Chapter 59: A Vast Difference
Qin Chuan stared at the game's ending screen for a long while, stunned. "Have you played this game before?"
Jian Yiling shook her head. It was her first time playing Zerg Invasion, but she had experience with other first-person shooter (FPS) games.
Most well-made FPS games simulate gun recoil and bullet trajectory in ways that closely resemble real-world physics. Jian Yunzheng's company had followed the same principles when developing Zerg Invasion. That's why, despite this being Jian Yiling's first time playing this particular game, her familiarity with similar shooting games allowed her to master it quickly.
For a moment, Qin Chuan didn't know what to say. Jian Yiling's demeanor was so quiet and reserved, yet when she played, she was swift, ruthless, and incredibly accurate. Her movements across the keyboard and mouse were fluid and precise. Watching her in the game, it was impossible to reconcile the image of this coldly efficient player with the calm, quiet girl sitting right in front of him.
After finishing the round, Jian Yiling immediately handed the computer back to Qin Chuan.
"Don't you want to play a few more rounds?" Qin Chuan asked, surprised that she seemed so indifferent about her success.
Jian Yiling shook her head again. It was as if playing the game had been less about having fun and more about fulfilling a task—a task assigned by her grandmother.
Qin Chuan couldn't help but feel a strange sense of defeat. The Jian Yiling he had encountered today was nothing like the girl the outside world had portrayed. The gap between expectation and reality was enormous.
As he sat there processing this, Jian Yiling opened her own laptop, quickly pulling up a set of electronic notes and practice exercises. It was clear she had transitioned back to study mode. Resigned, Qin Chuan had no choice but to take his usual seat across from her, ready to assist when she needed help.
While waiting for Jian Yiling to ask a question, Qin Chuan took the opportunity to handle a personal matter. He began typing out a message to his mother's primary physician:
[Dr. Zheng, please, do your best to help my mother. I'll gather the necessary funds as quickly as I can.]
Qin Chuan's mother had been hospitalized for some time, and her condition had recently taken a turn for the worse.
The doctor replied promptly:
[It's not just about the money anymore, Qin Chuan. The treatments we can offer at the hospital are mainly palliative at this stage. If you want to truly cure her, you'll need to explore other avenues. Have you made contact with the Huijing Medical Research Institute I mentioned before?]
Qin Chuan frowned at the screen. [I've tried reaching out to them, but they haven't responded.]
[That's not surprising. They get thousands of inquiries every day. If you don't have a special connection, they usually don't even acknowledge such requests.]
Qin Chuan's expression grew more determined. [Can you give me their address? I want to visit in person.]
[I can give you the address, but showing up won't guarantee anything. They likely won't even let you through the door.]
Qin Chuan stared at the screen in silence for a moment, then typed out a firm response:
[I have to try. I'll do anything—pay any price—if it means saving my mother.]
On the other side of the table, Jian Yiling was also busy typing on her laptop, sending a message of her own:
[Dr. F.S., you remember we're scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, right?]
The reply came quickly: [Yes.]
[The QR code I sent you for entry at the main gate is valid for one week. If you run into any issues, feel free to contact me directly. Or, if you prefer, let me know before you arrive, and I can meet you at the entrance.]
[That won't be necessary.]
[Alright. Then we'll talk more when we meet tomorrow afternoon.]
Meanwhile, on the other end of that conversation, a young man in his twenties sat in front of his own computer, communicating with Jian Yiling. Behind him stood an older professor, his hair streaked with white.
"How did it go?" the professor asked eagerly.
"No problems. He confirmed that he'll come tomorrow afternoon," the young man, Cheng Yi, responded confidently. Cheng Yi was one of the professor's top students and had been tasked with liaising with Jian Yiling.
"Good," the professor nodded in approval. "But make sure to double-check with him tomorrow morning. It's essential that everything goes smoothly, and we need to be certain he'll come."
"I'll make sure to confirm it again," Cheng Yi assured him.