Chapter 314: Chapter 309: Phoenix Man
Everyone was listening intently to Ye Qiu’s paper analysis, not willing to miss a single word. The paper was not long, and Ye Qiu only took a little over an hour to present it. Even after he stepped down from the podium, the internationally renowned scientists in the audience were still left wanting more, and the applause continued for a long time.
Every person in the room was very aware that an era was about to change, and millions of cancer patients could now be saved.
The seminar was not yet over, and those present were restless. The scientists couldn’t wait to engage in a deep academic discussion with Ye Qiu, pharmaceutical companies couldn’t wait to sign a patent sale contract with him, and the reporters couldn’t wait to spread the news across the globe.
Representatives from Hua Country once again raised their heads and puffed out their chests with pride at such an event, each person’s face beaming with pride. A number of elderly men and women with white hair looked kindly and amiably at Ye Qiu, unable to hide the admiration in their eyes.
The next day, the New York Times, Sun Daily, Chosun Daily, The Times, Hokkaido News, and other world-renowned print media covered Ye Qiu’s research findings presented at the national medical discussion the day before.
Foreign media even unapologetically used titles such as "Father of Cancer," "Dawn of the Apocalypse," and "Giant Shoulder to Shoulder with Einstein" to praise Ye Qiu.
In the evening, during the prime time slot of 6 PM to 8 PM, globally renowned TV stations such as BBC, ABC, SBS, CBS, and NBC also unanimously reported this news. The BBC and others took about ten minutes to introduce Ye Qiu, and it was unclear where they had gotten their information from, but they spoke very clearly about details such as Ye Qiu coming from a rural area and losing his father at a young age.
Domestic news came a bit later than international news, because Hua Country people had subconsciously come to assume that such scientific achievements usually belonged to foreigners. By the time the domestic media caught on, Ye Qiu was already a sensation abroad, and countless media outlets were crowding hotels and airports in the hopes of getting a first-hand interview with him.
In the end, it was the Hua Country delegation that sought help from the embassy, and the government sent a special plane to bring Ye Qiu and his team safely back home. At the same time, upon his return, he immediately held a press conference.
At the press conference, he made it clear to the public the agreement he had signed with the government: as a Hua Country person, he, Ye Qiu, voluntarily surrendered the patent rights for the cancer cure to the nation, only requesting that the Hua Country people be able to purchase the finished product at the lowest price once it was developed.
This statement from Ye Qiu amazed everyone on the spot. They all knew how important the patent rights to the cancer cure were, and it would bring innumerable wealth. Did Ye Qiu really so easily give away the patent rights?
After the astonishment, thunderous applause followed immediately. Everyone knew what this meant. In Hua Country, how many families had been dragged down by unaffordable medical bills, and how many struggled in despair?
Ye Qiu’s declaration could be said to have brought a blessing to countless Hua Country families. Not only were cancer patients saved, but they also wouldn’t need to bankrupt themselves.
Today, due to rapid social development, security risks have arisen in many aspects, and cancer has become a common disease. Among the journalists present, many had family members suffering in pain, and they sincerely thanked Ye Qiu on behalf of their families.
The reporters were even contemplating in their minds what words they would use in their drafts to convey to the world Ye Qiu’s greatness, intelligence, and selflessness.
Ye Qiu—a great person of the century!
Of course, the subsequent promise made by the national spokesperson also offered some consolation. The production of the cancer cure would be taken up solely by the nation, with Ye Qiu serving as the chief consultant, subject to the supervision of the public, and sold to the populace at the lowest production cost.
At the same time, the pricing of the finished product sold overseas would be assessed by professionals based on the pricing of foreign exports to Hua Country. Ye Qiu would receive a fifty percent dividend from the profits, and the remaining fifty percent, after costs, would establish a foundation divided into two departments: one focusing on supporting scientific research, and the other on helping poor families with sick members.
After the national spokesperson finished speaking, the scene was once again filled with thunderous applause that continued for a long time.
Although the national spokesperson did not say so explicitly, the journalists understood that over the years, foreign countries have taken advantage of patent rights to set high prices for imported medicine in Hua Country. For an average family, affording the price of importing medicine for the sick for a year was difficult, and how many families had retreated in the face of high-priced drugs?
What professional assessment and pricing? Based on the pricing of foreign-made medicine exported to Hua Country in the past, their cancer cure should fetch a hundred times more, as it was a special drug that could completely solve cancer cells, not like those harmful and short-lived palliative drugs from abroad.
Finally, Hua Country could hold its head high—it was time for other countries to come to them for aid!
Ye Qiu, truly a treasure of Hua Country!
The clicking of camera shutters from the journalists was incessant at the scene, each scrambling to interview Ye Qiu. No matter how many questions were asked, Ye Qiu was never annoyed. He was very gentle and managed to answer each journalist’s questions in the shortest time possible and in the best way, completely unlike the stereotype of the genius scientist who only knew how to conduct experiments.
It was only at that moment that the reporters realized Ye Qiu was only twenty-eight years old and also very handsome.
There was no help for it. Previously, people paid attention to his scientific achievements and overlooked his appearance, which was normal for this era. As long as someone wasn’t in the entertainment industry, talent was much more useful than looks.
"Ye Qiu, may I ask if you have a girlfriend?" Among the reporters asking Ye Qiu academic questions, this one was quite abrupt.
The female reporter who asked felt her face flush with all eyes on her. She couldn’t help it; she was fixated on appearances and had accidentally asked the question, but even now, embarrassed as she was, she didn’t move the microphone away from Ye Qiu.
Ye Qiu looked at her with a slight smile and then answered very certainly: "Yes, and we’re planning to get married soon."
"Is she your colleague?" the female reporter boldly asked again.
"No, we were classmates, and she is a very outstanding doctor," Ye Qiu responded with a very tender smile. Anyone with discernment could see that he was deeply in love with the woman he spoke of, and at that moment, he seemed to be enveloped in a gentle glow.
This press conference was broadcast live by the national station, and Zhang Meng had known about the news beforehand. She and her father, Zhang Changfeng, were watching it together in front of the TV. Expecting that Ye Qiu wouldn’t answer such a frivolous question at such a formal event, to her surprise, he actually did.
Zhang Meng felt her face heat up, and her thoughts drifted back to the night before Ye Qiu left for the M country.