153: Chapter 153 Departure from HF

Early the next morning after the family banquet, Chen Youhua had already packed his simple luggage, determined to set off for HF today.

At the dining table, his mother served him porridge while she couldn't help but bring up the blind date again.

"Youhua, Auntie Wang called again yesterday. She said her niece just graduated from ZF University and returned. She's so beautiful and comes from a good family. You see..."

Chen Youhua took the porridge bowl and interrupted his mother, his tone firm.

"Mom, let's really put the blind date matter aside for now."

"I have to leave today. The project in HF is urgent, and Academician Yang's team is waiting for me. I really can't afford any delay."

Mother Chen's face was immediately filled with disappointment and reluctance.

"Ah? Leaving today? So soon? Then... then what about those girls? I've already dropped hints to their families..."

Father Chen was looking at the newspaper nearby without lifting his head, but he said a word.

"Work is more important. Those matters can be discussed later."

Chen Youhua knew his mother was genuinely worried for him, so he softened his tone and presented the plan he had already thought of.

"Mom, don't worry."

"How about this: those girls are certainly all very outstanding and busy people. Asking them to specifically make time to meet for a meal would be a huge fuss and could easily be awkward."

"Just tell the matchmaker that I have an urgent temporary research task and have already left ZJ Province, and I'm very sorry."

"However, you can let me add them on WeChat first to get to know each other briefly online and chat."

"If we get along, it won't be too late to arrange a meeting next time I come back."

"This way, we don't lose our manners, and we don't waste each other's time. Don't you think that works?"

He deliberately ignored the complex marriage implications that might lie behind those well-matched families, packaging it instead as a more efficient preliminary contact method that fit young people's habits.

Mother Chen thought about it carefully and felt that her son had a point.

Those girls came from unusual backgrounds, and arranging meetings for each one would indeed be time-consuming and exhausting. If her son didn't like any of them, it would only offend people.

Adding them on WeChat to chat first—whether it worked out or not—at least maintained appearances and provided a buffer.

She sighed and finally relented.

"Sigh... do you young people all do this 'cloud blind dating' now?"

"Alright... then I'll go talk to Auntie Wang and Auntie Zhang later and pass on the WeChat contacts."

"But don't you dare add them and then ignore them. At least have a few polite conversations, you hear me?"

"Don't worry, Mom, I know what I'm doing."

Chen Youhua felt a sense of relief; he had finally passed this hurdle.

He knew that those young ladies were all proud and busy with their careers. They likely wouldn't have much interest in a 'wooden' scientist who only knew research. Adding him on WeChat was mostly out of politeness and curiosity, and the conversation would likely cool down after a few words.

After breakfast, Chen Youhua sat with his parents for a while, chatting about family matters.

Although Mother Chen was reluctant to see him go, she busied herself preparing fruit and local specialties for his journey, constantly nagging him to "take care of your health," "eat on time," and "don't stay up late all the time."

His father silently helped him check his luggage, finally patted his shoulder, and said only one thing.

"Be careful on the road and be steady in your work."

Around ten o'clock in the morning, the black private car arrived on time downstairs.

Mountain Eagle and another security personnel were already in position, skillfully placing Chen Youhua's luggage into the trunk.

Chen Youhua said goodbye to his parents and got into the car under his mother's tearful gaze and his father's silent wave.

As the vehicle slowly drove out of the familiar streets, Chen Youhua watched his parents' figures grow smaller through the rear window until they disappeared. He felt a slight ache in his heart, but more so a sense of relief from escaping the tedious social obligations and returning to scientific research.

He took out his phone and, as expected, saw several WeChat business cards pushed over by his mother, the profile pictures each more exquisite and beautiful than the last.

Their Moments were filled with travel photos; they didn't show their faces, but the casually revealed Porsche steering wheels and various high-end earrings and necklaces all exuded the aura of the Longren.

He sent a uniform verification message: "Hello, I am Chen Youhua. Pleased to meet you."

After completing these polite formalities, he set his phone aside and ignored any potential subsequent messages.

He pulled out his laptop and a printout of the latest experimental data for the east device from his backpack and immersed himself in them.

The convoy drove onto the highway, heading steadily toward Hefei.

The scenery outside the window gradually changed from familiar city buildings to fields and hills that looked somewhat bleak in the winter.

The entire journey took about eight hours. He didn't choose a plane or high-speed rail; traveling by private car was basically his only way of getting around now.

He had previously communicated with Chief Engineer Yang. Since receiving the various parameters he provided, they had been verifying them and adjusting various instruments over the past few days.

If there were no surprises, an experimental ignition would be carried out next, along with practical testing of the parameters he had given.

This was why he was so eager to go to HF; he hoped to witness this ignition with his own eyes.

Although theoretically, nuclear fusion cannot have commercial possibilities at this stage, he still wanted to see how many steps forward the data he calculated could push it.

If he really went on blind dates, he would have to arrange time to meet every young lady, have a meal, and if they got along, maybe even see a movie.

If he met them one by one, he might not even finish by March.

Moreover, he had a major report on the Navier-Stokes Equation to give in March, so he really didn't have time to waste at home.

A few hours later, when the navigation prompted that they were about to enter LY District, Chen Youhua looked up, rubbed his somewhat dry eyes, and gazed out the window.

The LY District at night was completely different from the familiar Jiangnan water town charm of Z Province.

The architectural style here had a more pragmatic and restrained technological feel.

There weren't many exaggerated skyscraper clusters, but rather neatly planned, sharp-edged office buildings and research institutions.

Occasionally, one could see some old residential buildings with slightly peeling walls interspersed among them.

The streets were wide and the streetlights were bright, exuding a steady atmosphere.

At seven or eight o'clock in the evening, the city's nightlife was gradually becoming active.

The streets were woven with traffic, and taillights pulled out trails of red light.

On the sidewalks, employees getting off work, students leaving school, and residents out for a stroll were bustling about.

At this time, Chen Youhua also received a call from Academician Yang's assistant, confirming his arrival time and arranging the upcoming itinerary.

"Professor Chen, have you arrived in HF? Chief Engineer Yang asked me to send his regards; it's been a long journey. Please rest at the guesthouse for a night first. Tomorrow, Chief Engineer Yang will take you to visit the Main Control Hall of the east device to give you an intuitive feel."

"Okay, no problem. Thank you for the arrangements."