Lin Zhixia's logic was so tight that Jiang Yubai couldn't refute it at all.
Jiang Yubai simply accepted Lin Zhixia's words—his birthday number could make Lin Zhixia happy and bring her good luck.
He silently recited Lin Zhixia's cell phone number. However, the more he thought about it, the redder his ears became. Lin Zhixia even asked him, "Why are you shy again?"
"No," Jiang Yubai insisted, "You misunderstood. I'm not shy."
Lin Zhixia moved closer to Jiang Yubai and stared at his profile.
She seemed to be able to hear Jiang Yubai's quickened breathing due to nervousness.
She remembered that she had seen a clear stream in the woods of her hometown in the countryside. It was a cold and lonely winter day. The weather was freezing and the snow piled up, but the stream was not frozen and was still flowing. So she squatted by the stream, held her breath, and listened carefully to the sound of the flowing stream.
People often use the phrase "the sound of nature" to praise the most perfect music, and the original meaning of the word "the sound of nature" is "the various sounds of nature." Lin Zhixia believes that what she is pursuing is not "the sound of nature," but a peaceful and calm state of mind.
She maintained this state of mind and deftly resolved her shyness. She approached Jiang Yubai more boldly, observing his red ears, and whispered to him: "What are you thinking about? Tell me quickly. I am your best friend, and I am willing to listen to whatever you say."
Jiang Yubai seemed to have suddenly lost the ability to speak. His chin slightly lifted up, his Adam's apple rolled, and he looked reserved and noble, and could only be admired from a distance and not teased.
Lin Zhixia shifted her gaze and stared at his neck.
Then, Lin Zhixia said in a serious and rigorous tone, similar to the narration in a science film: "Under the effect of male hormones, the Adam's apple of adolescent males will develop significantly. Jiang Yubai, you have grown up."
Jiang Yubai finally turned his head and looked at her quietly.
Her eyes were sparkling.
Jiang Yubai reminded her subtly: "Boys and girls are different."
Lin Zhixia nodded: "I know, I've seen the human anatomy atlas."
Lin Zhixia has a rich knowledge reserve and her thinking is very jumpy. Jiang Yubai has long been accustomed to her characteristics. He faced the reality calmly and talked to Lin Zhixia about "Penkov's Human Anatomy Atlas".
Penkov was an Austrian doctor during World War II who swore allegiance to Hitler. Hitler's government often sent prisoners' bodies to Penkov's laboratory for his dissections. He also had a team of artists who specialized in drawing accurate and detailed anatomical drawings.
It is said that this set of books written by Penkov is the most exquisite anatomical atlas in human history.
Lin Zhixia commented: "Although its content is vivid and full of scientific value, every page of it is cruel."
Jiang Yubai sat up straight again and looked forward: "It took twenty years to write the Pengkov atlas, and countless people died."
Lin Zhixia frowned: "That book is stained with blood."
The atmosphere in the car was particularly heavy. Lin Zhixia asked Jiang Yubai about his views on the war.
Jiang Yubai has read a lot of documents and documentaries about World War II. He remembers that both Japan and Germany during World War II were keen on various human experiments.
Jiang Yubai slowed down his tone and talked to Lin Zhixia about several historical facts that impressed him the most, some of which Lin Zhixia had never heard of. Jiang Yubai described the "Jewish bone experiment" in detail. Lin Zhixia's face suddenly turned pale. She felt scared and distanced herself from him, shrinking to the innermost side of the seat: "Don't talk anymore."
Jiang Yubai immediately agreed: "I won't talk about it anymore."
This time, it was Lin Zhixia's turn to remain silent.
Jiang Yubai comforted her: "Don't be afraid, let's change the subject."
Lin Zhixia didn't move.
Jiang Yubai took out a box of strawberry candies from his pocket. He peeled off the candy wrapper, exuding the sweet aroma of strawberries. Lin Zhixia was indeed attracted by him and slowly approached him like a little rabbit.
Jiang Yubai put the strawberry candy in her palm. After she ate it, she said contentedly, "It's so sweet."
"So sweet." Jiang Yubai imitated her tone and said two words.
Lin Zhixia warned him: "Don't learn from me."
Jiang Yubai asked back: "Is it not possible?"
Lin Zhixia was not confident enough. She whispered, "Okay."
Jiang Yubai smiled silently.
Lin Zhixia happened to see his smile. She found that whenever she saw him smile, her cheeks seemed to get hot, her heartbeat would speed up a little, the air she breathed in would sink to the deepest part of her lungs, and even the fingertips would become soft - all of the above feelings indicated something extraordinary.
Lin Zhixia searched her mind for the books she had read.
She jumped out of the medical field and began to look for some literary works. She suddenly remembered that in the novel Gone with the Wind, the author Margaret Mitchell once described: "His heart beat fast, and at the same time, he felt his face flushed. She heard the tone of love she had heard many times in men's voices... "
Lin Zhixia was greatly shocked.
She immediately stopped reminiscing.
“I want to go back to school,” she said.
Jiang Yubai was even more shocked: "What's wrong with you?"
Lin Zhixia held her chin with one hand: "I need a quiet environment to analyze my thoughts."
Jiang Yubai understood Lin Zhixia very well. He knew that a true genius would often have strong inspirations bursting out of his mind, just like an ever-expanding universe that always needed more space.
Jiang Yubai suggested: "Don't worry, tell me your ideas, we can discuss them while we eat."
"No! I can't tell you!" Lin Zhixia was very determined.
Jiang Yubai's voice became even deeper: "We are best friends, is there anything we can't talk about?"
Lin Zhixia was stumped by his question. She hugged her small shoulder bag tightly, pretending that it was her little penguin. When she racked her brains and came up with nothing to say, the driver in the front seat reminded her, "We're almost there."
Jiang Yubai rolled down the car window. The cold wind blew through his hair. He said calmly, "After you have dinner at my house, I will take you back to school."
Lin Zhixia said: "I can take the subway by myself."
Jiang Yubai said, "That's not my way of entertaining guests."
Lin Zhixia asked again: "What is your way of entertaining guests?"
Jiang Yubai replied: "We will pick you up and drop you off."
The car slowly turned a corner and drove into a huge iron gate. Two guards stood at the door. There were sensors and surveillance cameras everywhere. Lin Zhixia was stunned. She held the car window with both hands, looking at the novel scenery in front of her, and thought of Jiang Yubai's home in the provincial capital. The manor had a large area and luxurious decoration style, including various places such as gardens, swimming pools, tennis courts, and home theaters.
Lin Zhixia didn't expect that even if he moved to a new city, Jiang Yubai still lived in a place with a similar style.
This is the lifestyle of rich people.
After the car stopped, Jiang Yubai got out first.
Jiang Yubai opened the car door and Lin Zhixia walked out slowly. She walked forward side by side with him and asked, "Do you live here alone? Are your parents with you?"
Jiang Yubai replied: "This is the house under my grandfather's name. He often stays here."
Lin Zhixia nodded: "Grandpa."
Jiang Yubai led Lin Zhixia into the main hall. She looked up at the murals on the ceiling and the huge chandelier, but she didn't stop. The indoor fountain splashed cold water, and the water droplets fell on the back of her hand. She looked at the marble sculpture in the center of the fountain in amazement and exclaimed, "What a perfect water flow dynamics."
Lin Zhixia wanted to take another look, but her stomach was growling. She had been busy all day and had eaten very little at noon. By this time in the evening, she was so hungry that her chest was sticking to her back, and her mind was full of the sumptuous dinner.
She followed Jiang Yubai's footsteps closely, walked through a corridor, and came to a restaurant.
The restaurant is brightly lit, with a French window on the south and a light-colored glass on the east. Inside the glass, the water is clear as azure, the water plants are slender and graceful, and precious tropical fish are swimming in the water.
Lin Zhixia didn't care about being hungry. She stood in front of the glass wall with her hands behind her back, observing the group of small fish: "Jiang Yubai, the restaurant in your grandfather's house is like an exhibition hall in an ocean aquarium."
Before she finished speaking, she heard a voice respond, "I love raising fish, and there are more than just these species."
Lin Zhixia turned around and saw Jiang Yubai's grandfather. Although he was old, he was still energetic. He was wearing a long silk coat and trousers, and his silver hair was neatly combed. He stared at Lin Zhixia for four seconds before he said, "Xiao Jiang has guests tonight, I came to see you."
Lin Zhixia hurriedly greeted him: "Hello! My name is Lin Zhixia, Lin of the forest, Zhi of knowing, Xia of summer. I am fourteen years old and the same age as Jiang Yubai... To be more precise, Jiang Yubai is one month older than me. He was born in August and I was born in September."
Jiang Yubai noticed Lin Zhixia's nervousness.
He blocked Lin Zhixia and faced his grandfather: "I said yesterday that I have a guest tonight. She is my good friend and we have known each other for five years."
Grandpa was particularly kind and amiable: "It would be great if you are willing to entertain friends. Is your good friend Lin Zhixia also studying in high school in Beijing?"
Lin Zhixia said quickly: "I didn't go to high school."
Grandpa asked again: "Are you in junior high school?"
Lin Zhixia waved her hand: "No..."
Grandpa was calm and composed, his smile still persisting.
However, a young man standing next to the grandfather asked, "You didn't finish junior high school, so you came out to explore the society?"
This young man was probably in his early twenties. He was tall and handsome, wearing casual home clothes, with a heroic look. He was a relative of Jiang Yubai's family.
Jiang Yubai introduced Lin Zhixia for a few words, and Lin Zhixia finally understood that this person was the only son of Jiang Yubai's grandfather's cousin's son, named Huang Yuxiao. He was 21 years old and was studying at a university in Scotland, England, majoring in "Middle East and African Studies".
Huang Yuxiao seemed to think Lin Zhixia was a junior high school dropout.
Lin Zhixia spread her hands: "I didn't go to high school because I..."
"Don't want to go to school." Huang Yuxiao teased.
Lin Zhixia chuckled: "Because I'm studying at university, majoring in mathematics."
Jiang Yubai added calmly, "She won the first prize in the 2007 National Mathematical Olympiad, the champion of the Romanian Masters, the top scorer in the city's high school entrance exam, and studied in the country's top physical oceanography laboratory for three years. She has published two SCI papers, both as the first author."
Huang Yuxiao had a complicated expression. He loosened his collar, half believing and half doubting, and retreated behind his grandfather.
Grandpa patted Jiang Yubai on the shoulder and told him to entertain the guests. Grandpa also chatted with Lin Zhixia for a while. Finally, Grandpa called Huang Yuxiao's name and took him away. Only Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai were left in the restaurant.
Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai took their seats one after another.
Jiang Yubai was very thoughtful. He strictly controlled the time, and the taste of the dishes was just right, neither too hot nor too cold, and every dish was fresh and delicious.
Lin Zhixia tasted Peking duck for the first time in her life. It was really delicious. The combination of duck meat, dough, cucumber and sweet noodle sauce stimulated her taste buds and brought her an extraordinary experience.
There were also tender and delicious caviar pudding and fragrant crab roe stuffed with orange on the table. Lin Zhixia could hardly eat enough, but Jiang Yubai was still savoring them slowly.
Lin Zhixia's drink was freshly squeezed strawberry and grape juice. The ratio of this juice was unique, with both the sweetness of strawberries and the freshness of grapes. Lin Zhixia couldn't help but comment: "It tastes so good, I want to name it 'wonderful'. I only need to drink a sip to feel the beauty of life."
Jiang Yubai said that he would prepare a menu. In the future, when Lin Zhixia came to visit his home, she could tell him the names of the dishes and drinks in advance.
"You are so considerate." Lin Zhixia praised him from the bottom of her heart.
After dinner, Jiang Yubai followed his "art of hospitality" and insisted on sending Lin Zhixia back to school.
At around nine o'clock in the evening, Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai waved goodbye outside the university gate. Jiang Yubai held the car door and watched Lin Zhixia's back disappear in the university campus before turning around and getting into the car.
From this day on, college life officially begins.
Lin Zhixia became familiar with the three girls in her dormitory. They got along very well, got up at the same time every morning, went to the cafeteria to eat breakfast together, and then went to the classroom for class.
Lin Zhixia's roommates all like to sit in the first row, but Lin Zhixia herself doesn't care where she sits. The courses in the first semester of her freshman year are relatively basic and have not touched on Lin Zhixia's knowledge blind spots. Lin Zhixia feels that college life is very easy.
However, she soon received an email from Professor Gu Likai.
Gu Likai is Professor Shen Zhaohua's classmate in college and is also a well-known scholar in the field of quantum computing in China. He is Lin Zhixia's undergraduate advisor and he invited Lin Zhixia to meet with him.
Gu Likai worked in the School of Physics, while Lin Zhixia worked in the School of Mathematics. However, this did not prevent them from having academic exchanges. Lin Zhixia knew that Gu Likai was very busy. On the day they agreed to meet, Lin Zhixia arrived at Gu's office ten minutes early.
There are also several doctoral students in the office.
It turned out that Teacher Gu was holding a brief group meeting.
Lin Zhixia stood at the door and waited for more than ten seconds. Teacher Gu said, "Is that Lin Zhixia? Come in."