“Director Zhao, since the elder is not in good health, why did you bring him all the way to Europe?” Yang Yunhe asked, while comforting the elder, his voice filled with confusion.
“Alas, this is all to fulfill my father’s lifelong regret!” Director Zhao sighed. “Director Yang, you must be aware of the events back then. The experiments to be conducted this time were all personally designed by my father. Therefore, I also hope he can witness his experiments come to fruition with his own eyes. Even though he can’t recall many things now, this is his life’s greatest wish. As a son, how can I not satisfy him?”
“What filial piety!” Yang Yunhe exclaimed, feeling a newfound respect for Director Zhao.
For the next week, Yang Yunhe did not engage in work and did not get to see the high-energy particle collider, which cost tens of billions of dollars. Instead, he stayed in the hotel.
It wasn’t that Director Zhao prevented Yang Yunhe from participating in the experiments. In fact, almost everyone in the delegation was also waiting in the hotel. This made Deputy Director Zhao very unhappy, and he lost his temper several times.
But there was no way around it. It was said that the French National Academy of Sciences was using the equipment, so the originally scheduled time was no longer available. They had to wait for these French people to finish their experiments first.
There was nothing they could do, considering it was European equipment.
Thus, no matter how much Deputy Director Zhao swore, he could only obediently wait in the hotel. After nearly 12 days of waiting, those French academicians finally finished their experiments and vacated the equipment. Deputy Director Zhao could finally lead his team to see this extremely expensive equipment.
But just as Yang Yunhe was marveling at the grandeur of the equipment, another snag appeared. The French suddenly wanted to shorten the time. Originally, it cost 50 million US dollars to rent the entire equipment for a week.
And this time was already very tight for Professor Zhao’s team. He had designed over a hundred different collision experiments, and the adjustment of data before each experiment alone took more than an hour. Coupled with other matters, Deputy Director Zhao had to draw up a timetable precise to the minute, stipulating what needed to be completed within each time slot.
However, when the team arrived at the collider, they were informed that they only had three days left. They had to leave after three days, regardless of whether their experiments were completed.
“This is criminal. We signed a contract for a week’s usage at 50 million US dollars. You have no right to shorten it to three days!” Deputy Director Zhao said furiously to the person in charge of the collider.
“We are very sorry, but this is reality. You only have three days left!” The person in charge wore a polite smile but showed no willingness to budge.
“We don’t care. We must use the equipment for seven days and 175 hours. This is our right, and you have no right to interfere with it!” Deputy Director Zhao stated firmly.
“Indeed, this is your right. However, there is one thing I must remind you of. The high-energy particle collider is a very precise piece of equipment. The damage to any single component could lead to the entire device malfunctioning and becoming unusable!” The person in charge said calmly. “And according to our contract, if the high-energy particle collider malfunctions during use and becomes unusable, the time will still be calculated, and you will also need to bear the repair costs!”
“What are you implying? Are you trying to tell us that if we don’t leave, you intend to damage the equipment?” Yang Yunhe couldn’t help but ask indignantly.
“Oh, God, I did not say anything of the sort. I am merely reminding you of this matter. As for how long you will use it, that is your own decision! I can give you one hour to consider, and after one hour, tell me how long you intend to use it!” With that, the person in charge left, leaving the entire team seething with anger.
“Let’s not do the experiment then. They have already violated the contract by delaying for two weeks. We can immediately cancel this contract and demand compensation of 50 million US dollars and other various expenses from the European High Energy Physics Research Institute. This time, we will definitely let these French know how powerful we are!” Yang Yunhe said with great anger. However, he soon noticed that amidst his anger, Deputy Director Zhao appeared hesitant.
“Professor Zhao, you’re not considering agreeing to their unreasonable demands, are you!” Yang Yunhe couldn’t help but ask.
“Yes, I understand what you mean, but my experiments, and my father’s experiments… we cannot offend the European High Energy Physics Research Institute. There is only one high-capacity collider like this in the entire world!” Professor Zhao spoke hesitantly, finally letting out a deep sigh. Yang Yunhe instantly understood the meaning behind Deputy Director Zhao’s words.
If they demanded a refund, then Jiangnan Group and the European High Energy Physics Research Institute would be completely at odds. It was likely that Jiangnan Group would never have the opportunity to use this high-energy particle collider again. Then, the experiments that Deputy Director Zhao and his father had meticulously planned for years, even decades, would all be in vain. Deputy Director Zhao was naturally in great anguish.
Yang Yunhe fell silent, not knowing what to say. He let Deputy Director Zhao ponder alone. Half an hour later, Deputy Director Zhao looked at Yang Yunhe with a pleading gaze, and this gaze clearly conveyed Deputy Director Zhao’s final decision.
“At the very least, I need to report this to the research center and get the opinion of the head office!” Yang Yunhe said.
“Absolutely not. The company will definitely refuse. You know our Boss Huang better than anyone; he can’t stand being wronged. And he would definitely not tolerate such humiliation. He will surely make us give up and sue the European High Energy Physics Research Center!” Deputy Director Zhao said helplessly.
“Then are you just going to endure this humiliation?” Yang Yunhe asked unwillingly.
“It’s alright. I just need to remove some of the experiments from the plan. In fact, the data for many experiments might not be that important. Three days are enough for us to complete the most crucial experiments, and that would be fulfilling my father’s and my dream!” Although Deputy Director Zhao said this, his face was filled with helplessness.
“Fine, I’m done with this. I have no interest in conducting any experiments with you all,” Yang Yunhe said, waving his hand with frustration. He suddenly felt disgusted with Deputy Director Zhao, just as he was disgusted with himself. “I’ll stay outside for these three days!” With that, Yang Yunhe left directly. Deputy Director Zhao breathed a long sigh of relief, then quickly found the arrogant person in charge. Under the condescending smile of the latter, he agreed to this extremely unreasonable demand and immediately began preparations for the experiments.
“Phew, who said people from Jiangnan Group were difficult to deal with? These few Chinese surrendered with just a little scare. We’ve gained another 4 days!” The person in charge returned to his office and said with a smile to several other managers.
These deducted 4 days had nothing to do with the European High Energy Physics Research Institute. It was entirely the work of these few managers and the person in charge, who found channels to sell the equipment usage time.
So, the French academicians who delayed for a full 12 days were actually Americans. These Americans, through the person in charge’s channels, paid a mere 30 million US dollars to secure 12 days of usage rights.
However, these 12 days did not come out of thin air. The world’s physicists were all incredibly eager for the opportunity to use the high-energy particle collider, so the entire schedule of the collider was packed. There was no way to squeeze out 12 days for these individuals to use it.
Therefore, the person in charge naturally thought of squeezing other clients who purchased usage time through normal channels, like the Chinese this time, who were forced to lose 4 days of usage time.
As long as they could find ways to obtain the extra 12 days of usage time from others, they would naturally earn back all the profit.
While the person in charge was happily contemplating this, Yang Yunhe, who had left the research center, found himself in another dilemma.
At this moment, he could call Boss Huang to report this matter, or he could take advantage of the lack of supervision and find a taxi to head straight to the US embassy, and then everything would be over.
Yang Yunhe thought for a long time, and then decided to do both.
First, he directly dialed Tong He’s number and, over the phone, reported the matter concerning Deputy Director Zhao.
“This old Zhao, how could he be so muddled? Is he repeating his father’s old mistakes?” Indeed, upon hearing about this, Tong He was extremely angered and stated that he would report directly to Chairman Huang, then hung up Yang Yunhe’s call.
“Next up should be the call to the US embassy, asking them to send a car to pick me up!” Yang Yunhe took out his phone, just as he was about to dial, when a voice filled with surprise called out from behind, “Yang Yunhe, old classmate, is that really you?”
“Old classmate? I can still meet my classmates here?” Yang Yunhe was startled. His thought of making a phone call naturally vanished, and the voice sounded very familiar.
So Yang Yunhe turned his head and his body couldn’t help but tremble. Because the person speaking to him at this moment was none other than his goddess, the flight attendant school beauty Li Susu, whom he had secretly admired for three years during his school days.