Chapter 8: Transformation - Happy New Year!
Yunlu International Villa District, near the outskirts of Beijing.
After identity verification, the vehicle slowly drove towards the Jiang family villa – Luyuan.
Luyuan is not the largest building in Yunlu International, but it is the best viewing area in the entire park.
It is backed by a small patch of native bamboo forest, with no obstruction in front. Through the three huge floor-to-ceiling windows, you can see the Mirror Lake in the park, the spire of the Jinghua University Library, and the outline of the distant foothills.
Several graceful plum trees are planted on both sides of the road leading to Luyuan Garden.
It adds a vibrant touch to the snow-white world.
As Jiang Yunye's car drove to the vicinity of the garage, the lights automatically turned on, and the garage door slowly opened.
After the vehicle came to a stop, Jiang Yunye and Jiang Xinglan got out and took the elevator directly into Luyuan Garden.
"Dad, Mom, we're back!" Jiang Xinglan greeted her parents, who were sitting on the sofa in the living room, first.
"I was just about to call you to ask where you were!" Lin Zhi put down her phone and came over. "How are you? Are you cold outside?"
"It's alright!" Jiang Xinglan shook her head and was led by her mother to sit down on the sofa.
"That's good!" Lin Zhi looked her daughter up and down, her brows furrowing slightly. "Why do I feel like Lanlan has lost weight? Lao Jiang, what do you think?"
When his two children came in, Jiang Chen put down the book he was holding, pushed up his glasses, and carefully looked at Jiang Xinglan. "Yes, a little."
"Have you been conducting some kind of experiment on me?!" Lin Zhi's voice turned somewhat ominous.
"Something terrible has happened!" Jiang Xinglan winked at Jiang Yunye, "Brother! Hurry up and get him!"
"Cough cough!" Jiang Yunye coughed twice as a tactical maneuver.
Just as he was about to speak, he met his mother's kind gaze and immediately shut his mouth.
Jiang Xinglan sighed imperceptibly, shifted slightly, and looked at her father.
“Azhi, the children are still young, it’s the time for them to work hard. We did the same thing when we were young!” Jiang Chen said, trying to smooth things over after receiving his daughter’s plea for help.
Jiang Xinglan's little tricks could not possibly escape Lin Zhi's eyes.
But she just patted Jiang Xinglan's head and said, "I only ask that you eat on time and get some rest."
Jiang Xinglan grabbed Lin Zhi's hand, "Don't worry, Mom!"
“It’s just that the experiment has made progress these past few days, so I’ve been sleeping a little less,” Jiang Xinglan moved closer to Lin Zhi, pressing against her. “I’ve been getting plenty of rest before.”
"You know what you're doing." Lin Zhi gently poked Jiang Xinglan's forehead with her index finger.
"Now that you're home, after dinner, take a few days to rest before heading back to the research institute."
"Well..." Jiang Xinglan linked arms with Lin Zhi, "There's some data coming out tomorrow, I might have to go there for half a day!"
"Just half a day, I promise!" Jiang Xinglan raised her hand, pointed to the sky, and said.
"I can't do anything with you!" Lin Zhi said helplessly. "I'll have your brother take you there tomorrow."
"Now you remember me." Jiang Yunye said with a hint of resentment as he walked over and sat down on the sofa.
"If you don't want to, have the family driver take Lanlan there," Lin Zhi said bluntly.
"Dad!" Jiang Yunye turned to look at his father, "Look at Mom!"
“Ah Zhi,” Jiang Chen received Lin Zhi’s look and changed the subject, “What you said is not wrong. If you don’t want to take it, just have the driver take it!”
"Send her off! Send her off!" Jiang Yunye sat on the sofa, puffing out his cheeks. "How could I not send her off?!"
Jiang Xinglan looked at Jiang Yunye and made a gesture as if pressing a game console button to comfort her brother.
"That's more like it," Lin Zhi said with satisfaction, patting Jiang Xinglan's hand. "Any progress lately?"
"Now that we have a direction, we need to see tomorrow's results to confirm it." Jiang Xinglan's playful expression vanished.
"Yes, don't feel pressured. This discovery is already a great step forward," Lin Zhi said gently. "Mom is very proud!"
“Yunye too,” Lin Zhi said, looking at Jiang Yunye who was sitting on the sofa looking bored. “Your dad said you’ve been doing well at the company lately, and Mom is proud of you.”
"Hehehe." A worthless smile appeared on Jiang Yunye's face, making Lin Zhi want to take back what she had just said.
Is this grinning, silly person in front of me really my son?
Lin Zhi looked at him with a puzzled expression, then looked at her husband.
Jiang Chen easily understood what Lin Zhi was thinking; Jiang Yunye's foolishness was indeed somewhat...
"Ahem," Jiang Chen felt he needed to do something to salvage Jiang Yunye's image in Lin Zhi's eyes, "Yunye, how's the project I gave you before going?"
“Dad,” Jiang Yunye said, his expression turning serious after a moment’s thought, “the project is progressing smoothly, and in the second phase, profits are expected to be higher than in the first phase…”
"Come on," Lin Zhi said, pulling Jiang Xinglan to her feet as she saw the father and son engrossed in their discussion. "I bought you a few outfits before, let me take you to see them!"
“Okay,” Jiang Xinglan said, picking up her bag. “I’ll go back to my room to change my clothes first, and then I’ll go find my mom.”
"OK."
As Jiang Xinglan went upstairs, her gaze swept across the French windows. The courtyard lights, already lit, cast a warm yellow hue over the snow-covered vegetation in the yard.
She suddenly recalled the golden sunrise she had seen over Yuncheng that day.
Jiang Xinglan shook her head and chuckled. She went upstairs to her room, tidied up briefly, and then went to the dressing room to find Lin Zhi.
"Mom specially picked out several outfits this time according to your preferred style. Look, do you like them?"
As soon as Jiang Xinglan walked in, she heard her mother's words. She looked over and saw that they were indeed the styles she liked, and they were all in low-saturation colors.
"Mom, I really like it, thank you, Mom!" Jiang Xinglan stepped forward, her fingertips tracing the fabric of the clothes, and selected an outfit. "I'll wear this back to the research institute tomorrow."
"I'm glad you like it," Lin Zhi said with a smile. "Mom will buy it for you next time she sees something suitable."
“Mom, you don’t need to buy me any special clothes,” Jiang Xinglan said, pulling Lin Zhi down to sit on the low stool. “I have enough clothes to wear.”
"Enough? Look at your wardrobe. Open it and you'll see that more than half of it is made of clean white lab coats," Lin Zhi said with a hint of disdain. "And your brother, all of them are white shirts! You're all grown men, and I still have to worry about you!"
"Oh, I see!" Jiang Xinglan moved closer to her mother, sitting up close. "I was wondering why my brother's outfit looked different today; it turns out Mom chose it!"
"Neither of you siblings is easy to deal with!"
"But Mom's here!" Jiang Xinglan swayed beside Lin Zhi, her voice soft.
Lin Zhi touched Jiang Xinglan's long hair, which had been let down, and said nothing. The mother and daughter leaned against each other, quietly enjoying this rare moment of tranquility.
"Mom, Xinglan, dinner's ready!" Jiang Yunye's voice came from downstairs, disrupting the peace of the room.
Before Lin Zhi could even begin to complain about Jiang Yunye, Jiang Xinglan spoke up first, "Mom, let's go downstairs for dinner and see what delicious food Aunt Wu has prepared!"
"Don't worry, these are all your and Yunye's favorite foods!" Lin Zhi said, standing up.
The family enjoyed a pleasant meal together, and then took a walk in the park in the evening.
Then Jiang Chen and Jiang Yunye continued their conversation in the study, while Lin Zhi and Jiang Xinglan discussed the latest research findings in the study on the second floor.
As midnight approached, the four of them gathered in the lounge area on the third floor. The table was set with cakes, drinks, and snacks. They chatted about everyday things while waiting for the New Year to arrive.
At midnight, dazzling fireworks exploded in the sky, accompanied by the deep chimes of the clock tower at Jinghua University, heralding the start of a new chapter.
Jiang Chen raised his glass, "I hope the new year will be smooth for our family, that Xinglan's research will make progress, and that the Yunye project will proceed smoothly." After saying that, he looked at Lin Zhi, "I hope Azhi will be safe, healthy, and happy all year round!"
Seeing this, Lin Zhi also raised her glass and expressed her best wishes, "I just hope you all eat well and sleep well!"
Jiang Xinglan and Jiang Yunye exchanged a glance and said at the same time, "Wishing Mom and Dad good health! May they be free from illness and disaster!"
"Alright!" Jiang Chen and Lin Zhi looked at their son and daughter with smiles in their eyes. "Okay, let's finish this drink and call it a day. Let's go home and get some rest!"
---
At midnight, the phone that Jiang Xinglan had left in the room briefly lit up before going out again.
Shen Yuheng, who was spending New Year's Eve with the crew, left the group of people who were playing around just before midnight and found a quiet corner.
After typing "Happy New Year, Teacher Jiang!", I held my phone and waited quietly for midnight to arrive.
As an actor, Shen Yuheng is used to portraying a wide range of emotions in front of the camera.
But the tension I feel right now comes entirely from the bottom of my heart.
This emotion reached its peak after the send button was pressed.
The moment the fireworks burst in the sky, Shen Yuheng looked up. There should be fireworks in Jinghua City now.
He raised his phone, pressed the shutter, and then posted a message wishing everyone a Happy New Year.
He quickly received numerous replies from fans, and Shen Yuheng selected a few to send his blessings.
He never received the reply he was hoping for, even after the New Year's Eve party for the film crew had ended.
---
After getting up and having breakfast, Jiang Xinglan checked her phone just before leaving and replied to all the New Year's greetings on it.
After replying to her family and friends, Jiang Xinglan opened her work account and replied with "Happy New Year" in order.
After a long while, she finally saw the message Shen Yuheng had sent:
Shen Yuheng
Happy New Year, Teacher Jiang! 00:00
Jiang Xinglan paused for a moment, then tapped her fingers lightly and sent the text message.
Shen Yuheng, who had been listless all morning, was having breakfast with Wei Yu, who had arrived early.
"Here, this is all what your sister-in-law made last night, and she specially saved it for you. Try it!" Wei Yu introduced the food he brought to Shen Yuheng.
"Yes, thank you, Brother Wei and Sister-in-law," Shen Yuheng said weakly.
"What's wrong with you?" Wei Yu noticed that Shen Yuheng's expression was not good. "Did you stay out too late yesterday? But I remember Xiao Chen told me that you went home early."
"Hmm, they seemed to have dispersed around 1 a.m.," Shen Yuheng recalled, avoiding any further questions.
“Okay, this drama will be finished before the New Year, and then on January 6th, you need to attend the first joint rehearsal for the New Year’s Eve Gala.” Wei Yu came over early in the morning for this reason. “Also, although you said you didn’t want to be assigned any commercial activities, from the perspective of protecting the brand, there are some activities that cannot be avoided.”
That feeling of helplessness washed over Shen Yuheng again, and he sighed deeply, "Understood, please send me a copy of the itinerary, Brother Wei."
“Okay,” Wei Yu said, looking down at his phone. “Don’t worry, I’ll try to push as many as possible.”
"Thank you for your trouble." Shen Yuheng picked up his phone and checked the densely packed schedule, which made him feel irritated.
Suddenly, a series of notifications popped up at the top of the screen, momentarily pausing this feeling of frustration.
His intuition told him that this was what he was looking forward to, so he couldn't wait to click to check it out.
JXL: "Sorry, I didn't bring my phone yesterday. I went to sleep right after New Year's Eve."
JXL: "Happy New Year, Teacher Shen. Wishing you all the best."
These two short sentences not only dispelled Shen Yuheng's anxiety but also injected him with new vitality.
Wei Yu, standing to the side, looked at Shen Yuheng, who was completely different from before, and felt worried.
Is Shen Yuheng too deeply involved?
On the other side, Jiang Xinglan received another reply just seconds after replying to Shen Yuheng.
Shen Yuheng: "It's alright. What are your plans for today, Teacher Jiang?"
Jiang Xinglan: "On the way to the laboratory."
Shen Yuheng: "Then I won't disturb you any longer. Hope the experiment goes smoothly!"
Jiang Xinglan: "Thank you."
"Friend?" Jiang Yunye began to scrutinize Jiang Xinglan as she replied to Shen Yuheng.
"I guess so," Jiang Xinglan replied, "We're not very familiar with each other."
Not very familiar? In that case, Jiang Yunye didn't pay much attention and instead asked, "Do you need me to pick you up tonight?"
"No need," Jiang Xinglan refused. "I can drive back myself tonight."
"Okay, then tell Mom."
“Okay,” Jiang Xinglan fiddled with her phone. “Brother, wait for me a moment.”
"What?" Jiang Yunye asked somewhat casually.
“Your game console seems to have arrived,” Jiang Xinglan showed him the package delivery confirmation page. “Perfect, you can take it back with you, so I don’t have to carry it myself tonight.”
"good!"
---
Just before the Spring Festival, Beijing was hit by another heavy snowfall.
On New Year's Eve, Jiang Xinglan was abroad participating in an academic exchange.
"You said you were going to take the whole family on a trip during the Chinese New Year, but you ended up going abroad yourself," Jiang Yunye said indignantly from the other end of the screen.
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Lin Zhi patted Jiang Yunye on the back, pushing him to the back. "How was it? Did it go smoothly?"
"Mom, it went smoothly." Jiang Xinglan was also a little surprised when she received the notification.
In mid-January, Jiang Xinglan confirmed that the SER3 gene is a key gene regulating the binding of Tau protein to Aβ protein by comparing a series of data, such as the number of glial cells in mice with the SER3 gene knocked out.
When the experimental data was published, it received widespread attention, and many laboratories began to verify the conclusion.
In early February, the International Academic Exchange Center sent an invitation to Jiang Xinglan to participate in an academic exchange, adding a note that she must attend.
Jiang Xinglan simply couldn't refuse, so she had no choice but to travel to a foreign land as New Year's Eve approached.
Before, no matter how busy she was, Jiang Xinglan would always be at home during the Spring Festival. This was the first time she had spent the Spring Festival away from home.
"Xinglan, be careful while you're away from home," Jiang Chen said, offering his advice.
"Okay!" Jiang Xinglan said with a relaxed expression. "If it ends early, I might be able to watch the show with you guys!"
"So what are you going to eat?" Lin Zhi asked.
“We’ve prepared a meal here,” Jiang Xinglan said. “I prepared some ingredients a couple of days ago. I’ll pack them up when I get back and have the hotel kitchen cook them for me.”
"I'll have someone bring you some later. Don't go out; it's not safe," Jiang Yunye said from the back, unable to squeeze to the front.
“Lanlan, just listen to your brother,” Lin Zhi also advised. “You’re a girl alone abroad, you still need to be careful.”
"Okay!" Jiang Xinglan nodded. "I'll ask around later when it'll probably end and then let you know, brother."
At this moment, a scholar walked towards Jiang Xinglan's direction. Upon seeing this, Jiang Chen and the other two said, "You go ahead and do your work, we'll talk again when we get back," and hung up the video call.
"Jiang, you just said SER3 is..."
When Jiang Xinglan returned to the hotel, it was already afternoon local time. Perhaps because it was Chinese New Year's Eve, no meetings were scheduled.
She took a shower first, and when she came out of the bathroom, the meal that Jiang Yunye had asked someone to deliver had also arrived.
Jiang Xinglan placed the food on the table one by one.
Jiang Yunye had prepared a very thorough meal, with a wide variety of dishes, all of which were Jiang Xinglan's favorites.
Fortunately, the portion of each type is very small, so there is no waste in the end.
Just as Jiang Xinglan was about to start eating, Jiang Yunye called, "How is it? Did you receive it?"
“Hmm,” Jiang Xinglan flipped the camera to focus on the food box on the table, “It’s quite a feast.”
“That’s fine,” Jiang Yunye said. “My parents asked me to tell you that my second uncle is here suddenly and probably won’t be able to call you.”
"Oh, okay." Jiang Xinglan nodded.
Suddenly, Jiang Yunye turned his head towards the living room and said, "Right away!" Then he turned his gaze back to his phone screen.
"I understand, go ahead." Jiang Xinglan spoke first. "After dinner, I'll read some literature and then go to sleep. I have a meeting tomorrow."
"That's fine too." Jiang Yunye frowned imperceptibly. "I'll pick you up when you return to China."
"Um."
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Xinglan looked around the empty hotel room and felt a little lonely.
I checked the time, opened my laptop, found the link to the New Year's Eve gala broadcast, and clicked on it.
Suddenly, Shen Yuheng appeared in front of Jiang Xinglan.
A note from the author:
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