"According to the current model calculations, its trajectory should collide with Earth in thirty-six hours, but the computer's results completely contradict the observational data."
"We've reverse-engineered it hundreds of times, and the results still don’t make sense. We can’t submit this data to the Aerospace Institute."
"This involves the trajectory of an asteroid—there can’t be any margin for error..."
The four of them were at their wits' end.
Lin Rang spoke up: "In short, an asteroid is on a collision course with Earth. We need to precisely calculate its trajectory and use a spacecraft to impact it at high speed, altering its path to prevent disaster."
A young researcher frantically hammered at the keyboard: "Computer simulations show a 90% chance of impact in thirty-six hours, but observational data indicates a slight deviation in the orbit. It doesn’t add up..."
Rong Yu glanced at the computer, picked up a sheet of paper, and swiftly jotted down several sets of foundational data, along with the computer’s calculated results.
Without a word, she sat at the edge of the table, her pen scratching across the paper as she wrote out a long string of equations and formulas. She worked quickly, almost without pause, as if the calculations flowed effortlessly from her mind...
The researcher nearest to her peeked at the formulas on the paper and froze.
Wasn’t she just copying the computer’s calculations?
But she hadn’t even looked up—it didn’t seem like she was copying.
So… she had memorized it?
Was she capable of photographic memory?
Soon, his astonishment grew.
By the time Rong Yu reached her third draft sheet, her work diverged from the computer’s simulation. Her writing slowed, her brows occasionally furrowing in thought. She even nibbled at her nails, completely absorbed, as if the world around her had ceased to exist.
Lin Rang gestured for silence, signaling the others to continue their work.
Rong Yu worked alone for over an hour before finally lifting her head to take a sip of water. "Senior, can I borrow the computer to check some references?"
The researcher beside her jerked his head up.
Senior?
Was Rong Yu Professor Lin’s junior?
A student of Professor Yun Xiaoyuan?
Professor Yun rarely took on students—had he made an exception?
Then again, students from the same university often referred to each other as seniors and juniors. Maybe Rong Yu and Professor Lin had attended the same alma mater.
Lin Rang vacated his seat for her.
She pulled up the database and submerged herself in research again.
At lunchtime, Lin Rang called her name several times, but she didn’t respond.
He rubbed his temples.
No wonder Professor Yun had chosen Rong Yu—she was just like him. Once immersed in work, she forgot to eat, drink, or even take bathroom breaks. It was almost inhuman.
By dinnertime, Lin Rang had had enough. He forcibly took the pen from Rong Yu’s hand. "Eat first, then continue. Otherwise, I’m sending you home."
Rong Yu relented, grabbing her meal box and wolfing down the food in under five minutes before returning to her calculations.
The four others in the room exchanged glances, suddenly feeling a bit lazy by comparison.
It wasn’t until nearly ten at night that Rong Yu finally exhaled in relief.
She wasn’t entirely familiar with the developments in aerospace theory and practice over the past few decades, which had cost her a lot of time—otherwise, she could have finished sooner.
"The computer’s calculations start deviating here..." She circled a section of the formula on the paper. "You overlooked the solar wind’s erosion effect on the asteroid’s surface material. Though the effect is minuscule, over time, it significantly alters the asteroid’s mass distribution. Since this is a newly discovered asteroid, the computer couldn’t precisely quantify the erosion effect, so it couldn’t calculate..."
She had used a hypothesis-based approach—testing one value after another, making assumptions, verifying them, and reverse-engineering the results.
"The correct trajectory should look like this, with a slight deflection at the perihelion..."
The young researcher’s hands trembled as he input Rong Yu’s calculations into the computer.
On the screen, a flawless elliptical orbit appeared, perfectly matching the observational data...
The four of them stared, wide-eyed.
"The computer ran simulations for three days, and yet it lost to your pen and paper."
"That brain of yours is scarier than a computer."
Rong Yu smiled faintly.
When she was studying abroad, computers had just begun gaining traction. Back then, she had competed against one in calculation speed—and won. Some of her foreign classmates had even jokingly called her a "human supercomputer."
But computers had advanced too quickly since then. In terms of raw speed, she couldn’t compete anymore.
Still, computers relied on human-input data models to function. In the end, it all came down to the human mind.
"You’ve been a tremendous help." Lin Rang turned to his assistant. "Send these results directly to the Aerospace Institute. Let’s call it a day for now."
He walked Rong Yu out.
Only then did she notice the dozens of missed calls from Ji Zhouye on her phone.
She sent him her location and said to Lin Rang, "No need to walk me further, Senior. Someone’s coming to pick me up."
Lin Rang insisted on escorting her to the university gates. As they approached, Ji Zhouye’s car pulled up—a luxury vehicle worth millions, impossible to miss.
Lin Rang, an academic at heart, wasn’t well-versed in luxury cars, but even he could tell this one was expensive. He had assumed Ji Zhiyuan was picking her up.
Instead, it was a young man he didn’t recognize.
Ji Zhouye immediately took Rong Yu’s backpack and waved at Lin Rang. "Hey, Senior!"
Lin Rang: "???"
Since when did he have another junior?
Ji Zhouye grinned. "Rong Yu’s senior is my senior too. Please take good care of our Rong Yu from now on. We’ll get going now!"
His older brother had briefed him on the situation.
His mission: protect their great-grandmother at all costs.
And make sure this Professor Lin Rang didn’t get too friendly with her.
He slung an arm around Rong Yu’s shoulders, putting on an overly affectionate display. "There’s a food street behind Haicheng University—let’s go check it out and unwind..."
Rong Yu smacked his hand away. "What’s wrong with you?"
Ji Zhouye: "..."
Was it a crime to put an arm around his great-grandmother?
The food street behind Haicheng University was bustling, filled with snacks Rong Yu had never tried before. After a long day with little to eat, she was genuinely hungry.
"Great-Grandma, you’ve gotta try the grilled squid here—it’s amazing."
"Their lemonade is super refreshing. Let me get you a cup."
"Want to try stinky tofu? Smells awful, but tastes incredible."
"And these dorayaki—"
Rong Yu frowned. "No dorayaki. Boycott."
Ji Zhouye: "..."
What era was she living in, still boycotting Japanese products?
Well, understandable for someone from her generation.
They strolled through the street, buying one snack after another until their hands were full.
Elsewhere on the food street, Rong Ruoyao and Song Huai were also out for a stroll. After evening classes, Rong Ruoyao had invited Song Huai to relax.
She was sipping milk tea when she spotted Rong Yu and Ji Zhouye together.
So Rong Yu had taken the day off to go on a date? Skipping senior year classes for romance—how pathetic. She’d never amount to anything in life.
