While speaking, when he was about to reach the intersection of the school and the official road, Sun Yuanqi instructed the coachman to stop the car, and the group jumped down in turn, and a large wooden sign had been erected on the side, which read in Chinese and English: "Private Jingshi University." ”

Because of the development of the school and the gathering of the population, there were already smart small traders who set up stalls here, and after a long time, they built a simple pony shed along the official road to shelter from the wind and rain. Most of the new school workers have also set up camp here. None of them had much money, and those who had a lot of strong labor at home took advantage of their free time to build a few low houses with soft waists out of mud and gravel; There is no manpower at home, so just find some branches and straw to build a shack, and live in peace. Because it was still winter, many women and children, old and old, were basking in the sun and doing housework in front of the shacks, and when they saw a large group of carriages coming, they all got up and looked.

What the foreigners saw now was a scene of poverty and backwardness: on both sides of the dusty official road, there were lifeless fields, low and dilapidated houses, and quail-clad old and weak women and children...... Is this a university? More like a slum!

The foreigner's face was full of surprise. Sun Yuanqi didn't say much, and continued to move forward with them. After walking for hundreds of meters, the official road turned along the mountain, and then I saw a cement road sandwiched by green pines on the official road.

Even though it's winter, the road is lined with pine trees that have been removed from the mountains, making it even greener. The cement road is cleaned by school workers every day. Walking on the road, as soon as you raise your eyes, you can see the Tong Wenlou on the top of the hill, and the unfinished Chunpu Building near the left is faintly seen in the treetops. When everyone walked on the cement road, they nodded secretly: yes, this is what a university looks like.

Walking along the cement road to the school, another few hundred meters, you will arrive at the small square in front of the school gate, where you can hear children playing in the school. Sun Yuanqi began to introduce the size of the school, the planning of the school, the meaning of the name of the school, and so on.

Walking across the wind and rain bridge, the true face of the school is fully revealed: the playground with children playing, the beautiful Chengqi Hall under the winter sun, the Tong Wen Building towering on the top of the hill in front, the unfinished Chunpu Building on the left, the humble canteen with smoke rising, and the half-mountain villa hidden among the mountains and trees in the distance.

Sun Yuanqi said apologetically: "The university has only been built for a long time, and many buildings are still on paper. But I believe that within five years, it will be completely new; Ten years from now, it will definitely be world-famous! ”

Dinner was held in the hall of the cafeteria—the hall, but in fact, it was a few large rooms that had been opened—and in addition to Vera and Lilith's family, the new MIT, Yale colleagues, and the foreign teachers who came to support last year, Yan Fu and Lu Bi were also invited to accompany them.

Guests need to adapt to the new accommodation after a long journey, so for the convenience and speed, dinner is in a buffet mode, and everyone takes what they need. It's just that the chefs in the cafeteria don't have the ability to make burgers, cheeses, salads, and grilled steaks, and on the table are Chinese dishes such as Kung Pao chicken, sweet and sour tenderloin, vegetarian three fresh, back to the pot pork, and braised lion's head.

At this time, Sun Yuanqi had no choice but to pretend to be a turtle with a shrunken head, so he had to bite the bullet, pick up a glass of wine, and go to Vera's parents' table first. Vera did not attend the dinner due to her health.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Coster! Can I sit down and say a few words? ”

Mr. Coster replied with a serious face, "Sit down." ”

Mrs. Coster was more kind: "Oh, hello, Professor Johnson. Perhaps, I can call you Yank, you won't mind, right? ”

"Of course, it's a great honor, ma'am." Sun Yuanqi smiled and sat down at the table, and then said in the most sincere tone: "First of all, I would like to express my very welcome to you all the way from the United States. At the same time, I am very sorry. Because of my personal fault, I have caused serious trouble for Vera and you. ”

"Hmm." Mr. Coster nodded slightly, "And then?" ”

Sun Yuanqi was very solemn: "If you allow it, I want to marry Vera!" ”

Mr. Coster stared at Sun Yuanqi: "You know, Mr. Johnson, our family is very traditional, loyal to God, abiding by the doctrine, do you know what I mean?" ”

"I think I see what you mean, sir!"

Only then did Mr. Coster smile with satisfaction: "Very well, Mr. Johnson, we will discuss this matter with Vera seriously and give you an answer in a few days." ”

Mrs. Coster was obviously also satisfied, and warmly grabbed Sun Yuanqi, and chatted for a while before letting him go.

Sun Yuanqi sighed, picked up another glass of wine, and went to Lilith and her parents' table, thinking that they had already seen him go to another table first. "There's no way around it, there's got to be a priority, isn't it?" Sun Yuanqi secretly comforted himself in his heart, and then plucked up his courage: "Hello, dear Mr. Bergman, Mrs. Bergman, can I sit down and talk to you?" ”

In contrast to Mrs. Bergman's angry gaze, Mr. Bergman's attitude was much better, and he shook Sun Yuanqi's hand with a smile: "Please be seated, please be seated, Professor Johnson." It's a great honor to meet you. Although I know very little about the scientific community, I also know that you are one of the most famous scientists in science today. ”

"It's also my pleasure to meet you." After Sun Yuan sat down, he repeated what he had just said to the Costers, especially focusing on the matter of "sorry", "I am most deeply sorry for the harm caused to Lilith and you because of my fault." ”

Mr. Bergman was still gentle: "On the way here, I have already learned the situation with Lilith, and Lilith is also very responsible for this matter, and there are no more serious consequences after that. I think it can end here. ”

"Thank you very much for your understanding and support!" Sun Yuanqi is so grateful for Mr. Bergman's reasonableness.

When Sun Yuan got up, Lilith lay on her mother's lap, and when she heard this, she immediately straightened up, her face flushed, and she didn't know whether she was angry or shy: "Yanke, you married Vera and don't want me, isn't it because she is pregnant, I am not pregnant?" If I had to do it again, I would have done it too! ”

Hearing Lilith's words, the three of them were stunned, and Mrs. Bergman's face was so angry that her face was distorted, and she hurriedly got up, and pulled Lilith out of the dining room. The two men, Sun Yuanqi and Mr. Bergman, looked at each other, and after a while, Mr. Bergman said: "I'm sorry, Lilith is so messing around!" It's all because we don't discipline us strictly and make you laugh. ”

"Hehe, Lilith has a very innocent personality, which is good." Speaking of this, I felt that it was inappropriate, so I had to find a topic for the time being, "Mr. Bergman, what do you do?" ”

Mr. Bergman casually took a small sip of wine, which was an innocent Beijing Erguotou, and grinned for a long time before replying: "I'm a lawyer, and we're still alumni, and I'm also a graduate of Yale University." ”

"Oh, that's great." Sun Yuanqi suddenly thought of an idea, "Excuse me, can you represent patent matters?" ”

"No problem, that's my main business." Mr. Bergman put down his glass, "What?" Is there anything you need to consult? Ah, I almost forgot, you're the inventor of a new type of light bulb filament! You must have something new invented, don't you? ”

Sun Yuan nodded: "Yes, a way to make food more ...... More...... A tastier condiment. ”

When it comes to this condiment, it is monosodium glutamate, which is the monosodium glutamate that we eat daily, and its main role is to increase the umami of food. He originally wanted to say "delicious", but after thinking about it for a long time, he didn't think of how to say "delicious" in English, and in the end, he had to replace it with "delicious". In Mr. Bergman's ears, it becomes "more-more-tastier", and the three "more" words undoubtedly emphasize the miraculous effect of the condiment.

If Mr. Bergman had been told by a different person, he would have doubted it first. But ever since Mr. Bergman stepped on the train on the East Coast of the United States with those at MIT and Yale, all he heard was praise for Professor Johnson. For a month, then he was successfully brainwashed.

"Then we have to hurry!" Bergman slapped the table, and all eyes converged, especially the Costers, whose eyes were full of questions. Then, Bergman realized that he had lost his temper, smiled apologetically at everyone, and then whispered: "If that condiment is so magical, you have to hurry, the secret of the patent is to be one step ahead." So, is there anything I can do to help? ”

"That's right, Mr. Bergman. I already know the chemical structure of this condiment, the production method, and now I need to register it as a patent. If possible, I would like you to register this patent in Japan, the United States, and other major European countries before and after your return to Japan. ”

Bergman stared at Sun Yuanqi with gray-blue eyes: "And then? Is it intended to sell this patent as a new light bulb? Or is there something else going on? ”

"Because the production process is relatively simple, and condiments are everyday products, I don't plan to sell this patent." With a wave of his hand, Sun Yuan vetoed Mr. Bergman's proposal.

Although glutamic acid is widely found in everyday foods, the role of glutamic acid and other amino acids in enhancing the umami of food was only scientifically recognized in the early 20th century. In 1907, Kikunae Ikeda, a researcher at Tokyo Imperial University in Japan, discovered a brown crystal left behind after the evaporation of kombu (kelp) soup, namely glutamic acid. These crystals taste indescribable but very nice. This flavor can be found in many foods, especially kelp. Professor Ikeda refers to this taste as "umami." Subsequently, he patented a method for the large-scale production of glutamate crystals.

Sun Yuanqi is not so rebellious, he can understand and master the microbial manufacturing method of monosodium glutamate in later generations, what he knows is the patent invented by Wu Yunchu in China in the twenties of the twentieth century. In wheat bran (gluten), the content of glutamate can reach up to 40%. The production method is to first hydrolyze gluten with 34% hydrochloric acid under pressure to obtain a black hydrolysate, which is decolorized by activated carbon and concentrated in vacuum to obtain white crystalline glutamic acid. Then glutamate is reacted with sodium hydroxide, concentrated and dried, and sodium glutamate crystals are obtained.

"Are you planning to build your own factory for production?" Mr. Bergman was surprised that, in his opinion, Sun Yuanqi was a brilliant scientist who should make it his mission to make a name for himself through the ages, not as a successful businessman.

"I want you to do it!" Sun Yuanqi was very direct, "You are responsible for building a factory in the United States, and I am a shareholder with a patent." Excluding production costs, 70% of the profits in Europe and the United States belong to you, and 30% to Lilith, including after Lilith gets married in the future, as compensation for her faults. In Asia, including Japan, 80% of the profits go to me and 20% to you. What do you think? ”

At first glance, this proposal seemed to be very advantageous to Mr. Bergman, because the major economic powers of the time were in Europe and the United States, and as for Asia, it was a representative of poverty and backwardness. In fact, we cannot simply look at the national strength and economic level, but more importantly, look at the consumption habits of each region. Even now, MSG is used less in Europe and the United States, because they pay more attention to the original taste of food. And MSG is the most used in Chinese cuisine because we pay more attention to the taste of the soup.

Mr. Bergman hesitated, as if weighing the pros and cons, and in the end he was defeated by the magic of money: "I can provide a draft agreement in a few days - but before that, can I try the effect of that magic condiment?" ”

"No problem." Sun Yuanqi picked up the cup and touched it with Mr. Bergman, "I hope we have a happy cooperation!" ”

A few days later, Mr. Bergman, who had learned about the miraculous effects of the condiment, left China in a hurry with the corresponding materials prepared by Sun Yuanqi and Lilith, who was not happy at all. In his opinion, every minute of delay is a crime against his wealth.

After solving Lilith's problem, Sun Yuanqi began to prepare for his wedding. This is undoubtedly a complicated and vast project, even for Sun Yuanqi, who has been a man of two lifetimes: first, he himself has no experience in marriage; Secondly, he did not know anything about Chinese and foreign wedding customs in the late Qing Dynasty

Lao Zhao and Lao Zheng heard that their lord was going to get married-although they were more or less dissatisfied that the bride's family was a foreign devil, but on the whole, they were still happy to account for the vast majority - immediately mobilized all the idle people in the school, from booking the propaganda team to preparing tables and stools; From selecting chefs, to delineating menus; From the guest list, to the seating arrangement...... There are almost hundreds of people in the school, each with their own role, and several people are busy with each task. The lazy atmosphere after the Spring Festival was suddenly eliminated.

Sun Yuanqi, as the main party, rarely participated in this matter, because in addition to the imminent start of school for students, teachers, including Zhang Yuanji, also arrived in Beijing one after another.

As expected, the first to arrive was Mr. Zhang Yuanji, who was hired as the vice principal and director of the school board. Sun Yuanqi can understand Zhang Yuanji's feelings: as one of the ancient literati doctors, "getting the world's talents and educating them" is one of the most anticipated careers in his life. After stepping down from the post of prime minister of Nanyang College, the loss in my heart can be imagined. Now, I am going back to education, and the excitement in my heart is almost about to erupt. Besides, the school is about to open, and as the vice principal and director of the school board, I don't know anything about the school, so I can't say anything, right?

In this way, Zhang Yuanji arrived at the school first, and did not even inform Sun Yuanqi until he arrived at the school. After taking a long turn around the campus, Shi Shiran asked the several security guards who were watching behind him to clear the way and knocked on the door of the principal's office.

Sun Yuanqi is in discussions with a foreign municipal company about how to use the school's creek to build a small power station, build a waterworks, and lay pipelines. For example, the tap water is disinfected with chlorine, and the water samples they show to the principal can smell a pungent smell of chlorine from a distance, and throw a goldfish into it, and within a few minutes, the goldfish will turn white...... Now, with the people at MIT and Yale bringing in the coveted $180,000 check, many projects are ready to go. However, after the project is launched, these students still have to participate, whether it is a combination of learning and practice, or brainstorming, I believe it will be very helpful for students' future learning and development.

Hearing the knock on the door, Sun Yuanqi thought it was a school worker who helped pour tea, and replied casually: "Please come in." When he saw Zhang Yuanji entering the door, he was stunned for a moment, and quickly stood up: "Mr. Zhang, why don't you say anything when you come?" Let me pick you up at the station. The engineers who came to negotiate also hurriedly stood up when they heard this.

Zhang Yuanji arched his hand to everyone in the room: "My person Zhang Yuanji is uninvited, please Haihan!" ”

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