Chapter 73

"Stay calm, don't lose your cool..." As soon as he saw the situation escalating, Associate Professor Chen became anxious and hurriedly ran over to stop Xiao Zhang, who was about to call the police, saying, "I think we should notify Director Liu first before doing anything else!"

Xiao Zhang was a distant relative of Director Wang. It was only because of Director Wang's support that he, a graduate from a third-rate university, could stay in the lab and assist with experiments, hoping to eventually secure a permanent position.

However, despite his young age and apparent naivety, Xiao Zhang had been in the lab long enough to understand that his patron, Director Wang, had the least authority among the deputy directors.

Both Director Liu and Director Wang were deputy directors, but the research funding that flowed into the lab from Director Liu's side was at least 20 to 30 million yuan annually, compared to the few million that Director Wang could secure each year. Clearly, Director Liu was much more influential.

Xiao Zhang was not foolish; he knew that offending Director Liu would be too costly for him.

Therefore, when Associate Professor Chen intervened, Xiao Zhang put down his phone and asked with a puzzled look, "What does this have to do with Director Liu?"

While speaking, Associate Professor Chen had already dialed Director Liu's number. Soon, the call was answered.

"Hello, Xiao Chen, what's up?" Director Liu on the other end of the line smiled warmly. His voice suggested he was in his late fifties to early sixties, somewhat aged but still robust.

Associate Professor Chen glanced at Director Wang, who was still sitting on the floor, and lowered her voice, "Director Liu, there's been an incident in the lab... Director Wang got into a conflict with a young man from Yuanbang Group, and they even came to blows. Director Wang was kicked by the young man..."

"Director Wang Haibiao? Wasn't he on a business trip in Japan... When did he come back?" Director Liu asked in surprise, "Why did he get into a conflict with the young man from Yuanbang Group?"

"It seems he just got back... Anyway, the situation is a bit complicated, and it would be best if you could come and see for yourself." Associate Professor Chen and Director Liu had a close relationship. Over the years, Liu had supported her in completing several high-level research papers, which greatly helped her in her promotion to full professor. Out of gratitude, she naturally stood by Liu.

After hearing Associate Professor Chen's words, Liu felt very annoyed. He didn't need much explanation to know that Wang Haibiao was probably making a fuss to catch him off guard!

But Liu wasn't afraid at all. Although there were many procedural issues with lending the lab equipment to Yang Chen for two days, he had already informed the higher-ups. How much trouble could Wang Haibiao cause?

The only thing that would be troublesome was that the young man from Yuanbang Group had hit someone...

This 50,000 yuan sponsorship was not easy to come by! Liu sighed inwardly and said, "Calm them down, I'll be there in about ten minutes!"

"Okay, I understand." Chen nodded in agreement.

Ten minutes later, Liu, dressed in a black Zhongshan suit and wearing a pair of silver-rimmed reading glasses, rushed in. At this point, Director Wang had already been helped to sit on a nearby bench, glaring at Yang Chen and occasionally sneering.

Seeing Liu arrive, Wang Haibiao stood up angrily and pointed at Yang Chen, asking Liu, "Lao Liu, you better give me an explanation for this, or we won't be done!"

"Don't be in a hurry, I just finished a meeting and haven't figured out what's going on yet!" Liu smiled and then turned to Yang Chen with a stern look, "Xiao Yang, what exactly happened? Why did you get into a conflict with Deputy Director Wang?"

Seeing Liu, Yang Chen smiled and pointed at Wang Haibiao, saying, "Director Liu, I borrowed your lab equipment with your personal approval, and I didn't exceed the time limit. I left as soon as my time was up... But this Deputy Director Wang, despite his low rank, has a bad temper. He scolded me without any reason and used foul language, which really deserved a beating!"

"..." Liu was taken aback by Yang Chen's words and coughed, taking a while to recover. He said with a wry smile, "Deputy Director Wang was on a business trip in Japan and just got back, so he's not fully aware of the situation..."

Wang Haibiao, hearing this, felt something was off. Why was Liu trying to smooth things over? He interrupted coldly, "Lao Wang, what you're saying is not right! The lab is funded by the state, and every brick and tile here is a valuable resource! You let an outsider use our lab equipment, disrupting the professors' experiments and bringing in the bad habit of favoritism... How do you plan to explain this?"

Liu, who had already planned his response on the way, smiled calmly and said, "So, Lao Wang, you're not fully aware of the situation... Xiao Yang's use of the lab equipment was reported to Director Ma, and he personally approved it. How did it become something else in your mouth?"

"Uh..." Director Ma was the true boss of the lab, and Wang Haibiao was speechless.

Liu continued, "Moreover, Yuanbang Steel Group has many projects with our lab, providing at least 10 to 20 million yuan in funding annually, and you've applied for part of it... If Director Ma supports a project, how can you make decisions without even asking?"

"I am a deputy director of the lab, and I have the right to inquire about any matters in the lab!" Wang Haibiao's face turned red, and he even forgot about the kick from Yang Chen. He said, "Don't use Director Ma to pressure me!"

"Let's just talk things out, no one is trying to pressure anyone." Liu shook his head and said, "Director Ma is in a meeting at the school. If you have any objections, you can go and talk to him directly!"

"You..." Wang Haibiao was speechless, knowing that he was not favored by Director Ma. If he went to talk to him, he would only be ridiculed, which was not worth it.

At this moment, Yang Chen said, "If there's nothing else, I'll leave now..."

"Sure, you can go." Liu glanced at the livid Wang Haibiao, nodded, and stepped in front of him to clear a path for Yang Chen.

"No, you can't leave!" Wang Haibiao felt a burning sensation on his face. If he let Yang Chen leave like this, he would lose all authority in the lab, and no one would fear him anymore.

Suddenly remembering the kick from Yang Chen, Wang Haibiao said sternly, "You hit someone and want to leave? There's no such easy way out!"

"Who hit who?" Liu asked, feigning surprise.

Wang Haibiao pointed at Yang Chen, "He hit me just now!"

"Did you hit him?" Liu turned to Yang Chen and winked.

"No," Yang Chen said innocently, spreading his hands, "He just fell by accident... What does that have to do with me? A deputy director of a key lab shouldn't be so petty, right?"

"Did anyone see him hit you?" Liu asked Chen Aiping and Xiao Zhang, who were looking away, with a gentle smile.

"I've been having eye problems lately, so I didn't see what happened..." Chen Aiping took a clear stance.

Xiao Zhang lowered his head and mumbled, "When I came out of the office, Director Wang was already sitting on the floor..."

"You see... Lao Wang, even the police wouldn't be able to sort this out!" Liu looked at Wang Haibiao helplessly and said, "Why don't we just let it go? It won't look good if it gets out..."

"You... You..." Wang Haibiao's face turned green, and he stuttered, unable to speak.

Seeing this, Yang Chen shrugged and said goodbye to Liu, then left the lab. Wang Haibiao couldn't even form a complete sentence until Yang Chen was out of the lab.

But this incident reminded him that borrowing someone else's lab was not too difficult, but the bureaucratic issues would inevitably cause trouble. He needed to expedite the plan for the Comprehensive Research Institute!

With this in mind, he started the BMW X6 parked outside the lab.

Just as he was about to get into the car, Chen Aiping ran out of the lab and called, "Wait a moment..."

"Professor Chen, is there anything else?" Yang Chen turned around with a smile.

"Are you from Yuanbang Steel Group?" Chen Aiping glanced at Yang Chen's BMW X6, her mind racing.

Yang Chen nodded and smiled, "Yes, I am..."

"I have something I'd like to discuss with you. Can you spare me a few minutes?" Chen Aiping was almost certain that Yang Chen was at least the son of one of the top executives at Yuanbang Steel Group. After hesitating, she said, "Just three minutes!"

Looking at Chen Aiping curiously, Yang Chen hesitated for a moment and then nodded, "Let's talk in the car."

"Thank you..." Chen Aiping smiled gratefully.

In the car, Chen Aiping first handed her phone to Yang Chen. The screen showed a photo filled with formulas and data, "This is a project my husband is working on... a 360 browser pipeline dehumidifier... I wonder if your company, Yuanbang Steel Group, is interested... in sponsoring it?"

"Ah?" Yang Chen was taken aback but quickly became engrossed in the photo on the phone...

"This is..."