Chapter 33

【8】

Translation: "What are you doing?" Jiao Ba looked at Yuan Zhiyi, who was clowning around there, and said.

We need to keep quotes? The Chinese includes quotation marks. We should keep them? The instruction: translate faithfully, preserve every sentence. The quotation marks are punctuation; we can keep them as English quotes. So output: "What are you doing?" Jiao Ba looked at Yuan Zhiyi, who was clowning around there, and said.

But we need to keep the line as a single line. Ensure no extra line breaks.

"This isn't just a quick bow, is it? That multi‑million deal of ours is all thanks to your cat; who knows what good luck it'll bring us next." Saying this, Yuan Ziyi straightened the crooked chopsticks in the black rice porridge, "Come, let's bow again!"

Translation: "This is just paying respects, isn't it? That multi-million-dollar order of ours all relies on your cat; who knows what good luck this cat might bring us in the future." Saying this, Yuan Zhiyi straightened the chopsticks that had fallen askew in the black rice porridge, "Come, let's pay respects again!"

We need to keep quotes. Let's produce: "This is just paying respects, isn't it? That multi-million-dollar order of ours all relies on your cat; who knows what good luck this cat might bring us in the future." Saying this, Yuan Zhiyi straightened the chopsticks that had fallen askew in the black rice porridge, "Come, let's pay respects again!"

【14】

"You still believe in gods and spirits? I don't recall the old man having that inclination." Father Jiao said.

Translation: "You still believe in gods and such? I don't remember the old man having that inclination." Jiao Ba said.

【18】

Translation: "The old man is a pure scientific researcher; he really doesn't believe in those things, but the old lady does."

When the old classmates chat, they also bring up Old Master Yuan, as if he were still around, without deliberately avoiding the subject.

Translation: When they old classmates chat, they also mention Old Master Yuan, as if he were still around, without deliberately avoiding the topic.

【22】

Translation: After Yuan Zhiyi put the bowl and chopsticks back on the dining table, he turned and sat down, asking Jiao Ba: "By the way, you're going to the neighboring province for a meeting the day after tomorrow, right?"

"Well, there's an academic conference over there; I'll go attend. This year several big shots will be there—it's a rare opportunity." Father Jiao said.

Translation: "Yeah, there's an academic annual conference over there; I'll go attend it. This year several big shots will be there, a rare opportunity." Jiao Ba said.

【28】

Translation: "That works out perfectly. After you attend the academic annual conference, come with me to check out the equipment. Yesterday I contacted the boss of a biotech company over there; his company had an accident, and he doesn't plan to keep operating it. Some of the equipment on hand will be sold. I've contacted him and asked him to hold it for us. When we go, we'll take a look—some of the equipment is still under warranty, and he said the warranty cards and documents are all there. I'm thinking, if it looks usable, we'll buy it back as an emergency measure. After all, a new piece of equipment is too expensive. Now, some of the business our company handles doesn't need those overly high-end, complex functions; practicality is enough."

We need to keep as one line.

"Alright, I'll contact you when the time comes. When are you leaving?"

Translation: "Sure, I'll contact you then. When are you leaving?"

【33】

Translation: "I'll go there tomorrow; I've found an engineer to go with me, just to have a look. After all, those second-hand instruments still cost tens of thousands, and a few units won't go for less than over a hundred thousand. Even the more expensive ones, that boss won't sell them cheaply. To a giant like Changwei Group, this amount of money is just a drop in the bucket, but we're short on funds right now and can't waste money."

【36】

Translation: Jiao Ba had a business trip coming up, and there were many things to arrange before he left.

Mother Jiao's follow‑up results are good; she's basically recovered, so Father Jiao can go on business trips without worrying too much about home. As for work at the institute, the most tense period is past; the project is progressing smoothly. Yi Xin has already submitted a paper with a respectable impact factor to an overseas journal, ahead of his peers, and another paper is still being prepared. It looks like next year's institute selection for outstanding master's students and the national scholarship are a sure thing for him.

Translation: Jiao Ma's follow-up results were good; she had basically recovered, so Jiao Ba could go on his trip with peace of mind, without worrying too much about home. As for work at the institute, the busiest period had passed, the project research was progressing smoothly, Yi Xin had already submitted a paper with a decent impact factor to an overseas journal ahead of his peers, another paper was still in preparation, and it was estimated that next year the institute's selection for outstanding master's students and the national scholarship were sure things.

【40】

Father Jiao's trip will likely take at least three or four days before he returns, and Zheng Tan hasn't been going out much at night lately. Night temperatures are low, and unlike when he was human, Zheng Tan can't wear a leather jacket or down coat to stay warm—he only has this short fur.

Translation: Jiao Ba's business trip was estimated to take at least three or four days before he could return; during this time, Zheng Tan didn't go out much at night. Nighttime temperatures were low, and unlike when he was still human, the current Zheng Tan couldn't wear a leather jacket or down coat to keep warm—he only had this short fur.

【45】

Translation: Jiao Ma had bought Zheng Tan a little cotton jacket for pets, but Zheng Tan never wore it—it restricted his movements, was a hassle, and even climbing a tree he couldn't stretch out. So, nowadays Zheng Tan only goes out for a stroll during the day, besides his morning run and tree climbing, and only when the weather is nice and the sun is shining; otherwise, why go out? To ask for abuse?

We need to keep the rhetorical question tone; "Looking for abuse?" will be kept as is.

【49】

Translation: Zheng Tan spent half the morning playing in the small grove, then at lunchtime returned home, finished his lunch, and leisurely made his way over to the Life Sciences Institute, glanced around, and saw that the door and window of Jiao Ba's office were unlocked.

【52】

Translation: Jumping from a branch onto the windowsill, Zheng Tan first peered inside; if there were other people, he wouldn't go in.

The good thing is, there's only Yi Xin in there; right now he's slumped over the desk taking a nap.

Translation: Fortunately, only Yi Xin was inside; at that moment, Yi Xin was lying face-down on the desk, taking a nap.

【57】

Translation: Yi Xin doesn't count as "other people"; come to think of it, this guy could be considered half a caretaker for the Jiao family—he's helped pick up and drop off the kids, looked after the cat, and even assists Jiao Ba with undergraduate theses; where else could you find such a good student?

We need to keep quotes around "other people"; Yi Xin doesn't count as "other people";...

【60】

Translation: Zheng Tan pushed the window open with his paw and jumped in.

The computer is on, and Yi Xin is organizing his second paper, which is entirely in English, full of technical terms and Latin that Zheng Tan doesn't understand and can't be bothered to read; he has no interest. However, what Zheng Tan finds interesting is the small notebook Yi Xin has placed beside him—this isn't Yi Xin's lab notebook. Zheng Tan has seen the lab notebooks commonly used by people at the Life Sciences Institute; they're much larger than this one. But at a glance, this little notebook looks well‑used.

Translation: The computer was on, and Yi Xin was organizing his second paper, all in English, with many technical terms and Latin that Zheng Tan didn't understand and couldn't be bothered to look at, not interested in. However, Zheng Tan was interested in the small notebook Yi Xin had placed beside him; this wasn't Yi Xin's lab notebook—Zheng Tan had seen the lab notebooks commonly used by people at the Life Sciences Institute, which are much larger—but this little notebook was clearly well-used.

【64】

Could it be… there's still some little secret he can't tell?

Translation: Could it be… there's some little secret he doesn't want to tell?

【68】

Translation: Zheng Tan felt intrigued; he was bored out of his mind, so he needed to find something fun to cheer himself up and kill time.

"creak creak creak… hehe… hehehe…"

Translation: "Squeak squeak squeak… hehe… hehehe…"

【72】

Hearing the sound from beside him, Zheng Tan was about to flip open the notebook with his paw, thinking he'd been caught sneaking a peek at the secret; he looked over, and Yi Xin was still asleep, with no sign of waking.

Translation: Hearing the sound from beside him, Zheng Tan's paw, which was about to flip open the notebook, paused; he thought he'd been caught sneaking a peek at the secret, but when he looked over, Yi Xin was still asleep, showing no sign of waking up.

【76】

Damn, even grinding his teeth while napping! Grinding his teeth is bad enough, but he's also smiling! That's pretty creepy, huh!

Translation: Damn, even grinding his teeth while napping! Grinding his teeth would be bad enough, but he's also smiling! That's pretty creepy!

【80】

He tugged at his ears, refocused his attention, and with a hook of his paw, Zheng Tan opened the notebook.

Translation: He flicked his ears, refocused his attention, and Zheng Tan hooked his paw to open the notebook.

【84】

Translation: The notebook recorded many things; the first few pages were brief summaries of large academic reports. Although Yi Xin's handwriting wasn't great, the format was neat and the records were orderly.

Still, Zheng Tan felt a bit disappointed—he found the stuff uninteresting. As he was about to close it, his gaze fell on the edge of the notebook; the back side also showed signs of frequent flipping. So he simply turned the pages straight to the back few pages.

Translation: Still, Zheng Tan felt a bit disappointed—anyway, he found these things boring. Just as he was about to close it, his gaze fell on the edge of the notebook; the back pages were clearly frequently turned as well. So he simply flipped the notebook straight to the last few pages.

【89】

Translation: Then Zheng Tan saw Yi Xin's "notes and excerpts from his travels."

We need to keep quotes around "notes and excerpts from his travels". We'll do that.

【92】

Translation: The more he looked, the more speechless Zheng Tan became.

This contains many poetry excerpts; the types recorded are quite varied, but they're clearly not ordinary poems—they're specialized. Why would that be said?

Translation: This contained many excerpts of poetry; the varieties were quite diverse, but obviously they weren't ordinary poems—they were specialized poems. Why would you say that?

【97】

Translation: There's the amorous type, for example:

「……

-【103】 lines are the poem lines.

【99】

Several years are nothing but several sleepless nights.

【101】

Looking forward to that day,

【103】

Intertwined and wound into the most wonderful double helix in the world.

……」

【33】 「……

【109】

Your beauty is the acetylcholine that makes me impulsive.

【111】

Every base pair represents our eternal vow.

【113】

that we can meet again,

【120】

【41】 ……」

It seems the quote starts at line 33 with an opening quote and a line break, then lines 34-40 are the poem lines, and line 41 is the closing quote with line break. So each line number corresponds to a line of the original text. We must translate each line individually, preserving line breaks? But we cannot have line breaks inside one 【N】 output. So we need to translate each line as a single line, but the original line may contain a line break inside the quoted block? Actually the original line 【33】 is just "「……" (opening quote and then a line break). That line contains the opening quote and then a newline. So the content of line 33 is just the opening quote. Similarly line 34 contains the first line of the poem, etc. So we need to translate each line accordingly, but we cannot embed line breaks in the output. So we will output each line as a single line, but we must not include actual line breaks inside the output. That means we need to represent the line break that was in the original as something else? The instruction says: Keep each translation on a SINGLE output line (no line breaks inside one 【N】). It does not forbid having the translation contain a newline character? It says no line breaks inside one 【N】. So we must output the translation as a single line, meaning we cannot have actual line break characters. However, the original line may have contained a line break as part of the text (like a line break inside the quoted block). But the original line is defined by the line breaks in the source; each 【N】 corresponds to a line separated by newline in the source. So the source line itself does not contain internal line breaks; it's just the text up to the newline. The example shows that the poem lines are split across multiple 【N】 lines, each containing a line of the poem. So we just translate each line as is, without adding line breaks. So line 【33】 is just "「……". We'll translate that as an opening quote: """. Actually the Chinese uses double quotes? It uses 「」 which are Chinese corner brackets. We need to translate them to English quotation marks. Usually we replace 「 with " and 」 with ". So line 【33】 is 「「 (opening corner bracket) followed by a line break? Actually the text shows:

【33】 「……

I miss you just as an antibody longs for its antigen.

So line 33 contains 「「 and then a newline. So we translate line 33 as an opening double quote: ". But we need to keep it as a single line. So output: "

But we also need to keep the line break? No, we cannot have line breaks inside output line. So we just output the opening quote as a line. That seems weird but follows instruction.

【139】

Line 【35】 etc.

Line 【41】 is the closing quote: 」」 followed by newline? Actually line 41 shows: 」」. So we translate as ".

Thus we need to translate each of those lines accordingly.

Let's do that.

【33】 「「 -> opening double quote: "

I miss you just as an antibody longs for its antigen.

【145】

Given the context, it's clearly a misspelling of acetylcholine. I think it's safe to translate as acetylcholine. Many translators would correct obvious typos. The instruction says never add explanatory words/clauses the source doesn't have. Changing a typo is not adding explanatory words; it's correcting the text to reflect intended meaning. I'd lean to translate as acetylcholine. We'll do that.

Thus line 35: Your beauty is the acetylcholine that makes me impulsive.

【149】

Every base pair represents our eternal vow.

【153】

that we can meet again,

【160】

【41】 」」 -> closing double quote: ".

Now continue.

There is the longing type, for example:

Translation: There's the separation type, for example:

「`` Actually line 43 is "「……". So opening quote.

【164】

We are also like sister chromatids.

【166】

Mist shrouds

【168】

Fragrant grass stretches green to the sky.

【170】

Finally like chromosomes in the final stage.

【173】

」」 -> closing quote.

There is the confused type, for example:

Translation: There's the confused type, for example:

「`` opening quote.

【177】

The plants in the afterglow are entirely translucent.

【179】

The oxygen slowly emerging from the chloroplasts.

【h】Reduce carbon dioxide to sugar

Silently gathering energy.

Everything is so hurried.

Could it be that they also worry about the silence in the night?

The bewilderment in the silence?

"……"

There's also the cheesy type, like:

"……"

You are the nucleus.

Controlling my genetics and metabolism.

You are the mitochondrion.

Without you I would lose energy.

You are the chloroplast.

Giving me new nutrients.

You are the lysosome.

Can dissolve everything of mine at any time.

Actually

You are the ribosome.

Capturing me like an amino acid.

You are the endoplasmic reticulum.

Processing me like a protein.

You are the Golgi apparatus.

Wrapping me up.

And then easily discarding me.

Why

I still love you so much.

"……"

There's also the profound type, like:

"……"

The figure of a great person gradually fades away.

Just as an individual turns into mist in the river of time.

Yet their thoughts settle in the thought repository.

Just like genes in a gene bank.

Passed down through generations.

Recombining the thoughts of predecessors.

Making us no longer simple.

Just like gene recombination.

Variations are numerous and yet common.

Quietly

I am pondering.

This kind of thinking of mine.

Is it really gene recombination or mutation?

"……"

The person who wrote these poems, Zheng Tan can only think, that person must have been possessed by deoxyribonucleotides, ribonucleotides, and amino acids at that moment.

Closing the little book, Zheng Tan flicked his tail, jumped off the desk, climbed out the window, and while leaving, pulled the window shut.

Coming out of the Life Science Building, Zheng Tan walked toward the East Staff Quarters, walking among the flower bushes; when he passed a corner, he again heard people discussing a matter, which he had often heard these past two days.

It was rumored that a senior student from our school was found dead by suicide in the dormitory, said to be due to too many failed courses and great pressure. When he heard it, Zheng Tan didn't think much of it; such things are not rare, nor an isolated incident at a particular university.

"I heard from my classmate who lives in that dorm that later the police found some erotic handcuffs, plastic wrap, face masks, etc. in his locker, and even some anesthetic drugs; in that locked locker there was a small DVD player, the disc cases full of some perverse, hardcore discs..."

Zheng Tan's steps halted; hearing that, he suddenly thought of some things.

Did Zhao Dong and Zhao Le indeed make a move?

The efficiency is really high.

Indeed, Zheng Tan had heard from Jiao Ba and Yuan Zhiyi that Zhao Dong had some background; he could even find detailed information about this cat of his, finding a person for Zhao Dong should not be difficult, and he strikes hard—one move cuts off that person's retreat.

After listening to those students' discussion with ears perked, Zheng Tan flicked his ears, continued toward the East Staff Quarters; but after just a couple steps, he heard a guy on a bicycle shout to his classmate: "Quick, a big wave of foreign guests is heading toward the International Academic Report Hall—guys, hurry to grab seats, or there won't even be standing room!"

Zheng Tan's spirit jolted—big wave of foreign guests?!

International Academic Report Hall? It seems not far from here.

Zheng Tan turned a corner and headed toward the International Academic Report Hall; originally preparing to sprint there, before he even began to accelerate, he saw a figure dart out from the bushes, run up to him, make a sudden stop, lean to the side, and lift its paw—looking like it wore white gloves—and wave twice at him in the air.

Zheng Tan had no mood to play with it; he was still wondering.

Why is the Chief here? Shouldn't it be napping near the East District at this time?

The one who ran out was indeed the Chief, and shortly after the Chief appeared, Zheng Tan also saw A Huang and Da Pang.

Zheng Tan turned his head; seeing not far away, a Chihuahua being led by its owner walking toward the school gate. The Chief must have come running after being fond of that Chihuahua; A Huang was just joining the fun, and Da Pang continued to trail behind slowly, half-lidded eyes, seeming uninterested in anything.

Zheng Tan kept thinking about the "big wave of foreign guests," and continued jogging toward the International Academic Report Hall; as expected, those three followed behind him.

There are quite a few people over at the International Academic Lecture Hall now; fortunately, there are big trees on both sides of the avenue in front of the lecture hall, so Zheng Tan climbed up a Chinese parasol tree near the lecture hall's main gate, perched on a side branch, and looked around.

The "big wave" guest doesn't seem to have arrived yet.

Seeing Zheng Tan perched on the branch, the other three cats ran over one after another, and the four cats sat side by side in a line.

Zheng Tan turned his head to glance at the three cats beside him, then continued searching for the "big wave".

Outside the lecture hall, there were indeed many people; after the hall opened, those waiting entered in succession under the staff's arrangements, while the guests arrived five minutes later, with several school leaders present and the president personally accompanying them—clearly these guests are quite influential in academia.

But… where is the "big wave" guest?

Where's any "big wave" guest? Most of them are guys over thirty.

Zheng Tan didn't even think about it—this "big wave" is not that "big wave".

However, after Zheng Tan looked carefully, he found two attractive women among the guests; those two assistant-like blondes caught his eye, their prominent chests making one unable not to imagine.

Zheng Tan was looking at the blondes when a group of people also walked toward the lecture hall; as they passed this parasol tree, among those leading the way, a middle-aged professor stopped and asked his assistant to help take a photo.

This professor is also a cat lover; he keeps cats at his home across the ocean, and seeing these four cats here, whose demeanor resembled his own cats, he decided to take a photo.

When the professor arrived beneath the tree, the assistant came over and snapped a series of clicks, photographing the professor while also capturing the four cats lined up on the tree.

The forked branch where Zheng Tan and the others were perched was about four to five meters above the ground; to get both the people and the cats in the shot, the assistant changed angles and distances several times.

The other people stood to the side laughing, not disturbing them and not going up to take pictures—some weren't interested in the cats, some couldn't lose face; didn't you see everyone around looking over there and laughing?

But no one expected that this photo containing the person and the four cats would later be enlarged and placed in the Chu Hua Da Xue's renovated International Academic Lecture Hall corridor wall, in the celebrity profiles section.

Below the photo, text introduced the professor who had won the Nobel Prize in Physics; the background of the photo is Chu Hua Da Xue's International Academic Lecture Hall, but everyone who sees this enlarged photo is drawn to the four cats sitting side by side on the branch, stopping for a long time and interestingly discussing with companions what the scene was like when the photo was taken and why the four cats ended up sitting there.

Some speculated that the four cats had come because they foresaw the future Nobel Physics laureate; others guessed it was a deliberate arrangement by the school, knowing the professor liked cats, so they trained four cats to sit there in advance.

But no one would have imagined that the reason for this photo was merely that the black cat in the picture wanted to see the "big wave" guest—nothing more.

——————————————————————————————————

Author's note:

1. The poem in this chapter is taken from the internet, with slight modifications; please don't quibble over the timing of its source.

2. Someone asked about the book's group; I'll say it again: the QQ number is 272868612 (blackc), and the verification information is your real name 【Author's note: This group's morals are questionable, so join with caution】.

3. The book will be recommended on the Three Jiang list tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 PM; friends with free time can go to the Three Jiang page and vote for the book with Three Jiang tickets ^_^

We must ensure we didn't miss any: also 【33】 we have, 【34】, 【36】, 【39】, 【40】, 【42】, 【45】, 【46】, 【49】, 【50】, 【52】, 【54】, 【57】, 【58】, 【60】, 【63】, 【64】, 【66】, 【68】, 【71】, 【72】, 【75】, 【76】, 【79】, 【80】, 【82】, 【84】, 【86】, 【89】, 【90】, 【92】, 【94】, 【97-103】, 【108-114】, 【120】, 【127】, 【139】, 【141】, 【145】, 【147】, 【149】, 【151】, 【153】, 【155】, 【160】, 【163-169】, 【170-171】, 【173】, 【176-179】, 【264】.

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