MMB Chapter 12 The first day of the new semester, spent on the tiger bench.
Chapter 12 The first day of the new semester, spent on the tiger bench.
University of Electronic Science and Technology of China.
In the office building of the School of Information and Communication Engineering, the door to one office was tightly closed.
office.
A professor with gray hair sat at his desk, several emails and some photos displayed on his computer screen.
The content of the photo was almost identical to what the police had seen before.
—Gas cylinder shells, rifled steel pipes, flying motorcycles, robot dogs...
The professor was a doctoral supervisor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering Materials at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China. He was also the professional course teacher for Gu Qingzhou and Shen Yao, and the academic leader of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Materials.
He's over sixty years old, has dedicated his life to scholarship, and has mentored generations of students. What kind of situation hasn't he seen?
But he was really angry today.
"That little bastard is really lawless."
Professor Wang slammed his hand on the table, making the teacup jump.
He pointed at the computer screen, his fingers trembling, "What was his state at school last semester? He wasn't active in class, he did his homework carelessly, and he barely passed his exams. I even had a special talk with him, telling him to focus and concentrate on his studies!"
"He's clearly a smart kid, talented and intelligent. But he just takes advantage of his family's money and lives a life of idleness."
"What kind of future can you have by just loafing around and waiting to die?"
"I felt it was a pity that such a promising talent was wasted."
He stood up and paced back and forth in his office, growing angrier the more he thought about it.
"And what happened? He caused such a huge commotion after only one summer vacation!"
"I originally thought that his talent would be wasted by his lazy lifestyle, but in just two months I have really been impressed."
"Gas cylinder shells, rifled steel pipes, flying motorcycles... When did he, a materials engineering student, learn these crooked tricks?"
He stopped and glanced at the photo on the screen again.
"Look at you, so capable! You sold nearly 100 million worth of weapons in two months, and that's all in US dollars."
"Why don't you go sell tanks, missiles, and aircraft carriers?"
Professor Wang seemed to have gotten tired of yelling.
I picked up the teacup and took a sip.
Although the tea had long since gone cold, he didn't seem to notice.
He put down his teacup and glanced at the photo of the young man on the screen again.
The photo was taken from the classroom surveillance footage. Gu Qingzhou was sitting in the last row, holding a book called "Fundamentals of Materials Science" in her arms, wearing a white T-shirt, and looking bewildered as she was taken away by the special police.
He doesn't look like an arms dealer who commits murder and arson.
He was just an ordinary college student.
Professor Wang stared at the photo for a long time, the words of cursing on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.
"well......"
He sighed deeply, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.
To be honest, Gu Qingzhou and Shen Yao are the most outstanding students he has taught in recent years.
Not the kind of outstanding academic performance.
Gu Qingzhou's grades were mediocre.
But his way of thinking is very unique.
Moreover, Professor Wang knew that Gu Qingzhou was exceptionally intelligent, but too carefree.
In particular, he possesses a kind of creativity that breaks free from conventional thinking, which Professor Wang rarely sees in his other students.
Others who study materials science learn about structure, properties, and processing techniques, following a set routine and adhering to established rules.
Gu Qingzhou is different.
That kid always manages to mix things from different fields together, piecing them together to create something completely unexpected.
Sometimes, when discussing a technical issue in class, the angle he brings up can leave the whole class stunned, and then, upon closer reflection...
That actually makes a damn good point.
When placed in the right environment, such students can produce amazing results.
But what if you take the wrong path...
Professor Wang opened his eyes, stared blankly at the fluorescent light on the ceiling for several seconds.
Ugh.....
Professor Wang sighed.
"Such a fine piece of jade, I really can't bear to waste it like this."
He picked up the landline on the table and dialed a number.
"Hey, Lao Li, it's me."
"Yes, it's about Gu Qingzhou."
"I know you're investigating, and I won't interfere with your case. I just want to ask one question..."
He paused for a moment, his voice a little hoarse.
"Is there any way to resolve this? He's still young; it would be such a pity if he really went down the wrong path."
After hearing what was said on the other end of the phone, Professor Wang didn't say anything more, but his expression became increasingly complicated.
After hanging up the phone, he leaned back in his chair and stared blankly out the window.
The office was so quiet you could hear the ticking of the clock on the wall.
After a long time, he picked up the phone again.
......
Guangzhou, Guangdong Province.
Cheng Yihan sat in the car, watching the city scenery rushing past the window.
She had an appointment to report to her supervisor today, but instead of going to the warehouse, she changed into a proper business suit, put her hair up, and looked more capable and less aloof than usual.
The car drove for a long time before finally entering a quiet courtyard.
Secretary Zhou was already waiting downstairs. He was a young man in his early thirties, wearing black-rimmed glasses. He looked refined, but his eyes were very shrewd.
"Mr. Cheng, the boss is waiting for you." Secretary Zhou smiled and gestured for him to enter.
Cheng Yihan nodded and followed him into the building.
As the elevator ascended, the carpeted corridor absorbed all the sound of footsteps.
Secretary Zhou stopped in front of a door and knocked.
"Come in," a steady voice came from inside.
Cheng Yihan took a deep breath, pushed open the door, and went inside.
The office is small and simply furnished, with a desk, a row of bookshelves, and a few potted plants.
But the person sitting behind the desk gave the small office an invisible sense of oppression.
"Have a seat." The leader gestured for her to sit down, his tone calm. "Xiao Cheng, you asked me to come and give you a work report. I also have something I'd like to ask you."
Cheng Yihan sat down on the sofa, placed her hands on her knees, and straightened her back.
"Your cousin's name is Gu Qingzhou, right?" the leader asked bluntly.
"Yes." Cheng Yihan nodded.
The leader opened a document on the table, glanced at it a few times, and then looked up at her.
"Two months, nearly $100 million in orders. A weapons supplier for the Houthis, and an individual arms dealer ranked ninth on Interpol's global wanted list."
He spoke slowly and deliberately.
"Xiao Cheng, tell me, is this normal business expansion for your company?"
Cheng Yihan remained silent for a few seconds.
Then she raised her head, looked directly into the leader's eyes, and spoke in a calm but firm voice.
"Boss, this is indeed our company's business expansion. We sell civilian products, such as steel pipes, gas cylinders, and motorcycles. Every export order goes through formal customs procedures, and every product complies with export control regulations."
The leader stared at her for a few seconds, offering no comment.
"Then explain why your civilian products become artillery shells capable of collapsing buildings and rifles capable of hitting targets 800 meters away in the Middle East?"
Cheng Yihan remained calm.
She took a file folder out of her bag and handed it to her boss with both hands.
"Boss, these are all the contracts our company has signed with our Middle Eastern counterparts, export customs declarations, foreign exchange settlement certificates, and tax payment certificates. Every transaction is legal and compliant, and every payment has been taxed properly."
The leader took the document bag, opened it, and flipped through it page by page.
Cheng Yihan continued, "As for how those products are modified after they reach the customer, that's beyond our control. It's like a kitchen knife; the manufacturer sells it to the customer for cutting vegetables, but the customer uses it to kill someone. Can you blame the manufacturer?"
The leader looked up at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"You mean you were completely unaware?"
"We know that customers may perform secondary processing on our products," Cheng Yihan said frankly, "but we do not participate in any secondary processing or provide any technical support. We are just a small factory that sells steel pipes and gas cylinders."
The leader put down the documents, leaned back in his chair, and remained silent for a while.
"Xiao Cheng, what you said makes some sense," he said slowly, "but you need to know that this matter has already blown up. Interpol has issued a global arrest warrant, and diplomatic notes from several countries have reached the ministry, requesting our cooperation in the investigation, and even requesting the extradition of your cousin."
Cheng Yihan's heart skipped a beat, but her face remained calm.
"Sir, my cousin is a citizen of China. He has not done anything illegal within the country, and his actions abroad are all within the legal and compliant framework."
"Even if he really did something outrageous, that's our own business, and we'll handle it ourselves. It's no one else's place to interfere."
She raised her head and looked directly into the leader's eyes.
"Sir, I hope you can handle this case impartially. We are not asking for special treatment, we only ask for fair treatment."
The leader stared at her for a while, then smiled.
It wasn't a polite laugh; I genuinely found it interesting.
"Xiao Cheng, your personality is just like your dad's."
Cheng Yihan did not respond.
The leader picked up the documents on the table, flipped through a few more pages, and then closed them.
"I understand. Don't worry, we won't wrong an innocent person, nor will we let a guilty person go unpunished."
He paused, then said something that put Cheng Yihan's mind at ease.
"Besides, it's our own child, no outsiders have the right to hit him."
Cheng Yihan stood up and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, boss."
......
Rongcheng.
Municipal Public Security Bureau.
In the interrogation room, Gu Qingzhou was still sitting on the "tiger chair".
I've been sitting for so long, my butt is numb.
He stared listlessly at the one-way mirror, his mind racing with all sorts of thoughts.
Has Shen Zheng done anything foolish? Can Shen Yao stabilize the situation? Will something unexpected happen to Cheng Yihan? Will Interpol request extradition...?
As he thought about it, he suddenly found it a little funny.
Two months ago, he was just an ordinary college student, thinking about "what to eat for lunch today" and "whether to skip class tomorrow".
He is now sitting in the police station's interrogation room.
He is wanted globally and has a "performance" record of 100 million US dollars on his hands.
Life's encounters are truly wondrous.
The interrogation room door was suddenly pushed open.
Captain Yan walked in, holding a document in his hand. His expression had softened somewhat, but he remained serious.
He sat down opposite Gu Qingzhou and placed the documents on the table.
"Gu Qingzhou, I have a few questions that I need you to answer truthfully."
"Please ask." Gu Qingzhou sat up straight.
"During your two months in the Middle East, did you come into contact with anything involving radioactive materials or biological agents?"
Gu Qingzhou paused for a moment, then shook her head vigorously. "No, no, no, I really don't have that. The gas cylinder shells I sell are just gas cylinders with tail fins and gyroscopes. They don't have mushroom shells inside. Those are contraband; I dare not touch them."
Captain Yan stared at him for a few seconds and then nodded.
"My second question is, have you ever provided any organization with the technology or raw materials for manufacturing chemical weapons?"
"No! Absolutely not!" Gu Qingzhou shook her head vigorously. "Boss, you know me. I just sell conventional weapons, no, civilian products. I wouldn't dare touch weapons of mass destruction even if you gave me a hundred lives."
Captain Yan stared at him for a few more seconds, then lowered his head and wrote a few words on the document.
"One last question," he looked up, "Have you contacted any citizens or organizations within the Xia Kingdom who have offered you technical or financial support?"
Gu Qingzhou did not shake her head this time.
He thought for a moment and answered seriously, "No, all my product research and development and production are based on publicly available technical information and my own understanding. The funds also come from legitimate order prepayments and my cousin's company's own funds."
"No foreign forces or domestic organizations have provided me with any assistance."
Captain Yan looked at him with scrutiny and suspicion in his eyes, but more than anything, he had a complex emotion that was hard to describe.
He closed the file and stood up.
That's all for today. You stay here for now, and we'll call you if we need anything.
After saying that, he turned and walked towards the door.
Gu Qingzhou suddenly called out to him.
"Squad Leader Yan."
Captain Yan stopped and turned around.
"Will we still be able to eat at the school cafeteria?" Gu Qingzhou asked, her tone tinged with a cautious probing.
Captain Yan looked at him, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
"Let's clarify the matter at hand first."
After saying that, he pushed open the door and went out.
The interrogation room fell silent again.
Gu Qingzhou leaned back in her chair and let out a long breath.
The fact that these questions can still be asked shows that things haven't reached the worst point yet.
Now all he has to do is wait.
We await the results of Cheng Yihan's efforts, the conclusions of the police investigation, and that uncertain turning point.
The sky outside the window gradually darkened.
In Chengdu in September, it still gets dark quite late.
Gu Qingzhou looked at the small window and remembered that he had been sitting in the lecture hall this morning, wondering if he should go to the cafeteria to try the new dishes at noon.
At that time, he never imagined that he would spend the first day of the new semester in this way.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
P.S.: The last chapter was reviewed again. Writing this kind of story easily gets me banned, so this book will most likely not pass the initial screening. Oh well, if it doesn't pass, it doesn't pass. As long as people are reading, I'll keep writing. Please vote for me, give me tips, and recommend this book.