Chu Xiaoxiao’s eyes gradually brightened: "Do you an our thod is not ineffective?"
Yang Ping nodded, "But you need to design new experints to verify. For example, can you predict which mice might belong to this 15% before intervention through simple blood indicators or tabolomics? If you can predict, then design fine-tuning sches for the different predicted types and see the effects."
He took a sip of tea: "In science, many tis, it’s not about eliminating anomalies but understanding them. This 15% may not be evidence of failure, but rather an entry point to deeper understanding. Just like the adverse reactions from P-009, they actually led us to discover the importance of the TIM variant."
"Anomalous data in research is actually very valuable. Used well, they are road signs; if not used well, they are roadblocks."
The anxiety in Chu Xiaoxiao’s heart suddenly subsided, replaced by a clear desire to explore. "I understand now, Professor. We shouldn’t rush to solve this 15%, but rather treat them as new research questions."
"Yes, that’s the idea."
...
On Saturday after work, Yang Ping headed straight ho.
Xiao Su had already bought cake flour, eggs, milk, a little sugar, and a bit of pumpkin. They were going to make a pumpkin-flavored cake with Xiao Shu.
Back ho, Xiao Su had already moved Xiao Shu’s high chair to the kitchen door. The little guy was wearing a tiny bib, curiously watching as Mom and Dad put on their aprons.
"Dad! Mom!" Xiao Shu pointed at the ingredients on the counter, waving his small hands excitedly.
"Yes, Dad and Mom are making a cake." Yang Ping washed his hands and started asuring the ingredients. Xiao Su helped on the side, supervising—after all, while Yang Ping’s surgical knife was steady, he wasn’t too familiar with handling a whisk.
Separating egg yolk and white, whisking, mixing, sifting flour... The steps were simple but required patience. Xiao Shu watched attentively, occasionally wanting to reach out and touch the mixing bowl.
To let him experience it, Yang Ping brought the mixing bowl to him, letting him try stirring as well.
"Do you know how I feel right now?" Yang Ping said to Xiao Su while carefully pouring the batter into the mold.
"How do you feel?"
"More nervous than doing experints," Yang Ping laughed. "If an experint goes wrong, you can redo it. If a formula is off, you can adjust it. But if this cake doesn’t bake well, Xiao Shu won’t have anything to eat tonight."
Xiao Su was amused. The warming hum of the preheated oven, the soft sound of batter spreading in the mold, and Xiao Shu’s babbling comntary blended into the warm background sounds of the kitchen.
During the forty minutes of baking, Yang Ping played with building blocks with Xiao Shu. His phone vibrated a few tis. He glanced at it, unrecognized international numbers called. He turned off the screen, set the phone to silent, and tucked it under the sofa cushion.
The cake ca out of the oven golden, fluffy, and soft, with the fragrance of pumpkin and milk. Once cooled a bit, Yang Ping clumsily tried to spread a bit of sugar-free yogurt as "cream," then arranged strawberries and blueberries into a wobbly smiley face.
Though it wasn’t as delicate as ones sold in stores, when this simple cake was brought to the table, Xiao Shu’s eyes widened with pure surprise and joy.
He pointed at the cake and babbled, having also participated in its making.
All the Nobel Prize shortlist, business lawsuits, and anomalous data faded into the distant background. In front was only the aroma of cake, the giggles of his son, and the gentle gaze of his wife.
Xiao Shu grabbed a small piece of cake with his little hand, worked hard to get it into his mouth, saring it all over his face, then squinting with satisfaction, gave the highest praise, clapping excitedly.
Yang Ping wiped off the yogurt from his son’s face. The vague tension due to external attention completely relaxed in his heart.
Late at night, Xiao Shu was asleep, and more than half of the cake was left. Yang Ping sat in the study, turned on his computer, and replied to a few necessary work emails. Then he opened a blank docunt and began drafting an internal mo to all staff of the Institute.
He wrote:
"...Recently, the Institute has gained so external attention. This is both recognition of our past work and a new set of challenges and distractions. I hope everyone rembers why we embarked on this journey: to understand the unknown and complexity of life. The noise from the outside, whether praise or trouble, is rely scenery on this long road and should not dictate our direction or speed. Continue focusing on your work at hand; only those who stay focused will find the answers they seek in ti..."
In short, in a word, stay focused. A little achievent shouldn’t make us complacent, nor is there a need to float; our main business is research, not winning awards.
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