After rebirth, I became a great master

Chapter 318 Doing Projects in the Sunlight

Zhou Haoran stayed in the capital for two weeks.

They returned in triumph.

When I got home, I found that the metal bunk bed was gone.

"Mr. Childhood Sweetheart is back?"

Qiao Suiqing was wearing this pink pajama set and had her arms outstretched.

Zhou Haoran hugged her and asked curiously, "Where's the bed?"

"I've had a mover take it away."

Qiao Sui's green eyes are like stars.

Zhou Haoran was surprised, "Throw it away?"

Qiao Suiqing nodded slightly, "Maybe."

"Where will we sleep?" Zhou Haoran kissed her on the cheek. "You're not really going to sleep on the floor with me, are you?"

"why not?"

Qiao Suiqing glanced back at him, then pulled him into the room.

The curtain that was covering them was pulled back.

I found that a floor mat had already been laid out on the floor.

Zhou Haoran whispered, "Sis, have you thought it through? From now on, we'll sleep in the same bed?"

"Ah."

Qiao Suiqing's face flushed slightly, but her eyes remained firm.

"What if I can't control myself and ruin your health?"

Zhou Haoran was asking a question he already knew the answer to.

Qiao Suiqing reached out and slapped him, saying reproachfully, "The time has come to test your willpower."

Zhou Haoran said painfully, "Even heroes can't resist the charms of a beautiful woman. This is more cruel than being branded with a hot iron!"

"Stop acting up." Qiao Suiqing found him some pajamas and pushed him to the bathroom. "Take a shower first. I've prepared red wine and steak. After you've showered, let's dance."

Zhou Haoran then stopped trying to hide it and started taking off his clothes in front of her.

Qiao Suiqing glared at him angrily.

"what happened?"

Zhou Haoran looked completely innocent.

"nothing."

Qiao Suiqing lowered her eyes, walked over, and helped him take off his clothes.

Zhou Haoran leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "Qingmei, I'm serious. If we sleep in the same bed tonight, I might really lose control and ruin your health."

"fine."

Qiao Suiqing spoke in a very gentle tone.

"Hmm?" Zhou Haoran raised an eyebrow. "Really? You've thought it through?"

Qiao Suiqing lowered her eyes, helped him undo his belt, and said softly, "If you really can't control yourself... then I'll do as you say. These days without you, I've realized how much I depend on you. I'm yours for life."

Zhou Haoran held her in his arms.

The past and present lives are quite poignant.

"Haoran..."

"Ok?"

"A girl's first time is very precious."

"I know."

Zhou Haoran hugged her even tighter.

Qiao Suiqing whispered, "I think you'd better hold back and wait until the engagement day. It would be more meaningful. If it's rushed like today... I'd be willing, but I'd feel a little regretful."

Zhou Haoran laughed and said, "Oh, I was just kidding! I'm not that eager for sex, I definitely want to leave you with the most perfect memory!"

"Hmm." Qiao Suiqing looked up at him, a half-smile on her face, tinged with a hint of coquettishness. "That's true, you've been keeping several on the side, why are you in such a hurry to ruin me?"

"What?!" Zhou Haoran felt wronged. "Only one! Only one for now!"

That night, the two slept in the same bed.

They were all wearing pajamas.

Zhou Haoran touched her all over, without eliciting the slightest resistance from the other party.

"Haoran..."

Qiao Suiqing murmured softly in his arms.

"Ok?"

Zhou Haoran is eating White Rabbit milk candy, but you can't eat candy before bed.

Qiao Suiqing whispered, "When we have time, let's go on a trip again?"

"Okay!"

Zhou Haoran also enjoys the enriching experience of travel.

"I'm not stingy," Qiao Suiqing said softly, her voice like a lark's. "You can bring your sister along too."

"younger sister?"

Zhou Haoran was slightly stunned.

Qiao Suiqing said gently, "You can bring your sister over here so we can get to know each other... As long as she respects me as her older sister, I will treat her younger sister well as well."

"Uh……"

Zhou Haoran could hear the coldness in her words.

It's somewhat threatening.

That's easy.

If he can't even manage relationships with a few women, he's not qualified to manage a large company with thousands or tens of thousands of employees.

It’s just that…

That's not my sister!
That's my aunt!

Oh dear, this is so worrying!
It's not just Aunt Wan; it seems she's already made arrangements to introduce Aunt Nuan as well.

I can't very well refuse, can I?

They meant well!

……

The next day, Zhou Haoran went to school.

On the way, Aunt Wan called: "Let's have dinner together tonight, it's all arranged."

"So fast?"

A surge of emotion welled up in Zhou Haoran's heart, an irrepressible flutter of excitement. Sheng Wenwan chuckled and said, "We already agreed that when we get back from the capital, we'll have her come over, and we can have a meal together and meet up."

"Should I buy some small gifts or something?"

Zhou Haoran seemed a little awkward.

Sheng Wenwan chimed in, "It's alright, we're all acquaintances, buying gifts would be too formal."

"Oh, that's okay."

"You'll be pleasantly surprised when you meet her!"

"I'm quite surprised right now."

Zhou Haoran laughed heartily.

"Huh?" Sheng Wenwan was quite surprised. "What are you so surprised about? You don't even know who it is."

Zhou Haoran laughed and said, "I guessed it."

"impossible!"

Sheng Wenwan felt that he was teasing her again.

"Are you still hiding it?" Zhou Haoran thought Aunt Wan was quite cute. "Alright, I'm at school now. See you tonight."

I arrived at school.

Ning Yuanjia could be seen from afar.

"Zhou Haoran?" Ning Yuanjia was pleasantly surprised and quickly ran over. "You're back from the capital?"

"Ah."

Zhou Haoran smiled.

Ning Yuanjia asked expectantly, "How did it go? Was the project approved?"

Zhou Haoran nodded. "Approved!"

"Great!"

Ning Yuanjia clenched his fist with great excitement.

Zhou Haoran walked into the teaching building with his head held high and chest out. "Dr. Ning, we're about to go all out!"

Ning Yuanjia followed him like a lackey, saying, "Yes, we must make this project a success and strive to implement it across the entire school next semester. Uh... Zhou Haoran, how much funding did you apply for?"

"160."

Zhou Haoran's original plan was to apply for 80 yuan, but Dean Cheng suggested that he double the amount.

“160 million…” Ning Yuanjia was very happy. “That works, that works. Even with some deductions from middlemen, we can still have about 100 million left, which is enough for us to develop this project.”

"What?" Zhou Haoran stopped in his tracks. "Withholding funds?"

Ning Yuanjia sighed, "There's nothing we can do about it."

"What do you mean?"

Zhou Haoran frowned. After all, this was his first time working on a project within the system, and he was unfamiliar with the procedures and such.

Ning Yuanjia, as a doctoral student, has participated in many such projects. "This is unavoidable. Funding for university projects is often withheld, and national projects have even more. I specifically checked before; you applied for funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, right?"

"Correct."

“There are many deductions for project expenses. Direct costs include equipment costs, material costs, labor costs, travel expenses, and international cooperation and exchange fees; there are also indirect costs, mainly management fees.”

"so much?"

Zhou Haoran then understood why Dean Cheng had told him to double his application; it was to bribe the underlings.

I successfully applied for a research project.

He takes the lion's share.

All relevant participants will benefit.

Ning Yuanjia said, "However, the state has very strict regulations on the management and use of scientific research funds, requiring that indirect costs not exceed 20% of scientific research funds."

Zhou Haoran understood immediately.

It cannot exceed 20%.

That's nearly 20%.

Of the 160 million yuan in research funding that was secured, the fund was transferred to ministries, then to universities, and finally to colleges. Each of these institutions would take 32 yuan as "management fees."

And then there are the direct costs.

They might only get 100 million left.

In his previous life, Zhou Haoran worked at a major internet company and handled hundreds of R&D projects as the vice president of technology. This was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

Now, after all, we're just trying to get by within the system.

We can only do as the locals do.

Ning Yuanjia went upstairs with him and said in a low voice, "However, what I just said is only what is on the surface, which is allowed by the state and is a legal and reasonable deduction. Our project funds are so large, we must guard against any violations."

Zhou Haoran's eyes widened. "What do you mean? Legal commissions aren't enough, there are also illegal commissions?"

“The library system I developed previously had a research and development budget of 5.2 yuan, but I only received 3.7 yuan. The accounting records clearly show that the compliant deductions amounted to just over 7300 yuan.”

This is a project that Ning Yuanjia did last semester.

It's still so vivid in my memory!

Zhou Haoran asked, "Who put it there?"

Ning Yuanjia shook his head, "I don't know. Anyway, that's all the money I get. I still have to prepare the invoices and help them balance the accounts."

"Isn't this fraud? Even if you're not the ringleader, you're still an accomplice!" Zhou Haoran was adamant about not getting involved in such a thing. "Our 'campus card' project only accepts deductions that are compliant with national regulations. Anything that's not compliant is unacceptable!"

"This……"

Ning Yuanjia felt that his tone was too arrogant.

What if school leaders intervene?
Don't you agree?

If you disagree, the other party might find various excuses to delay the disbursement of subsequent research funding. They could create obstacles in various scenarios, hindering the normal operation of the project team.

Zhou Haoran said coldly, "It's settled then, and no one can ask for permission!"

"Hmm..." Ning Yuanjia remembered some good news and his face lit up with joy. "Zhou Haoran, I have some good news for you."

"What good news?"

"Vice Principal Zhang Xuezhen spoke with me."

"what?"

Zhou Haoran stopped and stamped his foot again.

Ning Yuanjia said bluntly, "It seems he's in trouble. The factory he used to buy magnetic stripe cards from is owned by his brother-in-law. It was an unlicensed factory that was exposed by the 'People's Livelihood Investigation' program. Now the factory has been shut down, and his brother-in-law has been arrested."

Zhou Haoran asked, "What did he want to talk to you about?"

Ning Yuanjia chuckled and said, "He's afraid I'll say something inappropriate! He's made a fortune off this library card project. He's probably terrified of being investigated by the relevant authorities now."

Zhou Haoran narrowed his eyes and said calmly, "That's why you reap what you sow. We do projects in the open, and we don't get involved in any of those shady dealings. If anyone dares to interfere, even Zhang Xuezhen won't be able to protect himself!"

(End of this chapter)