Chapter 337 - 261: Responsibility

Chapter 337: Chapter 261: Responsibility

For some reason, Chen Lin felt a tightness in his chest all day.

Ever since he’d woken up this morning, an indescribable sense of unease had been hanging over him.

At first, he thought it was just because he hadn’t slept well.

After all, he’d had a lot on his plate lately, his mind cluttered with all sorts of things.

But now, sitting across from Xiang Wentian, listening to the old man calmly say, "a few months at most," that feeling of unease instantly became a heavy stone pressing down on his chest.

He couldn’t breathe.

"...These are achievements anyone would be proud of for a lifetime."

Xiang Wentian continued.

His voice was soft and his pace was slow, but every word was perfectly clear.

"And you’re only twenty-one."

"Your future holds infinite possibilities."

But as Chen Lin listened, he felt increasingly unsettled.

Xiang Wentian was praising him, affirming him, placing his high hopes in him.

But something else entirely was on Chen Lin’s mind.

"Elder Xiang."

He suddenly spoke up, interrupting Xiang Wentian.

Xiang Wentian paused, slightly taken aback, and looked at Chen Lin.

Chen Lin took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the dying elder before him.

"Do you... happen to know any academicians in the medical or pharmaceutical fields?"

"Or... even a professor at a top medical school would work."

Xiang Wentian didn’t say anything, merely watching him in silence.

A flash of understanding flickered in his cloudy eyes.

Chen Lin continued.

"I want to try."

His voice was edged with urgency.

"I want to see if my mathematical abilities can be of any use in cancer treatment."

"I don’t know if it’s possible, but I want to try."

"Even if it’s just to offer some new lines of thought, or help build a model, or anything..."

He spoke faster and faster, a subtle plea creeping into his voice.

"Elder Xiang, could you make an introduction for me?"

When he finished, a brief silence fell over the reception room.

Outside the window, the surface of Fuxian Lake still shimmered.

Sunlight filtered through the glass, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the floor.

Xiang Wentian wasn’t angry.

Nor did he show any sign of displeasure at being interrupted.

He simply watched Chen Lin, his eyes filled with kindness and understanding.

After a moment, he spoke slowly.

His voice was still soft, but his tone was serious.

"Chen Lin."

"Let me ask you a question."

Xiang Wentian said.

"You want to contribute to cancer treatment..."

He paused, his gaze fixed intently on Chen Lin.

"Is it because you want to save me, specifically? Or is it because you believe that doing this would be of great value to the country and to society?"

"Of greater value than the things you were already planning to do?"

Chen Lin opened his mouth to say something.

But— "you don’t need to answer right away."

Xiang Wentian cut him off.

"In fact... this question doesn’t need an answer."

A faint smile touched the corners of his lips.

"The moment you heard the question, you already knew the answer in your heart."

Chen Lin fell silent.

His hand unconsciously tightened around the fabric of his trousers over his knee.

’Yes.’

’Elder Xiang was right.’

’He already had his answer.’

’He knew the answer the instant he heard the question.’

’He just wanted to save Xiang Wentian.’

’That was all.’

The old man had helped him.

When Academician Liang Tianshi had approached Xiang Wentian on Chen Lin’s behalf, he had used the last of his influence to pave the way for him.

The special approval for the "Ten Thousand Talents Program," the nomination for the National Science and Technology Award, the eligibility to participate in those crucial projects...

...Xiang Wentian’s influence was behind it all.

More importantly,

this man had made countless contributions to the nation.

Those monumental projects, those untold stories locked away in the archives...

Though Chen Lin didn’t know the details, he could sense from the fragments he’d heard just how extraordinary Xiang Wentian’s life had been.

’A man like that shouldn’t have to leave just like this.’

’Chen Lin wished he could live for a few more years.’

’Even just another year or two would be enough.’

But if Xiang Wentian hadn’t told him about his condition himself today, would he have even considered "researching cancer"?

The answer was no.

He had too many "more important" things to do.

The Yanhai large-scale model, the solid-state battery project, controlled nuclear fusion, and the "mathematical quantification of social science" project the old man had assigned him...

Each one of these tasks was enough to run him ragged.

He’d never actually paid any attention to cancer research.

So it was true. The only person he wanted to save was Xiang Wentian.

Chen Lin gave a bitter smile.

Watching the change in Chen Lin’s expression, a flicker of gratification crossed Xiang Wentian’s eyes.

He knew the young man had figured it out.

"Chen."

Xiang Wentian began to speak again, his voice still soft.

"You are more important than you realize."

Chen Lin looked up at him.

"You need to learn to shoulder responsibility."

Xiang Wentian’s gaze seemed to look right through Chen Lin, as if focused on some distant point.

"You must be feeling like there’s never enough time these days, aren’t you?"

Chen Lin froze for a second.

’Yes.’

’He had indeed been feeling that way lately.’

His schedule was packed solid every day.

Company matters, academic research, consulting on various projects...

And then there was that unreliable [Automatic Learning] feature, which required him to spend several hours "recharging" every day.

He wished there were forty-eight hours in a day.

"That’s a sign that the weight of your responsibilities is growing."

Xiang Wentian said.

"The more you’re capable of, the more things will come knocking at your door."