Rong Yu was utterly helpless.
She suddenly remembered Yingbao from childhood.
Around four or five years old, when she needed to go to the research institute, Yingbao would stubbornly cling to her hand, refusing to let go. But Yingbao wasn't as well-behaved as Sheng Qingyan; instead, he would throw tantrums, rolling on the floor, wailing and making a huge fuss, with tears and snot all over his face... In the end, she had no choice but to take Yingbao to the institute.
Yingbao was a boisterous child. In the quiet environment of the research lab, he lasted less than ten minutes before clamoring to go home.
She met Sheng Qingyan's gaze: "Forget it, you can come in with me."
Then she looked at Sheng Ciyuan, "You too."
Sheng Ciyuan obediently followed behind.
When they first met, both he and Rong Yu were gold medalists in the National Physics Finals. He felt they were on equal footing.
Now, he inexplicably felt one step below Rong Yu.
It made him feel like a grandson.
He shot a resentful look at Sheng Qingyan. It was all his big brother's fault.
Once they entered the restaurant's private room, his eyes widened in shock. Could someone please tell him why his dear teacher was having a meal here!
Sheng Ciyuan's teacher was an academician in the Department of Mathematics and Physics, surnamed Lin, named Lin Guangqu.
Lin Guangqu waved him over: "You came just in time. Sit down and listen to how outstanding Rong Yu is. That research paper in the news today was spearheaded and completed by Rong Yu. So far, you haven't produced any forward-looking results like that."
Sheng Ciyuan looked ashamed: "I'm sorry, teacher. I'm too useless."
"Old Lin, I suspect you're using scolding your student as an excuse to subtly criticize me," Min Shenyan huffed. "If you're really dissatisfied with Sheng Ciyuan, just give him to me."
Back then, he had also been a step too late; otherwise, Sheng Ciyuan would have been his student.
Lin Guangqu gave a slight smirk: "I say, Old Min, what do you need so many students for? You have nearly forty already. Are you planning to start a class?"
Yun Xiaoyuan said leisurely, "He's short of people to carry his coffin."
Min Shenyan: "..."
He silently shut his mouth.
Yun Xiaoyuan asked Rong Yu, "And this is?"
She looked curiously at Sheng Qingyan, secretly guessing, could this be Rong Yu's boyfriend?
But it didn't seem so.
This man's eyes were off, not like a normal person's.
"This is my elder brother," Sheng Ciyuan explained. "My brother just had a bit of trouble earlier, and Rong Yu helped resolve it. My brother... well, how to put it, became a bit dependent."
Min Shenyan spoke bluntly: "A grown man, why is he so clingy? And with so many elders present!"
Sheng Ciyuan's eyes reddened.
But Sheng Qingyan showed no reaction.
Lin Guangqu said coldly, "Old Min, before you speak each time, could you please think about your own name?"
He knew his student Sheng Ciyuan had an elder brother, said to have had autism since childhood. Because the eldest brother couldn't shoulder the family business, his student was destined to inherit the Sheng family and couldn't devote himself wholeheartedly to research.
Sheng Ciyuan was a promising seedling, very smart, capable, with a truly pure heart.
He could have shone brilliantly in scientific research. It was such a pity.
This was his first time meeting Sheng Qingyan.
Sitting there quietly, not causing any disturbance, isolated from everything. Except, he kept staring at Rong Yu.
Min Shenyan belatedly realized something was off and quickly apologized.
Yun Xiaoyuan immediately changed the subject: "Xiao Yu, tell everyone about your experimental concept..."
Rong Yu began explaining methodically.
"You young people's minds are too daring," one academician asked. "This project initiated by the Fourth Aerospace Institute, what is it intended for?"
Yun Xiaoyuan smiled: "That, for now, is confidential. You'll know once the project's prototype phase is completed."
The space debris cleanup project, tentatively named "Eagle Eye," involved nearly a thousand people.
The small sections each person was responsible for were individually named as separate projects. Only a very few knew the overall project name was Eagle Eye.
The meal lasted over two hours before it ended.
Rong Yu had thought Sheng Qingyan would grow restless and leave early.
Unexpectedly, he had sat by her side the entire time, holding her hand from start to finish, utterly unwilling to let go.
After leaving the restaurant, the academicians departed one by one.
Ji Mohan had been holding back for a long time.
With so many big shots present earlier, he hadn't dared to speak carelessly.
Now that they were gone, he could finally speak up, his brows tightly furrowed: "Shouldn't you let go now?"
Sheng Ciyuan was so embarrassed he wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into: "Big brother, it's very late now, past nine o'clock. If we don't go home, grandmother won't let you go out in the future. Come on, let's go home?"
Sheng Qingyan seemed not to hear.
Rong Yu looked at the man who stood a head taller than her and spoke softly: "Can you hear me when I speak?"
The man's vacant dark eyes showed a slight ripple. Slowly, he gave a gentle nod.
Sheng Ciyuan swallowed hard.
At home, anyone, even their grandmother, had to repeat a sentence nearly ten times for his big brother to process it.
Rong Yu had effortlessly made his big brother nod.
He remembered the last time his big brother suddenly spoke was also because Rong Yu had asked a question.
When he told his family at home, everyone said he was imagining things.
Sheng Ciyuan silently took out his phone, turned on recording mode, and took a few steps back.
Rong Yu continued: "It's dark, very late. It's time to rest. You need to go home, understand?"
Sheng Qingyan's lips parted slightly, slowly uttering a few words: "Go home. With you."
Sheng Ciyuan's eyes widened.
He got it on recording.
He recorded it!
The scene of his big brother speaking was recorded!
But?
What on earth did his big brother say?
"You're a Sheng," Ji Mohan poked his chest with a finger. "You go back to your own home. Can you understand that?"
He really didn't want to argue with someone with autism.
But this patient was really pushing his luck. Holding hands and not letting go was one thing, but now he wanted to follow her home?
If the old master found out his great-grandmother was being taken advantage of by a man right under his nose, he'd be torn to shreds by the old man.
Sheng Ciyuan pocketed his phone, quickly stepped forward, had a sudden idea, and whispered in Sheng Qingyan's ear: "Big brother, grandmother's friend bought some photos overseas. Do you want to go home and see?"
Sheng Qingyan's black pupils contracted.
He instinctively released Rong Yu's hand.
After walking a few steps away, he turned back to look at Rong Yu again, only to be blocked by Ji Mohan's domineering stance.
"Big brother, let's hurry."
Sheng Ciyuan, without another word, ushered Sheng Qingyan into the car.
As the car drove away, Rong Yu felt relieved, yet also an inexplicable sense of loss.
It was like taking care of a child.
When you're taking care of them, it's incredibly annoying.
When you're not, you feel strangely empty.
Forget it, no use thinking about it. Better go home and hug Duoduo more.
