Insufficient balance

  Just as Wang Gang was about to leave the Dean's office with Kelly, Wilson's phone on the desk rang. After listening for a few words, the old dean stretched out his hand to stop Wang Gang who had already reached the door and said with a smile:

  "Wang, it's a phone call from your Chinese ambassador in Washington! He's especially consoling you, the hero. Yesterday afternoon, the ambassador also called, but you hadn't woken up yet. Ah, I forgot to notify him this morning!"

  "Is the Chinese Minister to the US? Is it Gu Weijun, Minister Gu?" Wang Geng of course knew Gu Weijun. As a matter of fact, this West Point Wang Geng, as the president of the New York Chinese Students' Association, was quite familiar with both the Consulate and Minister Gu's family in Washington.

  Wang Gang walked over excitedly to answer the phone, putting the receiver to his ear and picking up the mouthpiece from the desk. He thought to himself that this old-fashioned thing was only seen in old Hollywood movies, but now he had to use it himself.

  A thick male voice with a strong Jiading accent came from the receiver:

  "Ah, Wang Gang! How's your body? Are you okay now? I was worried about you all night with my whole family, Bao Yue even cried for half the night. The Brooklyn Bridge is so high, how could you be so reckless and jump off like that?! You're not usually this impulsive! If something really happens to you, it would be a sin!"

  "Hello, Brother Gu. I'm fine now, sorry to have worried you all. The situation was urgent at the time and I jumped down in a rush. Thinking back, it's actually quite frightening. A 12-story building is really high after all! Wang Geng felt a warm feeling rising up in his heart. From his memories of West Point, he knew that this guy had a very good private relationship with Gu Weizhong's family."

  Then, apparently someone was fighting for the receiver on the other end of the line, and soon a spicy and crisp female voice came through.

  "Wang Gang, you rascal! Being a hero isn't something everyone can do well. Next time you want to jump off a bridge, be more careful, not every time is as lucky as this one! The country didn't raise you just for you to jump off high bridges like that! If something were to happen to you, would you be able to face the country's nurturing? Would you be able to face us two?"

  Wang Gang's nose turned sour as he listened, and having traveled through time to the present, at this moment hearing his compatriots speaking Chinese, and being so concerned and caring towards him, this strong man couldn't help but have a layer of mist appear in his eyes.

  "Sister, don't worry, I'll take good care of myself. By the way... there's something." At this moment, Wang Gang suddenly remembered that in his previous life, he had read materials about Tang Baoyue getting married to Gu Weijun in 1913 and dying of Spanish flu in the United States in October 1918 due to overwork, at the age of only twenty-seven!

  Since I've crossed over, should I just sit back and watch this tragedy repeat itself? However, when Wang Gang reminded the Mayor of New York earlier, he was already a bit apprehensive, not knowing what unpredictable consequences the butterfly effect would bring. At this moment, Wang Gang hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say, when Tang Bao's anxious voice came through the receiver.

  "What's the matter, Wang Xiaodi? Can't your sister answer anything for you? Speak up! Don't be so evasive!"

  Wang Gang sniffled, and with difficulty spoke into the microphone, "Nothing's wrong, big sister you should pay attention to keeping warm and resting, taking good care of your body, exercising more to increase your resistance, nothing else!" This guy had made up his mind, no matter what butterfly effect, as long as it was someone he cared about, he couldn't just stand by and watch her fate!

  "Just rest well and get discharged early, it's best to spend less time in a hospital if possible!"

  The microphone was apparently snatched away by Gu Weijun again,

  "Wang Geng, have you seen the news in the paper? Yes, that's right, the Zimmermann Telegram, the plot between Germany and Mexico, yes, how to push America into war."

  "I mentioned it to you last time, can you help me write an analysis material as soon as possible? The differences here in Washington are still so big, and it's really not easy to push this thing forward."

  "This telegram is an opportunity, um, don't say much on the phone, I'll wait for your letter, you take a good rest!"

  Obviously, Wang Geng, a Chinese student at West Point Military Academy, was not only the leader of the New York Overseas Students Association but also an advisor and assistant to Gu Weijun, China's ambassador to the United States in Washington.

  Just after hanging up the phone and saying hello to Lao Yinzhang, another visitor came to visit Wang Geng before he could leave. The nurse, Ke Li, was getting increasingly annoyed at the constant stream of visitors. She blocked the door and shouted at a young Chinese couple outside:

  "Wang Gang needs rest now, not anyone can disturb him! I declare that he won't see any guests today! Oh, it's you guys? Alright, just 3 minutes for you, right here, finish talking and leave quickly!"

  The beautiful nurse reluctantly opened the door, and Wang Gang looked up to see two Chinese classmates from the New York Overseas Students Association.

  One of them, a tall and handsome man with golden-rimmed glasses named TseVensoong, is called by his fellow students in the Student Association. He is currently studying for his Ph.D. at Columbia University in New York and will graduate this summer. This guy is not only an alumnus of Columbia University where Consul General Gu Weijun studied, but also an alumnus of St. John's University in Shanghai where Gu and Song studied together. The two have a very good private relationship.

  Another one is Liu Jiwen, who came to Columbia University for a short-term exchange from Japan. This guy was actually Song Ziwen's best friend and was originally studying in Japan. He was found by him as an opportunity and was mixed into Columbia University as an exchange student for further study. Both of them were cadres of the New York Overseas Chinese Students Association at that time.

  As soon as he entered the door, he took a step forward and gave Wang Geng a big hug. The joyful expression on his face was evident, and Wang Geng's heart also warmed up. He patted him on the back and said in a soft voice, "You guys had everyone worried. Kelly said you two came yesterday, but I wasn't awake yet. I heard she insisted on sending you both back?"

  Compared to TV Soong's tall and robust figure with a straightforward expression, Liu Jiwen, who was slightly shorter, seemed more reserved. However, at this moment, he also had a joyful face, but his mouth muttered in complaint,

  "This nurse is really fierce, yesterday we were actually chased away by her, and as a result, when we got back, the other students in the student union scolded us severely, saying that we three are known as the 'Three Musketeers of New York' and usually call each other brothers, but at the critical moment, we couldn't even manage to stay overnight! Don't mention it, yesterday after getting back, several female classmates cried uncontrollably, everyone was really worried that you wouldn't wake up!"

  "Hahaha, I'm a nine-lived cat, what can the Brooklyn Bridge do to me? It's not my fault that everyone is worried, but at that time, I really shouldn't have fainted!" Wang Gang opened his eyes and wiped away tears with a handkerchief, shook hands with Liu Jiwen while laughing and teasing.

  "Haha! The revolution has not yet succeeded, comrades still need to work hard! Old Song, what are you crying about? There are beautiful nurses watching, don't lose face for us Chinese men!"

  As soon as Wang Geng finished saying this sentence, he himself was stunned. On the other side, TV Soong and Liu Jiwen's eyes lit up when they heard it. TV Soong opened his eyes wide and said:

  "Let's not mention what 'belonging to the small strong' means, but Wang Geng fell and now you're unstoppable! Ji Wen, listen up, the revolution has yet to succeed, comrades still need to work hard! This phrase is really meaningful! I have to take note of it. Wang Geng, you're simply dazzling at this moment! How come I've never heard this before? Are you finally planning to join the revolution?"

  While saying TV Soong was busy finding paper and pen, on the other side, Nurse Kelly couldn't understand a few sentences of Chinese, but when Wang Geng said something, TV Soong was greatly surprised and wanted to find paper and pen, the meaning of which the girl had understood.

  The girl pouted and turned around, took paper and pen from her grandfather's desk at home, slapped it in front of TVsoong, and muttered.

  "It's endless if we keep talking! We agreed on three minutes, but now it's not even five minutes and you're still going on! Wang Gang needs a rest! Are you guys not afraid he'll faint again?"

  Liu Jiwen was also surprised and stared at Wang Geng.

  "Wang Geng, although we are known as the Three Musketeers of New York Overseas Students, we have always had different political views. Could it be that after this fall, you finally came to your senses and want to join Mr. Sun in revolution?"

  Wang Gang thought to himself, what's going on here? I just casually said something and now it's like this. It's only 1917 now, "The revolution has not yet succeeded, comrades must still work hard" - this sentence was actually quoted by the previous life of Wang Jingwei from Sun Yat-sen's political will, and at this time even the original owner hasn't said it yet!

  "This fellow sneered and said, 'Everyone claims to be a true revolutionary and others are fake revolutionaries. We've been debating this difference in political views for years without any conclusion. Debating again today won't yield a result either. Let's believe that history will prove everything, so let's not mention it again today!'"

  "Alright, alright! Let's withdraw for now. If we don't leave, these nurses will tear us apart! We'll come back to see you in two days!"

  TV Soong finished writing the sentence on the note given by Kelly, folded it and put it in his pocket. Seeing that the girl was about to drive him away with a stern face, he also saw that Wang Geng's face was still pale, so he retreated and stopped making noise. He waved goodbye to President Wilson, who had been smiling and watching this group of young people make a ruckus, and then hugged Wang Geng before the two of them slipped away laughing under Kelly's deadly gaze that could kill ants.