OBS Chapter 225 Yin Bei's Call
Chapter 225 Yin Bei's Call
In this disaster, Zhang Qian was both a survivor and a victim. The burns caused by the explosion not only brought him physical pain, but also left hideous marks on his face and body. These scars will accompany him for the rest of his life, casting an indelible shadow on his mind and body.
The official investigation into the once-shocking explosion has been successfully completed, all responsibilities have been clearly defined, and compensation matters have been properly handled. The deceased have rested in peace, and those who were meant to leave have left.
As time passed, the commotion and upheaval gradually subsided, and life seemed to return to its former tranquility and normalcy. The explosion that once shocked the entire city and became the focus of heated discussion is no longer a topic of conversation for most people, but rather a gradually fading memory of the past.
However, he was also the "biggest beneficiary" of this disaster. His firefighting efforts were widely reported by official media, making him a role model for the school and the municipal publicity office. This act received widespread praise from society and was officially recognized as an act of bravery. Therefore, he not only received a government award for bravery and a series of related benefits, but also gained respect and care from all sectors of society, receiving donations of money and goods from various sources.
In recognition of his bravery, the school arranged a formal and stable job for him—a librarian at the school library.
During the time Zhang Qian was being questioned by the investigation team, he received several emails from Yin Bei. However, he didn't see these emails until three months after the explosion at the experimental center.
In the email, Yin Bei kept asking, "How exactly did the explosion at the experimental center happen? Have you delivered the calculation data I asked you to pass on to Professor Zhou?"
In his reply to Yin Bei, Zhang Qian wrote: "It is a great pity that the senior's calculation data had not yet been handed over to Professor Zhou when the explosion suddenly occurred. Professor Zhou and his wife, as well as their two students, all perished in the disaster. Only I and a girl named Shen You survived. Shen You was on vacation at the time, while I had just finished my night shift and was going back to my dormitory to rest."
As soon as the email was sent, Yin Bei quickly replied: "I've been waiting for your message. Is it convenient for us to talk on the phone sometime? I can call you; just tell me a convenient time."
Zhang Qian had just returned to his dormitory from the hospital and was packing his things to move. The school had already arranged a new job and accommodation for him.
He thought about it and realized that the convenience store near the school gate was open 24 hours a day and had a public phone. It might be too crowded during the day to make a call, but it would be relatively quiet at night. Also, nighttime in China is daytime in Los Angeles, making the timing of his call with his senior more convenient.
So he replied to the email: "Is 11 pm tonight China time okay?"
Yin Bei quickly replied to the email: "Okay, send me your phone number. I'll call you on time."
Zhang Qian put on a hat and mask, and pulled his collar up. Even though it was late at night and there were few pedestrians on the street, he was still afraid that someone would see the scars on his face. It was already May, and spring had long since arrived in the south, with temperatures even approaching summer, but he still wrapped himself up tightly.
Upon arriving at the convenience store, he greeted the owner, saying, "I'm waiting for a phone call." The owner glanced at him, gave a simple "hmm," and then turned and went into the back room.
Over the past few months, Zhang Qian has become a household name at the school.
The clock on the wall pointed to 11 o'clock, and the telephone rang precisely on time.
Zhang Qian took a deep breath and answered the phone: "Hello, is this senior Yin Bei?" Yin Bei's anxious voice came from the other end of the phone: "Zhang Qian, what exactly happened? Tell me quickly, I've been so worried these past few months."
Zhang Qian replied coldly, "Senior, haven't you seen the reports in China? Even if you haven't, you should have heard some rumors from Tsinghua and Peking Universities or alumni."
His tone clearly carried dissatisfaction, suggesting that Yin Bei should first inquire about his current condition and recovery from his injuries.
After all, he had always respected and treated Yin Bei like family. He hadn't expected that Yin Bei didn't care about him and only wanted to inquire about the accident. Perhaps it was because his senior had happened to be at the experimental center the night before the explosion, and he must have been afraid of being implicated, which was why he made the overseas call.
Yin Bei explained, "I've been repeatedly analyzing the data I remember, and it doesn't seem like it could cause an explosion. Unless, the experiment wasn't interrupted because of the data issues, but instead, it was misled into thinking that the amount of material added a second time was insufficient, so they blindly added more material..."
Yin Bei's words suddenly reminded Zhang Qian that he had left the key to the materials warehouse with Ban Ning that day, and he couldn't help but feel a chill down his spine.
Yin Bei continued her analysis over the phone: "That night, I should have called Professor Zhou and told him that there were anomalies in the data."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Qian quickly interrupted, "Didn't you say it wasn't convenient to tell Professor Zhou? Besides, it's not good for them to know you've been to the experimental center."
Yin Bei sighed, "But that was a matter of life and death. I regret it now because of my own selfishness and a momentary lapse in judgment."
Zhang Qian responded, "I did not involve you, senior. When the investigation team questioned me several times, I did not mention that you had ever been to the experimental center."
Yin Bei continued, "I've seen many reports about the nature of the accident, which even say that Professor Zhou's laboratory management was chaotic and questioned his academic level. Professor Zhou is such a meticulous person, how could he let a cashier like you participate in the experiment? I've been wanting to ask you, what exactly happened?"
Zhang Qian was used to people's doubts and accusations. However, he had already paid a heavy price, and he would no longer let others manipulate him. "Senior, why are you questioning me? The experimental center's arrangements have their reasons. It's all in the past, so don't pursue it anymore," Zhang Qian said with a hint of impatience.
"How can you say it's over? After all, someone died!" Yin Bei's tone was somewhat agitated.
"So what do you want me to do? Have the investigation team reinvestigate? Or do you want me to take some responsibility for this accident so that the dead can be brought back to life? Senior, don't be naive. Nobody cares about your thoughts. You should just stick to being an exchange scholar and come back as a professor, or even just an associate professor." Zhang Qian's words were tinged with sarcasm and helplessness.
A brief silence fell over the phone. After a moment, Yin Bei's low, pained voice came through: "Zhang Qian, we all made mistakes."
“What exactly did we do wrong? At most, it was just the last straw. Are all our efforts and hard work over the years worthless? We only got what we deserved, and what's more, I paid such a heavy price for it.” Zhang Qian’s voice was filled with suppressed emotion. “Senior, please rest assured, I will keep your secret.”
There was another silence on the phone.
Zhang Qian: "Senior, are you still there? If there's nothing else, you can hang up now. International calls are quite expensive."
Yin Bei did not answer.
Zhang Qian hung up the phone immediately.