19: Do you need someone to sweep the floor?

Jiang Zhonghua and Lin Dong were like two tireless machines, precisely screening, evaluating, and finally approving candidates from the large pool of interviewees.

Zhang Kaiwen, meanwhile, was responsible for liaising with the media and official personnel.

Everything was proceeding in an orderly fashion.

The framework of Xinghai Biotechnology and Xinghai Material Technology grew from nothing to become incredibly robust and powerful in just five short days.

[All key positions have been tentatively filled. We thank the elites from all sectors for their enthusiastic support...]

As soon as this message was released through official channels, it immediately poured fuel onto the already escalating fervor.

Those who were still watching or trying to secure an opportunity lamented their fate, regretting that they had acted too slowly.

All employees in the Xinghai HR Department... could finally leave work at a normal time.

The coffee shop below the Star Tower.

Lily collapsed onto the sofa, her eyes dark-rimmed, yet her spirit was unusually high.

Sitting opposite her was her best friend, Group Leader, who was frantically complaining with an expression of disbelief.

"Lily, didn't you tell me that Xinghai was just a startup company, with lots of opportunities and low thresholds, and that I should quickly submit my resume?"

Group Leader held her phone screen up to Lily; it displayed Xinghai's notice announcing the suspension of recruitment.

"I finally mustered up the courage to come over today, but I couldn't even get past the main entrance! I was stopped by that excessively handsome security guard downstairs."

"That handsome guy said that non-appointed visitors and non-internal employees were strictly prohibited from entering! What kind of situation is this?"

Group Leader leaned closer, her eyes full of gossip and curiosity.

"Do your company's security guards really have that much power now?"

"Plus, the parking lot downstairs is full of luxury cars, and the people going in and out all look like big shots."

"What exactly has happened at your company recently?"

Hearing this, Lily looked at Group Leader with a gaze usually reserved for an idiot.

"Don't you even read the news?"

Group Leader looked anxious and quickly asked again.

"Just tell me, Lily."

Lily couldn't help but burst out laughing, the sense of exhaustion instantly vanishing.

"You have no idea, over the past few days, our company has been like a rocket ship."

"Do you know who came to our company?"

"Academician Chen Guoyuan."

"A national treasure level scientist."

"He is now the Chief Scientist under our company!"

"Chen Guoyuan? Never heard of him."

Lily sighed and covered her forehead... feeling like she was talking to a brick wall.

"Because of this news, you didn't see the scene at the recruitment fair... the people lining up in the corridors were all talents starting at the PhD level, at least."

"Our HR department was driven crazy those few days. The phones never stopped ringing. I worked overtime for five days straight, busy until the early morning every day. Just sorting resumes and arranging the interview schedule nearly killed me."

Lily took a sip of coffee and continued.

"But it was worth it. Do you know how generous the company is?"

Group Leader's curiosity was piqued, and she quickly pressed her.

"Stop keeping me in suspense."

"Simply because our department withstood the pressure and exceeded our goals these past few days, President Jiang directly announced bonuses for all employees in our HR department."

Lily held up a single finger.

Group Leader's eyes widened.

"Ten thousand? That much!"

Lily shook her head, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

"One hundred thousand, paid immediately. I almost thought I was hallucinating from working overtime!"

"One hundred thousand?"

Group Leader gasped in surprise, drawing sidelong glances from people at nearby tables. She quickly lowered her voice, her face filled with envy, jealousy, and hate.

"Does your company need sweepers?"

Lily smugly shook her head.

"We're not hiring right now, but there will definitely be opportunities later."

"Let me tell you, our boss's influence is terrifyingly huge. I managed to catch the wave; if I had waited even a few more days, I probably wouldn't have been able to get through the company gate, just like you."

... Nanhua Residence.

Chen Guoyuan was sitting on a rattan chair in the courtyard, holding a cup of clear tea and enjoying the peaceful afternoon.

This tranquility was suddenly broken by a flurry of footsteps.

The courtyard gate was pushed open, and three elderly men, similar in age to Chen Guoyuan, filed in.

"Old Chen."

"Guoyuan."

"You are truly something! You managed to cause such a huge stir without saying a word!"

The leader was a thin, sharp-eyed elder.

Zhou Qiming, Chen Guoyuan's long-time partner at the Dragon Academy of Sciences, was another leading figure in the field of materials science.

Zhou Qiming plopped down on the stone stool opposite Chen Guoyuan.

"Old Chen, you have no idea what a storm your decision has stirred up outside."

Another slightly plump elder was named Li Weihan, an authority in the field of bioengineering.

"The word in the circle is that you were recruited by a private company called Xinghai Technology, and it's a startup company at that. Is this true?"

Zhou Qiming leaned forward slightly, his tone carrying confusion and concern.

"Old Chen, are you having some kind of difficulty?"

Chen Guoyuan shook his head slightly.

"Given your status and achievements, you could easily serve as Chief Consultant at any state-level key laboratory. Why go to a private enterprise?"

These old friends knew exactly what was going on, and they asked this only to gauge his reaction.

They understood Chen Guoyuan too well.

This old friend had devoted his entire life to research, disregarded fame and fortune, but was inherently very proud.

If there wasn't a project that could excite Chen Guoyuan, even bringing him a mountain of gold wouldn't open the doors of Cloud Deer Garden, let alone convince him to join.

The group surrounded Chen Guoyuan, seemingly offering advice, but actually trying to sound him out.

Chen Guoyuan looked at his anxious old friends, a hint of a helpless smile on his face.

Just then, Chen Wanwan walked out of the house carrying a plate of washed fruit.

Seeing the setup, she immediately understood the situation.

She placed the fruit on the stone table and smiled as she spoke to the elders.

"Uncle Zhou, Uncle Li, please don't pressure my grandfather. We have signed several confidentiality agreements."

Chen Wanwan's words were like a feather, lightly tickling the hearts of these scientific giants, making them even more eager to know the truth.

"Old Chen, just give me a hint, just a tiny bit."

"Is it because Project T had a breakthrough?"

Zhou Qiming mentioned the code name of the national-level project they had worked on together years ago

the unfulfilled dream of their generation.

Chen Guoyuan's hand, holding the teacup, paused slightly.

In that instant.

Zhou Qiming, Li Weihan, and the others exchanged glances, as if they had seen the answer in each other's eyes.

"After the press conference, you can come to the laboratory to take a look."

With Chen Guoyuan's words, the three elderly academicians, who held extremely high status in the Dragon Kingdom's scientific community, finally felt reassured.

They were truly afraid that Chen Guoyuan would shut the door and pursue the project alone, leaving out his former comrades-in-arms.