Chapter 656: Chapter 655: Giving Each Other Face

After Shi Min decided to accept Yan Feifan’s invitation and join the team, he first did some preliminary research on Yan Feifan’s situation.

First up were the research and development projects.

Yan Feifan was currently leading or participating in a total of five ongoing R&D projects that hadn’t been concluded or closed out.

He was leading two of them.

The first was research on intraspinal tumor puncture, with a six-million-yuan research fund sponsored by the entrepreneur Pan Lirong.

Later, during a kidnapping case, three individuals involved each donated another one million.

On top of that, after Liu Jin became the hospital director, the funds previously advanced to Qin Ying’s medical research department were returned.

Currently, the project account still had nearly six million yuan.

The second was the audio-based hypnosis and awakening R&D project, with two million in startup capital provided by Extraordinary Medical Technology.

According to reliable sources, the project was set to receive at least ten million in research funding from the municipal government within the next week or two, plus another one to two million in R&D funds from the hospital!

Yan Feifan was participating in three other projects.

The first was in-vivo nerve cultivation research, which he was responsible for alongside Lo Jun and Wang Chuan, with eight million in R&D funding.

The second was research on transcranial tumor puncture and injection, which he was responsible for with Dr. Qiu Ge, sponsored by a wealthy Chinese-American businessman for one million USD.

The third was penile reconstruction research, which he was responsible for with Dr. Chen Yu and Dr. Qin Ying. The businessman and patient, Zhuo Xingfa, had sponsored the project with two separate donations of one million and five million yuan.

In addition to all that, Yan Feifan also managed a public welfare fund, the Extraordinary Fund, with an account balance of nearly sixty million yuan.

Currently, this fund was primarily used for corrective surgeries for disabled and deformed children at welfare institutions.

However, according to the fund’s charter, its capital could also be used for Yan Feifan’s R&D projects.

There was also a technology transfer and cooperation agreement with Baining Medical Technology to jointly develop an intelligent, automated tumor puncture and injection surgical procedure for robotic surgery.

Shi Min did some quick mental math.

Excluding the public welfare fund and the technology transfer, the total R&D funding for projects Yan Feifan was leading or participating in was already close to fifty million yuan.

And this was all within just three or four months.

This level of funding was something even senior professors at the medical school couldn’t match. Only academicians could compete with that.

However, Shi Min also noticed a problem.

"Feifan, these are all good R&D projects, but you’ve handled them in a way that’s too low-level."

"They’re sponsored by corporations and private funds, which makes it look almost like money laundering."

Shi Min wore an expression of regret.

"These projects absolutely could have qualified for national and ministerial R&D funding."

"Handling it this way isn’t conducive to winning accolades down the line."

Yan Feifan explained, "Mr. Shi, it’s mainly because these projects started with a patient’s need and then evolved into R&D projects."

"Applying for national and ministerial funding is not only a complicated process, but it also takes too much time."

"Plus, there are more restrictions on how the funds can be used."

Wang Chuan also spoke up, "Mr. Shi, regarding future accolades for the research results—once the outcomes of Yan Feifan’s puncture and injection technique, or the audio-based hypnosis and awakening research, are released, who would dare to ignore them?"

Shi Min nodded in agreement. "That’s mainly because Feifan’s project results have immense practical application and sensational potential."

"But, if these research achievements were preceded by the title of a National Natural Science Foundation project, or a key project supported by a national ministry, wouldn’t that be..."

Shi Min paused, then suddenly had a thought. He changed tack, saying, "Dr. Wang, Feifan, there’s actually another level to this. It’s about giving each other face."

"Let me put it this way. In the future, if one high-profile research achievement after another from Feifan all comes from privately sponsored projects, what do you think the people in charge of the country’s top scientific research funds will think?"

"They’ll lose a lot of face."

"More importantly, they hold the greatest authority and decision-making power in our country’s scientific community."

"Think about it. Why did that one person win a Nobel Prize in Medicine but still fail to be elected as an academician?"

"The reason is none other than being ostracized by them."

"Although there’s significant public pressure now, they can only dig in their heels. Otherwise, it would be a slap in their own face."

Shi Min warned, "Feifan, if you keep going like this, never asking them for money, the final result will very likely be your exclusion from their circle."

Young and spirited, Yan Feifan said dismissively, "So what? It’s not like I care. I’ll just focus on doing my own work."

Shi Min gently shook his head. "Feifan, you’re still too young. With your current medical achievements and status, if you were just a little more tactful about many things, you could create a win-win situation and reap even greater benefits."

He then chuckled. "I think I finally understand why Mr. Liu and Dr. Wang wanted me to come help you."

"I’ll handle matters like this for you."

"Feifan, you should just keep your main focus on treating patients and scientific research."

Shi Min then asked, "Feifan, tell me about your work schedule."

Yan Feifan briefly described his current regular duties and his work schedule for the next week or two.

Shi Min’s brow furrowed tightly. "Let’s not even talk about the year-long full-body sculpting and plastic surgery—we can consider that your primary surgical work."

"Macroglossia correction surgery? And a ’sorting out’ surgery for unexplained leg pain? What on earth are those?"

Yan Feifan gave an embarrassed smile and explained, "Mr. Shi, those were surgeries I agreed to on impulse."

"I know they’ve interfered with my plans and drained my energy."

"I’ll be more deliberate about which surgeries I take on in the future."

Shi Min nodded in satisfaction. "Feifan, it’s good that you recognize this. This scattershot approach is just too inefficient."

"Since your next goal is cardiac surgery, you shouldn’t be casually taking on unrelated procedures."

Yan Feifan obediently agreed.

Afterward, the three of them discussed some team-related issues.

A surgical team definitely needed to be established, followed by an R&D management team, as well as a fund management and finance team.

Shi Min also suggested that, for the sake of a long-term legacy, Yan Feifan should recruit a few bright and hardworking young medical assistants to train under him over time...

The group ate takeout for lunch in the office and talked until nearly five in the afternoon.

Since Shi Min and Yan Feifan both had other things to attend to, they left Wang Chuan’s office together.

At the entrance of the plastic surgery center’s first-floor lobby, just as Yan Feifan watched Mr. Shi leave, Ye Lin came scurrying over.

"Boss, here are the test results for the Thai patient that came in today."

Yan Feifan took the stack of documents Ye Lin handed him, walked back into the air-conditioned lobby, and immediately began flipping through them.

"Boss, does that Thai patient have some kind of deep-seated grudge or tragic backstory? Why would he be willing to undergo such a brutal surgery?"

Yan Feifan glanced up at Ye Lin and chided her, "Don’t go snooping into things that don’t concern you."

"Tell Nawa to eat whatever he wants and have whatever fun he can these next few days. Once the surgery begins, he won’t have the chance."

Yan Feifan then changed the subject and instructed, "Go get Meng Yao. I have something to tell you both..."

A minute or two later, Yan Feifan finished carefully reading the documents in his hand, and Ye Lin came jogging over, pulling Meng Yao along with her.

"Meng Yao, Ye Lin, here’s the situation..."

Yan Feifan said in a serious tone, "I’m going to establish an independent research lab, and I need to build my own surgical team."

"I am formally inviting you both to join."

He added, "This means your employment will be transferred from the plastic surgery center to my research lab!"

"Boss..."

An excited Ye Lin made a money-counting gesture and asked playfully, "Does this mean our workload will decrease and the money we earn will increase?"

Yan Feifan smiled. "I can’t say if the workload will be less, but the difficulty will definitely increase quite a bit."

"You’ll be assisting me on many different types of major surgeries, which will be a significant challenge for you."

"And you know I won’t lower my standards for you just because we’re familiar with each other."

"As for the money..."

According to hospital regulations, no matter where Ye Lin and Meng Yao were transferred, they were still officially hospital nurses. The hospital would be responsible for their base salary, professional title stipends, seniority allowances, and the like.

However, performance bonuses and other benefits would need to be paid by Yan Feifan.

Yan Feifan said confidently, "The bonuses and benefits haven’t been finalized yet, but your income won’t be any less than what you’re making now."

Ye Lin immediately declared, "Boss, I’m in."

Meng Yao also chuckled lightly. "Boss, I agree too."

Yan Feifan chuckled. "You don’t have to decide right away. It will probably be a few more days before my research lab is officially established..."

Just then, Feng Jian, who had been standing quietly to the side, reminded him, "Mr. Yan, your ride is here."

Yan Feifan looked outside the lobby...

A limousine flying the flag of the United Kingdom was slowly pulling up...

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