Chapter 11: It wasn't your student; it was Gu Xizhu's student who donated it.

As familiar pieces of equipment were carried out one by one, the mocking words of Cheng Ziyu, Xu Ruyin, and the others came to an abrupt halt, as if they had all been struck by a stinging slap to the face.

Cheng Ziyu was the most incredulous of all. He stared fixedly at Lin Qiongqiong. "How is this possible? Lin Qiongqiong, how could you possibly have that much money?"

The senior students were feeling particularly conflicted. To spend ten million just like that—no wonder Lin Qiongqiong had previously dismissed the hundred-million-yuan project from the Shen Group as nothing special.

"Isn't Lin Qiongqiong being a bit too extravagant? No wonder she dared to openly challenge Professor Zhao."

"She’s basically gifted Professor Gu a high-end laboratory, hasn't she? From now on, Professor Zhao’s lab won't be the most advanced one in our department anymore."

"Professor Gu really struck gold! Damn it, where was our advisor back then? If she had taken Lin Qiongqiong in, our lab might have been the one getting a full upgrade!"

Students from other laboratories gossiped happily, not forgetting to tag their own advisors in their group chats, lamenting their lost opportunity.

The professors’ offices were just upstairs. Upon hearing the news, many of them gathered and headed down to see the commotion. After all, ten million was a massive fortune even in the eyes of these university professors.

...

On the fifth floor, Zhao Hanyang had just stepped out of the elevator when he saw a group of professors heading downstairs together. He was somewhat puzzled. "Did the department move the meeting up?"

The professors stopped and looked at him with strange expressions. Professor Xu, his fierce rival, looked at him with a sly smile. "Old Zhao, I heard you kicked one of our own graduate students out of your lab? Lin Qiongqiong, was it? And she’s now studying under Gu Xizhu?"

Mentioning this, Zhao Hanyang felt his anger flare up again. "That’s right. A student who commits academic misconduct and defies her mentor is not fit to stay in my lab. If Gu Xizhu wants to oppose me, then my lab will no longer welcome him either."

Professor Xu sighed with regret. "Oh, why didn't you notify us when you were kicking her out?"

Zhao Hanyang: ?

The other teachers also wore expressions of having missed out on a fortune.

"Gu Xizhu got such a bargain."

"Why don't I have a student like that?"

Zhao Hanyang was even more confused. "What is so good about Lin Qiongqiong? Even her thesis was plagiarized. A student like that doesn't deserve to be in graduate school at our university at all! By taking her in, Gu Xizhu will sooner or later ruin his reputation!"

Other teachers clearly didn't quite believe it. "Plagiarizing a thesis? That seems unlikely, doesn't it? I recall Lin Qiongqiong having a very high GPA and winning national awards several times."

"Good grades mean nothing when she didn't even conduct the experiments herself, just copied the data from others. If Ruyin hadn't published her paper first, we would have all been fooled by her!" Zhao Hanyang sneered.

The elevator stopped at the fourth floor. Seeing the other teachers stepping out, Zhao Hanyang was puzzled. "Isn't the meeting on the third floor?"

Just then, he spotted an acquaintance and immediately stepped forward to shake hands. "Manager Wang, what brings you here?"

This Manager Wang from Zhiling Technology was someone he knew well; the experimental equipment Zhiling Technology had sponsored for his lab had all been delivered personally by him.

Manager Wang shook his hand politely and couldn't help but sigh, "Professor Zhao, the students at your university are truly grateful. Ten million in equipment, donated just like that."

Hearing this, Zhao Hanyang was ecstatic. Such a promising and generous student must surely be one of his own graduates!

"Haha, these kids—why didn't they give me a heads-up before donating such expensive items to my lab?" He felt very smug, but pretended to be indifferent as he said to the other teachers, "My students have always been this respectful of their mentors. People like Lin Qiongqiong, who lack character and talk back to teachers, are not fit to be my students."

However, as soon as these words left his mouth, he noticed the strange looks the other teachers were giving him, and even Manager Wang frowned.

Manager Wang cleared his throat awkwardly behind a clenched fist. "Professor Zhao, you’ve misunderstood. Those instruments weren't donated by your students; they were donated to Professor Gu Xizhu’s lab by his student."

"What?!"

Zhao Hanyang was incredulous, blurting out, "Gu Xizhu doesn't even have any students!"

"It seems his student is also named Lin Qiongqiong," Manager Wang said, sounding slightly hesitant as he wasn't sure if it was the same person Zhao Hanyang had mentioned.

"Impossible!"

Zhao Hanyang’s face paled. "Lin Qiongqiong is a student from a poor family; how could she possibly donate equipment worth ten million?"

He hurried toward Gu Xizhu’s lab, and upon seeing the rows of high-end equipment inside, he was completely stunned.

Professor Xu patted Zhao Hanyang on the shoulder, saying meaningfully, "Old Zhao, it seems you didn't really know student Lin Qiongqiong at all. This much equipment must have been ordered a long time ago, right? Perhaps the child originally intended it for you. Tsk, look at you—you broke her heart, and now it’s all gone to that kid, Gu Xizhu."

Hearing this, Zhao Hanyang felt even more stung.

The other teachers were looking at the equipment in Gu Xizhu’s lab with envious eyes. They were all researchers, and the sophistication of their equipment determined the depth of their research. This wasn't just equipment; these were SCI papers being handed out!

"Teachers, welcome to visit my mentor’s laboratory."

Seeing so many professors standing at the door, Lin Qiongqiong stepped forward to greet them.

The mentors all praised her for being polite. Only Zhao Hanyang pursed his lips, staring at her with dark, heavy eyes, waiting for her to address him.

But Lin Qiongqiong didn't even glance at him. Instead, she said to the other teachers entering the room, "My mentor doesn't have a use for many of these instruments. If any of you need them, you are welcome to borrow them at any time."

At these words, the teachers looked pleasantly surprised.

Professor Xu, who was at odds with Zhao Hanyang, smiled and said, "Then many thanks, student Lin!"

He had long disliked Zhao Hanyang, but because he always had to borrow Zhao Hanyang’s equipment, he had been forced to be civil. Now that Lin Qiongqiong had upgraded Gu Xizhu’s lab, she had completely broken Zhao Hanyang’s monopoly.

Zhao Hanyang’s brow furrowed even deeper. In the past, whenever other teachers needed to borrow his equipment, they would owe him a favor, and often had to show him respect. Now that Lin Qiongqiong had upgraded Gu Xizhu’s lab, she had completely broken his monopoly!

He felt even more convinced that Lin Qiongqiong was an ungrateful ingrate. She had been with him for so long and never given him anything, yet the moment she joined Gu Xizhu, she gave him such a massive gift!

"Lin Qiongqiong!"

Just as he stepped into the laboratory, he heard Gu Xizhu’s cold voice.

"Professor Zhao, our laboratory does not welcome you."

Zhao Hanyang’s face stiffened. Even the university president gave him a modicum of respect; how dare this greenhorn Gu Xizhu embarrass him like this?

He snorted and stood at the entrance of the lab. "Fine, I won't go in, lest I dirty my feet! Lin Qiongqiong, I want to ask you: as a student from a poor background, where did you get all that money? Don't tell me you've been up to some shady business!"