Chapter 9, Unable to Speak

You—are you an idiot? What is inappropriate about Qian Haining? His father is a top manager at a fund company, his mother is a surgeon at a military hospital, and they own a house and a car with no loans, making him a model youth of the new century. What else are you dissatisfied with? Do you think I give him advice every day for no reason? All your various merits are for what purpose?

It truly confirms the old saying: "When one intends to plant flowers, they do not bloom; when one casually inserts willows, they provide shade."

Under the Son of Heaven, could you please pay attention to your language? Lu Ping muttered, "Who else could it be? I heard that upon my arrival in Beijing, someone came to receive me on the orders of his esteemed mother."

Lu Pin held the phone, uncertain whether to feel sorrow or joy. The aerospace community is so small, and a leak case that caused such a stir might actually become an opportunity for her to enter the CE Phase II program. Lu Pin's heart was filled with mixed emotions.

The last time it was navigation at sea, this time it is space exploration; this is a battlefield without smoke and gunfire

Yuan Yuan and Qian Haining participated in a preliminary research project, during which some confidential device blueprints were leaked. All personnel involved are to be isolated and investigated.

Is there any gossip

Qian Haining listened in a daze. Since she met Lv Pin, he had always stood before her as a figure of maturity and rationality. Yes, he stood firm. He did not understand why, even before reaching the age when passion would dry up, she, with a heart that was clearly very soft, could always utter such calm and unfeeling words. It was as if everything in the world, in her eyes, moved along its own path like celestial bodies in the universe, unrelated to one another, constant and enduring.

Lu Pin's hand trembled, and with a complex mix of emotions, he let out a sound of acknowledgment. He then heard Yuan Yuan say: "There are a total of five people, oh, Qian Haining is also going."

Qian Haining was momentarily at a loss for words. In fact, before coming, he had contemplated various possibilities, and Yuan Yuan had analyzed with him the various potential reactions of Lü Pin from multiple angles. He had worried that Lü Pin might not accept him due to their age difference, and he had also been concerned that Lü Pin was still immersed in memories of her ex-boyfriend. To his surprise, Lü Pin had never considered him in her thoughts about the future, not even the slightest bit.

What matters in the world are ones that, if not done, will be remembered, yet if done, are likely to lead to regret? Meeting an ex-boyfriend is certainly one of them, and Lü Pin does not wish to stir this murky water

Along the way, there were tourists who could no longer endure the wait and boarded the bus. Lu Ping managed to maintain his balance, which was quite rare, and when he turned back, he saw Qian Haining squeezed to the point of her face turning red, yet she still insisted on creating a small space for her. In late autumn, the weather in Beijing was unpredictable. Qian Haining was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt and was carrying a fully loaded backpack of cooked food. The veins on her arms were bulging as she gripped the handrail, yet she smiled at her and said, "Step aside, there is space." In late autumn, the weather in Beijing was unpredictable. Qian Haining was only wearing a short-sleeved shirt and was carrying a fully loaded backpack of cooked food. The veins on her arms were bulging as she gripped the handrail, yet she smiled at her and said, "Step aside, there is space."

Lv Pin had no strength even to force a smile, only managing a couple of dry laughs. Suddenly, his phone rang: "It's the weekend. Are you free tonight? Let's have dinner together"

After hanging up the phone, Lu Pin was so angry that he almost wanted to throw his phone—if only it cost 0.5 yuan each. This bastard has been like this for so many years, always making unilateral decisions without any room for discussion! Turning his face, he saw Qian Haining with tightly pursed lips, still panting, his eyes revealing a hint of grievance: "Am I... supposed to avoid this?"

Is it worth it for just a few tens of thousands of dollars

Early the next morning, Qian Haining seemed to have anticipated that Yuan Yuan would have an issue, so he only bought breakfast for two. Lü Pin secretly cursed Yuan Yuan for her lack of integrity. By the time they arrived at the bus stop for route 331, he truly felt like he could tear Yuan Yuan apart. Lü Pin had already experienced the congestion of Beijing's public transport, but when he saw that the 331 bus was so packed that not even a grasshopper could fit in, he was still profoundly shocked. Qian Haining exclaimed "people mountain people sea," thinking the next bus would be less crowded, but to his surprise, three consecutive buses were so full that no one could board. By the time the fourth bus arrived, Lü Pin had no choice but to ask someone at the front to help him pay the fare, gritting his teeth as he squeezed in through the back door. Inside the bus, people were pressed against each other; whenever the driver braked, a large number of people would stumble. Qian Haining struggled to grab a handrail with one hand while tightly gripping Lü Pin's arm with the other, saying, "We're about to become a meat sandwich." Lü Pin smiled and overheard a young couple arguing nearby. The girl said, "It's all your fault for insisting on taking this bus; look how empty that one is!" The boy replied without turning his head, "Does that one go to Xiangshan?" The girl tilted her head to take a glance and sulkily said, "No."

Alright, I would like silk.

In the following hours, Lü Pin could no longer bear to recall the events. In short, she and Qian Haining had spent two hours climbing the mountain, surrounded by a throng of people, and then they rushed down the mountain with the surging crowd. As for the red leaves? I am sorry, but the entire mountain of red leaves had been picked and made into specimens, sold along the way, one piece for one yuan. The legendary green mountains and vibrant red leaves are simply a fantasy.

I am extremely happy, you have no idea how I nearly exhausted all my resources and connections to request these two weeks of leave. It involved treating others and giving gifts, which was even more troublesome than writing a thesis!

Professor Zhou seems to be very busy, and Lv Pin also feels it inappropriate to bother him all day about this matter. Yuan Yuan went online once and sent her photos from the Eight Great Places, one of which features the wealthy Haining, with a background of a tree adorned with numerous wish lanterns, after which she suddenly disappeared without a trace

Lu Pin is now completely anxious, feeling as if she is watching a fire break out in the neighboring village, flames soaring into the sky, while a great river blocks her path, leaving her helpless and merely staring in dismay. In contrast, Yuan Yuan and Qian Haining, who are not far from the core, seem unfazed, busy enjoying Beijing with newly acquainted engineers, as if this closed development of the military project is merely an opportunity for them to travel! Left alone, Lu Pin gazes at the four walls of the teacher's dormitory every night, then looks up at the unadorned, gray-white ceiling, which occasionally leaks, pondering whether this leak of confidential information will impact the CE detection plan, and whether the originally scheduled Phase II project can be launched on time, among other concerns.

Yuan Yuan's phone could not be reached, and Lv Pin began to feel anxious. He was also reluctant to send a text message to inquire with Qian Haining, so he had no choice but to ask Professor Zhou for information, only to find out that a major incident had occurred

Returning to T University is also an option, " Qian Haining thought that Lv Pin was depressed because he was expelled from the observatory midway, " the current first deputy director of the department was also brought up by Teacher Zhou. If you are willing to come back, Teacher Zhou will definitely make arrangements for you.

After hanging up the phone, Lu Pin was too lazy to even tidy up half of the laundry, and went straight to bed, curling up under the covers. CE Phase II, project research... one familiar yet strange term after another. Yuan Yuan was determined to live a stable life at T University, just coasting along until the end of her days, but she was taken to Beijing for closed development; she tried her best to squeeze in, only to be kicked out in an instant, and to this day, her heart still aches faintly.

I just heard those two twins say that last year, Engineer Gao was in a closed development in Xichang, while his wife stayed in Beijing to teach at a school and take care of their two children. It seems there was a traffic accident, and the mother was seriously injured while trying to protect her two children. She did not make it to the hospital and passed away. Engineer Gao was unaware at the time, and by the time he came out of the closed development, she had already been cremated. Lu Pin felt a moment of compassion, and when he looked at the pair of twins again, he couldn't help but feel a bit more sympathy—sometimes, perhaps children are happier. At least they can cheerfully tell Yuan Yuan: 'Mom and Book Mom have gone to heaven. Dad says that when we grow up, we will build a spaceship, and we can go up in the spaceship to find Mom.'

Yang Huan remained silent for a while, and finally sighed, "Forget it, I will come to pick you up"

Lv Pin bit his lip and said in a voice so low that only he could hear: "I do not want to be kicked out again, to be just a replaceable cog that anyone can substitute. In this field, only those who become irreplaceable can truly establish themselves."

Lu Pin's phone has average sound insulation, and Yang Huan's lazy yet impatient demeanor has left a deep impression on Qian Haining

Could you schedule earlier next time? I am at Xiangshan

Lu Pin did not know how to explain in order for Qian Haining to understand her thoughts—yet, did it really matter whether he understood or not? She repeatedly bit her lower lip from red to white, and then from white to red, "It's different."

"No need, I have someone to have dinner with tonight," yet the voice on the other end remained oblivious, only asking, "You take your time walking down the mountain, I will call you when I arrive."

Lu Pin sighed helplessly, his voice softening: "Qian Haining, what do you think is the decisive factor for two people being together?"

Yuan Yuan paused for a moment and said, "Oh, I almost forgot the main matter. Teacher Zhou has taken on a preliminary research sub-project for CE Phase 2 and will be going to Beijing next week for a semi-closed development. I will notify you again when I have the new number."

As long as you treat me, I can stomach anything, no matter how disgusting it may be

The current possibilities may be limited, but that does not mean there will be no opportunities in the future. Lü Pin's stubbornness has resurfaced. I have studied this; the second phase of CE will take at least five to six years. I do not believe that I have no chance at all. I can wait for one, two, or three years. On the contrary, if I agree to Professor Zhou now, such a significant favor... when I return, I will at most only be able to participate in one or two military projects, doing some peripheral work, and will never be able to engage in the core aspects.

"Who are you?!" Lu Pinhang was filled with resentment. Yuan Yuan's verbal skills were such that even Yang Huan would retreat in defeat; engaging in a war of words with her was akin to sending a sheep into a tiger's den. She was willing to raise the white flag and surrender, but Yuan Yuan was unwilling to disarm and let go, insisting on pursuing the defeated enemy: "When I just came out of the shower, whose call was that from that worthless man?"

Lv Pin let out a sneer, saying: "Qian Haining, why don't you understand?"

The conversation between Engineer Gao and Lv Pin was very smooth. Before coming, Lv Pin had put in a lot of hard work. The VLBI tracking subsystem is a highlight module of the CE Phase I project. Engineer Gao noticed that Lv Pin was well-versed in various details of the system, and he understood that she had indeed delved deeply into it, which made him appreciate her talent even more. Moreover, Professor Zhou had previously ignited a strong interest in the matter. Engineer Gao immediately guaranteed, "When Chief Engineer Jing arrives, I will definitely make sure she takes some time to have a good discussion with you. You can rest assured about the matters on the observatory side; as long as Chief Engineer Jing speaks up, there is no place in the country that would dare not to give you the green light!"

Lu Pin bit his lip, feeling the strong autumn chill, even his nose felt soft from the cold, a sour and painful sensation

Yuan Yuan and Qian Haining went to the West Station to pick up Lv Pin's train. Three days later, Lv Pin met "Xiao Gao" as mentioned by Professor Zhou. Xiao Gao was not small; Lv Pin followed others in calling him Engineer Gao. Before coming, Lv Pin estimated his age to be around thirty-five or thirty-six. Upon seeing him in person, she felt that he appeared quite mature, likely due to his daily dedication to research, which must be mentally taxing. Lv Pin brought several high-impact papers and her CV with her. After meeting Engineer Gao, he offered to treat her, Yuan Yuan, and Qian Haining to a meal, as a gesture of hospitality from a senior fellow.

The recent leak incident coincidentally occurred on the eve of the CE Phase I rocket launch, thus attracting significant attention from various departments, and the information was tightly contained. After Yuan Yuan and Qian Haining returned to the hotel following their investigation, they only made a phone call to Lv Pin to say that everything was fine. The results of the internal review were still unknown. Lv Pin was aware that it was not the right time to ask these questions; even if he did, Yuan Yuan was not in a core department and might not be fully aware of the actual situation.

"It's not about being stingy," Yuan Yuan said with a giggle, "it's about pulling."

Then you say it clearly to me, Qian Haining felt wronged and thought to himself, I haven't asked you to make a decision right now, why do you have to strike me down so harshly? Pluto was removed from the nine major planets and has been studied and discussed many times, so why is it that with you, I don't even have the chance to express my feelings?

Teacher Zhou said, "Your chances of squeezing into the CE program are very slim now." Qian Haining showed a hint of embarrassment; before coming here, he had inquired with Professor Zhou, which is why he would guess that this was merely a pretext from Lu Pin.

Yuan Yuan continued to nag her about how suitable Hai Ning was for her, mentioning that they were both quite persistent and somewhat dull. Lu Pin, unable to tolerate it any longer, retorted, "A young woman acting as a matchmaker is hardly in a position to ensure her own well-being. If you speak so highly of him, why don't you just take him for yourself?" This finally silenced Yuan Yuan.

Ah? Yuan Yuan sprang up from the bed like a carp leaping out of the water. "Memory? A couple of days ago, Teacher Zhou told me that this website asked him to start an astronomy popular science column, and he said you were the one who contacted him. Could it be that Brother Huang Shiren assigned this task to you?"

During a meal, Engineer Gao and three others chatted about interesting anecdotes from the first phase of the CE development. While research work may seem tedious to outsiders, for those involved, it is a mix of hardship and joy, finding pleasure amidst the struggles, which made Lv Pin feel envious. Taking advantage of the moment when Engineer Gao went to the restroom, Yuan Yuan reminded Lv Pin: "Bring back the child set of magnets, whatever you do, do not mention his wife."

As they were following along, Qian Haining leaned over and said: "Tomorrow is the weekend, why don't we go hiking at Fragrant Hills? It is said that the red leaves at Fragrant Hills are a sight to behold in Beijing, and now is just the right time in late autumn. If we don't go now, we will have to wait until next year."

No, it is still descending the mountain

Emotions

Qian Haining was not sad, just feeling a bit empty

Is it really that important to you

Lu Pin was overjoyed. From their previous conversation, it was evident that Engineer Gao was a very composed person, who would not easily express confidence or make such guarantees. On Friday, Engineer Gao invited her to the Aerospace Institute to discuss the future application of the VLBI system in the second phase of the project. The core of the VLBI system lies in utilizing radio telescopes located in different places for trajectory positioning, such as tracking the satellite's phase adjustment orbital segment. During the conversation, Lu Pin was so delighted that she felt as if her heart was being pounded by a fierce drum, wishing she could find a place to shout out her pent-up emotions. When Yuan Yuan came out after work and saw Lu Pin's beaming face, she couldn't help but scoff, "Look at you, just a few days ago you were frowning like there was no tomorrow, and now you're laughing so much that you're practically shaking with joy. You might as well find a mirror to see how much you're preening yourself now!"

Qian Haining kept telling jokes to Lü Pin to lift her spirits during the first half of the journey. By the time they reached halfway down the mountain, he had truly lost interest. Fortunately, the provisions he had brought in the morning had already been consumed at the summit, which alleviated some of their burden. The crowd was surging, and Qian Haining had no choice but to drag Lü Pin's sleeve, stumbling down the mountain: "I must hold on; even if I die, I will die a full ghost. I will not fall until I find a place to eat!"

Qian Haining was bewildered and confused. After thinking it over, he came up with another argument: "Well... I haven't graduated yet, and it's uncertain where I will go in the future. You wouldn't permanently reject someone after just one failed interview, would you?"

Longing for the stars and the moon, in the deep autumn when Lu Pin felt as if his intestines were about to be worn through, he finally received an urgent call from Professor Zhou: "Lu Pin, hurry up and pack your bags, go to Beijing immediately! The CE Phase I rocket launch is scheduled for mid-month. If the launch is successful, Professor Jing, the chief engineer of CE, will return to Beijing to personally oversee the preliminary research project for CE Phase II! Do you remember Xiao Gao from the physics department, who was a few years ahead of you? He has been following Professor Jing all these years. They were recently in a closed session in Xichang, and I couldn't get in touch with them. Now Xiao Gao has been reassigned to Beijing to temporarily take over this project. As soon as I heard this news, I contacted him, and he agreed to introduce you to Professor Jing. This leak case is said to involve significant matters, and many countries are paying attention to the developments following our CE Phase I plan. Once this situation arises, it will be a big deal; it is said that there will be a major reshuffle in the core team of the preliminary project. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you!"

"Come on, let's avoid giving people a reason to say that I am provoking him." Lu Pin burrowed into the thick blanket, refusing to respond to Yuan Yuan no matter how much she ground her teeth.

"Tsk tsk, it is often said that women at thirty are like wolves and at forty like tigers. You are only twenty-seven, so you are still far from being a tiger."

There are still five or six stops to Xiangshan, but the road is already congested with a mass of buses and private cars. Along the roadside, there are many people who can no longer endure the situation and have gotten off to walk. Qian Haining and Lü Pin endured for two more stops but could not help but get off at the roundabout, following the crowd towards Xiangshan.

"Hehe, then I feel even more embarrassed to poison the future flowers of our motherland," Lv Pinggan chuckled twice, "You must be calling me amidst your busy schedule just to look down on me, right?"

It has become a common phenomenon that the efforts of research personnel are not proportional to their rewards. When Lü Pin was at the astronomical observatory in City S, if it were not for having published a few important papers and receiving some bonuses, he would have only been able to live a life of poverty relying solely on his salary. However, Lü Pin remained perplexed; the kind of spies he had in mind seemed to exist only in television and movies, appearing in various forms at different confidential occasions, elusive and extraordinary—like Sorge, who, in the historical novels he read in middle school, had foreseen Germany's impending attack on the Soviet Union. He never expected that one day, such events would occur so closely to him.

No, Qian Haining took a few deep breaths, grabbed her hand, and said, "Now it is completely EX!"

A beam of colorful light is reflected on the glazed tiles of the museum, painting the smooth and rounded plaster pillow, resembling jade yet not quite jade, with a soft glow that flows. At first glance, it appears to be crystal clear, transparent to the bottom; however, upon closer inspection, it seems to present a different scene, hazy and indescribable.

This is more distressing than her casually using any age difference or lack of understanding as a reason to reject him

Her voice grew lower and lower, uncertain whether she was explaining to Qian Haining or persuading herself

Lü Pin was momentarily shocked; he had heard of such incidents before. In a certain maritime project, there had been a leak of critical internal data from a submarine, which was ultimately traced back to an internal engineer who sold it to foreign parties at an extremely low price. It is said that in that espionage case, the two identified informants had completed their arrangements to flee but were captured by the security department at the last moment, along with their contact person, all in one sweep. What puzzled Lü Pin was that some insiders claimed that the blueprints worth over one million US dollars were sold by our engineers for less than one hundred thousand US dollars. The specifics of the prison sentences were unclear to Lü Pin; some said it was over a decade, others mentioned several decades, and there were even more outlandish rumors. In short, opinions varied widely.

Yang Huan gasped: "Are you stuck on the road?"

A few days after returning to school, Lu Pin received a phone call from Yuan Yuan, who naturally launched into a scathing reprimand: "Xier, how about I gift you a set of black clothes for your birthday this year?"

Lu Pin's smile froze on his face. He was in high spirits, and not agreeing seemed too disrespectful, but agreeing... Lu Pin looked to Yuan Yuan for help, but Yuan Yuan laughed heartily towards the sky: "Not bad, not bad, this time we have funding for our outing. The last few times we went out, it was paid for by a few other teachers. We still have quite a bit left, so let's eat and drink well tomorrow! Qian Haining, the glorious yet arduous task of checking the routes and making the itinerary is entrusted to you!" Yuan Yuan laughed heartily towards the sky: "Not bad, not bad, this time we have funding for our outing. The last few times we went out, it was paid for by a few other teachers. We still have quite a bit left, so let's eat and drink well tomorrow! Qian Haining, the glorious yet arduous task of checking the routes and making the itinerary is entrusted to you!"

Uh..." Lu Pin shrugged and chuckled, "EX......"

Qian Haining was overjoyed, while Lu Pin was filled with gloom. When Yuan Yuan later informed her that she would be returning to Tianjin to visit her parents the next day, Lu Pin erupted in anger: "You are simply sending a sheep into a tiger's den!"

Memory Net, that place where you and Qian Haining forced me to register an account

During lunch, Engineer Gao brought a pair of twins, two six-year-old boys, who were indistinguishable in appearance. The brothers likely often played such tricks with others, weaving in and out among the tables in the hotel, challenging three people to tell them apart. Yuan Yuan, with her keen eyes, quickly identified the older brother by the mole on his ear, which the younger brother lacked, earning the admiration of the twins. However, Lu Pin seemed to have a face that did not endear her to children; after exchanging a couple of words with them, the twins disregarded her and joined Yuan Yuan in causing a ruckus in the grand hall. Engineer Gao shook his head and sighed, "These two children are becoming increasingly unruly. It was somewhat manageable when there were adults around, but now they are truly two little devils; one is enough for me to handle, and now there are two!" Lu Pin could only laugh along with him, saying, "It's fine for children to be a bit mischievous; they say that the more mischievous children are, the smarter they grow up to be!"

Where is Brother Huang Shiren currently making his fortune

No, it is about suitability, family, personality, and many other factors regarding the path one will take in the future. Emotions are not omnipotent; if the paths each person wishes to take are different, then even the strongest feelings will only become each other's constraints.

Fortunately, Yuan Yuan and Qian Haining are both peripheral staff and do not qualify as core research and development personnel for this preliminary research project. Shortly thereafter, they were removed from the key inspection scope through routine checks

Lv Pin held his heart and pretended to vomit: "I haven't even eaten yet, and you already make me feel sick!"

There is a saying among those who hold a doctor's degree, which goes: writing a thesis is like giving birth; it requires a great deal of effort to bring it forth

"Cut it out..." Lv Pin scoffed, "What is this all about?" A few days ago, Yuan Yuan and Qian Haining had insisted that she register for a Memory website account, claiming it would make sharing photos easier in the future. Reluctantly, she agreed, but to her surprise, the next day she received a call from a young lady in the product department of the website. It turned out that due to her habit of filling in completely accurate and detailed information during registration, she was filtered out by the conditions set by the product department and was invited to create a popular science column on astronomy for the Memory website. In addition to a nominal bonus, the promised conditions included a lifetime VIP account reward. Knowing that Yang Huan was there, how could Lv Pin not retreat? However, the young lady from the product department was very persistent, or one might say she was being overly tenacious. When Lv Pin found it hard to resist, a sudden idea struck her: Professor Zhou was preparing to write a popular science book on astronomy, so why not let him take on this column? Wouldn't that be killing two birds with one stone? Upon hearing about the lifetime VIP account, Yuan Yuan screamed again, "A lifetime VIP account! In the future, when playing mini-games, there will be free props available, and there are also battle spell equipment that can be exchanged! But you say Professor Zhou doesn't play those things, giving him a VIP account is simply a waste of resources!"