Chapter 227 - 172: Strict Selection
The moment the words left his lips, the atmosphere stiffened abruptly.
Feng Yunhai and Gongtan, who had just been beaming at Vice Minister Xie’s comment that "becoming an academician is only a matter of time," suddenly found their smiles frozen in place.
The classical music and the guests’ conversations, which had seemed pleasant just moments before, now felt jarring and noisy.
The gratified smile on Academician Liang Tianshi’s face had vanished, replaced by a deeply furrowed brow. The brief sense of ease in his eyes was gone without a trace.
Jin, standing beside Vice Minister Xie, immediately sensed the subtle shift in the atmosphere.
𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
Seeing Academician Liang’s unnatural expression, he thought his earlier words had caused a misunderstanding and quickly added, "But, Elder Liang, please don’t worry.
Based on the information you just gave us, Chen Lin will be hired directly as a professor by Yannan University after his early graduation.
As for the ’work experience’ requirement, I believe we can treat a special case like Chen Lin’s as an exception. After all, the rules are rigid, but people are flexible."
However, Jin’s supposedly thoughtful reassurance failed to smooth the furrows on Academician Liang’s brow in the slightest.
"I’m not worried about the work experience requirement."
Liang Tianshi slowly shook his head. He turned, his gaze falling on Vice Minister Xie beside him, and asked in a low voice, "Vice Minister Xie, you’re aware that Chen Lin started his own company, aren’t you?"
"A company?"
Vice Minister Xie was taken aback, clearly surprised by this information.
Jin, beside him, reacted instantly. He leaned in and whispered a few quick words into his ear, at a volume only the two of them could hear.
As Vice Minister Xie listened, he nodded slowly, his expression shifting from initial surprise to dawning realization.
"Ah, I remember now." He looked at Academician Liang Tianshi and said, "I first learned about Chen Lin from his paper in JAMS and later from his work helping the joint research team solve the solid-state battery bottleneck, but I do recall seeing that interview Yannan University arranged for him."
"The interview mentioned it," Vice Minister Xie recalled. "An organization called Tiansheng Investment, together with Yannan University, jointly invested in a consulting firm Chen Lin started. I believe it was called Yanhai Company, right?"
"Correct." Academician Liang Tianshi nodded grimly, a hint of unconcealed regret in his tone. "If only I’d realized at the time that this would conflict with the ’Ten Thousand Talents Plan’ selection criteria, I would have told him to register the company’s legal representative under his parents’ names."
"Is it too late to change the legal representative now?" Professor Gongtan, sitting on the other side, couldn’t help but interject.
His personality was direct, and he immediately thought of the most straightforward solution.
Academician Liang Tianshi shook his head again, dismissing the suggestion. "Let’s not even get into whether Tiansheng Investment and Yannan University would agree to change the legal representative.
The most critical issue now is that the interview has already made the fact that Chen Lin started his own company public knowledge."
As he spoke, he turned his gaze to Jin and asked, "Jin, I recall that for the ’Ten Thousand Talents Plan,’ the number of ’Outstanding Talents’ selected each year is kept very small, correct?"
Only then did Jin realize that Academician Liang’s concern had never been about the work experience requirement.
He quickly nodded and replied, "Yes, Elder Liang. The total number of Outstanding Talents is capped at around 100."
Having received a definitive answer, Academician Liang Tianshi nodded, his voice growing heavier. "That is what I’m truly worried about."
He scanned the faces of those seated around him and said slowly, "The selection for ’Outstanding Talent’ is based on criteria far stricter than you can imagine.
I remember it clearly. In 2014, when the first list for the ’Ten Thousand Talents Plan’ was announced, only six people were ultimately selected as ’Outstanding Talents.’
By the time the fourth list was announced in 2019, not a single ’Outstanding Talent’ was selected."
"Even if we find a way to change Yanhai Company’s legal representative now, what good would it do?"
A deep sense of helplessness tinged Academician Liang’s voice. "When the time comes, the list of candidates for the Ten Thousand Talents Plan has to be publicly disclosed.
Once it’s made public, given Chen Lin’s current fame, someone is bound to dig through his entire past.
During the public comment period, if someone brings up that interview video and questions whether he was truly devoted to full-time research in the country, what do you think the result will be?"
"But..." Professor Gongtan was still reluctant to concede the point and tried to argue, "Among the projects Yanhai Company has undertaken, there are ones like assisting the joint research team with the solid-state battery bottleneck. Isn’t that research work in itself?"
"That would create a controversy." Liang Tianshi’s single sentence shut down every possibility.
He heaved a long sigh. His gaze swept over Feng Yunhai and Gongtan, his two students, and his tone became earnest. "You must remember, for a selection of this caliber, like the ’Ten Thousand Talents Plan’—and especially the ’Outstanding Talent’ category—there can be absolutely, positively no room for any controversy!
The selection process must be foolproof and beyond reproach. Any ambiguity, any point that could spark controversy, will lead to the candidate’s immediate disqualification. This is a matter of principle."
After Academician Liang finished speaking, the group fell into silence.
Feng Yunhai and Gongtan exchanged a glance, each seeing the same helplessness and regret in the other’s eyes.
They knew their teacher understood the inner workings of the system far more deeply than department heads and professors like them, who focused only on teaching and research.
’If their teacher said it was impossible, then it truly was impossible.’
After a few seconds, it was Vice Minister Xie who finally broke the awkward silence.
With a gentle smile, he offered some comfort, "Elder Liang, don’t be too anxious. Nothing is set in stone yet. The application process can’t even begin until Chen Lin is officially appointed as a professor, so there’s still time."
He looked at Liang Tianshi and said with sincerity, "When I get back, the first thing I’ll do is report this situation to Minister Cheng.
After all, Chen Lin is a genius cultivated by our own higher education system. The Ministry will certainly treat this with the utmost importance.
We can work together to see if we can find a solution that satisfies everyone."
Vice Minister Xie then changed his tone, adding with a smile, "Besides, let’s look at the worst-case scenario. Even if Chen Lin can’t be selected as an ’Outstanding Talent,’ with his accomplishments and potential, being named a ’Leading Talent in Technological Innovation’ shouldn’t be a problem at all!"
After speaking, he turned to his secretary, Jin, and asked casually, "Jin, which department is specifically in charge of the ’Ten Thousand Talents Plan’ selection? I seem to recall our Ministry of Education is only responsible for selecting the ’Distinguished Teaching Masters,’ right?"
Jin immediately nodded and replied, "Yes, Vice Minister Xie. The ’Outstanding Talent’ and ’Leading Talent in Technological Innovation’ programs are both organized and selected by the Ministry of Science and Technology."