Ye Chen entered the study and immediately saw the white-haired old man sitting at the table.
The old man was somewhat thin, and his skin had become wrinkled with the passage of time, but he was still very energetic, and his eyes were very bright, as if they were shining with wisdom.
"Ye Chen, right?"
Upon seeing Ye Chen for the first time, a smile appeared on the old man's face. He then slowly rose from his chair and walked over to him.
He looked him up and down and exclaimed, "Not bad, not bad, handsome and promising young man."
As he spoke, his expression turned solemn, and he actually bowed to Ye Chen, saying, "On behalf of myself and the country, I thank you."
"Old Li! Absolutely not!"
Ye Chen realized what was happening and quickly said something, while turning to the side and reaching out to help the old man up.
However, Old Li held his hand firmly and forced him to accept the bow.
"Old Li, you're...you're making me shorten my lifespan," Ye Chen said with a wry smile.
Old Li, who had stood up, smiled slightly upon hearing his words and said, "You pulled me back from the brink of death. I should thank you for saving my life."
Then, his expression turned serious, and he said earnestly to Ye Chen, "Moreover, you contributed nuclear fusion reactor technology and metallic hydrogen battery technology, which reversed China's disadvantage in energy in one fell swoop."
"For these reasons, you deserve my bow."
"If there were more young people like you in my country, I would bow down to you every day."
Faced with Elder Li's affirmation, Ye Chen blushed slightly and said with an awkward smile, "Elder Li, please don't praise me like that. I only did my bit, and besides, I also benefited from it."
His contribution to nuclear fusion reactor technology was partly driven by personal motives, one being the desire to access the top-notch experimental equipment at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Secondly, by leveraging national resources, the technology for nuclear fusion reactors can be manufactured, thus enabling the development of the next generation of nuclear fusion reactor technology.
As for metallic hydrogen batteries, they brought him even greater profits.
"It is only natural to make contributions and receive rewards, including material rewards. I not only do not oppose it, but I strongly support it."
Professor Li said solemnly, "Only by allowing researchers who have made great contributions to gain both fame and fortune can we attract more outstanding talents to continue to achieve even greater success."
He has been in charge of China's scientific work for many years and is well aware of the disproportionate relationship between the efforts and rewards of scientific researchers. He has always believed that those who have made great contributions to the field of scientific research should be given the honors and material rewards they deserve.
In recent years, thanks to his efforts, the treatment of scientific researchers has undergone tremendous changes, and it is no longer the case that "those who build missiles are not as well off as those who sell tea eggs" as it was decades ago.
However, the material rewards for scientific researchers have also raised some questions, with some arguing that this goes against the glorious traditions of the older generation and greatly diminishes the honor of winning glory for the country.
Therefore, when he heard Ye Chen say that he had benefited from these technologies, he was not disgusted at all; on the contrary, he felt that he had met a kindred spirit.
After Mr. Li finished speaking, he pointed to the chair, indicating that he should sit down and talk.
After the two sat down, Old Li changed the subject and said, "Let's not talk about that. I called you here today because of Mu Yue. Do you want her to work for your company?"
"Yes, that's right."
Ye Chen considered for a moment and said, "Li Muyue is the most talented person I know. My company is exactly lacking a CEO like her to lead the overall situation. Of course, I will definitely not treat Muyue unfairly..."
"Heh, enough of these high-sounding words. I was young once too. Can you honestly say you weren't just after my granddaughter's beauty?" Old Li interrupted him with a cold laugh, his wise eyes fixed on him, his expression somewhat unfriendly.
Feeling a little guilty under his gaze, Ye Chen quickly explained, "Mr. Li, you misunderstand. I didn't mean that. I just think Mu Yue is very outstanding, and if she joins my company, the company will be able to reach new heights..."
"What do you mean by 'you don't mean that'? Do you think my granddaughter is not good enough for you?" Old Li continued to ask with dissatisfaction.
"I..." Ye Chen was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to respond.
"What do you mean, 'you'? You forced a woman, you dared to do it but not admit it, are you even a man?" Old Li sneered, with an expression that said, "I see right through you."
Ye Chen immediately became furious. This is such a cruel and unjust accusation!
It would be fine if he had done something, but the problem is he didn't do anything at all! He didn't even touch her hand!
This has escalated to a matter of male dignity; this is intolerable!
He glared at Old Li and retorted loudly, "Nonsense! When did I force Li Muyue?"
"What? You think you're right just because you're loud?" Old Li sneered. "You used the excuse of saving me to force Mu Yue to agree to your demands. Isn't that the truth?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Chen's momentum waned somewhat, but he still retorted, "I didn't force her; she agreed herself."
“Since Mu Yue has agreed, I have nothing to say. But I can’t just work for you for nothing. Five years is a very precious time for a girl. Do you think this price is fair to Mu Yue?” Old Li glanced at him and said slowly.
Ye Chen looked surprised and hurriedly said, "Mr. Li, are you sure you have some misunderstanding? I asked Li Muyue to be the CEO, but I have to pay her a salary. It's not like I'm making her work for free."
Old Li gave him a disdainful look and continued, "Salary? Do you think our Li family needs your meager salary?"
Ye Chen's mind raced, and for a moment he couldn't quite figure out what the old man in front of him was thinking.
He hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and laid his cards on the table: "Stop beating around the bush, what exactly do you mean?"
Seeing this, Old Li smiled and said, "I want you to marry Mu Yue."
"Cough cough..." Ye Chen choked on those words and coughed violently, his face turning red. It took him a while to recover.
Pointing at Old Li, he said rudely, "Old man, are you mistaken?"
Old Li looked at him with a smile, showing no sign of anger, and slowly said, "You are the same age, one is unmarried and the other is unmarried, what's wrong with getting married?"
"That's not the mistake I was referring to. I mean, why did you suddenly bring up the topic of me marrying Mu Yue?" Ye Chen asked, his eyes wide.
"My granddaughter may not be the most beautiful woman in the world, but she is quite well-known. Moreover, Mu Yue received an elite education from a young age and is proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She also has considerable business acumen. You won't regret marrying her," Old Li said with a smile, looking at Ye Chen with a seductive expression.
Ye Chen was surprised and asked suspiciously, "Old Li, why do I get the feeling that you're in a hurry to marry Mu Yue off?"
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