Chapter 278 Wang Zhenguo's Phone Call

October 7, 2040.

Beijing, sky ladder project Headquarters.

Lin Mo was in the conference room discussing the testing plan for the Plasma Engine with the engineers when his phone suddenly vibrated. He looked down at the screen and froze.

Wang Zhenguo

Teacher rarely called of his own accord. Since falling ill, his body had become increasingly weak, and he spent most of his time recuperating. On the rare occasions they video chatted, it was Lin Mo who initiated the call.

Lin Mo picked up the phone and walked out of the conference room.

"Teacher?" His voice was a bit tight.

There was a silence of two seconds on the other end, then a weak but familiar voice came through: "Xiao Mo."

Lin Mo's heart tightened.

His teacher's voice was even raspier than he had imagined, like sandpaper rubbing together. But he tried to make his own voice sound normal: "Teacher, how are you today?"

Wang Zhenguo didn't answer his question, only saying, "I saw the sky ladder."

Lin Mo was stunned for a moment.

"On TV, in the news, it's everywhere." Wang Zhenguo's voice was very slow, as if every word required all his strength. "Thirty-six thousand kilometers... from Earth to space... it's wonderful."

Lin Mo's hand holding the phone trembled slightly.

"Teacher, wait for me to take you to see it." His voice choked up a bit. "When your health is a little better, I will personally accompany you up there."

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds.

Then Wang Zhenguo laughed. The laughter was very light and slow, but Lin Mo could hear the relief in it.

"I won't be able to wait that long," Wang Zhenguo said.

Lin Mo's nose tingled.

"Teacher..."

"Xiao Mo, listen to me." Wang Zhenguo interrupted him, his voice suddenly becoming a bit clearer. "In my life, I have two regrets."

Lin Mo listened quietly.

"The first is watching the aerospace project being canceled with my own eyes when I was young. I was young then and thought there would be other opportunities later. Only later did I realize that some opportunities, once missed, are gone for a lifetime."

His voice paused.

"The second is not being able to see a Chinese person go into space with my own eyes. When Shenzhou 5 launched, I cried in front of the TV. Not because I didn't go up, but because... finally, someone went up on our behalf."

Lin Mo's eyes grew red.

"Teacher..."

"Xiao Mo," Wang Zhenguo's voice weakened again, but every word was very clear, "Go and see it for me."

Lin Mo opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but nothing would come out.

A fit of coughing came from the other end. It lasted for a long time, and then Wang Zhenguo's voice rang out again:

"The sky ladder, Mars, and places even further... go there for me."

Lin Mo's tears finally fell.

"Teacher, I..."

"Say no more." There was a hint of a smile in Wang Zhenguo's voice. "I know you will go. You've always been a good child."

Silence for a few seconds on the other end.

Then Wang Zhenguo said, "Alright, hang up. You're busy."

Lin Mo held the phone, listening to the breathing on the other end, not moving for a long time.

Finally, he said softly, "Teacher, please take care."

The call ended.

Lin Mo stood in the hallway, holding his phone, motionless.

Sunlight shone in through the window, falling on him, but he couldn't feel the warmth.

Soft footsteps came from behind him.

Li Xiao stood not far away, looking at him. Her eyes were also red; she had clearly heard something.

"Senior Brother..." she called softly.

Lin Mo didn't turn around.

Li Xiao walked over and stood beside him without speaking, just quietly keeping him company.

After a long time, Lin Mo said, "It was a call from Teacher."

Li Xiao nodded. "I heard."

Lin Mo remained silent.

Li Xiao said softly, "Senior Brother, Academician Wang..."

"He said he won't be able to wait that long." Lin Mo's voice was very soft, like a falling leaf. "He said, he wants me to go and see for him."

Li Xiao's tears slid down.

The two stood in silence, letting the sunlight spill over them.

In the afternoon, Chen Xueming called from the platform.

"Old Lin, I heard Academician Wang called?" His voice was urgent. "How is he?"

Lin Mo was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Not very good."

Chen Xueming also fell silent.

After a long time, he said, "Old Lin, let me go see him."

Lin Mo shook his head. "No need. He needs rest."

Chen Xueming said, "Then... pass on a message for me."

"What is it?"

Chen Xueming was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Thank him. Thank him for mentoring you."

Lin Mo was taken aback for a moment.

Chen Xueming continued, "If it weren't for him, there would be no you. If it weren't for you, there would be no me. So, thank him."

Lin Mo nodded, even though Chen Xueming couldn't see him.

"I will pass it on."

In the evening, Lin Mo dialed Wang Zhenguo's number.

This time, a nurse answered.

"Mr. Lin, Academician Wang just fell asleep. He was too tired today."

Lin Mo said, "Then I'll call back later."

The nurse hesitated, then said, "Mr. Lin, Academician Wang... he might not last much longer. The doctor says he could... at any time."

Lin Mo's hand trembled again.

"I understand." His voice was very calm. "Thank you."

After hanging up, he sat in his chair, watching the sunset outside the window.

Orange-red light filled the entire city, and the silhouette of the Western Hills in the distance was clearly visible.

He remembered the first time he met Wang Zhenguo.

That was over a decade ago, when he was still a Ph.D. Student attending an academic conference. Wang Zhenguo was the keynote speaker, talking about the frontier progress of Controlled Nuclear Fusion. After the meeting, he plucked up the courage to ask a question. Wang Zhenguo didn't brush him off; he answered seriously and even asked for his name and school.

Later, he became Wang Zhenguo's student.

Later, he became Wang Zhenguo's pride.

Later, he built the sky ladder.

And his teacher was about to leave.

At eight o'clock in the evening, Lin Mo dialed again.

This time, Wang Zhenguo was awake.

"Xiao Mo?" His voice was even weaker than during the day, but still clear.

Lin Mo said, "Teacher, Chen Xueming asked me to pass on a message to you."

"What message?"

"He said, thank you for mentoring me. If it weren't for you, there would be no me. If it weren't for me, there would be no him."

Silence for a few seconds on the other end.

Then Wang Zhenguo laughed. The laughter was light and slow, but full of relief.

"That child... is a good child," he said. "Tell him I've noted it."

Lin Mo nodded.

Wang Zhenguo added, "Xiao Mo, you must remember too."

"Remember what?"

"Remember what you promised me." Wang Zhenguo's voice was very light, but every word was engraved on his heart. "Go and see for me."

Lin Mo's tears fell once more.

"Teacher, I'll remember."

"Good," Wang Zhenguo said. "That's good."

The nurse's voice came from the other end: "Academician Wang, you should rest now."

Wang Zhenguo said, "Xiao Mo, hang up."

Lin Mo said, "Teacher, please take care."

The call ended.

Late at night, Lin Mo stood alone by the window of the Chief Engineers Office.

Outside the window, Beijing's night view was brilliant. The traffic on Changan Avenue was like a flowing river of light, and Tiananmen Square in the distance was brightly lit.

But what he saw in his eyes was another image.

Thirty-six thousand kilometers above, that invisible cable.

Fifty-five million kilometers away, that red planet.

And even further away, those reaches of deep space where no human had ever reached.

His teacher wanted him to go and see for him.

He would go.

Definitely.