The Red Era, the Opening University Speech

Chapter 114 Do you think he is only talented in agriculture?

Two days may seem long but also short; it passed quickly.

That morning, he was coming back from running on the playground. As soon as he arrived downstairs of the dormitory building, he saw Xu Qing and Mi Qiao, whom he hadn't seen for a while.

Seeing him, Xu Qing came over and said, "The final experiment of cypermethrin will be carried out today. Dean Liu asked us to remind you. Let's go over there quickly."

Mi Qiao, who was standing by, looked at Li Mu with a hint of admiration in her eyes and said, "My father also wants to meet this genius like you."

"The experiment will probably last until very late, so he asked me to ask you if you want to stay for dinner if you are not in a hurry to leave?"

"Okay, but you have to wait for me first. I'm going to change my clothes." Li Mu said.

"Okay, we'll wait for you." Mi Qiao smiled.

After Li Mu came down, the three of them talked while riding their bicycles towards the Agricultural College.

……

Arrived at the Agricultural College.

Liu Quangong had been waiting at the door long ago. When he saw Li Mu, his eyes lit up immediately: "I've been looking forward to seeing you for so long. Finally you're here. Let's go quickly."

After saying that, he pulled Li Mu towards the school.

The Agricultural College is worthy of being called an Agricultural College. If it weren’t for the several teaching buildings, Li Mu would have suspected that this was a small mountain village somewhere.

I followed Liu Quangong all the way to the laboratory building.

"Be quiet and don't disturb the experiment." Liu Quangong turned around and reminded before opening the door of the laboratory.

Then, four people quietly entered through the back door.

As soon as he entered the door, Li Mu saw five or six people conducting experiments.

There were also a few people wearing Zhongshan suits and looking like leaders standing nearby.

Zhang Kai and Li Jian, whom I haven't seen for a long time, are also behind these people in Zhongshan suits.

At this stage, the two were completely unable to intervene, and the only reason they stayed in the laboratory was because of their contributions to propylene glycol.

……

After coming in, Liu Quangong first took out a copy of the experimental plan and data, then handed it to Li Mu and whispered, "Do you want to take a look?"

"Okay, then I'll study." Li Mu did not refuse and took it.

In the development of cypermethrin this time, he had almost no involvement except for the idea of ​​the plan, so it was inevitable that he was a little worried that something might go wrong.

But it turned out that he was overthinking it.

"As expected of a professor at the Agricultural College, he's really amazing." Li Mu couldn't help but admire in a low voice.

The completeness of the entire plan is no less than the information Ask gave him.

To achieve such results in such a short time really makes one admire the wisdom of these professors.

"That's all thanks to you, otherwise we wouldn't be able to do it." Liu Quangong looked at Li Mu's reaction and said with a smile.

Li Mu quickly said, "It's just a drop in the ocean, it's nothing."

Liu Quangong didn't say anything, just smiled and continued to watch the experiment intently.

But in his heart, his evaluation of Li Mu reached a higher level.

He is talented and humble, a rare talent!

……

Seeing that Liu Quangong stopped talking, Li Mu also turned his attention to the ongoing experiment.

Esterification, diazotization, catalytic cyclopropanation...

The steps proceeded in an orderly and unsteady manner.

Until the final saponification and acidification, a certain amount of ethyl chrysanthemate and sodium hydroxide solution are added into the saponification kettle in sequence, stirred and heated to reflux.

Tetramethrin, made!

Chen Xiaxing looked at the white crystal in his hand and tears suddenly flowed from his eyes.

"Success!" An almost roaring roar came from his chest and echoed throughout the laboratory.

Following a cheer, several reporters who had been prepared suddenly walked in from outside the door and started taking pictures with their cameras.

A few people who looked like leaders first applauded, then walked forward and shook hands tightly with professors including Chen Xiaxing and Mi Shenghua:
"Thank you for your hard work, thank you for your hard work!"

"You have done a great job!"

"The invention of tetramethrin is an unprecedented blessing for our country."

……

After the leaders finished their congratulations, President Liu and other spectators also came forward to congratulate one by one.

Looking at this scene, Li Mu couldn't help but feel happy.

It feels so good to come up with an idea and then have the big guys help you to work on it.

The key is not to take risks.

Li Mu went forward to congratulate him, and then tried to find a chance to escape.

Unexpectedly, just as I moved to the door, I heard someone shouting: "Li Mu is here? Where is he?"

In an instant, several people who knew him cast their eyes over.

The reporter who was taking pictures also cast a curious look.

"Are you Li Mu?" Everyone gathered around him, and a middle-aged man in a yellow Zhongshan suit asked.

After that, he added: "I am the director of the Agricultural Research Institute, Wei Guowei."

"Hello, Director Wei." Li Mu greeted hurriedly, feeling a little nervous.

He had a bad feeling.

Sure enough, Wei Guowei immediately asked curiously: "Student Li Mu, can you tell me how you came up with the idea of ​​synthesizing allethrin?"

"And there is also tetramethrin, which has no precedent abroad!"

"In the words of Dean Liu, Professor Chen, and Professor Mi, this is simply a genius idea!"

Upon hearing these two questions, Li Mu broke out in cold sweat on his back.

He thought to himself, "I was careless. I got too comfortable in the semiconductor research institute and even forgot to be on the alert."

"It's just a theory. I don't know if it will work." Li Mu laughed it off. Seeing the stunned faces of the others, he added:
"To be honest, I majored in mechanical engineering and knew nothing about agriculture, but I was dragged into the research."

"Apart from providing theories, I have not made any contribution in other areas. I am not worthy of your praise."

Hearing Li Mu's answer, Wei Guowei and several researchers surrounding him showed appreciation.

Who deserves credit and who doesn’t? Don’t these people who have been engaged in agricultural research for half their lives know this?
Without theoretical guidance, they would not be able to produce acrylate even if they spent ten times more time, let alone cypermethrin.

"Not bad, not bad. What a pity, why did you go to study mechanical engineering?" Chen Xiaxing couldn't help but sigh.

This voice immediately resonated with everyone present.

Yes, how could such a good student of agriculture choose to study mechanical engineering?

Although the strength of a country is inseparable from the progress of its industrial base, the people's happy life is even more inseparable from the seeds they plant with their own hands.

——Let each seed bear heavy ears of wheat, so that everyone can have enough food and clothing.

Xu Qing at the back opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something.

But she didn't say anything in the end.

The matter of the chip is confidential, so even if she knows, she can't tell anyone.

Fortunately, Wei Guowei and others did not immediately pull Li Mu and ask him to transfer to agriculture major.

……

In response to Chen Xiaxing's sigh, Li Mu just laughed it off.

Afterwards, of course, celebration was inevitable for the successful experiment.

Everyone had a celebratory banquet of two meat dishes and one vegetable dish in the cafeteria of the Agricultural College. During the banquet, many people came to talk to Li Mu.

Fortunately, he is a good eater and his mouth is never empty, so people can't find any chance to take advantage of him.

After finishing his meal in no time, Li Mu immediately excused himself on the pretext of having something to do at school.

……

The news of the successful experiment with cypermethrin soon appeared in newspapers.

When the leaders of the Ministry of Culture and Education, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Agricultural Committee heard the news, they were all shocked. Didn't Li Mu study mechanical engineering and do research and invention? How did he come up with cypermethrin and become famous in the research of agricultural technology?
"Are you sure your name is really Li Mu, and it's not a homonym?" Guo Mo asked Wei Guowei, director of the Agricultural Research Institute who was reporting to him.

The latter affirmed: "It is absolutely true, it is Li Mu, a sophomore student at Beijing Institute of Technology. Do you know this person?"

Seeing that the dean was paying so much attention to Li Mu, he couldn't help but feel a little suspicious.

But despite his grumbling, he still said:

"Dean, Li Mu has such a great talent in agriculture, can you give him a chance and let him transfer to agriculture?"

"Who? Who are you talking about?" Unexpectedly, when Guo Mo heard this, he was so shocked that he almost jumped up.

Wei Guowei asked curiously: "Li Mu, is it not possible?"

"I heard that he is only a sophomore, so it's still in time for him to change his major."

"Although he is not good at basic theory, he has an intuition in agricultural technology research that is beyond the imagination of ordinary people, which is extremely valuable for agricultural students."

Guo Mo slowly sat back in his seat, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, and said, "Old Wei, my Director Wei, you can ask for someone, but it's useless to ask me for someone."

"If you want him to transfer to agriculture, you might have to go to the Semiconductor Research Institute first and talk to Wang Shoujue."

Hearing this, Wei Guowei was somewhat stunned: "What does this have to do with the Semiconductor Research Institute? Could Li Mu be from the Semiconductor Research Institute?"

Guo Mo shook his head and said, "Haha, although he is not, he is not much different from being one."

"You know about the chip industrialization a few days ago, right? Li Mu played a very key role in the experiment."

"Now his status in the domestic semiconductor industry is no less than any expert professor, and he has received subsidies. It's just that he is not officially recognized because of his student status."

"If you want to lure him to study agriculture, a bunch of experts and professors in the semiconductor industry will be furious with you."

Hearing Guo Mo's words, Wei Guowei was deeply shocked.

……

The next day, Li Mu came to school.

While walking on the street, he could hear many students discussing cypermethrin.

Agriculture is the foundation of national economy and people's livelihood, and has always been a major issue that affects the entire body.

Especially during the three-year period of great disaster, every piece of news about increased grain production was rare good news for the people.

Originally, engineering students were not that interested in this area.

But the strange thing is that when the newspaper published the experimenter, it mentioned that a student from Beijing Institute of Technology also made a significant contribution to the development of tetramethrin:
In the cafeteria, Li Mu was eating while hearing people discussing: "Chen Xiaxing, Mi Shenghua, Yuan Peiye, Du Mingwei... These are all famous agricultural scholars in our country!"

"Tell me, who is that person from our college mentioned in the newspaper? How could he be doing research with them?"

"Who would have guessed this? We are an engineering school, and I have never heard of anyone here knowing anything about agriculture!"

"Hey, you guys think, could it be Li Mu..."

……

As several students were talking, their eyes couldn't help but fall on Li Mu.

Someone soon came up and asked, "Li Mu, do you know about the recent breakthrough in agricultural technology?"

This person is Li Mu's classmate, named Zhao Kaibing. They see each other every day and are quite familiar with Li Mu.

"Of course I know." Li Mu turned around and smiled, saying, "The achievement of those professors in developing cypermethrin is truly admirable."

"A 10% increase in production would be enough to feed so many people!"

Seeing Li Mu's expression, the students were relieved and said, "Not only that, our country's pesticide technology has never made a breakthrough before."

"We have achieved the most difficult step from 0 to 1, and the subsequent technological progress will only be faster."

"I believe that in a few years, everyone will be able to have enough to eat!"

"Yes, everyone can have enough to eat!"

……

Li Mu smiled and agreed with Zhao Kaibing and others, without any intention of showing off in front of others.

However, at this moment, Professor Wei, Chen Xiaxing, and several tall middle-aged men walked towards them in the distance.

Professor Wei said, "Li Mu, Professor Chen and these comrades from the Agricultural Committee are looking for you."

"Come out and talk. It's not convenient to talk here."

"Okay." Li Mu nodded, stood up and walked out of the cafeteria.

Zhao Kaibing and his friends, who were discussing with him enthusiastically just now, looked at each other:
"What does the Agriculture Committee want from Li Mu?"

"I don't know. It can't be that the man mentioned in the newspaper is him, right?"

"That's impossible. It's ok for him to be good at mechanical engineering, but how can he also understand agricultural technology? Is he still a human being?"

"What if..."

……

Walk out of the cafeteria.

The group came to a small pavilion outside the library.

Professor Wei introduced: "This is Zhang Xingjin, the secretary of the Agricultural Committee. He came here specially to see you."

Zhang Xingjin had dark skin and showed his teeth when he smiled. He said, "Student Li Mu, I have heard of your name for a long time. Director Wei, Dean Liu, and Professor Mi have mentioned your name to me many times."

"I don't deserve any great reputation. I'm just an ordinary student. I achieved a little success by sheer luck." Li Mu said with a smile.

He has now come to terms with it, since he is not a student majoring in agriculture.

Even if he invented cypermethrin, it would be a stroke of luck if he managed to bite it to death, and no one else can do anything to him.

"Your achievement is not as simple as just a little bit of success!" Zhang Xingjin smiled and continued, "I won't say any more nonsense. This time I am mainly representing the Agricultural Research Institute to invite you to become our special scholar."

"Special scholar, me?" Li Mu pointed at himself, full of disbelief.

To be honest, he couldn't even tell the difference between grass and seedlings.

Zhang Xingjin said: "Special scholars do not need to assume specific responsibilities, they only need to selectively participate in the research of some difficult agricultural technology issues."

"And after becoming a special scholar, you can also enjoy a special allowance from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which will be deposited into this passbook every month."

Looking at Zhang Xingjin's sincere gaze, Li Mu found it difficult to refuse.

He really wanted to find an opportunity to get involved in agricultural technology to see if he could develop hybrid rice as soon as possible.

After thinking for a while, he made up his mind: "It is an honor for me that the leaders of the Agricultural Research Institute trust me. I am willing to become a special scholar!"

"But I'm not a professional after all, so I'm afraid I won't be able to participate in the research in the short term."

"It doesn't matter. You can participate later." When Secretary Zhang saw Li Mu taking the letter of appointment, he smiled so hard that his teeth seemed to be grinning.

Professor Wei's face darkened, but since Li Mu was determined to do it, he couldn't stop him.

But at this moment, Chen Xiaxing couldn't help but said: "Li Mu, if you are willing to continue to develop in agriculture in the future, you can take the postgraduate entrance examination here..."

Hearing this, Professor Wei could not pretend he hadn't heard it, and said with wide eyes:

"Li Mu is going to continue his studies in mechanical engineering. The dean and many professors of our school plan to focus on training him."

"I'm just saying it, I don't mean anything else." Chen Xiaxing smiled, but still said: "But he is indeed still young, so you can consider it!"

"What are you considering? Do you think he is only talented in agriculture?" Professor Wei's voice became much louder.

Chen Xiaxing said: "At least he is much more talented than him in mechanical engineering. Tetramethrin, you know how important it is!"

"If it weren't for him, our country's pesticide technology would have been blocked by others. Don't you understand?"

"What do you know?" Professor Wei pointed at Chen Xiaxing and almost couldn't help but tell him everything that Li Mu had done.

At this moment, a scream suddenly came from the side.

They looked over from two meters away and found that several students were lying behind a tree and eavesdropping, and they accidentally fell to the ground.

Seeing this, Professor Wei fell silent.

He couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat on his back.

"What? You have nothing to say?" Chen Xiaxing looked at Professor Wei in silence and thought he had convinced him.

……

Chen Xiaxing and Professor Wei looked at each other in silence, while Li Mu could only smile bitterly when he looked at Zhao Kaibing and others.

Looking at their surprised expressions, I was afraid that my participation in the development of cypermethrin would be known to the whole school tomorrow.

Well, after hiding for a long time, I still couldn’t hide it.

(End of this chapter)