Shangjing.
A tiered conference room somewhere on Chang'an Street.
Draped in a gray coat, Academician Wang Rongjun strolled leisurely into the conference room. After finding the seat marked with his nameplate, he sat down and casually set the thermos in his hand on the table.
He glanced over the table, intending to look for the meeting documents, only to discover there were none at all.
He gave a soft sound of surprise. Just as Academician Wang Rongjun found this strange and prepared to get up to ask the staff for them, an unexpected voice came from beside him.
"Old Wang, why are you here too?"
Wang Rongjun turned around and saw Academician Li Qingquan, chief engineer of China Rail Group, staring wide-eyed in surprise as he walked over from the aisle two rows behind.
Seeing his old friend, Wang Rongjun froze for a moment before widening his eyes.
"I was about to ask you that! The day before yesterday, I asked you to have a drink with me, and you said you were in the southwest attending a meeting. So how did you end up in Shangjing now?"
"Ahem, I really was attending a meeting in the southwest the day before yesterday. Then I suddenly got a call from the Science and Industry Bureau telling me to come here for a confidential meeting. They even bought the plane ticket for me. I figured it was important and shouldn't be publicized, so I didn't tell you." Academician Li Qingquan cleared his throat and continued, "I didn't expect you to be notified too."
"Heh, if they invited an old fellow like you, how could they not invite me?" Wang Rongjun picked up his thermos, unscrewed it, and took a sip. Then he turned to survey the crowded conference room and sighed meaningfully.