Twenty years later.
Inside the laboratory, everyone cheered.
"The launch was a success! Our second satellite has been successfully launched."
“Our data is fine, that’s fantastic.”
As everyone witnessed the spaceship enter its designated orbit and successfully enter space, they cheered wildly.
Jiang Qingyuan took off his glasses, rubbed his eyes which hadn't had a proper rest for several days, and took off his white coat.
The launch was successful, and they now have some time to rest.
"Professor Cheng, shall we go out for dinner together later?" A colleague from the lab pointed to Jiang Qingyuan, who was tidying up in the corner. "Let's invite Professor Jiang along."
No one in the lab dared to ask Professor Jiang, because he was usually too aloof.
He never smiles at anyone, and he's not that he's short-tempered, he's just indifferent to everyone, as if he's never angry.
Aside from Professor Cheng, who is also an alumnus, I've never seen Professor Jiang initiate conversations with anyone else.
Cheng Xuelin gently declined, saying, "It's my parents' birthday at home, we have to go back."
"Your parents? Your parents?"
The students in the lab were all very curious about the relationship between the two professors.
I'm forty years old, and I spend all my time in the lab.
He doesn't get married, nor does he have close relationships with other women.
"Don't meddle in adults' affairs." Cheng Xuelin tapped the student on the head, signaling him not to ask any more questions.
Cheng Xuelin quickly got ready and caught up with Jiang Qingyuan.
On the way back to the village, Jiang Qingyuan was driving.
The two of them went to the supermarket and bought a lot of gifts, as today was Pei's father's seventieth birthday.
After buying fruit, nutritional supplements, and gifts for the children in the family, I drove to the countryside.
A couple of years ago, I also mentioned bringing my parents to the city to live with me.
Pei's parents had lived in the village their whole lives. They had no jobs in the city, nothing to do, and nowhere to go, so they simply couldn't adapt.
I'd rather stay in the village, farm a little land, enjoy my grandchildren, and live a more carefree life.
Here, we must mention Pei Wang.
Pei Wang got married three years after Pei Zhi left.
Without Pei Zhi, the house felt too desolate and lifeless.
Pei Wang thought that new life should bring vitality and laughter.
Pei Wang had two children within three years, but his life was still far from prosperous.
The young couple were doing business together when the wife cheated on him, and Pei Wang caught them red-handed.
If it were the hot-blooded Pei Wang from before, he would definitely have killed that adulterer.
After Pei Wang witnessed the incident, he didn't say anything and chose to go through with the divorce proceedings. He wanted both children and gave the woman a large sum of money.
It can also be seen as a way of thanking the woman for giving birth to his child and providing her with some security.
Jiang Qingyuan and Cheng Xuelin had just driven to the Pei family's house when they saw the jeep in the yard.
A hint of displeasure flashed in Jiang Qingyuan's eyes. "Why is he back?"
Cheng Xuelin laughed and said, "Uncle is seventy years old, he will definitely come back."
"You're so nice to him. Have you forgotten how he used to beat you half to death every time you saw him a few years ago?"
Du Lei eventually found out how Pei Zhi died.
Cheng's mother was locked up, and Du Lei had nowhere to vent his anger.
Cheng Xuelin didn't try to avoid Du Lei, so every time he saw Du Lei, he would get beaten up.
Cheng Xuelin thought for a moment and could only say, "He hasn't hit me much in the past few years."
"Hehe." Jiang Qingyuan opened the car door and got out.
Cheng Xuelin followed along, and the two of them unloaded the large and small bags from the trunk of the car.
As soon as he entered the courtyard, he was surrounded by two little boys who sweetly called him "uncle" and "aunt."
Pei Wang, Du Lei, and Pei's older brother were standing in a corner of the courtyard smoking.
Upon seeing the two of them arrive, he quickly stubbed out his cigarette.
Pei Wang went to take the things: "Why are you back so late today?"
Brother Pei also chimed in, "I told you, don't buy so much stuff. You always buy so much every time you come; we can't possibly finish it all at home."
In recent years, the Pei family's house has been demolished and replaced with a large apartment building, and the courtyard has been expanded to be even larger.
Du Lei put one hand in his pocket and followed the group into the main room.
It was Pei's father's seventieth birthday, but no other relatives were invited. It was just the few of them who had a meal together.
Sister-in-law Pei and her mother were busy in the kitchen when Cheng Xuelin put down his things and went into the kitchen.
Seeing this, Du Lei snorted, "He's so good at flattering people."
Pei Wang laughed and said, "Then you should put down your airs as a commander and go help in the kitchen."
Du Lei scoffed, "I'm not going to compete with a coward for work."
Pei Wang sighed upon hearing this, "You, why do you speak so rudely?"
Du Lei sneered, "I've beaten him up countless times. Any man with a shred of backbone should fight me."
In fact, Pei Wang initially disliked Cheng Xuelin very much.
Cheng Xuelin's mother killed her own sister. If she were to treat Cheng Xuelin well, wouldn't she be betraying her own dead sister?
Later, Pei Wang and his wife, the eldest son and his wife, were busy with the factory business.
Pei's mother was deeply troubled by Pei Zhi's death.
Once, he accidentally fell at home and lost consciousness on the spot. His father was not at home.
Fortunately, during that period, Cheng Xuelin would often go to the village whenever he had a spare moment.
Cheng Xuelin saw this and then carried Pei's mother to the county town for treatment.
The doctor also said that it was discovered in time.
If it had been a few hours later, the person would have been gone.
Before that, every time Pei Wang met Cheng Xuelin, he would either fight or verbally abuse him.
Cheng Xuelin saved Pei's mother, and Pei Wang couldn't be ungrateful. Although he still ignored Cheng Xuelin, he wouldn't speak rudely to him.
Afterwards, Cheng's mother passed away in a mental hospital, and Cheng Xuelin handled the funeral arrangements.
Now that Cheng's mother has left, Pei Wang has no reason to be angry or hold a grudge against Cheng Xuelin.
As for Du Lei, every time he saw Cheng Xuelin in previous years, Cheng Xuelin would be lying in the hospital for several days.
Later, Pei's mother found out and gave Du Lei a good scolding, which stopped Du Lei from hitting her.
Pei Wang didn't want to talk much with Du Lei, that brute. "If Cheng Xuelin were truly serious, he would have fought back directly, and both of you would have ended up in jail. I wonder if you could still keep your job."
Du Lei scoffed, "Do I care about these?"
Du Lei worked tirelessly in the army, never caring about rank or anything like that.
Pei Wang called Du Lei to come inside and sit down: "Alright, alright, come in, it's cold outside."
Du Lei said lazily, "I'm too lazy to go in. Seeing that good-for-nothing Jiang Qingyuan gives me a headache."
Pei Wang scoffed rather rudely, "Just say you don't like anyone, right?"
Du Lei readily admitted, "Yes, including you, you bastard."
Du Lei grew angrier the more he thought about it. "What did you tell me back then? That Pei Zhi's incident was an accident? And what happened?"
"If you weren't Pei Zhi's brother, I would definitely beat you up."
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