Chapter 12 A Scientist's Dream

The next day.

The two boarded a plane to the capital early in the morning, beginning a new round of travels.

"I don't want to be an astronaut at all anymore."

Gao Yang sat in first class, his face bitter, leaning over to look at Lin Xian:

"When elementary school just started, the head teacher had us stand up one by one to answer, saying what our dreams were, what kind of person we wanted to be when we grew up."

"At that time, I stood up without hesitation and said that I wanted to be an astronaut. But these days, going back and forth with you on planes, into space, on spaceships... I'm really sick of it. I miss the ground more than anyone else now. I don't want to go to space anymore."

Lin Xian chuckled, recalling the first lesson of elementary school:

"Back then, 40% of the boys in the class dreamed of being astronauts. Because when we were in elementary school, it was only two years after the success of the Dragon Kingdom's manned space program. Which little boy didn't want to be an astronaut?"

"Actually, it's mainly because kids back then didn't know much and didn't know that there were many kinds of occupations and many kinds of lives in this world. It seemed like everyone only knew about teachers, police officers, astronauts, and scientists... At that age, how big your vision is, that's how big your world is."

"I remember you said at the time that you wanted to be a scientist, right?" Gao Yang turned his head and looked at Lin Xian:

"Do you still want to be a scientist now?"

"No."

Lin Xian closed his eyes, his hands still clicking away, exhaustively trying to crack the diary's combination lock:

"When I realized that my IQ couldn't make me a scientist, I decisively gave up. Then I played parkour, learned to paint, and prepared to take the art student college entrance exam route."

"Hey, don't give up on your dreams too early." Gao Yang patted his chest and abdomen:

"Look, my dream of becoming an astronaut has come true, hasn't it? That's how life is. You never know when you'll run into something. Maybe one day, you really will become a scientist!"

"I really wish I had that brain."

Lin Xian turned his head and looked out the window.

A scientist isn't someone you can just become if you want to.

If he could really become a scientist, he would definitely devote himself to the study of the cosmological constant as soon as possible, determined to find out the truth about the mysterious number 42.

Now, almost all the mysteries around him are revolving around 42.

When will he be able to thoroughly study the true meaning of the cosmological constant 42? In all likelihood, these mysteries will all be solved.

In the semi-enclosed cabin on the right, Gao Yang's thunderous snoring sounded again.

Falling asleep instantly is just like that.

As soon as you don't catch his words or don't have time to answer, he can fall asleep immediately... It's a truly enviable superpower.

Click, click.

Lin Xian was still constantly dialing the combination lock in his hand.

From the time he left the hotel in the morning, he had been in this position and doing this action:

Half-reclined,

Holding the spine of the diary in his left hand,

Prying at the combination lock with his right hand,

Pushing a number wheel, pressing the lock button; pushing; pressing.

Now the wheels on the combination lock had reached 6432... 6431... 6430...

He estimated that by the time the plane flew to the capital airport, he would have exhaustively tried more than 3,000 passwords.

Oh, no.

If he had known that the password numbers were so small, he really should have started from 0000 and tried each digit one by one.

But there was no way. That's how the brute-force method is. Exhaust every possibility and you'll always find the right answer.

Not long after, the flight attendant brought the first-class meal.

Gao Yang held out three fingers:

"Three servings."

"Okay, sir." The flight attendant smiled politely and warmly, and gave Gao Yang a few more servings of staple food and fruit.

"It's good to have money, Lin Xian."

After the flight attendant left, Gao Yang leaned over and whispered to Lin Xian:

"When I used to sit in economy class, the food wasn't this good, and they were reluctant to give me two servings each time. Unlike this! I can have as much as I want! The attitude is good, and they even squat down to serve! Plenty of fruit!"

"You get what you pay for."

Lin Xian said lightly:

"Unequal exchange."

…

After the plane landed, the hotel Lin Xian had booked sent a car to pick them up. The two threw their luggage into the room and then immediately set off, returning to the ShouChuang Xiruidu residential complex in the third ring road of the capital.

They tacitly quietly passed by the central square.

Sure enough.

That kind old grandmother was still sitting there peeling pomegranates.

One by one, slowly and carefully, her fingers gently pinching and gently releasing.

"She really loves her daughter."

Gao Yang said softly:

"I chatted with her here for so long that day, and she didn't say anything about letting me try the pomegranate. It's not that I have to eat her pomegranate... It's just that the Shandong people are inherently warm and hospitable, and they would at least offer a polite gesture at a time like this."

"But she never did. In her eyes, it was peeled for her daughter Zhang Yuqian, so she wouldn't give a single one to anyone else. Hey, you tell me, if these two girls are both Millennium Pillars, and the Millennium Pillars were intentionally planted and artificially created..."

"How heartless do you think that person would have to be? Using someone else's daughter, who they've worked so hard to raise for twenty years, as a pillar! After it's done, their soul is scattered, not even a strand of hair is left. How are their parents supposed to live? What a scumbag!"

"Yes, it's outrageous."

Lin Xian nodded, rarely agreeing with Gao Yang on the same thing:

"But we can't say for sure right now... After all, we have no idea what a Millennium Pillar is."

"Huang Que also explained to me that the term Millennium Pillar was her own invention, just so that we wouldn't understand it, so it wouldn't affect the elasticity of time and space, so she could say it. The original name of Millennium Pillar must be more accurate, more appropriate, and easier to understand."

"So, right now, it sounds to us like a Millennium Pillar is a tool, a bad thing. But what the truth is, we can't judge at all right now. But... I really hope that the truth is as you said, that the Millennium Pillar was planted artificially, that it's being manipulated by someone."

Gao Yang's eyes widened.

He looked at Lin Xian in disbelief:

"Why? What kind of thinking is that?"

"Why do you think it's a good thing that the disappearance of Chu Anqing and Zhang Yuqian was artificially created? What kind of logic is that?"

Lin Xian snorted softly:

"Because, anything that's done artificially can be stopped, or even reversed. If they can make a Millennium Pillar disappear, then they can definitely reverse the operation and restore the Millennium Pillar to human form."

"If that's the case, we just need to find that person, and maybe we can directly save Chu Anqing. What I'm afraid of is... that the Millennium Pillar thing isn't artificial, but some other force, a force that we can't understand or resist, then we're really in trouble."

As he spoke.

The two had already arrived at Building 22.

Still pressing the elevator, arriving at the familiar floor, knocking on the familiar door.

Knock, knock, knock.

Half a minute later, a middle-aged man, Zhang Yuqian's father, Zhang Shi, with half-white hair and simple clothes, opened the door, looking at the two with a wary expression:

"Young men, if you keep pestering me like this, I'm going to call the police. Although I don't know what your purpose is, I don't want to talk to you too much about my daughter."

"Uncle Zhang."

Lin Xian stepped forward and looked directly into his eyes:

"Your daughter's car accident in 2000, which was the thing that happened on Zhang Yuqian's 20th birthday at midnight, you lied and hid a lot."

"Zhang Yuqian didn't die in a car accident, and she wasn't cremated or buried. Instead, she disappeared into thin air... Right in front of your eyes, in the car, turning into tiny blue stardust, disappearing like crystalline powder."

"You!!"

The middle-aged man's expression instantly became ferocious, gnashing his teeth:

"Nonsense! Utter nonsense! Get out of here right now!"

Having said that.

The middle-aged man was about to close the security door immediately.

Bang!

Lin Xian was quick-witted and quick-handed, directly prying open the security door lock, pulling the door open:

"Uncle Zhang, we didn't come to you for any other reason. You don't need to be afraid or scared of anything. We're here today to seek your help, and at the same time, we're trying to help you."

"Let go of me!" Zhang Shi punched Lin Xian's arm.

"Do you remember that girl in Xidan Shopping Plaza that day who Auntie Yan Qin mistook for your daughter?"

"Let go!"

Zhang Shi had no intention of listening to Lin Xian's words, and pulled the door hard:

"If you don't let go! I'm calling the police!"

"[She also turned into blue stardust and disappeared... at midnight on her 20th birthday, at 00:42.]"

Instantly, Zhang Shi's whole body lost strength. His hands went limp, and the security door was pried open by Lin Xian, slamming against the wall with a bang.

He himself had no intention of caring about the security door anymore.

His pupils trembled, and his face turned pale.

He slowly raised his head.

Looking at Lin Xian with a shocked expression, but also a little evasive:

"That... that girl, your female companion... also... also disappeared?"

Lin Xian nodded.

"Dis... turned into that kind of blue, crystalline, like raised sand, untouchable, weightless, you can't even touch it and it... it scatters? The time was also 00:42!?"

Lin Xian nodded again.

Then he turned his head and exchanged a look with Gao Yang.

It seemed...

The two were right.

The situation when Zhang Yuqian disappeared was exactly the same as Chu Anqing's. That's why Uncle Zhang had been so evasive and unwilling to talk about this matter.

But now.

He was obviously persuaded by Lin Xian.

"Uncle Zhang, can we come in and have a good chat?"

Lin Xian pointed to the house, looking at Zhang Shi:

"We'll tell you what happened to that girl, and we hope you can tell us the truth about Zhang Yuqian's car accident back then..."

"Maybe things aren't as bad as you think. Zhang Yuqian did disappear, but maybe she didn't die, but went to some place we don't know or understand."

"Trust us, Uncle Zhang, you miss your daughter, and we want to save our friend. Only if we treat each other honestly and compare these two events that are more than twenty years apart can we discover the truth, perhaps..."

He stared at Zhang Shi's eyes:

"Perhaps, we can help you find your daughter."

Finally.

Zhang Shi sighed.

He stepped aside and gestured for Lin Xian and Gao Yang to enter the house:

"Come in."

His voice was very soft:

"Let's talk inside."

…

On the coffee table, two cups of hot tea were steaming, the Maojian tea leaves rising and falling inside, eventually standing in the middle and slowly sinking to the bottom.

"24 years ago, January 21, 2000..."

On the sofa, Zhang Shi scratched his graying hair and opened his mouth with difficulty:

"That was my daughter's birthday. Although she was born at midnight, no one celebrates their birthday at midnight. We originally planned to celebrate her birthday during the day after we woke up. My wife and I spoiled our child very much. We booked the best hotel, the biggest cake, and invited a lot of relatives, friends, and her classmates..."

"My daughter was 20 years old, all grown up. Although you don't have to celebrate a 20th birthday as big as an 18th birthday coming-of-age ceremony... my daughter liked excitement, and we also liked excitement, so the scale of her birthdays wasn't small every year, and we were all very happy."

"It all started the night before, on January 20th. That night, I took my wife and children back to my hometown and had a gathering with childhood friends I hadn't seen in many years. We talked very late and drank a lot of wine. So when we drove back to the city from my hometown... it was already close to midnight."

"I drank alcohol and sat in the back row, a little drunk. My wife was driving, and Qian Qian was sitting in the passenger seat. She didn't have a driver's license. She was only a sophomore in college, and we didn't plan to let her learn to drive so early."

"So, we talked and laughed all the way, and Qian Qian also chirped, discussing things about her birthday tomorrow. My wife hadn't been driving for long, so she drove relatively slowly. There weren't many vehicles on the road in that era, so everything was pretty safe, and nothing would happen."

"However, everything came very suddenly. My daughter was talking and laughing about things in her college dormitory, and I was listening with my eyes half-closed. But suddenly... it just stopped suddenly, there was no sound at all. Then there was my wife's scream! Shouting Qian Qian's name, the vehicle crashed into the tree on the side of the road as if it was out of control."

"At that time, I hurriedly opened my eyes and saw... saw... saw..."

The old man couldn't help but choke up a little, swallowing a few mouthfuls of saliva, gritting his teeth:

"I can't forget that scene to this day, it's like a nightmare. A good, living person! Such a big Qian Qian! Suddenly became transparent like that... like broken glass! In an instant, it turned into blue fine sand, dissipating into the air in团 (tuán) by 团 (tuán)!"

"After that, with a bang, the car crashed into the tree, and my alcohol instantly wore off. I first glanced at my wife, Yan Qin. She was already frightened. Other than screaming, she couldn't control herself at all. When I swept my eyes to the passenger seat, I also saw the electronic clock on the center console... Just like you said, the time when that bizarre event happened..."

"00:42."

Zhang Shi raised his head, looking at Lin Xian.

In a trance, Lin Xian actually felt that he had aged a few years.

Zhang Shi paused and continued:

"Then I got out of the car and looked for Qian Qian everywhere... but I couldn't find her no matter how hard I looked. Then I ran to the passenger seat, touched the seat, and it was still warm. That meant that my daughter was just there. She was clearly sitting on the passenger seat a minute ago, still wearing her seatbelt."

"But in the blink of an eye, she disappeared... Turning into blue crystals, disappearing without a trace like wind-blown fine sand..."

"Over the years, I've actually thought about whether my daughter didn't die at all, but just went to some place we don't know? But my wife, her spirit collapsed from then on, and she was in danger of death several times. I've already lost my daughter... I can't lose my wife too, right? So I packed up all of Qian Qian's things, put them in a coffin, and pretended to bury her."

"When I talked to the outside world, I just said that she died in a car accident. In the 2000s, it wasn't like now. Many things were easy to handle, procedures and everything, death certificates and everything, were very easy to get. But that's not important. I took this step for my wife."

"My daughter, Qian Qian, if she's really alive, I can wait slowly. But my wife's condition at the time was on the verge of death, and she even wanted to jump off the building. I didn't dare to give her any stimulation. I had to stabilize her emotions first. So I hired the best psychologist, came to the capital, left that environment, and gave her hypnotic guidance treatment..."

"Now, although her mind is still not very clear, as long as she's not stimulated, her spirit is generally stable. Now, in her consciousness, her daughter simply died in a car accident. The scene she thought she saw at the time was just a hallucination caused by excessive brain stimulation."

"Compared to that kind of fantastical, outrageous event, although it's sad and heartbreaking, a common reason like a car accident is more acceptable to my wife. After so many years of treatment and recuperation, she's finally stabilized."

"Young man, it's not that I intentionally lied to you. You see my life now, my daughter is gone, I've also given up my career. My wife is my whole life, the only thing left. I have to take good care of her, right?"

Having said that.

He picked up the teapot again and filled the tea cups of Lin Xian and Gao Yang with tea:

"That's the story. My wife and I are already this old. Many things are already acceptable to us. Moreover, my wife's spirit really can't take any more tossing. You've seen what she looks like. She's clearly only in her 60s, but she looks like she's 80. She really can't take any more tossing."

"Today I'm willing to tell you this because you said that the same thing happened to your female companion, so I told you. As for what you said... that you can save my daughter, that you can find my daughter or something..."

Zhang Shi sighed and shook his head:

"These twenty years have passed, and I've already given up hope. If you have such thoughts, I'm very grateful to you. At the same time... I also wish you good luck in finding your missing female companion, that girl, as soon as possible."

"But I really hope that this is our last meeting. I'm begging you, young men, don't bother us anymore. Our lives have finally stabilized."

"Everything I told you today is absolutely true, without the slightest concealment... I hope you also believe what I said, don't make things difficult for us anymore, and don't go looking for Yan Qin."

…

Zhang Shi spoke very sincerely.

Lin Xian also nodded.

He believed that what Zhang Shi said this time should all be true.

It was also consistent with what he had expected.

"Okay, Uncle Zhang, we won't come again."

Lin Xian straightened up:

"However... there's one last detail that I need to confirm with you."

Zhang Shi reached out his hand, signaling Lin Xian to tell him.

"[Please, on the night you drove home, did you see a blue ball about the size of an apple, flashing blue light, constantly jumping and flashing, like a blue electric ball with lightning gathered inside?]"

Lin Xian gestured with his hand, describing the size to Zhang Shi:

"It's a small blue ball about this size, erratic, weightless, without substance... Did you see it that night?"

Zhang Shi thought for two seconds.

Solemnly shaking his head:

"No."

He added:

"Although I drank a lot of alcohol that night, my eyes were always half-open, looking ahead. At least there was never a blue electric ball in the car. My wife has good eyesight. If there was one, so bright a small ball, she would definitely be able to see it at night."

"And that day in my hometown, my wife was always with Qian Qian, playing mahjong with relatives, and I never heard them say anything like that... If a blue electric ball really appeared, such an obvious and strange thing, everyone would definitely discuss it, and both Qian Qian and Yan Qin would tell me about it."

"So... I'm afraid I've disappointed you, young man."

Zhang Shi raised his head, looking at Lin Xian:

"[I'm very sure that on the night Qian Qian disappeared... there was no blue electric ball.]"