The Favored Heiress
Chapter 481: Pavilions Close to the Water

Chapter 481: Chapter 481: Pavilions Close to the Water

Permanent Institution Level-1 Honorary Member of the Medical Alliance?

Everyone present, their eyes wide and mouths agape, stared at Li Qiao, finding it unbelievable and utterly ridiculous.

The topmost association of the international medical community had never shown favor to anyone in their entire research institute, yet Li Qiao, just starting her career, was already a Level-1 Honorary Member?

Setting aside whether this level was low or high, just being personally introduced by Committee Member Su Moshi was already a superiority beyond the reach of ordinary people.

At that moment, Li Qiao glanced at Su Moshi from a distance, rubbed her forehead, and started walking over.

Even with all eyes on her, her pace was steady and unhurried, and her expression did not show the slightest ripple.

It was as if no matter how many honors were bestowed upon her, none seemed worthy of bragging about to her.

The surrounding glances were filled with envy, surprise, recognition, and jealousy, but mostly confusion.

In a moment, Li Qiao had arrived beside Su Moshi.

She raised her eyebrows slightly, her eyes containing a mixture of amusement and helplessness, and said in a tone only the two of them could hear, "On purpose?"

Su Moshi curled the corners of his mouth, pulled out the chair beside him, and made a welcoming gesture, "Committee Member Li, please take a seat."

This gesture once again caused a commotion.

The status of Li Qiao within the Medical Alliance couldn’t possibly be higher than they had imagined, could it?

Otherwise... how could she be greeted so courteously by the Committee Chairman?

Li Qiao glanced at him, took hold of the chair back to sit down, and the seating at the conference table became such that the two of them occupied the head positions.

This treatment was akin to a warning to the entire audience that Li Qiao’s status was slightly higher than the top experts sitting on either side.

The noise gradually subsided, but everyone’s perception of Li Qiao underwent a drastic change.

They did not know whether the research institute had once been a hiding place for talent.

Yet Li Qiao’s presence was a clear reminder that the most unassuming individuals are often the most capable.

Li Ru, at the front, had forgotten what day it was.

Staring blankly with a laser pointer in hand, she looked at Li Qiao, now seated at the head of the conference table.

From a Junior Researcher she once looked down upon, Li Qiao had become an Honorary Member of the Medical Alliance, far beyond her reach.

Li Ru’s mind seemed to be tangled in knots, accompanied by a collapsing ringing in her ears.

She couldn’t hear any sound, only able to see Su Moshi’s lips moving, seemingly saying something.

The role of group representative, which hours ago was her pride, now felt like an enormous joke.

Later, reminded by Academician Jiang, Li Ru walked down from the podium, her high heels clicking.

Possibly due to the impact, she didn’t notice the steps underneath, and after a vicious misstep, she crashed to the ground in an awkward heap.

She felt embarrassed and wanted to cry, yet she knew tears would only make her appear more pitiable.

This inspection meeting, after Li Ru’s public fall, also came to a temporary close.

At twelve o’clock noon, Wang Zheng, as the host, led the visiting team to the cafeteria for a meal.

Though he didn’t show any apparent anomalies, his expression was dazed and understandably distracted.

On regular days, the cafeteria was always filled with lively chatter and noise.

Today, however, everyone ate with their heads down, the clink of bowls and utensils forming the only background rhythm here.

In a secluded dining area not far off, Li Qiao and Su Moshi sat opposite each other, eating and talking occasionally.

And, for the most part, it seemed to be Su Moshi who was talking.

A researcher passing by to get food even overheard Su Moshi teasing Li Qiao, "Why haven’t you gotten over your picky eating habits?"

What did Li Qiao say?

"Eat not talk, sleep not comment."

The passing researcher, dazed, carried his tray toward a distant spot.

Less than an hour later, through the attendees’ word of mouth, the whole research institute knew about Li Qiao being an honorary member of the Medical Alliance.

Soon, someone approached Li Ru and the others at their table, barely able to contain their excitement, "Hey, I heard Li Qiao is with the Medical Alliance, doesn’t that mean you guys are in a favorable position, being first by the river? You’re really lucky."

"First by the river?" Li Ru, holding her chopsticks, lifted her head and repeated ruefully.

That colleague from the research institute said both excitedly and wistfully, "Yes, the Medical Alliance came specifically for your project this time, maybe Li Qiao played a role in that.

You’re all her team members, joining the Medical Alliance is just around the corner for you. Had I known, I would have applied to be in your project team too."

Everyone in the same team: "..."

Except for Lian Zhen, their expressions were definitely not ones of joy, even... everyone’s face looked grim as if they wanted to cry.

If they had known earlier that Li Qiao had the backing of the Medical Alliance, they wouldn’t have gone against her, openly or secretly.

With this thought, everyone simultaneously looked towards Lian Zhen, "Lian Zhen, did she... did she say anything about taking you into the Medical Alliance?"

Getting into an institution as sacred as the Medical Alliance was not so easy, for just the application process’s charter was as long as eighty pages.

Lian Zhen, having the best relationship with Li Qiao, some pondered darkly, if even Lian Zhen didn’t get the opportunity to join, then they needn’t be so resentful.

At that moment, Lian Zhen lifted his head from the dining table, facing their gazes, his smile cool.

He almost didn’t need to think to know what these people were thinking.

Lian Zhen put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and replied seriously, "Of course, Xiao Li wrote me a recommendation letter. Just last night, I received the Medical Alliance’s interview invitation."

Some people’s chopsticks fell to the ground, others were disheartened and ashen-faced.

Probably, Lian Zhen’s words finally made them taste the flavor of bitter regret.

As for Li Ru, there was no need to speak of her, she lost all fighting spirit, visibly defeated.

...

At five in the evening, the Medical Alliance’s first day of inspection came to an end.

The inspection was scheduled for a week, and just on the first day, it had caused a major stir, so much so that when the Medical Alliance’s mid-size bus left the research institute, the genetic mutation team had become a ’tourist park’.

Compared to the aloof chairman of the Medical Alliance, the usually low-profile Li Qiao, had become the object of everyone’s adoration.

Countless researchers crowded in the corridors of the genetic mutation project team, their conversations filled with the words "honorary member."

And in the neighboring building’s personnel department, quite a few people went to apply, wanting to transfer groups, to join genetic research.

Meanwhile, Li Qiao sat in her office, devoid of expression, her hands in her pockets under the white lab coat, her face not exactly impatient, but irritation floated in her eyes.

The noisy voices outside the door hadn’t subsided, and she could even imagine that future days won’t be peaceful.

Lian Zhen was sitting beside her, and Academician Jiang, seemingly calm, was holding his tea mug and drinking water. But in reality, the crow’s feet at the corners of his eyes were nearly reaching his temples.

Could he not be happy?

He too had received an interview invitation from the Medical Alliance the night before.