Nie Xing hurried toward the communications station at his workplace.
For the sake of project and work confidentiality, all their communication devices had been placed under strict control and management.
Especially half a month ago, when the project's experiments had reached their most critical stage, even their already restricted right to make calls on their phones had been temporarily revoked. They had been completely cut off from the outside world!
Only this communications station allowed emergency contact, and even then, it could only receive calls.
And it could only be used under the soldiers' strict round-the-clock surveillance.
Nie Xing looked anxious. He knew his father's temper was not so easy to fool.
Once his father set his mind on something, he would not change it easily. Just to contact him, the old man had forced himself from being illiterate to typing fluently and even knowing how to scan codes to pay—a "trendy old man." Over the past six months, the old man's health had worsened. He kept saying he wanted to come to the capital to see him, walk down Chang'an Avenue once, and check on how he had been doing lately.
But his experiment had also entered its critical stage. The efforts of several thousand people across the entire research institute could not tolerate the slightest ambiguity. This involved state secrets; he did not dare overstep or risk any leaks!
Helpless, in order to make the old man give up on coming to the capital to find him, he had tearfully said that he was going to look for his biological parents!
That was the one forbidden subject between him and the old man. Touch it, and the old man would fly into a rage!
His biological parents were the people the old man hated most. They had abandoned Nie Xing and had no right to be called Nie Xing's parents! When little Nie Xing had been found, he had not even been weaned. Old Nie had shamelessly gone door to door, begging women with milk to feed the child. Despite everyone's attempts to dissuade him, in that impoverished era, the old man had steadfastly raised Nie Xing to adulthood. When money was tight, he took on another job; when he was exhausted, he ate a little more so he would not delay work; when life was bitter, he only worried about Nie Xing's feelings!
From elementary school to high school, then to graduate school at one of Dragon Country's leading research institutions, an unmarried man with no relatives had raised an abandoned child into such a talented person who could contribute to the country.
How could the hardship and familial love behind that possibly be captured in just a few brief strokes?
Sure enough, for the entire half month, the old man had never called again.
However,
why had he taken the initiative to contact him today?
If humans could sense what was about to happen, then Nie Xing truly felt something now. A thin sheen of sweat seeped into his palms.
He finally arrived at the communications station.
Unfortunately, the call had already been hung up.
A soldier at the communications station looked apologetic.
"Sorry, Director Nie!"
Every incoming call was logged at the communications station, and they had long prepared corresponding notes for all callers.
That was why they knew the call had been for Nie Xing!
Every call could only be answered personally by the person being contacted, under supervision for the entire duration.
Although the research work had now ended in complete success, before Dragon Country made an official announcement and released the news, they still could not reveal their identities or the project they had been researching!
Nie Xing froze, standing blankly in the communications station.
Normally gifted with extraordinary logical thinking, he now felt panicked and muddled.
What he had told the old man was the old man's forbidden subject, something that could not be mentioned!
The moment it was brought up, the old man would certainly be furious!
Back in middle school, because of this matter, the old man—who had never laid a hand on him and had always been kind—had hit him for the first time!
That had also been the only time he had failed to win against the old man. He had taken the initiative to apologize and swear an oath before finally being forgiven.
That showed just how deeply the old man clung to that thorn in his heart.
He had had no choice but to use that excuse to refuse him. He had planned to explain everything clearly as soon as the research ended, then apologize and beg for forgiveness.
Yet the old man had actually called him first?
What could have happened that made this forbidden subject, this thorn in the old man's heart, no longer important?
Meanwhile, Old Nie's condition had worsened severely.
That evening, Old Wang found him unconscious at home and hurriedly sent him to the hospital!
The emergency room light came on.
Old Wang and his son stood silently in the corridor.
After a moment,
Young Wang could not hold it in any longer and asked Old Wang,
"Xing isn't back yet. What if something happens to his dad? When he left back then, I even said I'd help him look after Uncle Nie."
"Hmph! What fucking time is this? Why are you bringing him up?"
It would have been better not to mention it. The moment it came up, Old Wang was furious. That adopted son had vanished without a word, no matter how serious his father's illness had become!
Sure enough, he was not blood-related. There was no affection at all. Old Nie had spent his whole life working himself to the bone and raising him through hardship.
In the end, he had raised an ungrateful wretch!
Seeing Old Wang's anger, Young Wang did not dare say another word.
But Old Wang was not done. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.
Finally, he glanced at his son beside him and frowned!
He immediately smacked Young Wang across the head!
Smack!
"Why the hell did you hit me?"
"I'm telling you, don't ever mention him in front of me again. Mention him once, and I'll hit you once!"
"You can just talk, why hit me? There are so many people watching!"
"What, what I say doesn't count now? You're talking back?"
"Don't, don't hit me! I got it. I won't mention Nie Xing again!"
Smack!
Another slap landed on Young Wang's head. Young Wang looked at Old Wang with anger and grievance, wanting to say something, but after opening his mouth, he said nothing.
He did not want to talk anymore.
Thus, father and son fell into another brief silence.
No one knew how long passed.
Finally, a doctor emerged, looking anxious.
"The patient's condition is very bad. We will definitely need to issue a critical condition notice. Are any family members present?"
"Family? I'm his neighbor. He's all alone—aside from that adopted son, he doesn't have any family!"
Hearing the doctor's words, Old Wang felt his heart pounding wildly as he replied in a panic.
Young Wang beside him remained somewhat calmer.
"Doctor, none of his family is with him!"
"What kind of people are you? This patient has had records at our hospital for a whole year. How can there not even be a family member by his side?"
The doctor was somewhat angry, but then he remembered something and hurriedly added,
"Right, while unconscious, the patient has been calling out one name over and over. I think it was... Nie Xing!?"
At the communications station, the phone rang again.
Since it was an unknown number, the communications soldier could only answer it. Old Wang's urgent voice came from the other end.
"Nie Xing, you little bastard, get your ass back here! Your dad's been issued a critical condition notice!"
"You heartless, ungrateful bastard!"
The communications soldier answering the phone changed expression!
There was another chapter!
Even if it was late, it would be here!
(Recommended a friend's book, "My Mountain Manor Connects to All Worlds." Interested readers can check it out.)
Before you continue