Suspending Studies

Professor Wang Xi's office was filled with the whirring of a printer.

Chen Chen sat on the sofa to one side, his hands clasped together as he silently watched the old man by the window, whose white hair had been dyed red by the setting sun.

Professor Wang Xi wore reading glasses as he flipped through the printed materials. Other than that, the entire office was eerily quiet.

The silence was unusual, and Chen Chen could not help glancing at the walls and doorframe.

The wall around the doorframe was far thicker than normal, measuring a full thirty to forty centimeters.

In other words, this room—twice the size of Zheng Jian's office—had been soundproofed. It might even have contained insulation and bulletproof layers.

It had to be said that the benefits enjoyed by a senior academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences really were different.

"Sigh..."

After an unknown amount of time, Professor Wang Xi suddenly sighed after finishing the final page.

Chen Chen immediately perked up.

"I'm old."

Professor Wang Xi turned his head and looked at Chen Chen with a smile. "I really am old. Back then, I was already over thirty by the time I could write papers at your level."

"Professor Wang, you're a pillar of the nation. I wouldn't dare compare myself to you," Chen Chen quickly said.

"Did you check them for plagiarism?" Professor Wang Xi smiled but did not say much else.

"Not yet."

"Then I'll check them for you. It'll save you the money."

As he spoke, Professor Wang Xi opened CNKI and uploaded both papers.

A while later, the results came out. The higher similarity rate between the two papers was only fifteen percent, while the lower one was just five percent.

"Not bad."

Professor Wang Xi nodded in satisfaction, and the last trace of concern in his heart vanished.

It was not that he did not trust Chen Chen. Rather, he simply could not believe that these two seasoned, incisive papers had come from a first-year undergraduate.

In fact, let alone first-year students, few of the doctoral students under him possessed this level of skill.

The only regret was that he could not see the firsthand data.

"I originally thought that if there were any shortcomings in the papers, I could help you revise them. But I never expected this..."

Professor Wang Xi shook his head. "Which journal are you planning to submit to?"

"Xia Yin, Wang Wei, and I discussed it. We're planning to submit to Cell," Chen Chen replied.

"That works. Of these two papers, 'Stem Cells Reconstruct the Immune System' can definitely get into Cell. The other one is slightly weaker, but it's not without hope."

Professor Wang Xi said proudly, "If you really manage to get both papers into Cell, you'll truly bring honor to our School of Life Sciences. No wonder that brat Zheng Jian has gotten ideas."

"You taught me well, sir," Chen Chen quickly said.

"Don't keep flattering me. Wouldn't I know whether I taught you or not?"

Professor Wang Xi glared at Chen Chen. "All right, if you're submitting them, send them from here. I'll cover the publication fees for now."

"Professor Wang, actually, there's one more thing I need to ask your help with..." Chen Chen hesitated before suddenly speaking.

When Chen Chen left Professor Wang Xi's office, he had an extra form in his hands.

It was a <University Student Entrepreneurship Loan Application Form>.

Although Professor Wang Xi had been shocked and puzzled when he learned that Chen Chen wanted to suspend his studies to start a business, after Chen Chen demonstrated biology knowledge comparable to that of a graduate student, he fell completely silent.

Indeed, the school no longer had anything it could teach Chen Chen.

After some hesitation, Professor Wang Xi proposed that Chen Chen become his disciple and study under him. He even offered him benefits comparable to those of a doctoral student.

Both the status and benefits were practically equivalent to grooming a successor.

If Chen Chen agreed, he would have a top academic giant guiding him in the academic world. Within twenty years, Chen Chen could be promoted to associate professor or even full professor, and might even have a chance of entering the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Without NZT-48, this was already the kind of treatment that let one soar straight to the heavens.

However, Chen Chen knew his own circumstances best, so he could only apologize as he declined.

Professor Wang Xi was clearly regretful after being turned down, but without a second thought, he signed his name on Chen Chen's <University Student Entrepreneurship Loan Application Form>.

The amount Chen Chen had filled in on the loan application was the maximum amount available—

One million.

Chen Chen could only silently remember Professor Wang Xi's care and trust.

The so-called <University Student Entrepreneurship Loan Application Form> was an unsecured, no-guarantor credit loan offered by banks and other lending institutions to students from various universities.

To support university students starting businesses, the Central Continent Region government had specifically set aside a large sum of money. Whether currently enrolled or already graduated, anyone over eighteen was eligible to apply for this loan.

Of course, being eligible to apply was one thing; whether the application would be approved was another.

But with Professor Wang Xi's guarantee, everything was naturally different.

Next, Chen Chen began running around to handle all sorts of paperwork.

After submitting his application for a leave of absence, Chen Chen informed his three roommates, then began processing the loan application.

To obtain the loan, Chen Chen first needed to establish a company of his own.

So, Chen Chen registered a company with the Bureau of Industry and Commerce named "Black Light Biotechnology Co., Ltd."

As for any deeper meaning behind the name, Chen Chen truly had none. He chose it simply because it sounded badass.

Originally, Chen Chen had wanted to call it "Morningstar Biotechnology," but the name Morningstar had already been taken, so he could only change it to Black Light.

Fortunately, the government had greatly simplified the loan procedures in order to support college students starting businesses, and Chen Chen had already taken care of the most difficult part: getting the signature.

Thus, after waiting only two days, he received a call from the Finance Bureau.

"The money's already arrived?"

Chen Chen shot upright in bed, his face lighting up with delight. "Thank you, I understand!"

After hanging up, Chen Chen hurriedly opened his phone.

Sure enough, there was a text notification showing that one million had been deposited into the company's bank account.

Seeing the one million, even Chen Chen, still under the effects of the medication, could not help but look delighted.

Chen Chen's original plan had been to submit his paper first, wait three or four months for it to be approved, and then let the university learn of it. By then, applying for the loan would have been much easier.

Yet because of Zheng Jian, his plan had instead been pushed forward by more than three months!

What he needed to do next was simple.

With that thought, Chen Chen turned on his computer and typed in the words "Shangdu Industrial Park."

Shangdu Industrial Park was a municipal industrial park approved by the Shangdu City government years ago. Its planned area covered 20.54 square kilometers, with over a hundred factories and businesses of varying sizes located within it, spanning dozens of industries.

What Chen Chen needed to do was find a factory available for rent and use its industrial electricity to charge the USB Drive.

After searching for a long time, Chen Chen finally chose a medium-sized oxygen plant.

Due to innovations in steelmaking technology across the district, many factories and industries that had once consumed large amounts of oxygen had reduced their demand for industrial oxygen. Left with no choice, the plant had begun taking measures such as laying off workers to cut costs.

However, those technological innovations soon spread throughout the district. With its aging equipment, poor oxygen production quality, and insufficient funds to replace its machinery, the oxygen plant could only suspend operations for restructuring and was on the verge of bankruptcy.

What Chen Chen wanted was precisely this sort of cheap factory with enormous power consumption.

Thanks to [Kun Fei Kun_Die Fei Die] and [Flat-Chested Ling] for the donations, and thank you all for your recommendation votes. You're all so generous~