Chapter 14: The Essence of Civilization (Please Bookmark)_1

Yang Dong also quickly finished washing up and, carrying a small suitcase, went downstairs with Ye Wenjie.

Jiang Yu volunteered to help her with the suitcase and only then found out that Ye Wenjie's lecture location was on the way to her workplace, so she was hitching a ride.

A business car was already parked downstairs, which had come to pick up Ye Wenjie.

Jiang Yu placed the suitcase in the back and was about to sit in the front passenger seat when he noticed that a slim and beautiful girl had already taken the spot.

She was engrossed in playing with her phone, seemingly aware of Jiang Yu's gaze, she looked up and smiled at Jiang Yu.

Her smile was captivating and striking, but for some reason, it made Jiang Yu feel a chill in his heart.

"Xiao Yu, come sit in the back!" Ye Wenjie called.

Jiang Yu nodded and sat in the back.

The journey would take more than three hours, and Jiang Yu began to chat with the other two in the backseat.

Sometimes they discussed astrophysics, and sometimes the research Yang Dong was currently undertaking.

Yang Dong mentioned that, for some unknown reason, all particle collision experiments had recently stopped, and she was very eager to use Ye Wenjie's connections to find out why they had ceased.

Ye Wenjie fell into a brief contemplation and did not agree to her daughter's request.

Evans had concealed the function of Sophon, leaving even Ye Wenjie with only a general understanding, but she could guess that the stopping of the particle collision experiments definitely had something to do with the Trisolarans.

Yang Dong did not continue on the topic, but it seemed she would keep investigating the matter.

To steer the conversation elsewhere, Ye Wenjie began discussing some propositions in sociology with Jiang Yu: "Xiao Yu, ever since our last conversation at the dinner table, I've developed a strong interest in sociology and have been reading books in that area."

She then asked, "Xiao Yu, what do you think civilization is?"

Jiang Yu smiled and said, "Teacher Ye, may I share my personal understanding?"

Ye Wenjie was pleased: "Not being confined to books is a basic quality of a scholar, and I'm happy to see this quality in you."

"Teacher Ye flatters me," Jiang Yu replied. "I think that civilization is survival."

The car fell silent for a second or two, attracted by the topic, Yang Dong asked, "Survival?"

"Yes, survival," Jiang Yu elaborated. "All manifestations of civilization are for the sake of survival.

"Let me give you an example. Why in ancient times was choosing a spouse subject to 'the commands of parents and the words of matchmakers'?"

Jiang Yu answered his own question: "Back then, people realized through long-term observation that marriages between close relatives were likely to result in genetic diseases and other problems.

"To prevent close kin from marrying, they couldn't allow free love, because in those times everyone's playmates from childhood were basically their siblings or close relatives.

"If families were formed through free love, a large number of close-kin marriages would occur, and under those circumstances, it would be questionable whether the ethnic group could continue to exist.

"Only parents and matchmakers knew who weren't close kin, so you had to listen to them about who to marry."

Yang Dong smiled and said, "I didn't expect sociology to discuss such interesting issues."

Ye Wenjie also smiled and nodded in agreement, watching Jiang Yu as he explained.

Jiang Yu continued with a smile: "Every discipline has its own charm, and only when one discovers the charm of their own discipline can they be said to have grasped some essence of it."

He continued his explanation: "So, the customs of ancient times all had their reasons, it's just that they're no longer applicable now."

"Nowadays, people living in cities are leading scattered lives, with their wives and children in different places, which allows for bold and free love affairs because the chance of marrying someone closely related to you in the city is too small."

"But now there's a new problem standing in the way of free love, like housing."

"Why does everyone value houses so much? It's still about survival! To come to this world and not even have a place to plant your feet, what kind of survival is that?"

"Psychologically, having a place to live, a means of survival, is what creates the illusion that you exist in the world."

Jiang Yu scratched his head, "If we continue this discussion, it will escalate to a philosophical level, which is not very meaningful."

"Everyone just needs to understand that all the outward appearances of modern people are also based on survival, only more abstract than before, and most people find it harder to notice."

Yang Dong nodded, "Your theory makes a lot of sense and can explain most appearances at least."

Ye Wenjie laughed, "It can even explain some aspects of astrophysics. After all, the universe is a large society!"

Having said that, Ye Wenjie suddenly had a realization, as if she understood something.

She muttered to herself, "The universe... society... survival..."

Jiang Yu's liver trembled, and he thought to himself, "It couldn't be that my recent thoughts have provided Ye Wenjie with a basic concept of the 'Dark Forest Law,' could it?"

It wasn't impossible, as Ye Wenjie couldn't have proposed the basic concept of the "Dark Forest" to Logic without ever having speculated about it beforehand.

Ye Wenjie had not been exposed to sociology before and only encountered the subject after meeting Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu then realized that he wasn't "rewriting history" but rather helping "history" to get back on track.

The topic of sociology continued, and with that thought, Jiang Yu also withdrew his musings.

After driving for more than three hours, the group arrived at a university in a neighboring province, where Ye Wenjie's first lecture would take place.

The driver took Yang Dong to a research institute not far from there, while Jiang Yu and the young girl accompanied Ye Wenjie to briefly chat with the university staff before she went to the lectern to start her lecture.

Jiang Yu showed a keen interest in Ye Wenjie's lecture, and whenever she looked at him, she could see that he was listening attentively.

The old lady didn't show it outwardly, but she was pleased inside.

After having lunch prepared by the university, the afternoon featured a physics discussion panel, which Jiang Yu and the girl were not qualified to attend, so the two of them waited for Ye Wenjie outside the meeting room, sitting on the chairs.

The girl had a charming smile, but did not talk much: "Chu Xu."

"With a name like yours, one can tell you must have quite a few bankbooks," Jiang Yu joked.

But the girl didn't laugh, and Jiang Yu, feeling a little awkward, introduced himself, "Jiang Yu."

Chu Xu took out a pack of cigarettes and offered one to Jiang Yu.

Jiang Yu did not refuse, as the atmosphere was already awkward enough, and to refuse would have made it even more so.

Chu Xu lit a cigarette and glanced at Jiang Yu, "Why don't you warn me, 'A young girl shouldn't smoke'?"

Most people, especially men, would give such advice the first time they saw her smoking.

Savoring the rare taste of tobacco, Jiang Yu replied, "My life experience has taught me to never use a moral high ground to persuade others, the more you try, the more defensive they become."

Suddenly, a hint of sadness appeared in Chu Xu's eyes, "If my mom hadn't run off with another man, she would've made sure I continued my education. It would be great if I could've attended as much school as you and learned as much as you did."

Jiang Yu suddenly remembered, this girl couldn't be the one who threatened to blow everyone up with a nuclear bomb during Da Shi's arrest of Ye Wenjie, could she?