The white-haired old doctor: "Live for three hundred years? That's not easy. When people get old, all sorts of ailments erupt like a burst water pipe. Living for three hundred years is unrealistic, but if everyone eats a balanced diet, gets enough sleep, exercises regularly, and undergoes regular check-ups, becoming a centenarian is definitely achievable."
The office worker with dark circles under his eyes: "What does extending lifespan threefold have to do with me? The boss will just make me work overtime until I drop!"
Another office worker: "If I could live for three hundred years, I wouldn't work overtime. There's no rush anyway, I'll take my time. If this company isn't good, I'll switch. I'll find a company where seniority matters, climb into management, and live comfortably."
An old man strolling in the park: "Live for three hundred years, and I can fall in love ten more times! I'm seventy-eight this year. The experience of my life, everything else is superficial. The meaning of life is falling in love!"
An old man lying in bed, unable to move: "Live for three hundred years? Not good! Because I didn't live that long."
Suddenly, Jiang Ye's face appeared.
He sat at his desk, which was piled high with documents.
"No matter how long I live, my life doesn't really change; there's always more work than I can finish," Jiang Ye smiled. "But for many people, a longer lifespan means more possibilities. For example, after graduating, students used to rush to find jobs, then rush to get married and have children, as youth is fleeting. But with an extended lifespan, people can take their time, spend some time doing nothing, quietly contemplate what they truly want, and patiently choose more suitable jobs and partners."
Next, Cen Yemeng's face appeared.
"If the average lifespan triples, it will definitely mean more changes."
"For instance, the pots and bowls a person used in childhood might suddenly become valuable antiques in old age. Or a small investment made in youth could grow into a leading company in the industry decades later. Everyone will have more time to pursue further education in more schools, travel to more places, eat more delicious food, watch more movies and read more novels, daydream more, and accumulate more work experience," Cen Yemeng said. "Life becomes longer, with more possibilities. Of course, it also requires better planning, and maintaining good health is also very important."
The video ended.
But the likes, comments, and collections kept increasing.
In just five days, the video's viewership surpassed ten billion, and the likes exceeded one billion!
The top-ranked comment received six hundred million likes.
"I just celebrated my eightieth birthday today. I'm an old man, but I still miss my parents. My parents passed away when I was seventy. They lived to be a hundred, which is a long life. But if the average person's lifespan could triple, I would be equivalent to a young man in his early thirties, and my parents would still be in their prime. So many regrets in life are caused by lifespan."
The second top-ranked comment, with five hundred million likes.
"Why did such a video appear? The Commander and his wife even showed their faces? Does this mean our lifespans can be increased soon? It seems impossible. Longevity surgery costs hundreds of millions, how can poor folks like us afford it? But this video seems to be telling us something."
The third top-ranked comment, also with five hundred million likes.
"I think this is a motivational video. You know, in many historical periods, the average lifespan was only in the early thirties. Ancient people looking at us would be like us looking at people who can live to three hundred. So, this video is probably meant to encourage us to think from a different perspective and re-evaluate our life plans."
The fourth top-ranked comment, with four hundred million likes.
"I've considered divorcing my husband. This dead man who doesn't wash his feet before sleeping is unbearable. But then I think about how we're about to enter old age, and the children are all grown up, so I endure it. If I could live for three hundred years, I would definitely divorce him decisively. To live with this dead man for another two centuries? Might as well kill me!"
Below these were a large number of comments with over a hundred million likes, all approaching the topic from different angles. Many netizens wrote comments that resonated widely, making the comment section quite lively.
...
Weekend.
Jiang Ye was busy, slumped over his desk.
The office door opened with the crisp sound of high-heeled boots.
Jiang Ye looked up as Isabelle entered, smiling. It was winter on the exile planet, and she was wearing a long trench coat, a form-fitting white sweater, and black high-heeled boots.
"Oh?" Jiang Ye's expression was surprised. "Why are you here?"
"I'm on vacation for a week. I came to see you, report on some work, and give you a small gift." Isabelle sat down opposite the desk, propping her boots on the edge of the desk, her posture quite casual.
"A small gift?" Jiang Ye was taken aback. "What small gift?"
"A novel I wrote." Isabelle pulled out a thick notebook from her coat and handed it to Jiang Ye with both hands.
"What is this?" Jiang Ye was shocked.
"A novel, a novel I wrote," Isabelle said, her face full of pride. "It's about four hundred thousand words in total, a magnum opus, right? What do you think?"
"Holy cow, Old Yi, you're into literature too? That's amazing! How come I never noticed you had such an artistic side before?"
"Nonsense! I've always been artistic!"
Jiang Ye remained shocked. He opened the notebook, which was filled with Isabelle's familiar handwriting. Her regular script, both gentle and strong, varied on each page – some neat, some messy, and some looking like they were written while drunk. It was evident it took a long time and was completed in batches.
There were also many smudges and corrections, with white correction fluid everywhere, layered like plaster on a wall. There was even a page with more than half of it crossed out. It was clear she had put a lot of effort into it.
"What is this novel about?" Jiang Ye asked.
"Read it, from beginning to end," Isabelle pouted. "Your wife finished reading it overnight and praised it highly, recommending I publish it as soon as possible, saying it might make a splash in the literary world. Given our friendship, it wouldn't be right if you didn't read it, would it?"
"I'll definitely read it. How could I not read what you wrote? It's handwritten, how old-fashioned. Don't people type on keyboards or use voice input now? Some authors can even write using brain-computer interfaces, which is the easiest way," Jiang Ye said. "Old Yi, you suddenly throwing out a novel like this makes me really curious. How did you get the idea to write a novel?"
"Actually, it was your wife who influenced me," Isabelle said. "After working with your wife, I realized she often reads books, all sorts of books, especially novels. Unknowingly, I started reading too. I've finished quite a few in the past two years. I used to read novels frequently as a child, reading over a hundred books in one summer during middle school. Later, I got busy with the military and gradually stopped."
"So, you started reading again in the last two years, and it made you want to write?" Jiang Ye asked.
"That's right," Isabelle said. "This book of mine is related to the lifespan extension you've been promoting recently. If you think it's good after reading it, you can use it as promotional material."
"Oh really?" Jiang Ye was surprised again. "It's that timely? Did you have a premonition?"
"No, it's just a coincidence," Isabelle smiled. "Read it quickly. It's four hundred thousand words, I'll give you two days. I'll come by again tomorrow evening."