136: Chapter 136 Live Stream Ends

Chen Youhua patiently answered a few more questions from the connected audience and, upon request, moved the camera closer.

It clearly displayed the details of the interface where the monkey's shoulder connected to the robotic arm; it wasn't a simple mechanical fixation, but rather precise neural signal acquisition points covered in special biocompatible materials could be seen.

Time flew by during the enthusiastic interaction.

Soon, the livestream was nearing its end.

Chen Youhua glanced at the time, turned to the camera, and announced in a calm tone.

"Alright, friends in the livestream, today's demonstration and Q&A end here."

"We prepared this livestream specifically to respond to everyone's attention and questions regarding the project over this period."

"But to be honest, for this demonstration, our Researchers invested a massive amount of extra time and energy into preparation and rehearsals, and also spent a significant portion of the project's budget to ensure the quality of the livestream and the stable performance of the experimental monkeys."

"This has, to a certain extent, delayed the R&D progress of the project itself."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the sudden surge of pleas to stay and expressions of disappointment on the screen.

"Huh? It's ending already? I haven't seen enough yet!"

"Who gets this? I just rushed into the livestream after getting a message from a friend, and the streamer says goodbye?"

"No, God Chen! Can you set up a 24-hour monkey enclosure livestream? I'd even listen to it as background noise!"

"We can crowdfund! Raise money! Open up the tipping function! Please!"

"When will the volunteer window for the prosthetic limb project open? How do I apply? Can I reserve a spot now?"

"Wuwuwu, I don't want to let God Chen go, can you not end the stream?"

"I suggest having a Researcher open a side account for popular science! Talk about scientific knowledge every day! I promise to follow it!"

Looking at these sincere and even somewhat fanatical comments, Chen Youhua's lips curled into a helpless yet gentle smile.

He waved gently at the camera.

"Thank you everyone for your enthusiasm and support, but the path of scientific research requires focus."

"Next, our neural-link prosthetic limb project will enter a closed-door development phase, and there will be no more public demonstration activities."

"The next time you might hear news about this project, it may well be the day it truly completes its mission and bears fruit."

"Goodbye."

As his voice fell, he cleanly and decisively ended the livestream.

Whew!

The moment the livestream signal was cut, the tense air in the laboratory seemed to be instantly drained away.

Wang Zhe slumped directly into his chair and let out a long sigh of relief.

Li Wei also leaned against the table, rubbing her sore shoulders and cheeks that had become stiff from smiling.

The other Researchers also wore expressions of relief.

A real-time livestream with millions of viewers, the margin for error was almost zero!

Although Chen Youhua kept emphasizing not to fear accidents, as the actual executors, none of them wanted to drop the ball at such a historic moment and bring shame to the project, to Chen Youhua, or to the country.

Their spirits were highly focused the entire time; it was more exhausting than doing ten hours of experiments in a row!

"Well done! Everyone worked hard!"

Chen Youhua stood up and stretched his slightly stiff neck and shoulders.

Outside the window, the sky had darkened and the city lights were beginning to glow; checking the time, it was already past seven in the evening.

He clapped his hands, his voice carrying a relaxed smile.

"The livestream was a complete success! Dinner tonight, barbecue, let's go! My treat! Participation is voluntary; those who want to go, pack your things now!"

"Yay!"

"Long live the boss!"

"Starving, starving! I want to eat ten large kidneys!"

"I want to eat grilled eggplant! With garlic sauce!"

The laboratory instantly erupted in enthusiastic cheers; the previous fatigue seemed to be swept away, replaced by the excitement of completing the task and anticipation for the delicious food.

Everyone scrambled to tidy up the equipment and carefully returned the three tired monkeys to their special cages.

Chen Youhua also helped tidy up the desktop, casually picked up his private phone that had been sitting to the side on silent mode, and habitually unlocked it to take a look.

Huh?

There was one unread message.

He opened WeChat; the message was from a contact saved as "Xu Xiaowen".

The content was just three simple words.

Xu Xiaowen: Thank you.

Chen Youhua stared at the screen, his brows furrowing unconsciously, his face full of big question marks: ???

Xu Xiaowen?

This name... sounds a bit familiar.

It seems to be... that girl from the law department during the first semester of freshman year?

Yes, that's the weirdo who, for some unknown reason, added him on WeChat and harassed him for an entire semester.

Every time she sent meaningless messages about the cafeteria opening a new window or what flowers were blooming on campus, he couldn't be bothered to reply; occasionally replying with an "Oh" was already giving her face.

During the Chinese New Year, he exceptionally took the initiative to send her a "Happy New Year" as a polite greeting, and after that, the two hadn't contacted each other again.

How long has it been since then?

Why did she suddenly send an inexplicable "Thank you"?

Thank me for what? Thank me for replying "Oh" back then? Or thank me for not blocking her?

Chen Youhua shook his head, completely baffled.

He was the type of person who never liked to dwell on such senseless things, especially right after completing a high-intensity livestream and with his stomach rumbling from hunger.

"Inexplicable."

He muttered to himself, stuffed his phone back into his pocket, and couldn't be bothered to ask why.

"Youhua! Let's go! We're just waiting for you!"

Wang Zhe shouted from the doorway, holding a bag containing the experimental logbooks.

"Coming, coming!"

Chen Youhua responded, cast aside the strange message on his phone, put a relaxed smile back on his face, and strode towards the door to join his partners from the laboratory.

"Order whatever you want! Tonight, we won't return until we're drunk... uh, actually, we can't not return, we still have experiments to do tomorrow!"

He greeted everyone with a laugh, and the group walked out of the laboratory building, laughing and chatting, merging into the bustling and warm night of the city.

The smoky aroma of the barbecue and the laughter of friends quickly drowned out that lonely "Thank you" on the phone screen.