Chen Song said, "Xiao Mu, do you need me to go with you? Wouldn't that show more sincerity?"

"It's hard to say for now. I have to ask if she's willing to come. If she is, and hasn't been booked by other big shots, perhaps all three of us should visit her."

"The more standard the animal experiment models are, the more the project's authenticity, originality, and rigor are worth scrutinizing, and the final project quality will be higher."

After Mu Nanshu finished speaking, he added, "Professor Chen, this project requires applying for research funding, so by then, we'll need you to allocate some money from your account for preliminary research."

"You should have some discretionary funds allocated by the hospital, right?" Mu Nanshu deliberately emphasized discretionary funds.

Special funds are hard to touch.

"Yes, yes, we do have that." Chen Song felt Mu Nanshu's professionalism.

Mu Nanshu continued, "Lu Cheng doesn't have a research track record, so Professor Chen, you will need to make more efforts for this project's collaborators."

"Otherwise, with his research background, applying for a project would just be like a stone sinking into the sea, not able to get any funding."

"I also have some start-up research funding here, not much, only two million..."

Chen Song coughed, "Two million is not enough?"

Mu Nanshu glanced at Chen Song, "Animal models are expensive. Generally, for one of these models, raising just one can cost thirty to forty thousand."

"Two million can only get forty or fifty of them..."

"Damn..." Chen Song was so choked that his lips were trembling.

Research really is a money-burning venture.

Lu Cheng, on the other hand, was completely bewildered. To him, two million was a huge sum, and it was unimaginable that it wouldn't be enough for this project.

"Book Bag, Teacher Chen, how about we eat something first? We can chat about this stuff later?" Lu Cheng suggested.

"Okay, I'm actually quite hungry." Chen Song retracted his jaw; he didn't dare act so proud as he did in front of Lu Cheng.

It seemed that he was easily subdued by Mu Nanshu with just a few simple words.

Midway through the meal, they stopped talking about work.

Lu Cheng said, "Teacher Chen, in Xiangzhou, other things might not be that great, but the scenery is really nice."

"If you're interested, you could take a self-drive tour sometime soon."

Chen Song said, "What's the fun in me taking a self-drive trip alone? But in a while, I do plan to drive to Furong Town; it looks beautiful online."

"Although I've heard it's a bit of a scam, since I'm already here."

After taking a few bites, Chen Song said, "The flavor of this hot pot chicken is still not as good as firewood chicken."

Lu Cheng said, "Each has its own taste, firewood chicken focuses on the pot's aroma and fragrance."

"Hot pot chicken is stir-fried with hot pot seasoning, so after boiling, the texture is a bit tougher."

Chen Song looked at Lu Cheng unexpectedly, "Xiao Lu, you're quite the foodie too."

"That's great."

Saying this, Chen Song asked again, "Xiao Mu, were you planning to lure Lu Cheng to Union Hospital all along?"

"You even specifically had Professor Xie call Tong Yuan'an..."

Mu Nanshu looked up, full of confusion, "Professor Xie called Professor Tong? When did that happen? I had no idea."

Mu Nanshu's expression made both Lu Cheng and Chen Song even more incredulous.

Lu Cheng had no idea someone had called Tong Yuan'an.

"Maybe Tong Yuan'an misunderstood." Chen Song was originally joking, but didn't expect even Mu Nanshu wasn't aware of this joke.

How strange.

Of course, this question didn't bother Mu Nanshu for long. She quickly learned from Xie Yuan'an about the gossiping girl's actions...

Nothing else, just to be a 'busybody'.

Mu Nanshu looked at Lu Cheng and seriously explained, "I honestly had no idea about this before."

"Professor Xie also? Gossiping...?" Mu Nanshu swallowed hard.

Lu Cheng, looking innocent, said, "I didn't know either!~"