The fake heiress loves to act? The max-level boss isn't interested in playing along.

People were coming and going at the entrance of the cafeteria. Someone passed by him and glanced at him.

Cheng Yue didn't move. He stood there for a while before finally sighing.

Chasing after the school beauty is indeed not an easy task.

But it's okay.

He has plenty of patience and plenty of time.

He rubbed his face and walked towards the hospital.

.........

Fu Hua pushed open the door to the research station; the corridor was very quiet.

The door to Professor Yan's office was open, letting in light.

She walked over and knocked on the door frame.

Professor Yan was looking down at the data when he looked up, saw her, and smiled.

"Huahua's here? Come in, come in."

"teacher."

Fu Hua went inside and sat down in a chair.

Professor Yan handed her the document in his hand.

"Take a look."

Fu Hua took it and glanced at it a few times.

It was an official document with an official red header, which stated that...

Preliminary opinions on the establishment of a biomedical interdisciplinary research team.

She looked up at Professor Yan.

"Is this... settled?"

Professor Yan nodded, then shook his head.

"It's decided, but not completely decided."

Fu Hua remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

Professor Yan leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers on the table.

"The higher-ups are indeed going to form this team."

His expression was grave. "But..."

"We have another competitor, and we can't let Kyoto University lead us directly."

Fu Hua raised an eyebrow.

"Over at Tsinghua University,"

Professor Yan said, "There is also a team applying for this project. The leader is a young man named Zhou Ming, who is about your age. He previously participated in a national-level project and achieved results."

Fu Hua wasn't surprised.

It would be strange if there were no competition for such a national-level project.

Professor Yan looked at her and sighed.

"The current idea from above is to choose one of you two, but the specific selection method hasn't been decided yet. It might be based on results, a proposed solution, or even a defense or something."

He paused for a moment, then said, "I called you here so you could be mentally prepared."

This won't happen that quickly, but it won't be too slow either. You should prepare and think things through.

Fu Hua nodded.

"I see."

Professor Yan looked at her with a hint of relief in his eyes.

"You've figured it out?"

Fu Hua nodded.

"teacher."

She said, "I'm willing to accept any challenge."

Professor Yan smiled, his face showing satisfaction.

"I knew you were capable."

He leaned back, then suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, have you met the new Professor Lu?"

Fu Hua nodded: "Yes, I've met you."

"I just took his class today."

"How is it?"

"Teacher, what do you mean?"

Professor Yan narrowed his eyes: "In all aspects."

Fu Hua thought for a moment and said, "That's great. He has a solid academic foundation, his lectures are logically clear, and he is calm, refined, and very charming."

"I didn't expect you to have such a good opinion of him."

Professor Yan smiled even more smugly, raising his eyebrows.

"Those were my students before."

Professor Yan leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting as if recalling some past events.

"He was under my tutelage during his undergraduate studies, then went to Cambridge for his PhD, did two years of postdoctoral work there, and just came back this year. He was directly hired by Peking University."

He paused, then added, "His father is Lu Zhengming, from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. His mother is a director at Peking Union Medical College Hospital. They come from a well-off family and have devoted all their resources to his upbringing."

Fu Hua was stunned for a moment.

Lu Zhengming, from the Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, is a leading figure in condensed matter physics in China.

No wonder...

Only an intellectual family like this could raise such a young professor.

Professor Yan smiled when he saw her expression.

"Didn't expect that, did you?"

Fu Hua nodded.

"I really didn't expect that."

Professor Yan smiled and waved his hand.

"Family background is family background, and ability is ability. He doesn't rely on his family; he relies entirely on himself. In that respect, he's quite similar to you."

Not relying on family?

Fu Hua's lips twitched, but she didn't reply.

He may not have relied directly on his family, but in this era, to be able to single-mindedly pursue a doctorate and become a professor is truly remarkable.

No need to worry about making a living, no need to support a family at a young age.

This confidence comes from his family.

Not everyone has the right to work hard.

The whole family lifted them up, without holding them back.

This is a kind of luck that many people can only dream of.

"By the way, Huahua, the awards ceremony is at Tsinghua University tomorrow morning. Are you sure you have time?"

"Yes, teacher."

"Okay, I won't keep you inconvenienced."

.........

Fu Hua came out of the research station; it was still early.

She went to a department store, picked out two pounds of apples, a bag of milk powder, and two boxes of malted milk powder, and carried them to the hospital.

The ward was quiet, with the occasional chirping of birds coming from outside the window.

Fu Hua pushed open the door and saw Cai Xiaoyan sitting on the edge of the bed, her back to the door, her shoulders tense.

Zhang Xiuying leaned against the headboard, her face turned towards the wall, and the mother and daughter ignored each other.

Fu Hua paused slightly, walked in, and placed the things on the bedside table.

"What happened?"

Cai Xiaoyan heard her voice and turned her head.

His eyes were red, as if he had just been crying.

"Huahua is here."

She stood up, her voice muffled.

"My mom insists on being discharged from the hospital. The doctor said that her condition is not stable yet and that she should stay for a while longer, but she just won't listen."

Zhang Xiuying turned over, glanced at Fu Hua, and then looked away.

"I'm fine now."

Her voice was harsh, "If you can eat and drink and walk, why would you need to stay in a house? It's a waste of money and takes up a bed."

Fu Hua sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at her.

"Auntie, do you feel better? Is there anything bothering you?"

Zhang Xiuying nodded.

"Then tell me, what's the best course of action?"

Zhang Xiuying was stunned for a moment.

Fu Hua continued, "You don't know what your face looked like when you fainted, but I do."

Pale as a ghost, lips blue, breathing weakly—what did the doctor say? High blood pressure, insufficient blood supply to the brain.

This illness is invisible and intangible; it's not something you can get better just because you feel better. You have to listen to the doctor.

Zhang Xiuying opened her mouth, but no words came out.

Fu Hua looked at her and softened her tone a little.

"I know you're worried about the money, but have you considered that if you faint again now and need to be resuscitated, it will cost even more money?"

Xiaoyan is watching over you, her heart filled with worry. How can she still work? How can she still earn money?

Zhang Xiuying lowered her head.

"You don't need to worry about the money."

Fu Hua said, "Spend what needs to be spent. Xiao Yan will work in my shop and get a salary, so she can pay it back. Taking good care of your health is the biggest help you can give her."

Zhang Xiuying was silent for a while, then looked up at Fu Hua.

"Child, you're right."

Her voice lowered, "I'll listen to you, stay for three more days, and be discharged in three days."

Cai Xiaoyan breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes reddening again.

She held Fu Hua's hand tightly.

"Huahua... thank you."

Fu Hua patted her hand without saying anything.

Zhang Xiuying drank some water and lay down to rest.

Cai Xiaoyan pulled Fu Hua to sit down on a bench in the corridor.

"Huahua,"

Her voice was hoarse, "My mother's matter, really... it wasn't you. I don't know what to do, I..."

Fu Hua shook her head.

"Stop saying those things."

"I've already made arrangements for the dormitory."

She handed the key to Cai Xiaoyan, saying, "Uncle Zhang rents a bungalow not far from the shop. You can stay there for now after Auntie is discharged from the hospital."

Cai Xiaoyan was stunned for a moment.

"There's a kitchen inside, so you can cook."

Fu Hua said, "We have pots and pans, you can just go and buy some rice and noodles yourselves."