Someone had taken the lead, and it was Dougal, who had once had friction with Jiang Fuyue. Not only did he pass smoothly, it was said he even obtained half a floor of usage rights!
In addition, the relevant departments in China also provided him and his team members with long-term residence permits.
One week later, Dougal brought his team straight to China, then threw himself into the Wujin Building without hesitation and began setting up his laboratory.
Funding, manpower, equipment… everything was available.
The entire process went smoothly, with everything arranged and prepared for him here.
Not only that, Dougal and three other researchers from his team were also specially hired by Ming University as foreign professors. They could teach classes while conducting research.
Receiving salaries, spending research funds, living in boutique apartments in the city center provided by Ming University, and enjoying all kinds of generous benefits, life couldn’t be more comfortable!
This made other foreign researchers extremely envious.
“Is it really that good?”
Dougal waved his hand. “Not good at all. Really terrible. Definitely don’t come.”
“?” Feels like you’re fooling idiots.
Soon, the Wujin Building officially issued an “experience recruitment order” to the global academic community, widely inviting experts and professors from all fields to come to China for a six-day “Endless Experience.”
During the period, all expenses were covered, including reimbursement for round-trip airfare.
People flocked to it.
Statistics showed that over 100,000 people signed up that very day, but the officials only selected fifty.
As expected, the spots immediately became extremely competitive.
One week later, the fifty selected scholars arrived in China one after another and moved into the Wujin Building that very day.
During the day they conducted research. When tired, they could go downstairs for a walk, stroll around, grab a coffee, play a round or two of golf, or head to the gym to lift weights.
All three meals were customized. Submit the menu through the internal system the night before, and the next day delicious food would be ready, there was no issue of not being used to the food in a new place.
At night, they could jog around Ming University’s campus or ride bicycles. The university also provided facilities such as a swimming pool and yoga hall, just swipe a card to enter.
As for the matter of sleeping, it was even simpler.
You could choose to stay in the Wujin Building, because next to the laboratories were living quarters, compact single rooms. Since they were built using the most advanced soundproof materials in the world, the noise insulation was excellent.
Of course, you could also choose to return to the boutique apartments in the city center, which were more spacious and more private.
Six days passed in the blink of an eye.
The fifty participants had gradually adapted to life here when they were informed by staff, “The experience has ended.”
Only then did everyone realize that everything had merely been an experience. They still did not have the qualification to truly stay and work in this building.
In the end, thirty-eight out of the fifty participants submitted applications to settle in and repeatedly urged that the approval process be completed as soon as possible so they could move over earlier.
As a result, the second batch of experience quotas was directly canceled.
As for the reason…
Our Wujin Building is almost full, we’re no longer short of scholars and professors. So if possible, please don’t come.
Back when it was empty, everyone looked down on it.
Now that it was about to be full, one by one people sharpened their heads and tried every possible way to squeeze in.
Xiao Shan couldn’t help sneering: “They don’t want things given for free, but when they have to fight for it suddenly it becomes appealing. What kind of problem is that?”
Xu Kaiqing said, “Perhaps people in this world all like to warm themselves at a burning stove.”
In less than a month, the Wujin Building was fully occupied.
The officials announced they would no longer accept applications from the outside world.
From then on, if someone wanted to move in, there were only two possible paths,
First, wait until an existing laboratory withdraws and frees up space, then compete for the position.
Second, receive an official invitation from the Wujin Building.
The first path was too difficult!
Not to mention that in the short term no experimental team would foolishly withdraw. Even if someone did withdraw, it might not be your turn, because other excellent research teams would also compete.
The second path sounded somewhat easier.
But it only sounded easier, actual operation was far more difficult than the first!
Just think: why would the Wujin Building invite you?
You would certainly need to have achieved huge accomplishments in some field, with remarkable results and far-reaching influence.
Otherwise, what qualifications would you have to be specially invited?
At this point everyone couldn’t help envying Dougal.
“The ones who got in early have an advantage. The approval procedures weren’t that complicated either.”
“He reacted quickly, said he’d move in and immediately did it. Even brought his whole family and moved everything to China.”
“I heard Dougal originally came because of Jiang Fuyue. He wanted to work in the same building as her, so he thought of submitting the application.”
“Didn’t he offend Jiang Fuyue publicly when he supported Tosaki Kawashima? I thought their relationship was terrible.”
“Hey, friend, that’s too narrow-minded. In research it’s normal to have different ideas and viewpoints. Dougal was also deceived by Tosaki Kawashima before, and later he publicly apologized to Jiang Fuyue. With Jiang Fuyue’s broad mind and bearing, there’s no way she’d hold a grudge over that.”
Back then, many of them had also more or less sided with Tosaki Kawashima.
So at first they didn’t apply to move in, not because they didn’t want to, but because they felt embarrassed.
What if Jiang Fuyue held a grudge and rejected them outright? Wouldn’t that be humiliating?
“You’re overthinking it. If Jiang Fuyue were narrow-minded, we wouldn’t even be here today participating in the experience.”
…
Q University, Medical Department, Hongzhi Building.
Inside a laboratory.
Qian Youwen paced anxiously, his expression irritated.
“Professor…” At that moment, the graduate student he supervised returned.
“Well? Did you find out?”
The graduate student nodded. “Ming University said the Wujin Building is already full and no longer accepting new residency applications.”
“Fu-full?!” Qian Youwen’s eyes widened.
It had only been such a short time, how could it already be full?
Wasn’t it said before that no one was willing to go?
“Say that again? The Wujin Building is full?!” His voice rose, disbelief written all over his face.
“Y-yes,” the graduate student stepped back half a step nervously and stammered. “Anyway… that’s what Ming University replied.”
“I told you to ask the Wujin Building. Why did you go to Ming University?!”
“But… isn’t the Wujin Building part of Ming University?”
It was built on Ming University’s campus!
According to the procedure, all applications had to go through Ming University first. Only after Ming University’s president Xiao Shan signed approval and the Wujin Building officials stamped it would it be formally passed.
Xiao Shan…
Qian Youwen frowned, falling into deep thought.
…
Ding!
The class bell rang. Xu Kaiqing picked up his thermos and attendance sheet and left the classroom.
He had barely walked a few steps when he received a call from Xiao Shan.
“…Who did you say applied to you?! Alright, I’ll come over immediately.”
Ten minutes later, Xu Kaiqing appeared in the president’s office.
Xiao Shan politely offered him a cup of hot tea. “Please sit.”
“Thank you. You said on the phone that Qian Youwen applied to move into the Wujin Building?!”
“Mm, take a look…” Xiao Shan handed him a set of application materials on the desk.
The computer screen still displayed the online approval page.
Below, “Approve” and “Reject”, one green and one red, were waiting for Xiao Shan to make the final decision.
Xu Kaiqing quickly finished reading and couldn’t help letting out a cold laugh.
“He still has the nerve to submit an application to you?! Then again, that’s a fence-sitter, whichever way the wind blows, that’s the way he falls.”
Xiao Shan raised an eyebrow. “Did something happen?”
He rarely saw Xu Kaiqing evaluate someone so sharply and harshly. The key point was that this person was supposedly his friend.
And the reason Xiao Shan had notified Xu Kaiqing immediately after seeing the application materials was precisely because he knew the two were on good terms.
But now it seemed that before the word “friend,” another word needed to be added, “former.”
Xu Kaiqing hadn’t even spoken yet, but anger was already surging in his eyes. It was obvious he detested this person to a certain extreme.
“A month before the debate, Jiang Fuyue and I wanted to replicate Tosaki Kawashima’s experiment and needed to borrow clinical data from him. We had clearly agreed on it, and he personally promised. But when the time came he suddenly backtracked, colluded with Fu Zhengxin to stand us up, making us wait for nothing. After that he directly turned hostile and even posted articles and messages online to smear us as much as possible.”
“He probably saw that the Wujin Building is now highly sought after and impossible to get into, so he shamelessly came crawling back. This is the first time I’ve seen someone with such a thick face!”
Back then he had regarded the man as a confidant and spoken to him sincerely. Thinking back on it now, Xu Kaiqing only felt he had been unbelievably stupid!
“President Xiao, how do you plan to deal with it?”
Xiao Shan’s expression darkened slightly. “I didn’t expect Qian Youwen to be such a thing! Just based on the fact that he stood with Fu Zhengxin and helped the tyrant do evil, and now switches allegiance again, someone so treacherous and immoral, I definitely won’t let him pass the application.”
Letting someone like that move into the Wujin Building, how could that be allowed?
One rat ruins a whole pot of soup!
Xiao Shan immediately rejected Qian Youwen’s application. But unexpectedly, half an hour later he personally called, “President Xiao, I think it’s necessary for us to meet and talk. What do you think?”
At that moment Xu Kaiqing was right beside him.
Xiao Shan cast him a questioning look: Should I refuse directly, or let him come over?
Xu Kaiqing pondered for a moment, then mouthed silently: Let him come.
He wanted to see what tricks this man still had left, and just how shameless he could be.
…
When Qian Youwen arrived, although the president’s office door was open, he still pretended to be polite and stopped at the entrance, raising his hand to knock three times before entering.
Now that he had been implicated by Fu Zhengxin, not only were colleagues pointing fingers at him, but the Q University administration had also rejected two of his new project proposals in a row.
After repeated setbacks, Qian Youwen was like a phoenix that had lost its feathers. So even when facing Xiao Shan, the “wild chicken”, he had to show a bit of humility.
If it were before, would he bother knocking? He would have swaggered right in, and the people inside would have to bow and scrape to greet him.
But now…
He could only sigh that a phoenix without feathers is worse than a chicken.
Qian Youwen suppressed the discomfort and contempt churning in his heart and put on a seemingly gentle smile.
“President Xiao, I apologize for the sudden visit and the disturbance.”
Xiao Shan looked up, his tone indifferent. “May I ask what Professor Qian wants to discuss with me in person?”
Qian Youwen was a little stunned by such a direct question, but quickly recovered, suppressing the dissatisfaction in his eyes and smiling. “This morning I submitted an application to Ming University to settle in the Wujin Building…”
“Oh, it was rejected,” Xiao Shan interrupted directly. “You should have already received the system reply. Since that’s the case, what doubts do you still have?”
“Why was it rejected? Please give me a reasonable explanation.” Qian Youwen’s smile instantly faded, and his voice turned cold.
Since Xiao Shan refused to give him face, then he wouldn’t bother being polite either.
After all, wasn’t he also a lofty professor and scholar?
“A reasonable explanation?” Xiao Shan laughed. “You knock on the door and the owner doesn’t let you in, does that require any explanation?”
If you’re not allowed in, you’re not allowed in. Do I still need to give you an account?
Where did such thick skin come from?
Qian Youwen’s old face flushed with embarrassment, a flash of humiliation and anger crossing his eyes. “President Xiao, saying that is rather narrow-minded. After the debate ended, Jiang Fuyue personally welcomed all the invited guests in front of everyone. Are you now trying to overturn what Jiang Fuyue said?”
“You!” Xiao Shan choked on his words. This man really had some tricks. No wonder even an old veteran like Xu Kaiqing had misjudged him and been played in circles.
“What? Am I wrong?” Qian Youwen asked smugly.
“Fine, you want a reason? The Wujin Building is now full and no longer accepting external applications. Are you satisfied now?”
Qian Youwen smiled faintly. “But I heard there are still invitation quotas.”
“Heh,” Xiao Shan stared at him as if watching a joke. “Professor Qian, do you think you deserve it?”
“Why wouldn’t I?” Qian Youwen straightened his collar and lifted his chin slightly. “In academic achievements, I’m not inferior to any peer in the field.”
“Bullsh*t!”
Before Xiao Shan could speak, Xu Kaiqing, who had been hiding in the inner room, couldn’t hold back any longer and suddenly rushed out.
“You shameless thing! Not inferior to any peer in the field? Haha, that’s a joke! If I were you, I’d have rolled away as far as possible already. And you still want to apply to move into the Wujin Building? Who gave you the courage? Your opportunism? Your shamelessness? Or your rotten black heart?”
Qian Youwen’s expression changed abruptly. “Why are you here?!”
“Heh… I’m a specially appointed professor at Ming University. If I’m not here, where would I be? And you, what are you even supposed to be?!”
“Xu Kaiqing, watch your mouth! Don’t insult people!”
“Hah? You? Worth insulting? Qian Youwen, you really think too highly of yourself!”
“President Xiao, I respect you as the president of Ming University. From the moment I entered, I’ve shown nothing but respect. Are you really going to let Xu Kaiqing act like a mad dog and bark wildly at a guest right in front of you?”
Seeing that he couldn’t outargue Xu Kaiqing, Qian Youwen’s eyes shifted as he began to borrow Xiao Shan’s authority.
He thought: Xu Kaiqing was merely a specially appointed professor, while Xiao Shan was the head of the university. It was equivalent to an employee behaving arrogantly in front of the boss, who could tolerate that?
It would be best if Xiao Shan exploded in anger and dismissed Xu Kaiqing, that old fellow!
It could only be said that Qian Youwen was thinking too much and being clever in the wrong way.
He didn’t understand Xiao Shan’s personality at all, nor did he know the countless connections between these two and Jiang Fuyue.
Xu Kaiqing was a friend Jiang Fuyue cared about, while Xiao Shan was a partner Jiang Fuyue valued.
Just based on that alone, even if the two had disagreements, they would unite against outsiders. Not to mention that they had no conflicts at all and actually worked together quite happily.
Xiao Shan raised an eyebrow. “Mad dog? Who are you calling that?”
“Of course I’m calling Xu Kaiqing!”
“Oh, right, so a mad dog really is barking at Professor Xu.”
Qian Youwen froze for two seconds before realizing what he meant. His eyes widened in disbelief. “You, you actually called me a mad dog?!”
Xiao Shan said, “Aren’t you? And you even have the nerve to say you’re a guest? I’ve never seen a guest who walks in and confidently begs for food! Forget that the Wujin Building has no empty spots now, even if it did, it would absolutely never be given to you!”
Qian Youwen trembled with anger. His face turned red, then pale, then green. Finally he flicked his sleeve and stormed off, “Even if you invited me, I wouldn’t come to this rotten place!”
Want to show your support? Go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! :)
