Study Monster Cultivation System

Chapter 138 - 137 Senior Sister’s Cruel Assessment

However, even though Li Zheng’s thinking had reached a level almost akin to Shi Yang’s,

his actual operations were still stiff and a complete mess.

Just the step of drawing up one milliliter of salicylaldehyde had him fumbling for three minutes.

There really was no cure for inexperience.

Even if he had grasped the thinking of a God Chef, without personally stirring pots thousands of times, he still wouldn’t reach the standard.

Regarding this, there was nothing much to say, practice makes perfect.

After a while, Shen Yiyun saw Li Zheng scratching his head and grimacing in front of the oil bath pot and began to feel sorry for him.

She pretended to stretch lazily, put down her materials, and wandered over to where Li Zheng and Shi Yang were.

"I’m just...strolling around; I’m not going to instruct you," said Shen Yiyun, glancing at the substance in the flask, "This is okay, but your movements are really too clumsy, and that will delay a lot of time."

"Indeed," Shi Yang sighed, "But... Li Zheng is amazing. Looking at his technique, he’s very clumsy, definitely a first-timer, but each step is exceptionally steady. Apart from his speed and the aesthetics of the movements, I actually can’t find much fault with it..."

"Like, stupidly steady?" Shen Yiyun asked.

"That’s the idea," Shi Yang nodded, "His style is different from mine; he doesn’t take risks but seeks precision and accuracy."

Shen Yiyun glanced at him and said, "Ha, you mean he lacks creativity, right? Looking down on people again?"

"Not at all," Shi Yang replied seriously, shaking his head, "This precision isn’t due to being conservative, it’s calculated precision... unnervingly steady. Plus, it’s his first time conducting an experiment, and he’s facing a harsh assessment from his senior; it’s right to be more cautious."

"Hey, hey, 70% is harsh? You scored 91%!"

"It’s different. If you asked me to do it for the first time with just theoretical knowledge, even 50% would be decent," Shi Yang gazed at Li Zheng, who was gradually ’Entering Demonization,’ "I have the feeling that his approach to learning is completely different from mine... How should I put it... I’m a bit panicked."

Shen Yiyun chuckled, "Heh, feeling threatened by number one?"

"Yeah," Shi Yang looked down slightly, observing his own trembling hands, "No... it’s not panic, it’s excitement... How can I be panicked when he’s not a girl?"

"Hmph... talking nonsense," Shen Yiyun nudged her lips towards the big white notebook in front of Shi Yang, "Didn’t you mark down his experimental errors?"

"No experimental errors so far," Shi Yang nodded, "Of course, as for elegance and beauty, zero, no, -100. His movements are just too silly; I really want to hit him."

Watching Li Zheng, who looked like a master Peking duck chef attentively observing the heating reflux process, Shen Yiyun, for once, found herself in agreement with Shi Yang.

"I agree," Shen Yiyun said somewhat sympathetically, "Maybe I should guide some of his movements..."

"You back off!" Shi Yang raised his hand, "This is Li Zheng’s experiment."

"Fine, fine! I tried to give you both a way out," Shen Yiyun clenched her teeth and turned to walk away, "You keep chatting. It’s impossible to achieve 70% yield on a first experiment; that’s the standard of excellence for an undergraduate. Do you really think graduating from Ji University’s Chemistry College is so easy?"

Only when he heard the angry tone in her voice did Shi Yang realize that he had actually been chatting with the senior for quite a while.

He immediately got shy again.

"Alright, whatever the senior says is right..."

"Still looking down on people, aren’t you? That’s what you’re doing, isn’t it?" Shen Yiyun, angry, returned to her seat, "I had intended to cut you some slack. Fine! When you achieve a 70% yield rate, then you can talk to me!"

"..."

...

Unknowingly, three and a half hours had passed.

Due to constant clumsiness and inexperience in his operation, Li Zheng had already worked up quite a sweat several times over, thankfully Shi Yang had come by during to refill his water bottle, allowing him to down two large cups of water.

At this moment, Li Zheng looked slightly disheveled.

But holding the watch glass and looking at the clump of white crystals on it, Li Zheng was beaming with energy, feeling like he had conquered a world, and as if he had blocked Lin Yujing 100 times in a row.

"This... this is Coumarin-3-carboxylic acid, right..." Li Zheng asked tremulously.

"Definitely, I’ve been watching the whole time, it didn’t go anywhere," Shi Yang also wiped off some sweat and patted Li Zheng on the shoulder, "Awesome, bro, that’s quite a lot."

"All nicked from your techniques," Li Zheng said with a silly smile, "I racked my brains trying to figure out a way to improve it, but I really couldn’t find an entry point."

"Never mind improving, the fact that you understood my techniques is already pretty amazing." The senior turned his head towards Shen Yiyun, "Junior sister, wake up."

Shen Yiyun, who was dozing off at the table with a snore, instantly shivered and stiffened up, screaming, "No! I’m not, I’m not a gorilla, don’t lock me up with a gorilla!"

"..."

"..."

This must be, having a nightmare, right...

It seems, Junior Sister’s worldviews and self-awareness have been influenced by Shi Yang.

Shen Yiyun was confused for a moment before she realized something was not right, hurriedly put on her glasses: "I just... just... suddenly dreamt of ’Rise of the Planet of the Apes,’ the movie, it’s all because of the movie."

After speaking, she rubbed her eyes and quickly came over.

Seeing the big pile in front of Li Zheng, she shivered again.

"Huh???" Shen Yiyun exclaimed in shock as she adjusted her glasses, "Shi Yang, did you help out?"

"I really didn’t," Shi Yang backed away half a step, "I give my word of honor."

"No need, I believe you guys..." Shen Yiyun quickly waved her hands and took a deep breath, put on gloves, and placed the petri dish on the electronic scale.

The screen showed: 2.05g.

Yield: 81%.

Shen Yiyun swallowed, "Is it... fully dried out...?"

Neither of them answered, the question was too unprofessional.

"Ah... yeah... well... this..." Shen Yiyun scratched her head in some disarray, "Li Zheng, considering your techniques and posture, if you said this was your first time, I’d believe you... The yield is right there, and I haven’t got much more to say... so...

what I mean is... a junior like you..."

She suddenly turned her head, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at Li Zheng: "You must... you must... you must make it into the national team for me!"

Li Zheng was shocked.

What’s going on with you, Junior Sister?

"Prague! March next year, Prague!" Shen Yiyun grabbed Li Zheng’s shoulder, turning to Shi Yang at the same time, "You two freaks, just go to Prague! Go and show those people what a real freak is!"

"Heh," Shi Yang chuckled, wiping his nose, "That’s part of the plan."

"Alright, let’s get to work," said Shen Yiyun, brushing off her listlessness, and scratching her head, "Even if we don’t talk about IChO, with you guys on this year’s Jijing Team... we can be called freakishly strong, I know you all are very confident, but I still have strengths over you in experiments and theories, starting now, I’m going to get serious about teaching."

Li Zheng immediately began to wash the lab equipment: "Thanks, Junior Sister."

"Really? I’m not so sure..." Shi Yang said, full of doubt.

"I don’t care about you," Shen Yiyun raised her hand and drew a line in front of her eyes, "You have been blocked, from now on, I’ll pretend you don’t exist."

Shi Yang was instantly dumbfounded.

I was just being honest, which part was problematic?

Why did it have to be like this?

And, it’s not like Li Zheng is a weakling anymore.

Why are you becoming even more protective, Junior Sister?

What on earth are women thinking?!