Jiang Yubai held Lin Zhixia's hand tightly.
They interlocked their fingers, palms touching, and walked side by side on the way home.
Before entering the house, Lin Zhixia said intentionally or unintentionally: "I wanted to come see you as soon as I got off work today..."
Before Lin Zhixia finished her words, Jiang Yubai lifted her up by her waist. Her legs were hanging in the air, and she quickly hugged his shoulders, and was carried over the threshold by him like a sack.
With a loud "bang", the main door was closed tightly. A glass vase on the wooden cabinet in the entrance hall was rippling with water. The light was spreading in the transparent water. The fragrance of roses was overflowing. Lin Zhixia whispered, "Put me down."
Jiang Yubai said, "Wait a little longer."
Lin Zhixia couldn't help but sigh: "You played so wild today."
Jiang Yubai held her legs tightly with one hand: "Is this considered wild?"
"What else?" Lin Zhixia said reasonably, "No matter what we play, you always give in to me."
That's not necessarily true, Jiang Yubai thought to himself.
Whenever Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai played puzzle games, Jiang Yubai wanted to win. He always tried his best to plan and never lost on purpose, whether when he was a child or when he grew up... But he had never been a winner.
Jiang Yubai brought Lin Zhixia into the study, and she sat on a wide desk. Before Jiang Yubai took a step, Lin Zhixia suddenly grabbed his tie, moving her fingertips up alternately, and finally, she gently touched his Adam's apple.
He swallowed and said, "I have a gift for you."
"What gift?" Lin Zhixia tilted her head. "So mysterious."
Jiang Yubai opened the drawer of his desk and took out a heavy box carved from sandalwood. He opened the box and showed a row of ambers that were as crystal clear as glass. Each amber was of natural color, including light red "amber", vermilion "blood amber", and rare "blue amber", which contained insects and flowers visible to the naked eye. Lin Zhixia was indeed deeply attracted.
She grabbed a piece of amber and placed it in her palm: "This insect may have lived in the White Period about 100 million years ago. It belongs to the family of Hymenoptera."
She lowered her head: "This is a Coleoptera family, and it is also a living fossil of the White Period..."
The amber in the box has never been publicly exposed. Over the years, it has been circulated among artists and collectors around the world, and now it has fallen into Lin Zhixia's hands.
Lin Zhixia held them in her hands and played with them, and even used a magnifying glass to examine them carefully. She said with interest: "Look at this one, it may belong to the suborder Protothecia, it is small in size, has side plates on the prothorax, scales on the body surface, and a total of five tarsal segments..."
At this point, Lin Zhixia realized belatedly: "Where did you get so much amber?"
Jiang Yubai told Lin Zhixia that not long ago, he attended an auction called "Natural History". He also had many collections at home. After some selection, he happened to pick out a whole box.
"How do you choose?" Lin Zhixia asked casually.
Jiang Yubai described it succinctly: "Pick the biggest one so you can see it clearly."
Lin Zhixia laughed. She tilted her head and kissed his cheek, closing the lid of the wooden box. He gently stroked the back of her neck, and as their breaths intertwined, he leaned over slightly and kissed the corner of her lips like a dragonfly touching the water. She tilted her head, extended her pink tongue, and licked her lips with lingering satisfaction.
The temperature of the central air conditioner was high, and Lin Zhixia felt a little hot. She took off her coat and continued to sit on the table. The windbreaker was wrapped around her waist, forming a slender waistline. The light white shirt she was wearing was very tight on her chest, with a beautiful curve.
Jiang Yubai unscrewed a bottle of mineral water and took two sips, as if he had been thirsty for a long time. He put his left hand diagonally into his trouser pocket and held the mineral water bottle tightly with his right hand. With the beautiful scenery in front of him, he drank water as if he was tasting wine.
Jiang Yubai said implicitly: "We haven't seen each other for a week."
Lin Zhixia understood instantly. She said with a smile: "Let's go to the bedroom?"
Jiang Yubai squeezed the mineral water bottle, making a light "crackling" sound. The plastic dented inwards, and the two sides stuck together. He was about to say "I'm going to take a shower", when Lin Zhixia said, "I have something important to discuss with you."
Jiang Yubai subconsciously stuffed the mineral water bottle into the drawer, and temporarily put aside the dirty thoughts in his mind. Lin Zhixia's attitude became more serious: "It's like this, I like the amber box you gave me very much. I have read some paleontology books, and amber hundreds of millions of years old is a very precious source of research..."
Jiang Yubai guessed what she would say next. He said, "Donate them to a research institution. If the institution publishes a paper, you can take the paper and teach me the history of paleontology, Teacher Lin."
Jiang Yubai was so considerate and sensible that Lin Zhixia couldn't guess a word. She picked up the box and continued to identify the plants and animals in the amber. She asked Jiang Yubai a few more questions to confirm the ownership of this batch of treasures. She was still a little worried: "Are you really willing to let me donate them all?"
"This one," Jiang Yubai picked out a piece of blue amber, "has no life inside, only a bubble heart. It has no biological research value, so keep it."
Lin Zhixia drew a heart on his palm: "Okay."
She pulled out her cell phone from her windbreaker pocket. "There is a paleontology laboratory in the School of Earth Sciences of our school. The leader of paleontology is Shen Fuxuan's father, who is also the son-in-law of Professor Shen Zhaohua. I donated amber to their laboratory, and maybe I can discover new species in the Cretaceous Period of the Earth..."
She took a photo of Amber and saved it on her phone.
Jiang Yubai helped her sort the amber so that she could take photos. For the ten thousandth time, she was impressed by how gentle and kind Jiang Yubai was, how rational and calm he was, how considerate and generous he was... They worked together and completed the task successfully after more than ten minutes.
Lin Zhixia was in a good mood. She left the study and ran into the bedroom.
Jiang Yubai followed her into the room. He sat down on the bed, signaling Lin Zhixia to get closer to him. Without saying a word, she sat on his thighs, and he kissed the corner of her lips again—it wasn't a passionate kiss, just a light touch.
Lin Zhixia was so tempted by him that she put on a serious attitude: "I want to say..."
"What?" Jiang Yubai asked back.
Lin Zhixia was teasing him. She began to change the subject: "Paleontology is the foundation of geology. The organisms in amber reflect the information of the ancient environment and help to find various mineral resources..."
"I understand," Jiang Yubai interrupted her, "Teacher Lin."
Lin Zhixia improvised the role of the teacher: "What the teacher said just now are all the key points that have been repeatedly emphasized. They will be tested in the final exam. Now you are distracted and not listening carefully. The teacher really can't do anything."
Jiang Yubai leaned close to her ear: "I was distracted because..." His fingertips brushed across her collar: "I saw your shirt buttons."
Lin Zhixia felt a slight tingling sensation due to the stimulation he gave her.
She didn't speak, so he asked her, "What's wrong?"
Lin Zhixia held the back of his hand, and he said to himself, "Sure enough, the buttons are too tight."
He was like a kind student: "I'll help you unbutton it..." He described: "It will be more comfortable than it is now."
Jiang Yubai was not like this before. He used to be a boy who would blush when he heard a few nice words. Over the years, he has indeed grown a lot... The more Lin Zhixia thought about it, the hotter her heart became. And she never suppressed her emotions, so she simply pulled Jiang Yubai to the bed.
Lin Zhixia spent a weekend at Jiang Yubai's home, and their life was as sweet as honey.
Lin Zhixia also contacted He Yuanqian through Professor Shen Zhaohua. He Yuanqian is Shen Fuxuan's father and a national-level professor of paleontology. He received the amber photo sent by Lin Zhixia and replied to her the next day.
He Yuanqian said that the amber was extremely precious, and some species had not yet been discovered. Lin Zhixia could lend them the amber for four years of research, and after four years, if the paper was successfully published, they would return the amber. This research model is more common in universities and research institutions - paleontology experts cooperate with collectors, sign contracts, agree on a deadline, and return the collection intact when the deadline is up.
Lin Zhixia asked again: "Is it really true that permanent donations are not needed?"
On Monday morning, He Yuanqian responded by email: “Hello Professor Lin, I suggest you consider donating it permanently to the museum.”
Museums are Lin Zhixia's favorite place to go. She had a wish when she was a child, she wanted to go to museums all over the world with Jiang Yubai, and He Yuanqian's suggestion touched Lin Zhixia's heart.
That afternoon, Lin Zhixia personally went to the School of Earth Sciences with the amber box in her arms. She signed a four-year amber research agreement and met Professor He Yuanqian himself.
He Yuanqian was about fifty years old, tall and thin, with slightly gray hair and gold-rimmed glasses. He had the air of a scholar, and his eyebrows and eyes were seven points similar to Shen Fuxuan. Lin Zhixia looked at him for a moment, as if she saw the fifty-year-old Shen Fuxuan.
He Yuanqian is an easy-going and talkative person.
Wearing a pair of gloves, he wiped the amber while chatting with Lin Zhixia about Shen Fuxuan. He said that Shen Fuxuan had just been transferred back from the grassroots level and was currently working in the provincial capital, leaving home early and returning late, and was quite ambitious.
The news that Shen Fuxuan was determined to go into politics had already spread throughout his circle of friends.
Lin Zhixia was not surprised at all when she heard about his recent situation.
Professor He Yuanqian said that in order to thank Lin Zhixia for her generous assistance, he wanted to invite Lin Zhixia to dinner, and also invite Shen Fuxuan and the graduate students in his research group. Professor He would organize a dinner party every April, because after April, when the weather turns warmer, he would take his students out for field trips.
Lin Zhixia declined He Yuanqian's offer. She was going on a business trip to Hong Kong tomorrow and had to pack her luggage at night. She would stay in Hong Kong for two weeks. When she returned to the provincial capital, Professor He and his students would have already rushed to the research base outside the province.
The moon that night was very round, with a halo inlaid with a circle of silver, like a jade disc.
Lin Zeqiu was quite happy.
He sat cross-legged on the floor, folding clothes deftly.
The curtains fluttered in the wind, and the moonlight flowed into the room. Lin Zeqiu packed his suitcase tightly, took out his phone, and read the "Hong Kong Travel Guide". Then, he opened WeChat and edited a circle of friends: "Starting tomorrow, I will be on a business trip to Hong Kong for two weeks."
Hong Kong is a city by the sea, but Lin Zeqiu has never seen the sea in person. Just like his sister Lin Zhixia, he has a vague natural yearning for island cities.
But he hesitated for a moment and didn't post the message. He rarely posted anything in a year, except for collecting likes and giving discounts to merchants - from this perspective, he was probably a poor man.
Lin Zeqiu thought for a moment, and Lin Zhixia rushed into his room: "Brother."
He responded: "What's up?"
Lin Zhixia said: "Tomorrow morning, Jiang Yubai will come downstairs to pick us up, and then we will go to the airport together. I have a classmate who will go with us. He is a competition teacher at the Provincial No. 1 Middle School and has specially taken a public holiday..."
Lin Zeqiu had some impression: "Is it the one called Duan Qiyan?"
"Yes." Lin Zhixia replied.
Lin Zeqiu nodded slightly. He earnestly told his sister: "Is everything fine at school? I'm on a business trip for two weeks, so settle the graduate students first."
"Don't worry about that," Lin Zhixia chatted with him, "I have already made a plan. The school is calm, basically nothing will happen..."
She sat next to Lin Zeqiu and folded clothes with him: "The day before yesterday, Jiang Yubai gave me some amber. This morning, I brought the amber into the paleontology laboratory..."
Lin Zeqiu paused and continued, "The kind of amber with bugs in it?"
Lin Zhixia immediately took out her phone. As soon as she opened the photo album, Lin Zeqiu said, "This is what Jiang Yubai gave you? Dead flies, dead beetles, dead snails... They should really be donated to the laboratory. It's disgusting to put them at home."
Lin Zeqiu has a fatal weakness - since he was a child, he has hated, detested and feared insects. He was once bitten by a centipede and has hated all insects ever since. When he was in middle school, Lin Zhixia would catch a beetle, which would make him take off his arrogant mask and scream in the living room at home.
The scenes of the past appeared clearly in Lin Zhixia's mind.
She covered her mouth and laughed.
Lin Zeqiu glanced at her.
She immediately tightened her facial expression and patted Lin Zeqiu on the shoulder: "There is a list of people traveling in the WeChat group. Please check it. Get up at six o'clock tomorrow morning. Don't sleep in. Okay, I've finished my instructions and I'm going back to my room. Good night, brother."
Lin Zeqiu said reluctantly, "Good night."
Lin Zhixia held her chin with one hand: "Can't you just call me by my nickname?"
Lin Zeqiu locked the suitcase and said, "People call you by your nickname all day long. Are you twenty-two years old, or two?"
Lin Zhixia walked to the door, took a step back, and said provocatively: "See you tomorrow morning, Qiuqiu."
Lin Zeqiu was speechless because of her.
The next morning, there was a light rain, and the rain formed a thin layer of mist. The tall buildings were immersed in the mist.
The air with mist seemed particularly fresh. Lin Zhixia stood downstairs with her suitcase in hand and took a deep breath. She was inspired to recite Bai Yuchan's "Yehua in Jianglou": "The river mist is white in the autumn tower, the lamp flowers are green in the night rain, there is no dream in the nine days, this path is left to the morning star."
This poem mentions "Jiang", "Bai" and "Autumn". Lin Zeqiu glanced at her, and she just looked into the distance: "Jiang Yubai is here." She waved at him twice, with her usual enthusiasm.
Jiang Yubai's driver drove a business car, which was big enough to accommodate the luggage of Lin Zhixia and Lin Zeqiu. Lin Zeqiu sat in the back seat with his sister, and his seat was just facing Jiang Yubai. The car sped along the wide road, and Lin Zhixia even joked: "Today, our family is going out for a trip."
Jiang Yubai said flatteringly: "There are many interesting places in Hong Kong. We can take a day to visit them."
Lin Zeqiu didn't say a word. He held his chin with his right hand and looked out the window.
Lin Zhixia chatted with Jiang Yubai: "I sent an email to Professor Gu Likai. I want to set up a joint research group of four schools, including our school, Peking University, Hong Kong University and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. There are two main purposes. First, remote testing of quantum communication, and second, trying to develop a practical quantum universal computer... The chip problem has not been properly solved. To be honest, I am not very sure. My current idea is that if the research and development fails, all technological breakthroughs in the exploration process are of certain value. In order to develop a quantum programming language, we rebuilt the graph theory. I participated less in this part. The main work was done by the team established by Feng Yuan and the Russian mathematician... Because the theory was successful, Feng Yuan quickly passed the doctoral defense, and the Russian friend still has hope to sprint for the Fields Medal."
The Fields Medal is known as the Nobel Prize in mathematics.
So far, the youngest winner in the world is Peter Scholze, who won the Fields at the age of 30. Lin Zhixia's Russian friend is also about to turn 30. He is not only talented, but also very hardworking and diligent. He maintains high-intensity work and high-intensity results output all year round. Lin Zhixia sometimes suspects that he is actually smarter than her, but they just chose different development directions.
Jiang Yubai took out three bottles of mineral water and distributed them to Lin Zhixia, Lin Zeqiu, and himself. He and Lin Zhixia were both very ritualistic people, so they toasted with the mineral water bottles, and Jiang Yubai also said, "I wish that friend to win Fields in advance."
"Can you get Fields?" Lin Zeqiu suddenly asked.
Lin Zhixia blinked: "Me?"
Lin Zeqiu sat upright: "If it's not you, who else could it be? It's impossible for me and Jiang Yubai."
The interior of the business car is spacious, with leather soft chairs with built-in massage function. Under the armrest is a small customized incubator with two trays of freshly baked dumplings. As soon as Jiang Yubai opened the lid, Lin Zhixia said excitedly, "It smells so good. Let me have a taste. I was in such a hurry to go out this morning that I didn't eat much at home."
Jiang Yubai opened another porcelain plate, which contained a stack of strawberry crepes. There was also fragrant peach blossom lemon tea in his thermos cup. The tempting smell of food filled the entire carriage, and Lin Zhixia immediately sat next to Jiang Yubai. She drank from the cup he was holding, and he skillfully adjusted the angle of the cup rim, obviously having done it countless times.
Lin Zeqiu was stunned.
Lin Zhixia added: "You just asked me if I could get Fields?"
The raindrops hit the car window, and her voice was lighter than the rain: "Of course it's impossible. I don't specialize in mathematical theory research."
She traced the car window with her finger, sliding down along a water streak: “We all have our own path. ‘What we waste or gain is precisely the time that is flying by.’[1]”