Chapter 74

"What the heck is this?" After staring intently at the phone screen for a long time, Yang Chen finally had to give up and turned to ask Chen Aiping a question that left her speechless.

The formulas and data written on the paper in the photo were all common things in the field of metal materials research. He had thought that since Yang Chen could stay alone in the lab for two days and two nights, he must be a researcher of some caliber. Who would have thought he was a complete novice!

Faced with Chen Aiping's somewhat strange gaze, Yang Chen awkwardly coughed a couple of times and then tried to change the subject, "Well, Yuanbang Steel Group is, after all, a profit-oriented private enterprise..."

"I understand that!" Chen Aiping said with a bitter smile. "But... sigh, never mind. I'll try to find someone else to help. Sorry for disturbing you..."

"Don't leave just yet." Yang Chen had a pretty good impression of Chen Aiping. Seeing her deeply affected, he said with a smile, "I may not understand these formulas and data, but I can forward them to someone who can."

As he spoke, he took back his phone, connected it to Chen Aiping's phone via Bluetooth, and sent the photo to his own phone. Then he edited it into a multimedia message and sent it to Hou Xunan, who was still doing theoretical research in Jinzhou.

Taking advantage of the time, Yang Chen asked Chen Aiping, "Is your husband also a metal materials researcher?"

"Yes, he is," Chen Aiping nodded.

"Is he also a professor at your Shazhou University of Science and Technology?" Yang Chen looked at Chen Aiping, who, though in her forties, still had a certain charm, and asked casually, "Why doesn't the school provide funding?"

"He used to be a professor at Shazhou University of Science and Technology and was also my doctoral advisor..." Chen Aiping seemed a bit embarrassed when talking about this, "But later, something happened, and he left the school..."

"Oh... What kind of project is he working on now?" Yang Chen asked, feeling a bit restless. After all, she had just shown him a bunch of formulas and data... Unfortunately, he couldn't understand any of it!

"He is now working on liquid metal research..." After confirming that Yang Chen was a complete novice, Chen Aiping tried to make her husband's research project as straightforward as possible to avoid using technical terms that might hurt Yang Chen's self-esteem...

"Oh... liquid metal." Yang Chen finally understood and nodded, asking, "How long has he been working on it?"

"...Almost twenty years." Chen Aiping was sweating, forcing a smile, "He has been working on this research all along."

"Any results?" Yang Chen thought for a moment and asked, "For example, has he published any papers in academic journals?"

"None yet..."

"None in twenty years?" Yang Chen looked at Chen Aiping in shock, and now it was her turn to feel awkward.

No wonder a university professor couldn't stay at the school. In today's society, where short-term projects are popular, long-term research spanning one or two decades is only undertaken by a few top scholars with government support.

If a regular university professor were to engage in such long-term research... it would be no less than setting himself up for failure! No wonder he was kicked out...

Just as Chen Aiping was awkwardly at a loss for words, Yang Chen's phone rang.

The call was from Hou Xunan. Yang Chen answered, "Hello."

"Mr. Yang, I've seen the photo you just sent me," Hou Xunan paused and said, "It's some research data on liquid metal, but it seems very partial. Do you have more detailed data?"

"Even the partial data... can you make any sense of it?" Yang Chen asked, holding the phone.

"This liquid metal is called 'Tenglong B7 Type 17th Generation Liquid Metal'..."

"Anything else?"

"It's deformable in liquid form..."

"... Anything else?"

"Nothing else..." Hou Xunan laughed bitterly, "Those data and formulas don't really mean much."

"Got it, thanks." Yang Chen nodded silently.

After hanging up, he turned to Chen Aiping and said, "Professor Chen, about this matter..."

"I understand..." Chen Aiping smiled bitterly, "You don't need to explain anything to me. To be honest, I'm almost losing faith in this project myself... If it weren't for my husband Zhao Jianshu's persistence, I would have given up long ago... Thank you. I'll think of other ways..."

Yang Chen looked at her apologetically. It wasn't until Chen Aiping mentioned her husband's name that a flash of lightning-like memory from his previous life suddenly appeared in his mind, and some of his past memories resurfaced!

"Wait..." Chen Aiping had already opened the passenger door, but Yang Chen suddenly called out to her.

"What is it?" Chen Aiping was taken aback.

"You said your husband's name is Zhao Jianshu?!" Yang Chen stared at Chen Aiping, not quite believing the fragmented memories that were resurfacing. Could he really be that lucky...

"Yes, his name is Zhao Jianshu..." Chen Aiping looked at Yang Chen strangely, not understanding what he meant by asking this.

"Do you have a photo of him?" Yang Chen tried to control his inner excitement and asked Chen Aiping calmly, "Can I see it?"

"Of course." Chen Aiping nodded and found a photo of her husband Zhao Jianshu in her phone's photo album.

When Yang Chen saw the square-faced, square-jawed face on the screen, a tidal wave of emotion surged in his heart! Holy crap, it really is him!!

Zhao Jianshu, a Chinese-British national, a lifetime member of Oxford University, the president of the Super Metal Division of the European Church's Institute of the Supernatural, a world-renowned scholar, and the president of the European 'Global Liquid Superfund Metal Association'...

Countless superlative titles flashed through Yang Chen's mind in an instant!

Yang Chen almost instinctively asked, "Is your husband a Chinese-British national?"

"Who told you that? What a joke..." Chen Aiping was amused by Yang Chen's question. "Old Zhao has never taken any other nationality; he is a genuine Chinese citizen!"

"..." Yang Chen fell silent.

This doesn't make sense... In his previous life, when Zhao Jianshu was hailed as the greatest 'metal materials authority expert' of the century due to his great achievements in the field of 'liquid superfund metal,' his publicly disclosed resume stated that he had been studying in the UK at Oxford University since the early 1990s... How could it be like this?

Zhao Jianshu was still in China? This conflicted greatly with Yang Chen's memory!

But Zhao Jianshu's photo couldn't be fake. Although Yang Chen had never met Zhao Jianshu in his previous life, he had seen his photos. The current Zhao Jianshu looked quite different from his successful self, but the facial features were unmistakable!

Yang Chen was 100% sure that Chen Aiping's husband Zhao Jianshu was the founder of 'liquid superfund metal' from his previous life!

The 'liquid superfund metal' developed by Zhao Jianshu itself had terrible properties, but when various raw materials were added, its malleability was simply insane!

The term 'superfund' in 'liquid superfund metal' means... super fundamental!

In the future, various new materials developed based on this liquid superfund metal were almost universally applied in human life. As the developer of liquid superfund metal, the glory surrounding Zhao Jianshu was so overwhelming that it could scare anyone!

And now... Chen Aiping was still struggling with his research project!

After a long silence, Yang Chen weakly asked, "If you still can't get funding, what are your next plans?"

"A few days ago, I asked a friend to submit several project application letters to foreign research institutions..." Chen Aiping smiled bitterly. "If a foreign institution is interested, my husband will definitely choose to go abroad, as this project has been his life's work..."

"Good, good..." Yang Chen felt a layer of fine sweat on his forehead for some inexplicable reason! He took a deep breath and said to Chen Aiping, "Let's settle this matter."

"What?"

"I'll help your husband with the research funding," Yang Chen made a very pleased decision, "But he has to move his lab to Jinzhou. If there are any results, he will enjoy academic honors and subsequent benefits. During this process, I can provide him with sufficient funding support!"

"..." Chen Aiping was almost stunned by Yang Chen's cheerful decision.

She was stunned for over half a minute before she came to her senses with great joy, "That's great!! Are you serious?!"

"Of course! I always speak my mind and never joke around!" Yang Chen checked the time and said to Chen Aiping, "Since it's still early, why don't you show me the way to your husband's lab? We can discuss any issues face-to-face!"

"Thank you... thank you..." Chen Aiping was almost in tears with excitement!

But she didn't know that Yang Chen, sitting in the driver's seat, was already thinking far and wide! This is liquid superfund metal! I'm going to be rich... Instantly feeling more confident and proud!

Yang Chen was deeply moved. Since his rebirth, good things just kept coming one after another!

If he remembered correctly, adding the powder of Nine Meteorite Gold Rock to the liquid superfund metal could instantly produce a large number of high-standard parts! The super malleability of liquid metal was astonishing!

But he didn't know how far Zhao Jianshu's current research had progressed. Was he intentionally researching in this direction, or was it a lucky accident?

Regardless, Yang Chen felt he had found a treasure! In terms of significance, Zhao Jianshu even surpassed Hou Xunan by a wide margin! Because Zhao Jianshu's research results truly and completely changed the future life of Earth's humans!

He couldn't wait to meet him...

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