by <unknown>
"Ah, what do we do?"
A few of the stewardesses immediately congregated and started twittering. "Should we bring these books to the airport storage and notify the owner?"
"There's no need for that…"
Qian Wenhuan sighed suddenly. Dragging his suitcase, he walked past them. "That passenger probably doesn't need these books anymore."
Even as he disembarked from the plane, Qian Wenhuan was still somewhat in a daze.
He could not believe that someone could learn an entire language in just over ten hours.
He even wondered if there would be a large group of people rushing up to him when he stepped off the plane, with flowers and cameras, telling him that they were only filming a reality prank show for a TV program.
What a shame that the space outside was empty. There were no flowers or cameras, let alone a large crowd.
Qian Wenhuan wordlessly turned on his phone. However, as soon as he did so, he received notifications for seven or eight miscalls.
These were all from a superior in his company.
As he was the sales manager of the Preston Biotechnology Company, his only superior was the general manager, who was also a member of the board of directors in the company.
When he saw these miscalls, Qian Wenhuan shuddered and snapped out of his hazy wonderings.
Soon after he pressed Return Call, an angry voice with a Swiss accent snarled through the phone. "Mateo, why aren't you here yet!"
Qian Wenhuan's name in Switzerland was Mateo.
"I just got off the plane, Boss." Qian Wenhuan felt rather powerless. "It's not like the plane would speed up for me. Why? Did the company send a car for me?"
"Take a taxi yourself. This afternoon, the company is conducting an internal examination of all employees in preparation for welcoming someone important."
"Someone important?"
Qian Wenhuan frowned. "What happened at the company? Who's this someone important and why didn't you mention this before?"
"Sigh…"
The person on the other end of the call suddenly sighed and sounded much older. "Mateo, our company is about to be wholly acquired…"
That was it?
Qian Wenhuan secretly heaved a sigh of relief. In that case, he had nothing to worry about. Based on his business capabilities, he did not think that he would be laid off by the new boss.
Nonetheless, on the surface, Qian Wenhuan lowered his voice and tried to sound solemn. "Wholly acquired – who's this person?"
"I don't quite know either. I only know that this was orchestrated by the chairman," the voice replied, "Still, I heard that the buyer is a company from China."
"A company from Mainland China?" Qian Wenhuan's eyes lit up. "When is our guest arriving?"
"By afternoon, apparently. It's twelve now, so you only have time for a quick lunch."
The voice on the call sounded weary. "Although I was reluctant, the other party made an offer we truly couldn't refuse. After all, you know as well that our company has been in a slump for a while."
"I know. I heard that the previous two research studies of our life sciences laboratory had all failed," Qian Wenhuan replied.
"That's right. Because of this, I've asked you to come back earlier."
His superior continued. "After all, with some advanced preparation, you should be able to stay on based on your abilities, eh?"
"In that case, I'll forgive you for bossing me around all these years, Mr. Wynn." Qian Wenhuan smiled gently.
Over the past years, even though this crabby old man had always been strict, he was not a bad man in essence. If they had not been boss and employee, they might even have become friends.
"That's enough, who cares about your forgiveness. Just come back quickly."
The voice mumbled this final line and hung up.
…
By the time Qian Wenhuan returned to the company, almost all of the over-hundred employees were there. A few company executives dressed in suits were standing in the lobby, waiting for their guest.
"Mateo!"
Mr. Wynn with his head of white hair beckoned and Qian Wenhuan walked over at once. "Boss, don't we have to go over to greet that person?"
"The chairman has already brought the other directors to the Royal Hotel to welcome him."
Mr. Wynn shook his head. "However, the other party doesn't seem to care about ceremonies like this. My main purpose this time is to introduce all of you to him."
"Thank you for taking the trouble, Boss." The managers all bowed their heads in gratitude.
"It's nothing. It's time I retire, anyway. It doesn't matter whether I keep this position." Wynn wore an indifferent expression.
Before they could say anymore, a few Mercedes-Benz drove up outside the lobby.
Everyone perked up. These were the cars of the directors.
As the cars stopped before the company building, a stream of men in business suits got out.
"Let's go, lads. Come with me to welcome your future boss." Wynn called out to the group and moved on ahead.
Qian Wenhuan was daydreaming for a moment and was instantly left behind by the group.
He could only helplessly trot behind to keep up with them.
Several directors and managers surrounded the car door so tightly that not even an ant could get through. For a moment, Qian Wenhuan could not squeeze in at all and could only listen to the conversation from the fringes.
"Honorable sir, you're really shockingly young. How should I address you?"
"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Wynn. Just call me 'Chen'."
Huh?
Outside the group, Qian Wenhuan suddenly felt mystified.
Why was this voice so familiar?
No!
It was not just familiar in an ordinary way!
Qian Wenhuan could bet that he had heard this voice just recently…
However, before Qian Wenhuan could figure it out, the group had parted abruptly and a young man with dark hair and dark eyes appeared before Qian Wenhuan.
The young man had deep, abstruse eyes. Due to these eyes, one could not guess his specific age despite his extremely youthful countenance. He seemed to be only twenty years old and he seemed to be over thirty at the same time.
"You are…"
When he saw how the other person looked like, Qian Wenhuan froze as if he was struck by lightning.
"Let me do the introductions. This is Mateo, the manager in charge of product operation and sales in our company. Like you, he's from Mainland China." On one side, Mr. Wynn introduced them.
"I know. We've just parted ways two or three hours ago."
Chen Chen extended his hand to Qian Wenhuan who stood rooted to the spot and said in terrifyingly accurate German, "Wouldn't you say so, Mr. Qian?"
Chapter 52: Preston Research Institute |
"So, what do you think?"
After touring the office building of Preston Company, the chairman declared proudly, "Although our company can't compare to global powerhouses like Novartis and Roche, it's still one of the top hundred companies in Zurich."
"Not bad."
Chen Chen nodded with a cool smile.
Most Swiss might think that Chen Chen truly felt it was not bad at all. Only Qian Wenhuan could know how Chen Chen felt.
This so-called Preston office building was, in truth, a small five-story building almost made entirely of glass. If this was Mainland China, it would merely be a standard building in a fifth-tier city.
Chen Chen was used to Grade A 5A office buildings with more than a hundred floors that were so common in Shangdu. He was already being gracious by not saying "This mud hut is pretty well built."
Other than its fresh air and exotic scenery everywhere in the city, Zurich truly looked just like a fifth-tier city.
Nonetheless, Chen Chen had chosen to open a branch in Switzerland, not because of how developed and bustling it was, but because of the overall institutional systems in the field of life sciences.
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After all, Switzerland had always been the country with the highest rate of cancer survival in the world.
This was because Switzerland had a world-famous biological science institution, many pharmaceutical companies that focused on research and a large number of highly qualified researchers in the life sciences.
Compared to the foundation of life sciences in other parts of the world, Switzerland was more sophisticated.
Here, there were Roche and Novartis that were among the world's top-ten as well as a huge number of world-class pharmaceutical companies.
These companies even eventually formed four "BioValleys" in Switzerland, similar to Silicon Valley in the United States.
Preston Company was located within BioValley Zurich.
In the end, the directors of Preston Company led Chen Chen to a zone that was similar to an industrial park in the outskirts of the city.
It was similar to an industrial park, only the buildings here were not various factories that ceaselessly spouted heavy smoke. Rather, they were biological research centers.
"This is BioValley Zurich."
In the northern suburbs of Zurich, several cars stopped at an intersection. A group of people, with a young man at the center, got out of the vehicles.
Beneath the sapphire-blue sky, Mr. Wynn pointed to a scattered clump of buildings in the distance and said loudly, "Although it isn't comparable to the large scale of BioValley Basel only dozens of kilometers away, the technology of our BioValley is not to be underestimated."
"The perfect combination of technology and nature. What a lovely view."
Chen Chen nodded. "I came here for this."
"Hahahaha!"
When Mr. Wynn heard this, his heart finally settled down. "In that case, an old fogey like me should stop blabbering on. Let's head to the research institute directly!"
With that, they got into their cars and drove straight to the Preston Life Sciences Research Institute.
The Preston Research Institute was a small building with only three floors. It was plain gray all over. From its appearance, one could not discern any link between this building and life sciences.
However, this was in line with the reserved, rigid style of Switzerland.
Online, the Swiss had been given the label of "Uptight Swiss".
For instance: "I just parked my car slightly crookedly and that f*cking Swiss neighbor actually called the cops. Uptight Swiss!"
"Before using the toilet, I saw that I ran out of toilet paper. I wanted to quickly buy a roll in the supermarket, but only realized when I got out that there were no supermarkets open on Sundays in Switzerland. In the end, I could only drive over ten kilometers to the train station to buy one toilet roll. Uptight Swiss!"
…
Finally, the cars slotted seamlessly into the designated parking spaces. They got out of the cars again, but this time, Wynn was not smiling.
In front of the research institute, apart from a few employees scattered here and there, there was no one to greet them.
"Where's Samuel? Give him a call."
Wynn softly prodded Qian Wenhuan who was by his side, then turned to Chen Chen with an apologetic smile. "I apologize. I think our great scientists must've lost track of time due to their research."
"It's alright, Mr. Wynn."
Chen Chen expressed his lack of concern while walking directly into the research institute.
The group swiftly followed behind.
When he entered the research institute, Chen Chen noticed that in the lobby, several people in large white coats were sitting before the bar, laughing and chatting.
The expressions of the directors turned even darker.
"Where's Samuel?" As the general manager, Wynn could only brace himself and step forward. "Didn't he receive the notice from the company?"
"I'm here, Mr. Wynn."
Before Wynn could go on, a blonde man with a serious look on his face came out from a side room.
Wynn held back his rage and said to Chen Chen dryly, "This is Samuel who oversees the institute. He has five patents for genetic modification and three for stem cells."
"Mr. Samuel." Chen Chen nodded in greeting.
"How do you do, Mr. Chen." Samuel managed to squeeze out a smile on his stiff face, but he still looked somewhat arrogant and insincere no matter what.
Chen Chen shook hands with the man. He knew that researchers like this one would be treated with esteem anywhere they went. There were even some small companies that fully relied upon a few preeminent researchers. If they left, the company would collapse.
Moreover, Chen Chen had been informed long ago that Samuel played an indispensable role in Preston Company's growth to its current level.
Nonetheless, it appeared that this person had become rather bossy because of his crucial contributions.
When the introductions were done, Chen Chen started to tour the institute, accompanied by the group.
"Our company's main business comprises two types of tissue engineering technology - 'cell anti-aging' and 'stem cell anti-aging'. Therefore, the internal laboratories mostly consist of cell and stem cell laboratories."
At this point, an employee from the research institute had replaced Wynn in providing commentary. "The laboratories of the institute had been accredited by the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation, with first-rate professionalism on an international level…"
After saying this, the employee said confidently, "Do you wish to take a sample tour or tour based on the projects?"
"I won't go in. Looking in through the windows will be fine."
Chen Chen waved his hand.
Many people would always assume that sugarcoating one's image was a cultural habit in Mainland China. However, it would be too naïve to think that this did not happen in other countries too.
Currently, Chen Chen had arrived with great fanfare. Even if there were flaws in the laboratories, they would have been concealed. No matter how carefully he inspected, what could he possibly find?
Thus, Chen Chen did not intend to tour the laboratories at all. He turned and said, "Tell me what research results the labs have churned out lately."
The employee was momentarily stunned and turned to look at Samuel.
Samuel nodded slightly.
"Very well. Nevertheless, the terms we used might be rather academic. If you don't understand something, please feel free to ask."
The researcher thought for a moment before saying in detail, "In terms of cell anti-aging, we've achieved the perfect commercialization of fibroblasts for removing scars and wrinkles. Oh, right, you know what 'fibroblasts' are? It's something in 'loose connective tissue', evolved from 'fibroblast precursor cells'. Its main function is to fill in cuts and defects in tissues to heal wounds.
"However, it's been found a long time ago that the collagenase secreted by fibroblast precursor cells has the ability to remodel tissues. Thus, we only have to extract a piece of skin tissue, about 9 cubic millimeters, from a body, then separate and purify the fibroblast precursor cells. After that, we add those to a specific culture medium, growing them into a large clump of fibroblasts. Following that, we add a certain volume of trypsin solution and centrifuge it several times to manufacture fibroblast suspension."
The researcher shot a pleased glance at Chen Chen. "The advantage of this is that the prepared cells are passaged for no more than 5 times, so they're all in the active phase. Whether in terms of removing scars on a body or eliminating wrinkles, there's a certain degree of effectiveness as a treatment."
Chen Chen furrowed his brow. "The purification you mentioned in the first step – that uses the method of differential separation, right?"
"Uh, that's right…" The researcher nodded instinctively.
"Then, what's the composition of the specific culture medium?" Chen Chen asked again.
"It's…" The researcher turned blank. How could he remember all this?
"We add 15% fetal bovine serum to non-autocl
avable MEM cell culture medium."
On one side, Samuel suddenly spoke in a steady voice.
"That's not a bad method."
Chen Chen nodded. "Still, I think the fetal bovine serum can be increased to 30%. Besides that, 2.5g/L glucose and 50mg/L human insulin can be added."
Chapter 53: The Joy Of Immortality |
Upon hearing Chen Chen's suggestion, Samuel's eyes widened slightly, following which a thoughtful look crossed his face.
The researcher who had given the explanation shot a bewildered look at Chen Chen.
"Hahaha, Mr. Chen, what did you work as before this? It looks like you're well-acquainted with cell anti-aging," the chairman chimed in to fill the awkward silence.
"I worked in software development," Chen Chen answered truthfully.
"…"
The Preston chairman's smile froze on his face. "Would that be a joke in the context of Mainland China?"
"That's right, I'm actually a biology major." Chen Chen nodded. "I dabbled a little in the field of stem cells."
"I see…"
Chen Chen turned to the researcher and asked once more, "Other than that, what other research results has the institute achieved?"
"Ah, we also have breast augmentation with autologous fat cells and baldness treatment with cell injection…"
The researcher hastened to reply, "In addition…"
Upon hearing this, Chen Chen instantly waved his hand and interrupted the researcher. "Tell me about the stem cell project. What sort of business and research does the company carry out in the field of stem cells?"
"Oh, that… Currently, the company is mostly involved in the stem cell anti-aging business… That's PRP hematopoietic stem cell reinfusion."
The researcher who was in charge of explaining was more careful now. "First, the customer's blood is drawn and the hematopoietic stem cells are extracted and cultivated. After around a week of cultivation, they're inserted into the customer's face through all-around injections. This is further supplemented with an intravenous injection of mesenchymal stem cells.
"Apart from this, lately, we've been studying the process of extracting the vascular matrix tissue from fat, then injecting it along with adipose stem cells into the customer's face to promote blood supply rebuilding through the transplanted fat. This alleviates the loss of facial collagen.