Nan Binghuai did not bring Cheng Xuedong directly into his studio, but walked straight into the office.

When Cheng Xuedong sat down, Nan Binghuai personally poured him a glass of boiled water.

Cheng Xuedong was a little flattered, stood up again, and cautiously reached out to pick up the water cup in the teacher's hand.

"Xiao Cheng, what are you polite to me, sit down!" Nan Binghuai pressed Cheng Xuedong's shoulder in disgust.

Cheng Xuedong had no choice but to sit down: "The teacher sits too." ”

In order not to let Cheng Xuedong be restrained, Nan Binghuai also sat opposite him.

"Xiao Cheng, you have to think about it, if you participate in this project, I'm afraid you will have to pay a lot. Because this project is not an overnight thing, it may take several years, or even more than ten years. And, at the risk of failure. ”

Cheng Xuedong was slightly stunned: "Does it really take so long?" ”

Nan Binghuai showed a helpless expression: "Because this is a project that we have never encountered before, we may have to tackle technical problems while building, and even continuously improve some things as needed in the process." After all, this project is not only unprecedented in scale, but also advanced in sophistication, and can be said to be a huge scientific instrument that will not be surpassed in the next few decades. ”

Cheng Xuedong hesitated, and finally nodded: "I can bear it!" ”

Nan Binghuai couldn't help sighing: "I am sixty years old this year, and no matter the success or failure of this project, I will have to spend my whole life's energy." And if you lose all your good years, do you really think it's worth it? ”

After some thought, Cheng Xuedong has already made up his mind: "As long as I can make a modest contribution to the prosperity of our motherland, I will not hesitate to pay my life's work." ”

Nan Binghuai's deep gaze stared at his protégé through the lens for a moment, and finally showed a relieved smile: "Xiao Cheng is good, I didn't mistake you." ”

Cheng Xuedong's eyes were blazing: "Teacher, please assign the task." ”

Nan Binghuai pondered for a moment before speaking slowly: "Since it is currently in the preparatory stage of the FAST project, the main task is also carried out around this aspect. The site selection has not yet been carried out. I want you to be involved in this work first. ”

Cheng Xuedong was stunned for a moment, and quickly said: "Mr. Nan, I am an astronomer, of course I want to participate in the core work of the FAST project." How do you assign me to this job? ”

Nan Binghuai explained softly: "Didn't I already talk about it? It is still in the preparatory stage. ”

"But I want to be involved in the design of this project."

"Well, do you think that only participating in design is the main job? In fact, choosing a suitable home for this Chinese 'eye in the sky' is also the job of our astronomers. Moreover, it is a vital job. If the place where this 'eye of heaven' is not suitable, it is very awkward to look outward. Besides, you have a knack for geology, and you should know what kind of geological conditions are right for the largest instrument on earth. ”

Cheng Xuedong thought about it carefully, felt that the teacher was very reasonable, and suddenly became cheerful: "Okay, I accept this job!" ”

Nan Binghuai smiled with satisfaction, because the lenses of his glasses were a little blurry, so he took them off to wipe them.

Cheng Xuedong, who was sitting opposite, hurriedly stretched out his hand and grabbed it: "Teacher, I'll help you wipe it." ”

Nan Binghuai watched Cheng Xuedong wipe his glasses, and said to his students: "When we have a meal together at noon, you will return to Shangjiang immediately." ”

Cheng Xuedong was stunned: "Why is this?" ”

Nan Binghuai's expression was very solemn: "I'll give you half a month to settle down at home first." ”

"Well, I was here already..."

Nan Binghuai immediately interrupted: "Xiao Cheng, now that you know the arduousness and long duration of this project, you should be mentally prepared, and you must arrange your home more properly." ”

Cheng Xuedong knew that the teacher had good intentions, so he had to nod: "Okay, I'll listen to you." ”

In the afternoon of the same day, Cheng Xuedong took the train back to Shangjiang. However, there was a hint of worry in his eyes, and he was not relieved along the way, and as he got closer to Shangjiang, his expression became more and more solemn.

After more than ten hours of traveling, the train he took slowly stopped at Shangjiang Station.

Cheng Xuedong waited for the train, suddenly had a feeling of returning to his heart, carrying the gifts he bought for his wife and daughter, hurriedly walked out of the ticket gate, and boarded a taxi.

Cheng Xuedong's family lives in an ordinary residential area in Shangjiang City, and when he eagerly climbed the stairs of his house and twisted open the door, he immediately shouted inside: "Shuzhen! ”

At first, there was silence inside.

Cheng Xuedong thought that his wife was not at home, but he breathed a sigh of relief, and immediately put the belongings he carried on the floor of the living room, and then sat on the sofa. He took the train for a night, and he barely felt sleepy, and now the sleeping bugs hit his brain, and in a relaxed state, he wanted to take the opportunity to take a nap, but he didn't want to go back to the bedroom, as if he was resting and waiting for someone.

Creak!

In less than a quarter of an hour, one of the bedroom doors in this two-bedroom home was pushed open, and Cheng Xuedong, who was in a hazy state, suddenly opened his eyes, and when he glanced at the bedroom door that made a noise, he was so shocked that he almost jumped up from the sofa: "Shuzhen, are you there?" ”

At the door of the bedroom, a middle-aged woman was holding the door frame with her hand and looking at Cheng Xuedong. She looked sick, wearing a set of underwear, her body looked extremely weak, and she needed to hold her hand on the door frame, as if a gust of wind could blow her sick body down.

This middle-aged woman is Cheng Xuedong's wife Wang Shuzhen, who was also an astronomer and a classmate and colleague of Cheng Xuedong, but she retired early due to physical reasons. In the face of Cheng Xuedong's questioning, she smiled covertly: "I'll be lazy for a while while you're not at home." ”

Cheng Xuedong couldn't help but glance up at the wall clock hanging on the wall of the living room, and the time display was 9:15.

"Shuzhen, are you feeling unwell again?"

Cheng Xuedong ran over with concern, holding his wife with one hand, and raising his other hand to touch her forehead.

"Ahhh Is it so burning? ”

Wang Shuzhen hurriedly raised her hand to remove her husband's cold big hand: "It's your hands that are too cold." ”

"Really?"

Cheng Xuedong tentatively touched that hand to his forehead, but he didn't feel very cold. Although it was bitterly cold outside, he had already walked into the house for a while, and the temperature of his hands had recovered.

"No, you're still burning, what about the thermometer?"

Wang Shuzhen saw that her husband was going to help her into the bedroom, and hurriedly used the other one to hold the door frame: "Xuedong don't... I have something to ask you... Help me to sit on the couch outside! ”

Cheng Xuedong understands his wife's character, and knows from her weak and resolute tone that she will not give up if she does not take the lead in explaining the reason for coming back.

"Sook-jin, slow down."

Cheng Xuedong had no choice but to follow his wife's temperament and carefully support her on the sofa.

Wang Shuzhen looked very strong at this time, getting rid of one of her husband's two hands: "I'm not so fragile, you don't have to be so nervous." ”

Cheng Xuedong and the others helped his wife to sit on the sofa, and couldn't help but smile bitterly: "You still say that your body can bear it, and what do you say that when you are at home alone, you should insist on going out to exercise every morning." When I first got home, I thought you had really gone out for morning exercises, but it turned out that you were already so weak that you had been hiding your illness a few days ago. ”

Wang Shuzhen shook her head lightly: "Look at what you said, I seem to be deliberately driving you away." That's how my body is, and it's normal to have a little relapse once in a while. ”

Cheng Xuedong also sat down slowly under his wife's signal, but asked with concern: "Did you inject yourself with insulin last night?" ”

Wang Shuzhen nodded lightly: "Well, how dare I neglect what you confessed?" ”

Cheng Xuedong smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Can you still listen to me?" It's all the doctor's confession. ”

Wang Shuzhen returned to the topic at this time: "Xuedong, why did you come back after only one day?" Is it because Mr. Nan won't let you participate? ”

Cheng Xuedong frowned, hesitated for a while before softly saying, "He has already agreed to my request, and specially approved me to come back and settle down at home." ”

"Oh, if that's the case, why are you so sad?"

"Sook-jin... As soon as I saw you like this... Just..."

"Xuedong!" Wang Shuzhen hurriedly interrupted her husband, "I said earlier, my disease is a chronic disease that is neither cured nor dead, so you can't always delay your career, right?" ”

Cheng Xuedong was entangled: "But... The project is too long, and it will take several years, or even more than ten years. ”

Wang Shuzhen was stunned for a moment, her expression changed slightly, and then she smiled indifferently: "This project is a major project of the country, and of course the manufacturing cycle will be long." What's so strange about this? ”

"But... I'm afraid I'm too busy to take care of you. ”

Wang Shuzhen looked disappreciative: "I said it a long time ago, I don't need you to take care of it." ”

"Ahem, ahem!"

Wang Shuzhen couldn't help coughing at this time.

"Shuzhen!"

Cheng Xuedong hurriedly patted his wife's back a few times, and then got up to pour his wife a glass of warm water.

Wang Shuzhen seemed to be thirsty, and immediately cheered up and drank a glass of warm boiled water-

"Sook-jin, slow down."

Cheng Xuedong carefully served his wife while showing a contradictory expression.

Wang Shuzhen sensed what kind of psychology her husband had, so after stabilizing her emotions, she said categorically: "Xuedong, you can go back to work tomorrow." I said I could take care of myself! ”

"No way!" Cheng Xuedong's attitude was also very resolute, "You are sick like this, I will not leave!" ”