Chapter 83 84

Chapter 83: Titled "Hope"

"Thank you all for your concern. I can see that everyone is as excited as I am. But it's been decades since I've spoken properly, so could you please not interrupt me?"

A hint of flush appeared on Steve's aged cheeks as his arm holding the microphone trembled slightly, revealing his inner excitement and exhilaration. An elderly man who had spent half his life unable to control his body or speak, enduring years of agony, finally experienced a miracle in his twilight years. The emotions he felt were beyond the comprehension of ordinary people.

Although he had experienced similar emotions and psychological fluctuations during previous treatments, this was the first time he appeared in public on this day, able to use his own voice. Undoubtedly, it touched the suppressed emotions in his heart that had accumulated over the years.

The journalists finally chuckled at his words, slowing down their movements, lowering their voices, or simply remaining silent, all showing respect for the old man.

Even the most pragmatic and selfish individuals had to set aside their thoughts at this moment and maintain a solemn silence. Such was the influence of Steve Hawking.

At the same time, the television signal was swiftly transmitted through numerous cameras beneath the stage to various parts of the world. The power of the broadcast was maximized, acting like an infinite expanding network on the planet, allowing more people to witness this scene.

...

United Kingdom.

Brown Raglan rushed into his house, barely dropping his briefcase, and immediately began shouting to his son who was lying in front of the television, "Quick! Jerry, switch to BBC! Solar Corona is having a press conference!"

Both Brown and his son Jerry were loyal fans of Steve Hawking. In his youth, Brown even tattooed an image of Hawking in his wheelchair on his thigh. Such fanaticism evidently didn't diminish with age but rather matured into a silent concern.

Young Jerry was munching on chips. Upon hearing the seemingly random words, he rolled his eyes and protested, "That Bruce Lee guy? A show-off. I admit he's handsome. But in terms of achievements, there's nothing remarkable about him. He's just adding burden to Steve! I don't want to watch!"

When news first broke out about Steve accompanying Bruce back to the lab in the United States, there were speculations about treating ALS, causing quite a stir. Father and son had heated arguments. Bruce's youth and lack of credentials were not convincing, and Solar Corona was relatively unknown with no significant achievements.

Brown remained skeptical, but Jerry strongly opposed, even writing letters to Steve's office to express his disdain for Bruce's actions.

His viewpoint evidently represented the majority opinion. The so-called treatment for ALS was seen as a gimmick to capitalize on Hawking's fame.

However, this time, Brown didn't bother with his son. He sat on the sofa, grabbed the remote, and switched channels. Jerry was about to voice his dissatisfaction when he suddenly froze, realizing that on the TV screen, Steve was holding a microphone, saying, "Hello, everyone!"

Yes!

No computer-synthesized voice! His usual crooked appearance was nowhere to be seen!

Apart from being seated in a wheelchair, he appeared just like a healthy, normal person!

"Oh my God! Am I dreaming?"

Brown and Jerry stared blankly, almost simultaneously muttering these words.

...

China. Hong Kong.

Guo Qindong, the chairman of NanYang Group, arrived at the teahouse as usual, enjoying his morning tea and reading newspapers. By 11 o'clock, his bodyguard, ever vigilant, sat nearby, responding to greetings from passersby and acquaintances.

"Morning, Chairman Guo!"

"Good morning, Chairman Guo."

Guo Qindong smiled in response while reading the newspaper. This was a daily routine, and everyone knew the chairman's schedule. More than being the chairman of NanYang Group, he valued his position as a director of the Hong Kong Jockey Club, and those familiar with him addressed him with respect.

At that moment, the bodyguard handed him the phone. It was from an old friend, Ye Fangsen, the former Director of the Labour Bureau who had just retired and was also a director of the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

"Old Ye, did you finish the tea I sent you last time? What's the good news you have for me?"

As old friends, their conversations were casual. Guo Qindong didn't even put down the newspaper, smiling as he greeted.

"Still having tea? Seems like you haven't heard the news. It's really good news! Hurry and turn on the TV, Jade Channel!"

His friend on the phone was unusually excited, unlike his usual calm demeanor, which surprised Guo Qindong. While gesturing for the bodyguard to change the TV channel, he teased, "You, old Ye, still getting excited at our age. Be careful not to burst a blood vessel. Don't forget your age."

Ye Fangsen didn't retort as usual but persisted, "Have you turned on the TV?! I'm telling you, that Bruce from America we talked about before, you really need to find him now. There's hope for Jiaming's illness!"

"Having a young lad isn't bad, but what's it got to do with us old folks?" Guo Qindong continued to leisurely retort. It wasn't until he heard the latter part that he felt something was amiss, his mind failing to catch up. Lips trembling, he asked, "What did you say? Jiaming's illness?"

He turned his gaze to the nearby television, where a tall, steady young man stood on stage, holding a microphone, and spoke clearly: "ALS is a degenerative neurological disease that causes paralysis and death due to the loss of motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord... We understand the pain of watching oneself die... and have been working hard to help more patients... Therefore, I am honored to announce with Mr. Hawking that, through the relentless efforts of all colleagues at CoBIS Lab 1, we have successfully overcome this medical challenge!"

Guo Qindong's eyes widened, his breath becoming heavy as he stared fixedly at the young man on the TV screen, barely able to hear what followed...

Guo's family was wealthy, but his lineage was thin. He had two daughters before finally having a son, Guo Jiaming, at the age of 56.

Having a son late in life naturally made Guo Qindong cherish him.

Unfortunately, Guo Jiaming was afflicted with ALS, an incurable disease. Despite spending vast sums of money, he could only watch his son bedridden. The agony had once caused Guo Qindong to fall seriously ill, almost giving up hope. Now, he suddenly heard this news, the nervousness and excitement in his heart unimaginable. His head felt tight, his heartbeat accelerating, and he felt dizzy, blacking out and collapsing from his chair.

"Hello! Hello! Old Guo, are you okay?"

Anxious inquiries came from the phone.

Meanwhile, chaos erupted among the bodyguards.

"He's having an asthma attack!"

"Quick, get the medication!"

...

United States, Boston.

Pete Frates, once a star captain of a baseball team and now a patient of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), was completely paralyzed. The initiator of the "Ice Bucket Challenge" had set an example for the American

 ALS Association, raising a considerable amount of funds and garnering widespread attention worldwide. However, he didn't hold much hope in his heart.

He understood very well that life had its natural course, and often there was little one could do about it. Many incurable diseases left humanity helpless. Despite accepting or not accepting them, one couldn't change this fact. Especially after spending years confined to a sickbed, he had lost his ability to speak, relying solely on a tube to sustain life.

Once among the elite, an athletic star, and a campus hero, he now had a mechanical expression, a withered physique, and struggled for every breath, living a life shrouded in darkness.

However, today was different. Although Pete Frates remained immobile, his eyes sparkled with unprecedented brilliance, fixed on the TV screen in front of him. A familiar elderly man, who had been held up as an example by family and friends multiple times, was sitting in a wheelchair, holding a microphone and speaking clearly:

"I must speak on behalf of all ALS patients worldwide, thank you, Bruce... At the same time, I want to express my gratitude, not just because he helped me overcome this terrible illness, but also because he finally gave me the opportunity to say these words—Sorry, Jane..."

"As a scientist, scholar, or professor, my life has been successful. But as a husband, a father, I've been lacking... Although many people comfort me, saying I've overcome physical obstacles and have unlimited potential in academia, in life, my limitations have caused pain to many... Mary, Jane, and many more..."

Steve Hawking on the television screen choked up several times but still held his head high, covering his forehead with one hand as tears flowed uncontrollably between his fingers.

In front of the television, Pete Frates, lying on his sickbed, also had tears in his eyes. The damp stains soaked the pillow under his head and spread to the sheets. However, he wasn't in a rush to call his busy wife nearby; instead, he quietly watched Steve speak, seemingly wanting to ease his own emotions through this method, releasing all the years of pain.

Hope was always the most precious and elusive treasure.

And at this moment, after years of struggle, after the ups and downs of life, Pete Frates finally saw hope.

Chapter 84: Steve Hawking Speaks!

All around the world, all eyes were on the scene of the Los Angeles press conference at this moment.

And at the epicenter of this explosive news, the atmosphere was undeniably heated. The sound of keyboards typing incessantly beneath the journalists' hands continued, and the alternating speeches of Bruce and Steve showed no signs of stopping.

"Not long ago, during a public event, I mentioned that we should strive to conquer more diseases that plague humanity. Now, I'm pleased that we've finally made some progress, and I believe this is just the beginning. Today, the focus is still on the treatment of ALS, so the remaining time will be given to Dr. Gilbert Gordon, the head of the laboratory, to explain to everyone in detail how we've tackled this medical challenge."

As Bruce and Steve stepped off the stage, a forest of neatly arranged and spectacular arms rose up like grass after a rain, densely packed. These were the journalists eager to ask questions.

"Bruce!"

"Mr. Hawking!"

"Please wait, we still have questions..."

...

"Steve Hawking Speaks!"

As if with astonishing tacit agreement, this became the headline quoted the most by major media outlets after the press conference.

The joint press conference of Bruce and Steve was like a thunderbolt on flat ground, instantly sweeping through all media outlets worldwide, whether television, newspapers, radio, or the internet.

Every individual living in modern society found themselves engulfed by this topic overnight, with people discussing it around them, on television, and online. It seemed to be everywhere.

Perhaps none of these factors alone could have created such an effect. But combined, they were enough to become the focal point of discussion.

On social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube, the video of the press conference garnered over 230 million views on the same day.

The Twitter fanbase managed by Trista for Bruce saw a surge of 18 million followers, exploding after being active for only two months, skyrocketing into the top ten. Solar Corona's official website was overwhelmed on that day, crashing three times and necessitating the addition of new servers.

Before the press conference even ended, the phones for interview requests and treatments were already ringing off the hook, inundating Bruce's private line with congratulations and inquiries from various media outlets and prominent figures. Even Sheila couldn't get through, prompting him to proactively switch phones.

Lee Xinyi, who was in China, excitedly called as the representative of the Lee family, her first words being:

"Bro, you're amazing!"

Then she started babbling on, with many people asking if the person on TV was her brother, and many journalists and organizations calling to request interviews or contact information. The conversation was filled with pride. But there were arrangements for someone to coordinate and take care of Bruce. It wasn't chaotic. Besides watching the excitement, they were also proud. Bruce only dismissed this little trouble when he received other calls.

Bruce found for the first time that making phone calls had become the most headache-inducing thing for him. After answering dozens of calls, he decisively handed most of them over to Trista. Only some particularly important ones were allowed to be passed on to him. Trista's response was a big eye roll.

"If there are interview invitations, consider choosing those with sufficient brand recognition, viewership, and influence. Reject all others, stating that I'm focusing on researching the practical application of treatment and don't have time."

Bruce pressed his forehead, although he had achieved the effect he expected, successfully putting Solar Corona on the stage, there was too much to do. This already powerful enterprise was finally mobilizing and operating at full capacity.

According to the pre-designed plan, he would officially establish the Solar Corona Group, splitting the biotechnology and pharmaceutical engineering departments into two separate companies. The former would still be owned by him personally, while the Solar Corona Pharmaceuticals, primarily focused on medicine and pharmaceuticals, had already begun discussions on raising funds. Apart from Lowell Lockheed's personal investment, John Doerr and Larry Page almost simultaneously called to express their eagerness to invest.

Bruce was mentally prepared for such a situation. He had planned to use pharmaceuticals as a cash cow while also satisfying those long-lingering venture capitalists, capital, and consortia. Instead of waiting for these long-awaited big fish to come and bite, it was better to throw out a piece of meat for them to fight over first. He wondered if, after understanding his subsequent plans and realizing that biotechnology was the real trump card, they would still be able to laugh.

It could be anticipated that he would be very busy for quite some time, including Steve, who was still in the recovery period, having to participate in the publicity appropriately.

Perhaps to retaliate for Bruce dumping most of the lengthy phone calls onto her, Trista efficiently helped him accept several interview programs. But her revenge seemed somewhat ineffective because Bruce simply glanced casually and put down most of them, leaving only one, The Ellen DeGeneres Show—the highest-rated daily talk show in America at the moment.

And his reason for choosing this was simply that it was nearby, making Trista feel like she was punching the air with all her might, feeling so choked that she almost spat blood.

Indeed, The Ellen DeGeneres Show was a popular talk show on CBS television. The show was recorded at the Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Los Angeles, and there was almost no need for Bruce and Steve to worry about travel time and logistics.

Ellen DeGeneres Show's invitation for Bruce to appear on the show was clearly ecstatic. After all, the news of him and Steve Hawking had been the global focus of attention these days, with an impact no less than that of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, greatly aiding in viewer ratings.

Moreover, Bruce had never appeared on any talk show before, and he was notoriously uncooperative with the media. After accumulating a considerable amount of attention, it was undoubtedly possible to bring the topic and attention to a climax. The Ellen DeGeneres Show's production team also demonstrated extremely high efficiency, so three days later, Bruce and Steve appeared in the Burbank studio.

As usual, the program started with the host telling jokes to warm up the audience. Meanwhile, Bruce and Steve backstage could clearly hear the screams of the live audience when host Ellen DeGeneres appeared. Although aware that this was due to the effect of the program, he couldn't help shaking his head in amazement at the tremendous influence of this ace host in America.

Soon, the staff began prompting them to prepare to go on stage.

As Bruce pushed Steve onto the stage, the screams and cheers from the audience almost seemed to overturn the top of the studio. The continuous shouts of "Bruce" and "Steve" also forced them to repeatedly

 thank and respond until Bruce and host Ellen shook hands and sat down, finally calming the audience down.

"Wow, I bet everyone here must be a supporter of Steve."

Bruce made a gesture of disbelief, eliciting a wave of screams from the audience.

"I don't think so, Bruce. If I were a few decades younger, maybe they would all be screaming for me. But now, I'm afraid your attractiveness as a handsome young man is much greater than this old man's."

Steve Hawking cooperatively took over, but the screams from the audience grew louder, seemingly refuting this point and even forcing him to stop, waiting for these crazy people to calm down.

"Thank you. I thank you on behalf of Bruce and Mr. Hawking for your support. But I'm afraid I have to regretfully announce that today's show ends here because we don't have time to interview both guests."

Host Ellen DeGeneres promptly displayed her superb on-site atmosphere control skills, a clever joke eliciting waves of laughter and finally calming down the somewhat hysterical audience.

As she spoke, Bruce had been quietly observing her.

Her attire, a formal yet slightly dull jacket and trousers, subtly hinted at her identity as a lesbian. This woman, who had presented herself as a tomboy from the start, had openly come out with her partner actor in her namesake comedy show, ultimately garnering the highest ratings in the show's history, with over 40 million viewers watching the episode. LGBT organizations across the United States organized events to celebrate Ellen's coming out. From that moment on, Ellen was regarded as one of the leading figures of the LGBT community in America and even globally.

Bruce wondered if being an idol of the LGBT community would earn her some points. Anyway, she was the only host to have hosted the Oscars, Grammy Awards, and Emmy Awards. Especially after the end of another ace talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Ellen's show had become the hottest TV talk show in America.

"I heard this is your first time appearing on a talk show, isn't it, Bruce?" After getting Bruce's affirmative nod, Ellen continued to ask. "It's our honor, but may I ask why? Why don't you like talk shows? Because there's a friend of yours, she's a regular on our show."

A large photo of Bruce and Taylor Swift intimately facing each other at New York Fashion Week appeared on the big screen behind them. Everyone who saw this photo would chuckle and look at Bruce, wanting to know how he would answer this question.

Bruce didn't expect this ace host to dig up so much dirt, obviously wanting to spark a topic as soon as she came up. But he didn't show any embarrassment. Instead, he shrugged casually:

"Maybe because I'm busy spreading rumors?"

--------------------------------------------

I've already updated nearly 200 chapters of the novel, which has consumed a lot of time and energy, but without any benefit.

So from now on, I will update 2 chapters every two days on Patreon.

On this website, there will be updates twice a week, which means 4 chapters.

For only $2 a month, you can get the latest chapters the fastest! Enjoy smooth and regular reading!

Your support means a lot to me! Thank you very much!

The Patreon link is:

www.patreon.com/cd8987