Chen Feng did not answer Wang Ziwei with words. Love, he believed, was demonstrated through actions, not spoken.
And so, they acted for three hours, continuing past two in the morning.
"Teacher Wang, do you still doubt my love for you now?" Chen Feng asked deliberately.
"Chen Feng, you're so wicked. But I like it very much." Wang Ziwei lay contentedly in Chen Feng's arms.
"Teacher Wang, I want to discuss something serious with you," Chen Feng changed the subject.
"I'm already yours, just say it," Wang Ziwei replied blissfully.
"I want to upgrade Jiangcheng University of Technology to a 985 university," Chen Feng stated earnestly.
"Chen Feng, your idea is too much of a leap. Jiangcheng University is currently only a key undergraduate university, and it's a long way from being a top-tier 985 university. It's unrealistic to make Jiangcheng University of Technology a 985 university in a short period," Wang Ziwei advised.
"Teacher Wang, as you've seen, Mingshan City is developing very rapidly. It won't be long before it merges with Jiangcheng to become a super-large prefecture-level city. Without a top-tier 985 university, it will be difficult for Mingshan City, as a super-large prefecture-level city, to maintain its current high-speed development. Therefore, it's essential to cultivate Jiangcheng University of Technology into a 985 university in a short time," Chen Feng said with a serious expression.
"Chen Feng, I understand your urgency. However, some things cannot be rushed. There is a strict quota for 985 universities in China. You can't just get one because you want it. Many provinces in China don't even have a 985 university. Sanshui Province already has one, so it's unrealistic to have another," Wang Ziwei continued to persuade him.
"Teacher Wang, we must have confidence when we do things. Honestly, who would have believed that Mingshan Town, such a small town, could develop into today's economically prosperous county-level city? Haven't we achieved it? Applying for 985 university status is indeed difficult. But no matter how difficult, we must face it head-on. Teacher Wang, others might not know, but you do. My ambition is not just to be a minor official; my ambition is to enter the upper echelons of China's political arena. However, you know better than I do how difficult it is to enter the highest levels of power, especially for someone like me, with no family background and from a rural area. In peacetime, no farmer has ever reached the highest levels of the political arena. Therefore, I must do more extraordinary things than them to have a chance to enter the upper echelons," Chen Feng explained earnestly.
"Chen Feng, I can support you and help you. However, I truly have no ability to help Jiangcheng University of Technology upgrade to a 985 university. As you know, I know nothing about political matters," Wang Ziwei replied with distress. Chen Feng rarely asked her for favors, and when he finally did, she couldn't fulfill it.
"Teacher Wang, you misunderstand. I'm not asking you to find a way to upgrade Jiangcheng University of Technology to a 985 university. I mean, I will find a way to upgrade Jiangcheng University of Technology to a 985 university, and you will be the president, helping me manage it well. With this 985 university, Mingshan City and Jiangcheng City will have a continuous source of talent for development," Chen Feng envisioned.
"You will find a way?" Wang Ziwei asked, stunned.
"Yes, I will find a way. To be honest, I've already thought of a way," Chen Feng said confidently.
"What way?"
"I've inquired, and for a school to apply for 985 status, it must meet two strict conditions. First, it needs a sufficient number of world-class professors. Second, it must have outstanding achievements in university-enterprise cooperation. As for university-enterprise cooperation, Mingshan City doesn't need to worry. Over the years, Mingshan City's technological industries have cooperated with Jiangcheng University of Technology to varying degrees. The value of university-enterprise scientific research has surpassed that of the provincial capital. The biggest problem now is the sufficient number of world-class professors, which Jiangcheng University of Technology is still severely lacking. Therefore, I will focus on helping Jiangcheng University of Technology solve this problem. Once the problem is solved, upgrading Jiangcheng University of Technology to a 985 university will be within easy reach," Chen Feng explained patiently.
"Chen Feng, how do you plan to solve the problem of top professors?" Wang Ziwei asked.
"That's not difficult, we'll use money to attract them."
"Chen Feng, I am a teacher. I understand teachers' matters. Using money can attract top professors to teach at Jiangcheng University of Technology. However, it can only attract a portion. It's very difficult to attract most professors. After all, whether in China or globally, scholars share a common characteristic: they are proud. To be frank, they are only interested in academics, not money. You cannot sway these top professors with money," Wang Ziwei explained.
"Teacher Wang, I've already considered your concern. After all, I also attended university and have been in a university environment. I have a way to solve this problem," Chen Feng replied calmly.
"What way do you have to deal with this problem?" Wang Ziwei asked, full of confusion.
"Since these professors are not interested in money, I won't use money to lure them; I'll use academics. I've decided to invest heavily in Jiangcheng University of Technology to build a large-scale laboratory, even larger than the laboratories at Harvard University in the United States. It can conduct various high-precision and cutting-edge experiments. With this laboratory, those professors who don't care about money will be attracted," Chen Feng said calmly.
"That's a good idea, but building a high-precision laboratory requires enormous funds. Are you sure you want to do this? You are both a political official and a businessman. Investing heavily in a high-precision laboratory might not yield returns for decades, which most people would consider an unprofitable investment. Are you sure you want to proceed?" Wang Ziwei asked earnestly.
"Teacher Wang, if I only wanted to be a minor official, honestly, it wouldn't be worth it. But if I want to become a high-ranking official and enter the upper echelons of China's political arena, it's very worthwhile. Investing heavily in a high-precision laboratory might take decades to yield returns, but once it does, the returns will be immense. It's no exaggeration to say that the merged Mingshan City could rival Hong Kong," Chen Feng replied excitedly.
"Okay, let's assume, for the sake of argument, that investing in Jiangcheng University of Technology is worthwhile in the long run. But the question is, where will this huge sum of money come from?" Wang Ziwei continued to ask.
"From the Mingshan City treasury," Chen Feng stated calmly.
"I thought you would personally fund this," Wang Ziwei said.
"Teacher Wang, I'm not that great. I'm also an ordinary person with personal interests. The money from my companies is used to build connections in the political arena. Moreover, this time, establishing a world-class high-precision laboratory is not a small sum. If I funded it personally, it could very well drain me. If my funds are depleted, it would be extremely difficult for me to navigate the political landscape," Chen Feng explained. Wang Ziwei found Chen Feng to be even more genuine after hearing this. He said what he thought and didn't play games.
"If the Mingshan City treasury funds this, I'm afraid the high-precision laboratory for Jiangcheng University of Technology won't be built. No matter how developed Mingshan City is, it's still a county-level city. The treasury of a county-level city cannot support such a large investment," Wang Ziwei sighed deeply.