pjbooks Chapter 90 Skin Anti-Aging Project Initiation
Chapter 90 Skin Anti-Aging Project Initiation
Chapter 90 Skin Anti-Aging Project Launch (10K long chapter, please vote and subscribe)
Richard arrived at the cell laboratory.
With Christmas approaching, the park is being decorated for the holiday. A huge Christmas tree stands in the center of the lawn, and workers are hanging colorful lights on it.
He entered the main building and went to the top-floor public office area.
A group of people were busy in front of their computers. They looked up at him, but most of them didn't react.
Over the years, countless geniuses have come and gone from the cell laboratory. Richard is just one of them, quite special, but that's about it.
Richard walked to his seat, and Edgar leaned over: "Hey, you look really handsome in that photo. That girl is gorgeous."
"What photo?" Richard asked curiously.
"It's that starling miracle."
"You guys believe in this too?" Richard asked, puzzled. "You're Ivy League students, after all."
"God is everywhere." Edgar casually made a sign of the cross, clearly not very devout.
Richard quipped, "Your cross is all forked; God should punish you."
Edgar chuckled.
Richard put down his bag, chatted for a few minutes, and then went into Christina's office.
Christina, as usual, got up, closed and locked the door, then took out a table containing over 200 data points, excitedly saying, "All my indicators are normal, there's no change at all!"
Richard looked at the form carefully: "Congratulations, you've been perfectly resurrected."
Christina exclaimed excitedly, "No, my lord, haven't you discovered the most crucial problem? The fact that you haven't discovered it is the greatest discovery! This is incredible! It means there must be some supernatural force that forcibly reversed things that I thought were completely impossible. You possess a perfect resurrection technique, or divine magic!"
Seeing Richard's confusion, she quickly explained, "After death, brain cells immediately begin to die irreversibly—hypoxia, energy depletion, and the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential. This is textbook-level 'irreversible,' but my brain function is completely normal!"
"There was also corneal opacity, loss of skin elasticity, and cell autolysis—proteases digested me. According to current medicine, even with on-site resuscitation, a complete recovery would be impossible. But now, everything is perfect; it's like I never died!"
"Furthermore, the scar on the right elbow has disappeared, but the old injury from over 20 years ago is still there. This indicates that the master's resurrection power has a clear window of opportunity for repair. It can repair recent injuries, but it cannot go back too far in time. How long is this window? Three months? A year? Five years? Why? Can it be extended? Or shortened?"
Richard nodded.
Christina is truly remarkable; her curiosity about science far surpasses that of ordinary people.
The flame of desire above her head burned with nothing but curiosity and excitement, completely devoid of any fear of death. Perhaps only someone like her could reach the pinnacle of science.
"What are your plans for the next step of your research?" Richard put down the form and noticed a very old Bible on the table.
Richard flipped through it and found various notes written in the Bible, which appeared to be Christina's accumulated thoughts over many years.
He is indeed a devout believer.
But the contents of the notes... were all questions about God.
For example, after the sentence "Let us make man in our image," Christina wrote: "Here, the plural 'we' is used, but the doctrine says there is only one God. Is God singular or plural? Is there only one God, or many gods?"
She's actually studying the Bible using scientific methods!
Who was the last person to do this? Newton? Richard chuckled.
Christina resolutely replied, "Since current science and technology cannot break through this barrier, I hope my master can strengthen my physique and extend my lifespan. I have no time to waste. Only by finding a way to achieve immortality will I have time to study resurrection in the future."
The idea of dying and being brought back to life is a mysterious power that is even more powerful than rejuvenation, something that science has absolutely no concept of.
The scientific community has actually made some explorations in the field of anti-aging, although it is only superficial.
Richard readily agreed, as this had been discussed beforehand: "Sure. When do you plan to enhance it?"
Christina was eager to experience this new divine power, but she still calmly asked, "If my physique is strengthened, how will my appearance change? Will others notice?"
"Of course things will change. You'll look younger. Because you've never married and have no family, no one will notice the changes in your body. But a younger face is something you can't hide. You need to come up with a reasonable solution." Richard observed Christina's face; she was actually quite well-maintained.
She spends most of her time in the lab and rarely goes out, unlike many Americans who love sunbathing and have sun-damaged spots all over their skin.
But she is already over sixty years old, and aging is inevitable.
Richard analyzed based on Catherine and Brian's experience that the numerical value of physical enhancement and the effect of youthful appearance were not stable.
There are very few samples available at the moment, and we don't know exactly what Christina will look like after the enhancement.
"In that case, I need to find a reasonable excuse... I'll take a few days off and announce that I'm going to get a beauty treatment." Christina made the decision without hesitation.
She wasn't the kind of slovenly scientist. Perhaps because she was a woman, she also paid great attention to her appearance: clean and tidy, always wearing light makeup, simple earrings and necklaces, and overall very elegant.
Therefore, it's not too hard to understand why she went to a beauty salon; at least she didn't have to resort to clumsy eyeliner and makeup like Brian did.
"Okay. I'll arrange a completely safe cosmetic clinic for you."
Three days later, at the Katrina Clinic.
To welcome Christina, Catherine gave everyone else at the clinic a paid day off.
There were only three people in the entire clinic: Richard, Christina, and Catherine.
Christina, unaware of Catherine's identity, eyed her warily.
Richard said, "She's your companion, you can rest assured."
Christina suddenly realized why her master said she could trust him completely.
Then, a crucial question came to her mind.
From the outside, the "companion" is no different from a human. Just how many spies has the master planted in human society?
Christina asked curiously, "She's been enhanced too? Could I take a sample from her body and compare it with mine? Maybe I can find something."
Catherine's expression changed slightly.
Horrifying scenes of various mad scientists from American movies and TV shows flashed through her mind.
Slicing, drawing blood, removing bone marrow...
Richard, however, thought it made a lot of sense: "Okay, Catherine, you cooperate with her and go to the cell lab tomorrow to collect samples."
Catherine had no choice but to agree.
Christina showed no intention of comforting Catherine, and continued, "My body cells have already been extracted and stored in the lab. For testing and comparison, I need to take some high-resolution photos before the enhancement."
After saying that, he took out a high-definition camera and decisively took off all his clothes: "Please take a picture of me, Master."
She blushed slightly, but her resolve was unwavering.
Catherine glanced at it and then gave a confident smile.
Hmph, you're nowhere near as good as me.
Richard was somewhat surprised, but didn't say anything.
When it comes to research, just listen to Christina.
"Catherine, you take the picture. Don't film her face; it'll cause big trouble if it gets leaked."
"Okay." Catherine picked up the camera and started taking pictures carefully.
"Make sure to photograph every blemish and every tiny detail on your skin." Christina was a little shy, but quickly calmed down: "I need to compare the changes in my skin. This is the most obvious part after the rejuvenation process, and it's very valuable."
Christina's considerations were very thorough.
Richard forgot to do this test on the first two samples, and once reinforced, it cannot be reversed; the change is irreversible.
Of course, it wouldn't have made much sense to give this information to Richard before, as he didn't have the corresponding research capabilities.
After Catherine finished taking the photos, she stood to one side.
Richard raised a finger and deliberately spoke in a charlatan's tone, "You will act on my will, and I will grant you youth and strength!"
After he finished speaking, countless golden lights gathered at his fingertips, illuminating the entire room!
Christina stared at his gleaming golden fingers. She longed to capture this moment on camera and analyze it frame by frame, but she didn't dare.
Golden fingers gently touched Christina's forehead.
"Servant Christina Shepard physique: 7 → 10."
In an instant, she felt boundless power surging from her aging body!
She looked at her palms in surprise. The age spots had disappeared, and the deep wrinkles had faded considerably, leaving only fine lines. Judging from the skin on her palms, she looked about forty years old.
"Amazing! Absolutely amazing! Master, are you a god who controls time?!"
What she was seeing was far beyond Christina's comprehension.
She could understand taking a legendary elixir from Tokyo University or getting an acupuncture injection, but simply touching her forehead with her finger restored her youthful appearance.
She reaffirmed that Richard was definitely a supernatural being, not a high-tech alien; this ability didn't seem like technology at all.
There's only one explanation: God!
So, what exactly are gods?
What is the principle behind rejuvenation?
Why does it take effect so quickly?
Christina stared at her palm, lost in a multitude of questions.
Catherine took another thorough photo of her entire body.
Christina then put on her clothes, first saving the photos to a laptop with the network card removed, then smashing the camera's memory card, and finally comparing the photos one by one.
Each comparison is a silent marvel; the same area undergoes a dramatic transformation in just a few seconds.
After Christina had settled into her new body, she underwent some simple physical fitness tests.
A dozen minutes later, she calmly commented, "It's not just my skin; my reaction speed and strength have returned to what they were 10-15 years ago, which should be the physical level of a 40-50 year old woman."
As a scientist who has been researching biomedicine for many years, she has a deep understanding of the physical condition of men and women at different ages.
"Next, it's time to get hyaluronic acid injections, especially on my face. I want it to be noticeable so that people can immediately tell I've used hyaluronic acid," Christina said.
Using hyaluronic acid to cover up real physical changes was something she had planned long ago.
In this way, even if others see areas where she looks excessively young, they will assume it's due to cosmetic surgery.
Why are the results so significant?
Because of Christina's special status, top experts were hired and the most advanced products were used.
Richard personally performed the hyaluronic acid injection.
After the injection, her face was noticeably swollen, her eyes were red, and there were obvious bruises.
Richard examined it carefully: "It's very successful, don't worry. The swelling should subside in about one to three days, usually one day, but since you're older, it might take three days."
"OK! I'll go home and rest for a few days." Christina put on sunglasses, a hat, and a mask, covering herself completely, and left in her car.
She didn't care about her disheveled appearance after getting hyaluronic acid injections; she was only worried about being recognized at this place.
If someone discovers that she went to Catherine's clinic and then suddenly became so young, it could cause unnecessary trouble in the future.
Christina left decisively, in a hurry, without uttering a single unnecessary word.
Catherine threw all the materials into the trash can, leaving no trace of the medical records. No one knew that a top academic had received hyaluronic acid injections in such a cramped cosmetic clinic.
While cleaning up the scene to ensure no trace was left, Catherine said, "The $200 million coordinated by the church has arrived. It's a 50-year super long-term loan from Mellon Bank with an interest rate of 0.5% and no additional terms."
"Very good." Richard was quite surprised.
A 50-year loan?
Such a long period of time, with such a low interest rate, can't even offset inflation; it's practically free.
Moreover, according to normal understanding, Catherine would most likely be dead 50 years later. To put it bluntly, Mellon Bank never intended for Catherine to repay the money.
The influence of the church in America is indeed not to be underestimated.
Catherine said enthusiastically, "I'm planning to buy that cosmetic surgery clinic on the Upper East Side that's currently for sale, but it's missing too much equipment. Replacing it with the necessary equipment will cost 6—"
Nine months, with monthly rent of $21000, will be a significant financial loss while waiting for equipment. I should be able to negotiate a lower price with that Russian to make up for the shortfall. Luckily, I purchased some equipment beforehand, so maybe I can move it over and at least start some business.
"Don't ask me about business matters." Richard leaned against the table, looking at Catherine.
Her voluptuous figure was partially concealed beneath her oversized white work clothes.
The lights were a bit bright, and you could see the outline of the body.
He suddenly noticed that this work uniform was a little different from the others; it seemed a bit more see-through than the normal ones. Catherine must have bought it specially for her. "How's Debbie?"
"She's still dieting. She really wants to make it to the Super Bowl cheerleading squad." Catherine noticed Richard's gaze and deliberately turned to face him, showing off her perfect S-shaped figure.
Richard laughed: "Losing weight is a very torturous thing."
Debbie is pretty, but she's just average compared to the girls in the Super Bowl.
Of course, that's American aesthetics.
Debbie's appearance is more in line with Richard's aesthetic.
"What did the archbishop say?"
"It seems he's preparing a canonization proposal for Debbie. A living person can't be called a saint; they can only become a prospective saint. But the process is very complicated." Catherine frowned. "Sawyer told me once that the preparation process generally involves four steps."
"The first step, which the archbishop himself can complete, is called 'filing a case.' This step requires a public petition from the faithful, after which the archbishop can formally file a case. There were many witnesses to the starling attack that day, and there should be quite a few believers at St. Carlisle Church willing to come forward and petition. Then, an investigation team composed of priests and bishops needs to be formed to collect Debbie's biographical records, roughly checking for any misdeeds or bad habits. He said a lot, but I don't know much about the internal rules of the church. In short, after the first step is completed, Debbie becomes a 'servant of the angels.'"
"The second step is approval from the Vatican. Theologians and the College of Cardinals vote, and finally the Pope approves. This step is very difficult. If all goes well, Sawyer hopes to take Debbie to the Vatican within three years to report on his work and have the Pope receive her privately and verbally acknowledge her as a 'Honorable One.' Sawyer needs our cooperation. I feel that the internal struggle within the Archdiocese of America is very intense, and Sawyer is not in a favorable position, so it may be difficult."
"The third step is called 'Blessing.' This step involves demonstrating a miracle. The most common miracle is curing a terminal illness, which requires verification by both papal physicians and theologians. However, I suspect that all the so-called saints and women in history were fakes at this stage."
"The fourth step is that after the beatification, another miracle must be performed before the church can name Debbie a 'preparatory saint'."
That's the general idea; I'm not sure about the specific details.
Richard pondered.
He cannot cure terminal illnesses now, but he may be able to in the future; however, this step may expose his abilities.
Therefore, Richard would not take action if there were any risks involved.
If others can fake their status as saints, why can't Debbie fake hers?
In addition, the first step was the internal struggle within the New York parish, in which Sawyer was still able to control the situation.
After the second step, Sawyer will engage in a power struggle with other dioceses, and it will even involve the Vatican. The struggle will then completely spiral out of control, and all that will be left is to react to each move as it comes.
Catherine continued, "The first step will take at least a year, and the second step, according to Sawyer's plan, is to meet the Pope within three years, or maybe even five or six years. In any case, that will be around the time Debbie graduates from Princeton."
So it was that slow. Richard was relieved.
He believes that, given his growth rate, he will possess even greater power in a few years.
At that time, whatever we do, we'll have a greater chance of success.
"Fine," Richard said, not really bothered.
For him, this was a casual move; he could do his best, but it didn't matter if he couldn't.
In any case, Debbie got into Princeton with Sawyer's recommendation letter, and Catherine got a $200 million long-term low-interest loan; they'd already gotten the benefits.
It's worth it!
Catherine was somewhat troubled: "However, devout believers certainly won't like the saint showing her legs in public. Debbie is adamant about not giving up the cheerleading squad, and Sawyer has expressed his dissatisfaction several times already. There's another problem: the saint can't marry. If she does, the consequences are very serious—it would be apostasy, and she would be attacked by Catholics worldwide!"
Catherine looked at Richard, wondering what her master intended to do with his daughter.
Richard remained noncommittal, simply stating, "Who knows what will happen a few years from now?"
A few days later, Richard returned to his dorm room at Princeton.
The corridor lights were still flickering.
What a lousy place! It's supposed to be the best residential college at Princeton, and this is what it's like?
What about the other residential colleges?
I wonder where all those logistics and maintenance funds the school invests each year.
Richard picked up his phone and checked the repair request he had sent.
There was no reply, and the request vanished without a trace, as if it had never been sent.
Richard pursed his lips and promptly sent it again.
At that moment, Christina sent a message: "I'm almost recovered, I'm going to the lab in a bit."
"Okay, I'll go too."
A dozen minutes later, Richard and Christina walked into the cell laboratory together.
Everyone stared at her face in astonishment.
Christina looks noticeably younger, and you can see signs of cosmetic surgery, probably hyaluronic acid injections. There's still some swelling, but her skin does look much younger.
It turns out she went to get plastic surgery these past few days; no wonder she hasn't been to the lab for days.
Ignoring the stares of the crowd, Christina said directly, "I'm planning to start a new project."
Everyone's ears perked up.
The entire cell laboratory has more than 1000 staff members.
The researchers on this floor were either senior scientists who had collaborated with Christina for many years, or students personally mentored by Christina—in short, her core inner circle.
"This project is called 'Targeted Repair Research on Aging Epidermal Remodeling,' or simply skin anti-aging. It's a small, applied, exploratory project with funding of about one million US dollars, which I will apply for from the school's seed fund."
"I need a PhD or post-PhD to be the project PI, plus a lab technician; that should be enough. Richard will also join this project group to learn from their experience. When we publish the paper, the project PI will be the first author, Richard and the lab technician will both be second authors, and I'll be the corresponding author. Anyone want to do this?"
Christina always prefers to distribute all benefits at the beginning to avoid internal conflicts within the team later.
The expressions on everyone's faces were varied.
For Nobel laureates, applications for funding for small projects like this are a sure thing; as long as they apply, they are guaranteed to pass the review.
However, this research direction is quite ordinary, leaning towards application, and it doesn't sound like core research at all. It's probably something Christina came up with after seeing the equipment in the beauty salon.
Christina was handed over to the doctor, and no one objected.
To put it simply, this is a small research project with an established research direction, and it's guaranteed to produce a paper.
With Christina listed as a correspondent, it's definitely going to be published in CNS!
She also specifically instructed that Richard be included in the project team. To put it bluntly, this project was for Richard to work on his papers and gain practical experience in preparation for his future admission to Princeton.
No one has any objection to this.
As Christina's handpicked "academic successor," what's wrong with nurturing him?
However, 100 million is too little funding, making it destined to be a small, exploratory project.
Several senior scientists with teaching positions felt this opportunity was too small and looked down on it.
Younger postdoctoral researchers also hesitated, as they already had their own research projects and it would be a waste to give up a project worth 100 million yuan.
Only a few doctoral students had their eyes shining with anticipation.
Christina didn't call on anyone, but instead asked, "Richard, who do you choose?"
The expressions on everyone's faces changed slightly.
Let Richard choose the people?
This isn't just a closed-door disciple, this is a biological son!
It's outrageous that a high school student who was just a figurehead and was essentially freeloading on a paper could be chosen as the project leader.
Even if it's just a small project worth millions.
Everyone finally understood the extent of Christina's favoritism towards Richard.
Richard smiled and said, "I don't know much about you all."
Christina said, "Then let's get to know them first. I'll have my assistant go through the procedures, and it should be done in three weeks at most. You can talk to everyone and then just give me your name."
Richard will be in the team for many years, and Christina needs to establish his authority early on.
This was something the two of them had discussed beforehand.
"no problem."
After the meeting, Christina immediately returned to her office and called her private secretary over to prepare the project approval materials.
Everyone's gaze towards Richard changed. This seemingly insignificant little meeting completely solidified Richard's status as the crown prince of the cell laboratory.
Even though only a few people know about it for now, it will soon spread throughout the entire laboratory.
Christina publicly letting Richard choose the PI was clearly a message to everyone: This is my chosen academic successor, so watch your step and don't cause me any trouble.
As soon as Christina left, everyone surrounded her.
"Congratulations!"
"It's so rare to be able to have your name listed on a paper while still in high school!"
"This is a research topic that could be published in CNS journals! I'm so envious!"
The crowd's words were laced with flattery.
With Christina's support, Richard was destined to obtain a tenured position at an Ivy League school.
Regardless of what they thought in their hearts, their words were always full of congratulations.
Who says America lacks human touch?
.
Alaric was actually very interested, but the project's funding was too small and not suitable for his research, so he had to give up with regret.
He couldn't help but glance at Richard again. It seemed that Christina valued this young man very much. Professor Shepard was going too far by having a high school student listed as an author on a paper published in CNS.
Cole-Barnes clenched his fist silently.
Damn second-generation rich kids!
He recalled how, when he was in high school, he worked tirelessly every night to apply to Princeton, often staying up all night to work on his projects and desperately trying to find connections.
After entering Princeton, he devoted a tremendous amount of time, fought tooth and nail against various competitors, took on hundreds of thousands of dollars in student loans, and painstakingly wrote four SCI papers before he was able to enter Christina's lab.
He would be considered a research genius even if he were outside the field, but even so, he can only do some peripheral work now.
And then? Richard just walked in, all nonchalant and unremarkable.
A damn student from an enemy country got into the lab so easily and even managed to get a paper published in CNS journals.
unfair!
Cole's own CNS papers are still nowhere to be found.
Ivan-Lee sat sullenly in his seat, outwardly flipping through the documents in his hand, but his mind was elsewhere.
In his view, Richard and he were both international students at the University of Tokyo, and since he had arrived earlier, Richard was naturally the senior, and Richard had to show him some respect.
The results of it?
Richard hasn't even greeted me yet!
outrageous!
Richard could clearly see jealousy and resentment rising above the heads of the three people.
Professor Alaric, a senior scientist.
Ivan Lee, another brilliant student from the University of Tokyo, was always arrogant and looked down on Richard for getting in through connections.
Another person who came up with a surprise was Cole Barnes, a quiet, purebred white man who worked very hard, but by the standards of the Cell Lab, his talent was only average.
This guy was the most mentally unstable, and his attitude towards Richard had even reached the point of hatred.
This was something Richard couldn't understand.
Dude, we've never even spoken. I understand you're jealous of me, but what do you mean by hatred?
Richard ignored this kind of person and went back to his seat.
The other doctoral students exchanged glances, each with a strange glint in their eyes, wanting to curry favor but unsure how to begin.
While the others were still subtly competing, Edgar moved closer to Richard, grinning, "Bro, I've never had a brother. Seeing you makes me feel especially close to you. Even though we have different surnames, different races, and different countries, I feel a connection with you—"
"Stop! Stop! Stop!" Richard waved his hand, exasperated. "Fine, you're the one!"
Edgar was overjoyed: "Thanks, buddy! I'm sticking with you from now on!"
Don't be fooled by the fact that he's Christina's doctor; what good is that?
No resources, no decent research topic, want to graduate? Dream on.
Christina is incredibly strict with her students' papers; she will absolutely not sign off on bad papers, as that would only damage her academic reputation.
Richard is still the best!
Being young, he won't be vying for control of research projects for at least three or four years, and as Shepard's academic successor, he'll definitely have plenty of projects.
As long as we stick close to this powerful backer, we won't have to worry about not having projects in the next few years.
Look, he's only been in the lab for a few days, and Professor Shepherd has already given him a project.
This is a paper that was recommended for admission to CNS (China National Knowledge Infrastructure)!
This is something that would make a bunch of PhDs fight tooth and nail to get their hands on it.
Ed licked the fire with fervor.
The other PhD students' expressions changed.
No, buddy, that's not fair!
That's such a despicable tactic!
Evelyn walked in: "Richard, I have everyone's profile here. If you're going to choose someone, would you like to take a look first? However, some of the information is confidential and can only be viewed on an offline computer; it cannot be taken outside."
"Okay." Richard followed Evelyn away.
Daniel arrived at the top floor and greeted everyone warmly.
With his brown hair and warm, cheerful face, he instantly made people happy.
Daniel placed a cup of hot coffee on Alaric's table: "Doctor, your favorite flavor, double the sugar!"
"Thank you." Alaric pointed at him and then buried himself back in the paper on the screen. He was grading his doctoral student's thesis, looking quite distressed.
Klin sat at the table, biting his nails, his eyes glazed over, seemingly lost in thought.
Daniel walked over: "Here, your favorite cream puffs, fresh out of the oven!"
"Thank you, Daniel." Klin quickly stood up. He was just a first-year PhD student and had a very low status in the lab.
Daniel smiled and patted Klin on the shoulder.
Next, Daniel distributed the snacks he had to everyone in the office area. Everyone had their own favorite foods and flavors, and Daniel always managed to buy them perfectly.
Finally, Daniel sat down next to Edgar, patted him on the shoulder, and handed him a sugar-free coffee: "What's wrong? Why are you laughing like that?"
Edgar took the coffee, grinning, and said, "I landed a great project! Professor Shepard is on the list, so this time the CNS paper is secured!"
"CNS!" Daniel's eyes lit up. "Is there a chance for me? Can I just have my name listed?"
"I think it should be fine," Edgar thought for a moment.
Daniel will not be in competition with him.
Daniel is already a resident physician at a public hospital, busy with work every day; his thesis is just a way to gain recognition.
While there is no mandatory requirement for residents to publish papers, promotion requires a certain number of academic activities, such as quality improvement projects, presentations at various conferences, case reports, and participation in cutting-edge technology experiments.
Furthermore, Daniel studied plastic surgery, a field with strict requirements; to be promoted, one must have a sufficiently significant thesis.
Daniel knows his own abilities. When he was pursuing his doctorate, he got his dissertation by getting help from his fellow students and professors and classmates. He had no ability to write it on his own.
Besides, I work at the hospital every day now, so I have even less ability.
Now that the opportunity had arrived, he immediately perked up: "Okay, I'll go find my advisor."
Edgar raised his hand, as if to say that you'd better ask Richard first, but then he thought about it and put it down, thinking that it would be more appropriate to ask his mentor.
"Ms. Shaw, you're getting more and more beautiful." Daniel first handed a box of snacks to Evelyn Shaw, the lab's head supervisor: "I came to see my mentor."
Evelyn smiled and waved her hand: "Professor Shepard is inside."
Daniel entered Christina's office smoothly, took out a bottle of Christina's favorite soda water, and placed it on the table.
Christina, who was busy working on a project proposal, glanced at him and said, "Daniel, you're here."
A smile involuntarily appeared on her face.
Daniel turned on the water bottle in front of Christina and placed it next to her.
Daniel observed her expression and saw that she seemed to be in a good mood, so he stood behind Christina and watched the screen.
Christina didn't stop him.
Daniel watched with peace of mind.
The document is titled "Targeted Repair Study of In-situ Activation of Autologous Dermal Stem Cells and Remodeling of Senescent Epidermis".
Although Daniel is not a genius, he still has basic academic abilities to get into Princeton.
This must be the anti-aging skin treatment Edgar was talking about.
Christina personally took charge of the direction, Edgar was the PI, and Daniel naturally wouldn't try to steal the first author.
But a second work is also acceptable!
In addition, if this project can produce some minor papers, they might very well fall to him.
good chance!
A few minutes later, Christina took her hand off the keyboard: "You looked very carefully. You've got your eye on this project?"
Daniel grinned and said, "I'd like to piggyback on your authorship. Can I be included? Just a name will do."
Christina took a sip of water: "No problem."
She has high academic standards, but she is not rigid in her personal conduct.
Even a pedantic person couldn't manage such a large laboratory.
Daniel was overjoyed: "Don't worry, mentor! Give me all the miscellaneous tasks for the project. I'm very familiar with them, and I guarantee they'll be done within a week."
Christina was already struggling with the process, and even with Evelyn's help, she still had to go to the school to talk to the principal and the review committee to speed things up.
Daniel's arrival made things much easier.
In terms of academic ability, this student is a disaster.
Christina would never allow Daniel to publish his own paper, otherwise her academic reputation would be ruined.
But when it comes to Daniel running errands and going through procedures, he's a natural talent.
When Daniel was doing his doctoral studies under her, she took care of all the odd jobs and procedures, and became a familiar face among the school's higher-ups. She knew almost all the deans, review committee members, and even the president. This guy could talk to anyone.
If it weren't for this special skill, given this kid's academic level, he would have been kicked out by Christina long ago.
"Okay, but you're currently a resident physician, is that enough time?"
Daniel immediately assured him, "Don't worry, I'll take time off to come."
What's more important than working overtime at the hospital? A CNS-level paper.
As for those patients who made appointments long ago, let's postpone them for a few more days. They've already waited for more than half a year, so one or two more days won't make a difference.
Christina typed out a document: "This is the project overview. Edgar is the PI, and I'm listed as the corresponding author. You and Richard will only be listed as second authors. Edgar will do the main work, and the lab technicians are still being selected. You know the rest of the process, so go ahead."
Daniel happily took the documents to his desk.
Yes, he graduated many years ago, but Christina still reserved a place for him.
Even the lab's internal system accounts are there.
With the exception of some classified research, most projects were completely open to Daniel.
That's just how socialites are.
Daniel glanced at the document and started typing on the keyboard, organizing the materials needed for the application.
Edgar is the first author, no problem, this project is Edgar's.
In the two works by myself and Richard, who is Richard? The new junior apprentice?
He opened the internal personnel system and saw Richard's brief information: a student at Francis High School, admitted to summer school with special permission from his tutor, and interning in the laboratory.
Got it, he's got connections. I just don't know which big shot's son he is.
A high school student certainly can't play much of a role in research.
He casually placed his own name before Richard's.
He was senior and therefore naturally placed in front; this was an unspoken rule, and he didn't pay much attention to it.
I need to have a good talk with Richard later to see what he likes.
The second-generation connections that a mentor can accept are definitely not ordinary people. You have to curry favor with the son of a big shot; this relationship is very important.
While figuring out how to build a good relationship with Richard, Daniel skillfully prepared various application procedures.
Two hours later, Richard drove away from the cell lab. Christina had provided another batch of endocrinology-related specialist materials and textbooks, which had already been delivered back to YC Apartment by courier.
The phone connected to the car's infotainment system, automatically playing news: "Recently, the NYPD launched a major operation, sweeping through BG gang strongholds and dismantling multiple organ trafficking dens and drug trafficking chains. Police say this is the largest anti-gang operation in recent years..."
'
Congressman Brian Anderson is under attack from his political opponents, with multiple scandals surfacing and his re-election campaign in jeopardy. The opposition accuses him of bribery and abuse of power, while Anderson's team denies all allegations, calling it political persecution...
'
Mayor Manderson announced an increase in the police budget and vowed to reduce the crime rate to a historic low, but community groups questioned whether the police were using excessive force in their operations.
""
Brian's situation sounded terrible, but Richard didn't care.
As Brian had planned, the current situation is the same as expected.
Brian is working hard to raise campaign funds through mortgage loans, and the situation will only turn around when he launches his campaign slogan, "Speaking for the Voters Only."
During this period, the counterattacks will only become stronger.
Smith looked at the news and scratched his head.
It feels like things are not going well this year. Brian Anderson has served nine terms as a congressman. It's impossible for him to be ousted this year, right?
If he crashes, Richard will lose a major backer.
He felt a mixture of regret and schadenfreude; it was hard not to feel a little resentful that a student from the University of Tokyo could receive such special treatment from a member of the House of Representatives.
Cheerleading training venue.
A group of girls were lying or sitting on the ground, resting.
They had just finished a training session and were covered in sweat.
Debbie leaned against the wall, took out her phone to rest, and soon saw various negative news stories about Brian.
"Bryan is accused of misappropriating campaign funds for private vacations..."
A former aide revealed that Brian pressured NYPD executives to interfere with the investigation.
""
Polls show Brian's approval ratings have plummeted...
'
"Sources within the party reveal: Brian may lose crucial police support."
Debbie didn't care about Brian; she was only worried about Richard's recommendation letter: "Does this old guy Brian feel like he's going to be in trouble? Is your recommendation letter okay? Will it affect your chances of getting into Princeton?"
""
I waited for a long time, but there was no response.
Debbie finished the rest of the training somewhat absentmindedly.
After a while, Richard sent back an OK sign.
Debbie scoffed, "Arrogant jerk!"
But the corners of his mouth curved slightly.
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