Jiang Cheng had been engrossed in his experiments and was unaware of the conversation between Lu Linjiang and Ren Lifei. Seeing young Dr. Su drawing Lu Linjiang’s blood, he immediately set aside his work. By the time Lu Linjiang had pressed the cotton swab against his arm to stop the bleeding, Jiang Cheng was already at his side. "What’s wrong?"
Ren Lifei, refusing to play the third wheel, rubbed his nose, stood up, and left. Jiang Cheng looked at the blood tube in Dr. Su’s hand, then cupped Lu Linjiang’s head with both hands. "Open up! Say 'ah'!"
Lu Linjiang complied, opening his mouth wide and letting out an "ah." Jiang Cheng observed for a moment, then cautiously pulled a small flashlight from his pocket to peer inside. Confusion slowly crept onto his face. "Everything looks normal."
Lu Linjiang suppressed a smile, pulled Jiang Cheng’s hands down from his face, and held them in his own. "I’m fine. It’s precisely because nothing is wrong that it feels strange. I asked Ren Lifei to run some tests to see what’s going on. I’ll have Yang Bo come by tomorrow morning to get his blood drawn as well."
After a moment’s thought, Jiang Cheng understood Lu Linjiang’s reasoning. "That makes sense. If it were just you, it might be a fluke, but with Yang Bo too... while not impossible, it’s better to run a lab test."
Lu Linjiang pointed to the late-night snacks on the desk. "Since you’re out, you might as well eat something."
The food smelled delicious, but Jiang Cheng had little appetite. "I’ll just have some water. Eating late makes my stomach uncomfortable."
Lu Linjiang stroked Jiang Cheng’s hand. The fingers were long and the joints well-defined—a sight for sore eyes, yet they felt skeletal to the touch.
"Eat at least a little. You’ve barely got any meat left on your bones. If you lose any more weight, you’ll simply vanish." He suddenly remembered something and glanced at Ren Lifei, who was standing in the hallway. "I say, Director Ren, it’s one thing not to pay him, but you could at least make sure he eats!"
Ren Lifei, suddenly called out for no reason, turned back to see the two of them practically leaning against each other. "Huh? Oh! Right, I’ll watch him!" Ren Lifei, an old man who had spent his life researching infectious diseases, never expected that at his age, he would be hounded into acting like a nursery nanny.
The man wouldn't let it go, adding another jab: "It’s a deal, then. Next time I’ll bring a scale. If he’s lost weight, you’re responsible!"
"Are you raising a pig?" Jiang Cheng asked crossly, though he gave Ren Lifei an apologetic smile. "Don't mind him, Director."
Lu Linjiang clicked his tongue. "I’m truly just too busy, otherwise I’d be here myself for every meal. It’s only been a few days, and you’ve already thinned out. If you’re done with your work, why don't you head back today?"
"Nonsense. Even if I had lost weight in just a few days, it wouldn't be visible to the naked eye. If I reached a level of weight loss that was visually apparent, given my current body fat percentage, I’d likely have trouble even standing. This is entirely psychological on your part, or perhaps a selective malfunction of certain organs."
Lu Linjiang: "..." He swore he heard Ren Lifei snickering from outside the door.
Jiang Cheng brought the topic back to business. "Setting that aside, I was just looking over the vaccine data that was sent over. Some things are very strange. Director Ren, why don't you come in and listen?"
Ren Lifei immediately stepped back inside. "What is it?"
"Looking at the development steps, it is indeed targeted at the mutant pneumonia virus that follows the initial infection. But I feel something is missing."
Ren Lifei had also been studying the data, and he immediately grasped Jiang Cheng’s point. "Are you referring to the section regarding the influenza virus?"
"Yes. It doesn't account for the virus's drug resistance. Even if flu patients are injected with the vaccine, there is still a possibility they will be infected by the mutant pneumonia. The progression of the mutant pneumonia is extremely rapid; the patient might succumb before the antibodies even take effect." Jiang Cheng scribbled on the documents. "These two viruses need to be treated in tandem, so the corresponding vaccines should complement each other. By focusing on only one point, even if it works, its effectiveness will be very limited."
Ren Lifei looked at the area Jiang Cheng had highlighted. "Now that you mention it, you're right. The drug resistance of the influenza virus will prolong the patient's illness. Without targeted treatment, even without this mutant pneumonia virus, there is a very high probability of secondary infection with other viruses. The key point should be this drug resistance."
"But I’ve checked. In the data provided, there isn't a single mention of this."
Ren Lifei and Jiang Cheng saw a trace of helplessness reflected in each other's eyes.
Lu Linjiang patted Jiang Cheng’s head. "This was sent by Jiang Langmin’s uncle, but ultimately, it came from Jiang Langmin. The two of them are fighting tooth and nail over the family estate. It stands to reason that Jiang Langmin wouldn't just hand over all his trump cards like that."
Jiang Cheng let out a long sigh. "If we asked him for it directly, would he give it up?"
Jiang Cheng’s rational mind knew he was dreaming, yet he still looked at Lu Linjiang with a glimmer of hope. Lu Linjiang glanced at Ren Lifei, who tactfully stood up and silently slipped away. Lu Linjiang comfortably pulled Jiang Cheng into his arms. "Keep dreaming." The words were blunt, but his tone was uncharacteristically tender.
"I’ve never truly understood. With Jiang Langmin’s reputation in the industry, he could probably assemble a laboratory based on his name alone. Why is he doing all this?"
Lu Linjiang looked down at him. "Oh? Let me hear that again—there’s quite a bit of pity in your tone."
Jiang Cheng knew Lu Linjiang didn't truly mind. "Of course it’s a pity. It’s like watching someone master a peerless martial art, only to find out..."
"Only to find out he was practicing the Sunflower Manual?"
"..." Jiang Cheng let out a snort of laughter. "Captain Lu, be serious."
Lu Linjiang pinched his nose. "You’re the one laughing, yet you tell me to be serious. How unreasonable." He waited until Jiang Cheng’s laughter subsided before saying, "Word is that Jiang Langmin was adopted. His father passed away, and he likely feels a sense of resentment."
Jiang Cheng could never quite wrap his head around such motivations. Though he wasn't a clinical doctor, his chosen profession involved dealing with all sorts of patients. He saw their suffering firsthand; finding ways to conquer viruses and alleviate pain had become an instinct for him. That someone would do the exact opposite—especially someone as brilliant as Jiang Langmin—remained inconceivable to Jiang Cheng, even with Lu Linjiang’s explanation.
"It’s not that strange. Even if they see the same scenery and walk the same path, the feelings of different people can be worlds apart."
Some hold kindness in their hearts, while others fall into the abyss.
Jiang Cheng sighed. "I’m going back to work. I’ll try to get the treatment protocol finished as soon as possible."
Lu Linjiang had originally intended to take him home, but seeing that it was currently impossible, he stayed in the office to keep Jiang Cheng company for a while. He only left when Jiang Cheng eventually tried to shoo him out of the lab.
Although Jiang Cheng spent his days cooped up in the laboratory, he was well aware of the situation outside. First, the usually booming food delivery business had long since ground to a halt. In some heavily affected residential areas, entry and exit were strictly prohibited, with the government organizing personnel to deliver daily necessities.
Furthermore, the laboratory was located within the CDC building itself, where the most severe patients were sent first. Every doctor and researcher, himself included, was working at overcapacity.
The machines let out a low series of beeps; the blood samples from Lu Linjiang and Yang Bo had finished processing. As Jiang Cheng looked at the printed reports, a flush of excitement gradually appeared on his weary face. He composed himself, forcing himself to read the reports twice more. Then, he tapped on the glass and called out excitedly to Ren Lifei, "Director Ren! Director Ren! Lu Linjiang and Yang Bo have antibodies in their blood!"
Everyone in the CDC felt as though they had been struck by a stroke of incredible luck. When Lu Linjiang and Yang Bo arrived at the CDC after being notified, they faced rows of eager eyes. The two usually confident men suddenly felt a twinge of unease.
"Is the machine definitely not broken?" Yang Bo confirmed once more. Carrying antibodies for a pandemic... wasn't that the plot of some third-rate novel?
"We’ve confirmed it multiple times. That’s why we need the two of you to come and make a small contribution." Young Dr. Su, holding a tray, looked ecstatic, his eyes practically glowing.
Yang Bo couldn't help but take a step back. "That look in your eyes makes it seem like you’re going to drain me dry!"
Lu Linjiang had already rolled up his sleeve. "Enough nonsense."
Yang Bo was about to tell him to be careful when Jiang Cheng had already inserted the needle. Yang Bo finally breathed a sigh of relief. He couldn't speak for the others, but at the very least, Jiang Cheng would never drain Lu Linjiang dry.
Once both had given blood, Lu Linjiang finally asked, "Why do the two of us have antibodies?"
Jiang Cheng shook his head. "It wouldn't be for no reason. For instance, perhaps you were infected once before."
Lu Linjiang and Yang Bo shook their heads simultaneously.
"Or perhaps you’ve been vaccinated."
Again, they both shook their heads.
"Guessing won't help. We’ll just have to use the process of elimination, step by step. Since we already have the antibodies, we have plenty of time for that."
Lu Linjiang asked curiously, "How will you do that?"
Jiang Cheng raised his hand. "I had my blood drawn this morning too, to see if I have them."
Lu Linjiang’s reaction was swift. "Are you talking about Liucheng Island?"
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
小苏医生 | Dr. Xiao Su | A junior doctor at the CDC.
葵花宝典 | Sunflower Manual | A reference to a famous martial arts manual in Jin Yong's wuxia novels that grants great power but requires self-castration; used here metaphorically for a "deviant" or "wrong" path.
骝城岛 | Liucheng Island | A specific location mentioned as a potential source of the characters' immunity.
排除法 | Process of elimination | A logical method used by Jiang Cheng to investigate the source of the antibodies.
