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Chapter 15: 15

A few minutes later, Chen Chen walked out of the library with a calm expression .

This was different from how he usually left late at night . At the moment, it was not yet two in the afternoon and a girl in black-rimmed glasses was trailing behind him obediently .

Both of them had been “invited out” of the reading room by the manager and a crowd of students .

6

“Can you really do it?”

The girl appeared to be wavering . “What if your research produces no results? Won’t my money be wasted?”

“That depends on how rich you are then . ”

3

Chen Chen turned around, his eyes serene and composed without any hint of pleading . “You’re from a single-parent family . ”

“How did you know?”

Her eyes widened . She had never told anyone about her family situation . Otherwise, she would have thought this guy had investigated her background .

“You said before that you wanted to show your father you can become a postgraduate student . On the surface, there’s nothing strange about this statement . But combine this with the fact that you’re taking sleeping pills, it’s clear that your father is very important to you . At the same time, there’s a deep conflict between you two . ”

2

Chen Chen continued . “You have a rebellious streak, so the conflict must be about studies . You wish to continue studying while your father has other plans for you… Let me guess, since it’s still too early for you to start a family, your father must want you to help manage his company . ”

3

“How did you know?”

The girl asked in shock in an even higher-pitched voice .

“If you had a brother, your father wouldn’t request this of you . Clearly, you don’t have one, so you’re an only daughter . Your relationship with your father is so rigid but three feet of frost doesn’t form over a single winter’s day . If you had a mother to soothe things over, you wouldn’t reach the point of taking sleeping pills . Thus, there’s a high possibility that your mother isn’t with your father .

5

“Plus, your parents aren’t divorced because barring exceptional circumstances, the courts in Mainland China would usually grant custody of a daughter to the mother . However, you’re with your father, so I deduced that you’re from a single-parent family . ”

6

“I…” The girl opened her mouth with a dazed expression .

Chen Chen looked at the time and hurried toward the dorm as he said, “It’s rare for a female student to harbor such ambitions . You come from a life of luxury, so money and fame aren’t a big deal to you . At this point, you’re simply determined to gain your father’s approval and so, you waver between his wishes and your desires . ”

The girl was thoroughly stunned . “How did you know…”

4

“I’m just good at observation . ” Chen Chen flashed a quick, harmless smile .

10

“Then… What do you think I should do?” The girl could not refrain from asking . Without realizing it, she was hanging onto Chen Chen’s every word .

“That’s up to you . ”

Chen Chen changed the subject . “In most cases, the personalities of kids from single-parent families would have one flaw or another . You’re no exception . Now, you’re still young and you don’t understand what a father’s love is like . Perhaps from your perspective, your father is occupied with work all day and has little time to care for you, leading to a distant relationship between you two . In truth, deep down, there’s no way you don’t understand how much your father loves you . ”

1

The girl was instantly silent .

2

“Putting aside the age and gender gap, your relationship with him is in this state today mostly because of you . When you were little, you resented him for not spending time with you . Now, you resent him for not letting you continue your studies . To be honest, this is a display of immaturity . ”

6

“So, you’re saying I should give up on advancing my studies?” the girl questioned, somewhat dejected .

“No, you should continue your studies . ”

“Huh?” She stared at Chen Chen in surprise . Before this, she had almost been convinced by what he said .

“A father’s love is reserved . He won’t tell you how much he loves and cares for you, but this doesn’t mean that the love isn’t there . ”

Chen Chen explained, “It’s simple enough to bridge this gap between you two . Over one meal, in one honest conversation, it can be resolved . But this doesn’t mean that you should obey him by taking over the company .

“After all, one’s learning lasts a lifetime . Although you’re not concerned about money, this endeavor represents your determination . If you want to repay your father, do so with the best version of you . Although a father’s love is a great thing, you still have your own convictions . ”

Having said this, Chen Chen exhaled and smiled at her . “That’s what I think, anyway . Let go of your grudge and make things up with your father . Would that go against your determination to continue your studies? No, it wouldn’t . ”

“You’re right!”

The girl’s eyes shone with a resolute glint and there was a trace of gratitude in her glance toward Chen Chen . “I must have my persistence and convictions!”

‘Ah, if you don’t have any convictions, how can I carry out my experiments? When your relationship with your father is mended, I could get more funding…”

5

Chen Chen smiled and looked at her with a steady gaze . There was no sign that his mind was on other things . “So, what do you think?”

“Okay, I’m willing to try it!”

The girl nodded vigorously until her tiny face was flushed . She reached out to Chen Chen with one hand . “You don’t know my name yet, right? I’m Xia Yin from Grade 17, Biotechnology Class . ”

‘Summer dusk? Summer sounds? Oh, it’s Xia Yin1 . ’

There was something special about this name .

“Spring waters are like sapphire; summer grass is like a bed1; autumn leaves are like butterflies; winter snows are like blossoms . What a beautiful name . ”

7

Chen Chen shook her slender hand .

“Wow, you remember that piece of prose?”

The girl looked up in delight . “I’d thought you’d be like the rest…”

6

“In what way?”

“No, nothing . ”

Xia Yin smiled awkwardly, then hastened to change the subject . “Oh, right, when do you plan on starting your experiments? How do I help you?”

“It’ll be winter break in a few days . I’ll apply to stay on campus but if the lab includes an employee lounge, that’ll be ideal . ”

Chen Chen listed out the conditions . “That’s number one . Number two, the lab must meet GMP standards1, because some of the experiments I do will be related to stem cells . Therefore, the lab must have an ultra-clean workstation as well as micromanipulators, high-speed centrifuges, blood cell separators, biosafety cabinets, low-temperature refrigerators, and other equipment . ”

“But I haven’t rented a lab before…”

Xia Yin looked troubled . “Other than the labs on campus, where else can I find one, and how do I rent it?”

She was a pampered young lady who had everything done for her . She did not even know how to do this…

1

“In that case, I’ll do the renting . ”

Chen Chen spoke carelessly, “Still, you’d better prepared a significant amount of money . After all, renting a lab like that won’t come cheap . ”

“So… How much money, roughly speaking?”

Xia Yin wore a solemn expression, demonstrating her readiness .

“A GMP-level laboratory would include at least five or six rooms of various functions, over three hundred square meters or so . According to the current market, renting one square meter would cost about RMB 5, so a lab like that would cost at least forty to fifty thousand a month . ”

“Phew, that’s not a lot . ”

3

When she heard this, Xia Yin sighed in relief .

“That’s just the rental, not including the funds for the experiments . ”

Chen Chen shook his head . “I can carry out three experiments at once . If all goes well, they’ll be completed in three months . The funds plus the rental might come up to around three hundred thousand . ”

“That much?”

Xia Yin gasped sharply and Chen Chen’s heart clenched tightly .

Just when Chen Chen thought she was going to change her mind, Xia Yin suddenly exhaled with a righteous, generous expression . “Looks like I can’t hold on to this year’s New Year’s money…”

15

“…”

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