Su Mucheng blinked herrge eyes, watching Li Jian Gao converse with her crush, a surge of surrealism flooding her heart, enough to make her dizzy.


    It was probably like how an ordinary person feels in the moonlight, holding their first love, when they can''t help but tremble at the moment they lean in for a kiss.


    Although she had already confirmed that Qiao Ze must be the most intelligent person she had ever met in her life.


    But she had never imagined that Qiao Ze''s eptance within the school''s academic circles could be so high.


    He hadn''t even officially started university, and the professor was already letting him do independent research projects?


    Even graduate students don''t have this capability, do they?


    Thus, in her twinklingrge eyes, that stark, possessive sentiment thickened.


    Just like a demon in "Journey to the West" seeing the elegant Monk Tang.


    Fortunately, two pure-hearted engineering students, when discussing serious matters, did not notice the girl''s expression at that moment.


    …


    "Whew, Qiao Ze... Never mind, anyway, let''s just focus on doing the preliminary theoretical research for now. Here, take these." Saying this, Li Jian Gao handed over the document bag he had prepared the night before to Qiao Ze.


    "Hmm?" Qiao Ze took the document bag, a slight surprise in his eyes.


    "Some preparatory work for your uing formal research. Inside are application materials, just take a nce to get an idea of the procedure, it will be usefulter on. There''s also a notebook with my ID and password noted down. I have two hundred hours of supeputer usage time on campus every month, which allows free ess to the university''s supeputing resources.


    If it exceeds that, I''ll need to buy more, but it''s cheaper than what you would pay.


    Additionally, you can use my ount to log in to the library''s backend system. The privileges are higher than those of regr students, allowing you to directly download all the papers collected by the library, both domestic and international. But you have to use the university''s indexing system to ess them. I''ve put the usage instructions in the bag as well. Oh right..."


    As he spoke, Li Jian Gao reached into his pocket and pulled out a bank card which he handed over directly: "Take this card, it has fifty thousand yuan in it, consider it the initial funding for the project. The password is the first and thest three digits of the number you get when encrypting your birthday with the function Y=2X."


    Qiao Ze took the bank card Li Jian Gao offered and asked, "Why do you have to pay? Didn''t Professor Zhang say there was special research funding avable?"


    Li Jian Gao sighed and said, "This is one of the reasons I never thought you''de to our university. At Xilin University of Technology, mathematics and physics are not priority disciplines, so the university tends to allocate research funds to engineering schools that produce results, like mechanical engineering, electrical, automation,puter science, etc.


    That''s why funding for our academy is quite tight.


    But it''s all right. Just make sure to get receipts for the money you spend on this project, and I''ll send you the invoice headerter on WeChat. As long as the preliminary papers are published and the journals meet the university''s minimum requirements, I can get reimbursed once the academy''s special research fund has money again. And if it''s a core paper, there''s even a reward."


    Li Jian Gao''s words made Qiao Ze frown, then he asked, "But the so-called research achievements posted on the academy''s official website seem to have no significance at all, whether academically or practically. They are even less useful than your research. Why do they get funding?"


    This question from Qiao Ze made Li Jian Gao subconsciously nce at the door of the small private room and then at Su Mucheng, who was staring intently at Qiao Ze, which somewhat calmed him.


    There was no helping it, Qiao Ze''s statement was the sort to offend people! And it could potentially offend the senior professors with the deepest tenure in the School of Mathematics.


    He didn''t know how to exin it to Qiao Ze.


    Li Jian Gao feared telling Qiao Ze directly that the allocation of domestic scientific research funds was a matter of seniority and connections, as it might affect the young man''s enthusiasm for research.


    But looking at Qiao Ze''s unconvinced gaze, after a moment of reflection, he exined gently, "Qiao Ze, do you remember what I told you? This world isn''t like you imagine, where achievements are always recognized. However, you haven''t achieved anything yet, so of course, you won''t be acknowledged.


    Maybe you saw on the official website that the recent ouesck highlights. But those professors had sessful projects in the past! That''s how academia works, the vast majority start unnoticed and then slowly umte until they are recognized. Including myself, we are still in the stage of umting.


    If you were Dean Xu now, managing the allocation of research funds, would you distribute the money to professors who have already proven themselves or to schrs who are still in the stage of umting?"


    Qiao Ze thought for a moment, then said, "I would take a close look, then evaluate, and allocate the funds to those with fascinating and innovative ideas."


    "This…"


    Li Jiangao let out a sigh, he had enough, and didn''t want to exin further, so he said, "Alright, that''s the situation. In any case, prove yourself first. Only when you are strong can you withstand any external interference. Fifty thousand should be about enough for preliminary theoretical research, and if it''s not enough,e talk to me. I will find a way."


    Having said that, Li Jiangao looked at Su Mucheng and instructed, "Su Mucheng, some of thements Qiao Ze just made, especially regarding the recent research results of the faculty, make sure you don''t spread them around after you go back."


    Su Mucheng reluctantly shifted her gaze away from Qiao Ze''s face, looked at Li Jiangao, and revealed a sweet signature smile, saying, "Don''t worry, Professor Li, I won''t! By the way, can I join too? Of course, I''m such a klutz, I definitely won''t be doing research. I don''t want any credit for it, I just want to help you promote it!"


    Li JianGao was slightly stunned, "Promote? Promote what?"


    Su Mucheng looked up with admiration and continued, "Of course, to promote the project you are working on! Even though I don''t know what project Qiao Ze wants to work on, I feel it''s definitely going to be interesting, and the useful kind. Those who work in silence definitely deserve to be promoted."


    Qiao Ze frowned and corrected her, "At most, you are just not the smartest kind; how could you be considered clumsy?"


    Li JianGao watched these two kids with a mix of amusement and embarrassment.


    Well, to be honest, Su Mucheng, of course, couldn''t be considered clumsy; in fact, she ought to be considered quite clever.


    If a girl who has been consistently ranked first in her ss for ten years isn''t considered smart, then the rest of the students in her grade could only be described as blockheads.


    Butpared to Qiao Ze...


    So, is this what the world of geniuses looks like?


    Li JianGao suddenly smiled, it seemed he really shouldn''t apply those conventional thoughts to n the lives of two kids brimming with youthful energy and amazing talent.


    Maybe his experience waspletely irrelevant to these two youngsters?


    Perhaps all he needed to do was to silently provide them with support.


    After all, his talent may not even be a tenth of what this kid in front of him had.


    And in the academic field, one percent of talent is far more important than ny-nine percent of hard work.


    The former determines the upper limit, while thetter can only raise the lower limit by a little.


    "Alright then, that''s decided. Qiao Ze, I won''t restrain you, but if you need anything or are troubled, contact me anytime! Let''s eat now."