The moment Yan Feifan returned to his apartment at Zuimo Court, his sister grabbed his arm, her face beaming with excitement.
"Feifan, the six million from Baining Company arrived!"
"You just signed the supplementary agreement yesterday, and the money is already here today. Baining Company is really on the ball."
"Feifan, we have money again! Haha..."
Seeing his sister jumping for joy like a child who’d just gotten candy, Yan Feifan chuckled. "Sis, I’m guessing they wired the money so quickly to make the breach of contract clause effective as soon as possible."
"That’s a penalty of up to three hundred million. That’s pretty steep."
Yu Suye said with some displeasure, "Feifan, you’re not actually thinking of breaching the contract, are you?"
"Isn’t this extra few million we received pure profit?"
Yan Ziruo defended her brother. "Su Ye, no company gives money away for free, especially not several million."
"Baining Company proactively raised the price for the exclusive technology license because they must have seen the potential for even greater profits."
"But at the same time, they also saw the potential threats and risks."
Noticing Yu Suye was about to say more, Yan Feifan quickly interjected to change the subject. "I’m starving. What delicious things did our auntie make for dinner?"
Yan Ziruo announced cheerfully, "She steamed a whole fish, stewed a big pot of ribs, and made black-boned chicken soup."
"Hurry and wash your hands. It’s time to eat!"
Not long after dinner, Yan Feifan spent nearly an hour tutoring Tian Yu over a video call.
Around ten o’clock that night, he received a call from Liu Jin.
"Feifan, we’ve settled the most critical part of the collaboration agreement with Dr. Kevin Vega—the fee structure."
"For the patients he refers..."
Liu Jin’s voice was practically jumping with excitement over the phone. "It’s a flat fee: four hundred thousand US dollars per patient."
"Out of that, the payment to Mr. Vega for his surgical fee, referral fee, round-trip airfare, and so on, is also a flat rate: sixty thousand US dollars."
After a brief pause, Liu Jin chuckled. "We suspect that this Mr. Vega will likely charge the patients extra on the side, but that’s none of our business."
"As long as we’re making our money, that’s all that matters."
Yan Feifan switched the phone from his left ear to his right just as Liu Jin’s voice continued.
"Feifan, I know you must be wondering how much your cut is."
"We discussed it, and you’ll also get a flat fee..."
"One hundred thousand!"
"US dollars?" Yan Feifan asked excitedly, specifying the currency.
"Hehe..."
A deliberately mysterious laugh came from the phone, followed by Liu Jin’s voice.
"Someone proposed that the currency should be yuan."
"They said that earning a hundred thousand for a single surgery was already the highest fee ever paid at the Affiliated Hospital."
"I told him flat out that without you, Feifan, this international collaboration wouldn’t exist, and we wouldn’t be earning a single penny."
"Ultimately, I insisted, and we settled on US dollars."
Liu Jin then explained, "Feifan, don’t just look at how much the hospital is making. The patients will be staying with us for three to four weeks."
"There are costs for medicine, hospitalization, and the salaries for other medical personnel..."
Yan Feifan cut in, "Dr. Liu, I understand. It’s only right that the hospital takes the largest share. The hospital’s costs and contributions are much greater."
"Honestly, Dr. Liu, one hundred thousand US dollars for a single surgery... That’s a figure I never even imagined."
"If you feel that guilty about it, we could always change the currency, or maybe the number?" Liu Jin teased.
Yan Feifan said hastily, "I can live with it! Dr. Liu, I can definitely live with it!"
Liu Jin laughed heartily over the phone for a moment.
"Feifan, I have something else to tell you."
"The funding for Dr. Qin Ying’s medical research office has been incorporated into the university’s budget."
"The expenses you fronted from your own research funds will be audited by the finance department and reimbursed to your research account."
"And another thing..."
Liu Jin’s voice grew a bit louder over the phone. "After some discussion, we’ve unanimously decided..."
"From now on, for any research funds you receive from private or corporate sponsors, the percentage you can claim as a personal research stipend will be raised from twenty percent to forty percent."
Liu Jin added encouragingly, "Feifan, the hospital will give you its full support so that you can continue to grow and produce a steady stream of research achievements."
"Thank you, Dr. Liu, and thank you to the hospital for the support!"
Yan Feifan expressed his thanks, then a thought occurred to him. "Dr. Liu, speaking of support, I do have one small request."
"Oh? What is it?"