Rebirth 1977 Great Era

Chapter 1300 The Catfish Effect in the Research Institute: The Local Tyrant of Macau Comes to Demand His Daughter (Two Chapters Combined)
After thinking it over, Fang Yan finally decided to give Wei Guohao some help.

He was given two options: one was to become a doctor at Mr. Huo's private hospital, which he could do by simply making a request to Mr. Huo. Although Wei Guohao's medical skills were not as good as his own, he was still capable of handling common illnesses.

The second option is to work for yourself. Hong Kong needs someone who understands Chinese medicine. Originally, Fang Yan planned to find someone from here to send over.

If Wei Guohao is willing, he can be asked to do this.

As for using connections to help him get the money back, Fang Yan has no such plans yet.

Even my relationship with him couldn't reach that level.

Unless Wei Guohao can do something big for him in the future to prove his worth, this is already the limit that Fang Yan can do.

Although the situation is pitiful, the human relationships involved are at the expense of the dialect itself.

It's not something that can be accomplished simply by raising your hand.

Now, the dialect can only give him a chance to make a comeback.

After thinking it over, Fang Yan sent another telegram back to Hong Kong.

Regardless of which option Wei Guohao chooses, the dialect has already done its utmost.

After settling things down here, Fang Yan went to ask Chu Qiaonan about what his father had been doing in Taiwan.

Chu Qiaonan said to Fang Yan:

"He hasn't contacted me yet. He said he would let me know when everything is settled. I've urged him several times, but he hasn't given me any updates. But don't worry about this, Brother Fang. That's how my dad talks to me, but he will definitely do his best to do what he says he will do."

"I promise that I will inform you and Brother Hu as soon as I have any news."

Hearing Chu Qiaonan say this, Fang Yan knew she couldn't ask too many questions. After indicating that she knew, Fang Yan didn't ask any more.

It's not all bad that his father failed to establish a proper distribution channel; the production line that Lao Hu ordered is still adrift at sea.

After leaving Japan, they can't go directly to domestic ports. They need to go through Malaysia or Singapore before they can be safely transferred to China. Otherwise, the Japanese will know they are setting up production lines.

Although they have already started cooperating with Kobayashi Pharmaceutical, they should expose as little information as possible to avoid being taken advantage of.

……

A week has passed in the blink of an eye, and it's already mid-September.

The class committee members who had interned at the research institute last time are now full of enthusiasm every day. They are also quite capable of learning. Of course, more importantly, they saw that Fang Yan had once rewarded the researchers who had made research results here.

They're giving out real money.

Furthermore, even those who participate in the auxiliary work are also rewarded. People like Song Jianzhong, who were previously assigned to the same group, will receive a sum of money now that these traditional Chinese medicine products have been confirmed to be commercialized.

The number of people who participated in the assistance alone was over two hundred yuan, and the number of key personnel was even greater, plus other rewards.

Furthermore, the institute's director and deputy director were present at the award ceremony.

This honor alone is enough to make many people envious.

How could the students in these classes not be tempted when they saw this situation?

In addition, most of them have a master-apprentice relationship and have the qualifications to do this. They wrote down several secret recipes in their hands, found the dialect, and asked him to confirm whether there were any suitable for market use.

Although they don't know enough about the market, some of these secret formulas are actually usable.

After Fang Yan selected them, he let them start building their teams, and he even assigned someone to specifically guide them.

Many classmates joined in, hoping to create a successful product within a month. Fang Yan even said that if they succeeded, they would get a share of the profits based on sales.

So during this period, many people from Class 1 joined in.

The research institute here was already short-staffed, but now it's a bit overstaffed.

Even people from other classes were asking around, but they could only be told to wait a little while, as the current space was insufficient.

Then these people went to the research institute to find Zhao Xiwu, hoping to be assigned an empty research room as well, since there are still many empty research rooms in the research building.

If the research institutes on the dialect side don't have the necessary conditions, they plan to create those conditions for themselves.

Seeing this scene, Fang Yan thought of the saying, "Wealth moves people's hearts."

Even without the need for talk of selfless dedication, this most basic financial offensive has already motivated almost the entire graduate class.

They all couldn't wait to join in.

The underground of the research institute is no longer as quiet as it used to be. The original research floor is now crowded with students wearing blue Zhongshan suits carrying manuscripts and medicine jars. Some are observing the foam of the extracted herbs around the experimental table, some are squatting in the corner arguing about the formula ratio, and some are chasing after the institute's senior researchers with notebooks, asking them questions. Even the corridor has been set up with temporary experimental tables.

"Be careful! This is a sample of freshly made cough syrup, don't spill it!" Zhu Bangxian tiptoed through the crowd, the enamel can in his hand steaming.

After his "improved formula for Chuanbei Loquat Syrup" was selected by Fang Yan last week, he immediately pulled together Li Chunsheng and Gao Duo to form a team. These past few days, whenever they don't have classes, they have been eating and living at the research institute.

At the lab bench next to him, Lu Shou Kang was taking notes in a notebook, while another student was carefully injecting the purified Chinese medicine into a petri dish containing the medicine. Four or five students were watching from behind, and the group of people even held their breath.

Zeng Luquan was inspecting the site with a serious expression. His work had been almost entirely taken over by the students, and he only needed to move between the experimental groups.

These students are truly deserving of their selection. After watching for a few days, they had already mastered how to operate the equipment and were now getting hands-on. Fang Yan's research institute was even more lively than before.

Even more outrageous, Fang Yan just told him that the research institute has approved their institute to borrow other unused research sites so that more research groups can be formed.

With the addition of this group of people, the research institute became much larger than originally planned. Moreover, these people were not just a motley crew; they were also elite TCM practitioners with many years of clinical experience, selected through a nationwide screening process.

Fang Yan stood at the end of the corridor, looking at the bustling scene before her, and couldn't help but smile. She had originally worried that the students lacked research experience, but their enthusiasm far exceeded her expectations. Chen Shikui and his team's improved "dampness-removing tea bag" had already completed its third tasting, and the feedback was that it was milder than the herbal teas on the market.

Wang Xinglu's "topical pain relief ointment" is undergoing skin irritation testing; it is said that it did not cause redness when applied to a volunteer's arm for four hours.

Even Li Hui, with the help of her senior brother Zeng Wanli, and two other girls, managed to develop a preliminary formula for "Rose Beauty Elixir." The pale pink liquid in the glass bottle had a clear luster, something Fang Yan hadn't considered before. He had only thought about making it for women's faces, not for internal use. This product had low cost, but the profit margin could be very high.

“I think we should ask Dean Zhao to help coordinate and open up the second floor of the R&D center as well. It’s just sitting empty and useless right now, so why not let them conduct their research on our own turf?” He Puren suggested to Fang Yan.

Fang Yan nodded and said:
“I’ll go ask. You’re right. It’s not good to occupy someone else’s land. Also, transfer another batch of experimental equipment from the warehouse and tell the students that as long as the formula is reliable and the process is compliant, the institute will fully support them. But safety comes first. If anyone adds medicines indiscriminately and causes problems, the project will be stopped immediately.”

Just then, He Shaoqi ran over, waving a piece of paper in his hand:

"Brother Fang! Brother Fang! Great news! Our group's 'compound antihypertensive tablet' formula was just tested, and the content of the active ingredient is more than 10% higher than that of products on the market!" Several classmates following behind him were also excited. "We want to apply for mass production trials, what do you think?"

Fang Yan was taken aback, and He Puren was also somewhat surprised, saying:

"So fast? What about the drug standards?"

A voice in dialect nearby said:

"Yes, drug standards must be certified internationally. Even if your active ingredient is high, it won't be acceptable if the standards are not met."

He Shaoqi said:
"The medicinal herbs we selected are all commonly used in research institutes, such as angelica, salvia miltiorrhiza, and eucommia ulmoides. They are from the same suppliers as 'Angelica Blood-Nourishing Oral Liquid.' We thought that if the herbs were fine, the formula wouldn't have any major problems..."

His classmate behind him added, "We also referred to the antihypertensive drug standards in the pharmacopoeia to make the formula, and adjusted the dosage three times before we dared to send it for testing."

Fang Yan shook his head and said:
"Qualified medicinal materials do not mean qualified finished products. International pharmaceutical certification looks at 'compliance throughout the entire process,' from the temperature and time of cleaning, extraction, and concentration of medicinal materials, to the stability testing and heavy metal content detection of the finished product. Each step must be supported by clear data. You have only done component content testing so far, which is far from sufficient."

He Puren also came over to take a look at the report, pointing to one of the items and saying, "Look here, the dissolution rate only reached 85%, while the international standard is over 90%. This one item is not up to standard, so even if the effective ingredient content is high, it will not pass the certification." He patted He Shaoqi on the shoulder, "Don't rush, the worst thing in drug development is to be impatient. When I was researching the drug compatibility of 'fire needle therapy', the stability test alone took three months."

He Shaoqi's face flushed slightly, and he stammered, "We were too hasty... So what should we do now?"

"Don't do the tests yet." Fang Yan handed the report back, his tone certain. "I'll have the institute's quality control team help you with the dissolution rate, heavy metals, and microbial limits tests first. These three are the foundation. At the same time, clearly describe your production process, such as the temperature of the water used during extraction, the boiling time, and the concentration to which it is concentrated. Every step must be clear."

He paused, then added, "Also, go to Zeng Wanli and get a copy of the international certification documents for 'Angelica Blood-Nourishing Oral Liquid,' and adjust the process according to the standards listed there. He has experience with the certification process with his team before, so he's more experienced than you. Let him help oversee things."

"Okay! Let's go now!" He Shaoqi seemed to have found his direction again, and immediately got to work with undiminished enthusiasm.

“They’re still not as good as the professionals…” He Puren said to Fang Yan from the side.

Fang Yan smiled and said:
"They were all too eager to prove themselves."

"But this is still a good thing for us. We have a lot more manpower now than before, and the efficiency has increased many times over. Look, even the thirty experts we invited are now working with a sense of urgency. If these students were to produce a product that could be put on the market first, I think they would be a little embarrassed."

Upon hearing this from the dialect, He Puren was taken aback, then noticed that the busy experts did indeed seem more proactive than before.

He immediately said:

"Haha, if you put it that way, I'm starting to look forward to it."

……

That afternoon, as Fang Yan was preparing to return home, another telegram arrived from Hong Kong. It was from Chu Bin again, this time regarding Wei Guohao. The day after receiving the telegram, Chu Bin relayed Fang Yan's message to Wei Guohao. However, Wei Guohao chose neither option. He didn't want to owe Fang Yan a favor and planned to contact his friends in Hong Kong. He then discovered that the only help these friends could offer was a meal or two, or even jobs where they could only work alongside lower-caste Indians. They certainly didn't value his medical skills or have any intention of investing in him.

So he eventually went to find Chu Bin, which is why Chu Bin is now replying to Fang Yan's message.

Fang Yan held the thin telegram in her hand, her lips twitching at first, then revealing a helpless expression that was both angry and amused. This Wei Guohao really was a guy who "suffered for the sake of saving face"!

His mind was churning with a torrent of complaints:

So the two paths offered to him have become a hot potato, leaving him with a "favor" to bear?

Sending him to Mr. Fok's hospital as a doctor was because he was qualified, not out of charity. Sending him to help me manage the Chinese medicine business in Hong Kong was because we needed someone knowledgeable, not because he was to be subservient to others.

As a result, they would rather go to those so-called friends, have a couple of meaningless meals, and look at the "get by" jobs that others offer, than first seize the opportunity to establish themselves.
I really don't understand this awkward thought!
He's already reached the point where his wife ran off with his assistant and he has no relatives or friends in Hong Kong. Why is he still clinging to that "I don't want to owe anyone favors" attitude?
He was given a way to make a comeback, but instead, he dismantled it himself, went around in circles and hit a wall, and then sheepishly went to find Chu Bin. Isn't that just making a mess of things?

Fang Yan couldn't help but roll her eyes inwardly.

If I had known this would happen, why would I have bothered to think about those two options in the first place?
Just throw him a contract!
In that case, this guy might not be so conflicted.

However, this stubbornness also shows that he is not a spineless person who easily relies on others; he is just too slow to think and will only turn back after hitting a wall.

He looked at the words "willing to act according to the rules, not seeking favors" on the telegram, and felt both annoyed and amused.

Okay, fine, you don't owe me any favors, right?
That's perfect. This isn't a charity, so we'll give him a job, he'll contribute his time and get paid, and nobody will owe anyone anything.

If they had used that same skill in navigating indirect methods to figure out distribution channels for traditional Chinese medicine, they probably would have already made a breakthrough.

Despite the complaints, Fang Yan wasn't really angry.

After all, although Wei Guohao's personality is a bit awkward, his attitude of "not wanting to take advantage of others and being willing to earn a living through his own abilities" is much more reliable than those who want to take shortcuts through connections from the very beginning.

Just thinking about how embarrassed he was when he ran into a friend, Fang Yan couldn't help but sigh inwardly: Sometimes, when people are too serious, they easily make things difficult for themselves.

The most urgent task now is to call Chu Bin back and arrange Wei Guohao's work.

There really aren't any good candidates to send to Hong Kong right now, and Wai Kwok-ho is just the right person to fill that manpower gap.

As for that little bit of lingering resentment about "owing favors," it will naturally disappear once he establishes himself in Hong Kong through his own abilities.

After sending the telegram, Fang Yan returned home.

As soon as Fang Yan entered the house, he saw a Hongqi car parked in front of their house.

Fang Yan glanced at the street office across the street and saw Director Feng there.

Upon seeing Fang Yan looking at him, Director Feng immediately said:
"Dr. Fang, we have guests at your home!"

After saying that, he specifically pointed to the Hongqi car and added:
"A high-ranking official!"

This made Fang Yan uneasy. He wasn't afraid of the Hongqi convoy, but he was afraid of a single Hongqi!

The former is "public official business," while the latter is "special visit."

Is it because a powerful figure is sick and came to see me?

Why can't I just make a phone call? Why do I have to come to your door?

I couldn't understand the dialect, but I still quickly pushed open the door and went home.

There were no guards around, and apart from the car being quite conspicuous, there didn't seem to be the tight security one would expect.

After passing through the moon gate in the front yard and entering the main courtyard, Fang Yan saw Gao Han, who was already waiting for him there.

"Secretary Gao, Director Liao is here?" Fang Yan asked Gao Han.

Gao Han nodded, then lowered his voice and said:
"I came with Mr. Ma."

"Mr. Ma???"

Fang Yan subconsciously pictured the two Mr. Mas from the future, but then immediately dismissed it.

"Who is it? I know them?" Fang Yan asked Gao Han.

“You don’t recognize him!” Gao Han said.

Fang Yan suddenly realized that he didn't recognize the person. "Is he here for a medical consultation?" he asked Secretary Gao.

Gao Han lowered his voice and said:
"We don't need you to take them."

"Huh??? Who do you want???" Fang Yan was even more confused, his face full of question marks.

"Gao Han, is Fang Yan back?" Director Liao's voice came from inside the main hall.

Gao Han replied:
"Oh right! Director Fang just got back!"

Fang Yan looked at Gao Han with a questioning expression, then lowered his voice and said:
"From Macau!"

Fang Yan was taken aback for a moment, then realized that it was Mr. Ma from Haojiang!

That must be that local tyrant of Haojiang!

Ma Wanqi!
No need to guess, they must have come to ask me for Ma Wenying.

Ma Youxin, that kid Ma Laosan, he made sure everything was fine before, but now his father has come knocking on the door.

Fang Yan took a deep breath and stepped into the main hall, where he saw Director Liao sitting on the sofa with a kind-looking middle-aged man.

Old Hu was also there, keeping the guests company.

The middle-aged man, dressed in a navy blue suit and a red polka-dot tie, with piercing eyes, tapped his knuckles on the rosewood tea table—he was none other than Ma Man-kei, the true uncrowned king of Macau.

"Mr. Ma, this is Dr. Fang." Director Liao stood up first to introduce her, giving Fang Yan a "stay calm" look.

Ma Wanqi nodded slightly and got straight to the point: "Thank you for treating my daughter, Dr. Fang. Wen Yin has been bothering me for a long time, and today I will take her back to Macau to recuperate. Thank you so much, Dr. Fang, for these days!" His tone was calm but carried an undeniable authority.

As he spoke, he beckoned to his secretary, who immediately took out a box.

"I heard from someone that Dr. Fang likes ancient Chinese medicine books, so I specially asked someone to bring some over. I hope Dr. Fang won't find them offensive."

Fang Yan glanced at the box, then looked at Director Liao, who knew about Ma Wenying's situation and also looked troubled.

Fang Yan didn't take the suitcase, his tone resolute: "Miss Ma absolutely cannot return to Haojiang now!"

Ma Wanqi's brows furrowed instantly, and he quickly explained in dialect:

"She suffers from 'phlegm-fire stagnation type mania,' the root cause of which is long-term mental depression and unhappiness! The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic has long said that 'all diseases are related to qi stagnation.' She was overwhelmed by the pressure of the arranged marriage, and her liver qi was blocked. Over time, it turned into fire, which boiled the body fluids into phlegm. The phlegm and fire mixed together, clouding her mind, which is why she went crazy and self-harmed, carving words and shaving her head!"

Director Liao quickly chimed in, "Mr. Ma, Miss Wenyin just started to feel a bit better with Dr. Fang..."

"Director Liao, I've already said that since you're getting better, you should go home and rest!" Ma Wanqi's knuckles pounded on the table, his tone urgent. "Can't we find a place to prepare medicine in Haojiang?"

Fang Yan bluntly stated the most crucial point: "This only treats the surface problem; the root cause remains unresolved. It will definitely relapse when you return to Macau!"

After saying that, he turned to Anton and said:

"Bring me Miss Ma's medical records!"

Anton quickly went to the study next door.

Taking advantage of this moment, Fang Yan asked Ma Wanqi:
"Mr. Ma, you haven't seen Miss Ma yet, have you?"

Ma Wanqi shook his head:

"I haven't seen him yet! He didn't tell me he was here, so I had to look for Director Liao!"

He said he needs to contact you about this!

After saying that, he said somewhat angrily:

"I just don't understand... how could my own family members..."

Before he could finish speaking, Director Liao said to him:
“The dialect is professional; for the good of the child, we should listen to him.”

Anton had already arrived. Fang Yan opened the medical record book and pushed it in front of Ma Wanqi:
“If you look closely at her medical records, you’ll see that she smashed a Ming and Qing dynasty porcelain vase in the ancestral hall and carved the French word ‘freedom’ on the broken pieces of porcelain. Wasn’t that just a few days before her engagement? The Western doctors gave her chlorpromazine, which barely stabilized her condition. But then she started having auditory hallucinations, attacking medical staff, and even locking herself in the basement and refusing to come out! This is a classic case of ‘getting sick because of feeling depressed, and then feeling even more depressed because of being sick,’ a vicious cycle that gets deeper and deeper!”

PS: The basic chapter of 6000 words has been updated.

(End of this chapter)