Film and Television Time Travel: Why Do I Always End Up in Romance Dramas?

On the fourth day of the sedimentation experiment, a bottleneck was encountered.

At eight o'clock in the morning, the atmosphere in the laboratory was somewhat heavy.

The sample in the reactor once again exhibited uneven stratification, and the curve on the monitoring screen resembled a flat line after cardiac arrest.

Hua Xiangyang stared at the data, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a mosquito: "Failed again. This is the seventh time."

Yu Chen didn't say anything.

He stood in front of the control panel, holding the experimental records from the previous experiments, flipping through them page by page.

Nie Xiguang silently entered a new batch of data into the system. Her fingers tapped rapidly on the keyboard, but her eyes kept glancing at Yu Chen.

She could feel the calm pressure emanating from him; it wasn't impatience, but a tense tension born of complete focus.

"I've adjusted all the parameters—temperature, pressure, deposition rate…" Hua Xiangyang scratched his head. "What went wrong?"

Yu Chen closed his notebook and walked to the reactor. Through the observation window, he could see the solidified, failed sample inside, like an ugly scar.

"It's not a parameter issue," he suddenly said.

"What is that?"

Yu Chen turned to Nie Xiguang and said, "Xiguang, bring up the raw data from the first three successful samples, the most detailed version."

"Okay." Nie Xiguang immediately started using the computer.

The data is projected onto the whiteboard.

The dense array of numbers and curves would make the average person's eyes dizzy after a short while.

Yu Chen picked up a pen and circled several points: "Look here, and here, the impurity peak values ​​of the successful samples are all in this range."

Hua Xiangyang leaned closer to look: "This... this might be a coincidence, right? The distribution of impurities is random."

"It's not random." Yu Chen pointed to another data point with his pen. "Starting from the fourth time, we used a new batch of raw materials, and the peak value of impurities shifted."

The lab was silent for a few seconds.

"You mean..." Hua Xiangyang's eyes widened, "The problem lies with the raw materials?"

"Very likely." Yu Chen put down his pen. "Go contact the supplier and get the quality inspection report for this batch of raw materials, the more detailed the better."

Hua Xiangyang immediately made a phone call.

Yu Chen walked over to Nie Xiguang and said, "Finding the data was quick just now."

"I've indexed it by time sequence and batch number," Nie Xiguang looked up at him. "This makes searching faster."

She learned this from Yu Chen.

Very useful.

Yu Chen noticed the faint dark circles under her eyes and felt a pang in his heart.

She's been staying up late these past few days without ever complaining.

"If you're tired, go lie down in the lounge for a while," he said.

"I'm not tired." Nie Xiguang shook his head. "Besides... I want to see the problem solved."

Her eyes were bright when she said this, and there was something familiar to Yu Chen in them—that indomitable spirit, which was very similar to his.

---

10:00 AM, Shengyuan Group headquarters.

When Lin Yusen pushed open the door to the chairman's office, Sheng Xianmin was standing by the window with his back to him.

Grandpa.

Sheng Xianmin turned around.

He was wearing a dark gray Chinese-style coat today, leaning on a cane, and looked paler than the last time I saw him.

"Sit down." He sat down on the sofa. "How's Shuangyuan doing?"

"The technology project is progressing, but we've encountered some problems," Lin Yusen reported truthfully. "Regarding the procurement department, the audit report is out. Mo Guowei caused direct losses of 8.2 million yuan over three years by inflating prices and using inferior materials. Indirect losses haven't been fully tallied yet."

Sheng Xianmin closed his eyes briefly: "Eight million two hundred thousand... that's enough for him to spend ten years in there."

"My uncle's side..."

"Your uncle came to see me." Sheng Xianmin opened his eyes, his gaze still sharp. "He wanted to protect Mo Guowei, saying that this was an internal matter of the group and shouldn't be blown out of proportion."

Lin Yusen remained silent.

"What do you think?" Sheng Xianmin asked.

"We should do what needs to be done," Lin Yusen said calmly. "Shuangyuan is part of Shengyuan. If the parasites aren't removed, the foundation will rot."

Sheng Xianmin looked at him for a long time, then suddenly laughed: "You're tougher than your mother."

When his mother was mentioned, Lin Yusen's fingers tightened slightly.

"Your uncle has been overreaching these past few years," Sheng Xianmin said slowly. "My health isn't what it used to be, and some people in the company have started to have designs on me. Xingjie... he's been spoiled by his father and is good for nothing."

He paused for a moment: "You've got your eye on Yu Chen, haven't you?"

"You've got it." Lin Yusen nodded. "He has real talent and ambition. But when ambition is channeled in the right direction, it becomes motivation."

"Okay." Sheng Xianmin stood up, leaning on his cane. "As long as you're confident, the future of Shuangyuan is yours."

These words carry significant weight.

Lin Yusen stood up: "Thank you, Grandpa."

"No need to thank me." Sheng Xianmin walked up to him, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "Yusen, the future of Shengyuan needs to be handed over to someone capable of handling things. As for your uncle... I'll give him a talking-to when necessary."

---

At noon, the laboratory received the quality inspection report from the supplier.

Yu Chen stared at the computer screen for twenty minutes, then stood up: "The raw material purity is insufficient; it contains three percent of cheap substitutes."

"What?!" Hua Xiangyang almost jumped up. "They dare to do this?!"

"The batch number matches." Yu Chen printed out the report. "This batch of raw materials was purchased two months ago, and it happens to be one of the last few orders handled by Mo Guowei."

Nie Xiguang's heart sank.

She thought of the contracts in the archives and Mr. Mo's smooth, smiling face.

"What do we do now?" Hua Xiangyang asked anxiously. "We don't have enough raw materials, so the experiment has to stop!"

"Keep going." Yu Chen picked up his phone. "I'll contact other channels."

He walked to a corner of the lab and dialed a number. He returned a few minutes later, his expression slightly relaxed: "There's a research institute in Shanghai that has the raw materials we need in stock. I'll go pick them up this afternoon."

"I'll go with you," Nie Xiguang said immediately.

Yu Chen looked at her and nodded.

---

The car was very quiet on the way to Shanghai.

Looking at the scenery rushing past the window, Nie Xiguang suddenly asked, "Yu Chen, do you think... President Mo deliberately tampered with the raw materials?"

"Half and half." Yu Chen gripped the steering wheel. "They probably just wanted to get some kickbacks at first, using inferior materials to pass off as superior ones. Later, when they found out we were investigating them, they deliberately kept this batch of problematic raw materials."

"To slow down the project?"

"It was all to create trouble for me," Yu Chen said. "When the project was stalled, Sheng Bokai had a reason to pressure me into seeking his help. It was all interconnected."

Nie Xiguang fell silent.

For the first time, she clearly felt that the struggles in the business world could be so meticulously planned and executed.

"Are you scared?" Yu Chen asked.

"No." Nie Xiguang turned her head and said seriously, "I just feel... you've had a tough time."

Yu Chen was stunned for a moment.

Since he came into this world, he has been running forward non-stop, without stopping for a moment.

"I'm used to it," he said.

"Getting used to it doesn't mean you're not tired," Nie Xiguang said softly. "Yu Chen, in the future... you can tell me when you're tired."

Yu Chen tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

He glanced at her sideways; Nie Xiguang was looking at him, her eyes clear and firm.

"Okay, I'll do as you say," he said.

【ding~】

[Nie Xiguang's favorability +1, total favorability: 85]

The car continued moving forward.

The afternoon sun shone warmly through the car window.

---

The Shanghai Materials Research Institute is located in the suburbs.

Yu Chen was clearly familiar with the place; the security guard let him through immediately, and a middle-aged man in a white coat was waiting for him downstairs.

"Mr. Yu! Long time no see!" The man shook hands warmly. "I've prepared everything you requested, and the purity is guaranteed!"

"Thanks, Lao Chen." Yu Chen took the sample box. "I'll transfer the money to you tomorrow."

"No rush, no rush!" Old Chen said with a smile. "And this is...?"

"My girlfriend, Nie Xiguang."

"Hello, Miss Nie!" Old Chen glanced at Nie Xiguang a couple more times, then smiled meaningfully. "Mr. Yu, you're doing well, achieving success in both your career and love life!"

On the way back, Nie Xiguang couldn't help but ask, "How do you know so many people in the industry?"

"I met him when I was doing sales," Yu Chen said. "Back then, I went to all sorts of trade shows and seminars to find clients. The more people I knew, the easier it was to get around."

He spoke of it casually, but Nie Xiguang could imagine how difficult it must have been. A young man who had just graduated, in an industry full of PhDs and experts, was forging his own path step by step.

She couldn't do that herself.

"You're amazing," she said sincerely.

Yu Chen laughed: "I've heard you say that many times."

"Because it's true." Nie Xiguang smiled as well.

---

Back in the lab in the evening, the new raw materials were immediately put into testing.

Yu Chen and Hua Xiangyang were busy at the control panel, while Nie Xiguang was responsible for monitoring the data. Time passed by, and the indicator light on the reactor remained steadily lit up green.

At 8 p.m., the sedimentation process was completed.

Yu Chen opened the sampling port and took out the sample, which was still warm. He walked to the microscope and adjusted the focus.

Everyone held their breath.

A few seconds later, Yu Chen straightened up: "It's done."

Hua Xiangyang rushed over to take a look, his voice trembling with excitement: "The interface is clear! The layers are uniform! This...this is better than all our previous samples!"

Cheers erupted in the laboratory.

The pressure of the past few days was finally released at this moment.

Looking at the perfect curve on the data screen, Nie Xiguang felt a strange sense of accomplishment.

She participated in this project and contributed her efforts. This feeling was completely different from organizing files in the archives.

Yu Chen walked up to her and handed her the sample: "Take a look."

Nie Xiguang carefully accepted it.

Through a magnifying glass, you can see the intricate layered structure inside the material, like a miniature work of art.

"It's beautiful," she said softly.

"It was you who discovered the data anomaly and found the root cause of the problem," Yu Chen said. "You deserve some credit for this breakthrough."

Nie Xiguang raised her head and met his eyes.

Yu Chen's gaze was very serious, without the slightest hint of politeness.

She suddenly felt a burning sensation in her eyes.

"Alright, alright!" Hua Xiangyang clapped his hands. "We have to celebrate today! It's on me, let's go out for a good meal!"

---

Dinner was at a small restaurant near the factory.

The eight members of the project team sat at one table, and the atmosphere was lively.

Hua Xiangyang, who never drinks, had a few drinks and became more talkative: "Engineer Yu, to be honest, I had some doubts about you at first. But now I'm convinced! With your skills, you're definitely capable of great things!"

Yu Chen smiled and clinked glasses with him: "It's the result of everyone's hard work."

"Xi Guang is good too!" Hua Xiangyang turned to Nie Xi Guang, "Attentive, reliable, much better than us rough guys!"

Nie Xiguang smiled sheepishly.

Halfway through the meal, Yu Chen's phone vibrated.

The message came from Lin Yusen: "The raw material issue has been investigated and clarified. It was a trap deliberately set by Mo Guowei. Chairman Sheng is already aware of it and will handle it. Continue to advance the technology; you don't need to worry about anything else."

After Yu Chen finished reading, he handed the phone to Nie Xiguang.

After reading the message, Nie Xiguang felt relieved.

At least for now, they have some breathing room.

"What did President Lin say?" Hua Xiangyang asked.

"They told us to focus on our technical work." Yu Chen put away his phone. "The rest will be handled by someone else."

"That's good!" Hua Xiangyang raised his glass. "Come on, let's toast to this technological breakthrough!"

Everyone raised their glasses. The clinking of the glass was crisp and pleasant.

Looking at the smiling faces on the table and at Yu Chen's gentle profile under the light, Nie Xiguang suddenly felt that this moment was very precious.

---

I got back to the apartment after 10 p.m.

When Nie Xiguang came out after taking a shower, he saw Yu Chen sitting in front of the computer in the living room, with complex circuit diagrams on the screen.

"Aren't you going to sleep yet?" she asked as she walked over.

"I have an idea, and I want to write it down." Yu Chen didn't look up, his fingers rapidly typing on the keyboard.

Nie Xiguang sat down on the sofa next to him and quietly watched him work.

The only sounds in the living room were the tapping of a keyboard and the faint noise of traffic outside the window.

A dozen minutes later, Yu Chen closed his laptop and rubbed his temples.

"Are you tired?" Nie Xiguang asked.

"A little," Yu Chen leaned back on the sofa, "but it's worth it."

Nie Xiguang got up, poured a glass of warm water, and handed it to him.

Yu Chen took the cup and looked at her: "Thank you for today."

"What are you thanking me for?"

"Thank you for believing in me," Yu Chen said. "And thank you... for standing by me through thick and thin."

Nie Xiguang sat down beside him, gently leaning her shoulder against his: "Yu Chen, I may not understand technology, nor business struggles. But I know you're doing the right thing. That's enough."

When Yu Chen grasped Nie Xiguang's hand, both of them paused slightly.

The warmth of intertwined fingers was more palpable than I had imagined; the skin felt as if it were conducting a subtle electric current.

The only sounds in the living room were the occasional car noises outside the window and the two people's sudden, soft breathing.

"Yu Chen," Nie Xiguang spoke first, her voice very soft.

"Um?"

"You have calluses on your palms." She gently rubbed the calluses between his thumb and forefinger and at the base of his fingers. "What did you do to get them?"

"A while ago," Yu Chen said, "I was running around everywhere, going to factories and having to adjust the equipment myself and tighten screws."

Nie Xiguang looked down at their hands.

Yu Chen's hands were a size larger than hers, with long, slender fingers and distinct knuckles, the thin calluses bearing the marks of his journey.

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

"It doesn't hurt anymore." Yu Chen smiled. "Now I actually feel pretty good. At least it proves that my work wasn't in vain."

Nie Xiguang looked up and met his eyes. Only one floor lamp was on in the living room, and the warm yellow light made his features appear softer than usual.

[Ding~ Nie Xiguang's favorability +1, current favorability: 86]

"Yu Chen," Nie Xiguang's voice was even softer, "sometimes I wonder what I would be doing now if I hadn't met you."

"You might continue working on reports in the finance department, or you might be transferred to another position," Yu Chen said. "But with your personality, you'll do very well no matter where you are."

"Not necessarily." Nie Xiguang shook his head. "Before coming to Shuangyuan, I was actually very confused. I felt like I couldn't do anything right and I wasn't sure which way to go."

She paused for a moment: "You showed me that people can change a lot of things through hard work, and you also made me feel... that I can do something meaningful too."

Yu Chen's fingers tightened slightly: "Xi Guang, you've always been outstanding."

"But no one ever told me that before." Nie Xiguang smiled, her eyes glistening with tears. "My mom always thought I needed protection, and my classmates thought that because I came from a wealthy family, everything was easy for me. Only you treated me like an ordinary person and let me try and take risks on my own."

As she spoke, she unconsciously moved closer. The two were now almost shoulder to shoulder, able to smell the faint scent of each other's shower gel.

Yu Chen's heart skipped a beat.

[Ding~ Nie Xiguang's favorability +1, current favorability: 87]

"Actually," he began, his voice lower than usual, "I've also had times when I felt very lost."

Nie Xiguang looked at him quietly, waiting for him to continue.

"When I first came into this world... when I first decided to work in photovoltaics, some people thought I was crazy," Yu Chen said. "A recent graduate, a delivery guy, was going to do high-end technology research and development. Back then, I only slept four or five hours a day."

"Then why did you persevere?" Nie Xiguang asked softly.

Yu Chen looked at her, "Also because... I wanted to prove something. To prove that background doesn't mean everything, and that hard work can change your destiny."

He paused for a few seconds: "Looking back now, maybe it was all for the sake of meeting you."

This statement sounds natural, but it carries a lot of weight.

Nie Xiguang felt his heart skip a beat.

[Ding~ Nie Xiguang's favorability +1, current favorability: 88]

"Yu Chen..." she called his name, her voice trembling slightly.

"Um?"

"Can I hug you?"

Yu Chen paused for a moment, then opened his arms.

Nie Xiguang leaned into his arms, her cheek pressed against his chest, and could hear his steady and powerful heartbeat.

Yu Chen put his arm around her shoulder and gently rested his chin on the top of her head. Her hair was still damp and had a faint scent of osmanthus.

The two of them held each other quietly, neither of them saying a word.

Time seemed to slow down in the living room.

Occasionally, car headlights would flash by outside the window, casting fleeting shadows on the wall.

After an unknown amount of time, Nie Xiguang raised her head. Her eyes shone brightly in the dim light, reflecting Yu Chen's image.

"Yu Chen," she said, "I like you."

She had said those words before, under the banyan tree at the village entrance. But this time, she said them more earnestly and with greater conviction.

Yu Chen looked at her, at her slightly flushed cheeks, at her clear eyes, at her slightly pursed lips due to nervousness.

[Ding~ Nie Xiguang's favorability +1, current favorability: 89]

Something inside him completely softened.

"I like you too," he said, then lowered his head and gently kissed her forehead.

Nie Xiguang closed her eyes, her eyelashes trembling slightly.

Yu Chen's kiss moved from her forehead to the corner of her eye, then to her cheek, and finally stopped at her lips. He didn't rush to continue, but lingered there for a few seconds, as if waiting, or as if confirming.

Nie Xiguang's hands had somehow wrapped around his neck. She tilted her head back slightly and closed her eyes.

This is a silent invitation.

Without further hesitation, Yu Chen kissed her lips.

It started lightly, like a tentative touch. Then it deepened, gentle yet firm. Nie Xiguang responded awkwardly, her fingers unconsciously gripping the back of his clothes.

[Ding~ Nie Xiguang's favorability +1, current favorability: 90]

The side quest "The Promise of Protection" has been completed.

[Rewards being distributed...]

The experience points system has been unlocked.

[New Feature: Experience points can be accumulated by completing system tasks. The experience scroll in the system shop refreshes irregularly.]

The system notification sounded in Yu Chen's mind, but he had no time to pay attention to it at the moment.

His entire attention was focused on the person in his arms.

The kiss lasted a long time, so long that both of them were a little breathless before they finally separated.

Nie Xiguang opened her eyes, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes were misty.

Yu Chen looked at her and gently brushed his thumb across the corner of her lips.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his voice a little hoarse.

Nie Xiguang nodded and buried her face in his chest again, her ears turning so red they looked like they were about to bleed.

Yu Chen smiled and hugged her even tighter.

The living room fell silent again, but the atmosphere was completely different. Something sweet and warm filled the air, slowly calming their heartbeats to the same rhythm.

"Yu Chen," Nie Xiguang said, nestled in his arms.

"Um?"

"Does this mean we're... officially together?"

"What do you think?" Yu Chen looked down at her.

Nie Xiguang raised her head, her eyes sparkling: "I say it's up to you."

"Then I'll do as you say." Yu Chen kissed her lips lightly again. "Miss Nie, please guide me in the future."

"Mr. Yu too." Nie Xiguang smiled, a smile filled with an unprecedented sweetness and reassurance.

【ding~】

Main Quest: Standing Shoulder to Shoulder with the Sun - Progress Reached: 95%

[Congratulations, host, you are about to complete your mission. The next world awaits your arrival.]

-

Please vote for me, my godfathers, let me take the number one spot!

I'm kneeling. Godfathers, please do as you please.