Song Huai wore an expression of disbelief. "Academician Liu, Liu Jinyue, do you know who that is?"
Rong Yu looked up. "What's the matter?"
Early that morning, her senior fellow apprentice had sent her the list of newly elected academicians for the year, which included Liu Jinyue's name.
Her senior said this was her future goal to strive for.
In her past life, her title had stopped at Professor Rong. In this life, she really should aim higher.
Seeing no particular emotion on her face, Song Huai took a deep breath. "Liu Jinyue is an expert in physics, a leading figure in new school physics research, and the youngest among this batch of academicians. He might be taking on another student this year. Are you sure you don't want to attend this dinner gathering?"
Rong Yu shook her head. "No need."
She turned and walked away.
She had made plans to have dinner with her teacher, mainly to further discuss material issues concerning the space debris processor with him.
After all, there was a seventy-year gap between her and this era. Even though she devoured books voraciously, the inherent chasm was difficult to bridge completely. So, some things still required consulting her teacher.
The restaurant Lin Rang booked was right across the street from the research institute. The three of them entered a private room.
Rong Yu poured a glass of water for her teacher and her senior, skipping the small talk and getting straight to the point. "The grain boundary mobility after doping with Group III elements still can't break through the critical point. Did I miscalculate, or is there an issue with the material itself?"
"You're still using the classical diffusion equation to calculate phase transitions in space materials?" Yun Xiaoyuan glanced at the draft paper. "Back when the Apollo mission brought back an orange glass sample, everyone thought it was a volcanic product. It wasn't until decades later that our scientists discovered it was a non-equilibrium phase transition caused by solar wind proton implantation."
Rong Yu's pupils constricted. "So, I should reconstruct the diffusion model using transient localization theory for the calculation..."
"Remember, selecting materials for space isn't about resisting extreme environments," Yun Xiaoyuan said with a smile. "It's about learning to harness the power of the universe itself..."
Rong Yu and Yun Xiaoyuan delved deeper into the discussion, with Lin Rang occasionally chiming in with ideas. By the end of the meal, all three had gained something, feeling thoroughly satisfied.
For the next several days, Rong Yu stayed at the research institute.
In the blink of an eye, it was the end of the twelfth lunar month. The institute closed for the holidays; it was time for the New Year.
Rong Yu carried a large stack of documents and materials home.
"Mom, why are you still working during the New Year holiday?" Old Master Ji took the materials from her. "All the grandsons are back. It's rare for our whole family to be together. This is our first reunion dinner, so we must treat it with proper seriousness."
Putting her work aside, Rong Yu chuckled. "Alright then, Yingbao, tell me, how should we be serious?"
The heads of her five tall grandsons leaned in, and Duoduo also squeezed closer.
Old Master Ji thought for a good while before speaking. "I remember when I was little, it was Mom who cooked for New Year's. Now, I've grown up, grown so big, it's my turn to make the New Year's Eve dinner."
Ji Zhiyuan: "You haven't stepped into a kitchen for nearly half a century. Don't end up burning the kitchen down."
Ji Yanting: "Better not. With your old arms and legs, tossing a wok could easily cause a herniated disc. Let's not end up in the hospital on New Year's Eve."
Ji Mohan: "According to surveys, the probability of burns from hot oil for seniors over seventy is 73.8%. I suggest you reconsider this decision, Old Master."
Ji Jingchuan: "I know how to cook. Just tell me what you'd like to eat, Old Master."
Ji Zhouye: "If we let the Old Master cook, what if everyone gets food poisoning..."
"Enough, all of you!"
Old Master Ji slammed his hand on the table.
"In that case, each of you will make one dish to show your filial respect to your great-grandmother! No objections allowed, it's settled!"
He shouted, "Old Yu, it's New Year's Eve today. Give everyone the day off, you go home too."
He left no room for retreat.
The corner of Rong Yu's mouth twitched.
Back in her day, she only cooked during New Year, and her skills were... truly indescribable.
Yingbao hadn't been in a kitchen for decades either. Could he really produce anything decent? She highly doubted it.
As for these grandsons, each taller than the last, they probably didn't even know what a kitchen looked like...
Duoduo, however, seemed especially happy. "Yay! I get to eat food made by Daddy, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Fourth Uncle, and Fifth Uncle! I'm so happy, so excited!"
Ji Zhiyuan silently broke into a sweat.
He hoped the little girl would still be this cheerful when the food was served.
He pulled out his phone, searched for a recipe, and started making braised pork belly. Cut the meat, remove the gaminess, add the seasonings, then simmer over low heat. Simple enough.
Ji Jingchuan glanced over, readjusted some of the seasonings, then put the lid on.
Ji Yanting was attempting sweet and sour fish. After much struggle with scaling and cleaning, he finally threw the fish into the pan. Hot oil splattered everywhere, and he fled the kitchen in fright.
After Ji Jingchuan finished pan-frying the fish and adding the sauce, he called out, "Second Brother, you just need to watch the heat now."
Ji Mohan didn't attempt anything difficult; he stir-fried some greens and proudly dished them onto a plate.
While he wasn't looking, Ji Jingchuan quietly tasted a bite. No salt. So, he added a bit of seasoning and mixed it in.
As for Ji Zhouye, he never even entered the kitchen. He secretly ordered takeout.
Duoduo happily prepared a fruit salad.
With Ji Jingchuan overseeing everything, by a little past five in the evening, all the dishes were on the table.
"Set off the firecrackers first," Old Master Ji urged. "We can't start eating until after the firecrackers."
Crackle, pop, bang!
The firecrackers exploded, and Duoduo covered her ears, hopping up and down.
The New Year's Eve feast finally began.
"It's delicious, all of it's delicious." Duoduo's eyes were squinted with happiness. "The best is these cola chicken wings. Fourth Uncle, can I have them again in the future?"
Ji Jingchuan smiled and nodded. "Of course."
Rong Yu picked up a chicken wing for him. "You worked hard today. Without you, we'd all be drinking the northwest wind."
Ji Jingchuan looked at the plates that had been cleaned spotless and said sincerely, "This is the happiest New Year's Eve I've ever had."
No longer being called over to a relative's house just to make do.
No longer staying up alone until dawn.
It felt so good to have a family.
After the feast, the whole family pitched in to clean up: washing dishes, wiping the table, taking out the trash, mopping the floor... Amidst these trivial chores, the family somehow seemed to grow closer.
Rong Yu had assigned herself the task of taking out the trash when her phone suddenly vibrated. She glanced at it; it was Rong Wangtian.
After a moment's thought, she answered. "Xiao Yu, we're having the reunion dinner today. Will you be coming home?"
Rong Yu looked at her old son running over and said, "No, I've already eaten."
"Even if you've eaten, come back for a while," Rong Wangtian sighed. "Your grandmother is ill. This might be her last New Year's Eve. Come back and keep her company for a chat."
Rong Yu paused.
In the original body's memories, the father was neglectful, the stepmother indifferent, the grandfather biased. The only one who had shown her a shred of familial affection was probably the Rong family's Old Madam.
She said, "Alright, I'll be there shortly."
Old Master Ji also understood that this body belonged to the Rong family. Some things were fundamentally unavoidable.
He called Ji Zhiyuan over. "You drive. Take your great-grandmother and me to the Rong family."
