novelsite Chapter 8 Invitation
Chapter 8 Invitation
Lin Luo'er took the tablet and slid her fingers across the screen, zooming in. Her fingers were long and slender, white, with neatly trimmed nails and no decorations. The tips of her fingers were slightly rough from frequent contact with experimental equipment. When she was focused, she would unconsciously bite her lower lip lightly with her teeth, revealing a few pearly teeth, and her brows would furrow slightly, forming two beautiful shallow lines.
"The vibration and tilting of the mobile platform will affect the uniformity of nutrient solution distribution in the hydroponic system, which may lead to localized root hypoxia or nutrient overload... Carbon dioxide concentration tends to rise and oxygen concentration to fall in enclosed spaces at night, requiring efficient gas exchange and replenishment mechanisms... If human metabolic waste is not treated efficiently enough, ammonia nitrogen and harmful gases will accumulate rapidly..." She murmured to herself, her voice soft, but every word hit the nail on the head. Her eyes behind her glasses gleamed with rationality, and she was like an analytical instrument running at full power, completely immersed in the technical problem.
Wang Zhengyang gazed at her focused profile. Sunlight streamed in through the side window, casting a soft contour light on her cheek. A stray strand of hair swayed gently beside her ear, rising and falling slightly with her breath. She carried a faint, mixed scent—the slightly astringent tang of laboratory disinfectant, the delicate fragrance of some plant essential oil, and a hint of paper and ink. This image stirred something within Wang Zhengyang.
It was a complex emotion: admiration for her professional purity, amazement at the serene beauty she exuded when focused, and even a hint of... attraction. Against the backdrop of the apocalyptic memories—a backdrop of darkness, bloodshed, and the stench of rusting metal and decay—this focused, clear, and vibrant color suddenly appeared, causing his cold, rational mind to momentarily lapse into a daze. Like a person who has trekked too long in the desert suddenly seeing a tenacious, ever-growing green plant.
But he immediately labeled, categorized, and suppressed this emotion. Now was not the time. Emotions were variables, risks, and uncertainties. What he needed was her professional competence, the life support system she could potentially design in the future, and the increased chances of the team's survival that she could provide. Everything else—including the slight ripple in his heart at that moment—had to be temporarily set aside, awaiting a safer and more appropriate time for assessment.
"That's precisely why we need top experts," Wang Zhengyang said at the opportune moment, his voice calm and composed, devoid of any emotion. "The project can provide corresponding experimental funding, equipment procurement budgets, and technical support. Participants will receive substantial stipends, calculated at 20% above the German research assistant standard. More importantly," he paused, noticing Lin Luo'er looking up at him, "if the project's results are recognized by the domestic client, the core technical personnel involved, especially those with a solid professional background like yours, will have a high chance of being recommended to relevant domestic research institutions in aerospace agriculture, polar scientific expeditions, or special environment life support. You know, China invests heavily in these strategic areas, but truly experienced, internationally-minded high-end talent is extremely scarce."
Lin Luo'er gently placed the tablet on the table, her hands clasped together on her knees. This posture conveyed caution and seriousness. "Dr. Wang, is this project... really that formal? I mean, are there specific commissioning organizations, funding sources, and pathways for technology transfer?"
Wang Zhengyang was prepared. He pulled up two documents stored on his tablet: one was an official letterhead document from the "China National Equipment Industry Research Institute" (the specific project and security classification were omitted), bearing a clear red seal and the signature of the person in charge; the other was a "Memorandum of Understanding on Collaborative Research between the University" signed and confirmed by Professor Hans, also bearing the official seal of the college. The documents were formatted rigorously and worded formally, making it difficult even for an expert to spot any problems.
"This is the national-level project commissioner, and this is the university's initial confirmation of cooperation." He turned the screen towards Lin Luoer, but only for a dozen seconds before turning it back—enough for her to see the key information while avoiding over-analysis. "We are assembling an interdisciplinary team. The mechanical and structural parts have already started on-site work, and now we urgently need life support system experts to join the design phase. Time is very tight."
Lin Luo'er was silent for a few seconds, clearly weighing her options quickly. Her fingers unconsciously traced the hem of her lab coat, a habitual gesture when thinking. "If I participate… what exactly would I need to do? What would the time commitment be? I still have my master's thesis to finish."
"Initially, the focus is mainly on scheme design and selection and verification of key components. Full-time office work isn't required, but regular attendance at project team technical discussions is necessary, possibly once or twice a week for 3-4 hours each time. After the design phase, you may need to participate in the debugging and testing of some key modules, at which point the time commitment will increase." Wang Zhengyang offered a flexible arrangement: "We can initially sign a temporary research assistant contract, paying consulting fees based on actual working hours. If your design is adopted and the subsequent implementation is successful, you can become a formal project member, enjoying higher compensation and a clearer future."
"Can I... take a look at the actual site and equipment for the project?" she asked, making a request that any reasonable technician would make.
"Of course. However, the main testing site is still undergoing basic renovations, and equipment is being procured. It will probably take about a week before it's ready for visits." Wang Zhengyang had already planned for this. "Here's what we'll do: I'll give you some basic requirements documents and technical boundary conditions first. You can use these to create a preliminary technical framework. If you're interested, we can schedule a time to discuss the contract details and compensation package in detail. How about that?"
He took a brand-new, unopened USB drive from his briefcase, which contained several documents pre-stored: basic design requirements for a closed ecosystem (deliberately omitting the specific parameters of the "mobile platform," only emphasizing space constraints and vibration resistance requirements), a technical overview of the International Space Station and Biosphere 2 (publicly available information), and a simple confidentiality agreement template.
Lin Luo'er took the USB drive, her fingertips inadvertently brushing against Wang Zhengyang's. Her hand was slightly cool, with delicate skin, but thin calluses on her fingertips and palms—marks left from long-term handling of delicate tools such as pipettes and tweezers. "I'll take a closer look when I get back. Thank you, Dr. Wang."
"We look forward to your joining us." Wang Zhengyang smiled and stood up, his smile gentle but not overly enthusiastic. "Your expertise is very important to us."
Watching her turn and walk away, the hem of her white coat swaying gently with her steps, drawing clean lines in the light and shadow of the corridor, a slight ripple stirred in Wang Zhengyang's heart again, but he quickly suppressed it with rationality. He created a new file entry in his mind: "Lin Luo'er, Agricultural Engineering Expert, Technical Priority A, Positive Intent to Cooperation. Potential Emotional Reactions: Requires Monitoring, No Intervention for Now, Maintain Professional Distance." Everything else was put on hold for the time being.