The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
There are quite a few cities with the same name in the US and the UK, and "Cambridge" is one of them. Lin Zhixia found it quite amusing to move from one Cambridge to another. However, the rent in Cambridge, USA was also very expensive. After paying it, Lin Zhixia felt a pang of distress.
Lin Zhixia's apartment was only two kilometers from the school. It was a studio with its own bathroom, desk, wardrobe, and single bed.
On her first day in the apartment, Lin Zhixia video-called her family via WeChat to show them her new place. Her brother was the first to comment: "This place is too small and poorly laid out. The bed is right across from the stove—how are you supposed to cook at home?"
Lin Zhixia retorted, "Why can't I cook? This is called an open kitchen."
Her brother countered, "If you stir-fry something, the smell of oil will spread all over the room."
Lin Zhixia frowned slightly.
Dad quickly interjected, "Zeqiu, don't pick on your sister. She's working hard abroad all by herself... She's always reluctant to spend money..."
Lin Zhixia argued, "This type of apartment is actually quite good. If I really wanted to save money, I wouldn't have looked for a place near the school."
Lin Zeqiu reminded her again, "Make sure you eat well and sleep enough. If you run short on money, just tell me. Don't skimp on living expenses."
Lin Zhixia muttered, "I'm not skimping."
Lin Zeqiu sat on the old, worn-out sofa at home, with Mom and Dad on either side of him. He pressed his lips together and, after a moment, said, "I'm earning money too. Don't overwork yourself."
This past June, Lin Zeqiu graduated with his bachelor's degree. Due to the high cost of living in Beijing, he didn't stay there. Instead, he returned to their provincial capital, participated in the 2014 fall recruitment for new graduates, and smoothly landed a job as an algorithm engineer at a local internet company. He often worked overtime, earning over 10,000 yuan after taxes each month, with even more room for growth in the future.
Lin Zeqiu believed their family's life would only get better and better.
After ending the call with her family, Lin Zhixia initiated a video chat with Jiang Yubai. At this time, it was just past 9 p.m. in Beijing, and Jiang Yubai had just finished showering. Wearing a thin pajama top, he sat on his bed and answered Lin Zhixia's call.
Jiang Yubai's collar was half-open, revealing his firm, well-defined muscles with a healthy sheen—though he himself seemed oblivious to it. Lin Zhixia widened her eyes, her gaze sweeping over his chest and abs, prompting him to subtly start buttoning up.
Lin Zhixia quickly stopped him, "Don't button up!"
But Jiang Yubai fastened all the buttons anyway.
Lin Zhixia flopped onto her single bed. "You used to let me look before."
Jiang Yubai replied, "Looking through a phone isn't fun. When we meet in person..." He lowered his voice suggestively, "You can study me all you want."
Lin Zhixia suddenly realized, "Are you teasing me?"
Jiang Yubai firmly denied it. He also mentioned that by the end of the month, he wanted to visit Lin Zhixia in the US.
Lin Zhixia rolled around on her bed. "But I'm so busy!"Long before her departure for the United States, Lin Zhixia had drafted a detailed plan for herself, with various tasks to complete each month. She only intended to stay at MIT for one year, during which she aimed to observe, learn, and innovate as much as possible. Beyond physics and computer science, she was deeply interested in neuroscience—MIT had several research groups dedicated to exploring the relationship between the human brain and artificial intelligence, and Lin Zhixia was eager to meet the students and professors in these groups.
Consequently, Lin Zhixia politely declined Jiang Yubai's offer to visit.
Jiang Yubai fell silent for a few seconds. He pulled the blanket over his face, his tone still calm: "Alright, we'll meet next October."
"Why are you covering your face?" Lin Zhixia asked in surprise.
Suddenly, Lin Zhixia remembered that when they were children, Jiang Yubai would cover his head with a hat whenever he had nothing to say—a gesture that expressed his helplessness and embarrassment. Lin Zhixia quickly tried to make amends: "I'm free during Christmas! You can come see me then."
Based on her experience studying in the UK, Lin Zhixia knew that during Christmas, the entire Laboratory building would be deserted—students and teachers alike would vanish, no matter how diligent they usually were. The campus would become tranquil, peaceful, empty, and lonely... Lin Zhixia could take a break herself and find time to go out with Jiang Yubai.
As soon as Lin Zhixia finished speaking, Jiang Yubai pulled the blanket away.
His face reappeared on the phone screen.
"You're so good-looking," Lin Zhixia exclaimed for what felt like the ten-thousandth time.
"Not bad," Jiang Yubai replied modestly. He was more concerned about another matter: "How's your accommodation?"
Lin Zhixia flipped the camera and showed every corner of her room clearly. Jiang Yubai seemed to hesitate, holding back his words. After thinking for a moment, he tactfully suggested that he wanted to provide her with some housing allowance.
Lin Zhixia firmly refused. She found it somewhat strange: "Why are you thinking the same as my Brother..."
"What did your Brother say?" Jiang Yubai asked.
Lin Zhixia relayed her Brother's words: "He said that if I cook at home, the smell of oil smoke would spread everywhere." After a pause, she added: "This place is quite nice, don't worry about me. I'll adapt quickly. I need to go to the Laboratory this afternoon, so I'll rest now. Let's talk when we have time."
Jiang Yubai held his phone, his thumb lightly resting on the screen. The video call had ended long ago, but he was still thinking about Lin Zhixia. She was more independent than he had expected. In the past, whenever she entered an unfamiliar environment, she always needed his encouragement and support. He remembered how Lin Zhixia would call him before participating in the national Olympiad competition, how she would chat with him even while staying in a hotel. He had comforted her fear of darkness with stories about "the eternal night brought by the Big Bang of the Universe"... Thinking of this, Jiang Yubai set down his phone.
Leaning against the headboard, Jiang Yubai began to contemplate "Maslow's hierarchy of needs."
Also known as "Maslow's pyramid," this theory explains human survival needs and is used to interpret human behavioral motivations.The "Maslow's Pyramid" has five levels. The bottom layer represents "physiological needs," including food, clothing, shelter, transportation, and sex—the most basic and universal pursuits in life. Moving upward, the fourth level is safety needs, the third is belongingness, the second is esteem, and the top level is "self-actualization."
"Self-actualization" means fully realizing one's talents and ultimately achieving grand personal ideals.
Jiang Yubai deeply analyzed his relationship with Lin Zhixia.
In that moment, he realized that even if he gave his all, he could only provide Lin Zhixia with satisfaction from the second to the fifth levels of the "Maslow's Pyramid." As for the highest level of "self-actualization," that would inevitably be a path Lin Zhixia had to walk alone.
Jiang Yubai had once told Lin Zhixia that they would carry out separate tasks but eventually reunite on the same planet. Now, it seemed Lin Zhixia's description was more accurate—she had long said that she and Jiang Yubai were a Binary Star System, born with different orbits, but they would always share the same center.
Just as Jiang Yubai had predicted, the MIT research group brought Lin Zhixia new perspectives and experiences, and she once again immersed herself completely in the world of scientific research.
Their Laboratory was equipped with the world's most advanced facilities. Besides working within her own group, Lin Zhixia frequently participated in interdisciplinary seminars and occasionally visited the "Brain and Cognitive Sciences" experimental building to exchange ideas with professors and doctoral students there. She never described her unique memory to anyone, unsure whether she might become a subject of study.
Lin Zhixia's life was busy and fulfilling.
She seemed to have forgotten Jiang Yubai once again.
Fortunately, Jiang Yubai was used to it. His own work kept him equally occupied.
His father had handed him two investment companies, injected hundreds of millions in capital, and provided him with secretaries and assistants. While most of his father's friends groomed their successors by starting them at the grassroots level, Jiang Yubai had been interning in the family business since he was sixteen, so his father skipped the foundational training phase and directly entrusted him with investment operations.
Additionally, Jiang Yubai's Mom had delegated partial management rights of her industries to him.
From Monday to Friday, Jiang Yubai attended morning meetings at the company. After the meetings, piles of documents awaited his review.
It was currently October. His secretary brought him analysis reports for the first three quarters, fixed asset investment reports from branch companies, and progress reports on new product development... Jiang Yubai spent the entire morning reviewing them. He singled out the branch companies with operational losses. Just then, his secretary called on the internal line to inform him that Jiang Shaoqi had appeared at the company and wanted to have lunch with "President Jiang."
President Jiang?
His uncle actually addressed him as "President Jiang."
Jiang Yubai assumed his uncle had official matters to discuss.
Unexpectedly, after Shaoqi entered the office, he cheerfully said, "I was driving past your building and thought of you working here, so I dropped by to see you. Where should we have lunch? Look at you in that suit, with files piled all over the desk—truly my elder brother's son."
One of Jiang Yubai's secretaries poured Shaoqi a cup of Longjing tea.The central air conditioning maintained a constant room temperature, and the fragrance of tea wafted from the cups. Uncle settled into a black leather sofa.
Only after the secretary left the office and complete silence fell did Uncle take a sip of tea and reveal, "I heard that a close friend of your mom wants to introduce her daughter to you. The girl will be visiting your home tonight. Your dad doesn’t support the idea, and your mom hasn’t expressed an opinion, but the girl... is quite popular with your grandparents, just like your aunt. Jessica and I were introduced by the family, and so were your dad and mom. They might think that matching social status is what matters most. I shouldn’t say too much, but you should be careful."
"Is that why you came today?" Jiang Yubai asked again.
Uncle sighed. "Why else? I’m not that idle."
Jiang Yubai said politely, "Thank you for the reminder."
Uncle looked displeased. "You child, why are you still so formal with your uncle?" He set down his teacup and asked, "How are things between you and Lin Zhixia?"
Jiang Yubai answered honestly, "She’s been quite busy lately."
"How busy?" Uncle asked, puzzled. "Busier than you?"
Jiang Yubai replied with a hint of resentment, "Much busier than me."
Uncle caught the underlying meaning. "Lin Zhixia doesn’t usually contact you?"
Jiang Yubai leaned back in his chair. "Four phone calls in the past month."
"Once a week," Uncle sighed and shook his head.
Jiang Yubai didn’t know that Jiang Shaoqi had a very favorable impression of Lin Zhixia and had long regarded her as his future niece-in-law.
Although Jiang Shaoqi didn’t have much romantic experience—he had only been in one relationship—he was still trying to help his nephew brainstorm solutions. "What does Lin Zhixia like?"
"She likes eating strawberries," Jiang Yubai described truthfully. "She hardly has any material demands."
"Oh?" Jiang Shaoqi was somewhat surprised.
Jiang Yubai tapped the table with his fingertip and murmured as if to himself, "She has no flaws."
After a moment of thought, Jiang Shaoqi offered his nephew some advice: "Xiao Jiang, finish up your work and take some time off at the end of the year to go to the U.S. to see her."
That was exactly what Jiang Yubai had in mind. To maintain stable performance and secure his year-end leave, Jiang Yubai had been working diligently for over two months. His mom’s friend, who wanted to introduce her daughter to him, could never find an opportunity—Jiang Yubai didn’t stay home on weekends; the office had become his new residence. He also frequently traveled on business, his whereabouts elusive and hard to pin down.
By mid-December, the fourth-quarter performance of a subsidiary company Jiang Yubai was monitoring showed an upward trend. Jiang Yubai brought the fourth-quarter operational report with him on the plane. The flight departed from the provincial capital and headed directly to Boston, USA—Christmas was approaching, and Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai had arranged to meet during the holiday.
While working in the first-class cabin, Jiang Yubai received a message from Lin Zhixia: "When will you land?"
Jiang Yubai replied, "6 p.m., Boston Airport."
Lin Zhixia said happily, "Then I’ll pick you up. Where will you be staying, a hotel?"
Jiang Yubai sent her an address: "The hotel next to your place." Then he asked, "Tonight, could you... not go home?"Lin Zhixia said frankly, "Do you want to sleep with me? Sure, we've slept together many times before."
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