Chapter 121

Chapter 121

Meng Ran and Xu Lei were both senior researchers at Wisdom Biotech Company.

The only difference was that Xu Lei specialized in biology, while Meng Ran specialized in materials, the same research direction as Wen Miao and Wen Xin.

In the laboratory.

Following behind Liang Mingqi, Nan Mu asked, “What is our research project?”

“Embryo In Vitro Culture Technology.”

Nan Mu frowned. Although it was still under the broad umbrella of biology, this project was in a completely different direction from what he had researched in school, as well as the microbial applications in environmental protection he had worked on after graduation.

He sighed silently to himself. Wen Miao had just said that Wen Xin would definitely be faster than him…

She really was a prophet.

Nan Mu repeated the name of the project Liang Mingqi had given him and vaguely grasped the concept they were researching.

“Artificial Womb? Test-tube babies?”

Because modern people had irregular lifestyles and poor health, some were unable to conceive normally. That was why in vitro fertilization technology had come into being.

However…

IVF technology was already relatively mature. He wondered what specific branch of the subject they were currently studying.

“Yes,” Liang Mingqi explained. “You can understand it that way. But with IVF, after sperm and eggs are extracted from the body, fertilization and cleavage take place in vitro. Once the blastocyst forms, it has to be transplanted back into the uterus.”

Nan Mu did not have an especially deep understanding of embryology, but he was, after all, a top student in biology, so he had touched on the topic before.

So he took over, indicating that he understood. “Right. I think I read some related materials before. If I remember correctly, a fertilized egg can only be cultured in an artificial environment for a maximum of eight days, and then it has to be transplanted back into the uterus. Otherwise, the fertilized egg will die?”

Liang Mingqi wagged a finger. “What you read was probably material from the 2010s. In fact, we now use a device made from a molecular polymer to simulate the soft tissue inside the uterus, which can effectively extend the in vitro culture period.”

“I see.”

Nan Mu nodded and casually asked, “I heard Dr. Jia Lingyuan is highly accomplished in this field. Why isn’t he leading this project?”

Liang Mingqi’s eyes lit up. “You know him too?”

Nan Mu nodded. “Of course. After all, he was Ian Wilmut’s student, and he’s a top figure in domestic basic biological research. Our professors in my major often mentioned some of his research.”

At that, Liang Mingqi smiled until her eyes curved, looking rather proud. “Actually, this project originally belonged to Dr. Jia Lingyuan. It’s just that a few years ago, he fell seriously ill and was never in good health… Although he had surgery in earlier years and has gotten much better, the doctor told him to rest and recuperate, so he handed the project over to Teacher Cheng.”

So this project had originally been Jia Lingyuan’s. Unfortunately, he had taken unpaid leave because of his health. Otherwise, Nan Mu might have been able to look into the matter between him and Gu Zhishu.

Feeling somewhat regretful, Nan Mu looked over the instruments in the laboratory and casually asked, “When did this project start?”

Liang Mingqi counted on her fingers. “Quite a while ago… I think he returned to China in 2015. After he came back, he joined Wisdom Biotechnology, and he’s been researching this project ever since.”
Nan Mu was a little surprised. “Is this project really that difficult? Even Dr. Jia Lingyuan needed that long?”

“It actually hasn’t been that long.”

Liang Mingqi seemed to think Nan Mu was questioning Dr. Jia Lingyuan’s abilities, and she hurried to explain. “Like you said, the outside world’s current understanding of Embryo In Vitro Culture Technology is still limited to short-term cultivation. When Dr. Jia Lingyuan returned to China, he brought back a molecular polymer device from overseas. At the time, its upper limit was cultivating a fertilized egg in this ‘Artificial Womb’ to the eighth day. But we’ve been researching it nonstop since 2015, and now we can allow a fertilized egg to develop completely to full term inside the ‘Artificial Womb.’ It’s just that the success rate is still relatively low.”

Nan Mu gave her a faint glance. He had the feeling that Liang Mingqi cared a great deal about what others thought of Dr. Jia Lingyuan. “When did you start working at Wisdom Biotechnology?”

Liang Mingqi said, “I remember I just told you that, didn’t I? I’m the same year as you. I just didn’t go to grad school. After graduation, I came straight here.”

Nan Mu asked, “Did you know someone inside the company?”

Liang Mingqi froze for a moment. “Why would you say that?”

Nan Mu smiled kindly. “I don’t mean anything by it. I’ve just heard Wisdom Biotechnology is very hard to get into, especially for researchers. External recruitment seems to start at the graduate level.”

Liang Mingqi was startled by Nan Mu’s sharpness. But how she had gotten into Wisdom Biotechnology was common knowledge. Rather than let Nan Mu hear it later from some gossiping coworker, she might as well tell him herself.

So Liang Mingqi only hesitated briefly before admitting frankly, “That’s right. The Dr. Jia Lingyuan you mentioned earlier is my biological uncle.”

Nan Mu paused, looking at Liang Mingqi in surprise.

“The year I took the college entrance exam, I came down with a sudden high fever and didn’t perform well. In the end, I went to a second-tier university. Our school was decent in other ways, but when it came to academic research, its funding and resources really weren’t strong. In my uncle’s words, the theory was acceptable, but the practical side was a total mess. He believes that in academics, hands-on practice is definitely more important than a degree. Of course, ordinary people have to use a degree as their foot in the door before they can get the chance to do practical work. But I’m different…”

Liang Mingqi lifted her chin with a touch of pride. “I already had my foot in the door. My uncle said that instead of taking the graduate entrance exam and wasting another three years on school, I might as well follow him directly and focus wholeheartedly on practical work. When I needed new knowledge, I could learn it in context then. It’d be much faster than grad school.”

Nan Mu finally understood why she knew so much about this project, and why she was so protective of Jia Lingyuan.

No wonder when they had gone to see Teacher Cheng earlier, he had been unexpectedly polite to Liang Mingqi. Nan Mu had originally thought the man simply had a good temper. Now, it seemed that might not be the only reason.

A bold idea circled again and again in Nan Mu’s mind.

Liang Mingqi was Jia Lingyuan’s niece. Relatively speaking, that meant she would certainly have an easier time earning the trust of Jia Lingyuan and the Organization than others.

Perhaps he could build a good relationship with Liang Mingqi and start with her.