Lu Chengjing never told Lin Shuyao about these matters, but he had privately spoken with Bai Qiaolan.
As expected, she continued to act like the aggrieved victim. She neither admitted nor denied anything. All she did was cry, insisting over and over that everything she did was for his own good.
Faced with his widowed sister-in-law, Lu Chengjing could only keep advising her.
Not only did he have to clean up her messes, but he also couldn’t speak too harshly.
The situation at the experimental station, however, was much more complicated.
If someone truly wanted to make things difficult for Lin Shuyao, even this interview might not proceed smoothly.
Lu Chengjing had witnessed Lin Shuyao’s diligence and abilities firsthand.
She was genuinely different from before.
Since she sincerely wanted to stay and build a life here, there was no reason for him to push her away.
If she needed protection, then he would protect her.
“I’m not nervous, Ajing. You have to trust me. I’m very capable.”
The nickname rolled off her tongue more naturally each time, without the slightest awkwardness.
“I do trust you.”
Just three simple words.
Steady and powerful.
Filled entirely with trust and favoritism.
The two walked side by side out of the small courtyard.
The morning breeze carried a slight chill.
Along the way, they occasionally encountered soldiers and military family members heading out early, many of whom cast curious glances at them.
Lu Chengjing walked on the outside, quietly positioning himself between Lin Shuyao and the road.
The entire way, he shielded her as if giving her all the confidence she needed.
Before long, the low buildings of the Grain Seed Experimental Station came into view.
Standing at the entrance was an especially eye-catching figure dressed in a maroon floral blouse.
It was Su Xiaohong.
She had clearly dressed up for the occasion.
Her hair was slickly combed back, and she had even applied face cream.
The moment she saw Lu Chengjing accompanying Lin Shuyao, resentment flashed through her eyes before turning into contempt.
Crossing her arms, she walked forward and spoke arrogantly.
“So you really came. Don’t say I didn’t warn you—the key positions at the experimental station aren’t something you can get through a man.”
Her words carried a hidden meaning.
The last thing Su Xiaohong wanted was for Lu Chengjing to intervene.
Given the favor he had done for the experimental station and his reputation, if he truly got involved, it would be hard to predict who would ultimately get the position.
Over the past few days, Su Xiaohong had thoroughly investigated Lin Shuyao.
After learning about her history in Kyoto, she became even more confident.
She had assumed her opponent would be a top graduate from the Kyoto Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
Instead, she had discovered someone she considered little more than a placeholder.
Of course, the titles were all real.
College graduate.
Outstanding student.
Kyoto Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
And that made Lin Shuyao the perfect stepping stone.
Today, Su Xiaohong intended to publicly tear away Lin Shuyao’s façade.
She wanted the station director and instructors to see clearly that Lin Shuyao was not only morally flawed but completely lacking in real ability.
She intended to eliminate her from the competition entirely and make sure she could never hold her head high again within the military district.
Lin Shuyao remained calm.
She wasn’t angered by the provocation in the slightest.
Lifting her eyes, she replied coolly,
“Comrade Su, if you have time to gossip, you’d be better off thinking about your interview answers. Positions are earned through ability. Sharp tongues are useless.”
“Ability?”
Su Xiaohong sneered.
“I’d like to see what abilities you actually have!”
She deliberately raised her voice, attracting the attention of everyone in the courtyard.
“Some people ruined their reputation back in Kyoto, ran all the way to the Southwest to escape the consequences, and now want to compete for respectable positions. They should first ask themselves whether they’re qualified. If you can’t answer the interview questions later, the person who’ll lose face is Battalion Commander Lu.”
Her words directly targeted Lin Shuyao’s past reputation.
She clearly intended to expose her publicly and humiliate her.
Whispers began spreading through the crowd.
The looks directed toward Lin Shuyao became noticeably more unusual.
Lu Chengjing’s expression instantly turned cold.
Stepping forward, he shielded Lin Shuyao behind him and fixed Su Xiaohong with a sharp gaze.
His voice carried an unmistakable warning.
“Su Xiaohong. This interview is based on fairness and merit. If you continue maliciously slandering others and disrupting the interview process, I’ll personally take you to the Security Office.”
Startled by his icy stare, Su Xiaohong shivered involuntarily.
Fear flickered in her heart.
Still, she stubbornly refused to back down.
Lifting her chin, she retorted,
“I didn’t say anything wrong. Everyone’s already talking about it anyway. You talk about fairness, but it looks to me like you’re openly trying to pull strings for her!”
Seeing the situation escalating, Old Zhou hurried over to mediate.
“The interview is about to begin. Please enter in order. No disturbances or loud arguments.”
Su Xiaohong shot Lin Shuyao a vicious glare.
Lowering her voice, she hissed,
“If you have any ability, compete fairly. Don’t let Lu Chengjing interfere. Today I’ll make sure everyone sees your true colors. You won’t be taking this position away from me.”
With that, she turned and walked aside.
Her eyes burned with determination.
She was simply waiting for the interview, where she intended to crush Lin Shuyao completely.
Lu Chengjing turned to Lin Shuyao and gently reassured her.
“Ignore her. Focus on the interview. I’ll go in with you.”
“No need. Wait outside for me.”
Lin Shuyao shook her head.
She had never intended to rely on Lu Chengjing’s connections.
With her knowledge and expertise, passing the interview would be effortless.
Avoiding suspicion was still important.
She wanted to establish herself through her own abilities, without relying on anyone’s influence.
Besides, if Lu Chengjing eventually insisted on a divorce, becoming too entangled now would only make things more complicated later.
“Alright. I’ll wait here for you. Don’t be nervous.”
“Okay.”
Holding her documents neatly in her arms, Lin Shuyao walked toward the building.
Her gaze was steady and determined.
Su Xiaohong’s hostility did not concern her at all.
Compared to arguing with words, she preferred proving herself through undeniable professional competence.
As long as she was given an opportunity, she would take root firmly and become someone impossible to ignore.
The interview room at the experimental station was small.
Several old wooden tables had been pushed together into a long desk.
Director Li sat in the center.
On either side were the station’s technical specialists, along with an additional reviewer assigned by the military district.
The atmosphere was solemn.
Because her father was a brigade commander and she had already asked people to put in a good word for her, Su Xiaohong entered first.
Yet when answering questions, she offered only vague slogans and empty platitudes.
When asked professional questions about seed cultivation and soil adaptation, she stumbled repeatedly.
She managed to maintain appearances only through her sweet-talking personality.
None of the examiners appeared particularly impressed.
They simply dismissed her and asked her to wait outside.
When it was finally Lin Shuyao’s turn, the expressions of several examiners noticeably cooled.
The prejudice in their eyes was barely concealed.
Director Li, however, valued talent.
After careful consideration, he still believed the materials Lin Shuyao had submitted demonstrated genuine skill.
Because of that, he had sent another verification telegram to the Kyoto Academy of Agricultural Sciences.
The response came from Fang Fang, the deputy leader of the academy’s Political Affairs Group.
Unfortunately…
Her reply was almost identical to Chen Zhiheng’s.
Though written in official language, it painted Lin Shuyao as completely worthless.
Attached was an additional personal letter.
In the letter, Fang Fang claimed that she and Lin Shuyao had been both classmates and colleagues.
She wrote that Lin Shuyao had been lazy and undisciplined during her school years and had only entered the academy through family connections.
According to her, the breeding proposals and research data Lin Shuyao submitted were merely fragments she had secretly picked up while assisting Professor Chen.
She supposedly possessed no ability to conduct independent scientific research.
The letter further implied that Lin Shuyao’s character was questionable, that she was obsessed with attaching herself to powerful people, and that her move to the Southwest was merely a passing whim rather than a sincere commitment to agricultural research.