Chapter 108: Lucky
The seaside wind carried a salty, damp scent as it brushed past Wen Yan’s hair. He leaned against Pei Zhouye’s shoulder, watching the golden sunlight blanket the sea. The waves washed over the sand again and again before receding gently, as if softly narrating the stories of time.
“Do you remember the first time we promised to watch the sunrise?” Pei Zhouye’s voice held a hint of a smile as his fingertips lightly traced the ring on Wen Yan’s finger. “Back then, you were still at the summer camp. I sat beside you processing work, and you were always worried I was neglecting my company duties.”
Wen Yan couldn’t help but laugh. “Back then, how could I have known you’d postpone a board meeting for me and even fly to Switzerland just to see the snow mountains?” He turned to look at Pei Zhouye, his eyes full of tenderness. “Pei Zhouye, thank you for taking every word I said to heart.”
Pei Zhouye leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead. “Nothing about you is ever a small matter.”
They sat on the beach for a long time until the sun was high in the sky before slowly standing up. Pei Zhouye took Wen Yan’s hand as they strolled along the coastline. Occasionally, he would bend down to pick up a shell and hand it to Wen Yan. “Here, a souvenir of our seaside sunrise.”
Wen Yan took the shell, tracing its patterns in his palm. The lines were clear and unique, like the path they had walked together—every step filled with memories.
Upon returning to the city center, Pei Zhouye drove straight to University A. Wen Yan was a bit puzzled. “Why are we going to the school?”
“Professor Zhang said he missed you and wanted us to see him the moment we got back,” Pei Zhouye said with a smile. “Besides, I have something I want to discuss with you.”
When the car stopped at the gates of University A, Wen Yan looked at the familiar campus with a heavy heart. He hadn’t been back in over a year, and while the school hadn’t changed much, the plane trees at the entrance had grown thicker. The students on the paths were full of vitality, looking just like he once did.
Professor Zhang was already waiting in his office. Seeing the two enter, he stood up with a laugh. “Wen Yan, welcome home! You certainly made us proud during your time in Switzerland—publishing in a Nature sub-journal! As your teacher, I feel quite distinguished!”
“Professor Zhang, it was all thanks to the team. I couldn’t have achieved this without your guidance,” Wen Yan said modestly.
“Why so polite with me?” Zhang-Jiaoshou waved it off and handed Wen Yan a cup of tea. “I asked you here because there’s something I want to talk to you about. The school is currently preparing to establish the ‘Cell Differentiation and Regenerative Medicine Lab.’ I want to invite you to serve as the Deputy Director, in charge of the stem cell research division. Are you willing?”
Wen Yan was stunned, hardly able to believe his ears. “Professor Zhang, I… can I really do it?”
“Why wouldn’t you be able to?” Professor Zhang patted his shoulder. “Your research results speak for themselves, and you’ve gained a wealth of experience in Switzerland. This position is yours and yours alone. Of course, if you want to start your own business or go to another institution, I’ll support you there too.”
Wen Yan turned to look at Pei Zhouye, his eyes searching. Pei Zhouye squeezed his hand and smiled. “This is your dream. I’ll support whatever you want to do. Besides, University A is very close to our home; your commute would be convenient.”
With Pei Zhouye’s support, Wen Yan felt a surge of confidence. He looked at Professor Zhang and nodded earnestly. “Professor Zhang, I’m willing! I will work hard to build this lab and won’t let down your expectations.”
“Good! Good! Good!” Professor Zhang said “Good” three times, his face full of relief. “With those words, I can rest easy. The preparations for the lab have already begun. We’ll have a meeting next week to discuss the specific plans.”
As they left Professor Zhang’s office, Wen Yan was filled with excitement. He hadn’t expected such a wonderful opportunity upon his return—to continue the research he loved while working at his familiar campus alongside his respected mentor.
“Are you happy?” Pei Zhouye asked, looking at his exhilarated expression.
“I am!” Wen Yan nodded vigorously. “I can finally do the research I want to do domestically, and I can be with you every day.”
Pei Zhouye pulled him into his arms. “I knew you’d like it. By the way, there’s one more thing.” He pulled a document from his pocket and handed it to Wen Yan. “This is a house I bought near University A. It’s only a ten-minute walk from the school. The environment is great, and there’s a small garden where you can plant flowers and herbs.”
Wen Yan opened the document. On the property deed, both his and Pei Zhouye’s names were written. He looked up at Pei Zhouye, his eyes growing warm. “Pei Zhouye, why do you always give me so many surprises?”
“Because I want to give you a home,” Pei Zhouye said seriously. “A home that belongs to both of us. No matter how late you work, there will always be a warm place waiting for you.”
Wen Yan leaned into his chest, feeling immense happiness. He knew he finally had a real home—a home with Pei Zhouye.
In the following days, Wen Yan threw himself into the preparations for the lab. Alongside Professor Zhang, he formulated construction plans, procured equipment, and recruited researchers. He was incredibly busy every day. Pei Zhouye often came to help, using his connections to contact high-quality suppliers and even donating a sum of money to purchase advanced equipment.
Professor Li Wei also returned from Switzerland to join the effort. She told Wen Yan with a smile, “The moment Professor Zhang mentioned it, I came back. the research environment here is getting better and better, and being able to work with you and Professor Zhang has always been my wish.”
With Professor Li Wei’s joining, the progress went even smoother. More and more members joined the team, all driven by a love for research, working together to build the lab.
Three months later, the “Cell Differentiation and Regenerative Medicine Lab” was officially established. At the founding ceremony, the President of University A personally unveiled the plaque and gave high praise to Wen Yan and his team’s work. Pei Zhouye was also invited to attend. Sitting in the audience, he watched Wen Yan confidently introduce the lab’s research direction and future plans, his eyes full of pride.
After the ceremony, Pei Zhouye walked to Wen Yan’s side and handed him a bouquet of flowers. “Congratulations, Director Wen.”
Wen Yan took the flowers, his face heating up. “Don’t tease me.”
“I’m not teasing you,” Pei Zhouye said earnestly. “I am proud of you. You’ve finally realized your dream and have a lab of your own.”
That evening, the lab members went out for dinner to celebrate. Everyone raised their glasses, chatting about future research plans in a warm and lively atmosphere. Looking at these like-minded partners, Wen Yan was full of emotion. He knew that a new chapter of his research career had begun.
In the days that followed, Wen Yan led the team into stem cell clinical application research. They hoped their efforts would bring hope to patients with incurable diseases. During the process, they encountered many difficulties—inefficient directional differentiation of stem cells, complex ethical approvals for clinical trials—but Wen Yan and the team never gave up. They adjusted their plans and refined their data over and over.
Pei Zhouye continued to support Wen Yan silently. Knowing Wen Yan worked hard, he would often cook personally, preparing nutritious meals for him. Whenever Wen Yan hit a snag or felt low, Pei Zhouye would patiently comfort and encourage him. He even used his resources to contact clinical partner hospitals to help advance the trials.
Half a year later, the team finally achieved a breakthrough. They successfully used stem cells to treat a patient with a severe spinal cord injury, whose lower limb function showed significant recovery. Once announced, the result garnered widespread attention in the industry. Many media outlets reported on the lab, calling it a “major breakthrough in the field of stem cell clinical application.”
Looking at the tears of joy from the patient and their family, Wen Yan felt a deep sense of accomplishment. He knew his efforts hadn’t been in vain; they had finally brought hope to someone.
Pei Zhouye was also happy for Wen Yan and prepared a celebratory banquet, inviting the lab members, Professor Zhang, and Professor Li Wei. At the banquet, Pei Zhouye raised his glass and said to everyone, “First, I want to congratulate Wen Yan and the team on achieving such great results. Second, I want to thank everyone for your continued support and help. Finally, I have some good news to announce: Wen Yan and I are getting married next month.”
The room erupted into cheers. Everyone rushed to offer their congratulations. Professor Zhang was particularly excited. “Wonderful! I’ve finally waited for this day! I will definitely be at the wedding next month!”
Wen Yan looked at Pei Zhouye, his eyes growing warm. He knew Pei Zhouye had always remembered their promise. Now, they were finally getting married and becoming a true family.
The wedding was set for a sunny weekend at a seaside resort hotel. On the day of the wedding, Wen Yan wore a white suit, standing at one end of the red carpet. He watched as Pei Zhouye, wearing a matching suit, walked slowly toward him. The sunlight spilled over them, gentle and dazzling.
“Wen Yan,” Pei Zhouye said as he reached him, extending his hand. “From the first time I saw you, I knew you were the person I’d be looking for all my life. Thank you for entering my life and being willing to walk this path with me. In the days to come, I will always love you, protect you, and be your strongest support.”
Wen Yan took his hand, his voice choked. “Pei Zhouye, thank you for your constant support and companionship. Without you, I wouldn’t be who I am today. In the future, I will face all storms with you and create our happiness together.”
Amidst the blessings of friends and family, the two exchanged rings and shared a deep kiss. The waves lapped gently against the shore as if offering their own blessing; seagulls circled in the sky as if cheering for them.
For their honeymoon, the two went to Switzerland. They returned to Lake Geneva, sitting in a lakeside cafe with hot chocolate, staring out at the water. They returned to Jungfraujoch, revisiting the scene of the proposal at the Top of Europe.
“Do you remember this place?” Pei Zhouye took Wen Yan’s hand at the observation deck. “Last year, I proposed to you here, and you said yes.”
“Of course I remember.” Wen Yan leaned into his chest. “That was the happiest day of my life.”
“No,” Pei Zhouye shook his head. “The day we got married was the happiest day. From now on, every day will be happier than the last.”
Wen Yan smiled and nodded. He knew Pei Zhouye was right. In the future, they would experience even more beauty and create even more memories together.
Back in China, Wen Yan continued leading the team in stem cell research. Their results helped more and more patients. The lab became a well-known institution, attracting many talented researchers.
Pei Zhouye’s company also grew, becoming a leading enterprise in the domestic business world. Yet he never forgot his promise to Wen Yan. No matter how busy he was, he always made time to eat, walk, and watch movies with him, enjoying their quiet, happy life.
On weekends, they would often walk by the sea, watching the sunrise and sunset while chatting about future plans. Wen Yan would tell him about the lab’s latest progress, and Pei Zhouye would share interesting stories from the company. Occasionally, they would talk about their days in Switzerland, reminiscing about those beautiful times.
“Pei Zhouye,” Wen Yan said one day as he leaned against him, watching the sunset over the sea. “Do you think we’ll have a child one day?”
Pei Zhouye was taken aback for a moment before smiling. “If you want, we can adopt a child. we can teach them to read and write, take them to see the seaside sunrise and the Swiss snow mountains, and help them grow into a happy, kind person.”
Wen Yan nodded, his heart full of anticipation. “Alright. I’d like a child. We’ll raise them together and let them feel our love.”
Not long after, they legally adopted a cute little boy. When the boy first arrived, he was a bit shy and timid, but under Wen Yan and Pei Zhouye’s careful care, he soon became cheerful.
They named the boy “Pei Nianyan” (裴念言), hoping he would always remember the love between them. Every day after work, Wen Yan would help Nianyan with his reading and writing, while Pei Zhouye would play games and football with him. On weekends, the family of three would stroll through the park or watch the sunrise at the beach. Life was peaceful and happy.
As Pei Nianyan grew, he also developed a strong interest in scientific research. Whenever Wen Yan was researching data in the study, Nianyan would lean in curiously, asking endless questions. Wen Yan was very patient, explaining things to him seriously and even taking him to the lab so he could feel the charm of science.
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