"Do we need to extend the second stage of the treatment plan?"
In the laboratory where dim light flickered, Shiller stood in front of the freeze chamber, holding a notebook, writing and asking Victor as he did so.
Victor, standing at the back of the freeze chamber, setting up the equipment, said: "I think it's much better. We can perhaps move straight into the third stage of the treatment."
"The drug formulation for the second stage may need some adjustments, let's give it another week to wrap it up." As Shiller looked up, his eyes intent on Victor, he saw a slight movement of Mrs. Friss' fingertips inside the freeze chamber.
"Did I see wrongly? It looked like her fingertips responded?"
Shiller bent over to look inside the freeze chamber. Victor also stepped up to the front to say, "It shouldn't be an illusion. Last night, I saw Nora's eyelids move…"
"I didn't adjust the power of the freeze chamber, so this should not be her autonomous activity, but the effect of the Brain Active Agent."
"Should we increase the dosage of the Neural Repair Drug? After all…" Shiller turned his head to look at Victor. Under the cool light of the freeze chamber, this man looked somewhat haggard.
"You've been waiting so long."
Victor shook his head, saying: "Because I've been waiting so long, I don't mind waiting longer."
"Shiller, I know you want to help me, but this is already enough." Victor sighed, a streak of white hair by his temple reflecting the light of the freeze chamber in a blue hue.
"The recent changes are more than all the years before combined, Nora's condition is no longer deteriorating. The Nerve Healing Drug you provided allowed her nervous system to gradually repair."
"After solving the brain activity issue in frozen conditions, many possible sequelae arising from long-term low-temperature sleep have also been eliminated…"
He placed one hand on the freeze chamber, gazing at the interior with an expression both affectionate and focused. Then he turned and said to Shiller, "It's getting late, Professor Shearer. You head back first. I will just make some minor adjustments to the freeze chamber, and we can meet again tomorrow."
Shiller looked at his watch. It was already 1 am. He replied, "I have an early class tomorrow. It's too late to go back to the manor now. Let's stay here. We can chat."
Victor didn't say much more. But the corners of his mouth tightened, making the lines on his face dance as if hiding all his emotions.
Shiller moved to sit at a table on the other side, turning his attention to sorting out his research materials, and asked: "How is everything over at the vocational school? I heard you put in extra classes last night?"
"To tell you the truth, it's better than I imagined." On this subject, Victor sighed with some satisfaction: "Those little brats don't like discipline, but they sure learn fast."
"When will those mob bosses ever find a basic education teacher? You can't possibly keep having a university professor teaching school children?"
"It's actually fine, I have experience in teaching children."
"When Nora and I lived in Florida, Nora once substituted for a teacher in middle school. Back then, I wasn't a professor yet. Nora and I guided the children in their activities, teaching them the principle of water turning into ice…"
Victor's voice was filled with nostalgia, as though no matter what the topic, he could always remember his past life with his wife.
But this wasn't off-putting at all. The stories he told were always filled with genuine emotions and the little things in life could always evoke the sense of happiness the couple had during those tranquil yet beautiful days.
"Back then, I held the water hose up like this, then asked 'who knows how water freezes into ice?' in the way adults often speak to children…"
"The water pressure from the fire hydrant hose was high. A child running by was knocked over when I opened the valve."
"They didn't care about the danger; they thought it was fun. They lined up to dash towards the water. Nora got upset because her well-planned lesson turned into a water fight. She nagged me for a week…"
As Victor spoke while adjusting the machine, he seemed light-hearted and gentle. Shiller sat by the table working on his papers when a series of hurried ringing disrupted the peaceful atmosphere in the laboratory. Victor picked up the phone and said, "Hello? Oswald? What's wrong? What? …Okay, don't panic. I'll be right there…"
Shiller turned his head to ask him, "What happened?"
"You know about the student from the vocational school, right?" Victor, setting down his tools and getting up, began changing his clothes, looking as though he was ready to leave.
"The short kid, Oswald. Oswald Kolbott."
"What happened to him?"
"His mother attempted suicide, but it was unsuccessful. It must be urgent right now, but he isn't capable enough to handle such a thing. I need to head over…"
"I'll come too."
Shiller also put on his coat. Victor went downstairs to start the car. Once they were on the road, Shiller, sitting shotgun, asked, "It seems like you and Oswald are quite close. I only knew that you thought highly of him."
Victor held the steering wheel, driving the car. The passing lights outside the window shone on his face. He said, "Oswald is a rare good student. He's different from those little brats whose parents are all mobsters. He is focused, eager to learn, and fast too."