The main thing is… Miao Wenxuan, listening to Qiao Huaiyao’s tone earlier, felt that he seemed very knowledgeable.
Being called a student beyond a genius by his own mentor, Miao Wenxuan wanted to see for himself.
“No, thanks,” Qiao Huaiyao had no interest in this experiment, “I’m not very practiced with it. It’ll just waste time…”
“It’s okay, really.” Miao Wenxuan smiled and set up the experiment materials, waiting for him to come over. “The professor told me to take good care of you. Here, these are the experiment steps. Try it. Opportunities like this are rare; you might not get another chance to use the machine.”
The other students looked on enviously.
Getting to do a hands-on experiment, even just once, made this trip worthwhile.
Qiao Huaiyao didn’t agree immediately. “I’ll do a demonstration, but it won’t count as an experiment opportunity. If it goes well, I’d like to give more experiment chances to my roommates.”
Miao Wenxuan was taken aback, then he grinned. “Sure, no problem.”
Qiu Shufeng’s eyes widened in excitement, wishing he could cheer for Qiao Huaiyao if the teacher weren’t present.
To speak with such confidence, Qiao Huaiyao must be well-prepared.
Miao Wenxuan handed him a pair of gloves, “Qiao, in that case, I won’t be able to assist you.”
A demonstration is different from an experiment opportunity, the latter involves full assistance from a teacher.
“Understood.” Qiao Huaiyao put on the gloves, adjusting them at the fingers, and glanced casually at the materials on the table.
With just that glance, he had a rough idea of the experiment.
Qiu Shufeng and the others followed him to the front.
Before picking up the beaker, Qiao Huaiyao said, “I’m starting.”
Miao Wenxuan raised an eyebrow. If he wasn’t mistaken, Qiao Huaiyao hadn’t even looked at the experimental procedure placed beside him.
However, Miao Wenxuan didn’t say anything, just nodded to indicate he could begin.
Qiao Huaiyao didn’t explain anything. This experiment was simple.
Throughout the experiment, his movements were fluid, without the slightest hesitation.
When weighing materials, the quantity often needed fine-tuning—adding a bit more or taking some out. This process could be time-consuming but necessary.
A wrong measurement meant the experiment was doomed to fail, regardless of the procedure.
But not for Qiao Huaiyao. He placed the materials, checked the weight, then proceeded.
It was as if placing the items on the electronic scale was just to confirm the weight before moving on to the next step.
Miao Wenxuan squinted, observing Qiao Huaiyao’s hands closely.
When the final step was completed, Qiao Huaiyao removed his gloves and casually tossed them into the waste bin. “Done.”
Miao Wenxuan raised his chin slightly, recalling Qiao Huaiyao’s initial claim of being ‘not very good.’ Hmm… ‘Not very good,’ just meant casually completing an experiment without looking at the instructions.
Miao Wenxuan couldn’t help but applaud, “I finally understand why the professor spoke so highly of you.”
The experiment wasn’t about the experiment itself, but about how Qiao Huaiyao performed during it.
Qiao Huaiyao raised an eyebrow, “Hmm?”
Miao Wenxuan smiled and shook his head without explaining further. He turned and said, “Who are your roommates? Come, line up.”
Qiu Shufeng: “!!!”
He suddenly felt like he was being carried by a big shot.
Qiu Shufeng was the first to be pulled out by Miao Wenxuan to do the experiment and didn’t have time to talk to Qiao Huaiyao.
After washing his hands, Qiao Huaiyao stepped out of the inner circle. Teacher Peng handed him a paper towel, “Good job on the experiment. I remember you applied for the lab, right? Have you decided on a mentor? You’ll need a teacher to help you defend your thesis during graduation.”
Teacher Peng subtly tried to recruit him, “I have pretty good debating skills.”
Teacher Zhang couldn’t help but tease him, “What’s this? Trying to poach students? The professor is still waiting. This kid just started his first year, and you’re already trying to recruit him?”
They hadn’t even reached the first winter break, and they were already preparing for graduation defense.
Teacher Zhang crossed his arms and smiled, “Besides, did you see the experiment Qiao Huaiyao submitted? You should review it. If he uses that for his defense, even the mentors will be baffled.”
Teacher Zhang shook his head, thinking that the difference between Qiao Huaiyao and other students might be:
Other students during the defense: “I hope he doesn’t ask me questions.”
Qiao Huaiyao’s defense, teachers in the audience: “I hope he doesn’t ask me questions.”
Sometimes, when a student is too outstanding, it’s a dilemma for the teachers too.
Seeing through Teacher Peng’s intention, Teacher Zhang remained calm, “Don’t you want to recruit him too?”
Teacher Zhang coughed twice and didn’t answer.
While the two teachers chatted, Qiao Huaiyao didn’t speak. He leaned against a nearby railing and looked at his phone. Pictures of Bai Jinyan on the red carpet had already appeared on Weibo.
Every red carpet look was different, but because the picture quality was too low, not many fans discussed Bai Jinyan’s outfit.
The comments were mostly jokes:
[If it weren’t forbidden to run on the red carpet, I’d be afraid Bai Jinyan would treat this like a 50-meter dash.]
[I’m rebelling today! I’ll find out the brand of this outfit no matter what!]
[What’s with this? Is the red carpet scorching hot? Who took such blurry red carpet photos?]
[Photographer, no chicken leg for you. Where’s the last photographer? I want photos like last time.]
[I’ve never seen a celebrity so unwilling to stop on the red carpet. Look at the person next to him, practically wearing out the carpet standing there for photos. Bai Jinyan, learn from them.]
…
These few photos have a clear background behind Bai Jinyan.
You can tell how fast Bai Jinyan was walking.
Qiao Huaiyao smiled slightly, thinking of the message he received from Bai Jinyan after a ten-minute pause.
However, the makeup and styling are indeed hard to see here.
Qiao Huaiyao thought for a moment and then reposted a photo that Bai Jinyan had previously sent him to Weibo.
It was a selfie of Bai Jinyan in the dressing room after finishing his styling.
Since it was taken by Bai Jinyan himself and meant for Qiao Huaiyao, it was quite clear.
Qiao Huaiyao V: [LSAIPC’s haute couture is impeccable in any light.]
Comment section: [???]
[Am I seeing things, or is Bai Jinyan taking a selfie?]
[Wow… If anyone else posted this, I’d think it was a fan edit.]
[Some people walk the red carpet so fast I can’t even see the clothing label. But privately, they send selfies to their partner. Is it a crime to let me take a look?!]
[Long time no see, Qiao Qiao. The last few episodes of the variety show were suddenly canceled. I miss you so much.]
[Looking at this photo, seeing Bai Jinyan’s face, I really can’t blame him. Is there any hope for my severe face fetish?]
[Qiao Qiao hasn’t posted in a while, and now that you do, it’s just to compliment your husband’s outfit. Ah, young couples in love.]
[Qiao Qiao, you don’t have to be so subtle. Just replace ‘LSAIPC’s haute couture’ with ‘Bai Jinyan,’ and we get it!]
…
Because there were no proper pictures of Bai Jinyan from this red carpet event, and the official photos would be released much later, Qiao Huaiyao’s Weibo post was immediately reposted by the official studio and added to the red carpet content.
It didn’t matter that the photo wasn’t taken on the red carpet. It still showed the red carpet styling.
Qiao Huaiyao was browsing the comments when the experiment finished.
Miao Wenxuan was tidying up and discussing what to do next.
Qiu Shufeng came over and said, “Qiao Qiao, let’s go downstairs.”
Qiao Huaiyao closed Weibo, “Alright.”
…
Apart from the longer time spent on the fifth floor at the beginning, the demonstrations on the other floors were brief. Students could try out the machines themselves, and if they couldn’t manage, Miao Wenxuan would demonstrate and explain.
The international laboratory has many exits, but the most frequently used and obvious one is the entrance, which also serves as the exit.
From the fifth floor down to the first-floor entrance, the tour took less than four hours.
Stepping outside into the sunlight, Qiu Shufeng stretched, “Ah, it’s over. It feels like a dream.”
Wang Zhan looked back at the lab building, “Tonight’s dream has material now. I’ll have one as soon as I get back.”
Qiu Shufeng laughed, “Qiao Qiao, will you work here in the future?”
Qiao Huaiyao opened the car door and, without hesitation, said, “No.”
If an experiment could be done here or at Tsinghua University, he would prefer to stay at Tsinghua.
Qiu Shufeng was stunned for a moment, finding it unbelievable, but then he thought about it. With Qiao Huaiyao’s abilities, he would shine wherever he went. It made sense.
Qiu Shufeng didn’t dwell on it and got in the car, fastening his seatbelt. “Qiao Qiao, are you going back to the hotel?”
Qiao Huaiyao shook his head, “There’s a fashion show today. I’m going to check it out.”
Bai Jinyan hadn’t returned to the hotel yet, and their tour had ended early.
Qiu Shufeng smiled, “I didn’t know you were interested in that.”
He thought Qiao Huaiyao, with his indifferent personality, wouldn’t be interested in anything outside of experiments.
Qiu Shufeng said, “By the way, isn’t brother Bai also here? Why don’t you go find him?”
Qiao Huaiyao rested his chin on his hand, his elbow on the armrest, and looked out the window. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow and glanced at Qiu Shufeng.
Qiu Shufeng suddenly hesitated.
What’s this? Why don’t I get it?
Then, a light bulb went off in his head, and he understood.