The top student must be diligent.

Chapter 254 General Counsel and Chief Scientist

This Spring Festival in China is not peaceful at all.

There is celebration at home, but there are various pressures abroad.

However, these pressures, in today's China's view, are nothing more than that.

Perhaps the only problem this brings is that the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will have to work overtime during the Chinese New Year this year.

Of course, even if they have to work overtime, they just have to confront those whimsical foreign journalists every day. It doesn’t matter basically. That’s what they did before anyway. Now there are just more people to confront.

As for the many researchers of the Sun-Making Project, they naturally went home to celebrate the New Year.

As a hero of nuclear fusion, he still has time to take a holiday for the New Year.

Basically, researchers whose hometown is Fei City need to go to the institute to check on the operation of the solar reactor during the Chinese New Year. After all, there must be someone on site.

As the chief engineer, Xiao Yi would go there to guard the reactor every day. With him around, there was basically no need to worry about the entire reactor.

Of course, he didn't think it was a big deal. After all, compared to facing a bunch of relatives who might ask questions during the Chinese New Year, he would rather stay with the Zaori pile every day.

Just want some peace and quiet.

Otherwise, ever since the news broadcast on New Year's Eve, not to mention the public opinion that has already exploded, his relatives group has exploded first, with all kinds of questions asked over and over again, making him feel overwhelmed. If he really met them in person, wouldn't it be even more of a headache for him?

So, for most things, it is enough for ordinary people to know the facts. If they want to know the reasons behind them, that is completely unnecessary.

……

In this way, several days passed quietly.

Although the discussion about nuclear fusion is still heated, as the time to return to work has come, people can only return to their respective jobs with such enthusiasm.

Of course, maybe after returning to my post, I will be able to reignite the discussion on nuclear fusion. After all, I will be surrounded by people of the same level at this time, and there will be more related topics.

On the eighth day of the first lunar month, Xiao Yi came to the Institute of Controlled Nuclear Fusion as usual.

At this time, the Controlled Nuclear Fusion Research Institute also had another name, which is called ["Zao Ri" Controlled Nuclear Fusion Demonstration Reactor Central Research Institute and Zao Ri Reactor Controlled Nuclear Fusion Power Generation Center]. As a demonstration reactor, it represents that it is the first successfully realized controlled nuclear fusion reactor in human history, verifying the technical feasibility. As a power generation center, it also represents that it is also a successful commercial reactor, which has achieved the purpose of commercial power generation and realized the economic value of fusion energy.

Of course, compared to the previous few days, the research institute is much more lively today because most of the researchers have returned.

Walking in the corridor of the institute, when these researchers saw Xiao Yi, they all shouted respectfully: "Hello, Chief Engineer Xiao!"

"Happy New Year, Chief Master Xiao."

Although they would always shout this when they saw Xiao Yi before, now, there was obviously more respect in their voices.

Facing such a chief designer who led them to successfully achieve nuclear fusion, their respect at this moment all came from the bottom of their hearts.

Xiao Yi smiled and nodded at them, "Happy New Year, everyone."

Just like that, amidst the greetings along the way, he finally returned to his office.

After a while, there was a knock on the office door.

"Please come in."

Then, Li Jiangan walked in with a smile.

"I heard you were here, so I came to see you. I feel relieved to have you around this New Year. Thank you for your hard work."

Xiao Yi smiled and said, "It's not that hard. I can't ask an old man like you to come here every day."

Li Jiangan smiled and said, "That's true. Now that I'm old, my body is no longer useful."

He walked to the sofa next to him and sat down.

"Now that the New Year is over, what should we do next? Are there any instructions from above?"

Xiao Yi said: "There is nothing to do for now. When there are instructions, Director Liu will probably have to come over again."

"That's true." Li Jiangan nodded, looked at Xiao Yi, and suddenly sighed: "You should be able to become an academician this year, right?"

Xiao Yi was startled, then shook his head and said, "I don't know."

Li Jiangan said helplessly: "That's you."

"If others want to become academicians, they have to start preparing several years in advance, and they all have to treat people to drinks. But you, on the other hand, don't worry at all."

"I estimate that if you had made some connections in the past few years, you would have become an academician in the past two years."

Academicians are elected by voting. As for how to convince others to vote for you, you can only rely on your own abilities. Even if there are people who help speak for you from behind, you will probably have to express yourself first.

So sometimes, if you have the right connections, you can become an academician even if there are some problems with your level.

Otherwise, there wouldn’t be counterfeit products like Academician He.

However, considering the various benefits that come with becoming an academician, most scholars have no choice but to take this route.

As for scholars like Xiao Yi who don't care about such things, there are very few of them.

Xiao Yi smiled and just said, "It doesn't matter. It's the same whether you become an academician or not."

Li Jiangan laughed and said, "That's true."

"Chief Engineer Xiao, it sounds more impressive than Academician Xiao."

Xiao Yi nodded: "Of course."

Li Jiangan sighed twice.

Of course, he also knew that whether Xiao Yi became an academician or not would not have much impact. The biggest impact would probably be the addition of the title of Academician Xiao.

As for other benefits...

He does not think that the treatment of the chief designer of controlled nuclear fusion would be worse than that of an academician.

Even in terms of funding, the academician may not necessarily have more funding than Xiao Yi. The funding of the Science Island Laboratory is among the best in the country.

As for making money...

That would be even more of a humiliation to oneself.

I didn’t listen to what Musk said. As long as Xiao Yi wanted to, he could definitely surpass him even in the future.

"Now that you've figured out nuclear fusion, what are you going to research next? People on the Internet are saying that you're going to work on rockets next. Is that true?"

Li Jiangan said.

Xiao Yi laughed and waved his hand, "Not really, not really. Researching rockets is not that urgent for me."

"After all, you invited me to visit EAST, but the people from the space agency haven't invited me to visit Tianwen-3 yet."

At this point, Xiao Yi said mischievously: "I know exactly why you invited me to participate in EAST and asked me to light the fire myself."

Li Jiangan laughed, not feeling embarrassed, and said, "Anyway, you are already here now, and nuclear fusion has been achieved. What does it matter if you discover it?"

Thinking back on this incident, he couldn't help but sigh at his wisdom at the time.

In order to get Xiao Yi interested in nuclear fusion, they specially invited Xiao Yi to visit their place and let Xiao Yi light the fire himself.

You can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a child, not to mention that they are not really "children" to them.

Now, the goal has been achieved. As for this matter, he and Zhao Zhanyou revealed it to the reporter during the half-hour "exclusive interview".

The reporter who interviewed them at the time was Xiao Sa, who summed it up: "So, as long as there is a problem that we can't solve, as long as we can make Chief Engineer Xiao interested in the problem, we can solve it, right?"

Then, as the news was broadcast that evening, this incident sparked a nationwide discussion and became a hot search term at the time.

Xiao Yi shrugged. Well, he did gradually "take the bait" at the beginning.

However, the most important thing is probably that dream.

But the question is again, what should he start researching next?

He really hasn't thought about this problem carefully during this period of time, and he should really think about it now.

Logically speaking, now that his perfect engineering and material mastery have been upgraded, the next research would be to try something with new effects, but right now he really has no interest in studying such issues anymore.

Ok……

"Maybe I should go back to math for a while?"

He began to think.

Just at this moment, there was another knock on the door.

"Please come in." Xiao Yi took a look. Who is coming now?
Then, as the door opened, Director Liu came in.

Li Jiangan said, "Wow, Director Liu is here just in time. I was just talking to Xiao Yi about you, wondering what instructions you will give me next."
Director Liu laughed and said, "It's not really an instruction. I'm just here to ask for advice."

He walked to the water dispenser nearby, poured himself a glass of water from a disposable cup, took a sip, and then asked, "Okay, two chief engineers, this time I'm here to ask for your next suggestions."

“The first one is the issue of expansion.”

"With our current technology, can we expand it?"

This first question is indeed the key question.

After all, once the demonstration reactor is built, we will always have to start building the second, third, and even more reactors.

Xiao Yi directly answered this question: "Of course, after all, the purpose of building the Japanese reactor is to provide reference for new reactors. As long as the material problems can be guaranteed, the engineering problems can be solved according to the experience of the Japanese reactor."

Director Liu said with a bit of hesitation: "Well... we are now planning to build new fusion reactors in several economic circles and the top five electricity-consuming provinces at the same time. When the time comes, can I ask you to serve as the chief designer again? Do you think it's okay?"

Xiao Yi's eyes widened: "So, I will be the chief designer of more than 10 projects at once?"

"Well, that's probably it."

Xiao Yi curled his lips and said, "Even a donkey pulling a millstone shouldn't be used like this."

There are three economic circles, namely the Yangtze River Delta, the Pearl River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. As for the top five provinces with the largest electricity consumption, that is even more outrageous.

If we want to build nuclear fusion power stations in these places and meet all the power supply needs, we also have to consider the future growth in electricity consumption. The number of nuclear fusion reactors to be built at the same time must be more than 10.

Now you want him to be the chief designer of so many projects at the same time?

Liu Cong spread his hands and said, "This is what happened. The superiors asked me to come here. Just tell me whether you agree or not! If you don't agree, help me think of a solution and I will report it to the superiors."

Xiao Yi directly gave the top leader of China's science and technology field the middle finger.

Then he said, "It's fine for me to be a consultant. As for the specific design, you can find someone else to do it. The UO structure is there, and the whole world knows it. In addition, with the experience of building the solar reactor, there is no need for me at all."

He then glanced at Li Jiangan next to him and said, "I think Academician Li is totally capable of this. It's just right for him to make use of his remaining energy."

Li Jiangan's eyes lit up at first, but then he quickly waved his hands and said, "I can't do it. I am an old man with more than a dozen projects, and I can't do it."

But then he changed the subject and said, "However, if I am responsible for one or two projects, it will be no problem at all."

Although he is old and can retire at any time, he is still very willing to work hard on projects like this one, hoping to make a name for himself in the end.

Xiao Yi laughed and said to Liu Cong: "Look, to be honest, I'm still worried about the arrangements for so many researchers in our Sun-Making Project. There are hundreds of people, so we have to find a place for them to go, right?"

"Wouldn't it be great if we could just assign them to these new projects to provide guidance?"

"And our Director Zhao will definitely be very willing to do so."

Director Liu looked at Li Jiangan a few more times, and seeing the old academician's eyes become particularly enthusiastic again, he finally nodded and said, "Okay, this method is not bad. I will report it to the higher-ups after I go back."

"But if you say you can be a consultant, then we have a deal!"

Xiao Yi nodded: "No problem!"

"That's good! Then the second question." Director Liu said: "Is it possible for our technology to be upgraded in a short period of time?"

“This issue involves matters related to technology exports.”

"Update?"

Xiao Yi pondered for a moment, and finally shook his head and said: "It's too early to consider this issue. Whether to upgrade depends on the needs."

“The current technology is sufficient to meet society’s electricity needs for hundreds or even thousands of years.”

"So the real upgrade is probably the miniaturization of nuclear fusion."

“This technology…”

Xiao Yi shook his head slightly, "It will be several levels more difficult."

"Okay, I understand." Director Liu nodded.

"Instead of thinking about this problem, I think we should look for more lithium mines." Xiao Yi said: "With the advent of controlled nuclear fusion, human demand for lithium will become greater and greater."

Director Liu nodded again.

Xiao Yi began to think in his heart, perhaps he should start thinking about a more economical way to produce tritium.

……

Next, Director Liu asked a lot of related suggestions, and Xiao Yi answered them one by one.

It involves issues in many aspects including science and technology, society, people's livelihood, and international affairs.

Xiao Yi felt a little helpless after being asked this question. Did they treat him as a treasure box?
But in the end, he still adhered to his role as chief designer and gave his answers one by one.

Then, Director Liu left again.

After that, a few days passed.

The Lantern Festival is coming soon. After the Lantern Festival, the workers returned to their jobs and the students went back to their schools.

At this time, the state finally made a public announcement.

Planning to build nuclear fusion power stations will begin in the three major economic circles and the top five electricity-consuming provinces of Guangdong, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Inner Mongolia.

At the same time, the original National Energy Commission was abolished and the National Energy Administration was established to manage all energy planning and development in the country. A National Fusion Company was also established, which will undertake all work including the design, construction and maintenance of all nuclear fusion power stations in the future.

As to who will hold the major positions in this general administration and company, it is still under discussion, but two positions in both have been determined.

Lifelong general consultant and chief scientist, Xiao Yi.

(End of this chapter)