Chen Hao pressed the elevator button, and the number jumped to the seventh floor. He was about to speak when the doors opened, but Nana spoke first.
"Can I try wearing red to the next party?"
He paused for a moment, then laughed, "Sure, just don't dress like a traffic light."
The two entered the house; their mother was already asleep. The living room light was still on, and the orange-juice-stained shirt on the table was still draped over the back of a chair. Nana glanced at it, then turned to go to the charging dock to wait. Chen Hao had only been in bed for five minutes after showering when his phone started vibrating.
It's a message from the community group.
Someone posted a video titled, "The robot my neighbor Xiao Chen brought is hilarious! The cleaning mode startup scene cracked me up!" Dozens of replies followed, all filled with emojis and "hahaha." He clicked on it and saw it was a clip of Nana frantically wiping her clothes after spilling orange juice the previous night. In the video, she solemnly announced, "Initiating the stain removal program," accompanied by background sound effects, resembling an old-fashioned appliance commercial.
He turned over, about to turn off the screen and go to sleep, when another push notification popped up—the local news WeChat account had updated, "Residents Encounter Mysterious Tech Team? Robots Appear at Community Events Spark Heated Discussion."
The article included clips from their interview, highlighting the phrase "organic structure discovered on a lifeless planet." The comment section exploded.
"Is this an alien research project?"
"That robot doesn't talk like a typical household robot."
Is there any research institution supporting it?
Before he could even process what was happening, the next morning, Nana stood at the kitchen door calling him.
“You have 37 unread emails, 29 of which are from universities and research institutes.”
Who posted this?
"Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University... and two foreign laboratories, but I didn't open the attachments."
Chen Hao sat down at the dining table, his mind still reeling. Susan brought him a bowl of porridge and handed him a tablet. The screen displayed email summaries, each question more challenging than the last.
"What model of spectrometer do you use?"
"Do the carbon isotope ratios detected in the rock samples conform to abiotic synthesis characteristics?"
Could you provide the raw data for the atmospheric infrared radiation attenuation curve?
He was sweating profusely as he read this. "I don't even know what radiation attenuation is."
Carl emerged from his study, holding a printed copy of the interview. "I've entered all the terms into the knowledge base for comparison, but the terminology used in Earth sciences is different from that on our home planet. For example, 'tectonic movement' here refers to crustal changes, while in our database it falls under the category of mechanical engineering."
Nana chimed in, "I can retrieve the original logs from the task record and extract the image and sensor data."
"The problem is, how do I make it understandable to people?" Chen Hao scratched his head. "I'm not a professor, I can't explain those profound things."
Susan suddenly said, “You can talk about what you know. For example, that night when we heard the wind in the cave sound like weeping, you said it was the sound of airflow passing through the cracks in the rock. Scientists may not care about feelings, but ordinary people will remember that.”
Chen Hao looked up at her. "You mean, stop pretending to be an expert and just talk about what we've seen and encountered?"
"Yes. You're a terrible student, which makes you seem more real."
He grinned. "So my weaknesses have become strengths?"
Nana has already started operating the computer, projecting a table. "I've divided the questions into four categories: equipment technology, geological analysis, environmental evolution, and follow-up verification. Each category is accompanied by corresponding data screenshots and brief explanations."
Carl sat beside him, adjusting paragraphs according to the format of a research paper. "I've noticed that academic articles on Earth tend to state the conclusion first, followed by the process. It's different from our 'chronological reporting' approach."
“Then let’s revise it.” Chen Hao took out paper and pen. “Start by saying where we went and what we found. In the middle, we’ll show pictures, and at the end, we’ll leave a few unsolved mysteries.”
The three sat around the table. Susan wrote the text, Carl proofread the logical sequence, and Nana compiled the charts. Chen Hao dictated the text while adding details.
"Remember that blue crystal? It was still slightly warm when we dug it out. At the time, I thought it was a leaking battery, but later I found out that it was generating its own heat."
“This can be used as a case of an abnormal energy source.” Nana immediately marked it in the data package.
I didn't even have a proper lunch, and by 3 PM, the first draft of the materials was finally complete. The file was titled "Preliminary Exchange Data on Planetary Exploration V1.0," and consisted of twenty-three pages with six attached data files.
I just saved it, and another email arrived.
"Hello, I am Researcher Li from the National Astronomical Observatories. I am very interested after reading the media reports. Could your team arrange an online exchange? Our research group would like to understand the specific location and depth distribution of the rock samples collected."
Chen Hao stared at the screen. "This isn't just casual chatting; we really have to answer questions."
Nana said, "I have prepared a response template, you can refer to it."
He received another WeChat message from the reporter who had interviewed them before: "There's a science popularization forum that has invited you to share your experiences. The organizers said that many researchers would like to hear about your on-site experiences."
He leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh. "Yesterday I was being laughed at in the community, and today I have to face a bunch of questions from experts. This change is too fast."
Susan said softly, "But they only noticed you because of what happened last night."
"So, Nana's glass of orange juice was a form of advertising for us?"
"At least you've made a lasting impression on everyone."
Carl looked up. "I also received an email asking if I had encountered any comprehension difficulties while studying human history. The sender said that such differences in understanding across civilizations are of great research value."
Chen Hao laughed, "You've become a typical case?"
"I don't think... it's shameful."
Nana looked at everyone and said, "The raw data has been compiled, and the Q&A plan has been updated to version three. In addition, I suggest that Chen Hao practice his speaking rhythm to avoid speaking too fast when he is nervous."
"Well, now I even feel unprofessional when I'm breathing."
At 8 p.m., they resumed their meeting. The computers were on, and they went through the documents page by page. Nana offered suggestions for revision, Susan adjusted the wording, and Carl added technical details.
Chen Hao began his opening remarks: "Hello everyone, I'm not a scientist, just an ordinary student..."
He stopped halfway through reading, thinking, "Why does this sound like the beginning of a will?"
“Put it another way,” Susan said. “Say that you didn’t originally intend to study these things, and that you came across them by accident.”
“Okay. To be honest, when I went to that planet, I never expected to bring back any important discoveries. I just didn't want to fail my course.”
Carl nodded. "That statement has 92% emotional authenticity."
Nana said, "According to the emotion module analysis, this self-deprecating opening helps reduce the audience's expected pressure."
So, I have to lower my expectations to earn respect?
At 11:00 AM, the second round of revisions was completed. The new version of the document added three charts, removed two overly complex descriptions, and included screenshots from on-site video footage.
Chen Hao stretched and yawned. "It's finally starting to look decent."
My phone vibrated.
Nana glanced at the emails. "Five more new emails. One of them is from a key laboratory, requesting a video conference at 9 a.m. tomorrow."
"So urgent?"
"The other party said that if the information is true, it will be one of the most important civilian discoveries in the field of planetary science in the last decade."
The room was quiet for a few seconds.
Susan whispered, "We're really being taken seriously."
Chen Hao scratched the back of his head. "I'm a little afraid to see people right now, but I also want to tell them everything we know as soon as possible."
Nana opened the folder; the screen displayed neatly arranged documents and data packages. She said softly, "We'll receive the next round of academic inquiries in twelve hours and thirty-seven minutes."
Chen Hao stood up and walked to his desk. The old shirt was still on the chair; the stains had dried and the color had faded. He picked it up, folded it, and put it in the drawer.
Then I opened my notebook and wrote down the first sentence:
"The story we're about to tell isn't a perfect one."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com