That afternoon, Lu Chengjing headed straight to the Political Department.
While processing the cancellation of his divorce application, the staff member checked the information, glanced at him twice, and joked with a smile.
“Battalion Commander Lu, this is how it should have been from the start. I heard your wife is a college graduate from Kyoto? That’s great. Husband and wife working together to contribute to the nation—nothing could be better.”
Lu Chengjing merely nodded without offering any explanation. Once the paperwork was complete, he tucked the receipt away and headed directly to the Southwest Grain Seed Research Station.
The station had only recently been established. A few red-brick buildings served as the main offices, while a vast stretch of experimental farmland extended behind them. A brand-new sign with golden lettering on a red background hung above the entrance. The station’s twenty-plus staff members had all been transferred from different regions, each eager to make a name for themselves through their work.
“Battalion Commander Lu, what brings you here today? Is there something related to grain support from your battalion?”
As soon as Lu Chengjing stepped through the gate, Technician Zhou spotted him and hurried over to greet him.
The military achievement that had recently earned Lu Chengjing recognition was actually connected to the research station.
During an operation against enemy forces, he had recovered the stolen Fengmai-13 grain seed variety.
Grain seeds were directly tied to people’s livelihoods and were never a trivial matter. If such technology fell into enemy hands, it could cause serious problems. Fengmai-13 represented the latest advancements in agricultural science. It produced large ears of wheat with abundant grains, matured early, possessed strong stalks, and showed excellent resistance to environmental stress. It was considered a new benchmark among grain varieties in the Yunnan border region.
Naturally, the research station owed him a favor.
“No. I’m here to submit some documents.”
Lu Chengjing handed over Lin Shuyao’s file.
“My wife, Lin Shuyao, is applying for a transfer to the Grain Seed Research Station. I’d appreciate it if you could review her application.”
“Well…”
A favor was one thing, but the station staff had always disliked the practice of pulling strings to place people in positions.
Old Zhou accepted the file. The moment he glanced at the cover, his brows furrowed.
The station currently had only three core positions available, and competition for them was fierce. Was Battalion Commander Lu trying to place someone directly into a key project?
He was reluctant, but it was difficult to reject the request outright. He opened the file, intending to skim through it before politely sending Lu Chengjing away.
However, after only a single glance, he froze.
“A top graduate from the Kyoto Academy of Agricultural Sciences? Participated in the Jinghong breeding series and double-cropping rice improvement projects?”
The more he read, the brighter his eyes became.
“Wait—are these credentials real? Lin Shuyao? How have I never heard of her?”
Several technicians who had been discussing research plans nearby immediately gathered around. As they flipped through the documents, the office exploded with excitement.
“My goodness, a graduate from the Kyoto Academy of Agricultural Sciences? She’s coming here?”
“This preliminary proposal is fascinating! Her corn-breeding strategy based on the characteristics of Southwest red soil is even more detailed than our current plan!”
“Look at these notes. She’s compiled an incredible amount of soil data from mountainous regions in the Southwest. This level of detail must have taken a huge amount of effort!”
One after another, the praises poured in.
Someone even rushed off to summon Director Li.
“Battalion Commander Lu, your wife is incredible! These documents are absolutely approved. No, they deserve priority review! If she joins us, our research progress could advance by at least a year! No, wait—not just a year, maybe three years!”
Lu Chengjing raised an eyebrow slightly.
He had never examined the contents of the application in detail. He only knew that Lin Shuyao came from an agricultural science background and possessed professional qualifications. He had not expected her résumé to be this impressive.
“Thank you.”
The rest of the process was beyond his involvement, so he took his leave.
After reviewing the materials himself, Director Li repeatedly nodded.
“Quickly! Contact the Kyoto Academy of Agricultural Sciences and verify her credentials immediately.”
“Right away!”
Old Zhou nodded vigorously and hurried to the office phone.
“I’ll call them now and ask about Lin Shuyao’s background.”
The phone rang several times before someone answered.
“Kyoto Academy of Agricultural Sciences Office.”
Clearing his throat, Old Zhou explained his purpose.
“Hello. This is the Southwest Grain Seed Research Station. We’d like to verify the credentials of Comrade Lin Shuyao. She has applied for a transfer to our station. According to her documents, she worked as a research officer at your institution, participated in multiple projects, and demonstrated outstanding performance. Can you confirm whether this is accurate?”
The line fell silent for several seconds.
Then a man’s voice came through, carrying a trace of arrogance and casual disdain.
“Lin Shuyao? She actually went to the Southwest?”
Old Zhou’s heart skipped a beat.
That tone didn’t sound right.
“This is Professor Chen Zhiheng, a breeding specialist. Lin Shuyao did indeed come from our institution. However, she didn’t achieve anything particularly noteworthy during her time here. She worked under me for two years, mostly handling miscellaneous tasks. She understands some basic agricultural concepts, but her abilities are fairly average.”
“What? She was just an assistant? Then all of this material… was it copied from you, Professor Chen?”
Leaning against his desk, Chen Zhiheng narrowed his eyes.
“She voluntarily gave up her position at the Academy. Frankly, that shows some self-awareness. Choosing a small research station in the Southwest suits her abilities. I’ve always said that with her limited skills, she can’t accomplish anything without me.”
His words were like a bucket of cold water.
The enthusiastic atmosphere in the office vanished instantly.
The smile froze on Old Zhou’s face. Even the hand holding the receiver stopped moving.
The surrounding technicians exchanged uneasy glances, and their conversations quickly quieted.
Old Zhou stiffly asked several more questions before ending the call.
What Chen Zhiheng said was not entirely false.
However, after his version of events became the official narrative, every achievement belonged solely to him. As for Lin Shuyao…
She became nothing more than a nobody who rode on his accomplishments and borrowed his reputation to elevate herself.
“Her identity has been verified, but… what was said on the phone…”
The crank telephone was loud enough that everyone nearby had heard the conversation clearly.
No further explanation was needed.
The lively office instantly fell silent.
“This is outright fraud!”
The first to explode was a young technician.
Clenching his fists, he spoke with obvious anger.
“What top student? What participation in major projects? So she was just running errands for a professor? What does she think our research station is—a recycling center for unwanted people?”
The moment he spoke, several others immediately agreed.
“The résumé looked so impressive. I thought we’d found a real treasure. Turns out it’s all borrowed glory! We’re here to do real work, not support freeloaders. We absolutely can’t accept someone who only knows how to ride on other people’s reputations.”
“Exactly! We spend every day under the sun in the experimental fields hoping for someone genuinely capable to help improve our grain varieties. Instead, she comes here using achievements she didn’t earn. If she joins us, she’ll probably only hold us back.”
The discussions grew louder and louder.
Most voices opposed her application.
The excitement from earlier had completely disappeared, replaced by disappointment and resistance.
Old Zhou stood rooted in place, his expression extremely unpleasant.
He felt both embarrassed and helpless.
Only moments ago, he had confidently assured Battalion Commander Lu that everything would be fine. Now reality had slapped him in the face.
At that moment, an older administrator named Lao Zheng sighed and tried to calm everyone down.
“Everyone, settle down. Don’t be so hasty.”
“After all, Comrade Lin Shuyao graduated from the Kyoto Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Even if she only assisted a professor, two years of experience should have taught her something valuable. At the very least, she’s received professional training, which is more than can be said for many people without a formal agricultural education.”