Chapter 252 — A Sudden Turn for the Better
Years of Heartflutter · Page 3 of 4
"How could I..." Li Boliang, his heart laid bare, grew somewhat embarrassed. "Director Sun, Zhou Yanning really is a computer enthusiast, and her skills are solid..."
"I know that. I've seen Zhou Yanning's exam results from last semester—all excellent!" Sun Demao said. "I'll tell you this: Director Xiao has already agreed to let Zhou Yanning take part in the wireless protocol research."
"Really!" Li Boliang had thought it hopeless; hearing Sun Demao say this, he was overjoyed. "Director Sun, thank you so much!"
"Ha, all right, no need for thanks. Just don't go rushing about so recklessly in the future."
Sun Demao was pleased with himself—winning hearts was as simple as that, and afterward Li Boliang would surely be all the more obedient.
"It won't happen again! Rest assured, Director!" Li Boliang pledged.
"All right, go have your meal; I've other matters to attend to here," Sun Demao said. "Tell Zhou Yanning to come to the Computing and Cloud Dream Faculty Building and report directly—she needn't bother with an interview either; she's being admitted by exception."
"Great, I'll notify Zhou Yanning right away!" Li Boliang said happily.
He hung up. Wild with joy, Li Boliang dialed Zhou Yanning's number! Now he could boast grandly of his own merits before Zhou Yanning; he was sure she would admire him beyond measure.
But at that very moment, Xiao Qing was on the phone with Zhou Yanning, so Li Boliang dialed several times without getting through—Zhou Yanning's line was engaged each time. Li Boliang had no choice but to give up, planning to call again in a little while, and went off to eat first.
Zhou Yanning's phone number was listed in the computer science department's contact roster, and it took Xiao Qing little effort to find it and dial Zhou Yanning directly. Zhou Yanning had just finished eating and was strolling on the sports field with Chen Shutang, Lin Yanhe, and Jing Yu when her phone rang; she took it out and saw an unfamiliar number.
Zhou Yanning found it odd, but answered anyway: "Hello?"
"Is this Zhou Yanning?" Xiao Qing asked. She wanted first to confirm Zhou Yanning's identity—after all, the roster had been made when the freshmen enrolled, and in all that time many students had changed their mobile numbers along the way.
"Yes, and you are?" Zhou Yanning asked, somewhat puzzled. The caller was a woman with a pleasant voice, but Zhou Yanning did not recall knowing anyone like that.
"I'm Xiao Qing, director of the computer science department," Xiao Qing said evenly.
"Ah! Director Xiao. Hello!" Zhou Yanning was startled instinctively—she had never expected the head of the computer science department to call her personally, and she felt rather flattered.
"I hear you'd like to join our wireless protocol research project—is that so?" Xiao Qing asked.
"Yes, yes." Zhou Yanning answered hurriedly. "Director Xiao, do I have a chance to take part?" Zhou Yanning, hearing the call come from Xiao Qing herself, had already sensed something, and so was now visibly thrilled.
"I looked at your grades from last semester, and I saw that disk-copying program you wrote in assembly—quite good. So I've decided to bring you onto our wireless protocol research project," Xiao Qing said.
"Thank you, Director Xiao!" That sudden turn of fortune—the feeling of finding a way through when all seemed lost—made Zhou Yanning genuinely delighted. "I'll do my utmost to make the most of this opportunity."
"Come report to my office in the Yunmeng faculty building this afternoon," Xiao Qing said. "My office is on the third floor. If you can't find me, you can also call this number—it's my cell."
"All right, I'll head over shortly!" Zhou Yanning was truly happy; at last he would be able to take part in defining network protocols. It was an extraordinarily rare opportunity.
"Jiajia, what's got into you? You take one phone call and you're this excited?" Chen Shutang looked at Zhou Yanning with some curiosity and asked.