Always Home

Jing Qichi ultimately attended the barbecue gathering.

Even though he knew full well that doing so would inevitably place him within someone’s inner circle—and might later be seized upon by those with ulterior motives to stir up trouble—there was only one reason he decided to go: he didn’t want Jiang Sen to lose face.

At Ring Island AILab, everyone knew that four years ago, Jiang Sen had personally handpicked him for an exceptional admission. Since then, Jiang Sen had guided him through tough challenges and projects, turning skepticism into undeniable progress and achievements. To Jing Qichi, Jiang Sen was both a mentor and a leader—his support and guidance couldn’t be summed up in just a few words. If he skipped this private gathering, it would send a clear message to everyone that Jiang Sen lacked the authority to command respect. Or—Jing Qichi wasn’t sure how many people present knew the inside details—but distancing himself at such a moment might send a signal to those still on the fence.

Look, even Xiao Jing has cut ties with him. There’s no future in sticking around.

No. From character to capability to the connections he’d built over the years, Jiang Sen could carve out his own path even if he went solo.

Precisely because he knew this, Jing Qichi came.

The turnout wasn’t large. Aside from those close to Jiang Sen, there were a few experienced engineers from other teams—people who usually worked on different floors and rarely interacted. Everyone exchanged knowing glances, as if this were truly just a casual barbecue.

Qiu Yang was still sulking. That morning, when Jing Qichi had tried to leave with him, he found the other man had already gone, leaving only an address taped to the door—a clear come if you want, whatever gesture. In this situation, Qiu Yang was probably the only one who saw it as a simple get-together among close colleagues. Of course, Qiu Yang was sharp, but all his cleverness was poured into the virtual world. If he had to navigate office politics, he wouldn’t survive the first episode.

"You," Jing Qichi muttered under his breath when they were alone. "You should learn more from Sir Jiang in the future."

"Shut your trap," Qiu Yang shot back with a glare.

Well, maybe it wasn’t a bad thing that Jiang Sen had his back.

People chatted in small groups, discussing work and office gossip. No one was foolish enough to tear open the unspoken divide and declare allegiances, but if you listened closely, some were probing while others dodged. The workplace had its own rules—some written in black and white, preaching fairness, while others remained unspoken, requiring careful navigation.

"I was a bit harsh yesterday," Jing Qichi said without looking at him, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"Whatever," Qiu Yang dodged with exaggerated annoyance. "I’m not that petty."

Between brothers, a real apology would only make things awkward.

Qiu Yang then asked, "Did you and Huan'er have a fight?"

Jing Qichi wasn’t the type to lose his temper for no reason. At the time, Qiu Yang had been too angry to think much of it, but now it seemed he’d just walked into the line of fire, becoming an unwitting punching bag.

"I don’t know," Jing Qichi sighed softly. "She’s probably really busy lately. But with the distance, it’s not like I can just buy a plane ticket and go see her."

"Your Chen Huan'er is reasonable and well-mannered. If there’s a problem, it’s definitely on you," Qiu Yang declared confidently. "Such a prize, wasted on a pig like you. Keep acting up, and one day she’ll really fly away—then see how you scramble."

"That won’t happen," Jing Qichi smirked."Hmph." Qiu Yang let out a cold laugh. "That kind of confidence of yours is unmatched across three villages."

As they were talking, Jiang Sen walked over. "What's got you two so cheerful?" Noticing Jing Qichi skillfully flipping the barbecue, oiling and seasoning in one smooth motion, he teased, "Didn't know you had this talent. Did you take a course?"

Jing Qichi chuckled. "Back when we lived in the Family Compound, our families often gathered for meals. Huan'er's dad was a pro at grilling—I just picked up some tricks from him."

"We were just talking about Huan'er," Qiu Yang said, starting to plate the food. "Boss, you should give him some relationship advice, or else this guy's gonna take his frustrations out on me every day. This batch done? I'll take it over to the others first."

Jiang Sen was well aware of Jing Qichi's girlfriend. As he placed vegetables on the grill, he asked, "Huan'er won't be back for over a year, right?"

"Yeah."

"Not planning to visit?" He then smacked his forehead. "Don't even think about taking leave now—denied."

Jing Qichi already had plans. "During New Year's. I want to save up my annual leave to spend more time with her."

"You two were south and north before, now east and west. Making it this far isn't easy." Jiang Sen looked at him and said slowly, "When my wife was just pregnant, the company sent me to Hangzhou for six months to clean up a mess. Less than a month in, she was crying on the phone—her emotions were fragile then. And me? I was under so much pressure every day I couldn't sleep. Divorce was just a thought away."

Jiang Sen rarely spoke about his personal life. Jing Qichi asked, "What happened then?"

"What else? I scrambled for solutions to get back to Beijing ASAP." Jiang Sen scrolled through his phone album. "Let me show you my skinniest phase."

The screen displayed a team photo, with a sharp-suited Jiang Sen standing front and center, full of vigor and ambition.

Jing Qichi glanced at the photo, then at the man before him, and burst out laughing. "Boss, you've... definitely put on some weight."

Jiang Sen tsked and put his phone away. "I'm grateful neither of us voiced that thought. Qi Chi, work is important, but so is family. The further you go, the more you realize the motivation and encouragement from loved ones is immeasurable."

Jing Qichi stayed silent.

"It's priceless." Jiang Sen added earnestly, then smacked the back of his head. "Work hard, kid. Choose carefully."

He was still that mentor and friend, subtly addressing the undercurrents behind this gathering.

"Boss," Jing Qichi nodded at him. "Thank you."

Jiang Sen accepted the sincere thanks with a smile, then noticed the grill and yelped, "Flip them quick! My chicken wings are burning!"

The news of Jiang Sen's impending departure once again became the main topic of post-meal chatter at Ring Island AILab.

Jing Qichi couldn't avoid colleagues' probing questions, to which he consistently replied, "No idea. Go ask Sir Jiang if you're curious." He figured even the man himself might be hesitating—from youth to middle age, watching projects grow from barren seeds to flourishing results, Ring Island was practically Jiang Sen's homeland.

Goodbyes require courage.

In early December, Jing Qichi was summoned to Gong Naliang's office.

The door shut tight, blinds drawn, Gong Naliang cut straight to the point: "You know Jiang Sen's leaving, right?"

His expression was complicated.

It was lunch break, and outside, someone was organizing where to eat.Jing Qichi pursed his lips and lowered his head without responding.

"Xiao Jing," Gong Naliang called out, "I spoke with Jiang Sen last week. I... have some idea."

"Dr. Gong, I don't have a say in this matter." Unsure of the other's intentions, Jing Qichi adopted a tactful approach. "It would be better for you to communicate directly."

"I've already informed Director Li. Personnel changes at Jiang Sen's level require company preparations in advance," Gong Naliang said. "I called you here to get your honest thoughts. You joined the team before graduation, and everyone has seen your achievements over the years. The promotional video you worked on also raised our lab's profile. Personally, I hope you'll stay."

Jing Qichi fell silent again.

"Xiao Jing, let me be frank with you too." Gong Naliang cleared his throat. "Regarding Jiang Sen's current projects: while the preliminary R&D phase for Medical AI is complete, post-launch workload will only increase. Graphics and Image Algorithms is a long-term endeavor, and the company plans to prioritize 3D Facial Recognition next year. Speech Recognition needs to align with business directives and will be segmented based on practical applications. I proposed spinning off Medical AI as a parallel division reporting to me with you leading that team, but... given your experience and seniority, headquarters rejected the suggestion."

Jing Qichi hadn't expected such regard from him and said quietly, "Dr. Gong, I'm truly not ready yet."

Gong Naliang waved his hand. "Don't underestimate yourself. You have solid fundamentals and drive. Jiang Sen was promoted to lead a team right after joining—sometimes I see his reflection in you."

The other's sincerity suggested Jiang Sen's departure was inevitable.

"I..." Jing Qichi paused briefly. "Dr. Gong, if possible, I'd like to transfer to the Research and Development Center."

"The Research and Development Center?" Gong Naliang looked surprised. "So you don't plan to stay in Beijing?"

Jing Qichi shook his head.

Song Cong had suggested making decisions based on data, and he'd complied. But after all calculations, Huan'er's influence coefficient remained 100%—an unshakable 100%. Jiang Sen's departure coincidentally offered him a chance to choose anew. Moving to the R&D Center meant returning to their university city—he would wait for Huan'er to come back.

"Xiao Jing, are you certain?" Gong Naliang frowned. "Not that the R&D Center is inferior, but the lab is the company's key focus for future support with resource allocation. There'll be other opportunities if this proposal fails—I don't want you discouraged..."

"I'm not," Jing Qichi smiled. "Thank you, Dr. Gong."

"Then why? The leadership change?" Eager to retain talent, Gong Naliang tried persuading him. "We haven't decided whether to hire externally or appoint someone from headquarters. If you're concerned about being a former subordinate, don't be. We're in research—everything revolves around projects. Anyone with ulterior motives will be the first to go."

"Really, it's not that." Jing Qichi scratched his brow. "This is entirely my own consideration. Besides, I heard from R&D Center colleagues they're developing some medical products, which aligns with my career aspirations."

Gong Naliang narrowed his eyes. "When did you research this?"

"Recently.""It seems you've given this careful thought," Gong Naliang sighed. "Jing Qichi, you're a promising talent. Personally, I still don't want to see you leave, even if it's just a transfer."

Facing the laboratory director who was nearly old enough to be his father, Jing Qichi met his gaze directly. "Dr. Gong, this might sound ridiculous to you, but I'm coming to understand what truly matters. I... don't want to keep doing things I'll regret."

After experiencing a devastating loss at eighteen, Jing Qichi had spent years battling regret and self-blame. Time had dulled the sharpness of the pain and given him more composure when making choices. Even though everyone thought transferring to the Research and Development Center to start from scratch wasn't a wise decision, Jing Qichi was certain he wouldn't make the wrong choice.

He wouldn't hesitate anymore.