Mu Nanshu nodded: "Yes."

Tian Hui said: "Just leave it on the table, in the notebook. Xiao Lu, remember to tidy up when you come back."

"You all should hurry on then, the sooner you leave, the sooner you return."

"Xiao Lu, go to the upper loft in the kitchen and bring a jar of pickled corn, a box of chopped chili, and a box of pickled peppers for Xiao Shu."

"I didn't have time this year to make fermented tofu or water-fermented black beans; I'll give them to you in a few days, Xiao Shu. I remember you love these the most."

Lu Cheng did as told, and Mu Nanshu thought for a moment, then said thank you, Auntie.

...

When Lu Cheng and Mu Nanshu picked up Professor Chen Song, Mu Nanshu sat in the back seat, giving up the front passenger seat for Professor Chen Song.

Professor Chen Song had rented a new apartment. As he opened the driver's side door, he sounded a bit resentful: "Xiao Lu, you're inconsiderate."

"Leaving me hungry is one thing, but letting your wife go hungry as well."

"If I ever dared to do what you did, your mentor's wife would have scolded me for more than half an hour."

Lu Cheng explained, "Sorry, Professor Chen, I overslept, didn't even hear the alarm."

Professor Chen Song said, "Ha, it's lucky you haven't been dragged off by celestial beings."

Professor Chen Song confidently reached out to shake hands with Mu Nanshu: "Hello Researcher Mu, I'm Chen Song. You can call me Old Chen."

"Teacher Chen, I'm Mu Nanshu—'Nanshu' as in 'bamboo' and 'book.' You can call me Xiao Mu or Xiao Shu, but please don't call me 'Researcher.'"

"In your presence, we're all students," Mu Nanshu quickly explained.

Chen Song chuckled: "Oh, I wouldn't dare. Graduating with a PhD from Stanford is quite something. In terms of research, we're all just beginners."

Even though Mu Nanshu just graduated, he applied for a PhD at Stanford, not as an exchange student or on government sponsorship. That's a different matter entirely.

Even though Mu Nanshu delayed his graduation, getting in and graduating still holds tremendous value.

Otherwise, Professor Zhong Junyun from Union Hospital wouldn't have sent Mu Nanshu to be the project leader.

In front of Mu Nanshu, Chen Song didn't dare to play any tricks; in fact, he had to ask Mu Nanshu about certain things to avoid any improper conduct.

Chen Song was a professional PhD. While that's a doctorate, he still had to be a bit reserved in front of research-oriented PhDs, especially those who specialize in research.

Research isn't that easy to do.

"Teacher Chen, it's about mutual learning. You're being too modest."

"If not for a break in between, I should have visited you long ago." Mu Nanshu also responded confidently and appropriately.

"Can I start driving, teachers?" Lu Cheng suddenly asked.

Chen Song paused, then looked at Lu Cheng: "What's that title you're using?"

"Mu is my boss," Lu Cheng explained.

Chen Song roughly understood that Mu Nanshu's family background was much better than Lu Cheng's, so Lu Cheng's explanation wasn't wrong.

"Let's go, first have a meal, then we'll try to set the small directions for the project."

...

At the meal, Lu Cheng's main responsibility was ordering dishes and listening.

Chen Song was responsible for explaining the current indications of Spleen Preservation Surgery and the current research status, as well as potential expansion directions for this Suturing Skill.

After listening, Mu Nanshu nodded: "Teacher Chen, I have a small addition."

"That is, isn't this Suturing Technique mainly applicable only to Spleen Preservation Surgery?"

"Can it be applied to other areas?"

Mu Nanshu glanced at Lu Cheng and added, "From what I know, Spleen Preservation Surgery is more broadly used for emergency spleen injuries. Does it also have application value in elective and chronic spleen diseases?"

"And also, for the animal emergency disease models, who should we get to do them?"

"Disease models?" Chen Song realized he was a bit out of his depth.

Mu Nanshu nodded: "They are professional animal experimentation model builders. Among us dedicated research personnel, in addition to those doing basic cell experiments, some people specialize in drug efficacy expansion and animal experiments. Among them, some can simulate real clinical emergency disease models and transfer them to animal models."

"I wonder if you, Professor Chen, have connections in this area. If not, I have a suitable candidate."

Chen Song was very surprised: "Xiao Mu, you mean there's someone who can transfer specific clinical patient disease patterns to animals?"

"Yes!~"

Mu Nanshu nodded again: "To be specific, for example, a spleen rupture at AAST Grade III—the direction and depth of the injury can be replicated."

"Of course, replicating this is very difficult, requiring highly skilled animal experimental surgical operators."

Chen Song glanced at Lu Cheng, immediately revealing his lack of research expertise: "How is there such a specialization?"

"I've really gained some new knowledge."

"If there are such talents, wouldn't a lot of disease treatment be easy to practice?"

Mu Nanshu said: "Professor Chen, this is a small branch that has only really emerged in the last few decades."

"If you don't have a suitable recommendation, I might need to go out in a few days to visit and invite her."

"I'm just worried our project is too small, and she might not be interested or willing to come."

Having said this, Mu Nanshu turned to Lu Cheng: "This person is a junior of mine. She went to the United States about two years ago, but as an exchange student."

"She only stayed for a year and now works at Zhengda First Affiliated Hospital."