I Had a Bad Feeling

Lu Zhou gave Academician Lu a baffled look.

"How could that be?"

Academician Lu sounded anxious. "Then why are you working on a space shuttle?"

So that was what this was about.

Lu Zhou understood what Academician Lu was thinking. He cleared his throat and explained, "The reports may have gotten a few things wrong. The space shuttle is mainly being handled by... Starry Sky Technology. I just put up some money."

That was close. I almost mentioned Xiao Ai.

Academician Lu did not notice the pause. He sighed and continued gravely, "I don't know much about aerospace, but I've discussed it with a few old friends at the Academy of Engineering. Even with government support, private aerospace companies here still struggle to compete with international firms. For now, most of them are mainly raising money."

"I didn't come here because I'm worried your research has gone astray. I'm worried you've lost sight of your own path!"

"Once a scholar becomes a businessman, it's hard for him to settle down and focus on research again. I've seen it happen too many times."

"Perhaps I'm not the one who should say this, but you're spreading yourself too thin. If you settled down and devoted yourself to physics, one day your achievements might even stand alongside those of Newton and Einstein. Why turn to aerospace now? Aren't you putting the cart before the horse?"

Lu Zhou said, "But if I'd done that, Controlled Nuclear Fusion wouldn't exist either."

Academician Lu froze. For a long while, he said nothing.

Lu Zhou paused, then continued.

"Theoretical science is fascinating. I've always believed that. But science isn't only about theory. Using what we know to change the world around us is just as meaningful."

"Take the Mass Gap," Lu Zhou said after a moment. "If