I'll Be There on Time

At five o'clock in the morning, save for those working overtime, jogging at dawn, staying up all night, and elderly folks doing square dancing, practically everyone was fast asleep.

However, today was somewhat special.

The entire evaluation panel of the National Agricultural Science Essay Competition was hotly debating a paper titled Research and Preliminary Exploration of Insect Phototaxis.

It was the one co-authored by Yan Xiao and Lin Fangxin.

"Old Zhao, I think this paper is exceptionally well-written. Such a major discovery hasn't been seen in nearly ten years, right?"

"Mhm, it's been more than ten years. I checked the papers from previous sessions, and the exact data points to the twelfth session."

"This year's Outstanding Paper Award simply has to go to this one."

"We still need to conduct another experiment. After all, the ones who wrote the paper are two high school students. Even though they're students from the strongest class at Jida Affiliated High School, I still can't bring myself to completely trust their academic standards."

"An experiment is definitely a must, though I feel there's a high probability the results of this experiment are real."

"You guys remember that incandescent lamp study from the twenty-third session, right?"

"Of course I do."

"I reviewed that paper."

"I've read it too."

"I remember when they ran the experiments for that research, the experimental data at the time didn't seem very high."

"I remember that too, which is why that paper ultimately only received a participation award."

As everyone was discussing it, one of the judges suddenly suggested:

"How about we go find Yan Xiao and Lin Fangxin tomorrow? To be honest, I'm a bit anxious to see the experimental setup in person."

"Tomorrow? Or this morning?"

"Tomorrow. Let's call and notify them first today."

"Sounds good to me. I'll make the call," Zhao Xiaolei said.

"No rush. Let's wait until it's light out."

"Right, there's one more thing. Do you think we should invite Yan Xiao and Lin Fangxin to come and give a speech at the main forum this time?"

"I think we can, but the content must be strictly controlled."

"Let's confirm first that the experiment is genuine and valid. Everything else can be discussed later."

"Alright, let's leave it at that. Meeting adjourned."

After the meeting ended, Zhao Xiaolei didn't sleep. Although his bladder felt a burning ache, he didn't feel a shred of sleepiness.

He was both nervous and expectant.

He was nervous about the authenticity of the experiment, and his expectations were also pinned on the authenticity of the experiment.

Finally, at eight-thirty in the morning, Zhao Xiaolei dialed the phone number Yan Xiao and Lin Fangxin had left in their email.

"Hello, the user you have dialed is powered off. Please redial later..."

Huh??

What is this situation?

Again!

"Hello, the user you have dialed is temporarily out of the service area. Please redial later..."

Out of the service area again?

He wouldn't give up!

"Hello, the user you have dialed is temporarily unreachable. Please redial later..."

Finally, Zhao Xiaolei figured it out.

Yan Xiao must have set his phone to only accept calls from his whitelist...

Fortunately, they also had Lin Fangxin's contact information.

Zhao Xiaolei sighed as he dialed it...

And then he listened to that familiar automated prompt all over again.

What the heck!!!

Zhao Xiaolei was so angry he felt like smashing his phone...

Left with no choice, he had no option but to contact Jida Affiliated High School.

This time, the call went through quite quickly.

"Hello, I'm Zhao Xiaolei from the evaluation panel of the National Agricultural Science Essay Competition."

"Hello, is there something you need?"

"I'm looking for Yan Xiao and Lin Fangxin from your school."

"You're looking for Yan Xiao and Lin Fangxin?"

The teacher on the other end suddenly turned somewhat icy.

"Yes, looking for the two of them."

Click...

The call was hung up.

The secretary to the principal of Jida Affiliated High School figured this jerk was definitely trying to poach their students!

Why weren't they looking for anyone else, but instead targeting the two most outstanding students in their school?

Besides, did he really think saying he was from the evaluation panel of some National Agricultural Science Essay Competition would make it work?

Heh.

She had seen too many of these low-tide scams!

Just as she was letting her imagination run wild, the phone rang again.

After pondering for quite a while, the secretary finally picked up the receiver.

"Hello, sorry, the signal was bad just now. May I ask what specific business you have with our students?"

The secretary's remark left Zhao Xiaolei utterly speechless.

Landline numbers were also at the mercy of the quality of signal base stations?

Complaining mentally, Zhao Xiaolei hurriedly explained the purpose of his call.

Only then did the secretary ask hesitantly, why didn't you just call the authors directly?

Talk about touching a raw nerve...

"Their cell phones couldn't be reached," Zhao Xiaolei explained.

"Then you should just come directly to the school. Bring your work ID, and I'll help you arrange a meeting then." The secretary didn't entirely believe Zhao Xiaolei's words, but she didn't completely disbelieve them either.

As a young woman of the new century, although her looks were just so-so, her anti-fraud techniques and awareness were very much on point.

Therefore, the secretary ultimately chose a compromise method, which was to talk in person.

"Alright then, can we come over tomorrow morning at ten-thirty?"

"No problem."

After hanging up the phone, the secretary immediately called Lin Fangxin.

"Fangxin, there was just someone claiming to be from the evaluation panel of the so-called National Agricultural Science Essay Competition who said they want to set up a meeting with you two. Do you know that person?"

"No, I don't," Lin Fangxin answered truthfully.

She thought to herself, The evaluation panel wants to meet me? Could the matter of the paper winning an award already be set in stone?

"Alright, then I won't let them into the school tomorrow," the secretary said patronizingly.

"Don't do that. Yan Xiao and I really did submit to the National Agricultural Science Essay Competition event. Maybe they saw our paper and wanted to communicate about something?"

Lin Fangxin explained.

Upon hearing this, the secretary felt secure.

That added up.

No wonder that person just now insisted on seeing the two of them.

"Oh, I see. They're asking to meet you guys at the school tomorrow morning at ten-thirty. Are you both free?"

"I have no problem," Lin Fangxin replied. "I'll call Yan Xiao in the morning."

After exchanging a few more brief words, Lin Fangxin hung up and immediately called Yan Xiao.

It rang through,

but nobody answered.

She called five times in a row.

Lin Fangxin was practically driven crazy.

Meanwhile, Yan Xiao was sleeping soundly.

His phone was anxiously flashing right beside his pillow.

The entire room was so quiet that only the sound of breathing could be heard.

Yan Xiao slept until eleven-thirty before opening his eyes.

He fumbled for his phone and picked it up-ninety-six missed calls, all coming from Lin Fangxin...

Huh??

What was going on?

Yan Xiao called her back.

The moment it connected, Lin Fangxin's roar blasted through the earpiece.

"What is wrong with you! I called you so many times and you didn't answer! If you had called back half an hour later, I would've called the police!"

This...

Did she really have to be so dramatic...

"I was sleeping... Didn't I put my phone on silent..."

"You..."

Lin Fangxin was left speechless...

She took a deep breath, calmed her emotions, and said:

"The evaluation panel of the National Agricultural Science Essay Competition called us. They want to meet the two of us tomorrow at ten-thirty. I'm guessing they want to talk to us about the paper."

"That early???!!!"

"Are you coming or not? If you don't come, I won't see them either, and they can just give the prize money or whatever to someone else."

Lin Fangxin had seized upon Yan Xiao's weakness.

Sure enough, Yan Xiao took the bait...

"Fine, ten-thirty it is. I'll be there on time!"

Optimized reading experience for VIP members: tap the middle of the screen to bring up the menu, where you can easily access "Settings", "Previous Page", "Next Page", and "Back to Top".