Who would study psychology unless they had some issues?!

Shi Qianqian opened her mouth.

Nan Zhubin glanced at Shi Qianqian, and then at Bi Yanling opposite her.

With his Micro-expression Analysis, he could naturally tell that Teacher Bi’s expression only resembled a "smile" at the corner of her mouth.

"Everything’s fully booked." Shi Qianqian explained, "Everyone has accumulated ideas over the summer and wants to quickly organize the data now that school is starting. We’re also joining them for overtime during lunch, so..."

Before Shi Qianqian finished speaking, Bi Yanling interrupted her again: "Is Teacher Bai here?"

Though it was a question, Nan Zhubin felt that the speaker only accepted one answer.

Shi Qianqian paused for a second: "...Yes, he is."

"Then please call him over." Bi Yanling said, her gaze never shifting from Shi Qianqian’s forehead area.

The structure was imperative, yet the tone lacked any politeness.

Shi Qianqian opened her mouth, turned, and knocked on the door.

Knock, knock, knock—

Knock, knock, knock—

Knock, knock, knock—

There was no response to the first and second knock, until the third knock when the small door handle clicked under everyone’s gaze.

"Qianqian, what’s up?" A comparatively gentle voice came from inside the door.

"Teacher Bai, it’s me!"

An even gentler response came from Bi Yanling’s throat.

Nan Zhubin couldn’t help but get goosebumps. He turned his gaze and found Bi Yanling had unknowingly straightened up, her body slightly leaning forward.

The expression on her face also softened, with the muscles around her eyes and cheeks coordinating with the corners of her mouth to form a higher level "smile."

Bai Qinghua poked his head out, checked the situation, then stepped out completely.

The gentleness in his tone decreased, expression plain: "Oh, Teacher Bi, what’s the matter?"

"Well, Teacher Bai, I really didn’t want to trouble you," Bi Yanling said, "but the current project is really stuck. I have a large group of students, and without the semester’s experimental data, things will be quite troublesome."

Bi Yanling wore a sympathetic expression: "You know that I’ve only recently become a supervisor, so I don’t have as many projects as you do; yet the graduate quota given to me by the college every year is so large, and I’ve just taken on another batch of Ph.D. candidates."

"Without the data, they will struggle to graduate, and it’s been worrying me daily." Bi Yanling lamented.

"Oh? I heard you just applied for a provincial collaborative project last semester?" Bai Qinghua remarked casually.

Shi Qianqian silently returned to her seat, sipping coffee.

"Also—didn’t I hear Mr. Chang had a project he couldn’t do and passed it on to you?" Bai Qinghua added.

Bi Yanling’s expression didn’t change: "That’s why I need to work overtime to push progress; otherwise, what if other schools publish first?"

Bai Qinghua didn’t respond to that.

Bi Yanling’s smile deepened: "In our college, Teacher Bai, your foundation is the strongest, and my project really can’t work without your lab."

"I understand your team’s equipment is tightly scheduled, but I only need it for two days."

Bi Yanling clasped her hands, showing utmost respect: "Please help, Teacher Bai."

Bai Qinghua’s expression remained unchanged as he looked to Shi Qianqian: "Which lab does Teacher Bi want to borrow?"

"The Behavior Observation Room," Shi Qianqian answered, "It’s completely booked, even during lunch breaks."

"Ah, you’ve booked even lunch break hours?" Bai Qinghua glanced at his disciple, seemingly wanting to say something.

Before he could speak, Bi Yanling interjected: "I know you’re also in difficulty, Teacher Bai, given you’ve lent out equipment to other teachers already."

"How about this," Bi Yanling suggested, "could you lend it to us after 9 PM?"

Nan Zhubin was startled, looking from Shi Qianqian to Bai Qinghua.

Though he wasn’t in charge of this work, he knew that the group’s equipment and venues were only available until 9 PM, synchronizing with the school’s class schedule.

Moreover, there’s another important point — since the equipment belongs to Bai Qinghua’s group, whenever another group borrows the lab, Bai Qinghua’s group must have at least one student present as the responsible person.

This responsible person doesn’t need to follow the entire time, but must be within the office and lab area, to handle any sudden issues that arise. After borrowing students leave, the responsible person must check the equipment and lock the door.

In other words — if more people borrow equipment, the workload for the group’s students indeed increases.

Bai Qinghua glanced at Bi Yanling: "After 9 PM? Until when do you intend to finish?"

"Around 11 PM?" Bi Yanling spoke matter-of-factly.

The given timeframe was quite vague.

"That’s quite strenuous." Bai Qinghua remarked meaningfully.

Bi Yanling didn’t notice: "In research, that’s how it is, isn’t it? Working late nights, haven’t all of us come through that way?"

Bai Qinghua leisurely sat at the communal computer, as Shi Qianqian promptly passed him a water bottle.

"Teacher Bi, can you give me a definite time? Confirm 11 PM?"

Bai Qinghua keenly caught the ambiguity.

"...Well, I hope to finish by 11 PM, so the students can rest early." Bi Yanling looked around, seemingly wanting to sit.

But none of the students in the office offered her a seat.

"...But research is unpredictable. Maybe the data won’t be ideal, or other issues might arise."

Bai Qinghua didn’t speak. Though seated, his gaze was above Bi Yanling.

"...Perhaps an hour late... two hours... even working overnight, these things are possible." Bi Yanling chuckled, "Teacher Bai, surely you understand such situations?"

"I don’t understand, at least our group isn’t like that." Bai Qinghua laughed for the first time during the dialogue.

He seemed to joke: "Perhaps your group is more relentless, Teacher Bi."

Bi Yanling paused, momentarily unsure how to respond.

"I know you’re anxious, Teacher Bi, but let me be blunt—this isn’t feasible."

"You surely know the lab protocols, and you’re aware when you do experiments, my students have to stay in the office as well. Without a definite time, I can’t coordinate for you."

"Moreover—"

Bi Yanling seemed about to say something, but Bai Qinghua raised a hand, blocking her impending words.

"Even with a certain time—say 11 PM—it won’t do."

Bai Qinghua reasoned, "My students also have research tasks, and after 9 PM, often our group needs the space too. They’ve sacrificed a lot for other teachers’ projects, and I care for my students too."

"Without data, without a publication, I’m also anxious."

Shi Qianqian quietly returned to her seat, burying the lower half of her face in the coffee cup, her eyes discreetly watching Bai Qinghua.

"Well, my students can wait, can coordinate, and wait for your students to finish..."

"It’s inconvenient, Teacher Bi." Bai Qinghua interrupted Bi Yanling again, "It’s inconvenient."

"On one hand, I can’t promise your students will definitely get a turn; on the other hand, even if they do, my students still have to stay with yours, waiting for you to finish—when would that be?"

"Oh Teacher Bai, I certainly don’t want to trouble your students, they can go home, my students surely have..."

"Who’s responsible if there’s a problem?" Bai Qinghua’s speech grew increasingly straightforward.

"Or say, you publish an article, will you include my students’ names? If you agree, I have nothing to say."

Bai Qinghua waved his hand: "I don’t need it, just include my students, even as third author—can you?"

"I’m not unwilling to lend it to you, but we must follow the rules. Either borrow in advance, or schedule later—shouldn’t that be fine?"

Bi Yanling fell silent.