Chapter 28: Shared Work and Growing Bonds

Hanging up, Jiang Yule moved her two suitcases to the door, then stepped into the kitchen to find Ji Zizhen.

“Senior, could you share your exact address?”

Ji Zizhen gave it, then asked curiously, “Someone picking you up?”

Jiang Yule nodded.
“Yes.”

Ji Zizhen’s eyes lit up with envy.
“So lucky! Your family’s in Hong Kong?”

Jiang Yule shook her head quickly.
“No, no.”

Thinking of Su Yubai, she wasn’t sure how to describe her.
Recalling Su Yubai calling her a friend to others, she smiled.
“A friend.”

“That’s a great friend.”

Jiang Yule nodded eagerly.

“But I could’ve driven you,” Ji Zizhen said, handing her the cheese peach drink.

Taking it, Jiang Yule raised the glass.
“Senior, you’ve already done so much. Asking you to drive me would be too much.”

Ji Zizhen chuckled.
“It’s nothing.”

Jiang Yule sipped the drink, eyes widening as she teased, “Wow, did you steal their recipe?”

The praise hit Ji Zizhen’s heart.
“Really? Really?”

“Really!”
Jiang Yule took more sips, confirming, “Tastes so similar, and it’s great!”

“Just less ice, but I prefer it this way.”

Ji Zizhen beamed.
“I’ll make one for your friend.”

Noticing her professional setup, Jiang Yule said, “Senior, you should open a milk tea shop. I’d be your first customer!”

“Haha, no way. My goal’s the mainland academic circle!”

It was a joke, and they tacitly shifted topics.

“Got a new girlfriend, Junior?”

Jiang Yule nearly choked.
“Cough, cough.”

Ji Zizhen jumped, grabbing tissues.
“You okay?”

After a moment, Jiang Yule said, “Fine.”

Then answered, “Not that fast.”

Ji Zizhen half-teased, “Sisters must love your type.”

Jiang Yule recalled Su Yingying’s words: My sister really likes you.

Other sisters, she wasn’t sure, but Su Yubai seemed to “like” her a lot.

As Ji Zizhen made fruit tea, Jiang Yule chatted casually, occasionally checking her phone for Su Yubai’s messages.

[On my way.]
[How long till you’re here? I’ll meet you downstairs~]

[No need, I’ll come up.]
[Okay, Sister Yubai, drive safe!]

About twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Jiang Yule jogged to open it, blinking at the woman in a pink-purple shirt.

She’d changed—her conference suit was dark gray.

“Sister Yubai, that shirt looks great.”

Su Yubai nodded slightly.
“Taxi’s waiting downstairs.”

Jiang Yule turned to grab her luggage, seeing Ji Zizhen follow, looking slightly shocked.

Ji Zizhen quickly adjusted, holding up the drink with a smile.
“Dean Su, hi.”

Su Yubai shifted her gaze to her, nodding lightly.
“Thanks, I don’t usually drink milk tea.”

Clearly a woman of her word, Ji Zizhen withdrew.
“Got it.”

“Senior, taxi’s waiting. We’re off.”

Su Yubai bent to pick up one suitcase, Jiang Yule the other.

“Okay, I’ll walk you down,” Ji Zizhen offered, reaching for shoes.

“No need, thanks, Senior. Good night!”
Jiang Yule was already at the elevator with Su Yubai.

Su Yubai paused at the elevator, pressing the button.

Standing beside her, Jiang Yule caught a whiff of her shower gel scent, realizing she’d bathed, feeling guiltier.

“Thanks, Sister Yubai, for picking me up so late.”

Su Yubai didn’t acknowledge the thanks, eyeing the suitcases.
“How would you have managed if I didn’t come?”

“I planned to make two trips or ask Senior to help downstairs.”
The air felt heavy.

Su Yubai’s gaze lifted.
“You can ask me.”

“I didn’t want to disturb your research time.”
Jiang Yule shrank slightly.

The elevator arrived.
They stepped in with the luggage.

“Afraid of troubling me?”
Su Yubai stood still.

Beside her, Jiang Yule nodded hesitantly.
“I feel you have more important things.”

Silence hung in the elevator.
Jiang Yule’s heart raced, wondering if she’d misspoken.

At the first floor, Su Yubai stepped out.
“You can trouble me.”

Jiang Yule’s heart skipped, their conversation lingering.

The taxi waited outside.
They loaded the suitcases and sat in the back.

Jiang Yule shifted topics discreetly.
“Sister Yubai, calling on me today startled me.”

Su Yubai looked out at the night.
“You didn’t dare raise your hand.”

Jiang Yule shook her head.
“No, I wouldn’t have questions. I think you’re always right.”

Su Yubai turned to her.
“Professor Qiao’s always right too, huh?”

“Of course.”
She, a pre-PhD student, hadn’t even stepped into academia.

Su Yubai looked back out, saying firmly, “Have critical thinking.”

“Okay.”
But no other experts called on her, Jiang Yule thought.

Su Yubai turned again.
“On generalizability today, notice any issues?”

Meeting her gaze, Jiang Yule hesitated.
“I feel recent policy studies overuse DID methods, but there’s a fundamental flaw.”

Su Yubai nodded.
“Go on.”

Feeling like she was at a group meeting, Jiang Yule pressed on.
“Many aren’t quasi-natural experiments, and it’s impossible to fully rule out confounding factors.”

Su Yubai nodded.
“Yes, those are issues.”

Jiang Yule didn’t say it, but the field often overused methods to an unspoken extent.

They reached home.
Hong Kong’s summer nights were hot—Su Yubai’s back was sweaty, and Jiang Yule’s too.

At the elevator, Jiang Yule rushed to her door, entering the passcode.
“Sister Yubai, thanks for the help!”

“Mm.”
Su Yubai set the suitcase down, opening her own door.

Jiang Yule waited to say good night.

Before she could, Su Yubai said, “Jiang Yule.”

She stood straight.
“Yes, Sister Yubai!”

Pushing her door open, Su Yubai turned.
“You delayed my reading time.”

Jiang Yule’s hand on the knob trembled.
“Huh?”

Su Yubai glanced at her faintly.
“So, make it up to me.”
“Read papers with me.”

Jiang Yule froze, about to respond, but the door shut.

Half a second later, it reopened.
“Don’t forget tomorrow’s run.”

Speechless, Jiang Yule watched the door close again, as if Su Yubai feared she’d back out.

The next morning, Jiang Yule woke on time, a strange yet familiar ache flooding her lower body.

Her legs felt like they’d been pummeled—soreness from sudden intense exercise.

After washing up, she dragged her aching body to the door.

Su Yubai stepped out, eyeing her legs.
“Sore?”

Jiang Yule nodded, about to ask to skip, when Su Yubai said, “Normal. Run a few more days, it’ll fade.”

“Alright.”
She trailed behind.

Downstairs, Su Yubai jogged slowly with her.

Trying to speed up, Jiang Yule found the pain eased slightly.

“You okay?” Su Yubai asked softly.

“Yes, Sister Yubai, run your normal pace. Don’t mind me.”

Su Yubai said nothing, speeding up.

Following, Jiang Yule wished she could run that fast—not always holding her back.

Today, Su Yubai stayed near the residential area, not the sea.

Being coastal, it wasn’t much different.

The only difference—no Huang Yuxin.

After the run, Su Yubai waited at the end with water and tissues.
“What for breakfast? Yesterday’s place okay?”

Sipping water, Jiang Yule asked, “How about a different one?”

“Okay.”

Su Yubai took her to a nearby breakfast spot, similar to yesterday’s.

After eating, heading home, they ran into Huang Yuxin.

“Senior, Yule, what a coincidence! Heading to the conference?”

“No,” Su Yubai’s voice came.

Jiang Yule smiled faintly.
“Me neither.”

Today’s sessions weren’t her field, and Qiao didn’t require attendance.

“Alright, see you next time~”

Jiang Yule waved.
“Bye~”

Back home, she changed and went to Su Yubai’s as promised.

Ringing the bell, the door soon opened, revealing Su Yubai.

“Luggage unpacked?”

Oolong tea scent wafted out.
Jiang Yule inhaled, answering, “Last night.”

Su Yubai noticed her water cup, taking it naturally.
“Come.”

Her fingers brushed Jiang Yule’s, tingling slightly.
Ignoring it, she slipped on slippers.

“Tea?”
“Yes.”

Su Yubai set her cup aside, pouring tea into a teacup.

Jiang Yule sat on the sofa, sipping twice, when a tablet appeared, displaying the paper from two days ago.

Glancing at Su Yubai’s chin, she saw the red mark nearly gone, relieved.

“Read closely. Ask if you don’t understand,” Su Yubai said, heading to the study.

“Okay.”
Jiang Yule followed.

The study had a large desk, and they sat across.

She began reading the paper, related to “tech progress” and “corporate innovation.”

“Sister Yubai, are you moving into this field?”

“Not really, just interested in a couple of topics.”
Su Yubai was already working on her computer.

“Okay.”

Jiang Yule skimmed the paper’s structure—old methods, novel content, published in a decent journal.

Finishing, she said, “Sister Yubai, I’m done.”

“Thoughts?”
Su Yubai’s voice was deep.

Like a group meeting, Jiang Yule smiled.
“Good storytelling, worth learning.”

“Storytelling needs reading volume and solid theory.”

“I’m keeping up with papers.”

Su Yubai nodded.
“My topic’s similar.”

She slid her computer over.

The topic was clear, with detailed methodology, control variables, robustness checks, and alternative instruments.

It was her area of interest, familiar methods, and a database she’d used.
Jiang Yule blurted, “Sister Yubai, I can help.”
“Not just as a friendly assist.”

A faint smile flickered in Su Yubai’s eyes.
“Thanks for the trouble.”

“You can trouble me too.”

They shared a knowing look, eyes meeting.

Jiang Yule looked away first.
“I’ll start on the data.”

“Okay.”
Su Yubai sent her the research outline.

The database was ready, but Jiang Yule’s old university access was expired.
“Sister Yubai, can I borrow your account?”

“It’s in the file I sent.”

Surprised—she’d anticipated her need—Jiang Yule felt played, yet willingly.

An unsolvable puzzle.

Logging in, the password was “0613syb”—Su Yubai’s initials and birthday.

Soon, her phone rang.

Seeing Ji Zizhen’s name, Jiang Yule said, “Sister Yubai, I’m taking a call.”

“No problem.”

Ji Zizhen invited her to hang out.

Tempted but having just offered to help, Jiang Yule declined.
“Sorry, Senior, I’m a bit busy.”

Ji Zizhen didn’t pry.
“Hit me up when you’re free.”

“Will do.”

The call ended quickly.

Glancing at Su Yubai, fully focused, Jiang Yule relaxed, diving back into data collection.

An hour later, she finished.
“I’m starting data processing and empirics.”

Su Yubai looked up, nodding lightly.
“Good.”

Then added, “After this, I have another topic. Interested?”