After the publication was finalized, Cheng Che began preparing materials for the report meeting.
Professor Liu gave him a month to organize the proof into a version suitable for a presentation.
He spent several nights breaking down the formulas in the paper step by step, adding diagrams and background information.
When making the PowerPoint presentation, he found that his level of engagement was completely different from when he played tennis.
Playing tennis is about winning, making money, and completing tasks.
But while compiling this report, he simply found it interesting.
Meanwhile, LV arranged three live interviews.
The first time was at the LV flagship store in Capital City, where the host asked him some questions about tennis and fashion.
The second time was an online meeting with several fashion bloggers from the Asia-Pacific region to chat about fashion.
The third time was when I did a live-streaming sales event to sell LV's new spring collection.
The number of viewers for each of the three live streams increased, and the most frequently commented phrase in the chat was. " Cheng Che looks good in anything."
After the live stream ended, LV posted a thank-you message on Weibo, along with a screenshot of his live stream.
The comments section was naturally filled with jubilation.
But these were just minor incidents before the Spring Festival.
What Cheng Che truly looked forward to was returning to Spring City.
The Spring Festival is approaching, and most of the work has been completed.
The LV endorsement has been officially announced, while the other three major endorsements will be announced after the Spring Festival.
The paper has been accepted, and the presentation is scheduled for the end of February.
He calculated the time and realized he could spend ten days back in Spring City to celebrate the New Year with his parents.
But how to get back became a problem.
Taking a plane? Too dangerous.
He was always surrounded and people kept trying to sell his flight information.
When he returned to China last time, more than a thousand people were waiting for him at the airport, and he spent two hours signing autographs before he could leave.
He didn't want to go through that again.
Qin Lie suggested he take the high-speed rail.
Cheng Che thought for a moment, then shook his head. Isn't this the same as flying?
If the high-speed rail gets stuck in traffic, it will be even more dangerous.
I'll drive back myself.
Qin Lie was taken aback. "Driving? From Capital City to Spring City, it would take at least twenty-eight hours without stopping."
"I'd have to be crazy to drive like this all at once," Cheng Che chuckled slyly. "I plan to go to Rongcheng first; I have an LV interview to do there. After the interview, I'll drive back to Spring City from Rongcheng —it'll take nine hours."
Qin Lie thought about it and decided that the plan was acceptable.
He had traveled the route from Rongcheng to Spring City; it was all highway and the road conditions were good.
Moreover, he knew Cheng Che's driving skills; he could drive with ease.
"Okay," Qin Lie said, "Then be careful."
Cheng Che gave his team a holiday, distributed red envelopes, and sent them home for the Chinese New Year.
Chen Wei was still a little worried when she left, repeatedly reminding him, "Boss, drive carefully."
Cheng Che waved to her to reassure her.
The new car was bought in Rongcheng.
Audi A6L, 550,000.
It wasn't that Cheng Che couldn't afford a more expensive car, but he felt it wasn't necessary.
This car is being driven back to Spring City for my parents; they don't have time to drive in Capital City.
Five hundred and fifty thousand is neither too extravagant nor too stingy; it's just right.
After finishing his interview with LV in Rongcheng, he stayed overnight there.
The next morning, he got into his new car, adjusted the seat and rearview mirrors, started the engine, and drove onto the highway.
This was the first time he had ever driven such a long distance.
But he found that driving was easier for him than he had imagined.
With all attributes at 80, the body's reaction speed, stamina, and concentration are all at their peak.
He drove very steadily, keeping his speed within the speed limit, occasionally overtaking, but never speeding.
The scenery along the highway was beautiful.
In winter, the mountains at the border of Sichuan and Yunnan are bluish-gray, and there are occasional fields of rapeseed flowers on both sides of the road, a Huang Chengcheng.
He rolled the car window down a little, and the wind blew in, carrying the scent of earth and grass.
Halfway there, he stopped at a service area to rest and bought a bowl of instant noodles and a can of Red Bull.
The service area was filled with large trucks, and the drivers were squatting beside their vehicles smoking or making phone calls.
As Cheng Che was eating instant noodles at the supermarket entrance, he noticed a large truck parked next to him.
The driver was standing next to the front of the car, talking to a traffic policeman.
"Do you have a driver's license?" the traffic police officer asked.
Yes, yes, yes.
Please show me your driver's license.
"Forget it, officer."
The driver scratched his head and smiled somewhat ingratiatingly.
Then the traffic police officer asked him, "Do you have a driver's license?"
Yes, yes, yes.
Please show me your driver's license.
"Forget it, officer."
Cheng Che, watching from the side, couldn't help but chuckle.
Is he trapped in a time loop?
He finished his instant noodles, got into his car, and continued on his journey.
Nine hours later, it was already dark.
Cheng Che drove the car into the new residential area in the north of Spring City and parked it in the underground garage.
He turned off the engine, stretched in the car, then picked up his bag and went upstairs.
When the elevator doors opened, he smelled the aroma of food.
He pushed open the door.
A group of people were sitting in the living room.
Jiang Xue ran back and forth between the kitchen and the living room. Cheng Jianguo sat on the sofa watching TV. Cheng Qingshan and Zhou Lan sat on the single sofa next to them. Aunt Cheng Yulan and Uncle Xu Chengjun sat at the dining table, while Xu Qian was doing her homework on the dining table.
"I'm back."
Everyone looked up at the same time.
Jiang Xue was the first to rush over, looking him up and down while muttering, "You've lost weight."
Cheng Jianguo stood up and took the bag from his hand.
Cheng Qingshan and Zhou Lan smiled and nodded at him.
Then Xu Qian jumped up from beside the dining table and ran to him.
The girl is about to enter her final year of junior high school. She's grown into a graceful young woman, with her hair in a ponytail, wearing a pink sweatshirt, and a look on her face that says, "I have something to say."
"Brother." She pouted.
Cheng Che looked down at her. "What's wrong?"
"How can you have so many rumored boyfriends?" Xu Qian's tone was serious, like a little adult. " Yan Sister Ruanning so great, why didn't you choose her?"
Cheng Che paused for a moment, then smiled.
He glanced at his aunt, Cheng Yulan, who was sitting on the sofa.
Cheng Yulan pretended to be watching TV, but the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned.
He glanced at Jiang Xue again; Jiang Xue was putting dishes on the table, but her ears were clearly perked up.
"You've been bribed?" Cheng Che asked Xu Qian.
Xu Qian blushed slightly, then straightened her chest:
"What bribery? I just think Sister Ruanning is a good person. When she came to visit me at school last time, she even signed an autograph and took a photo with me. She's such a nice person, how could you not choose her?"
Cheng Che understood.
It seems that Yan Ruanning's visit to Xu Qian's school last time to sign autographs and take photos with her left a very good impression on the young girl.
"Alright," Cheng Che ruffled her hair. "Don't meddle in adults' affairs."
Xu Qian slapped his hand away. "I'm not an adult, but I have the right to speak."
Cheng Che smiled, ignored her, and walked to the dining table to sit down.
The table was already laden with dishes.
Braised pork belly, steamed fish, spicy chicken, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a large bowl of pork rib soup.
Jiang Xue continued to put more food on the table, saying, "You eat first, there's one more dish."
Cheng Che picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of braised pork, and put it in his mouth. It was fatty but not greasy, tender and flavorful—a testament to Jiang Xue's skill.
He chewed twice, then looked up at his family sitting around the table.
Grandpa and Grandma were laughing, Aunt and Uncle were chatting, Xu Qian was muttering something to herself, Cheng Jianguo was pouring himself a drink, Jiang Xue brought out the last dish, wiped her hands, and sat down next to him.
"Is it good?" Jiang Xue asked.
Cheng Che nodded.
"Tasty."
Outside the window is a dark winter night in Spring City, but inside it's warm.