Rejecting Tsinghua and Peking Universities: I Will Lead Harbin Institute of Technology to World Lead

The top floor of the Shanghai hospital was still brightly lit, but the tense atmosphere had quietly dissipated.

Old Qi stood by the window of his office, watching the cars leaving the parking lot downstairs one after another—then turned around and picked up the red secure phone on the table.

"I am Qi Zhenguo." His voice was still trembling slightly, but not from nervousness, but from excitement. "The first batch of clinical trials for Project Dawn has been a complete success."

There was a three-second silence on the other end of the phone.

Then a steady voice came through: "Detailed data."

"Thirteen patients, covering eight common types of cancer including lung cancer, liver cancer, stomach cancer, pancreatic cancer, and cervical cancer. They ranged from early to late stages." Dr. Qi picked up the report on the table, speaking quickly but clearly. "In all patients, cancer cells were completely eliminated or suppressed below a safe level within ninety minutes. No serious side effects occurred, and vital signs remained stable throughout the process."

Another silence followed.

But Mr. Qi could hear suppressed breathing coming from the other end of the phone.

"Old Qi," the voice rang out again, tinged with a rare excitement, "Are you sure? Absolutely sure?"

"I guarantee it with my sixty years of academic reputation," Professor Qi said, emphasizing each word. "The data has been verified three times, including imaging data, blood tests, and biomarkers... all the indicators point to the same result—we have succeeded."

"Good! Good! Good!"

The person on the other end of the phone said "good" three times in a row, each time with more force than the last.

"All those involved in the project will receive the honors and rewards they deserve. This is a historic achievement, and the nation and its people will never forget you."

Old Qi gripped the microphone tightly: "Leader, I must clarify that the greatest contributor is not me, nor the other experts in the project team. It's Lin Feng. The theory is his, the core plan is his, and even the specific parameter adjustments for the clinical trials were provided by him."

He spoke slowly and clearly, making sure every word was heard.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.

"We know." The voice rang out again, tinged with amusement. "In fact, the materials about Comrade Lin Feng have already been placed on the desks of several leaders. Including... that one."

Old Qi's hand trembled violently: "You mean...?"

"Yes." The other party confirmed his guess. "That person specifically requested to see him. The meeting is scheduled for two days from now in the capital. Old Qi, you are responsible for relaying this message."

"Yes, sir! Mission accomplished!"

"Please adhere to confidentiality regulations."

"clear!"

After hanging up the phone, Old Qi stood there, motionless for a long time. The night outside the window was already deep, and the neon lights of Shanghai were flashing in the distance, but those lights paled in comparison to his own at that moment.

He recalled the first time he met Lin Feng—the young man calmly handed him a stack of documents, his eyes clear and resolute. At the time, he thought he was just another so-called genius trying to attract attention, but he never imagined that the stack of documents contained a turning point in an era.

"The younger generation is truly formidable..." the old man murmured, his voice filled with satisfaction.

He pushed open the office door and walked towards Lin Feng's room.

The corridor was quiet; the other experts and researchers had already gone back to rest, and only a few offices still had their lights on. Old Qi stopped in front of Lin Feng's door and knocked.

The door opened quickly.

Lin Feng was still wearing his daytime clothes, clearly having not rested. He looked tired, but his eyes were still bright.

"Old Qi, you're still up so late?"

"There's something I need to tell you." Old Qi entered the room, closed the door, and his expression turned serious. "You need to leave for the capital as soon as possible. That person wants to see you in two days."

Lin Feng was taken aback: "That one?"

"Old Li."

When these two words came out of Qi Lao's mouth, they were spoken with an almost reverent respect.

Lin Feng's pupils contracted slightly.

Even he, despite having experienced so much and personally driving several national-level projects, still felt his heart skip a beat when he heard this name.

That is a spiritual monument in the hearts of countless Chinese people, and the most respected elder in this country.

"I understand." Lin Feng took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady. "I will set off as soon as possible."

Old Qi took out a note from his pocket with a simple string of numbers written on it: "This is Old Chen's confidential phone number. Contact him when you get to Beijing, and he will arrange everything."

Lin Feng took the note with both hands, folded it neatly, and put it into his inner pocket.

"Xiao Feng," Old Qi patted his shoulder, his eyes filled with complex emotions, "Remember, no matter who you meet, no matter what honors you receive, you will always be you. The scientist who fought for the strength of China and the health of the people."

"I understand." Lin Feng nodded solemnly.

Old Qi has left.

After closing the door, Lin Feng walked to the window and looked at the night view of Shanghai outside.

He couldn't sleep.

That meeting kept him awake at all.

As dawn approached, Lin Feng quickly packed his luggage. He didn't have much: a few changes of clothes and a laptop.

Zhao Weiguo was already waiting downstairs. He took Lin Feng's luggage and put it in the trunk.

Neither of them spoke on the way to the airport.

The morning in Shanghai was shrouded in a thin mist, and the traffic on the streets gradually increased.

As the plane soared into the sky, Lin Feng looked out the window at the city skyline below, which was gradually shrinking.

The two-hour flight ended quickly.

The plane landed at Beijing Capital International Airport at 10:00 AM. Lin Feng had just turned on his phone when he received a short message: "Exit C, black sedan, license plate 京A·xxxxx".

The two walked out of the terminal and, sure enough, saw a low-profile black sedan at the exit. Standing next to the car was a burly middle-aged man, wearing a dark jacket, standing upright with sharp eyes.

"Excuse me, are you Mr. Lin Feng?" The man stepped forward, his tone polite and respectful.

"I am."

"I was sent by Mr. Chen to pick you up." The man opened the car door. "Please get in."

The car drove out of the airport, not into the city, but along a dedicated lane heading northwest. The scenery outside the window gradually changed from bustling to solemn; the trees on both sides of the road grew taller, and the guard posts became more and more numerous.

Lin Feng recognized where the road led.

But he said nothing, simply gazing quietly out the window. Zhao Weiguo, sitting in the passenger seat, also remained silent, only his back was straighter than usual.

Forty minutes later, the car passed through the final security checkpoint and drove into a courtyard nestled among green trees. It was very quiet here; the hustle and bustle of the city was nowhere to be heard, only the rustling of leaves in the wind and the faint chirping of birds in the distance.

The car stopped in front of a quaint building.

"Mr. Lin, we've arrived." The driver turned around. "Mr. Chen is waiting for you inside."

As Lin Feng pushed open the car door and his feet touched the ground, he could feel that the air here was different—fresher, yet heavier. Every breath seemed to carry the weight of history.

Zhao Weiguo wanted to follow, but the driver politely stopped him: "Comrade Zhao, please wait. Your room is in another building. Someone will take you there."

Lin Feng nodded to Zhao Weiguo, then walked towards the building alone.

The main door, made of heavy mahogany, creaked softly as it was pushed open. Inside was a simple reception room with a few rattan chairs, a coffee table, and a landscape painting hanging on the wall. An elderly man with gray hair stood with his back to the door, gazing at the scenery from the window.

Hearing the door open, the old man turned around.

Lin Feng recognized the face—on television, in the news, and at countless important historical moments. But standing face to face now, he truly felt the overwhelming aura emanating from it: gentle yet dignified, weathered yet wise.

"Old Chen." Lin Feng bowed slightly.

"Comrade Lin Feng, please sit down." Old Chen gestured to the rattan chair and sat down himself. "You must be tired from your journey."

"It's not hard work."

"Professor Qi has already submitted the results of the clinical trials," Professor Chen said bluntly, his eyes sharp as knives. "Thirteen patients, all successful. Do you know what that means?"

"This means that cancer is no longer a terminal illness," Lin Feng replied succinctly.

"No." Old Chen shook his head. "It means that for the first time, China has taken the lead in the world in the field of biomedicine. It means that millions of people will die less each year in the future, and countless families will be spared from being torn apart."

He paused, his voice lowering, "It also means that you will become a thorn in the side of many people."

Lin Feng raised his head and met Old Chen's gaze: "I understand."

"Do you really understand?" Old Chen stared at him. "Once it's made public—even partially—your name will appear on the intelligence lists of every country. Your life will be completely changed, your safety will be threatened, and your every move will be watched."

"I know," Lin Feng replied calmly, "but that doesn't stop me from doing what I'm supposed to do."

Old Chen stared at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled.

There was a sense of relief and satisfaction in that smile.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning, Mr. Li." Mr. Chen stood up. "You can rest here today. Your room has been arranged; feel free to ask if you need anything."

He walked to the door, then stopped: "By the way, Old Li doesn't like formalities. Just be yourself in front of him."

The door closed.

Lin Feng was unable to calm down and could only enter the simulation space to continue studying the Kunpeng and the Vermilion Bird!