Chapter Twelve: Is Shen Zhuoran About to Go into Heat?

“This is your ID badge.”
“From now on, you are a member of our First Laboratory.”
“Welcome to the team, Yu Lan.”
“You can go inside the lab now and get acquainted with everyone. Your work badge is being processed; I’ll bring it to you shortly.”
“By the way, can I have your contact information? I’ll add you to the lab’s chat group.”

Zhao Song pulled out his phone, looking at Yu Lan expectantly.
“Sure,” she replied obediently, giving her contact details. Almost immediately, Zhao Song sent her a friend request.

After she accepted it, the next moment, she was instantly added to a group chat named “Gossip and Watercooler.”

As soon as Yu Lan’s avatar—a chubby little fish blowing rainbow-colored bubbles—appeared in the group, the members, who had been eagerly chatting and waiting for her arrival, instantly froze.

Then, Yu Lan sent a message in the group:
Yu Lan: “Hello everyone, I’m Yu Lan.”
Yu Lan: “The little cat jumps and spins around jog.”

In the next moment, the frozen chat exploded into a frenzy of messages:
“Welcome, Lanlan!”
“Lanlan baby, you’re so good!”
“Petting the little cat’s head jpg.”

A torrent of messages flooded in so quickly that Yu Lan barely had time to read them all—it was almost dizzying.

But clearly, she could feel everyone’s warm welcome, and a smile curved her lips, her amber eyes sparkling as if stars were twinkling within them.

“Everyone is so warm and friendly,” she murmured.
“They must be easy to get along with.”

No one understood better than Yu Lan how important it was to have a group of congenial coworkers.
It greatly elevates one’s mood at work.

She looked at Zhao Song with a hint of joy in her eyes.

Zhao Song’s mouth twitched. He thought of the cold, aloof elite researchers in the lab who usually wouldn’t bother uttering a single useless word—succinct to the extreme, full of icy reserve.

Poor girl.

It’s entirely because of you that they’ve become so approachable.

But who could resist a beautiful, obedient, sweet little female?

Just then, the computer on the desk began to beep repeatedly—Zhao Song’s carefully set work alert.

Looking over, he saw a work directive sent by Shen Zhuoran.

The director’s instructions were top priority and needed immediate attention.

Zhao Song had originally planned to take Yu Lan to meet everyone in the First Lab and help her get familiar with the place.

But now, he could only glance at Yu Lan apologetically:
“Sorry, Lanlan, I have some urgent work to handle.”
“Can you go to the First Lab by yourself?”
“Just turn left when you leave—everyone there is very friendly.”

With how these guys fawned, if a pretty little female like Yu Lan entered the lab, they’d probably start fighting over who gets to show her the ropes.

No one would dare make things difficult for her.

Yu Lan nodded understandingly.
“No problem, I can go alone.”
“Zhao, you focus on your work; it’s important.”

“Okay,” Zhao Song nodded.

Yu Lan turned and retraced her steps, heading toward the First Lab.

As she stood in the corridor, trying to figure out the way, the door to the Second Lab suddenly swung open with a bang.

A male figure at the doorway and Yu Lan locked eyes.

The man, wearing a white lab coat and bearing the air of an elite researcher, couldn’t help but rub his eyes in disbelief and said,
“Female, a female?”
“How can there be a female at the Research Institute?”
“Oh, oh, I get it—you must be the female who came for the interview today.”

As he spoke, his gaze roamed over Yu Lan, growing increasingly captivated.

Their Second Lab already had Princess Louisa, who, in their minds, was the kindest and most understanding female in the world.

Yesterday, they heard a female had arrived at the convenience store in the Research Institute, causing quite a stir, with everyone rushing to see her.

Only their Second Lab remained unmoved, secretly mocking all the single males for being so starved of female presence that they got this excited over just one ordinary female.

Because of this unwarranted arrogance, they had muted the Research Institute’s chat group, which was constantly buzzing with messages.

Naturally, they hadn’t seen any photos of Yu Lan.

Only now, seeing her in person, the males of the Second Lab realized how rash and foolish they had been the day before.

The beautiful female before them deserved to be praised with the most exquisite words in the world.

She smelled so enticing, so utterly fragrant!

Though elite researchers, they couldn’t hide the infatuated expression of ordinary males overwhelmed by the presence of a female.

“Allen, is there something else?”

The lab door had opened, but Allen hadn’t moved, drawing the attention of those inside.

Louisa turned from the console and strode toward the door.

Her eyes instantly fixed on Yu Lan, who wore the Research Institute’s ID badge on her chest, and her pupils constricted sharply.

Yu Lan was joining the Research Institute, too?

What was she trying to do?

Provoking her?

A female who was utterly useless and devoid of any healing ability.

Louisa’s gaze darkened; she covered her lips, feigning surprise:
“Lanlan, what are you doing here?”
“You’re the female who came for the R&D assistant interview today? I thought you hated working the most.”

She covered her mouth, as if about to reveal a secret, then quickly added apologetically:
“I understand now, Lanlan—you have no assets, so you’re short on money?”
“If you really need money, I can give you some, no problem.”
“But please don’t come to the Research Institute just to scrounge a stipend. Every penny here must be spent wisely.”
“Especially for a critical position like R&D assistant—developing the soothing agent involves billions of males’ mating seasons; there can be no mistakes.”

Louisa’s face was full of earnestness as she spoke, pulling out her phone as if doing this for Yu Lan’s own good:
“Lanlan, how much money do you need right now?”
“Would one million be enough?”
“I’ll transfer it to you immediately.”
“But I hope you’ll give up this position, okay?”
“The Research Institute is not a place for messing around.”

Before Yu Lan could respond, she was branded as a troublemaker—someone who came to the Research Institute for money because she was broke.

Allen, who had been showing some infatuation toward Yu Lan, immediately turned cold and rational upon hearing this.

His gaze hardened as he awaited her reply.

The Research Institute had no place for females who just wanted to coast through life.

Yu Lan clenched the ID badge she had just received from Zhao Song and smirked with indignation.

*

Meanwhile, in Shen Zhuoran’s private lounge, a continuous sound of rushing water echoed.

The cold, gleaming faucet was turned on full blast.

The man, whose face was as serene and cold as a jade bamboo in the mountains, was burning hot all over.

Wearing the Research Institute’s standard white lab coat, his exposed neck and pale, handsome face were flushed bright red.

He bent over, scooping handfuls of cold water and splashing them onto his face, soaking his clothes with the droplets.

For the usually composed Shen Zhuoran, this was quite unusual.

So fragrant, so intoxicating!

That captivating scent was once again wafting around him, as if his very soul was trembling, his parched body crazily craving it—ready to be marked, overcome with desire.

Shen Zhuoran’s hands gripped the marble countertop tightly, his long, defined fingers white-knuckled.

The veins on the back of his cold white hands bulged blue with intensity.