The news came so suddenly that it rooted Ji Ting to the spot.
Seeing that the stunned look on his face still had not faded, Qiao Hansong knew he had struck a nerve. "You two stay here and reflect on what you've done. Don't come see me until you fully understand your mistakes!"
Once the two of them had been scolded, it was the elderly academicians' turn.
Qiao Hansong took his people to the Research Institute. Before leaving, the secretary-general patted Zhou Zhenguo on the shoulder, then told Ji Ting, "Your older brother should receive approval for his application shortly."
After the office door closed, silence fell inside.
After a long while, Zhou Zhenguo stared blankly at the window. "Good heavens, eighty thousand words. I won't finish writing that even by the time I retire."
Something occurred to Ji Ting when he heard that. He turned and said, "I'll help you write it."
Zhou Zhenguo waved a hand weakly. "Forget it. If the boss finds out, we'll both be in even more trouble."
"I'll help you write it, and I guarantee he won't find out," Ji Ting repeated, then stated his condition. "But please help me keep what happened today from Ji Yanzhi."
Zhou Zhenguo frowned and looked at him for a couple of seconds. "Even if I agree, how are you going to explain the injuries to your arm and leg? Tell your older brother you fell?"
Ji Ting fell silent. After a while, he asked, "May I borrow your Communicator?"
Zhou Zhenguo took it out and handed it to him. Ji Ting called the doctor who had treated him on the helicopter and asked whether he could go without the brace for the next few days.
"Absolutely not. You dislocated your shoulder joint. Going without it could cause