Chapter 119: Chapter 106: One Sofa, Two People

This time, the tremor unfolded completely before them.

The unsettling tremor was the sound of Los Alamos Laboratory cheering the atomic bomb’s detonation.

’So they were cheering?’

Shen Yuan glanced at Li Zhi. Just as his own anxiety began to fade, he saw her brow furrowed in a tight frown.

Shen Yuan turned to look at the screen.

Onscreen, Oppenheimer showed no excitement whatsoever.

Shen Yuan’s heart skipped a beat, and he looked back at Li Zhi.

Li Zhi noticed his gaze and turned to look at him as well.

They both saw hesitation in each other’s eyes.

"You..."

"You..."

They both spoke at the same time.

Shen Yuan pursed his lips and gestured for Li Zhi to go first.

Li Zhi nodded and turned back to the movie’s protagonist. "He’s very anxious."

"Yeah." Shen Yuan nodded in agreement.

’I’m anxious too.’

As the atomic bomb detonated, Oppenheimer didn’t cheer in the slightest.

His heart was plunged into deep anxiety and conflict. The nuclear bomb was like Pandora’s box—once opened, it could never be closed again.

Facing the crowd, Oppenheimer’s world suddenly fell silent. He kept repeating, "I am immensely proud of what we have achieved," while simultaneously being forced to confront the burgeoning moral dilemma and profound anxiety in his own heart.

This scene mirrored the two of them in the study at that very moment.

The study was silent. They both knew what the other was thinking, but they had to consider their own circumstances.

Senior year of high school. The college entrance exams.

’Is this really the right time?’

In the world of Oppenheimer’s imagination, the people before him were suddenly turned to ash by the blinding light and intense radiation of a nuclear blast.

It felt as if his feet were being clutched by a victim reduced to ash. In the crowded room, he seemed to see a mother grieving alone for her lost child, and a grievously wounded mother and son cowering and trembling in a corner.

The cheering crowd of the real world and the horrific visions of his inner world merged into one.

Li Zhi’s hand fell to the sofa, her fingers gripping a corner of the cushion tightly.

It seemed hard to breathe.

"Are you okay?"

Hearing Shen Yuan’s voice, Li Zhi gave a slight nod.

But just then, Shen Yuan suddenly shifted, scooting a little closer to Li Zhi.

The distance between them shrank from three fists’ width to just one.

Shen Yuan looked at Li Zhi and said with a smile, "If you’re feeling a little unwell, you can just lean on me."

Li Zhi looked at Shen Yuan and gave a soft nod.

"I’m fine. It’s just... this is a little heavy to watch."

"People are complicated."

Shen Yuan leaned back a little, letting himself sink into the sofa.

"There was a tiny chance the bomb’s detonation could have triggered an atmospheric chain reaction. Even though it didn’t, the invention of the bomb itself has already set off a series of chain reactions in the real world."

"But some things are worth trying, even if there are risks, right?"

"What?" Li Zhi asked, looking at Shen Yuan.

Shen Yuan said with a completely straight face, "Disregard the risks and proceed anyway."

Li Zhi rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Humanity owes its progress to people like you, I’m sure."

Shen Yuan gave a sly chuckle.

As the movie continued to play.

Jean’s suicide, Oppenheimer’s anguished sobs in the forest.

Shen Yuan and Li Zhi’s breath caught in their throats. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Li Zhi slowly drew up her long legs and hugged herself tightly.

"Shen Yuan, I’m a little cold."

"Oh." Shen Yuan picked up the remote and turned the thermostat up a few degrees.

"Scoot over a little. Let me lean on you, I’m a bit tired."

"Oh, okay."

Shen Yuan shifted over, and they were now practically pressed against each other.

Li Zhi turned to her side and leaned against Shen Yuan.

"A three-hour movie is exhausting."

Shen Yuan said, "Why don’t you take a nap after it’s over? I’ll wake you up for dinner."

Li Zhi nodded. "You should get some rest too. We still have evening self-study tonight."

"Don’t you worry about that. I’m Vigorous and Full of Energy."

Shen Yuan patted his chest.

Just then, Li Zhi’s voice sounded by his ear.

"Shen Yuan, do you think everything has a flip side? Is there nothing in the world that’s only good?"

Shen Yuan thought for a moment before answering, "Having lots of money."

"That’s so tacky."

Shen Yuan chuckled. "Oh yeah? You think of one, then."

"Getting high scores."

Shen Yuan turned to look at the girl leaning on his shoulder, his senses filling with the citrusy scent of her hair.

"Nope."

Shen Yuan shook his head. "I don’t get high scores."

Li Zhi huffed, her gaze still fixed on the movie.

"Then can’t you just score higher? Don’t tell me you actually want to go to some average Tier 1 university?"

"I know, I know. I’ll try to catch up to you."

"Catch up to me? In your dreams."

Shen Yuan reached out and playfully ruffled Li Zhi’s long hair. "Keep yapping like that and I’ll make you sit on the floor!"

"Hey! You’re messing up my hair!"

Li Zhi feigned anger and slapped his hand away. "I’m mad now!"