141: Chapter 141 The Tender Side of Chu Ge

Just as he was thinking, a "thump, thump, thump" sound of knocking came from the door.

"Come in."

Wang Yun pushed the door open and walked in, holding several lunch boxes in her hands. Upon seeing this, Chu Ge hurriedly walked over to take them.

"Today's work finished quite early. I was just thinking about going down for a stroll in a bit; I didn't expect you to bring it directly to me, haha."

"Food should be eaten while it's hot; it'll get cold in a while. Old Chen said that Academician Chu is like a high-speed CPU—when you start up, you only remember programs and algorithms, so how could you possibly remember to eat?"

"So, as long as you don't show up at the cafeteria at the first opportunity, I have to bring it to you and supervise your meal."

Wang Yun pursed her lips and puffed out her chest, treating Academician Chen's words like an imperial decree.

"Uh, supervision too? Don't listen to Old Chen's nonsense. From now on, I probably won't be busy day and night like I was a while ago. I'll try my best to go to the cafeteria to eat on time, so you don't have to deliver it every day, making me look like some landlord lord."

Chu Ge was telling the truth; being a young man and having someone take care of him like this made him feel a bit uncomfortable.

"Fine, but finish this meal first before we talk about that."

Wang Yun didn't waste any more words after speaking and went off to tidy up Chu Ge's room on her own. Chu Ge reached out a hand to stop her, but after thinking about it, he lowered it and obediently went to eat his dinner.

"Academician Chu, I heard you were attacked by a missile at the Experimental Base? And in the end, it was the [Soul Blade] that stepped in?"

"Yeah, did Li Gang tell you that again?" Chu Ge replied indistinctly with a mouthful of food.

"The earlier parts were on the news, so everyone knows. Group Leader Li just detailed the situation at the time for me. Hehe, it doesn't count as a breach of discipline."

"Well, these details stop with you, alright? You're not allowed to spread them further."

"Yes, Academician Chu! Even if you didn't say so, we would be careful. This afternoon, Old Chen specially held a general meeting about this, saying that many unidentified people have appeared near the Research Institute recently, acting suspiciously."

"The Security Bureau is already monitoring them; if there's any misconduct, they'll be taken down immediately. At the same time, the peripheral security and inspection efforts have been strengthened. The road in front of the main entrance is about to be placed under military control, and all civilian vehicles will have to detour. The area around the Military Research Institute will soon become a vacuum zone."

Chu Ge was quite surprised after hearing this. He hadn't attended the meeting regarding confidentiality; he guessed Academician Chen didn't want to disturb him, which was something he was used to.

As for the military control, the road in front of the Research Institute was a main artery, usually bustling with traffic. To implement control just like that showed that the higher-up leaders were very determined.

"Well, we've been showing our edge a bit too much lately. Some countries are getting restless and have to come take a peek, right? Haha, let them peek. It saves the comrades from the Security Bureau from having to look for a needle in a haystack; we might as well take the suspects who deliver themselves to our door."

Chu Ge sighed after speaking. Setting aside the scum among their fellow countrymen who were willing to betray their own nation...

There were also those who were being used as pawns. They always thought taking a few photos didn't matter, not knowing they might have already broken the law invisibly.

Ignorant people are always quite exasperating.

Wang Yun nodded and continued with her work. After smoothing out the brand-new bedsheets, she gathered the pile of replaced sheets and pillowcases to take her leave, not forgetting to remind Chu Ge to finish his meal before she left.

Chu Ge agreed readily and then quickly finished off the dinner on the table. After tidying up the utensils, he walked downstairs, where the guards at the entrance saluted one after another.

Chu Ge returned the salute and looked at Captain Gong. "Captain Gong, come, walk a few laps with me?"

"Yes, Academician Chu!"

The two began strolling along the Research Institute. Colleagues occasionally greeted Chu Ge on the way, and he would nod and smile. At 6 or 7 o'clock in the summer, the sky wasn't dark yet, but it wasn't as hot as during the day. Walking on the road at this time with a gentle breeze blowing was very comfortable.

"Captain Gong, construction on the aerospace carrier is about to begin. All processes will be accelerated, and soon we will be soaring beyond the nine heavens. At that time, what are your plans?"

Chu Ge and Captain Gong stopped by the pond of the Research Institute. Chu Ge watched the ripples on the water for a good while before suddenly asking.

"I'll stay behind you and continue serving as Academician Chu's guard."

"Haha, I feel that's a bit of a waste of your talent. I remember you didn't use to be a guard."

"Didn't it used to be that there weren't figures like Academician Chu around?"

Captain Gong scratched his head after speaking; he probably felt his words sounded a bit like flattery and was suddenly a little embarrassed.

"Haha, no need to be embarrassed. We're so familiar with each other. In a year, the time I spend with you is more than the time I spend with my parents, relatives, and girlfriend combined. What else is there that can't be said?"

"Well, Academician Chu, are you missing your family or that beautiful girlfriend of yours?"

"Ahem, I miss my parents. My sister and girlfriend are fine; we video chat often. My parents are getting old, and I only see them a few times a year. We usually talk on the phone, but you know me—when I'm busy, my phone is turned off. They probably don't want to affect my work, so they rarely take the initiative to call me," Chu Ge said with a smile, looking at the schools of small fish in the water.

"By the way, Captain Gong, are your parents in good health? Do you contact them often?"

Chu Ge turned to look at Captain Gong; he seemed to have never mentioned these private matters.

"They're quite well. There are many children in my family, and I have a younger brother and sister. But we don't contact each other often either. In a unit like ours, it's always like this. Gradually, everyone gets used to it."

"Yeah, I figured as much. Seeing as the Mid-Autumn Festival is coming soon, I want to go home and see the two of them."

Chu Ge remembered that during a video chat with his sister Chu Xiaowu a few days ago, she seemed to have mentioned that their mom's leg ailment had flared up again.

Chu Ge's mother's leg ailment was an old problem—meniscus wear. It wasn't noticeable normally, but when it flared up, there would sometimes be severe fluid accumulation, making it difficult to walk. She had been receiving conservative treatment.

Chu Ge remembered the doctor saying surgery was an option, but this kind of surgery was quite agonizing for the patient and the results weren't very good.

Mother Chu was afraid of pain—Chu Ge knew this—so he had always gone along with her and hadn't pushed for surgery.

"Captain Gong, do you want to go home and see your parents too?"

"Ah? We soldiers can't just go back whenever we want; there's discipline." Chu Ge then remembered that it was indeed like that.

"However, I'll definitely still be following you. Seeing Academician Chu's parents will be just like seeing my own."

"Haha! Captain Gong, your words are sounding more and more like flattery."

"Hehe."

Both of them laughed and turned to start walking back. After the evening, Chu Ge felt that Captain Gong was also quite an interesting person. Not only was he not as serious as when he was on duty, but he also had a bit of a sense of humor.

Soon, the two walked to the bottom of the dormitory building.

Chu Ge bid farewell to Captain Gong and walked upstairs alone. After this lap, he felt much more relaxed. One always has to find a way to relax, otherwise, one would eventually suffer internal injuries from the pressure.

Captain Gong looked at Chu Ge's back and didn't come to his senses for a long time. Today was also a rare day for him. Usually, the Academician Chu he saw was a workaholic who acted with thunderous speed and forgot himself in his work. This time, he had witnessed Academician Chu's tender side.

This, instead, added a bit more closeness on top of his admiration. After all, only a person of flesh and blood can make one feel that way.