Thick smoke engulfed everything—her eyes couldn’t see a thing.
Jiang Fuyue took cautious, measured steps. Every time she lifted her foot, it was with extreme care.
“Knock once more,” she said.
Clang!
As expected, the sound was closer now—the distance between them was shrinking bit by bit.
Finally, Jiang Fuyue reached him. Amid the swirling black smoke, the man had his back pressed tightly against the wall, curled up in a corner. He was covering the damaged part of his gas mask with a damp towel—that’s why he hadn’t spoken.
If he opened his mouth, the smoke would invade his lungs—the consequences would be unthinkable.
In his other hand, he held a copper electrode tube. It must have been what he used to strike the triangular alloy frame beneath the lab bench to make noise.
Jiang Fuyue handed him the new set of protective gear. “Can you change by yourself?”
Clang!
Yes.
Five minutes later, Xie Dingyuan had replaced his gear with a brand-new gas mask. Together, the two of them left the core lab zone.
As each security door opened and shut behind them, the black smoke was left further and further behind. The acrid odor also gradually faded.
The two of them walked briskly in silence.
It wasn’t until they reached the decontamination spray area—standing under the disinfectant nozzles, then passing through the ultraviolet sterilization room, and finally removing their protective suits and gas masks—that they looked at each other again.
Their eyes met.
Xie Dingyuan’s shirt was wrinkled, his suit pants no longer had that razor-sharp crease, and his hair was damp with sweat, messily plastered atop his head.
Gone was his usual meticulous appearance. Disheveled and exhausted, he looked nothing like his typical polished self—but somehow, more real than ever.
It was as if…
A god once high above the world had finally stepped into the mortal realm, and the soles of his once-immaculate shoes now carried the scent of earth, the rot of fallen leaves, but also the fragrance of blossoms and the warmth of human life.
In contrast, Jiang Fuyue was still put-together.
Thanks to strict safety measures and a relatively short stay in the core area, her clothes remained crisp, her hair was neat, and her complexion glowed. There was even a slight smile tugging at her lips.
She looked like someone who had just returned from a thrilling adventure—shocked, yes, but also thoroughly intrigued.
Though it was unclear whether her interest was sparked by the mysterious black smoke in the lab—or by the rare sight of the usually composed man before her, now looking so out of sorts.
“Thank you,” the man said, smoothing down the wrinkles at his collar, his tone more solemn than usual.
Jiang Fuyue asked, “What exactly happened?”
He gave a wry smile. “A new type of chemical reaction—something went wrong during the experiment.”
“What’s the main component of the black smoke?”
Xie Dingyuan shook his head. “Don’t know yet. I’ll have to collect a sample and run tests.”
Jiang Fuyue glanced at the discarded gas mask tossed into the disposal zone. “And how did that end up damaged?”
He swallowed, visibly uncomfortable. “…There was a spray of concentrated acid. It corroded the mask.”
What kind of chemical reaction would eject acid?
Given how cautious and methodical Xie Dingyuan was, he must have taken additional safety measures. Yet the mask still got corroded—that meant the situation at the time was far more dangerous than he was letting on.
Jiang Fuyue’s curiosity was piqued. “What kind of new chemical reaction was it?”
As soon as she asked, she realized the question might’ve crossed a line.
At Xie Dingyuan’s level, many of his research projects were likely state secrets, subject to extremely strict confidentiality. Some research teams couldn’t even publicly reveal their members’ identities—and in more extreme cases, they were isolated from outside contact entirely.
As expected—
A flicker of conflict flashed in his eyes.
“Sorry,” he said. “Regulations.”
Jiang Fuyue nodded. “I understand—I overstepped.”
“No,” he replied.
“?”
Xie Dingyuan enunciated clearly, “You’re allowed to ask. There’s nothing wrong with that. So it’s not overstepping.”
Jiang Fuyue was surprised—more so at how seriously he said it. He seemed… almost apologetic.
He can’t tell her, so he feels bad?
That wasn’t the “Professor Xie” she used to know—aloof and untouchable.
Now she was curious: what had changed him?
If Xie Dingyuan knew what she was thinking, he’d probably reply silently, with that expressionless face of his: “You think I act this way with just anyone?”
Yup. Classic repressed softie.
Jiang Fuyue looked toward the direction of the core lab zone. “What are you going to do about inside?”
Unknown chemical smoke, enclosed space, and loads of other chemical substances—if left unmanaged, the area could quickly become a major contamination site.
Xie Dingyuan replied, “I activated the AI containment system. The smoke will be sampled and then purified.”
Jiang Fuyue nodded. Then, a sudden thought made her expression freeze. She looked up sharply. “So even if I hadn’t gone in—you would’ve been fine?”
The AI would’ve executed its commands eventually. Purification was just a matter of time.
His escape had only been a question of when, not if.
Jiang Fuyue thought for a moment—if he hadn’t accounted for all this, left himself a way out—he wouldn’t be Xie Dingyuan.
“Ahem…” He coughed lightly. “Still, that’s not exactly true. We didn’t know what was in the smoke. Every second earlier I got out meant one step further from danger—so yes, thank you.”
Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow, her gaze openly curious and scrutinizing.
“Why… are you looking at me like that?” he asked, the corners of his lips twitching as he subconsciously smoothed his sleeves again—anything to alleviate the awkwardness.
“Wait,” Jiang Fuyue said suddenly, “are you… giving me credit for saving you?”
“…Huh?”
Thanks for the updates!💕