Chapter 10 — After I Resigned, the Whole Academic World Upraised

Three days passed in the blink of an eye. Those three days. University A experienced an unprecedented earthquake. The appearance of the joint investigation team was like a sharp surgical blade. Directly dissecting the toxic tumor hidden under the school's flashy exterior. Vice Principal Liu and Zhou Zhiyuan were the first people to be temporarily quarantined for investigation. Pluck radishes. Pulling all the roots along. A tangled network of interests was quickly uprooted. From appropriating research funds. Buying and selling enrollment quotas. Up to commissions on infrastructure construction projects. Each incident is exposed. Gives people chills down their spines. Principal Vuong was also suspended pending trial. The entire administrative system of University A is almost paralyzed. On campus. Everyone feels uneasy. Rumors spread throughout forums and chat groups. People are considered the cause of everything. Again like a person standing outside the storm. The past three days. My team and I completed a seemingly impossible task. We moved the entire lab. Don't leave anything behind. From transmission electron microscopes worth tens of millions of yuan. Up to each glass dish used in the experiment. All equipment is carefully packaged by a professional shipping team. Loaded onto specialized heat-retaining trucks. Outside sealing:

“NATIONAL STRATEGIC MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION.”

Complete research documents. Complete experimental data. All are digitally converted and physically backed up under our direct supervision. When the last box was loaded onto the truck. Everyone stood in the middle of the empty laboratory. Has preserved ten years of youth. Ten years of sweat. Ten years of our dream. On the wall there are still pen strokes recording the formula. There are still chemical traces on the floor from failed experiments. Everything is so familiar that it makes people's hearts sting. Ly Triet stepped forward and gently stroked the wall that had discolored over the years. His eyes were red again.

“Miss Hua, I can't bear it.”

“Me too…” A female graduate student standing next to her whispered.

I smiled.

“There is no party in this world that doesn't end.”

“This place is just the starting point of our story.”

“A bigger world awaits.”

“Let's go, guys.”

“Go and embrace your new life.”

I was the last person to walk out of the lab. Gently close the door. The sign in front of the door with the words "Associate Professor Hua Tinh" has long been taken down, leaving only a clean, unmarked wall. Like ten years of my youth. Ever existed. Ever fought. Used to burn out. Then quietly left. Don't bring anything. Downstairs, specialized vehicles sent by Tsinghua University had been waiting for a long time. Twenty-six people. Twenty-six hearts carry the same dream. We boarded the car one by one. No one looked back. Goodbye University A. Capital International Airport. A silver Gulfstream business jet is quietly parked in the VIP parking area. Professor Tien and several people who appeared to be the academy's leaders personally waited at the foot of the plane's stairs. Just looked see me. He immediately stepped forward.

“Professor Hua!”

“Welcome home!”

He squeezed my hand. That handshake was strong and warm. His eyes were filled with sincerity and respect. Those two words made my heart suddenly soften. For a scientist. A place that allows you to develop your talents. A place that truly recognizes your worth. That is home.

“Professor Tien, you have really bothered everyone.”

“What's the matter?”

He laughed loudly.

“It is our great honor to be able to invite you and your entire research team to Thanh Hoa!”

Then he introduced each person standing in the back. Director of the Academy of Materials. Secretary of the academy. With two white-haired academicians famous in the academic world. Everyone enthusiastically shook my hand. Say the most sincere words of welcome. There is no formality whatsoever. There is only respect between people pursuing the same science. The students standing behind me all looked dumbfounded. The scene looks like this. Before, you only saw it on the news. Ly Triet secretly leaned close to my ear.

“Miss Hua…”

“I feel like I'm dreaming.”

I patted his back gently.

“This is not a dream.”

“This is what you deserve.”

“From today onwards, each of you must hold your heads high.”

“Because your names will be associated with the two words Thanh Hoa.”

“You must be worthy of that honor.”

“It's more important to be worthy of your own years of effort.”

After stepping on the plane, the luxurious interior made people like us who only know the laboratory all year round a bit confused. The flight attendants continuously brought exquisite meals and thoughtfully prepared drinks. The plane took off steadily. Through the white clouds. I sit by the window. Quietly looking down at the ground below. The city is getting smaller and smaller.