Chapter 276: If That Doesn’t Work, I’ll Have a Second Chance

**Berry Research Institute.**

In the corridor outside the director's office, dozens of researchers were confronting personnel from the Multi-Business Bureau and the Commercial Bureau—everyone was very agitated.

The reason for this situation was... money.

Since August this year, the financial expenditure has been extremely tight. The thirty-plus staff members assigned to the Academy of Agricultural Sciences but whose expenses are managed locally haven't received their salaries for two months.

If it were just about the salary issue, these agricultural experts might tolerate it. After all, the situation at the Berry Research Institute was known. The institute, which combined research and production, was facing severe losses in its two main production units. Not only were the researchers' salaries delayed, but the two production units also hadn't paid their staff for four to five months.

What truly drove these researchers to their limit was a decision from the Multi-Business Bureau and the Commercial Bureau last week. Considering the institute's current situation, the Multi-Business Bureau had cut off most of the research funding and decided to dismantle eighteen research rooms, including the Sea Buckthorn Research, Small Berry Breeding, Berry Resources, Cherry Tree Research, Fruit Tree Cultivation, Crop Breeding, Potato Seed Multiplication, and Dry Farming.

This decision infuriated the group of agricultural experts!

"Not paying salaries is something we can endure. We know everyone is struggling, but why shut down our research rooms?"

"Exactly! If these research rooms are closed, what will we do at the institute? Play cards and stick notes all day?"

"If you want to shut them down, fine, but these research rooms belong to our Academy of Agricultural Sciences. Your unilateral decision isn't acceptable!"

"You can't shut them down! We're in the critical stage of several research projects. Without these research rooms and funding, all our previous efforts will be in vain!"

When Li Xian and Zhou Yong entered, they heard a commotion from afar.

"What's going on? Collecting debts?" Zhou Yong murmured, stretching his neck to see.

Li Xian shook his head and stopped Zhou Yong, who was about to move forward. "Let's observe first."

In the corridor.

Facing the indignant researchers, Lin Shengwang, the deputy director of the Multi-Business Bureau, furrowed his brow. "What's all this noise about? Yes, the Berry Research Institute was established by the Academy of Agricultural Sciences, but it was handed over to local management in 1988. The institute's beverage and medicinal material factories are severely loss-making. You're a major money eater, and with the bureau's tight finances, cutting some useless research departments is necessary. What more do you have to say?"

Hearing this, a young researcher in the front protested, "Lin, you're talking nonsense! What do you mean 'useless'? These are projects closely related to the forestry and agriculture industries. How can they be useless?"

Lin Shengwang, in his early forties, was short but had a large head, earning him the nickname "Lin Big Head" in the bureau. Almost everyone in the bureau knew this nickname.

The Commercial Bureau personnel who came to understand the situation tried not to laugh at the nickname, turning red from holding back. Wang Zhiyue, among them, eventually couldn't hold it in and laughed aloud.

Hearing the nickname used openly and the laughter from the side, Lin Shengwang's face turned dark instantly.

With his face darkened, his head didn't seem as large anymore.

Dark colors are slimming, after all.

Seeing their leader being insulted, Director Li from the Multi-Business Bureau immediately reprimanded, "How dare you speak to Director Lin like that!"

"I said what I meant!" The young researcher, fiery and defiant, retorted, "You always talk about tight finances, but I don't see you cutting down on white bills at restaurants!"

"Hey, can you speak properly?" Li, now angry, stepped forward and pushed the young researcher.

Seeing their colleague being mistreated, a group of researchers surged forward.

"Stop it!"

At that moment, an elderly man in the crowd shouted loudly.

The elderly man, around sixty, had silver hair. Although wearing a white lab coat, his skin was dark like a seasoned farmer.

He stepped in front of the crowd and reprimanded a researcher, "What are you doing? This is a research institute, not a place for fighting! You're researchers, you're here for technology, not for brawling!"

It was clear that the elderly man held significant respect within the institute. His reprimand quickly subdued the young researchers.

Once the situation was under control, the elderly man sighed with relief and walked up to Lin Shengwang.

"Deputy Director Lin, these research rooms cannot be shut down." The elderly man spoke earnestly, "Among these eighteen research rooms, we are working on new varieties of small apples, plums, pears, apricots, black currants, blueberries, raspberries, and wild berry fruit trees, as well as cold-resistant high-yield cultivation techniques. There are also studies on high-yield potato cultivation technology, expansion of rare wild berry resources, artificial winter greenhouse cultivation, and de-toxified potato seed production. Although progress is slow, several projects have achieved breakthrough results and are ready for large-scale trials!"

Lin Shengwang, who had just been criticized, was clearly unhappy. He waved his hand dismissively. "Engineer Wang, the bureau is under such financial strain. We can't keep pouring money into projects with no clear outcomes. You've been talking about these projects since the year before last, but after two years and nearly two million spent, what results have you produced? You can't even show any tangible results. How can we continue to support your institute?"

Wang Lin was momentarily silenced, his face showing anger, but he quickly controlled his emotions and explained patiently, "Director Lin, research is not a short-term or immediate process. It requires long-term investment. The two or three million yuan invested is really not much. We have been meticulously managing our funds and avoided asking the bureau for more money wherever possible."

Seeing Lin Shengwang's impatience, the elderly man quickly shifted his tone, "I'm not complaining but trying to remind you that these are specialized agricultural projects for our unique cold black soil environment. Once successful, they can bring great benefits to the mountainous areas. So I request you give us more time!"

"More time? Your Berry Research Institute is a parasite, you know that? Among all the institutions in the Forestry Bureau, your institute is the most wasteful! It's a complete parasite!" Li, standing by, pointed at Wang Lin and said.

This statement made Wang Lin's face turn red immediately.

Clearly, the term "parasite" deeply hurt the researchers' feelings, and the scene became uncontrollable. As a group of young researchers charged forward to confront Li, Li Xian, who had been watching the whole scene, spoke up.

"Wait! You can't shut down these research rooms!"

His voice was neither loud nor soft, just right for everyone to hear.

In the crowd, Wang Zhiyue was taken aback.

Seeing Li Xian, dressed in a white shirt and carrying a black coat, weaving through the crowd, she exclaimed in surprise.

"How come you're everywhere? Didn't you go out of town for development?"

Glancing at the astonished Wang Zhiyue, Li Xian raised an eyebrow.

"Then if that doesn't work... I'll just have to have a second chance, won't I?"