steel horn

If you, entering old age, die before me

Neither the catalpa nor the fragrant linden will be gone

Hearing the footsteps of my living, I will not tread

That's where we forge that will break the teeth of time.

Let the other faces play the tricks they will

In those old houses; night can overwhelm day,

Our shadows will still roam the garden gravel

The living are more like shadows than they are.

— Yeats, "The Other Face"

The large room was extremely quiet and quiet, with no light at all.

Estine turned to look at the heavily curtained window and knew there must be starlight shining through there.

He was so weak that he could barely sit up. The ventilator was helping him to breathe and keep him alive. He knew he was going to die, but no one dared to come in and disturb him.

At this time, he hopes to concentrate on waiting for someone.

A naive and persistent child.

The child was first noticed when he was invited to give a guest lecture at a university.

It was pouring rain outside the window that day, he was giving a lecture on stage, but he was actually a little careless, because it was too simple, and the students below were too stupid, just by looking at his eyes, he knew that they didn't understand, but it was for his name It's just a head start.

He casually opened his teaching video, planning to finish this class by fooling around and return the favor of his old friend.

However, after saying a few words, the door of the classroom was pushed open, and a boy stood naked at the door, facing all the blaming eyes on him, he flinched slightly, but still respectfully bowed to him He bowed: "I'm sorry Professor, I'm late."

The child was completely soaked, his hair was still dripping water, his face was as young as all the students, but his overly deep eyes made him look a bit gloomy and unapproachable, but when looking at him, his gaze was Focus sincerely.

He paused for a moment, although he didn't know how unconventional and unconventional it was to listen to the lecture in the heavy rain, but he still motioned him to take a seat, and then continued to lecture.

However, as he talked in depth, he found that among all the students, the only one who seemed to be listening carefully and understood was this later boy.

His shirt was wet and wrapped around his body, and his lips were slightly blue. It was uncomfortable to think about it, but he didn't seem to care at all. His eyes were fixed on him and the handout, and he kept pace. When he talked about difficulties, He frowned, and when he talked about the solution, he suddenly loosened his eyebrows and his eyes suddenly realized.

This aroused his interest, and he started to talk about some deep theories on purpose, and at a faster speed, obviously he couldn't understand at the beginning, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper, and he suddenly raised his hand and said, "Professor! I think the person in front of you The formula is wrong."

There was a lot of noise in the lecture hall, Estin raised his eyebrows and looked at him with interest, but he heard the girl in the front row whispering annoyedly: "Here again, doesn't he know who is giving lectures today? It’s like this every time in class, keen to find the teacher’s fault, as if he is the only one who knows best.”

"That's right, he doesn't want to listen to others, but he still wants to listen. It happens every time. No wonder no professor likes him."

"He doesn't seem to know how to look at people's faces, he does it every time."

"Leave him alone, let him make a fool of himself."

The boy seemed to have not heard other people's comments at all, but stood up seriously and said: "You said it before, but the formula you used just now is different from the previous one."

Estin smiled, stretched out his hand and pressed it, and refreshed to a formula that appeared briefly just now: "Is this what you mean?"

The boy said: "Yes, this formula is different from the formula that applies to the molecular variant you just mentioned."

Estin looked at him staring at him intently, and smiled slightly: "Maybe I made a mistake." He flipped over lightly, but the boy was stunned, bewildered and stunned intertwined. On his face, Estin smiled secretly, reached out and pressed the central control on the podium, and turned up the heating air in the classroom.

Then he smiled and said to him: "If you think there is any problem, I can explain it to you later."

Sure enough, after the class was over, the boy stood up and asked questions endlessly, completely ignoring the whispering students next to him.

But his questions are indeed very interesting, and the angles are very unconstrained. Estin likes him very much, and he answered them patiently. By the way, he also explained the purpose of the different formula just now. He explained it very tactfully, but he knew that the other party listened Got it, because his eyes suddenly opened, and he completely understood why he used that formula.

Interesting, he thought.

The lecture was over, and he declared the lecture over without giving any other students a chance to ask questions.

Wow, the students packed up their books with regret, talking a lot: "It's Rodin again, taking up all the opportunities to ask questions."

"Other professors don't like him. The last time Professor Carlo asked him to give other students some opportunities, he kept questioning him. He was a generation of nitpickers."

"He likes to question professors the most, to see professors make a fool of themselves, right?"

"That's right, I guess this will give him a sense of superiority."

"Can he really graduate like this?"

"It is true that he is ranked among the best in every exam, but no professor likes him. I heard that no one is willing to be his graduation thesis advisor. It is estimated that he is finished. If there is no professor to guide him, he can only delay graduation until a professor agrees to his graduation project. .”

Is it Rodin?The corners of Estin's mouth curled up slightly, and he picked up the handout and walked out. In the corridor, the student named Rodin ignored those hostile eyes, but still caught up with him, and bowed deeply to him: "Estin Professor! Thank you for your teaching today, it has inspired me a lot.”

He turned to look at him, and suddenly smiled: "I heard that no professor is willing to be your thesis advisor?"

Embarrassment appeared on Rodin's face, and Estin raised his eyebrows: "They have self-knowledge, can't they be genius mentors?"

Luo Dan looked at him in astonishment, his eyes widened slightly, and Estin couldn't help laughing: "I just received the invitation to be a one-year honorary guest professor at your university, and I haven't decided whether to accept it or not, but now for the sake of You, I think it is acceptable, and what is your graduation thesis topic? Remember my email address, send it to me to see if one year is enough for you to pass the thesis defense - but I will not be your advisor , I will let your dean name it."

Rodin was still at a loss, as if he hadn't fully understood the meaning of his words. Obviously, this kid was not good at interpersonal communication. Estin looked at his wet hair and his slightly thin body wrapped under a white shirt, She shook off the windbreaker hanging in her hand and put it on him: "Go back, I'm going to see your dissertation opening report tonight, don't get sick."

Luo Dan was at a loss and pulled the apparently very expensive and soft windbreaker skirt, only then did he understand the meaning of the respected academic master in front of him, that he was willing to guide his thesis!

He blushed, watched Estin turn and leave, opened his mouth to speak, should he refuse?He was reluctant, but this was too expensive a gift, but he was so anxious that he couldn't think of any proper words to say at this time, only seeing Estin walking away a few steps away.

Later, he really taught in that university for a year, and every day's class seemed less boring because of that child.

In the last class at the end of the teaching period, the child was on the verge of crying again.

It wasn't until he asked if he would like to be an assistant in his laboratory that he smiled pleasantly again.

The child’s family was in a difficult situation, and he was late for the lecture because it rained heavily when he returned from his part-time job.

He is a genius, not tolerated by mediocrity.

And he was never disturbed by those mediocrity, because he was always so focused on his own path.

Later, after graduation, the kid made a holographic spiritual power game project. No one was willing to invest in it, and no one could digitize mental power. Only he fully invested in that project.

That project took about 30 years. Before that, a huge amount of money was invested almost every year, but there was no benefit at all. Everyone thought he was cheated. Only he knew that he was a rare genius in the world. Not a genius.

Until the holographic game built with spiritual power was launched in the entire league, it shocked the world and achieved unprecedented results and huge profits.

People are just starting to shut up.

And after years of accumulation, that child finally began to publish books and recruit students in a steady stream, and became a world-renowned star in the fields of biology and spiritual power. He was on the same level as him and even achieved achievements far surpassing him.

Of course, even so, slander and rumors still follow him. There are malicious rumors that he is a child lover, just because he pays special attention to smart children. There are rumors that he has been defrauding investment and cheating the world. Never understood, never cared about those.Fortunately, he was there to protect him all the way, and quietly cleaned up those malicious villains and malicious rumors for him.

Gradually, his academic achievements are beyond doubt, and no one is qualified to question him anymore, because he does possess extraordinary talents.

Estine laughed silently in the dark.

That young, focused, and innocent child brought too much fun to his long and boring life.

Even if he is going to leave in the future, who will protect him? Fortunately, he is already strong enough, and ordinary people can no longer shake his academic status.

The door was pushed open, and the suppressed discussions from outside came in, as if they were still arguing about something fiercely, a slender figure walked in, closed the door behind his back, shutting out those voices, and everything returned to silence.

But he paused by the door, Estin knew what he wanted to do, and said, "Daniel? Don't turn on the light, come to me."

Rodin was obviously getting used to the darkness, and he walked in after a while, groped and sat down on the soft chair by the bed, and reached out to shake Estine's hand.

Estin held his hand back and said with a smile: "I don't need lights, I don't want you to see me before I die, it's too ugly."

Rodin didn't speak, but held his hand tightly, but there was a long, uncontrollable sob in the darkness, and hot tears rolled down the back of Estine's hand one by one.

Estine smiled: "Don't cry, people are mortal. You came from outside and met my nephews, right? They are all waiting for me to die. For the sake of property and my patent, they can't wait to come to this place. Gorgeous estate, waiting for my last breath."

Rodin finally spoke: "Those are not important."

Estine smiled: "I'm quite happy. When I die, they will find that their expectations have all been defeated. Thinking of this, I am really happy."

"Throughout this long, long life, people thought I was charitable and benevolent. In fact, I was very fond of pranks, playing tricks on people's hearts, and watching their greedy expectations fail, their evil desires not satisfied, and every time I teased After being born, I am very happy—in fact, I am such a bad person.”

Rodin held his hand tightly: "Please don't say that, Estine, you are the purest angel."

Estin smiled, and stretched out his hand to gently touch the young man's smooth face in the dark: "You are still young, but I am already old, and you still have many infinite futures. In my notarized will, I will All property, all patents, including my remains, are all handed over to you."

The young man looked at him in the dark as if startled: "No...it doesn't need...I have money myself..."

Estin said bluntly: "That's not enough, I know you have too much to study, you are a genius, Daniel, I hope you will not be burdened by research funds in your life, this huge inheritance is all left for you to use Study and live, and I wish you unlimited success."

Rodin's sobs started to grow louder, and Estin groped his chin and lips lightly: "The body will also be handed over to you, and you can dispose of it and study it as you please. In this way, I will have no regrets in this life."

"I met a genius, and I made this genius."

"A very fulfilling life."

Rodin sobbed and said, "But I am not perfect."

Estin smiled and said, "Life is always difficult to achieve perfection. You are still young, use what I leave you to pursue your perfection."

Rodin murmured in a low voice, Estine listened attentively, and heard that he was reading poetry in a low voice:

"Seeing the cruel time conspire with decay, To turn the day of your youth into night; For your love I will fight Time: He broke you, I will regraft you."

"Estin, with your permission, I hope to try to digitize your spiritual power and pass it into a specific spiritual power network, so that you may be able to revive you, restore your youth, and gain eternal life... By that time, I will also give up my body and go there to accompany you."

Estin smiled. He reached out and touched the child's wet face. He regretted not being able to see him more in the last time, but it didn't matter. All the faces of the child in his memory were vivid. He whispered: " Now that I have given you all the remains, you can do as you please, and you can do whatever you want."

"I also look forward to meeting you in another world."

"Goodbye, Daniel, may all your wishes come true in the future."

"my love."

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

Seeing cruel time complicit with decay,

To turn the day of your youth into night;

For your love I will fight time:

He broke you, I will re-graft you.

- Shakespeare's Sonnets