Close Enough To Pluck the Stars” (GL) - Chapter 6

Chapter 06

Xiao Xiaoxiao bent down with a predatory grin to tease Liang Ke, but Liang Ke remained completely undaunted, gesturing at her as if to say: Come at me then.

Xiao Xiaoxiao laughed, “Oh, is that so?” and rolled up her sleeves.

Liang Ke immediately shrank into a corner of her rocking chair.

Just then, Xiao Xiaoxiao’s phone rang. She checked the screen and answered, her expression shifting instantly from predatory to sweet and obedient.

“Hey, Dad. What’s up?”

“Ha! Baby, are you busy?”

Liang Ke sat up in the rocking chair, her lips moving silently: Ha! Baby.

Xiao Xiaoxiao slapped her palm over Liang Ke’s face, using absolute strength to suppress her futile struggles, and turned to confess to her father on the other end: “I’m disciplining the cat.”

“Hmm?” The overbearing businessman Xiao “The Tower” Iron-Tower paused for a moment. He asked his daughter, “You got a cat? Why didn’t you tell me? Cats are expensive to keep; do you have enough money?”

“Plenty,” Xiao Xiaoxiao glanced at Liang Ke and said with a smile, “My cat is extraordinary; she can earn her own living. Right now, I’m living in the cat’s nest, using her water and electricity. I couldn’t be happier.”

“Oh, you mean Liang Ke.” Xiao Iron-Tower’s voice deepened. “You should still find a chance to move out and live on your own. Even if you’re friends, it’s not good to trouble someone long-term.”

“OK,” Xiao Xiaoxiao agreed readily.

“That easy?” Her father was surprised. “You’re not going to extort me for anything while you’re at it?”

The child has truly grown up, he thought with emotion. He suggested she move after the Lunar New Year, saying he would contact a moving company then.

Xiao Xiaoxiao immediately asked, “Why wait until after the New Year? Let’s do it this week.” She mentioned a neighborhood she liked. Xiao Iron-Tower was all smiles, agreeing to buy the house before hanging up.

“That neighborhood… a house there costs ten million or more,” Liang Ke said, chin in her hands, looking incredulous.

“Is that too cheap?” Xiao Xiaoxiao shot back.

Liang Ke felt a mouthful of blood choke her throat. Though she knew Xiaoxiao’s family was wealthy, she befriended the person, not the family, so she had never seriously considered the economic gap between them. This direct impact was quite a shock.

One of her senior brothers had mentioned more than once that he wanted to buy a wedding home in that neighborhood. After crunching the numbers, he realized it was impossible. Liang Ke had comforted him by saying a wedding home could be bought by two people, so he should find a girlfriend first.

The senior brother thought about it and felt that finding a girlfriend was even harder. Feeling that life was hopeless, he covered his face and ran away in tears.

Failing to comfort him, Liang Ke had tried to balance his psychological state by saying she was also very poor.

Unexpectedly, this was like throwing fuel on a fire. The senior brother looked up from his fingers and said shyly yet fiercely, “Forget it. One of your grandmother’s violins is worth a house in that neighborhood. Why pretend to be poor?”

“Even if I have a few, it’s useless. I wouldn’t dare lay a finger on her violins even if I were wearing Hulkbuster armor. This little red building is my home; you’re welcome to visit my humble abode anytime, Senior Brother.”

The senior brother had finally left satisfied, because in Liang Ke’s mouth, the “Little Red Building” was practically a slum. Speaking of this place, it originally belonged to her beloved grandmother. The red-brick building had seen its glory days, co-owned by the Research Institute and the Conservatory of Music. Generations of scientific backbones and music professors had lived here as neighbors, creating a dense atmosphere of culture and art. Now, after fifty years of wind and rain, the facilities were aging, and renovation projects were repeatedly delayed. Aside from the decent location, it wasn’t very livable, and its value had dropped significantly.

Now that Xiao Xiaoxiao had decided to move in just a few sentences, Liang Ke felt a bit lonely. She didn’t have time to dwell on the wealth gap; she just gave a sour-eyed interrogation: “We’re living perfectly fine here. Why leave just like that?”

“Don’t ask too many questions, kid.” Xiao Xiaoxiao stood up, gave Liang Ke’s head a quick rub, and dashed into the bathroom. Liang Ke crept out to retaliate but was shut out.

Afraid of waking the “Big Shot” Dr. Shu in the master bedroom, the human and the “cat” conducted a low-voiced standoff through the frosted glass. The scene was both strenuous and hilarious.

Naturally, Liang Ke was the first to give up. After a long day of being bullied and worrying about Nao Nao, she grabbed her quilt, collapsed onto the living room sofa, and fell asleep.

…

For a whole week, Hu Yizhi arrived at the lab early, and Shu Qingchen arrived even earlier.

When the two “big shots” met, they usually exchanged no more than three and a half sentences of pleasantries before diving into intense work discussions.

Liang Ke’s prediction came true: she was running back and forth to attend to the research needs of both bosses. Her workload increased exponentially, yet she still felt stretched thin in every aspect. Hu Yizhi didn’t say much, but it was clear that Shu Qingchen was dissatisfied with her in many ways.

Just two weeks. Stick it out for two weeks.

Liang Ke rubbed her waist and eyes in front of her computer, constantly comforting herself. A titan of this level wouldn’t need her for long. The chosen one going to the West needs a White Dragon Horse and a Monkey King; why keep a calico cat around for endless torture?

Liang Ke stayed late, and Shu Qingchen’s hours were even more irregular. Despite living together, they didn’t commute together. Liang Ke felt that the working version of Shu Qingchen was “eyes for no one”—not that she was arrogant, but she seemed to have zero energy left to spare for the mundane world.

“Nao Nao has more warmth than she does,” Liang Ke muttered.

On the other hand, Shu Qingchen’s incredible adaptability and ability to enter a work state anytime, anywhere, amazed even Hu Yizhi. Looking back at his own “unproductive” disciple, his indignation was plain to see. One day, the old man caught Liang Ke stealing his corn again and finally snapped: “At your age, Dr. Shu already had five first-author CCF-A papers!”

Whoa—

“So strong.” Liang Ke sucked in a breath of air, just like Xiao Xiaoxiao.

In his fury, Hu Yizhi abandoned his image as a kind elder and waved the corn cob that Liang Ke had gnawed clean: “You wicked disciple!”

“Master,” Liang Ke feigned heartbreak, clutching her chest. “No matter how hard I work, I can’t compete with an AI. Besides being beautiful, in what way is this Dr. Shu even human?”

“Quiet! I have a feeling that the rise and fall of our lab lies with her.”

Hu Yizhi had stood strong against Zhang Zhang’s pressure for years, refusing to participate in the high-level irregularities of the lab. He remained “clean amidst the mud” based solely on his powerful research strength. The old man usually held himself in high regard, yet he was still conquered by Shu Qingchen’s focus and rigor. After a few exchanges, he even felt the tragic sense of “talents emerging from every generation, while the old waves die on the beach.”

Liang Ke noticed the pressure on both her master and herself, so she finally asked Shu Qingchen for some time off on Friday.

“It’s not just me; Professor Hu wants to rest today too.” Liang Ke stood behind Shu Qingchen’s computer, flatteringly seeking her opinion on moving the evening group meeting to next Wednesday.

“That’s fine. Tell the Professor to watch his health and not overwork himself.” Shu Qingchen moved her gaze from the screen. Her eyes were bright and expressive, yet still devoid of much emotion. She answered calmly, “But Wednesday won’t work. We’ll set the specific time based on Professor Hu’s schedule.”

“OK, I’ll pass that along.”

Mission accomplished. Liang Ke walked happily out of the office, weaving through the high-security area. She saw the rows of workstations with their lights off. With the New Year approaching, few people were working late, and the atmosphere was quiet.

Old Man Hu was waiting on the first floor with his hands tucked in his sleeves. Seeing his disciple skipping out, he asked, “That fast?”

“The elevator was empty. Everyone’s almost gone,” Liang Ke explained. She looked up at the lab window; the light in the “Big Shot’s” room was, of course, still on.

Hu Yizhi looked up as well. The old man sighed, “Truly dedicated.”

Liang Ke agreed offhandedly, “She’s not familiar with this city. Being new, she probably doesn’t have many friends.”

Then, hardening her heart, she decided not to worry about it. She helped the old man into the car, and the pair headed straight for the Chinese New Year flower market. Once inside, all the worries of work vanished.

Hu Yizhi was like a mouse in a grain bin, praising several giant ornamental kumquat trees and quickly ordering several bunches of winterberry. He turned to ask Liang Ke what she wanted.

Speaking of flowers, Liang Ke loved them too, but her pockets were shallow. She acted hesitant and embarrassed. Hu Yizhi was in a good mood and said, “It’s rare for you to be so filial, and you’ve been ‘tortured’ by Dr. Shu for so many days. Buy whatever you like; Master’s treat.”

“You got it!” Liang Ke’s eyes moistened as she pointed to a 2,000-yuan kumquat tree and told the owner to wrap it up.

Hu Yizhi was both pained and happy. On the way back, he joked, “Fleece your master, why don’t you?”

“Might as well fleece you while I can!” Liang Ke laughed, turning on the car stereo to play the old man’s favorite song, When Will You Return?

“Might as well fleece me indeed,” Hu Yizhi grumbled along with the next line. “Cherish it; in a while, you won’t be able to fleece this old man anymore.”

The music was loud, and Liang Ke was in high spirits, so she didn’t pay much attention to the double meaning in the professor’s words.

By the time she dropped Hu Yizhi and the flowers off at his home, it was dark.

Liang Ke drove aimlessly through the night streets. Rows of streetlights flashed by, and the city had hung red lanterns. Several night market pedestrian streets were brightly lit, with families and friends walking together. Thinking back to the lonely, thin silhouette of Shu Qingchen she had seen before leaving, she couldn’t help but slap the steering wheel.

She turned the car around and drove back toward the Research Institute.