Beta Chapter 71: Willing

Chapter 71: Willing

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

The old house had been uninhabited for a long time, but it still exuded a lively atmosphere. Luo Songran stood in Duan Yizhou’s study. He wasn’t surprised that the young Duan Yizhou had a study, but he was surprised by the many powerful things inside. It was like a small base for inventors, filled with hidden technology.

As soon as he entered the study, he saw a standing mirror on the cabinet. He thought it was just an ordinary mirror, but as he passed by, he saw that the mirror displayed a lot of data. Upon closer inspection, he found data about his gender, height, weight, and even the number of months he had been pregnant. As he marveled at what this thing was and reached out to touch it, he suddenly heard a clear voice coming from the mirror. It sounded like his teenage voice, causing his hand to stop mid-air.

【There is a slight radiation. Please try to stay away if you’re pregnant.]

Luo Songran was stunned. This voice—

He glanced back at Duan Yizhou standing behind him and pointed to the mirror in astonishment, “Is this your voice?”

Duan Yizhou walked up beside him, took his hand away from the mirror, and said, “Yeah, I made this back in middle school. It’s been a long time. I didn’t think too much about it at the time, so it emits radiation. Don’t get too close.” He then led him to look at other things.

“Why does this thing seem a bit like the function of that Super Memory Chip?” Luo Songran asked curiously, then noticed the trophies and certificates occupying almost half of the bookshelf.

Suddenly, he felt a very different feeling. He had never thought like this before. Why did he find Duan Yizhou so excellent, and why did he like him so much. From childhood to adulthood, these trophies and certificates that appeared at home were countless. They belonged to grandfathers, to Dad, and they were almost invincible figures in the medical field, unbeatable in some areas.

Perhaps because he was born in such an environment, the more pressure he received from the outside world, the less he wanted to follow the path dictated by those people. He wanted to walk his own path, the one he liked, even if it meant living not only under the shadow of his father.

Although he wasn’t outstanding now, except for his family background being different from others, there was nothing else different about him. But he never felt inferior because he chose this path himself, the one he liked, and he just needed to work hard.

But then he met Duan Yizhou.

Normally, he didn’t feel anything special, but when he saw this cabinet full of honors, it was like hitting a wall of admiration and self-reflection.

…It seemed like he was a bit disobedient, huh…

“This mirror is the beginning of my research on the Super Memory Chip. When I made it back then, I thought such functionality could be more widely used. It’s a bit cumbersome to have such functionality on just a mirror. Later, it was my professor who inspired me, which led to the development of Super Memory Chip 1.0.” Seeing that his little ancestor seemed interested in his past, Duan Yizhou continued from there, explaining the development process from the mirror to the birth of Super Memory Chip 1.0 in simple and understandable language.

Luo Songran listened attentively, but perhaps it was really his blind spot in knowledge. It sounded like gibberish to him, but he summed it up: his husband must be amazing.

“Finally, this project won the National Technology Invention Award.”

“Wow!” Luo Songran didn’t have a strong concept of this award, but as soon as he heard the word “national,” he knew it must be a high-level award. He clapped like a seal, “Honey, you’re amazing!”

Seeing Luo Songran looking up at him with admiration and clapping for him, Duan Yizhou found it incredibly cute. He smiled and rubbed his head, “Thank you for your praise, baby.”

The satisfaction and joy of being admired by a loved one were completely different from the feeling of achieving something in his career, making him even more delighted.

“How old were you when you received this award?”

“Thirty.”

Luo Songran puzzledly said, “Oh. Wasn’t the Super Memory Chip invented a long time ago? Why did you only receive it when you were thirty?”

“It takes time for technology to generate significant economic and social benefits from research and development. I won this award at the age of thirty, making me the youngest recipient so far.”

When Luo Songran heard that he was the youngest recipient, he raised an eyebrow and a proud smile appeared on his face. He hugged Duan Yizhou and said, “It seems like our babies will be especially smart in the future!”

Duan Yizhou looked down at the sticky little ancestor in his arms. He also enjoyed this intimacy and coquetry. He wrapped his arms around him, holding him tightly, and gazed at him with affectionate and gentle eyes, “Yes, because my baby is also very smart. Otherwise, how could he make me love you so deeply?” He kissed Luo Songran’s eyes and continued, “They will definitely have beautiful eyes like yours.” Then he kissed Luo Songran’s nose, “And a tall nose bridge.” Continuing downward, he kissed his cheeks, “Fair skin.”

Duan Yizhou spoke softly, and finally, he landed a kiss on his lips. He raised his eyes slightly, his gaze affectionate and tender as he took in the appearance of the little ancestor in his arms, a smile playing at the corners of his lips, “And a mouth that knows how to be coquettish and comforting. So they must be like you.”

Wrapped in the love overflowing from the man’s delicate kisses, Luo Songran couldn’t suppress his excitement. Although it was a simple compliment, it made him inexplicably excited. He tiptoed to wrap his arms around Duan Yizhou’s neck and met his kiss. Because Duan Yizhou liked him very much, loved him deeply, and hoped that their children would be like him. Wasn’t this what they called loving someone’s entire world?

It explained why Duan Yizhou liked him like this. It seemed suddenly there was no need to agonize over why Duan Yizhou would like him, and he didn’t have to wonder why such an outstanding person like Duan Yizhou would be attracted to him, who was not outstanding at all. Where was the scientific basis for love?

Anyway, he felt it was quite absurd that he and Duan Yizhou would be together, something that couldn’t be expressed in words. Maybe this was the spark of love. Only different frictions could spark different fires.

Duan Yizhou thought to himself, “Our children must be like Luo Songran, living in a carefree environment with loving parents and a harmonious family. Therefore, they should have lively and cheerful personalities, confident and generous, freely embracing the sunlight. Even if they’re a bit willful, they’ll still be incredibly likable. Speaking of this Super Memory Chip, baby, I want to ask you if you’re willing to authorize me for data positioning.”

“What do you want it for?”

The two held hands as they walked downstairs, leaving the old house behind. 

On a weekend morning, the hustle and bustle of the old street was filled with the smell of fireworks. Conversations between neighbors echoed from the alleys, accompanied by the laughter of children. This old urban area felt like a tranquil corner amidst the bustling city—a place where one could pause and take a breath.

Duan Yizhou took Luo Songran out for breakfast, holding his hand as they walked. “I want to know where you are and what you’re doing at all times, just in case. But I’ll still prioritize your wishes. If you don’t want to, it’s okay.”

“We’re just two weeks away from summer vacation. Can’t we be together every day? Why do we need this positioning?” Luo Songran caught a whiff of the savory scent of broth nearby and sniffed, suddenly feeling hungry. “I really want to eat snail noodles.”

Just hearing the words “snail noodles” made Duan Yizhou feel overwhelmed by the taste. He raised his hand and tapped Luo Songran’s head, speaking sternly, “No.”

“Oh…” Luo Songran looked troubled. “But I want to eat spicy ones, extra spicy.”

“Do you even know what time it is now? It’s just after eight in the morning, and you want to eat snail noodles? And extra spicy?” Duan Yizhou’s scalp tingled at the thought of snail noodles, especially extra spicy ones. Although he didn’t completely avoid spicy food during pregnancy, he couldn’t tolerate the level of spiciness in extra spicy dishes.

But Luo Songran just felt a sudden craving. “But I really want to eat them. Just one bite, okay?” He pleaded, raising a finger and looking at Duan Yizhou.

“…Just one bite? What about the rest?” 

“You can eat it.” Luo Songran said earnestly.

Duan Yizhou smiled wryly. “Thank you.”

“Hehe, you’re welcome.” Luo Songran smiled innocently.

In the end, since there wasn’t a snail noodle shop open in the old street at that early hour, Duan Yizhou had to drive back to Langqing Bay and have a bowl of snail noodles delivered to their doorstep.

When they arrived home, the snail noodles were just delivered.

The first thing Luo Songran did when he got home was wash his hands. After washing, he immediately sat down in the dining room, ready to devour the snail noodles. But just as he was about to take a big bite of the steaming hot and incredibly fragrant snail noodles, a large hand covered his mouth. He looked up at Duan Yizhou in confusion, holding chopsticks in his hand.

“Only one bite,” Duan Yizhou smiled, “I’ll be watching you.”

Luo Songran was speechless. Really stingy. He pulled Duan Yizhou’s hand away and pouted, “Just one bite, okay?” He planned to take a big bite while Duan Yizhou wasn’t looking.

Duan Yizhou sat next to him, arms crossed, watching him. This prompted Luo Songran to deliberately scoop up a large mouthful of noodles with his chopsticks, but as soon as he put it in his mouth and sucked it in, the spiciness suddenly choked his throat, and he couldn’t help but spit it out, coughing violently.

“Cough, cough, cough, water—” He choked to tears and quickly waved for water.

Duan Yizhou immediately handed him the water by his side, seeing him turn red from the spiciness and frowning as he pushed the bowl of noodles away. “Alright, you can’t eat anymore.”

Luo Songran quickly drank the water, finishing it before managing to suppress the fiery sensation in his throat caused by the spiciness. Then he saw Duan Yizhou push the bowl of noodles away and widened his eyes. “Hey hey hey, I haven’t eaten any! Not even a bite!”

Saying that, he made a move to grab the bowl of noodles.

Duan Yizhou quickly picked up the bowl and stood up, heading to the kitchen. “No more eating. You haven’t had spicy food for a while, and I’m worried you can’t handle it now. Just tasting the flavor is enough.”

“Ah…but I haven’t even tasted it yet,” Luo Songran hurriedly followed, looking mournful. “How could you do this? I haven’t even taken a bite!”

“You did eat, but you spit it out.”

“That doesn’t count as eating!”

“You can’t handle the spiciness.”

“I’m not eating it because of the spiciness, I was just choked.”

“Then you can’t eat anymore.” Duan Yizhou stood in front of the trash can, ready to pour the noodles out. He then saw Luo Songran reach out to grab it, using his height advantage to lift the bowl high and open the cabinet door above to place the bowl inside.

Luo Songran stopped his movement, staring expressionlessly at the cabinet that was too high for him to reach. He was speechless. All the furniture here was customized according to Duan Yizhou’s height, and this cabinet was much taller than normal. He could only barely touch the door by jumping.

Damn, being tall isn’t all that great. He was so angry that his thin lips trembled slightly as he pointed at Duan Yizhou, “You’ve made me angry again.”

“Indeed, you shouldn’t have it. Look at you coughing, isn’t it uncomfortable?” Duan Yizhou knew this little fellow’s temper. Though he could throw tantrums, he would still listen to reason. He pulled him into his arms, touched his slightly bulging belly, and said, “You need to understand, indulging in temporary pleasures might make you happy for a moment, but what if the children feel unwell? If they’re uncomfortable, you’ll be uncomfortable too.”

“But I really didn’t take a single bite. You were the one who offered me a bite,” Luo Songran lowered his brows, looking pitiful. Then he quietly raised his index finger to Duan Yizhou, pleading with his eyes, “Just one bite, please, just one bite.”

Duan Yizhou frowned. The bowl of red noodles looked intimidating.

“Wuwuwu, honey, please…” Luo Songran started tugging at Duan Yizhou’s clothes, almost shedding tears. After all, fake crying wouldn’t bring real tears. “Just one bite, please.”

Duan Yizhou was softened by his antics, but he still had some concerns. “I’ll give you a bite, but only if you authorize the data of the Super Memory Chip to me.”

Luo Songran wondered if that chip was really that important. “Fine, fine, I’ll give it to you. Can I eat it now?”

“Okay, just one bite.” Duan Yizhou only brought the bowl down from the cabinet after hearing this.

Just as Luo Songran wanted to grab it immediately, Duan Yizhou raised his hand to stop him. Confused, Luo Songran asked, “Why?”

“I’ll feed you,” Duan Yizhou smiled, “Just one bite.”

Luo Songran was speechless. “You’re really calculating.” He muttered, “Watch out, I’ll complain to my dad that you’re not feeding me, that you’re abusing me.”

Duan Yizhou chuckled at his antics but still picked up a mouthful with his chopsticks and fed it to Luo Songran. It wasn’t that he couldn’t eat the snail noodles, but they were just too spicy. Whether the child in his stomach could bear it after eating was one thing, but what mattered most was his own discomfort. In the end, he would be the one suffering the most.

After breakfast—

Weekends were rare moments of leisure. Luo Songran thought about his upcoming final exams and went to the piano room upstairs to practice.

“Do you want me to accompany you?” Professor Duan adjusted his glasses and made this bold offer.

Luo Songran grinned awkwardly, “Professor Duan wants to listen, but I dare not play yet.”

Duan Yizhou sensed the disdain in Luo Songran’s tone, which was understandable. He wasn’t particularly interested in artistic music, and he wouldn’t know what to say if asked to evaluate. But he just wanted to accompany Luo Songran. Although he couldn’t evaluate, he could appreciate.

“I want to watch you play,” Duan Yizhou said sincerely.

Seeing Duan Yizhou’s sincerity, Luo Songran sighed, “Okay, okay, I’ll reluctantly let you watch.” Despite saying so, there was a hint of delight in his expression.

Just then, Duan Yizhou’s phone rang in his pocket. He took it out, glanced at the caller ID, a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes, then he looked at the little fellow and smiled, “You go up first, I’ll come after I answer this call.”

“Okay.” Luo Songran had no idea what was going on, so he went upstairs first.

Duan Yizhou let his phone vibrate in his pocket until he saw Luo Songran enter the elevator and the doors closed. Then he answered the call. His expression, unlike the playful one with the little fellow, turned cold and serious, businesslike.

“What’s wrong, Jiang Yi?”

Then came the urgent voice of Jiang Yi from the other end, “Director Duan, there’s some really bad news to tell you about, it’s regarding the loss of the clinical trial drug for the second differentiation effect.”

“What?” Duan Yizhou’s brows furrowed, “Lost? What do you mean?”

“My boyfriend told me. Originally, this batch of drugs was intended for thirty volunteers for the second differentiation, but this morning, when preparing to inject the drug, it was found that one vial was missing!”

Duan Yizhou’s expression instantly froze, his eyes darkened behind his glasses. What does the loss of this drug at this stage imply? It could mean the leakage of components, theft, or the use of the drug without undergoing strict clinical trials, which could have serious consequences. Neither of these results was something their two groups wanted to see. He had invested a lot of effort into this project.

Moreover, the responsibility for this matter lay more with the Galaxy Group, as the clinical trials were conducted at the Milky Way Research Institute.

“What does the Galaxy Group say about this?” Duan Yizhou asked in a deep voice.

“They have already informed all departments. They should notify our group soon.”

Duan Yizhou replied indifferently, “Hmm.” There was no discernible emotion beneath his glasses, “Jiang Yi, change into formal attire and come to pick me up. I still need you to deal with the Galaxy Group.”

“Director Duan, but I’m no longer your special assistant. Will this be—” 

“I haven’t told anyone else that you’ve been reassigned by me. They all think you’ve been temporarily transferred by me.”

Jiang Yi on the other end of the phone immediately stood up, his sense of responsibility overflowing, “Okay, Director Duan, I’ll come back immediately!”

After hanging up the phone, Duan Yizhou’s expression became even colder. Who could have taken the vial of the second differentiation drug? It could only be someone who knew its efficacy, right?

 

 

 

 

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