"Of course, you can take a look at the two beetles first. Please come with me." Myron's reasoning was thorough and his request was reasonable. Zhang Lisheng nodded and brought this Science magazine editor up to the second floor to open his door. "Please come in, Mr. Myron. The two soft color-changing beetles are right here."
"Thank you." Myron walked into the young man's room and saw the optical microscope, infrared monitor, and large insect feeder with temperature and humidity adjustment function in the room. Surprised, he said, "Mr. Zhang, it's no wonder that you can write such a detailed research post on the Internet. This is simply a small professional biological laboratory.
Aha, so these are the little insects that you found … They can really change color and become invisible. The pictures you posted on the Internet are completely real. Oh, looks like it's really worth it for me to postpone my vacation to look for you! "
"I'm glad that you can think so, Mr. Myron." Zhang Lisheng stood next to Myron and looked at the beetles flying up and down in the transparent feeder as he said with a smile.
"Well, Mr. Zhang, now we can officially talk about the manuscript that I'm requesting from you. I personally recommend Professor Andina Josh of the University of California, Berkeley as your co-publisher for your …" Myron reluctantly observed the color-changing beetles in the feeder for a while before saying with a natural expression.
At this time, Zhang Lisheng suddenly said, "Thank you for your recommendation, Mr. Myron, but I already have an excellent biologist as a collaborator."
The sudden change stunned Myron. Frowning, he forced a smile and said, "Young man, the collaborator you need is not only an excellent biologist, but he must also …"
"I know very well what kind of collaborator I need, Mr. Myron. Please wait a moment." Zhang Lisheng smiled apologetically at Myron and hid to the side. Taking out his phone, he called Stephen, the biology teacher who admired him the most in Lowbige Junior High and was also the only one who was willing to give him an 'A +' in the final exam after he had suspended school for two months.
When the call was connected, a serious and old-fashioned voice resonated from the receiver. "Lisheng, if you're wasting my time by wishing me a Merry Christmas in advance, then you're destined to get a B in biology next year …"
"Of course, I won't disturb you because of such a trivial matter, Teacher Stephen. It's like this. When I was traveling in the Amazon jungle during the winter vacation last year, I accidentally caught two strange beetles with soft bodies and shells that can change color.
After returning to the US, I bought some instruments and observed them when I had nothing to do. I did some research and published it on a website for biology enthusiasts. In the end, an editor from Science magazine suddenly came today and said that the two beetles are an important newly discovered species that can make up for the missing link in entomology … "
"Are you playing a prank on me and risking a lack of credits and a delayed graduation, child?"
"Of course it's not Teacher Stephen. The editor is called Myron Genas, and he's in my house right now.
After he saw the two beetles, he decided to officially invite me to publish. He also recommended Professor Andina Josh from the University of California, Berkeley as my co-publisher.
However, I feel that if I need an expert to deepen my paper, you're more suitable than anyone else. For this reason, I made this call. "
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. "Lisheng, where do you live?"
"No.167, Lowbige Community, Brooklyn."
"Give me five minutes," Stephen replied and hung up the phone directly.
Zhang Lisheng was stunned for a moment. Putting away his phone, he walked back to Myron whose expression had turned grave. "Mr. Myron, my collaborator is rushing over now."
"Young man, I must warn you very seriously. Even though the two beetles you found are very important, if the depth of the paper is not enough, it will never appear in a top academic journal like Science magazine."
"Mr. Myron, what you said is very different from what you said just now," Zhang Lisheng said with a smile.
Myron snorted in annoyance. After a moment of silence, he became gentle again and said, "Mr. Zhang, what I said just now is for your own good. With your age and background, how can you know any outstanding biologists? Don't be a frog in a well …"
"Myron Gernas, I want to find me, Stephen Pigros, to be a co-publisher. You can't be considered as a frog in a well, right?" Suddenly, a low voice interrupted Myron's words from outside the door. Then, wearing a sloppy old jacket, Stephen walked into Zhang Lisheng's room with a blank expression.
"Stephen! Professor Stephen Pigros!
Oh! Oh my god! W-Why are you here? Haven't you already disappeared in the primitive jungle of Java? "
"The primitive jungle of Java, the desolate island in the Pacific Ocean, under the snowy peaks of the Alps … There are so many places where I've been buried in the rumor, but unfortunately, those are just rumors, Myron. I've never left the US or the academic world in these few years. The young man in front of you is a student I'm teaching in New York."
"I-Isn't he a high school student?"
"I'm teaching at Lowbige Junior High School now. Since such a serious accident has happened in the laboratory, staying in a high school is the only way for me to stay in academia." Stephen chuckled without any hint of a smile in his eyes.
"Oh, I see. Oh, then you're really lucky! You've easily gotten a chance to regroup." After a moment of astonishment, Myron regained his composure, resigned to his fate. "Remember, you owe me a favor, Professor Steven." Then, he swaggered away.
"He left without even saying goodbye? Is this the editor of the world's top academic magazine?" When Zhang Lisheng saw Myron ignoring him and suddenly running away, he blurted out in astonishment.
"A broker who connects mediocre people who desperately want to get a tenured teaching position? How generous do you think he can be?" Stephen smiled. "Lisheng, let me see your beetles and research materials."
"They're all here. Please feel free to take a look, Teacher Stephen." Zhang Lisheng said as he turned on the computer and pulled up the 89 scientific research posts on color-changing beetles that he had posted on the Internet for a year.
After looking at the feeder without blinking for more than 20 minutes, Stephen caught the two color-changing beetles under the optical microscope with an insect net and carefully observed them for a while. Gradually, his expression became excited.
"Lisheng, even though that Myron is a despicable leech in academia, it means that he has a good eye to be able to work in this field.
The two beetles you found have extremely high scientific research value, whether it's from the perspective of biological pedigree research or bionics research.
This can be said to be a material destined to be published in the first volume of the world's top academic journals. " Stephen glanced through the young man's research materials and hesitated for a moment before saying in a deep voice, "Your preliminary research on them is already very comprehensive. The instruments used for observation are also generally recognized by the academic community …"
"Teacher Stephen, I need your help," Zhang Lisheng said with a smile.
His original intention was to end the research on color-changing beetles as the situation changed and his interest waned. However, when Stephen heard this, he was stunned for a moment. After pondering over it, he said tactfully, "After helping you this time, if I can master the research materials in my hands again, I think I can return to my alma mater, Stanford, to resume my tenured professor position and preside over a laboratory.
In this case, I can be your mentor next year and recruit you to Stanford. After that, the continuous research on beetles will allow you to obtain a Ph.D. in science in three years at most. "
"I'm only going to the 12th grade tomorrow. Can I do this?" Such an unexpected surprise made Zhang Lisheng feel a little incredulous. In Western society, in fact, the traditional concept of 'academic title' was far more eye-catching than wealth on certain occasions. There was even a special title for a doctor.
"Of course! Since your name has been published in the first volume of the 'Science' magazine and you're my co-researcher, I can make an exception to recruit you as my graduate student."
"But isn't this unfair to other students?"
"Geniuses have always been different from ordinary students. What's so unfair about this?" Stephen asked in puzzlement.
"Oh, I was wrong, Teacher Stephen." Zhang Lisheng shrugged. "In that case, I'll find a worker to send the beetles together with the feeding utensils to your house.
That's right, I also have a manuscript of these research materials. I'll also give you a copy so that you don't have to go online to sort them out. "
"Very well, Lisheng! Just wait for my good news!" Stephen's face had an unconcealable excitement and restlessness. "One month! In one month at most, both of our names will appear in the first volume of the 'Science' magazine. At that time, nobody will be able to stop my 'return' …"
When the young man saw Stephen's nervous expression that was gnashing his teeth, he could not help but feel a little surprised. However, he did not say anything and just nodded in agreement. Taking out his phone, he inquired about a moving company that was still operating at the service desk and moved the huge feeding utensils out of the house and sent them to Stephen's house.
The moving company's van followed behind Stephen's old two-door mini car and slowly drove out of the intersection.
Zhang Lisheng walked home and took the initiative to explain to Lili, who had been staying on the first floor and was already used to not meddling in her son's private affairs, "Teacher Stephen promised to cooperate with me to publish a paper in the 'Science' magazine, so I sent the beetles to his house.
That's right, mom! Teacher Stephen said that after the paper is published, he's likely to get a chance to be a professor at Stanford University. He hopes that I'll go to his graduate student next year. "
"Go to Stanford directly to study as a graduate student?!
This is too sudden! But come to think of it, since you can publish a paper in the 'Science' magazine and have a very good personal relationship with Mr. Stephen, it's only natural for you to become his graduate student directly.
Oh, jumping directly from the 12th grade to a graduate student! You can save five years of time! This is great … "
Upon seeing his mother's excited cheers, Zhang Lisheng seized the opportunity to say, "Mom, I plan to go back to Western Sichuan to have a look after Christmas. Can I?
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