Cheng You could ignore the Mu Xi Cao, but Zhao Jisheng couldn't.
After all, this was his line of work.
Two days later, he found Cheng You.
"Come with me to the research institute?"
"To do what?"
Zhao Jisheng replied, "To see the Mu Xi Cao."
Cheng You immediately refused, "Professor Zhao, please don't insist. They don't want me to touch it, and if something goes wrong, they'll blame me."
Besides, it wasn't certain that the condensed dew would be effective.
According to Liu Ying, if she couldn't save the Mu Xi Cao, would she still be held responsible?
She'd rather stay far away from such matters.
Zhao Jisheng calmly persuaded her, "Teacher Liu's phrasing was indeed inappropriate. The Mu Xi Cao is already endangered. Even if it can't be saved, it has nothing to do with you. However, Xiao You, her urgency is understandable. It's said that Mu Xi Cao has a targeted effect on cancer cells. If it can be cultivated..."
Cheng You paused, "Is that so?"
That would indeed make it very precious.
She clapped her hands, set down the small shovel, and lowered the small shed that shielded from the wind and cold.
Inside were her ginseng and He Shou Wu.
Suddenly, she wanted to go see what kind of medicinal herb Mu Xi Cao was to make so many people lament its potential loss.
"Let's go, I'll go with you."
Professor Zhao nodded in satisfaction, "You don't need to do anything strenuous, just come with me to take a look."
This Mu Xi Cao was highly valued at the research institute. It would be a favor if they even let you have a look.
The two drove directly to the entrance of the research institute, where Liu Ying was waiting.
Her expression turned cold the moment she saw Cheng You.
However, she didn't say anything, merely following Zhao Jisheng quietly as they walked inside.
"We previously ran a popular science column on Mu Xi Cao and received feedback from the public. We've selected a few suggestions that we believe might be useful and need your input."
Mu Xi Cao was rare, and there were no specific cultivation methods for it.
They were exploring unknown territory, and success was far from guaranteed.
Zhao Jisheng said, "We can discuss it when we get there."
The area where Mu Xi Cao was planted had heavy security, not accessible to just anyone, indicating the research institute's high regard for it.
Liu Ying glanced at Cheng You and said, "Professor Zhao, outsiders are not allowed in."
Zhao Jisheng replied, "She's from our agricultural research institute. Can she not enter? If she can't, then I have no reason to go in with you."
Liu Ying gritted her teeth, suppressing her temper, and had no choice but to compromise.
She led the two inside. Zhao Jisheng's sharp eyes spotted Xu Nanxi.
"Teacher Liu, who is that?"
Liu Ying introduced, "This is my student, Xu Nanxi."
"A student? From the Journalism department, so why is he here?"
Zhao Jisheng's tone of suspicion seemed to imply that if Xu Nanxi wasn't considered an outsider, then why was Cheng You one?
He felt Liu Ying was targeting Cheng You, holding a prejudice against her.
Liu Ying's expression remained stern, and she understood the implied meaning in his words.
She explained, "He worked on our magazine's Mu Xi Cao column. The method for collecting public opinions was also proposed by him, which is why he's accompanying us."
Zhao Jisheng nodded, "I understand. Shall we go in now?"
Liu Ying said, "Let's wait for our Director Hao. The opening of the Mu Xi Cao requires his authorization."
After all, there was only one specimen. If anything went wrong, she couldn't bear the responsibility.
Zhao Jisheng said nothing, pulling Cheng You to stand by an iron gate, looking at the Mu Xi Cao inside.
The leaves had already withered, looking listless, like an elderly person at the end of their life.
Xu Nanxi fiddled with his camera and asked, "Cheng You, you're a pharmaceutical student, why are you meddling in this?"
Cheng You kept her gaze forward and replied coldly, "And you're from journalism, yet you're here too."
"I worked on the Mu Xi Cao column."
Cheng You pulled out her agricultural research institute ID card, "Excuse me, I'm from the agricultural research institute."
Xu Nanxi's retort was cut short, leaving him speechless.
After a long wait, Director Hao finally arrived and ordered someone to get the key to open the door.
"My apologies, Professor Zhao. I was in a meeting, which caused the delay."
Zhao Jisheng smiled and waved his hand, "No problem. May we go in and see the Mu Xi Cao?"
"Of course. Little Liu mentioned she collected a few methods and wanted you to review them."
They had actually tried many methods already, but none had been very effective.
Cheng You followed them in, wanting to get a closer look.
Before she could get near, Liu Ying stopped her.
"Young comrade, please maintain your distance."
Cheng You felt a bit helpless, "Teacher Liu, I'm still two meters away."
Professor Zhao had already walked right up to it, and she hadn't said a word.
And Xu Nanxi was still wandering around with his camera, yet she hadn't spoken to him either.
She was specifically targeting her.
Director Hao followed and said, "Little Liu, you're being overly cautious. Mu Xi Cao is precious, but it's not as if it cannot be touched at all."
If they didn't interact with it, how could they research it? Just look at it?
"What we need to do now is brainstorm. Since she's a colleague brought by Professor Zhao, it's fine for her to take a look."
Liu Ying, having been reprimanded, looked somewhat embarrassed and stepped aside.
Cheng You then walked forward and bent down to look at the withered Mu Xi Cao.
Liu Ying and Zhao Jisheng explained the methods she had collected, one after another being dismissed by Zhao Jisheng.
Let alone for Mu Xi Cao, these methods wouldn't even work for ordinary medicinal plants.
Until the last method was rejected, Liu Ying became angry.
"Professor Zhao, then tell me, what should we do? This Mu Xi Cao is about to die!"
Director Hao said with a sigh, "Professor Zhao, are there no other solutions?"
Just as Zhao Jisheng was about to speak, he saw Xu Nanxi holding a bottle and pouring it directly onto the Mu Xi Cao.
The few of them froze, staring at the scene in shock.
Xu Nanxi said, "Professor Zhao, you're just too hesitant. If you don't try a method, you'll never know if it works."
Liu Ying was furious and rushed over, shoving him away forcefully.
"Xu Nanxi, what are you doing!"
She knelt on the ground, heartbroken, trying to save the Mu Xi Cao.
But the liquid had already rapidly seeped into the soil, and she dared not easily dig out the Mu Xi Cao.
She never expected that this Xu Nanxi would be even more unreliable than Cheng You.
"Teacher Liu, this is a nutrient solution sent by a reader. He said his orchard uses this, and he personally adjusted the formula. It's very effective. He watered the withered fruit saplings with this, and they perked up after a few days."
In his opinion, the research institute was too protective of the Mu Xi Cao, which made it so delicate.
If it had been treated as an ordinary plant from the start, perhaps it would have already grown like weeds.
Liu Ying gritted her teeth in anger, "You've also done popular science. Don't you know how precious Mu Xi Cao is? If ordinary nutrient solutions worked, wouldn't we use them! Do you know more than us researchers?"