Successfully, Zhong Mingde tackled Cheng Banye's question head-on, and in return, Banye responded with a question of his own.
"Speaking of which, it seems like you have learned to care about others. Could it be that you have met someone you like?"
Zhong Mingde chuckled silently and turned his head to look out the window.
"So, does your avoidance mean that you are silently agreeing?"
Banye had no intention of letting Zhong Mingde off easily and persisted with his questioning.
If we trace back to history, Banye was the one who initially succeed in the endeavor of "bullying" Zhong Mingde.
"It's just a question where you already know the answer. Why bother bringing it up to torture me?"
Under Banye's continuous attacks, Zhong Mingde, who failed to appreciate the scenery, reluctantly turned back to face reality.
As he contemplated his next plan, he also enjoyed the interaction with Banye, reminiscent of their childhood.
"Hmph, I suppose so. With someone as clumsy and indifferent as you, it's impossible for you to have someone you like. By the way, when you were in sixth grade..."
Zhong Mingde's compromise triggered Banye's nature as a fighting girl, and she also utilized one of her inherent skills as a female—bringing up past embarrassments.
Time was precious, and Zhong Mingde could not withstand Banye's verbal attacks. However, as Lu Xun said, wasting someone's time is equivalent to harming them financially.
Zhong Mingde knew that he didn't have much time left.
"Stop, let's not talk about it anymore. I admit defeat."
While Banye's skill was still in progress, Zhong Mingde raised his hands in surrender, almost kneeling down.
"Hahaha, tormenting you is as satisfying as before!"
With a hearty laugh that didn't match her elegant appearance, Banye laughed heartily, hitting the wall and stomping her feet.
"Are you satisfied now? If you are, let's get to the main topic."
Zhong Mingde, with his hands folded on his thighs, calmly watched Banye's laughter.
He had been used to Banye's nature of bullying since childhood. When he teased her earlier with the question, "Being alone in a place like this, with Tang Mingtuo not here, isn't it boring?", he had already anticipated being turned around and beaten up.
He willingly brought this upon himself partly because he reminisced about the past, and partly to lighten the mood before asking his next question.
"What main topic? If it's something that bores me, I'll just turn around and leave, just like before."
As soon as Banye heard Zhong Mingde's words, she immediately crossed her arms dissatisfiedly and pouted, with an expression that seemed to say, "If you hadn't begged me like this, I wouldn't have listened."
Zhong Mingde didn't care about Banye's threat or, more accurately, he had already expected her attitude.
"I heard that the old man's research is complete."
Interest or boredom instantly showed on Banye's face. Her eyes sparkled, she clenched her fists, and seemed like she could jump with excitement at any moment.
"How did you know!"
Banye's excited voice almost flipped the roof.
"I have my own sources of information, what about you? When did you find out?"
Zhong Mingde's seemingly casual question actually implied speculation about the time when this information was discovered.
He concealed this implication perfectly, and Banye didn't notice it at all because her attention was fully focused on the "research" matter.
"I only found out last night, but now... you even know!"
After answering Zhong Mingde's question, Banye showed a surprised expression, belatedly.
Zhong Mingde didn't pay attention to Banye's reaction because he knew that the next content would completely capture her attention.
"What is the success rate?"
Zhong Mingde cut through all irrelevant elements and went straight to the point, which was both his concern and the topic at hand.
By expressing his intention so clearly, he also had another consideration—distracting Banye's attention.
"About fifty percent, but it's just a theoretical speculation without experimental data supporting it. Even if I tell you the success rate is 54.67%, it doesn't have any substantial meaning."
Banye said, while observing Zhong Mingde's facial expression for any changes.
Unfortunately, whether it was the rough concept of "fifty percent" or the specific number "54.67%", Zhong Mingde's expression remained unchanged.
The reason why Chongmingde took the initiative to get involved in this matter is unfathomable to Bi'an Yu, but she also knows that Chongmingde is not the kind of person who would obediently answer when asked. Therefore, she can only try to solve the puzzle on her own.
"How does it affect the providers of personality?"
Chongmingde calmly raised this question.
"The effect on the providers of personality...?"
"Wait, you don't mean...!"
Bi'an Yu caught the implied meaning in Chongmingde's words. Although she didn't like this unpredictable guy, the feelings they had developed over the years of living together were not easily severed... Bi'an Yu couldn't help but worry about Chongmingde's state of mind.
