“Yancheng is indeed as you said, a new world, a place brimming with opportunities for wealth and prosperity,” Bangzi said, his eyes sparkling with excitement at the thought of Yancheng.

He had found numerous business avenues there.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t go at the moment.

He had studies to focus on, and his grandmother wasn’t suited for life in Yancheng.

Liangzhou and Jingcheng were both in the north, with similar climates, but Yancheng’s humid heat was a stark contrast to Liangzhou.

It would be uncomfortable for an elderly person who had never left her hometown.

“Once we graduate, there will still be opportunities,” Cen Huai’an replied.

Bangzi smiled, “Will you join us then?”

Cen Huai’an picked up a piece of food, chewed, and swallowed before saying, “Most likely.”

However, he was uncertain about what the future held.

---

As summer vacation approached, Cen Huai’an had become a highly regarded student of his professor, who had expressed interest in mentoring him through his master’s and doctoral studies.

Cen Huai’an had repeatedly reminded him, “Professor, I just finished my freshman year.”

The professor replied, “You could skip grades; with your abilities, there’s no need to linger in your first year. You could skip to the second year as well.”

After considering it, Cen Huai’an chose to skip a year.

The material covered in the first two years wasn’t particularly useful for him.

He had already mastered it, and staying longer felt like a waste of time.

The professor and academic advisor helped him apply for the grade-skipping exam.

In the end, there were no issues, and Cen Huai’an successfully advanced to his junior year.

He didn’t want to skip two grades as that might seem excessive, and he also preferred to learn more slowly and thoroughly.

The professor remarked, “I’ve never seen such a talented person who is so humble.”

The term “genius” often leads some people to become arrogant, but Cen Huai’an did not display that trait.

He was proud of what he had learned and of his dedication to his field, yet he never flaunted this pride in front of others.

This was something the professor appreciated greatly.

Research is an endless journey that requires a constant learning attitude.

Becoming arrogant because of one’s abilities can lead to stagnation and the loss of fundamental qualities necessary for research.

Cen Huai’an said, “This might have something to do with my mother.”

The professor responded, “It’s evident that you have a wonderful family environment.”

The professor had met both Chu Xia and Cen Zhengnian, who were both remarkably well-mannered individuals.

Cen Huai’an had decided to follow the professor for his graduate studies, but whether or not he would pursue a doctorate depended on his academic progress.

“By the way, there’s an opportunity to visit a leading semiconductor company in Country H this summer. Prepare yourself; you’ll be going with me.”

“Sure.”

The company the professor mentioned was the most advanced research firm in Country H, producing not only semiconductors but also various military and other secretive instruments.

Their production covered almost all industries in Country H and was at the forefront of semiconductor chip technology.

Having studied semiconductor chip knowledge for so long, Cen Huai’an understood just how significant this visit was.

The professor was going along with a national research team, and besides Cen Huai’an, the only other student accompanying him was a senior who had been studying semiconductor knowledge for a long time.

This senior was unfamiliar to Cen Huai’an in the lab; unlike other upperclassmen, she focused solely on her research.

To her, everything and everyone else was inconsequential, unworthy of her attention, as it could distract her from her research.

Cen Huai’an returned home to pack a few items for his trip abroad.

He had a passport, which he had obtained during an earlier trip to Country E for exams.

The professor handled the visa applications for Cen Huai’an and his senior, as there were not many people in the lab who had passports.

The opportunity for an overseas visit arose suddenly, and the professor hadn’t been aware of it at first.

When he announced that he would take Cen Huai’an and the senior to Country H, some upperclassmen expressed their dissatisfaction.

The professor compared the work of the complaining students to Cen Huai’an’s achievements, noting that Cen Huai’an outperformed them in every aspect.

Even in terms of professional knowledge, they were no longer as well-versed as he was.

“Talent can be compensated for with hard work, but what’s most concerning is when someone has both talent and diligence. It’s not that you aren’t strong; it’s just that others are stronger. Here, we assess based on ability, not seniority.”

Besides having a passport, Cen Huai’an was indeed one of the most capable in the lab along with the senior who was going with him.

Li Shi was the only one genuinely happy for Cen Huai’an.

“Junior, I knew you’d be exceptional in the lab in the future!”

Cen Huai’an looked at him, “You’ll be just as remarkable, senior.”

If anyone were to achieve research results in the future, Cen Huai’an believed it would only be Li Shi, for he was the one who worked steadily in the lab.

Even if he might lack certain cleverness, his unwavering dedication would enable him to realize his ambitions.

---

In Country H, during the visit, Cen Huai’an spotted Tong Weiji, who had previously shown him around Factory 774, along with senior Ning Rong.

This visit was mainly organized through the efforts of several factory leaders and relevant officials, allowing only industry leaders and their students to participate.

Upon seeing Cen Huai’an, Tong Weiji’s face broke into a warm smile. “Ah, Huai’an is here! I knew I wasn’t mistaken about you. How about it? Would you consider working at our factory after graduation?”

The professor immediately shielded Cen Huai’an behind him. “Hey, Tong, back off! He’s my student; don’t try to poach him in front of me!”

Tong Weiji laughed, “I’m talking about after graduation. Our factory has a lot of cutting-edge technology.”

The professor retorted, “He’s still studying; you can go now.”

Cen Huai’an added, “Thank you, Uncle Tong, but I’ve already promised my professor to continue my graduate studies.”

Tong Weiji still smiled. “That doesn’t affect anything; you can join our factory after you finish your master’s.”

Their conversation drew the attention of others, who began to focus on Cen Huai’an, knowing the personalities of Tong Weiji and Liu Naiying.

If they weren’t confident in their students, they wouldn’t have drawn attention to him.

As a result, the big shots in the industry became interested in examining Cen Huai’an.

After all, what was being sought after must be good.

They took turns asking Cen Huai’an questions, but before he could begin answering, Professor Liu interrupted.

“Huai’an, don’t pay attention to them. You guys should stop trying to evaluate my student; go ask your own students. I’ll teach my students myself.”

Those people called Professor Liu stingy, but he didn’t care about being labeled that way.

Being called stingy was better than letting these shameless people take advantage of his students in the future.

It was known how hard it was to find a talented student with a solid character.

He had worked hard to find Cen Huai’an and his senior sister.

Cen Huai’an had an even greater talent in semiconductors than his senior sister, so he had to keep Cen Huai’an well-guarded.

After everyone disembarked from the plane, they didn’t rest and went directly to visit a semiconductor factory in H Country, led by technical personnel.

They were touring H Country’s most advanced scientific research achievements, focusing on semiconductor chips, which were their primary technological outcomes.

The technicians proudly showcased their outstanding products, while Cen Huai’an and the others fell silent after entering.

They had thought their own research was quite impressive, but in H Country’s leading semiconductor company, they discovered the gap between their semiconductor research and that of developed countries.

This was not just a matter of a few years’ difference, nor was it something that could be easily caught up with through hard work.

This disparity weighed heavily on everyone’s spirits and made them overlook the technicians’ subtly boastful and contemptuous attitude, focusing solely on the products themselves.

Cen Huai’an quickly adjusted his mindset.

He didn’t just listen to the technicians; he also took notes of his questions and thoughts.

In this situation, it was not appropriate for Cen Huai’an to speak.

His professor didn’t speak either; the discussions were led by the leaders of the country’s semiconductor industry and representatives from H Country.

At the end of the day’s tour, upon returning to the hotel, the professor let out a long sigh: “We have a long way to go to catch up with the semiconductor developments in countries like H Country.”

His senior sister spoke in a somewhat cold tone, “I didn’t realize that the things we’re studying are already outdated in their eyes.”

Her words were few, marking the first time Cen Huai’an had heard her speak so much, indicating her unsettled emotions.

Cen Huai’an wasn’t an ignorant student; he was aware of the current state of semiconductors in his country.

Although he didn’t understand it deeply, he could tell how advanced H Country’s semiconductor chips were.

“Professor, I think there will be actions taken back home after we return,” he said.

Professor Liu nodded, “I know. The future will depend on you all. Huai’an, after seeing everything today, what are your thoughts?”

Cen Huai’an mainly focused on the technical aspects. He listed the technical challenges he wanted to understand—areas that were currently not being tackled in Huaguo but had already been explored by H Country.

After listening, Professor Liu furrowed his brow even deeper and looked at Cen Huai’an with appreciation, “I truly didn’t bring you along in vain; you can see further than the others.”

After hearing Cen Huai’an’s words, his senior sister fell into deep thought as well.

Professor Liu began discussing some experimental attempts regarding Cen Huai’an’s questions.

Although all of them had failed, they were still a direction to pursue.

“What we lack is time,” he said, referring to the periods of stagnation in research due to war and various reasons.

Huaguo’s semiconductor research started too late.

The decades-long gap was not something that could be quickly bridged.

Not only were Cen Huai’an and Professor Liu discussing this, but the other big shots and students were also sharing their thoughts on what they had observed during the visit.

Without exception, there was a sense of urgency.

The next day, they continued the visit. Apart from chips, there were other semiconductor achievements, and H Country’s semiconductor company had many things they wanted to showcase.

In addition to the demonstrations, there were technical exchanges.

Of course, the semiconductor researchers from H Country wouldn’t disclose their core research technologies; they were also playing it safe.

If Huaguo wanted to achieve results, they still had to rely on themselves.

The visit to H Country didn’t last long; the following days were filled with various discussions and exchanges.

Cen Huai’an learned a lot by participating.

Even in the subtle exchanges, there were various insights about semiconductors, and Cen Huai’an worked hard to extract useful information from them.

After returning from H Country, Professor Liu accelerated the pace of his experiments, putting all the students under immense pressure.

Originally, the senior students had wanted to trouble Cen Huai’an, but they ended up being too busy with their own work to even think about troubling him.

At this moment, the country also took action.