Chapter 141: Cherish

After leaving the thermal food container for Wu Tong and giving her repeated instructions, Cheng Huanan departed from her dormitory alongside Ruan Chengxu and Li Yisheng.

With the preliminary results achieved, the pressure on Wu Tong eased significantly. After a quick wash, she opened the container to find fresh beef congee from the special faculty kitchen. It was likely packed straight from the stove, as it was still piping hot. Wu Tong called home. Talking to her family was her favorite way to relax and recharge; their love always provided her with an infinite source of energy.

She had been incredibly busy lately. Although she kept in touch with her family, their conversations were brief, as her parents, grandfather, and uncle were all afraid of interrupting her studies. Her older brother was even stricter, only reachable during his limited breaks. From their last video call, she could already see a glimmer of the tempered spirit of a soldier in him. Having finally reached a milestone in her work today, she wanted to have a proper chat with her parents.

"Tongtong, are you just eating now?" Wu Jingzhong glanced at the wall clock. It was nearly eight o'clock; he had already watched the evening news, the weather forecast, and even sat through some commercials. With their child away, both he and his wife felt a bit listless. Even after half a year, they still hadn't fully adjusted to life without her.

"Eating dinner at this hour is a bit late, isn't it?" Wu Jingzhong peered closely at Wu Tong on the screen. "Why does Dad feel like you’ve been too busy lately? You look like you’ve lost weight!"

"No matter how busy you are with your studies, you must eat on time!" Jin Yu, who had been preparing lessons nearby, dropped her pen the moment she heard "Tongtong" and hurried over.

Wu Tong had told them she was minoring in materials science and had an academician as a mentor. As parents, they wouldn't oppose her desire to learn more. But transitioning from mathematics to an unfamiliar field like materials science while keeping up with her math curriculum—they had both been through university and knew the immense pressure their daughter was under; it was double the workload of an average student.

They could no longer keep up with the specific subjects Wu Tong was researching. All they could do was offer support and feel heartache for her. As long as she wasn't doing anything illegal or harmful to the country, they supported her academic pursuits completely, only offering reminders and care regarding her daily life.

"I am eating, I really am. I haven't lost any weight. My teacher came by today, and we talked for a while, which delayed me a bit. I’m eating the congee the teacher and my senior fellow student brought me. Look, the staff kitchen really doesn't skimp on the ingredients!" With her parents, she naturally reported only the good news. Sometimes, parents just think you’ve lost weight when you haven't.

Wu Tong smiled and turned the camera to show the congee in the thermal container, letting them see her rich dinner. The high-quality beef was sliced paper-thin and lightly coated in starch, added only after the congee was thick and soft, ensuring it was cooked perfectly tender. The pinkish hue of the meat took up nearly a third of the container; they were truly generous with the portions.

"We really owe Professor Cheng for taking such good care of you. You must show him proper respect, serve him tea, and help out with whatever you can!" The couple felt deep gratitude that their daughter had found such a mentor who looked after her well-being. They insisted that Wu Tong be sincere and helpful, as that was the only way to behave.

"In a couple of days, your father and I will head your way for the October National Day holiday. Ask the old professor if he has time so we can pay him a visit and thank him properly! And your teacher, Li, has been running around for you so much, too; we must treat them to a proper meal!" Jin Yu had been planning this. They had already booked their tickets to the capital to see Wu Tong for the holiday, so she wouldn't have to travel home. It was already late September; they would see their daughter in just a few days.

"That’s great! Are Grandpa and Uncle coming too? I’ll pick you up at the airport, and you can stay at my place. The house is ready," Wu Tong noted in her planner. She needed to contact a cleaning service tomorrow to prepare the house in Yanyuan; she had been staying in the school dorms for convenience and hadn't moved in yet.

"We’re all coming, but don't bother picking us up. We'll just take a taxi," her mother insisted. They had already mapped out the route and were worried about Wu Tong running to the airport herself. "Just wait at school. We'll head straight there so you don't have to waste time running around."

"But I want to see you the moment you arrive!" In front of her parents, Wu Tong was no longer the lead researcher of a national-level project; she was just a seventeen-year-old girl being pampered by her parents. She knew exactly how to act to get her way.

"Alright, alright, just be very careful when you go out!" As expected, Wu Tong knew exactly how to sway them; parents were always helpless against their children.

Knowing that Wu Tong had traveled between home and the capital several times and occasionally took taxis to school on her own, Jin Yu reluctantly agreed, though she still felt uneasy. They just wanted to see their child as soon as possible.

"Just wait at the airport exit, don't wander off, and don't talk to strangers!..." Jin Yu continued to give instructions as if Wu Tong were still a child.

In the past, Wu Tong might have considered this nagging, but now she listened with a patient, serene smile. Only after experiencing the grief of her later life did she realize what a great blessing it was to have her mother healthy enough to nag her. She listened with complete patience, until even Jin Yu stopped herself.

"Alright, that’s enough for now. Finish your meal, tidy up, and get some rest. You need good sleep to stay healthy!" Jin Yu wondered if she was being too long-winded, given that her daughter was already a university student with a growing international reputation.

"I will, Mom. I’ll listen to you. I’ll be waiting for you in the capital!" With a smile, Wu Tong ended the video call. She truly followed her mother's advice, finished her meal, washed up, and went to bed to recover her energy. She made sure to replenish her strength; she knew that when the sun rose around five o'clock, the morning purple vapor technique would operate spontaneously, regardless of her posture.

Although this project had been just as mentally draining as the night she derived the engine optimization parameters, the overall toll was less severe. Still, after working hard for so many days, she decided to treat herself to a good rest.

Wu Tong didn't consider herself a workaholic; it was just that her inspiration often struck with a frenzy, and those moments of inspiration were relatively frequent. But who in academia wouldn't want their inspiration to be endless? If it meant working harder, so be it—she felt fulfilled, happy, and vibrant.