noise threshold
That phrase about "cherishing" was like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, creating ripples in Shen Zhiyan's rational mind. For several days in a row, he seemed more silent than usual, even somewhat absent-minded. During a group discussion, Researcher Zhou clearly misstated a parameter, but he didn't correct it immediately until Xiao Chen cautiously reminded him, at which point he snapped out of his reverie.
Jiang Mo observed all of this. She wasn't sure if her words had worked, or if he was grappling with some complex academic problem. They continued to perform their duties in the lab, their communication limited to essential work-related matters, but the layer of ice seemed to be quietly melting away, cracking finely, in a corner unseen by anyone.
That afternoon, the recording temporarily came to a halt. Jiang Mo received a call from Linda, and they went to talk near the fire escape. Linda's tone was one of barely suppressed excitement.
"MoMo, your chance has come! A top-tier magazine has a cover interview with you and Shen Zhiyan! The theme is 'Breaking Down Barriers in Dialogue,' which is a perfect opportunity to solidify your 'brainy beauty' image and greatly boost your commercial value and industry reputation!"
Jiang Mo leaned against the cold wall. The motion-activated lights in the hallway went out because of her silence, and only the light from her phone screen illuminated her face. "He... might not agree."
"So we need you to step in and offer some encouragement!" Linda said eagerly. "I've noticed he's treating you quite differently lately; he even helped you avoid getting coffee last time. Why don't you try to find a way to sound him out? Even if he's unwilling, you can put pressure on him through the production team or the center's leadership..."
“Linda,” Jiang Mo interrupted her, her voice exceptionally clear in the darkness, “Don’t use those methods. I… I’ll ask him myself.”
She hung up the phone but didn't leave immediately. Darkness and silence enveloped her. She needed this job, this opportunity to turn her image around—it was her livelihood as an artist. But using Shen Zhiyan? The thought made her uneasy. That man, who lived by pure logic, shouldn't be involved in these calculations of fleeting fame and fortune.
When the voice-activated light came on again, her face had regained its composure. Back in the rest area, she saw Shen Zhiyan sitting alone in her usual spot, several blueprints spread out in front of her, her finger pressed against her brow.
Jiang Mo walked over and sat down opposite him, getting straight to the point: "A magazine wants to invite us to do a joint interview, a cross-disciplinary dialogue about science and art. Are you interested?"
Shen Zhiyan looked up, his eyes still filled with lingering thoughts, seemingly still immersed in the world of the blueprints. Without much thought, he replied directly, "No interest. This kind of activity has too low an information entropy and is inefficient in terms of time utilization."
As expected. Jiang Mo sighed inwardly, not surprised at all.
"I understand." She nodded, preparing to end the conversation.
Just then, Shen Zhiyan suddenly looked at her and asked a question with a purely inquisitive tone: "Is this important... 'data' to you?" He used a word that he knew best understood her needs.
Jiang Mo paused for a moment, then realized he was referring to things like "commercial value" and "public image." She smiled, a hint of self-deprecation in her voice: "Well, you could say that. In our circle, good 'data' can translate into more job opportunities."
Shen Zhiyan lowered his head thoughtfully, his gaze returning to the blueprints on the table. His fingers unconsciously traced the edges of the paper, which bore the messy calculation marks left by his repeated revisions.
After a moment of silence, he looked up again, his eyes seemingly filled with a kind of determination, and with an experimental caution: "If... assuming I agree to participate, what types of 'data output' do you need me to provide? Or, is there a quantifiable 'noise threshold' that limits the scope of my speech?"
Jiang Mo was stunned. This wasn't a rejection, but rather… assessing the feasibility of cooperation? He was even willing to endure what he considered an activity with "low information entropy" for her sake?
Watching him patiently wait for the "parameter input," a soft spot in her heart was gently touched. Suddenly, she didn't want to drag him into that world of fame and fortune that he was completely unfamiliar with.
“No need, Ms. Shen.” Her voice softened, filled with genuine gratitude. “I know you don’t like these. I will refuse.”
Now it was Shen Zhiyan's turn to be puzzled. He frowned slightly: "But this seems to be very important to you."
“It is very important,” Jiang Mo met his puzzled gaze and said frankly, “but some ‘data’ cannot be obtained by sacrificing other people’s comfort zones.” She paused and added, as if explaining, or as if telling herself, “The ‘result’ obtained in that way has too low a signal-to-noise ratio.”
“Signal-to-noise ratio…” Shen Zhiyan repeated the word, his gaze towards her now holding something different. He seemed to realize for the first time that within her seemingly glamorous world, there existed an internal algorithm of choices and bottom lines that belonged to her alone.
A wonderful silence fell between them. It was no longer an awkward silence, but a peaceful stillness based on mutual understanding.
Shen Zhiyan's gaze swept past her, looking out at the night that had already fallen, and suddenly asked out of the blue, "How is your 'lugen' growing lately?"
Jiang Mo's heart skipped a beat. This was the first time he had brought up a topic that was entirely personal to her, outside of essential work-related communication.
"It's...it's alright." She steadied herself and tried to make her tone sound natural. "It seems like a new leaf has sprouted."
"Hmm." Shen Zhiyan responded, his gaze still fixed on the window, his voice low and steady, "In a stable environment, plants usually grow faster at night than during the day. This is a manifestation of their adaptability."
He didn't ask further questions or offer any evaluation; he simply provided an objective scientific fact. But in this specific context, the statement seemed to take on a different meaning—as if affirming her "roots" and also... affirming the vitality she, as a person, displayed in the current (perhaps in his view, relatively) "stable" environment.
This brief exchange, almost unlike a conversation, was like a key that gently opened a door that had been tightly shut.
The small, slightly mystical symbol "Lu Gen" now became a silent, shared secret existing only between the two of them. It didn't belong to the laboratory, nor to the entertainment industry, but only to this twilight-filled rest area and to these two people who had just begun to update each other's "databases."
Jiang Mo didn't ask him why he suddenly brought this up, and Shen Zhiyan didn't continue the topic.
However, just as this delicate and fragile balance began to emerge, Jiang Mo's phone vibrated urgently again. Linda's name flashed on the screen, carrying an ominous premonition.
She pressed the answer button, and Linda's anxious voice immediately pierced through the receiver, shattering the surrounding tranquility:
"MoMo! Something's happened! Someone dug up the dirt on you back in the 'Floating Life' drama crew, where you were replaced and blacklisted on the spot because you insisted on acting according to the script and refused to accept the investors' demands for drastic changes to the scenes! They even fabricated so-called 'diva behavior' photos and 'bullying newcomers' chat logs, and the topic has already been bought to trend on social media! Several of the partners we were talking to just called, and their tone has changed!"
Jiang Mo's fingers gripping the phone instantly turned icy cold, as if her blood had frozen in an instant. That deeply buried past, the clash between principles and the cruel reality, surged back with a distorted glint in her eyes. She subconsciously looked up at Shen Zhiyan across from her.
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