on the cover of this issue of Nature."

The cover?

At the request, Lu Zhou gave an embarrassed smile.

He was almost embarrassed to accept.

Then again, he could barely remember how many magazine covers he'd appeared on.

"Sure, go ahead. Should I email you a photo later?"

"No need. I brought a photographer, so we can take one right here." Belinda nodded to her colleague, then smiled at Lu Zhou. "People are curious about your office, too. Is there anything here you'd rather not have in the shot?"

"Not really..." Lu Zhou looked around the office. His gaze finally settled on his T-shirt. "Could I change first?"

Belinda smiled. "Keep that on. It makes you look more academic."

Lu Zhou had nothing to say to that.

Taking one photo took a full hour. It was even more exhausting than the interview.

By the time Nature's photographer finally gave a satisfied OK sign, dusk had settled outside the window.

All in all, the photo turned out fairly well. It didn't quite capture how handsome he was, but it got about seventy or eighty percent of the way there.

After seeing the two of them off, Lu Zhou headed straight to the cafeteria.

As usual, he ordered a bowl of barbecue rice and found a quiet spot. But just as he was about to eat in peace, Yan Yan came clattering over in her white coat and sat across from him with her tray.

A little surprised to see her, Lu Zhou asked casually between bites,

"You eat at the cafeteria