Who would still be a social slave when they are so rich?

As soon as Old Wang came out of the meeting room after finishing his meeting, he immediately took out his phone to check which hotel his old buddies were staying at.

He should have kept quiet until he read the message, after which he was completely stunned.

"No... Is Old Man Chen just trying to kill himself? He's actually staying at a high-end five-star hotel like the Conrad, and in a top-tier suite at that?"

He knew this guy very well. Despite being a top professor in the country, he was quite frugal in his personal life.

Logically speaking, given his status and position, it would have been perfectly reasonable for the school to arrange a villa for him. However, he directly rejected the school's offer and continued to live in the teacher's dormitory that had been arranged for him before.

Moreover, even when he's on a business trip, he only stays in three- or four-star hotels at most. In his words, it's just for sleeping, so why would he need such a nice room? It's simply a waste of money.

But what happened today was truly beyond his expectations.

However… he didn’t think too much about it. He would know what was going on when he met him. He packed his things, called the driver and bodyguard assigned to him by his company, and drove towards the Conrad Hotel where Old Man Chen was.

I don't know if it was Old Man Chen who deliberately chose this place, but it wasn't far from the research institute. It took less than five minutes to drive to the hotel parking lot.

"Little Li, I'm going to see my old buddies this time, so don't come with me. Just wait for me downstairs!" Old Wang said, preparing to open the door and get out of the car.

Xiao Li, who had just parked his car, became anxious upon hearing this and quickly said, "Old Wang, this won't do. You're asking me to break the rules. If that's the case, I'll have to call the internal affairs office and have them send someone over!"

Old Wang was immediately displeased. He was about to say something to Xiao Li, but when he saw Xiao Li's resolute expression, he swallowed back the words he was about to say. He knew that Xiao Li was thinking about his safety.

"Alright, alright, I'm really defeated by you, little guy!" He shook his head helplessly and could only let Xiao Li follow him inside.

"Hey, Old Wang!" Seeing Old Wang preparing to open the car door and get out, Xiao Li quickly said, "Put your mask on, old man!"

"You're getting too big for your britches, aren't you!" Old Wang glared at Little Li, but still pulled a mask out of his pocket and put it on, muttering, "Making it sound like a secret rendezvous with an old friend..."

Xiao Li chuckled, didn't argue, quickly got out of the car and opened the door for Old Man Wang. He cautiously scanned the surroundings, and only after confirming that there was nothing unusual did he escort Old Man Wang towards the hotel lobby.

Looking at Xiao Li's serious expression, Old Man Wang couldn't help but laugh and said, "Xiao Li, relax a little. Your serious look will only attract more attention."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Li's expression stiffened. After thinking about it, he realized it was true. After all, this was in China, not abroad, so there wasn't much danger.

Once he understood, Xiao Li forced a smile, but his wary gaze remained unchanged.

After entering the lobby, the two went straight to the elevator and took it directly to the 87th floor that Old Man Chen had mentioned.

"8701~ Living so high up, aren't you afraid you won't be able to sleep at night?" Looking at the exquisite door, Old Wang muttered to himself, then took off his mask and knocked on the door.

After waiting for three to five seconds, the door opened with a "click," but only a third of it was open. Chen Qiang poked his head out from behind the door, wanting to see who was knocking.

When he saw who was knocking on the door, he was stunned. He rubbed his eyes, thinking he had seen wrong.

“Wang…Old Wang?!” Chen Qiang recognized the person knocking on the door at a glance. It was Shen Fei’s chief engineer, the legendary teacher Chen Yao had mentioned.

Chen Qiang got to know this person because he read some military books and watched some videos in the park when he had nothing to do.

What he didn't expect was that the old man Wang that Old Chen mentioned would actually be this important figure.

Coming to his senses, Chen Qiang quickly opened the door, stood respectfully to the side, gave Old Wang a solemn salute, and said with an air of confidence, "Hello, Old Wang, Old Chen is waiting for you inside!"

Seeing this, Old Wang raised his eyebrows slightly. He could tell that the man who opened the door was no ordinary person. His aura alone was stronger than that of Little Li behind him.

You should know that the drivers assigned to someone of his level are all hand-picked, one in ten thousand, which makes him a little curious: when did Old Man Chen get such a guard or bodyguard?
With this curiosity, Old Wang stepped inside and saw Old Chen sitting in the tea room with its 270-degree floor-to-ceiling windows, brewing tea. A faint aroma of tea wafted through the air.

"Old Chen, you didn't even greet me personally when I arrived. Are we still old buddies?" As he spoke, Old Wang walked to the empty seat opposite Old Chen and sat down, staring at Old Chen with his round eyes.

Old Chen remained calm upon hearing this, and waved to Chen Qiang, who was not far away, signaling him to take Old Wang's little follower to the living room outside to rest for a while.

Xiao Li saw Old Wang nod slightly, and immediately followed Chen Qiang out of the tea room, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.

"Come and try the tea I got from Su boy." Old Chen poured a cup and pushed it in front of Old Wang.

The rich aroma of the tea made Old Man Chen, who loved tea, open his eyes wide. He took two deep breaths and immediately realized that this tea was extraordinary.

"No... Old Chen, why does this smell like the eighteen trees of West Lake Longjing tea?"

As he spoke, Old Wang quickly picked up the slightly hot teacup, blew on it gently, and took a sip. Sure enough, it tasted just like the West Lake Longjing tea from the Eighteen Trees in his memory.

"There really are eighteen trees!" Old Wang's expression immediately turned serious. "Old Chen, quickly tell me the truth about what happened? And who is this Su kid you just mentioned? Oh, and why have you changed your ways today? Why are you staying at such a nice hotel?"

Being asked three or four questions in a row left Old Man Chen a little stunned. Although he wanted to make a good impression on his old friends, he didn't expect such a big reaction.

But soon, Old Chen's face returned to its calm and composed expression. He slowly picked up his teacup, took a sip, nodded in satisfaction, and then replied, "The Su boy I mentioned is my current boss!"

"Old... boss? You mean your boss?" Old Wang nodded upon hearing this, but immediately realized something was wrong. He jumped up from his chair and stared at Old Chen in shock.

"Hmm~ That's right!" Old Chen put down his teacup and nodded heavily, saying, "That's my boss!"

Old Wang stood there dumbfounded, trying to process the information in those words. He never imagined that a top professor at Northwestern Polytechnical University, an authority in nuclear engineering, would be working for someone else. How could he possibly understand this?

After about a minute or two, Old Man Wang gradually came to his senses, wondering why that man surnamed Su had poached Old Man Chen. Could it be for nuclear research?

"Old Chen, are you sure you're not talking nonsense? How could a nuclear engineering expert like you join a private company? And from what you just said, it seems you're not just on temporary assignment, you're not even at Northwestern Polytechnical University anymore?" Old Wang looked at Old Chen with a serious expression, as if trying to find some clues on his face.

Unfortunately... all he saw on Old Chen's face was indifference.

Looking at his old buddies, Old Chen smiled faintly and said in a soft but firm voice, "I did join a private company, but who told you... that joining a private company means I can't continue doing research in nuclear engineering?"

"Hiss~" Old Wang gasped, his pupils dilating as if a major earthquake had struck. How could he not understand the meaning behind Old Chen's words?

He couldn't fathom how private enterprises and nuclear engineering research could be connected.

Even someone as used to grand occasions as him couldn't remain calm at this moment. He picked up his teacup and took several sips before he could barely suppress his emotions.

After taking a deep breath, Old Wang continued to ask, "May I ask where you work now, and what the company is called?"

"Of course!" Old Chen shrugged indifferently and said, "I'm very close to you now, working in the park of Zhengdao Island, so it will be much more convenient for us to meet in the future."

Upon hearing that it was Zhengdao, Old Man Wang immediately started thinking. In his knowledge, apart from Bohai Shipyard, there didn't seem to be any other large enterprises on Zhengdao that could be associated with Old Man Chen's profession.

Old Wang frowned, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table: "Zhengdao? Wait... you're not talking about the park where Xiaxin International, which recently claimed to have independently developed a 10nm chip, is located, are you?" Now it was Old Chen's turn to be surprised, a look of astonishment flashing across his face. He hadn't expected his old buddies to actually know about this place.

Seemingly noticing Old Man Chen's confusion, Old Man Wang explained on his own, "Upon learning of the successful independent development of the 10nm chip, someone from our side immediately contacted the other party."

"Contact? Heh~ I'm afraid it's not that simple." Old Chen sneered, still unaware of the kind of person Old Wang was talking about.

"Well... but I was slapped back as soon as I reached out and received a stern warning." Old Wang nodded and explained truthfully. He didn't really like those people.

Just as Old Chen had thought, after Xiaxin International announced the successful development of its own 10nm chip, countless people prepared to visit, and all sorts of strange and eccentric individuals appeared, hoping to get a share of the pie.

Unfortunately, all of them kicked the titanium alloy steel plate.

It's important to know that the Zhengdao Park has always been a focus of attention from higher authorities. Before those people could even make a move, they were immediately thwarted by the authorities.

Besides... the research base also houses the first controlled nuclear fusion device, so how could it possibly be discovered by outsiders?

It was precisely because of the rapid intervention from above that those demons and monsters were driven back before they even stepped inside. The news was also deliberately suppressed and only spread within a very small circle. Even the people in the park were unaware of the situation.

"But... on another note, Old Chen, is it really a private company you've joined?"

Knowing that Old Man Chen was indeed in the science park where Xiaxin International was located, I couldn't help but feel a bit more curious.

"Hehe~ It is indeed a private enterprise, but the internal situation is quite complicated, and the level of confidentiality is very high..." At this point, Old Chen glanced at Old Wang, who was looking curious, before continuing, "Even your level of confidentiality and ability to understand the situation in the park is a little lower."

Upon hearing this, Old Wang's pupils constricted sharply, and his fingers unconsciously tightened around his teacup. His level of secrecy was already among the highest in the field, yet he still didn't know enough about that privately-owned industrial park.

For a moment, Old Wang's mind raced, and soon a guess came to him: was this industrial park some kind of top-secret entity, and was it chosen to be in such a remote place as Zheng Island and to be a private enterprise in order to hide some secrets?

This conjecture quickly took root in Old Wang's mind, and he understood why his old friend had left Northwestern Polytechnical University—it was because he was working on a highly confidential research project.

Once he understood, Old Wang's curiosity vanished instantly, and he felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his heart, making him feel much lighter.

He picked up the teapot, filled his teacup, took a sip, and then asked, "Old Chen, you're sure you didn't come here just for tourism or to see me, right? Tell me... what brings you here?"

The first thing I did after getting off the plane was to call him. It was definitely the kind of call where I wouldn't call unless I needed something, otherwise I wouldn't have called him after all this time.

If Old Chen knew what Old Wang was thinking, he would definitely pound his chest and loudly proclaim that he hadn't called him because he was always busy.

However, Old Man Chen was unaware of all of this.

Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Old Chen's eyes. It seemed that his old buddy was about to fall into the trap he had set.

From the very beginning, he was thinking about how to poach people from Old Wang's subordinates. After much thought, the only way was to leverage their influence, not from the park, but from above.

His plan had already begun when he checked into the five-star hotel, and from the time he brewed tea and mentioned "Little Su."

However, Old Man Chen did not answer Old Man Wang's question. He felt that the plan was still missing a spark and was preparing to make it burn even brighter.

His fingers gently traced the edge of the difference, and he suddenly spoke up: "Old Wang, your student should be back in a few days, right?"

"You?" Old Wang was no longer calm. He stood up abruptly, almost knocking over his teacup. He stared intently into Old Chen's eyes: "How did you know? This is a top-secret mission."

Wang's reaction was exactly what he expected. Seeing his old buddies' shocked expressions, he smiled and explained, "Is it possible that you had this mission because of us?"

"Hmm?" Old Wang's breathing suddenly became heavier, and he immediately connected all these things together.

Tasks, students, the park, Su Xiaozi…

Old Wang leaned forward abruptly, asking with a hint of urgency, "The Su kid you mentioned earlier, your boss, is his name Su Chen?!"

Upon hearing this, Old Chen's lips curled up slightly. He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then nodded gently to Old Wang.

"Gulp!" Old Wang swallowed hard, muttering softly, "So that's how it is, so that's how it is."

"Phew!" Old Wang let out a long sigh, looking at Old Chen with a hint of resentment in his eyes, and said, "You son of a bitch, you just wanted to see me make a fool of myself, didn't you? You could have just said Su Chen's name earlier!"

"Alright, just tell me your purpose this time, stop beating around the bush!"

Old Wang already had a suspicion in his mind, but he wasn't sure if it was as he thought.

But what kind of person is Old Chen? He's a shrewd man! Besides, he's been Old Wang's buddy for years. How could he not see what Old Chen is thinking?

"Hehe, I suppose you've already guessed it. That's right... I'm here to poach some professionals from your team, preferably an entire research group."

"A whole research team? Aren't you being a bit too greedy?" Old Wang's lips twitched slightly. He thought it would be enough to ask for a few people, but this guy had made an outrageous demand.

"What? You're still not happy?" Old Chen raised an eyebrow and said with feigned emotion, "I'm only doing this because we've been good friends for decades, so I can leave you with this favor. Perhaps we can keep in touch in the future, otherwise..."

Old Wang fell silent!
He naturally knew what Old Man Chen meant by what he hadn't finished saying. With Su Chen's presence, let alone a whole research team, even if there were two more research teams, it would only be a matter of saying a word to the higher-ups.

Although he didn't know much, the few words he gleaned from his student Chen Yao, along with the details of this mission, revealed his extraordinary status.

"Sigh," Old Wang sighed softly, "I can't give you an answer to this matter for now. I need to go back and discuss it in a meeting!"

As he spoke, Old Wang stood up. He planned to rush back to the research institute now to discuss with the others and send his research team there.

"I'm going back now, I'll call you back tonight at the latest!" Old Wang said and prepared to leave. He had just taken his first step when he caught a glimpse of the exquisite tea jar on the table. Without thinking, he grabbed it, and his legs immediately turned into a jog.

By the time Old Man Chen realized what was happening, his jar of Longjing tea (containing eighteen leaves) and Old Man Wang had already disappeared from the tea room.

Just as he got up to chase after him, Old Wang's voice came from the doorway: "I'll gladly accept this tea; consider it compensation for your scheme against me."

Upon hearing this, Old Man Chen immediately turned towards the door and shouted angrily, "I have never seen such a shameless person as you."

Seeing that he received no response, Old Chen shook his head helplessly, then a smile appeared on his face. Standing in front of the French windows, looking at the tall buildings outside, he muttered to himself, "With this achievement, getting two more boxes of tea from that kid Su... shouldn't be too much to ask!"

"Hehehehe..." Thinking of this, Old Man Chen couldn't help but laugh.

Just then, Chen Qiang, who had just reached the door, saw this scene and silently closed the tea room door. (End of Chapter)