Close Enough To Pluck the Stars” (GL) - Chapter 25

Chapter 25

“No forklifts here, and besides, you wouldn’t know how to drive one anyway,” the young guard countered.

Liang Ke snapped back, “I don’t, but I can learn. Fetch me the manual and let me have a look.”

“Can you stop joking? Driving a forklift requires practical experience. You’ve been rooted in algorithms, communications, and embedded systems for too long—you’ve lost touch with the masses,” the guard said, running off without looking back.

“It’s far more than that! Our research also involves security monitoring and industrial automation. Your view is too narrow!” Liang Ke shouted with her hands cupped around her mouth.

“Oh, narrow? I’ll show you narrow!” the guard grumbled.

“Don’t look down on narrow things! Like narrow hand-pulled noodles—they’re a delicacy. Mutton braised noodles, for instance…” Liang Ke started talking herself into being hungry. She asked, “Got any food?”

The guard pretended not to hear.

Liang Ke let out a “Hmph,” picked up his walkie-talkie, and began checking the credentials of incoming vehicles and verifying visitor information. She took over the job with surprising competence, fiercely providing the most high-quality, attentive service to the passing professors and PhDs.

The first half of her “shift” went smoothly, but problems arose toward the end. Shu Qingchen had been standing near the gatehouse for a moment when she saw Liang Ke run over in a panic, grab her, and start reciting a nursery rhyme: “Goose, goose, goose!”

Shu Qingchen brushed the fine sweat from Liang Ke’s forehead with her fingertips and said, “‘Bending its neck, it sings to the sky.’ Why are you testing me on this? The liberal arts aren’t my forte.”

Liang Ke was a bit caught off guard by this sudden tenderness. Dazed for two seconds, she pulled Shu Qingchen’s hand down and held it in her own to warm it.

Shu Qingchen tried to withdraw her hand but failed. She looked away awkwardly and asked, “Or… are you hungry?”

Liang Ke shook her head. She stood close to Shu Qingchen, almost leaning against her, and pointed to the long-necked white poultry behind them. “There really is a goose.”

A proud, majestic big white goose was flapping its wings as it marched forward, pursued by a small child.

The child was swaddled in a bright red down jacket, flapping even harder than the goose. Because the jacket was ill-fitting, she was bundled into a ball and was practically rolling along.

The big white goose, driven by the girl, charged toward Liang Ke. To save face, Liang Ke refused to scream; she simply gripped Shu Qingchen’s arm tight and huddled behind her leader.

“Xiao Guai, stop running!” The child finally won the race, affectionately hugging the goose’s neck and cooing, “Oh, whose little goose is so good? Oh, it’s mine!”

Seeing the crisis averted, Liang Ke straightened up from behind her leader and glared coldly at the pair. She thought to herself: Who gave you the courage to give it a name like ‘Little Goody’?

“Xiao Guai?” Liang Ke thought it, but her mouth said it out loud.

“Hmm?” The goose and the little girl looked at Liang Ke simultaneously.

Liang Ke confronted the goose sternly. “You should keep a close eye on such a fierce pet. It’s best to keep it leashed. Little girl, I suggest your parents buy a harness.”

Shu Qingchen wanted to laugh but held it in.

“Xiao Guai isn’t running wild. He’s following me to find Daddy,” the little girl explained, tilting her head back, then shouted behind her: “Mommy!”

In the vast darkness of the night, a woman came running toward them. As she ran, she unwound her scarf. The little girl dragged the goose and ran enthusiastically to meet her.

The mother wrapped the scarf around both the girl and the goose, rubbing them warmly and affectionately. She asked softly, “Are you cold?”

“Not cold! Hurry, Mommy, Xiao Guai is hungry. We’re going to have dinner with Daddy.”

“Okay.”

Liang Ke stared at them, then suddenly turned to leave, but was stopped by the mother. She asked Liang Ke, “Little comrade, excuse me, is this the apartment area for the XX Research Institute? I’m looking for M from the School of Materials Science and Engineering.”

“Professor M? What are you to him?” Liang Ke asked.

“His wife,” the woman said, looking a bit embarrassed. “He said he’s busy with work, so I didn’t dare disturb him at the office. I thought I’d wait for him at his place.”

“Oh.”

Liang Ke didn’t think much of it. Just then, the guard who had borrowed the car returned. While smiling and apologizing to Shu Qingchen, he blurted out a compliment to Professor M’s wife: “You look so young! I really wouldn’t have guessed.”

“Guessed what?” Liang Ke asked him.

“Professor M is… as old as my dad.” The guard took a deep breath, lifted the largest cardboard box five centimeters off the ground, gave up, and with a huff, gestured for Liang Ke to lend a hand. He repeated, “I wouldn’t have guessed.”

“If you can’t guess, stop thinking about it. Gossiping won’t kill you.” Liang Ke lifted the other side of the box.

Shu Qingchen stepped forward to help, but was glared back by both of them. The guard, his wrists straining and his expression fierce, said, “Leader, sit down and rest.”

“Exactly.” Liang Ke, not to be outdone, added fiercely, “Don’t interfere. Don’t look down on the strength of the grassroots masses.”

They glanced at each other and then threw themselves into the moving work as if it were a competition.

However, the consequences of acting tough were obvious. Once Liang Ke was settled on the sofa in Shu Qingchen’s new apartment, her right hand was still trembling slightly. Shu Qingchen asked if she wanted some water.

Without thinking, Liang Ke said she wanted a Coke, but her superior vetoed it.

Shu Qingchen said, “There are only two choices: warm water or ice water.”

“Ice, then. With two slices of lemon,” Liang Ke said, automatically compromising.

“Ice isn’t good either. Think again.” Shu Qingchen displayed a degree of democracy.

“Fine, fine. I’m at the Leader’s mercy.” Liang Ke laughed helplessly and slumped into the sofa. “Why are your boxes so heavy?”

“Clothes and books.”

“Oh. I thought you moved an entire laboratory over.”

Liang Ke looked around the beautifully decorated, spacious, and bright apartment. Thinking that Shu Qingchen would soon move out of her house, she felt a wave of desolation in her heart.

While they were talking, Liang Ke’s phone rang. Seeing it was Sister A, she answered it, gestured to Shu Qingchen, and ran to the balcony to talk.

The background was noisy; it seemed the other person was at some sort of musical gathering.

“Want to come play?” Sister A asked.

“No, I’m not in the mood,” Liang Ke said listlessly.

“It’s bad enough that Sister B is cold-blooded and heartless, but now even you’re rejecting my invitations. Sigh.”

“No, I’m just really tired today. It’s not convenient,” Liang Ke said quickly.

“Where are you? We’ll come to your place,” Sister A suggested excitedly.

“No, no, don’t! I’m at the Leader’s house.”

“The beautiful Leader?”

“It’s Dr. Shu.”

“Wow! The beauty took the initiative to invite the wolf into her house? What is she thinking?” Sister A let out the kind of shriek typical of a gossiping bystander.

“She wasn’t thinking anything. There just happened to be things to do, so I came to help.” Liang Ke thought indignantly of Shu Qingchen’s cold and distant attitude earlier that evening.

“Then why… why are you panting?” Sister A keenly caught that Liang Ke’s breathing rhythm was off, making her even more excited.

“Huh?”

“Huh???”