Chapter 14: Dean! Let's Restart!

Zhang Gongnong was somewhat dazed, completely failing to grasp Professor Li's meaning.

It wasn't as if Dingping's excellence was invisible; as his mentor, he knew very well that he had taken on a brilliant student. Even taking a step back, no matter how excellent Dingping was, there was no reason for him to be praised so effusively in front of everyone like this.

As a renowned professor and the Vice President of the 335 Research Institute, how could he not be able to distinguish what was important in this situation?

It was like talking about one thing and being answered with something entirely unrelated—they were completely on different wavelengths.

He looked at Professor Li, his eyes filled with confusion.

Professor Li continued.

"Old Zhang, why don't you think about it? In such an important setting, why wasn't Dingping arranged to be in the lounge with your other students to review the confidentiality agreements? Instead, he's here with us."

It suddenly clicked for Zhang Gongnong.

That's right, why was Dingping here?

Professor Huang couldn't stand it any longer: "Professor Li, stop keeping us in suspense!"

"These..." Professor Li pointed to the 956E model and the room full of design blueprints, saying with a smile, "were all developed by Dingping!"

As he spoke, he winked at Zhang Gongnong, as if to say: *Now do you know why I'd rather go back and burn your lab than not call you here!*

"What! What did you say!"

Zhang Gongnong's voice suddenly jumped several decibels.

"What Professor Li said is the truth," Colonel Zhang added.

"Dingping? These? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Zhang Gongnong's eyes widened. His gaze darted back and forth between Su Dingping, the models, and the blueprints, before he decisively shook his head.

Professor Huang also spoke up.

"Professor Zhang, I know you can't accept this fact immediately. Professor Li, Colonel Zhang, and I were just like you at first! But over the past hour, we've had a general look through them, and these were indeed produced by Dingping!"

"This is his graduation project!"

With even Professor Huang stepping forward, Zhang Gongnong was utterly stunned.

His mouth hung wide open, as if he could swallow a large goose egg, and his gaze toward Su Dingping was filled with astonishment.

"Dingping, did you really make all of this?"

Su Dingping nodded somewhat awkwardly.

Under any other circumstances, he would have admitted it quite confidently.

But now, with the three examiners setting the bar so high, he actually felt a bit bashful.

*Hiss—*

Zhang Gongnong sucked in a breath of cold air, rubbing his temples with one hand.

With the collective endorsement of the three examiners, it couldn't be fake, and Su Dingping himself had admitted it. For a moment, Zhang Gongnong felt like his brain was about to short-circuit.

"Wait a minute... let me process this!"

Not long ago, his heart had been filled with despair, waiting for the 956E project to restart, though he didn't know when that would be.

The despair and helplessness of that time were still vivid in his mind.

Who would have thought that after returning for just one trip, he would receive such a massive surprise!

In just over an hour, he had fallen from heaven to hell, and then shot straight from hell back to heaven.

That alone would have been enough!

But most importantly, this surprise was produced by the student he had always believed in!

So many military experts had worked on this for seven months, only to end up with the project being suspended.

And yet his student...

Now, the 956E project could be restarted!

The 1.8 billion USD wouldn't have to be sent to the Russians after all!

"Professor Zhang, this kid Dingping is outstanding!" Professor Huang said with a hint of envy. "If only he were my student. Professor Zhang, if you're too busy and don't have the time..."

Before he could finish, Professor Li quickly walked over and nudged Zhang Gongnong with his elbow.

While his mouth said, "Not busy, not busy at all, right Old Zhang?" his eyes were clearly saying: *What time is it? People are trying to snatch your student, and you're still acting like a sulky child?*

Coming to his senses, Zhang Gongnong patted Su Dingping on the shoulder.

"Good! Well done, Dingping! I never thought that at nearly fifty years old, I would take in a genius!"

"Heaven has not treated me poorly!"

He looked at Su Dingping, feeling that all his grievances were worth it at this moment. Overwhelmed by the sudden shift from great sorrow to great joy, his nose suddenly felt a sting, and his eyes involuntarily reddened.

In an instant, he said with a smile.

"Tonight is on me. No one leaves!"

"Dingping, quick, tell me how you came up with this idea! I remember the materials we gave you were all data on decommissioned warships! Forget the 956E, even the parameters for active warships are classified."

Professor Li and the others knew the circumstances, but they didn't say much.

"A while ago, didn't you show us photos of the 956E? Later... I reverse-engineered the technology of the Russian warships... and then extrapolated how these technologies might evolve in the future... Because time was so tight, it's currently only at the model stage..."

Su Dingping recounted what he had previously told Professor Li and the others.

After hearing this, Zhang Gongnong looked incredulous.

"In total, it's only been five months! We worked on it for five months and the result was..."

Halfway through his sentence, Professor Li interrupted.

"Old Zhang, why are you comparing yourself to Dingping? Have you forgotten that old saying in mathematics?"

"What saying?"

"A task that a group of mathematicians spends a lifetime on, Gauss can finish in an afternoon!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Zhang Gongnong stopped obsessing.

The matter was clear, and the hope for a restart was there; now, there was one more major task at hand.

Zhang Gongnong said hurriedly, "You guys carry on, I need to make a call to President Sun!"

"Do your thing, I still have many questions to discuss with Dingping!" As he spoke, Professor Li pulled Su Dingping toward the 956E model to begin studying the relevant structural components.

Taking out his phone, Zhang Gongnong dialed President Sun directly.

"President, are you busy?"

"Comrade Gongnong, I know you're feeling uneasy right now, but there's nothing I can do about this matter."

"President, you need to come here immediately! This is a matter of great importance involving national secrets; it's not convenient to talk over the phone! Also, tell the Chief: do not rush to send that 1.8 billion USD!"

"What?"

"Don't ask, President, just get here! I'll stop talking—Professor Li, Professor Huang, and Colonel Zhang are all here, we're just waiting for you!"

Having said that, Zhang Gongnong hung up and joined Professor Li's team.

On the other side, at the 335 Research Institute, President Sun was hosting Turgenev and several other Russian experts.

"President Sun, is there an emergency? We have seen everything we needed to see, so we won't disturb you any longer!" Turgenev stood up to take his leave quite tactfully. "I wish our cooperation a pleasant start."

"Then I'll have someone accompany you to tour Harbin!"

After making all the arrangements, President Sun headed straight for Harbin Institute of Technology, filled with confusion.

Half an hour later, accompanied by a knock on the door, Colonel Zhang opened it.

"Colonel Zhang."

"President Sun, Professor Zhang and Professor Li are quite busy right now."

As he spoke, Colonel Zhang stepped aside.

Peering inside, President Sun saw Zhang Gongnong and the others gathered around a massive model, all talking at once, seemingly in the middle of a heated debate.

Seeing President Sun arrive, Zhang Gongnong rushed over.

"President, how is it? Have you spoken to the Chief? Has the 1.8 billion USD been blocked?"

"Comrade Gongnong, what on earth are you talking about?"