Chapter 3

At the top floor of the Alliance Deployment Building, in a conference room.

Fu Luoyin sat at the end of the conference table, casually tossing the file in his hand onto the desk. "If you want me to continue with Project B40016102, I demand that the investigation into Chu Shihan's assassination be reopened."

"Let me say... Young Master Little Fu," an elderly man spoke from across the table, "We also deeply sympathize with the tragedy that befell your family. However, the investigation was closed by your father himself, and we've confirmed it was just a random robbery. There was no manipulation behind it. It was simply... Your brother was bringing down documents from the dock when he unfortunately encountered the robbery and lost his life. The documents have been recovered, so... there's no point in further investigation. Besides, your brother sacrificed himself for the B4 project. If this project doesn't continue, it would dishonor the data that Shihan risked his life to protect!"

"Since there's no more value in investigating, restarting it can't do any harm. I'll shoulder all the costs of the project," Fu Luoyin said. "This is my only request. I want to reopen the investigation into Chu Shihan's assassination."

The hall fell silent.

Project B40016102 was a biological modification program under the Seventh Division of the Alliance, encompassing mathematics, chemistry, biotechnology, simulation technology, genetic research, and more. It involved numerous secrets, and the participants were a mixed bag, mostly consisting of businessmen.

The Fu family had always led this project, with Fu Luoyin, as the second-generation executive president, holding the key to it – Fu Technology.

This was a family business. According to Fu Kai's age, it wasn't supposed to be managed by the then 25-year-old Fu Luoyin. Yet, Fu Luoyin's current position placed him on equal footing with many elders in their sixties and seventies, making others envious.

Two years ago, however, when Chu Shihan met with an accident, the old General Fu was deeply affected. A strong middle-aged man who had dedicated most of his life to the Alliance suddenly broke down. As for Chu Jingshu, she plunged into depression after that, often staring at her son's photo with tears. Fu Luoyin became the only one capable of taking charge.

Due to Chu Shihan's special status and the Fu family's efforts to protect him, they kept Chu Jingshu and Chu Shihan's identities hidden from the public. To this day, those in the know only whispered about trouble involving the Fu family's heir. Others didn't even realize that the eldest son of the Fu family actually bore the surname Chu. The family kept the death a secret, telling outsiders that everything was well.

The word "accident" was spoken so softly that it seemed weightless, yet it was the most helpless and unrefutable conclusion. Who could guarantee they wouldn't fall victim to a terminal illness or a random killer?

Why did such an accident have to befall a young man who had just embarked on a new chapter in his life?

"Little Fu, are you saying that you don't accept the results of the initial investigation?" The person across from him frowned. "You think it was murder?"

"I can't make a conclusion," Fu Luoyin said. "I'm just puzzled by my father's decision to halt the investigation temporarily. Continuing the investigation is not contradictory to my research on project B40016102 under the company's name. I hope everyone here won't let these two matters conflict with each other." He continued, "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving. I have a meeting at sector seven this afternoon."

It had been raining frequently in the Alliance recently.

When Fu Luoyin returned home, Chu Jingshu was standing by the flower garden, lost in thought. This garden used to be filled with white lilies and tulips, but now, with no one to tend to it, the weeds grew wildly amidst the gusts of cold wind and rain. Occasionally, some wilted wildflowers could be seen, their colors indiscernible.

"Mom." Fu Luoyin paused and took the umbrella from the driver before approaching her, removing his coat and draping it over Chu Jingshu. "Mom, it's cold outside. Let's go inside."

Chu Jingshu looked at him blankly, her resemblance to someone stirring a sudden surge of emotion in her. "Shihan! Shihan, you've finally come back—"

"Mom, Brother is already gone," Fu Luoyin replied calmly. "Chu Shihan is dead."

His words were like a bolt of lightning striking again, jolting Chu Jingshu out of her overwhelming grief.

A mature yet still beautiful woman lowered her head, covering her face as her voice trembled. "Y-Yes... Your brother is gone, your brother is dead..."

"What have you been up to every day that you don't come home?... When our father refused to continue the investigation, you didn't help either. Your brother must be so cold all alone down there. Have you ever visited his grave? Huh?" Chu Jingshu's face was soaked with tears. "All of you, always focused on work and the military. Why did I... why did I marry into this family and give birth to a son like you?! Have you ever brought flowers to his grave? Huh? Shihan loved lily of the valley the most..."

"Two years have passed, Mother," Fu Luoyin said. "Do you know what kind of flowers I like?"

The wind gradually subsided, and the atmosphere fell into an eerie silence.

Chu Jingshu's tear-filled eyes were filled with astonishment. "You like..."

Neither the driver nor the nanny dared to speak.

Fu Luoyin was severely allergic to pollen; he'd almost lost his life because of it when he was young. Chu Jingshu had somehow forgotten this fact.

"Help her back inside. Where's the butler? In the future, don't let Mother go out in this kind of weather," Fu Luoyin instructed. "Where's Father? I need to ask him something."

"The second young master, Mr. Fu went on a business trip to the Jiangnan branch early this morning. He didn't mention when he'll return," the nanny said cautiously, afraid of angering him.

"Call Zhou Heng. I'll make time to visit him later."

"Yes, Young Master."

Seeing Fu Luoyin turn to leave, the nanny asked, "Isn't Second Young Master staying for dinner?"

"No."

Fu Luoyin got into the car and rubbed his temples.

The driver waited for his instructions and asked, "Young Master, back to Site Seven? They've contacted us, saying your accommodations are ready. Would you like to take a look?"

"Not there. Go... to Lin Shuicheng's place," Fu Luoyin said after some thought. It was almost afternoon, and Lin Shuicheng hadn't started school yet; he should be at home.

Fu Luoyin had tasted all kinds of delicacies, and Lin Shuicheng's cooking wasn't particularly impressive. The dishes were just ordinary home-cooked meals. However, for some reason, he enjoyed the atmosphere when Lin Shuicheng cooked. The warm lighting, the affectionate gaze, and the aroma of the food were all new experiences to him in his twenty-five years of life.

It wasn't that no one had cooked for him before. Among the women he'd briefly dallied with in the past, there were those who were domestic and would bring lunchboxes to please him, but he hadn't paid much attention.

The only explanation was that Lin Shuicheng's cooking was genuinely better.

Arriving at the destination, he found the place deserted.

Fu Luoyin pushed the door open to see the tabby cat cowering in the corner, its fur standing on end, while the room was shrouded in darkness with no sign of Lin Shuicheng. Rain splattered against the floor-to-ceiling windows, creating a constant drumming sound.

Lacking patience, he directly called Lin Shuicheng, only to find that it wasn't Lin Shuicheng who answered.

"Hello? Ah, you're looking for Junior Brother Lin, right? He's in the modeling lab. Mobile phones aren't allowed inside, would you like me to pass your message to him?"

He recognized the voice as the senior sister who had greeted Lin Shuicheng yesterday.

Lin Shuicheng truly was a good student, seemingly more dedicated to his studies than he had anticipated.

Initially, he intended to wait here for Lin Shuicheng's return, but something inexplicably prompted him to change his mind. "No need, I'll come and get him. Thank you."

He recalled that Lin Shuicheng didn't know how to drive and didn't have a car. Thunder rumbled outside, and the rain showed no sign of subsiding. In this weather, even if a bus arrived, anyone waiting for it would be drenched.

In the past, he wouldn't have minded fulfilling the responsibilities of a boyfriend. If it were any other person he'd encountered, they would have insisted he come to pick them up by now.

Only at this moment did he realize that Lin Shuicheng had never made any demands of him, resulting in a weak sense of presence in his life. During the two years at the Jiangnan branch, if not for physical needs, he would almost have forgotten that he had a young lover here.

This person seemed to be easily contented. Fu Luoyin had never seen him use that card to buy anything for himself. Apparently, as long as Lin Shuicheng had him by his side, he could feel happy and joyful.

"The rain is getting heavier. The kids should all head home soon. On a day like this, you should be having hotpot at home."

In the data modeling laboratory, the massive mainframe hummed with activity. The gray-haired Professor Wang Pinyuan rubbed his hands together cheerfully, urging his students to wrap up work, clearly eager to leave. With his white hair and playful demeanor, he carried no airs in front of his students.

The second-year graduate students were well aware of his occasional slacking habits and also began laughing as they prepared to leave early.

As the lab emptied, Wang Pinyuan went around knocking on each door. "Everyone's gone. I'll lock up early today! It's always like this—first-year students stay the latest, but when they reach their second year, they bolt faster than anyone else."

Lin Shuicheng sat at his desk, running data as if oblivious to the surroundings. It wasn't until his senior sister tapped his desk with a smile that he snapped out of it. He smiled back and said, "Professor, Senior Sister, you guys go ahead and finish up first. I still have some data left to run."

Wang Pinyuan walked behind him, intrigued. "You're using the BFPRT algorithm? Will this data even run?"

Lin Shuicheng chuckled. "I hope so. I think using this algorithm is correct, and there's no need for a high-performance machine."

He referred to their core lab's quantum computer, which was only activated in extreme complexity cases.

Wang Pinyuan studied him for a moment. The young man before him was new and strikingly handsome. One wouldn't expect such a boy to quietly sit in a lab; perhaps he would have been more suited for stardom.

He recalled that there was a student who had been transferred from the Jiangnan branch to the main department this time, with some military connections involved.

Sponsorship existed everywhere, and no one could avoid dealing with those who benefited from it. However, the personal abilities of such individuals often came with a question mark.

"Your name is Lin Shuicheng?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," Lin Shuicheng replied, pausing his actions and standing up to look at him.

Wang Pinyuan casually pulled out a piece of paper from his sleeve and scribbled five rows of random numbers on it. "Take a glance. Let's play a very simple cipher game to see if our new recruit has a connection with numbers."

This was a common game among data analysts. For those who worked extensively with data analysis, computational skills and specialized knowledge were often secondary to a keen sense of numbers and an intuitive understanding of deciphering methods.

A few students who hadn't left yet gathered around, each silently calculating in their minds.

Lin Shuicheng took one look and said, "Two rail ciphers. The sample password is the first line of data that ran on my computer. But I can't decipher the message within."

"Aren't they quick?" murmured a student nearby, somewhat astonished. "Did they really transfer here across disciplines?"

Wang Pinyuan smiled and replied, "Indeed. Because what I gave you was just a string of gibberish. The answer itself is gibberish, so how would you go about deciphering it?"

Lin Shuicheng fell silent for a moment.

His senior sister interjected with a laugh, "Junior, ignore him. He always tries to intimidate newbies like this. You know, in our line of work, we often encounter situations where the data ends up meaningless. He's just worried that we'll get stuck in a dead end and wants you to learn to abandon cluttered data and adjust your course promptly. Most of the time, we're like blind cats chasing dead mice – from cracking passwords to detecting anomalies on an exponential scale, we must learn to discriminate."

"But even in chaos, there can be meaning," Lin Shuicheng replied. "Statisticians study the frequency of each letter typed by people, and during World War II, data analysts used such patterns to win the code war. Some may favor the number 7, considering it their lucky number, and their data would reveal this preference; certain programmers might have unique coding habits... When someone dies, the data associated with them fluctuates because the part of the world that was them vanishes. In the vast sea of data, the frequency of their phone call to their lover that day is lost, as are the codes related to the purchase they were supposed to confirm. What information did they see that led to that decision? We live in the age of information, where everyone can be distilled into data. If it was an accident, a butterfly's accidental wingbeat triggering a massive storm, the frequency of its flutter would remain, and we could find that butterfly."

"He's so articulate..." The senior sister and her fellow classmates were stunned.

Since arriving at the lab early that morning, Lin Shuicheng had barely spoken, only engaging in simple daily exchanges. This handsome new data analyst was reserved and indifferent, seemingly apathetic towards everything.

Wang Pinyuan glanced at him. "You make a valid point, and that's precisely what we do – find patterns in chaos and uncover wounds beneath erased traces... Many who cook the books would despise us. So, how would you explain the random sequence I chose?"

Lin Shuicheng responded, "You selected a field from the center, slightly above my screen. The position reveals your height based on eye level and desk chair height, which is a physical analysis. Your reading order is left to right, and you can instantly process up to twenty-four characters, indicating a preference for angular numbers like 7 and 4, suggesting insights from numerical psychology. You are..."

Wang Pinyuan interrupted with a smile, "Enough. If we continue this analysis, you'll know what dish I want for dinner tonight. You're perceptive, Lin Shuicheng. Indeed, there are no coincidences in this world. Calamities come with warning signs, and helping others avoid them is part of our job."

Lin Shuicheng whispered, "Yes, Professor."

"Show me your project from the Jiangnan branch," Wang Pinyuan said. "If you wish, after completing your course, join your senior sister's team for the second-year project. Finish up early; your boyfriend is waiting for you outside."

Senior Sister was secretly astonished – to join a second-year graduate research team right after enrollment, personally mentored by Wang Pinyuan, that was an opportunity to directly communicate with the Alliance military!

If he could catch the eye of military conglomerates like the Xiao or Fu families, he might never have to worry about his future again. It was clear how much importance Wang Pinyuan placed on this student.

"Boyfriend?"

Lin Shuicheng was taken aback.

He turned to look outside.

Through the transparent glass, Fu Luoyin stood in his uniform, arms crossed, waiting quietly outside the laboratory. His demeanor exuded both elegance and the efficiency of a soldier. People passing by couldn't help but glance at him.

"A tiny butterfly, a little flower, happily playing together; one blooms in the spring breeze, the other soars under the sun. Two friends side by side, two names inseparable... Does it sound nice? This is the song I sing to my daughter every day, Little Lin. But most of the time, butterflies are just butterflies, the ones that fly, not every butterfly can cause a storm." The old professor's voice gradually faded away with the wind.

Lin Shuicheng switched off the lights and stepped out of the lab, plunging the room into darkness.

He lifted his gaze to meet Fu Luoyin's.

The moment their eyes met, he experienced a fleeting moment of disorientation.

Yet, he quickly dismissed that notion as his strides grew quicker and quicker until he dashed forward, hurling himself into his embrace. Amidst the torrential rain, his voice was barely audible, but the warm breath against Fu Luoyin's ear was distinct. As he lifted his face, his eyes shimmered like stars.

Fu Luoyin reached out to ruffle his hair affectionately.