Su Yunbai didn't really believe Huo Qinian's words, even if they sounded like it.

But in this world, no one has ever insisted that someone is interested in her. That's just too narcissistic. So Huo Qinian said so, and Su Yunbai just believed it.

In fact, it didn't make much difference to Su Yunbai whether she believed it or not. She had just changed her work environment and was in a hurry to produce results. Her whole mind was occupied by work, so how could she have the time and energy to pay attention to Huo Qinian?

It was already October, and Su Yunbai was busy applying for projects.

Although she had led large projects and achieved outstanding results, that was in China. Many times, there was a wall between China and the United States. People in the United States may not recognize her experience in China, so Su Yunbai did not dare to point to her past to judge her achievements.

Putting aside her qualifications, all she could rely on was an attractive enough project document.

Su Yunbai put a lot of effort into this.

It was not that Su Yunbai was too concerned about gains and losses, but for her at this stage, it was too important to apply for a project.

It should be said that for any rising scientific researcher working in American universities, the attraction of the project is huge.

In foreign universities, no project means no funding, and no funding means that you can't recruit students, lead a team, or conduct scientific research.

This is a major issue directly related to your career.

Especially when you have made a plan, you are just missing this most critical link. Everything is ready, only the east wind is missing, you can't help but be anxious.

Su Yunbai's mentality at the moment is somewhat similar.

R University is a prestigious university. As soon as the information of Su Yunbai, the new teacher, was posted on the school website, it attracted the attention of students from all over the world who were interested in applying for the Department of Physics at R University. Especially since the student list on her personal website is still blank, everyone knows that she must be recruiting.

Now is the application season for American universities. Su Yunbai can receive one or two self-recommendation emails every few days from all over the world, and they are asking about her recruitment plan for next year.

Su Yunbai can only encourage students to apply first. As for whether they will have the fate to be teachers and students... without a project in hand, she herself dare not give a definite answer.

Applying for a project is like attracting investment, which is really a bit like casting a wide net.

The best projects are of course those with official backing, such as the U.S. Department of Energy, NASA, etc. But the competition for this part of the projects is also the greatest.

The next level is funded by well-known companies, foundations, and various associations, which is also the focus of Su Yunbai's application this time.

These two parts are relatively traditional ways, and of course there are some non-traditional ones.

There are more non-traditional ways, and the time for their application is not yet determined, and the conditions are also varied, so Su Yunbai dare not count on them.

In addition, there is R University's own scientific research funding.

R University allocates a certain amount of very basic scientific research funding to each faculty member. At the same time, R University allows faculty members to submit a request for additional funds. Once the request is approved, the project can be established and registered under the name of the board of directors. It is equivalent to applying for scientific research funds from the board of directors of R University.

But no one's money comes from the wind. R University has always been cautious about this part of the funds. I heard that this loophole has been tightening in the past two years...

The overall economy is not good, and Su Yunbai is a newcomer and a foreigner. Naturally, she is a little nervous and wants to do everything to the best of her ability.

She was so cautious that she never thought that more than 30 minutes away by car, someone was trying every means to give money to her.

In the luxuriously decorated living room, the young man with blond hair and blue eyes laughed so hard that the wine in his glass was shaking. While laughing, he looked at Huo Qinian who was sitting steadily on the other side of the sofa, "Gillian, I'm sorry, I really didn't mean it, but can you say it again? What are you going to do?

"You want to use money through my hand to impress a lady, is that what you mean?

Huo Qinian glanced at him calmly, "It's to provide research funding. Jon, don't be so surprised. Aren't you going to R University soon? Come to think of it, I'm also supporting your career." "

No, no, no," Jonathan Wilson, the man nicknamed Jon by Huo Qinian, stretched out a finger and shook it seriously, "Don't try to confuse a Wilson. Gillian, admit it, you just want to pursue that professor. What's her name? Sue?

"When chasing a girl, the most important thing is to cater to her interests. If you're chasing a professor, you just invest in her research funds... Great! He's worthy of Gilliam."

Jonathan laughed so hard, "Okay, no problem, leave it to me. It's rare for you to take the initiative to chase after a girl, I will definitely help you! Let her know our Gilliam's enthusiasm..."

"No," Huo Qinian looked at him, "I passed your hand because I hope you won't tell her about my existence."

Jonathan raised his eyebrows when he heard it, "Are you serious?"

He stopped laughing, and the look on Huo Qinian's face even seemed a little weird, "Gilliam, are you doing charity? Let me tell you, this is not the way to chase a girl. If you don't even tell her your feelings, how can she know?

"Or are you willing to be the kind of person who is unknown? No way? This is not at all like Gillian, don't you always count every penny? "

With Huo Qinian's usual character, he is indeed not a man who lives in obscurity. If he does something, especially a good thing, he must let the other party appreciate it.

But in the case of Su Yunbai, he made an exception.

She only needs to focus on scientific research, and he can worry about the rest for her.

Jonathan looked at Huo Qinian's silence, thoughtfully, "Now, I'm even more curious about that lady."

Huo Qinian looked at him with a warning look in his eyes, "Jon En, she is my wife..." He paused, and said, "ex-wife. I'm trying to...

"Forget it, anyway, don't think about her."

Jonathan's eyes widened and he sat up straight, "Is it her? Oh my God!"

He ignored Huo Qinian and picked up the phone on the table, "Wait a minute, let me check first, I'm really curious... Is she the reason for your marriage? No, no, no, I should say, she is the reason for your return to the United States?

"That's it! Yingbai? This name is really hard to pronounce, who cares about her, it's Sue. Gillian, so this is your ideal type?

"God, you really should let those girls who chase after you every day come and take a look..."

"I don't have an ideal type, there's only her." Huo Qinian looked at him, "Since you already know her, don't let her be bullied, okay?

"Also, she's very sensitive. Don't reveal what I told you to do in front of her, she'll be angry."

Jonathan was very interested, "Is she a little white rabbit? She looks well-behaved, no wonder you're worried about workplace bullying..."

Huo Qinian was silent for a moment, "No, she's not. You don't actually have to do anything, if... I mean if something unfair happens, you just help her secretly."

Huo Qinian just finished speaking, looked at Jonathan suspiciously for a while, and changed his words, "Forget it, just tell me about her affairs, and I'll tell you whether you want to care or not.

"Jon, it's not that I don't trust you, she doesn't like others to interfere too much in her affairs..."

Jonathan was very impolite: "So, Gillian, what are you doing now?"

"So I asked you to hide it from her."

Jonathan was about to say something, and suddenly lowered his eyes to look at the phone, looking a little surprised, "Wow..."

Huo Qinian asked him: "What happened?"

Jonathan handed him the phone, "It's my sister, she asked me to pay attention to Sue. Gillian, did your wife know my sister before?"

"No. They should not have met before."

"So, your wife conquered my sister in just one week?" Jonathan's expression was a little strange, "My sister stayed at R University for a week. Apart from this, I can't think of why they know each other.

"Anyone who can conquer my sister is definitely not a little white rabbit. Gillian, are you sure Sue really needs your help?"

Huo Qinian looked at him, "It doesn't matter whether she needs it or not, what matters is that I want to give it." He paused, then asked, "This question may be a bit presumptuous, but your sister... is straight, right?"

Jonathan's eyes widened, "Of course! Gillian, don't be so pitiful, okay?"

As he spoke, he couldn't help laughing again, "Okay, I believe it now, you are obsessed with your ex-wife, you are almost not like Gillian.

"Now, tell me about your 'big plan'! I have to make sure you are still the cunning Gillian. You know, I have high requirements for my partners..."

Huo Qinian snorted, "Jon, is this your new strategy to bargain? Then you may be disappointed..."

Jonathan was not angry at all, but very excited, "Tell me your ideas..."

When the first snow fell this winter, Su Yunbai received a notice that the R University research fund she applied for had passed the first round of preliminary selection and needed to make a final defense.

Su Yunbai was busy for another week. After the defense, she received a notice that her project was approved and received a total of 200,000 US dollars in support for two years.

This amount was a bit beyond Su Yunbai's expectations.

It is true that the probability of a new applicant's application being approved in the first year is higher, but the general amount is only about 40,000 to 50,000 US dollars, for a period of one year. It is rare for someone like her to get 200,000 US dollars in one go.

What is the concept of 200,000 US dollars? The monthly salary of a doctoral student at R University is about 3,000 US dollars.

This amount of funding is enough for a very formal project.

With this project as a foundation, she has the confidence to recruit doctoral students from outside.

Su Yunbai breathed a sigh of relief.

This is a very good start.

Because the process is very formal, even the responses are public, Su Yunbai did not think of the possibility of any shady operations.

Two weeks later, the second project applied by Su Yunbai was also approved.

This time, she felt more confident.

Although the second project was not as dazzling as the first one, it was an off-campus resource after all, and its significance was different.

With two projects in hand, Su Yunbai officially established his foothold in R University.

On the night when the second project was approved, Su Yunbai returned home from work and saw Huo Qinian at his door.

He stood in the corridor, his face seemed to glow in the dim light, but his expression was a little embarrassed and wolfish, "Yunbai, the heating in my house is broken. Can you... take me in for one night?"