[AN: Hello everyone, am here again, as you can see I released a bunch of chapters today, because a friend came over to turn on his hotspot for me. Still haven't repaired my phone. Anyways my novel got contracted recently "The Quantum Path to Immortality" so I would appreciate it if you guys and girls(I have female readers, wow.) could read and give opinions and maybe some send some gift my way. Thank you.]
Yang Mingqi stepped off the bus and entered the headquarters of the Marching Ant Group, full of energy and enthusiasm.
Ever since the breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology, he felt like he had regained the vigor of youth. Thanks to Zhao Min's invitation, he now held dual roles—Vice President of the Marching Ant Group and General Manager of Huaxia Nuclear Energy Group—personally overseeing its operations.
In the beginning, the company had been little more than an empty shell. The technology was still in development, there was no staff, no infrastructure—it had been up to him to recruit talent and build the team from the ground up.
But everything changed when fusion technology succeeded.
If news of this breakthrough spread, this fledgling nuclear energy company would instantly become a national giant.
Zhao Min had granted him significant autonomy. According to the joint venture agreement with the government, he was not subordinate to any government-appointed board chairman and had full control over the company's decisions. As long as Chen Mo and Zhao Min didn't object, no one could override his leadership.
His old friends in the industry were now in awe when they heard about the company and the opportunities he managed.
Led by a service robot, Yang Mingqi made his way into Chen Mo's office.
"No need for formalities, have a seat," Chen Mo greeted him warmly.
Yang Mingqi smiled and sat down on the sofa. "The government has asked about starting the construction of the controlled nuclear fusion power plant. The plans have been filed—it's almost time to begin."
Chen Mo and Zhao Min listened quietly as he continued.
"We've proposed two cooperation models. The first is a BOOT model—Build, Own, Operate, Transfer. Our Nuclear Energy Group will invest in and construct the fusion power plant, then handle operation and management. All operating income will belong to our group. After 37 years of operation, the power plant will be handed over to the government for management.
"The second model is a turnkey option. We build the plant and sell the complete package to the government upon completion. We don't participate in operation or management. Instead, we provide ongoing maintenance, supply parts, and offer technical support based on a post-sale agreement."
Zhao Min asked, "Which one did they go with?"
"The first," Yang Mingqi replied.
Zhao Min raised an eyebrow. "I see—they're still unsure about the stability of the Star Ring. But this way, our profits will be even better."
The BOOT model offered long-term returns. The company would operate the power plants, and once construction costs were recouped in a few years, everything after would be pure profit. The government wouldn't be on the hook for any losses either. In contrast, the turnkey option offered short-term gains but left the government with operational responsibility.
If fusion tech were fully mature, the government would have likely chosen the second model. But since it's still early days, they were being cautious—and letting Marching Ant Group take the risk.
"The government has already approved two power plant construction sites," Yang Mingqi continued, pulling two documents from his briefcase. "One will be built in our coastal city, the other in a northern province. If the plants prove stable, they plan to scale up and eventually replace coal power stations across the northern region."
"Have the contracts been signed yet?" Zhao Min asked.
"They're ready to sign anytime. The government's been incredibly accommodating—almost unbelievably so. Honestly, it makes me a little suspicious."
Back in his days working for state-owned enterprises, projects like this would be stuck in red tape. Now, everything was smooth sailing. It even seemed like a special task force had been created just to review and greenlight their plans.
"Don't worry about that," Chen Mo said calmly.
Only he and Zhao Min knew this "special convenience" was granted by the highest levels of government.
"I've already sent teams to inspect the construction sites," Yang Mingqi added. "Since fusion power plants produce no radiation or pollution, the site requirements are far less stringent than fission-based plants."
"Let us review the contracts first," Zhao Min said. "Once that's done, you can begin construction."
With the technology already complete, the BOOT model gave them full autonomy over the build. How fast it went and how efficient it would be—all depended on their execution.
"When will the project be made public?" Yang Mingqi asked, then added, "We should move quickly. Ordinary people don't know fusion has been achieved. They might assume we're building fission plants and raise concerns about radiation and safety. We need to get ahead of public fear and misinformation. Start educating the public early to avoid being manipulated by fearmongers."
Zhao Min looked at Chen Mo. "No one's more credible than Science Island."
"Five days from now," Chen Mo said. "Science Island will announce the success of our fusion experiment. Once you've signed the contracts, you can go public with the power plant construction plan."
The kidnapping of Nobel Prize winner Dorivitz was still unresolved. His disappearance had become a global mystery. Interpol was involved, but no leads had surfaced. As the case dragged on, public attention faded.
On Chen Mo's side, he had promised the government an update within two months—and that deadline was almost here. The government had already hinted that they were prepared to move forward, so it was time to make the breakthrough public.
After some final discussion about the Nuclear Energy Group's upcoming activities, Yang Mingqi got up and left.
"How's that flower project of yours coming along?" Zhao Min asked casually.
"It's going well," Chen Mo replied.
"Seriously though, why are you researching plants? Planning to become the next Yuan Longping?" she teased.
Chen Mo rolled his eyes in exasperation.
This girl always had a way of poking fun at him—even her boss. But he couldn't explain that the tech came from the Library and had to be completed.
After returning to the company from his last trip, he had accepted two interviews with official media, then quietly began his latest project.
The Oxygen Grass was a genetically engineered plant requiring advanced techniques in cellular hybridization and gene editing. It needed cells and DNA fragments from a wide range of plant species. Right now, the biology lab was filled with petri dishes of different plant tissues.
His last project had been advanced nuclear fusion—a physics marvel. Now he was researching plants. Zhao Min had initially assumed he was messing around with cosmetics or herbal remedies, and she had mocked him mercilessly for it.
But this time, he let her joke. He knew better.
Meanwhile, at a Michelin-starred restaurant…
Zhang Xinxin and a few college friends were gathered for dinner. Curiosity buzzed around one of her roommates.
"Yan Yi, when did you get a boyfriend? You didn't tell any of us!" one girl asked.
"Fate works in mysterious ways," Yan Yi said, touching up her makeup with a small mirror, making sure nothing was out of place.
"I met him while shopping. He helped catch a thief who stole my phone. I thanked him with a cup of coffee, and that's how he got my WeChat."
She beamed with a lovesick smile, radiating the sweet aura of new romance. Her friends rolled their eyes.
"He confessed two days ago. So today's dinner is on me—well, actually on him," she added proudly. "He said to order whatever we like—he's paying."
Another girl, who had a few acne spots on her face, asked, "Which college is he from? What's his major?"
"He's not from our school. He's five years older and has a Master's in Finance from the University of London. He recently started a business. The company is just six months old, but he's already making 300k a month!"
Her tone was full of pride.
Zhang Xinxin and the others exchanged looks.
"Well, sounds like you've struck gold," Zhang said.
"Right? That's fate for you," Yan Yi said, clearly enjoying the attention. "He's on his way now—I'm going to meet him at the door."
As she left, the girls whispered among themselves.
"A successful overseas grad? Handsome and rich? Sounds a bit too good to be true," the acne-faced girl muttered. "What if she's getting scammed?"
"Yeah, I'm getting the same vibe. The whole thing feels like a fantasy," the girl with glasses added.
Zhang Xinxin nodded. "Let's keep an eye out. Better to help her check him out than let her get hurt."
Soon, Yan Yi returned, holding the arm of a tall, well-dressed man.
"This is Dong Quan, the guy I told you about," she said proudly. "And this is Ke Mei, Li Lihua, and Zhang Xinxin."
"Nice to meet you all," Dong Quan said, greeting them with a polite smile and confident posture. "Tonight's meal is on me—eat as much as you want. You're all Yan Yi's good friends."
"We won't hold back, then," Ke Mei said, her eyes never leaving him. "So, Dong Quan, where are you from?"
"I'm from Donghai."
"Wow, Donghai's a big city—super competitive, isn't it?" she asked.
"Exactly. Too competitive for startups. That's why I moved here—Binhai's got great development potential," he answered smoothly.
Glasses girl followed up, "So, what was London like? Was it fun?"
"It was okay. Not as modern as our cities. Lots of older architecture, and the climate's milder, so it's more comfortable to live in," Dong Quan replied.
"Then why didn't you stay in the UK?" she asked again—this time in fluent English.
Dong Quan blinked, surprised, but responded in perfect English.
"Cultural differences. Many Westerners still look down on Chinese people. Even with my education, it was hard to truly integrate. But China's booming now—there are more opportunities here."
The girls chatted with him a bit longer, subtly probing for inconsistencies—but didn't uncover much.
"If you want, feel free to add me on WeChat," Dong Quan offered. "If you can't reach Yan Yi someday, you can contact me. And if any of you need help finding a job after graduation, I'd be happy to help."
The girls exchanged glances, then pulled out their phones.