The ultimate romance of reason
The mornings at Qi Nan Mountain always seem more awake than elsewhere. Birdsong is crisp and clear, piercing through the thin mist, and the sound of the flowing river is exceptionally distinct. Inside the wooden cabin, Lin Wanxing's ankle, thanks to the herbs Jiang Chen found and Lu Ziang's professional treatment, has mostly healed. Although she still can't engage in strenuous exercise, walking normally is no longer a problem.
Breakfast was porridge made by Jiang Chen using vegetables he grew himself and rice he traded with from the village—simple yet comforting. The four of them sat around a small wooden table outside the cabin. The atmosphere was noticeably more relaxed than in the previous days, but the invisible barrier between Su Xiao and Lu Zi'ang remained, like a thin, transparent film—visible but intangible, hindering genuine communication. Su Xiao focused intently on her porridge, avoiding any eye contact with Lu Zi'ang; Lu Zi'ang, on the other hand, sat upright, his eating movements meticulous, his gaze occasionally sweeping over Su Xiao, but only briefly, without uttering a word.
A subtle sense of stalemate, eager to be broken, permeated the air.
After dinner, Jiang Chen looked at the sky and said to Lin Wanxing, "The weather is nice today. How about we go for a walk nearby? There's a place where you can see a panoramic view of the river bend." His eyes held a question, but also a hint of wanting to share this place with her.
Lin Wanxing immediately understood. She looked at Su Xiao and Lu Ziang and asked naturally, "Xiaoxiao, Dr. Lu, do you... want to come along?"
Su Xiao shook her head almost immediately, waving her phone: "Ah, no, I just need to deal with some work emails. The signal is intermittent, so I need to hurry." She found an impeccable reason.
Lu Ziang nodded slightly, giving the same valid reason: "I need to organize my upcoming itinerary and medical records."
Unspokenly, the two couples were separated. Jiang Chen carefully helped Lin Wanxing, and the two slowly walked up the hillside along another, gentler path behind the house.
In front of the wooden house, only Su Xiao and Lu Zi'ang remained. The air seemed to freeze instantly, with only the rustling of the wind through the bamboo leaves. Su Xiao felt extremely uncomfortable, so she simply got up, making an excuse that she needed to go back inside to find something, thus avoiding the awkward solitude.
Lu Ziang watched her figure disappear through the door, sat quietly for a few minutes, then stood up and walked towards his SUV parked a little further away.
Su Xiao lingered inside for a while, then, feeling it was about time, came out again, only to find that Lu Ziang wasn't there. Just as she was wondering what was going on, the door of his SUV opened, and Lu Ziang got out, carrying a slim laptop and a portable projector, walking steadily towards her.
Su Xiao's heart skipped a beat for no reason, and she instinctively wanted to avoid it again.
"Miss Su." Lu Zi'ang called out to her before she turned around. His voice was as steady as ever, but if you listened carefully, it seemed to have a slightly more perceptible tension than usual.
Su Xiao stopped and turned around, putting on a distant yet polite expression: "Dr. Lu, is there something you need?" She noticed the computer in his hand and felt a little confused.
Lu Ziang walked up to her, maintaining a perfect distance that was neither offensive nor detrimental to the privacy of their conversation. He didn't answer immediately, but instead opened his laptop and expertly connected it to a small portable projector next to him—clearly one of his go-to office devices.
A beam of light shone on the clean, light brown wooden walls of the cabin.
Su Xiao was even more confused, and frowned: "Dr. Lu, what's wrong...?"
Lu Ziang operated the computer, not looking at her, his gaze focused on the screen, which was also on the projected image. His profile appeared particularly sharp and cold under the projector's light, but the slight movement of his Adam's apple betrayed a hint that he was not as calm as he seemed on the surface.
“Ms. Su,” he finally spoke, his voice deliberately adjusted to sound clearer and… more formal, “I have conducted a comprehensive review and analysis of our previous relationship, and the series of misunderstandings and inefficiencies that arose from it.”
Su Xiao's eyes widened, almost thinking she had misheard. A debriefing analysis? He was talking about their... messy relationship in the tone of a project summary?
On the projection screen, the first slide appeared. The title, in a calm and collected Song typeface, read: "System Error Analysis Report (Interpersonal Interaction Module: Su Xiao - Lu Ziang)".
Su Xiao looked at the title and almost choked on her breath. She was both angry and amused, feeling that it was utterly absurd.
Lu Ziang seemed completely oblivious to her complex facial expression, and began his "report" in a tone as if he were giving a presentation in an academic lecture hall:
“First, the misjudgment was based on initial cognitive biases.” He switched to a chart, which even included a simple data model. “Initially, I simply categorized your behavior patterns as ‘irrational impulsiveness’ and ‘inefficient social engagement,’ ignoring the emotional drivers and uniqueness behind the behavior. For example, the core value of sending flowers or lunchboxes is not the items themselves, but the ‘expressive intention’ they carry. I mistakenly used ‘practicality’ and ‘efficiency’ as the sole criteria, leading to the misjudgment.”
He pointed to a node on the chart and said seriously, "This is where I made my first critical mistake: failing to recognize the diversity of ways of expressing emotions."
Su Xiao didn't know what expression to wear. She crossed her arms, staring at the cold charts and terminology on the wall, her heart filled with mixed emotions. What was going on?
"Secondly, it was due to the mishandling of external interference factors." Lu Ziang switched to the next PPT slide, which listed several time points and brief descriptions of events, including several records of Qin Yu's "coincidental" appearances. "At critical decision-making junctures, the failure to identify and eliminate interference from non-objective factors in a timely manner led to distorted information transmission and ultimately output incorrect feedback signals—that is, causing you to misunderstand."
He paused here, finally shifting his gaze from the screen to Su Xiao, his eyes filled with pure seriousness: "This is a serious bug. I take full responsibility for it."
BUG… Su Xiao’s lips twitched.
“Third, and most importantly,” Lu Ziang’s voice lowered slightly as he switched to the last slide, titled “System Optimization and Restructuring Proposal,” “Based on the above analysis, I realize that the original interaction method has fundamental flaws and cannot adapt to… the more complex needs of interpersonal emotional connection.”
He manipulated the mouse, and the new "proposals" began to appear one by one on the PowerPoint presentation:
"1. Revise the perception and view 'Su Xiao' as an independent, complex, and high-value emotional interaction individual."
2. Remove all external interference (already executed).
"3. Redefine interaction goals: shift from 'avoiding inefficient social interactions' to 'attempting to build stable, long-term, and mutually trusting emotional connections'."
As he read this, Lu Ziang raised his head again, looking directly at Su Xiao. In those eyes, which were always rational to the point of being almost cold, her figure was clearly reflected, along with a clumsy yet extremely sincere earnestness.
“After recalibration and deep self-testing,” he said slowly, each word carefully uttered as if after precise calculation, “I, Lu Ziang, have reached a conclusion that is completely opposite to the initial settings.”
He took a deep breath, a rare gesture that revealed his inner turmoil.
“I cannot accurately define all the parameters of this emotional need, but it does exist and significantly affects my inner stability and… well-being. I… need your presence to maintain my optimal state.”
He finished speaking. The entire "report" was well-organized, logically rigorous, and precisely worded, resembling an impeccable technical document.
The PowerPoint presentation on the wall was frozen on the last item, "Refactoring Proposal".
The air was so quiet that only the sound of the wind and the faint sound of the river flowing in the distance could be heard.
Su Xiao stood there, her expression shifting from initial absurdity and anger to complex and indescribable emotions, and finally to... an indescribable feeling of being moved.
She looked at Lu Ziang, at this man who, in the most rational, clumsy, and unbelievable way in the world, was dissecting his mistakes and expressing his needs to her. He had no sweet words, no romantic promises; he even compared his feelings of attraction and need to "system bugs" and "happiness parameters."
This is ridiculous, so much like Lu Ziang.
Just as Lu Ziang was about to elaborate on the specific implementation details of his "restructuring proposal," Su Xiao suddenly stepped forward and abruptly interrupted him.
"Stop!" She raised her hand, making a decisive gesture, her gaze fixed intently and unwaveringly into Lu Ziang's eyes, her sharp eyes seeming to peel away all his rationality.
"Lu Ziang, put away your messy data models and system analyses!"
She took a deep breath, almost through gritted teeth, and said clearly, "Speak human language!"
Lu Ziang was taken aback by her sudden, powerful demand, his carefully prepared logical chain of reasoning instantly broken. He looked into her bright, almost piercing eyes, in which his somewhat bewildered reflection was mirrored. He opened his mouth, the technical terms stuck in his throat, and for a moment, he couldn't find the right, "human" words to express the complex and surging emotions within him.
"I..." He was uncharacteristically at a loss for words, his ears involuntarily turning slightly red, and his eyes began to dart away, unable to meet her gaze any longer. "I mean... that mistake... was actually... something I just didn't understand..."
He struggled to organize his thoughts, trying to break free from those familiar frameworks. His voice lowered, trembling with an unnatural stutter: "I only realized later... it wasn't that your behavior was inefficient... it was... that I couldn't handle... after you came into my life, my... my disordered rhythm and emotions..."
He spoke more and more urgently, his words becoming increasingly chaotic, until fine beads of sweat even appeared on his forehead. Finally, as if breaking through some obstacle, he raised his head, his gaze filled with a desperate embarrassment and sincerity, looking into Su Xiao's eyes:
"I've realized... I think I've fallen in love with you, Su Xiao."
After those words slipped out, he seemed stunned, then a deeper panic washed over him. He hurriedly added, trying to make his confession sound less abrupt: "My brain... it often... uncontrollably thinks of you. Seeing coffee makes me wonder if you're working overtime again, hearing a child cry reminds me of you volunteering in the pediatrics ward, even seeing data reports... makes me lose focus..."
He wanted to say something more to prove the "irrationality" and authenticity of this emotion.
But Su Xiao didn't give him that chance.
The moment he uttered those clumsy yet incredibly clear words, "I've fallen in love with you," and as she heard his fragmented yet utterly sincere additions, all the pent-up frustration, resentment, waiting, and uncertainty in her heart were swept away and melted away by the surging warmth.
She suddenly laughed, but hot tears streamed down her face at the same time. Then, while Lu Ziang was still trying to explain in his meager "human language," without any warning, she leaned forward abruptly, reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, stood on tiptoe, and used her lips to precisely and without hesitation seal off all his unfinished, clumsy words.
Lu Ziang froze completely, his mind blank as if attacked by the most intense unknown virus. All logic, all analysis, all system notifications fell silent at this moment. All he could feel was the soft, warm touch on her lips, carrying her unique, slightly tearful, salty taste and unwavering strength.
The kiss was short, but it was like a beam of light that shattered all the barriers of reason in his world.
Su Xiao slowly stepped back, her arms still wrapped around his neck, her cheeks flushed, her breathing slightly rapid, but her eyes, still glistening with tears, shone brightly as she stared straight at his face, which was somewhat dazed from shock.
"Idiot..." she muttered softly, her voice thick with nasal congestion, but a smirk played on her lips. "Why didn't you say that earlier?"
Lu Ziang felt as if he had finally successfully rebooted. He looked at her face so close to his, at his reflection in her eyes. Those eyes, which were always calmly analyzing everything, were now filled with utter shock and a gradually clearing, immense joy. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he subconsciously tightened his arms around her waist, pulling her even closer into his embrace, as if he wanted to meld her into his very bones, into the core code he had just updated.
"Mmm." He responded softly, his voice hoarse, yet warmer than ever before. He gently rested his chin on the top of her head, inhaling the faint fragrance of her hair. For the first time, he felt what "optimal system operation" felt like—warm, fulfilling, and... willingly accepting all "unpredictability."
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the bamboo leaves, dappling the two people embracing.
The rational iceberg, in its most unique way, finally completed its melting process. And the emotional butterfly finally found a branch to perch on.
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