You Are My Glory

The next morning, Yu Tu officially returned to work at the research institute and first went to Professor Zhang's office. Professor Zhang had long been aware of his return and appeared remarkably unruffled, even carrying a hint of indifference.

Sitting behind his desk flipping through a feasibility report, he said, "No matter what I said, you wouldn't listen, but Director Hu makes one call and you go to Xi'an and are willing to come back? Am I your teacher or is he?"

The old man looked displeased, but Yu Tu knew he wasn't truly angry and explained in a low voice, "It has nothing to do with Director Hu. In Xi'an... I figured things out on my own."

"Really figured it out?" Professor Zhang closed the report he was reading, pinched the bridge of his nose, and dropped his earlier pretense. "Director Hu asked you to start work right after returning from Xi'an, but you didn't agree. Wasn't it because you still had doubts?"

He sighed and said, "Don't take what I said last time to heart. Later, I thought it over carefully—the environment you're facing now is different from what we experienced back then. Our time was difficult, but which industry wasn't struggling? Everyone was in the same boat, so we were united and didn't feel any disparity. Now it's different—young people face higher living costs, and the gaps between industries have widened. How could people's hearts not change? Change is only human. What I said last time was detached from reality and human sentiment, and for that, I owe you an apology."

Yu Tu was moved. "Teacher..."

Professor Zhang waved his hand to cut him off. "So I will understand any choice you make. No matter what you choose, you will always be my student. But if you've come back physically while still harboring doubts and hesitation in your heart, you won't be able to accomplish anything."

He asked again, "Have you really figured it out?"

Though these were his own words, faced with his teacher's earnest inquiry, Yu Tu inexplicably thought of things beyond work...

Avoiding a direct answer, he said in a low voice, "I will give it my all."

Professor Zhang nodded with relief. "That's good. Our aerospace team is getting younger. Last year, someone in Beijing became a chief designer at just 35. I hope you'll strive in that direction too."

At this point, Professor Zhang remembered to ask, "How did Guan Zai suddenly get sick? Is it serious?"

Yu Tu paused and said, "He said it's nothing serious and told me to ask colleagues not to visit him."

"That's just his temperament." Professor Zhang set his mind at ease. "Then you all should take on more of his work. Go on, get busy."

Yu Tu nodded and was about to leave when the old man called him back.

"That female star from last time—she's actually quite good, and she made some sense..." The old man coughed, looking somewhat uncomfortable, but quickly assumed a stern, fatherly demeanor. "You should start considering your lifelong matters. I think she's a good match, you should be more proactive... Alright, go now."

But Yu Tu didn't move. He remained silent for a moment, then looked up at his teacher, as if asking him, yet also asking himself: "Teacher, what right do I have?"

The old man was taken aback, then grew exasperated: "I don't understand this. You, a future chief designer, a graduate of a prestigious university—where are you undeserving of a female star? Money? Even if you earned millions or tens of millions a year, you still wouldn't make as much as her. What are you lacking confidence in?"

"Aerospace is the most romantic profession—how did we end up with someone like you?" The old man shooed him away in frustration. "Go on, get out of here. Just looking at you annoys me."On his first day back at work, Yu Tu didn't work overtime for long and left the unit a little after six, heading straight to Huashan Hospital.

When he entered the ward, Guan Zai and his wife Shen Jing were in the middle of an argument. Guan Zai looked at Yu Tu as if seeing a savior, pointing at him exasperatedly and saying, "Ask him yourself. Does he have a girlfriend or not? How can you say I haven't been trying to promote your junior sister... I mean, introduce her properly?"

His wife glared at him, then turned to Yu Tu. "How long has it been since we last had dinner at my place? Less than two months, and you already have a girlfriend?"

Yu Tu paused for a moment before nodding cooperatively, "Yes, I do."

"Let's see a photo then."

Of course, Yu Tu couldn't produce one. His wife said irritably, "If you don't have one, just say so. If you're not interested, just be honest about it. Why be so evasive?"

Guan Zai was at a loss for words and looked at Yu Tu reproachfully, "You bragged so much, saying some girl likes you, but you don't even have a photo?"

Before Yu Tu could respond, he turned to flatter his wife, "Honey, let me tell you, Old Yu may seem honest, but he's rotten inside. I used to be fooled by him too. It's only these past few nights while he was on night duty that I discovered the truth. Introducing him to your junior sister would only harm her."

Yu Tu perked up and joined the conversation, "How am I rotten inside?"

Guan Zai said triumphantly, "You were watching videos of a female celebrity late at night, and not just once. I saw it. Is that something a decent man would do?"

Yu Tu frowned slightly but didn't deny it, "I was wearing headphones... Did I wake you?"

Guan Zai said, "No, I slept too much during the day and couldn't fall asleep at night. I woke up and saw it. What's the name of that female celebrity again? She's quite famous."

Shen Jing looked at Yu Tu, both surprised and intrigued, "Yu Tu, you like celebrities? I really can't tell. Which female celebrity?"

Yu Tu replied calmly, "Qiao Jingjing."

Guan Zai quickly chimed in, "Yes, yes, that's her. See? He admitted it. I told you he's unreliable. He's already thirty and still chasing celebrities. It just shows he's a lecher, nothing like how honest and adorable I am."

Guan Zai was as spirited as ever when joking around, but he was still weak and soon ran out of energy, his words growing fewer until he quietly fell asleep. The previously lively ward suddenly fell into silence.

Shen Jing gazed quietly at his pale face for a while before standing up and saying to Yu Tu, "Let's go outside."

Sitting on the chairs outside the ward, Shen Jing explained to him, "I was just joking with Guan Zai earlier. Don't take it to heart. I didn't want him to feel..."

She didn't finish her sentence.

Yu Tu said, "I understand."

Shen Jing forced a smile, "Actually, I don't want to introduce my junior sister to you anymore."

Her tone was unusually calm, "What if she ends up resenting me? You and Guan Zai are the same—never around, always focused on work. At most, he was away from home for half the year, and the other half he was always working overtime."

Yu Tu had often heard Shen Jing complain about Guan Zai being too busy with work to care for the family. Every time he went to their home for a meal, Shen Jing would always bring it up. But back then, she would say it with a smile—her complaints weren't genuine grievances but a form of amusement.But now, she was truly heartbroken. She murmured, "He never keeps his promises. He said once he became more accomplished, he would apply to take me to the launch site to watch his work fly into space with my own eyes... He always lies to me, always breaks his promises..."

Shen Jing repeated these words over and over until she could no longer hold back, covering her face as large teardrops fell one after another.

Yu Tu remained silent throughout.

This scene had been replaying constantly over the past few days. The stronger Shen Jing appeared before Guan Zai, the more fragile she became in his absence, as if she might break down at any moment. At first, Yu Tu had tried to comfort her, but gradually he realized any verbal consolation was too feeble and useless. What Shen Jing needed wasn't comfort but release.

He leaned his head back against the chair, staring blankly at the hospital ceiling, when suddenly he remembered the figure that had been weighing on his mind all day.

He recalled the gradually dimming light in her eyes, remembered her saying, "I'll never ask you why again."

Then she turned around and walked away in her high heels, step by step, resolutely and proudly.

Watching her retreating figure at that moment, countless wild thoughts had surged through his mind - like rushing forward to stop her, holding her, locking her in his embrace...

But then what? What could he offer her?

Perhaps not even the most basic care.

After a long while, Shen Jing finally regained her composure. Yu Tu handed her a tissue, and she wiped her tears. "I'm sorry for making you listen to my complaints every day. I don't really blame him."

"It's precisely his dedication and seriousness that attracted me to him. I thought we had plenty of time, that when we grew old, we'd have endless time together. But now... there's no more time."

Only then did Yu Tu speak: "The doctor said there's great hope for recovery."

Shen Jing shook her head. "You don't understand."

She didn't elaborate further, checked her phone, and stood up. "Guan Zhu said he's already picked up the child and will be here soon. He'll keep watch tonight. You've really worked hard these past days."

Guan Zhu was Guan Zai's younger brother, a freelance photographer who had been traveling abroad and only returned yesterday.

Yu Tu also stood up. "It's my duty."

When Guan Zai woke up, the hospital room was completely silent. Yu Tu stood against the wall opposite the bed, head lowered, lost in thought.

The patient in the neighboring bed had been discharged this morning. Though Guan Zai usually found him noisy, he now realized some sound in the room would be preferable. He coughed lightly, and Yu Tu looked up. "Awake?"

"Yeah. You're still here? Where's A'Jing?"

"Sister-in-law went home to see the child. Guan Zhu hasn't arrived yet. I'll leave after he comes." Yu Tu raised the bed slightly and poured him a cup of warm water.

Guan Zai drank slowly. "While I was asleep just now, did your sister-in-law cry again?"

Yu Tu took the cup and placed it back on the table without answering.

Guan Zai sighed. "Her eyes are always red, yet she still puts on an act in front of me. So foolish."

"You're the foolish one, delaying treatment until now."

A trace of regret appeared on Guan Zai's face. "Usually it was just minor illnesses and pains. I didn't know it was this serious, otherwise I would have come earlier." He looked at Yu Tu. "Can you not be like this? Cancer isn't a death sentence nowadays. I checked - the type I have has high recovery rates. With my willpower, I can definitely overcome it."

Yu Tu nodded. "Alright, I believe you.""You're officially back at work today?"

"Mm."

"Not resigning anymore?"

"No."

"Because of me?"

"Don't flatter yourself."

Guan Zai chuckled, "Come to the hospital less from now on. You're going to be swamped—knock on wood—absolutely buried in work."

Bringing up this topic, he went over some work-related issues again, then reiterated, "Don't tell anyone at the institute about my situation yet. Director Hu knowing is enough. I really don't want to deal with Xiao Meng and the others right now."

"I know."

"I won't be able to work for at least two years anyway, so it's all on you now."

Yu Tu responded with a calm "Mm," saying reassuringly, "Don't worry."

By the time he got home, it was almost eleven. Yu Tu walked to the sofa and sat down, a wave of exhaustion washing over him from deep within. Just then, Zhai Liang happened to come out of the bathroom holding his phone. Spotting Yu Tu, he let out an exaggerated exclamation and bounded over to him.

"You're finally back? Why didn't you reply to my WeChat?" He hurriedly opened a video on his phone and shoved it in front of Yu Tu. "This was just shared in the class group—everyone's heatedly discussing it. What's going on?"

Yu Tu's gaze slowly shifted to the phone. In the video, he and Qiao Jingjing were standing on the KPL stage, being interviewed by the host.

Zhai Liang crouched by the sofa, studying him. "I've been thinking—is this what you call 'commonplace on the streets'?"

Yu Tu instinctively took the phone in his hand. Just as his eyes landed on it, the camera happened to zoom in on Qiao Jingjing, who was smiling radiantly at the lens.

A slight curve touched his lips as well. He closed the phone and placed it on the coffee table, standing up as he said, "You won't see that again."