DA chapter 34

 

“Captain Yan.” The newcomer, Xiao Tian, looked at Yan Xu. “Do you have any thoughts?”

There is only one correct answer to 1+1. However, if that were the case, only the first person to answer would survive. Xiao Tian always felt that it shouldn’t end in total annihilation; there had to be a turning point.

Yan Xu smiled and said something that seemed irrelevant: “Whatever you thought of, just say it directly. No need to ask me.”

Xiao Tian froze for a moment, then turned and said, “One plus one doesn’t come with a unit, so I think this question has no standard answer. Any answer that fits one plus one should work as long as we don’t repeat each other.”

When everyone heard this, it seemed to make sense.

No one objected because they could only try it this way.

Just as they were enthusiastically discussing what 1 + 1 could equal and arranging not to repeat answers, Lin Jia turned and walked into the corridor.

The director’s sudden appearance had delayed his plan. Now that the director had left, Lin Jia had the chance to look for the couple. The Soup Base was almost full, and since the couple was not very dangerous, there was no need to continue cooperating with Yan Xu.

However, before Lin Jia could continue, Yan Xu’s voice came from behind him: “Hey, Lin Jia.”

It was loud but not impossible to ignore. But right after that came footsteps approaching him.

Yan Xu followed and stopped half a meter away from Lin Jia. Since Lin Jia had stepped down one step, Yan Xu looked down at him. “Not checking answers?”

Lin Jia said lightly: “I won’t repeat with anyone.”

Yan Xu was slightly stunned.

Lin Jia walked down the stairs, and the cat, curled up on the side, followed him.

Before leaving the corridor, Lin Jia faintly heard voices talking.

Since everyone was still on the second floor discussing answers, the source of the conversation was clear.

Lin Jia kicked the cat, signaling it not to make any sound. He pressed himself against the wall and listened carefully to the voices.

It was the director and the other couple. Although they were close by, Lin Jia could still not hear what they were saying.

He didn’t insist on doing something that was destined to be fruitless. He adjusted his position to widen his view. He saw that the couple’s stomachs had completely recovered; they were no longer swollen, round, and disgusting like they were last night.

The director also looked very happy. She was saying something to the couple, and Lin Jia noticed that she repeatedly formed the word “thank you.”

The conversation did not last long. Soon, the director led the couple toward the reception room.

Lin Jia did not follow. He watched their movements from the shadows, already weighing things in his heart.

The couple should continue choosing people.

With this thought in mind, Lin Jia stepped out of the shadows. He made sure not to be discovered by the director and the others as he found a tree trunk to block his figure. From this position, he could conveniently observe the reception room. He clearly saw the three of them enter the room. The door to the reception room was not closed. The director poured each of them a cup of water and probably exchanged a few more words before walking out of the reception room.

Before leaving, she even closed the door for the couple.

Lin Jia watched coldly. The director was heading toward the second floor of the building. She may have come because not everyone went to the cafeteria for breakfast and wanting to settle accounts. Or she may have come to check the answers to the question she had assigned. Or she may have come because she wanted everyone to go to the reception room again—

Understanding these questions was not important. Lin Jia kicked the cat again, then walked out from behind the tree trunk.

The cat had wanted to follow Lin Jia outside, but after seeing him turn back and glare at it, the cat stopped.

Only then did the cat realize that Lin Jia’s kick meant that it should not follow.

The cat was a little displeased. His reminder was always a kick. But that kick could mean many things, and the cat was not very good at distinguishing them.

Seeing that the director was about to go upstairs, Lin Jia intercepted her halfway.

The opening line was the same as yesterday’s. Lin Jia said, “Director, I’ve thought of the answer. I want to tell you in advance.”

A child who actively answers questions is always welcome. Lin Jia had also always made a good impression on the director. Her expression relaxed as she stood waiting for Lin Jia’s answer.

Lin Jia said: “Equals two.”

One plus one could equal many things, but there was one answer that could not be refuted: “Equals 2.” It was the simplest and most basic answer—one that everyone knew.

So the others would definitely not choose “equals 2.”

The director’s eyes curved as she praised him. “What a smart child.”

In a cheerful mood, she revealed to Lin Jia: “Adopters came to the Welfare Institute today. Go back and tidy up quickly. After I check the other children’s answers, I’ll take you to meet them. You’re so obedient; the director hopes you get adopted.”

The director went to the second floor of the building, and Lin Jia went to the reception room. He did not want to go back with the director and risk delaying his chance to meet with the couple alone, so he smiled and said: “Director, I’ll eat breakfast first. After eating, I’ll go back immediately, tidy up, and wait for you to take me to meet the adopters.”

“Alright.” The director said lovingly. “Go quickly. Don’t stay hungry.”

Lin Jia watched the director leave. After she had gone far away, he turned toward the reception room.

He knocked, and a response came quickly from inside: “Please come in.”

The husband opened the door while his wife sat upright on the sofa. When the two saw Lin Jia, they were stunned. A trace of confusion appeared on the husband’s face. “Child, have we met before?”

Lin Jia was not surprised that the couple had forgotten him. If they truly remembered what had happened the previous day, they wouldn’t have come back today to choose an adopted child.

Lin Jia denied it outright: “I don’t know you.”

“Oh, oh, sorry.” The husband looked embarrassed, then serious. “May I ask what the matter is?”

Lin Jia said: “The director told me that adopters came to the Welfare Institute today.”

The children at the Welfare Institute always urgently wanted to be adopted. They hoped for a home of their own with a loving father and mother. So, it was not strange for a child to come early to meet the adopters.

The couple did not want to disappoint Lin Jia, so they invited him into the reception room.

Lin Jia sat down politely. “Thank you.”

The wife poured him a cup of water. Lin Jia replied lightly, “Thank you.”

The couple’s favorable impression of Lin Jia increased slightly. The wife said, “What do you study at the Welfare Institute?”

“It covers all aspects.” Lin Jia answered vaguely. Seeing curiosity in their eyes, he added, “For example, today the director assigned us a question.”

The wife’s curiosity was piqued. “What is it?”

Lin Jia said, “What does one plus one equal?”

The simple question made the couple laugh. The husband asked, “Did you answer correctly?”

“I told the director that one plus one equals two, but…” Lin Jia changed his tone.

The couple was hooked again. But what?

They stared at Lin Jia.

“Goldbach’s conjecture states that for any even number greater than two, there are always two prime numbers, p and q, such that the number is equal to p plus q. Goldbach believed that any integer greater than two could be written as the sum of three prime numbers, but Goldbach could not prove it.”[mfn]Goldbach’s conjecture is one of the oldest and best-known unsolved problems in number theory and all of mathematics.[/mfn]

The couple looked blankly at Lin Jia, then at each other.

Lin Jia said, “Just as Leonhard Euler could not prove Goldbach’s conjecture, there are many things in this world that cannot be proven.”[mfn]Leonhard Euler was a Swiss mathematician and physicist, one of the founders of pure mathematics. He not only made decisive and formative contributions to the subjects of geometry, calculus, mechanics, and number theory but also developed methods for solving problems in observational astronomy and demonstrated useful applications of mathematics in technology and public affairs. Euler was one of the greatest mathematicians in history, yet even he could not prove it.[/mfn]

At this point, Lin Jia paused deliberately, then showed a puzzled expression and said, “The world is vast and full of strange things. I guess souls and ghosts exist in this world, but no one can prove my guess.”

He seemed disappointed and sighed deliberately. “I don’t even have my ‘Euler’ who willing to help me prove it.”

“Souls and ghosts?” his wife suddenly said. “There are! This world has them!”

Lin Jia noticed that, this time, the couple did not show fear or widen their mouths while he was probing for information, so normal conversation was possible.

“You don’t need to comfort me,” said Lin Jia. “But thank you anyway.”

“There really is,” the husband also became a little anxious.

However, the person who proposed the conjecture was not anxious at all and proceeded slowly, “There really is? Have you two seen it?”

The couple froze, hesitating as they looked at Lin Jia. They could not bear to dampen Lin Jia’s enthusiasm for thinking. The husband nodded firmly. “There is. We really have seen it.”

Only then did Lin Jia finally show a little concern, softly asking, “Then what does a soul or ghost look like? Would you mind telling me more?”

The husband spoke boldly, “I feel that perhaps I can prove Goldbach’s conjecture through the conjecture about ghosts.”

The wife recalled: “Its appearance was very twisted, very twisted.”

Her husband added, “It only has two hands and no legs. Its hands are very big, and its palms are extremely wide. Its whole body was bleeding.”

“Yes, yes, yes.” The wife provided more details than her husband. “This female ghost appears at night and keeps singing a lullaby.”

Lin Jia asked, “What are the lyrics of the lullaby?”

The wife said: “Baby, baby, don’t be afraid. Mommy is right by your side. Baby, baby, don’t be afraid. Fall asleep, and Mommy will appear.”

Lin Jia wanted to ask more, but someone knocked on the door to the reception room. The director pushed the door open, and the others who had entered Fish Belly followed behind her.

The director was surprised to see Lin Jia, but she understood a child’s eagerness to be adopted. She looked apologetically at the couple and said, “This child didn’t disturb you, did he?”

“No, no.” The couple quickly explained, “We had a very pleasant chat.”

The director glanced at Lin Jia. Of course, Lin Jia was the focus of many more gazes besides the director’s.

The director got to the main topic. “These are all children from the Yile Welfare Institute. You can take a look…”

“No need.” The wife smiled at Lin Jia and pointed to him. “We want to talk with this child a little more.”

Everyone had already learned from Yan Xu that the couple had eaten Xiao Wei, so they all let out a breath of relief when they saw the situation develop like this.

Yan Xu, however, gave Lin Jia a meaningful glance.

Since the couple had already made a choice in advance, the director nodded, left Lin Jia behind, and came in noisily with the others, then left noisily again with them.

The reception room door closed, and the surroundings became quiet. Those extra gazes all disappeared.

Lin Jia raised his head. He knew very clearly that when the couple said to continue talking, they definitely weren’t referring to chatting about the “female ghost,” but rather about adoption.

“Child, what is your name?” the wife asked gently.

The husband also liked Lin Jia and quickly asked, “Would you be willing to let Uncle and Aunt become your father and mother? We promise we will love you, treat you like our own, and let you grow up happily.”

Lin Jia said: “Not willing.”

The couple paused.

Since he had already clearly expressed his intention, Lin Jia naturally had no need to introduce himself. He looked at the couple. Their behavior had always been good; they had never shown malice. Even eating people up in the end was not done out of malice.

There is a saying: “Put your heart back into your stomach,” meaning to become at ease. Last night, he and Yan Xu found out where Xiao Wei was. The couple said he was in a very safe place.

They had eaten the chosen child into their stomachs.

Because of the couple’s goodwill, Lin Jia knew he had the right to refuse. Kind people do not force others.

And, as Lin Jia had expected, after the couple was stunned for a while, they only expressed regret. They did not angrily accuse Lin Jia of not appreciating their kindness.

The wife said, “What a pity. If possible, may I know why you rejected us?”

Lin Jia made something up casually: “I want to stay with the director.”

This time, the regretful expressions on the husband and wife’s faces disappeared, and they looked at Lin Jia approvingly.

What a good child.

 

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