inspire-indiana Chapter 176 Unpacking Packages
Chapter 176 Unpacking Packages
Before Professor Xu officially moved in and was able to use the research institute, Bai Li's research institute underwent a series of thorough security access reviews.
From equipment security to data confidentiality measures, everything was thoroughly investigated. As a national-level confidential project, there could be no potential risks.
After several days of waiting, the tripartite seals from the Ministry of State Security's Security Bureau, the Academy of Military Sciences, and the National Defense Commission finally arrived in Bai Li's hands.
Only then did the research institute receive official endorsement and be approved for use.
In fact, the whole process took much faster than Bai Li had imagined. She thought her research institute would be checked repeatedly and that it would take at least several weeks. She was prepared for a long battle, but it was done in just a few days.
As for the application for commercial adaptation rights, it was approved shortly afterward, which surprised Bai Li.
At first, Bai Li thought that Professor Xu's project was indeed of great significance and related to the country's strategic development, which was why the inspection process was like going through a fast track, with all the green lights.
But the fact that my application was approved so easily seems a bit illogical.
Finally, Professor Xu pointed out to her, "You have connections."
But Professor Xu didn't know exactly who it was.
"I have connections?" Bai Li pondered this question repeatedly, her mind filled with doubt: When did she become someone's superior? How come she didn't know? Who could it be?
Bai Li thought about this for a long time.
One morning, she suddenly remembered someone.
—It seems that only that man has such an ability.
But if it's him, why would he help himself?
However, since he did not show up to claim credit, I will pretend I don't know anything about it.
Bai Li decided not to waste any more energy on this matter.
The matter has been resolved smoothly, and there seems to be little point in dwelling on the process behind it.
Just then, Ahe walked straight over and neatly piled the latest package he had received at home in front of Shirai.
Bai Li raised an eyebrow and took the utility knife from Ahe's hand.
She had told the housekeepers beforehand that they didn't need to open the packages they received; she would handle them herself.
Who understands the joy of unpacking packages?
Bai Li, in particular, buys so many things that she can't even remember what she bought, so every time she opens a box, there's a surprise, just like opening a blind box.
Bai Li held a utility knife and ripped the tape with a "rip".
The first package was opened; it contained a Jianzhan teacup.
A ring of translucent ice cracks unfolded in the sunlight, but other than that, there was nothing particularly special about it.
Next was a piece of jade with a rather unique shape, several crooked pearls, and several strings of colorful beads...
After disassembling for a long time, she found a bunch of useless things, all of which she had bought casually while passing by some live streaming rooms.
When Bai Li was poor and destitute, she saw rich people buying flashy but impractical things and she even cursed them, saying they were stupid and had too much money.
Now the tables have turned.
When she finally had money, she found that she couldn't escape this curse either.
It all started when she accidentally stumbled into a live stream of a kiln opening, and then...
And then I became addicted.
"Only one out of ten Jian ware tea bowls is a perfect one, and only one out of a hundred perfect Jian ware tea bowls is a masterpiece!"
"Top-quality goods, special offer for our family members today! They sell for four figures elsewhere, but you can take them home for only 399 yuan in the live stream!"
"A lotus flower in your palm means you'll have money to spend every day! It's a very auspicious meaning!"
Sometimes, when you get tired of buying luxury goods, buying some small items can be quite refreshing.
And to be honest, although the prices of top luxury goods and these small items are worlds apart, they hardly matter to Bai Li right now.
In addition, the streamer spoke so well that he touched Bai Li's heart. Upon hearing the implied meaning, Bai Li immediately placed an order with great enthusiasm.
What happened next was obvious; the platform's big data directly identified her.
Since then, in addition to the live stream of opening the kiln, all sorts of other live streams have been pushed to me, including gambling on stones, opening oysters, lucky bracelets... they've all come.
Now, the "results" of impulsive consumption are all delivered to our homes.
After being disassembled, the pile of items on the table, if you really calculate their value, wouldn't even be worth as much as one of the table legs.
Bai Li was both amused and exasperated.
Oh well, as long as I'm happy, that's all that matters.
Thinking this, Bai Li opened the last package, expecting it to be another piece of junk she had bought sometime ago, but it turned out to be a vinyl record.
Upon seeing the record, Bai Li paused in her hand as she unpacked the package, and her movements became gentler.
Without even looking at the signature, Bai Li knew that it was sent by Shi Shui.
After their last meeting, Shi Shui returned to the research institute and has not seen anyone else since.
Even though he only had one day to go out, the winter record still ended up in Bai Li's hands.
When Bai Li received the gift, she was quite impressed with Shi Shui.
It must have been no easy feat for him to keep his promise and produce a complete record even when his conversations were being monitored.
Bai Li gently picked up the record and carefully examined the cover.
This time the theme is winter, with a background of white foam disguised as snow, and two rows of small animal footprints on it, which are obviously carved out by Shi Shui herself.
You can tell at a glance whether someone is attentive or not.
By this point, Shi Shui had gifted him three records, each one exceptionally unique, with collectible value far exceeding the intrinsic worth of the records themselves.
Let's save the thanks for next time we meet; I don't know when we'll see each other again.
Bai Li took the record away, planning to listen to it and then put it together with the other two records to keep them safe.
Before leaving, Bai Li glanced subconsciously at the pile of "scrap metal" left on the table. She turned to him and calmly instructed, "Ahe, you can deal with it as you see fit. Just throw it in the basement."
Ahe bowed slightly and obediently replied, "Yes, Miss." Then, she quickly cleaned up the mess left by Bai Li.
He didn't care whether the young lady bought these seemingly useless things or not.
The NPCs who wholeheartedly support Bai Li obey her unconditionally and never think that their mistress is wrong.
Miss must have her reasons for buying these things; as long as she's happy, that's all that matters.
-------------------------------------
Inside a private club on the top floor of the China World Trade Center in Beijing.
The light cast by the crystal chandelier was soft and dreamlike.
This is a mysterious place in the clouds, a celestial palace far removed from the mortal world.
After a social gathering and seeing off several troublesome former department heads, Zhou Chengjing leaned lazily against the floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall, unbuttoned his obsidian cuffs, and a gilded lighter gleamed coldly from his fingertips.
A soft sound broke the silence.
White smoke rose, slowly blurring the man's strong jawline.
Those old department heads were all old enough for him to call him uncle, yet they actually came to him for favors. It was so pathetic that he couldn't help but laugh.
Even at 11 p.m., the CBD was still brightly lit, and those scattered spots of light seemed ordinary to him.
His thoughts gradually drifted away.
My trip to Shanghai was very rewarding.
Jiang Yanglin's family indeed had hidden resources. By relying on old connections, he obtained key information from the old lady, which enabled him to advance another level.
In exchange, the Jiangyang Lin family would obtain the privileges they desired at the southern port.
In this grand feast of life, someone always has to be the butcher who cuts the food.
Only by climbing higher can one avoid becoming prey.
This is a principle that my family taught me since I was a child.
He thought this path would be difficult, but it was actually much simpler than he imagined.
“Mr. Zhou, the approval process you requested is stuck at the Third Division of the National Defense Commission.” The assistant handed him a tablet. “Xu Zhengguo’s team has passed the security review, but Ms. Bai’s commercial qualifications…”
Zhou Chengjing picked up the tablet, quickly scanned the text on it, and then handed it back after a moment.
Bai's family...
White pear...
The image of that woman from that day resurfaced in my mind.
There are many different kinds of people on the large chessboard.
Everyone has their own identity and limitations.
Zhou Chengjing could see through most people at a glance.
Only that woman that day gave him a strange feeling...
"Inform Minister Wang that I need to see the three-party signatures before breakfast tomorrow."
Zhou Chengjing's voice was deep. He paused for a moment, then continued:
"By the way, have Vice President Zhang of the Academy of Military Sciences give a heads-up to the review team and say something like...&34;
He suddenly stopped halfway through his sentence.
He couldn't help but ask himself, when did he become so kind as to pave the way for others?
Although Bai Li did indeed interest him, helping her without reservation before fully assessing her true value was not in line with his usual style.
The assistant standing to the side held his breath and waited, but then heard Zhou Chengjing, who was always decisive and ruthless, chuckle: "Just give my name."
Zhou Chengjing suddenly noticed a smile playing on his lips in his reflection in the glass—the kind of vibrant smile that only a teenager would have when they discover a new and exciting toy.
“White Pear…” He chewed on the tip of his tongue repeatedly.
He realized that it had been a long time since anyone had aroused his interest like this.
She was also the first woman in his twenty-eight years of life who made him break his rule of "not getting involved in trouble".
This is bad, this is someone Wu Hai cares about...
The ringing of his cell phone temporarily broke his thoughts.
Upon seeing the caller ID on his phone, Zhou Chengjing couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, even he was somewhat amazed by the dramatic turn of events.
What does "speak of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao arrives" mean?
That's it.
He doesn't usually communicate with Wuhai very frequently.
Although the two call each other friends, it is obviously unrealistic for them to call each other every day to chat about everyday things, as they are both busy with their own lives.
Their contact usually occurs when one party needs the other's help to solve a difficult problem, or when a major news event related to the other party happens, and they only exchange phone calls.
But it was precisely at this delicate moment that Wuhai called.
The assistant, who had been by Zhou Chengjing's side for many years, quickly left the room and closed the door when he heard the bell.
Zhou Chengjing stared at his phone screen as the ringtone continued to play repeatedly. He didn't answer immediately, but a subtle, unsettling glint flashed in his eyes.
It's unclear how many seconds later Zhou Chengjing finally reached out and pressed the answer button.
"Hello." Zhou Chengjing held the phone close to his ear, his voice calm, as if the strange thing that had just happened had never occurred.
A cheerful voice came from the other end of the phone, sounding quite familiar: "A-Jing, why did it take you so long to answer the phone?"
Zhou Chengjing remained calm and said, "Yes, I was just dealing with something."
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Wu Hai finally revealed his purpose for coming over the phone.
It has nothing to do with white pears.
It was only because the news of Zhou Chengjing's promotion had also reached his ears that this friend came over to maintain their relationship.
Speaking of which...
Their "friendship" seems to have always been maintained in this way.
You are useful to me, that's why I made you my "friend".
They were quite useful, which is why they became "good friends".
However, Zhou Chengjing was already used to it.
These utilitarian interpersonal relationships are invisible bonds that he has been unable to escape since birth.
Even ordinary people may not have pure friendships, let alone someone who has grown up in a complex background.
From childhood to adulthood, almost every so-called "friendship" he built was based on the weighing and exchange of interests.
During his conversation with Wu Hai, Zhou Chengjing gave brief and timely responses, seemingly listening attentively, but in reality, he was assessing the impact of losing Wu Hai as a "friend."
Wu Hai didn't notice anything unusual on the other end of the phone.
After all, if Zhou Chengjing wanted to pretend, very few people in this world could see through his true emotions and thoughts.
Just as Wu Hai was about to end the call, Zhou Chengjing suddenly spoke up, his tone seemingly casual, but his words were full of hidden meaning: "By the way, I saw Bai Li, whom you asked me to look into."
At this moment, Wuhai is located on a stunningly beautiful island.
The sea breeze, carrying a salty, damp scent, gently caressed his face.
This is the small island that his grandfather used to retire on, but he has temporarily requisitioned it to raise Anubis—a black panther who has been very well-behaved since it was a cub.
Anubis saw Wu Hai get up and strolled over gracefully, affectionately rubbing his leg with his tail while making a low purring sound in his throat.
Anubis, basking in the sun, exudes a unique and pleasant scent, and its fur is glossy and shiny.
While answering the phone, Wu Hai bent down and comfortably stroked the leopard's head.
As a result, upon suddenly hearing Zhou Chengjing mention Bai Li, the hand stroking the leopard abruptly stopped, and the expression on his face became obscure.
"Oh?" Wu Hai asked in confusion, "How did you see him?"
Although his tone remained unchanged, his gaze shifted from Anubis to the distant coastline.
Zhou Chengjing spoke slowly on the other end of the phone: "It was at the banquet hosted by the Lin family in Jiangyang that the old lady introduced us."
Since they were all from the same circle, Wu Hai knew about the Jiangyang Lin family and, considering the business that Bai Li Company was currently engaged in, he easily guessed Bai Li's purpose in going to the Jiangyang Lin family.
But it turns out that Madam Jiang Yanglin knew Bai Li...
Wu Hai slowly stood up, walked to the windowsill, and leaned against the window frame. Anubis obediently followed its master.
Watching the waves crashing against the beach, Wu Hai asked directly, "What do you know?"
"I can only tell you that she is from the Bai family," Zhou Chengjing paused before continuing, "Also, I am very interested in her."
Upon hearing Zhou Chengjing's reply, Wu Hai gripped the phone tightly, his face instantly darkening: "A-Jing, don't joke around."
Zhou Chengjing chuckled on the other end of the phone, seemingly amused by Wu Hai's reaction. After laughing, he confirmed again, "You know I'm not joking."
A beautiful day can sometimes be ruined by a single phone call.
Wu Hai was so angry that he laughed.
He felt an inexplicable anger rising within him, yet he had nowhere to vent it.
People can actually laugh when they're speechless.
He knew that Zhou Chengjing wouldn't bring up the topic for no reason.
He had asked Zhou Chengjing to investigate Bai Li, but he didn't expect that it would make Zhou Chengjing interested in Bai Li.
The line went dead. Zhou Chengjing slightly moved his phone away, his gaze falling on the screen. The call had been cut off by Wu Hai.
Zhou Chengjing's lips curled up slightly as he thought to himself: So angry?
He didn't want to ruin his relationship with Wu Hai right now; this was mainly a test. However, he seemed to have underestimated how important Bai Li was to his friend.