Chapter 317: The Experiment to Solve Infinity, Monica's Call for Help!
On a luxury yacht.
Chuck helped Lisa dry her wet hair, while Dr. Reid stiffened, awkwardly mimicking him doing the same for JJ.
Compared to Lisa's cheerful laughter, JJ was much quieter.
Fortunately, Dr. Reid was oblivious to the difference; his genius mind, so close to the person he was attracted to, was almost overloading when processing all the sensory information—light, color, smell, movement, expression, etc.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Another yacht passed by.
"What a happy family!"
Lisa's voice reached Dr. Reid's ears, startling him. After JJ glanced at him, he shyly looked away and looked over.
On a smaller yacht, a man and a woman—the man reserved, the woman beautiful—with a cute boy and girl, sailed by, laughing and chatting.
"They're a family!"
Chuck's gaze fell upon them.
"Aren't they a family?"
Lisa asked in surprise.
"Genetically speaking, this man isn't the biological father of the two children."
Dr. Reid recalled the fleeting image from earlier, compared the man's and the children's facial features, and nodded.
"They should be a couple."
JJ added, sighing. "A rather unusual couple."
"Yes!"
Lisa gazed into the distance, her eyes fixed on the passing yacht, and noticed the issue as well.
"They didn't interact much; the man was rather passive, and the woman was somewhat reserved. They maintained a certain distance..."
At this point, she couldn't help but look at JJ and Dr. Reid.
"Spencer, what do you think of them?"
Chuck watched the departing yacht, and then exchanged a distant glance with the yacht's owner, who had only just looked up.
He could clearly see the other man's wariness and understood why, but the other man couldn't see Chuck's eyes because of the increasing distance.
"That's wonderful."
Dr. Reid said with a hint of envy, then quickly elaborated: "If you love someone, you also love their children. That's really special."
"That's right!"
Lisa nodded in agreement, seemingly struck by a sudden thought. "Actually, blood ties aren't that important; love is what matters most!"
"JJ, what do you think?"
Chuck looked at JJ.
"Love is indeed the most important."
JJ nodded as well.
Chuck nodded, then stood up abruptly.
"Boss, where are you going?"
Lisa asked.
"Love isn't something you just talk about,"
Chuck said bluntly. "I'm going to set sail!"
"Wait for me, I still need to learn!"
Lisa gave JJ a knowing smile, then laughed and chased after him, leaving Dr. Reid and JJ speechless.
The luxury yacht sailed along the east coast, heading toward Washington, D.C.
The bright moon over the ocean swayed with the surging waves, but to a mathematician like Chuck, it appeared only as mathematical symbols, allowing him to contemplate the infinite mysteries of the mathematical realm.
But for those who couldn't grasp the mysteries of mathematics, the swaying motion was unsettling, making it hard to fall asleep.
The next day.
"Ah!"
Lisa stood on the yacht's railing, shouting excitedly at the ocean.
"That's enough,"
JJ, her eyes still heavy with sleep, complained irritably. "Didn't you shout enough last night? Doesn't your throat hurt?"
"Not at all! I'm just so happy!"
Lisa, showing no embarrassment at being called out, turned and hugged JJ, teasingly saying, "But you, it's amazing you could hold back!"
"I'm already regretting getting on this boat,"
JJ said with a wry smile.
"Have you really thought this through?"
Lisa had already seen through Chuck's matchmaking efforts between JJ and Dr. Reid, even using herself as an example, which made her feel very grateful to them.
Without them, Chuck, the pride of Texas, might never have connected with her, another pride of Texas.
So she was doing her best to help them get together.
"Geniuses are sexy now. Spencer is a really high-quality guy, and lots of women like his type."
"They like him, so what does it have to do with me?"
JJ laughed.
"How can it not matter?"
Lisa analyzed for her: "Can't you see that Spencer is a complete innocent?
Like the boss, he has a super IQ and an eidetic memory. People like them can remember everything.
If Spencer, naive as he is, were to meet a woman who doesn't love him and just wants to use him, have you thought about the consequences?
His whole life might spiral into darkness. You don't want to see that, do you?"
"With Chuck as his good friend, he won't let that happen."
A hint of worry flashed in JJ's eyes, but she still shook her head.
"Maybe,"
Lisa said, "but there's absolutely no need to take that risk. It's not like there isn't someone he loves and who loves him back!
If she's willing to let go of some of her reserve and be more proactive, they won't have any regrets later. Isn't that better?"
JJ gazed into the depths of the ocean, lost in thought.
"You don't think it's shameful for a woman to take the initiative, do you?"
Lisa hugged JJ tightly, staring at her with an intense gaze.
"Of course not."
JJ felt the embrace and smiled wryly. "Women also have the right to actively pursue their own happiness."
"Then that settles it!"
Lisa laughed. "We're at sea now, just the four of us. You know how the boss is, he's incredibly composed. Nobody will judge us for taking the initiative.
Besides, he's the one who rented the yacht. He cares about Spencer and doesn't want you two to waste any more time and gradually bury your feelings for each other deep in your hearts.
For men like the boss and Spencer, we need to be more proactive!
We'll be in DC tomorrow. In this environment, if you haven't made any progress, you'll definitely regret it someday!"
"But we're colleagues..."
JJ hesitated.
"So what?"
Lisa laughed dismissively. "I'm the boss's assistant. Besides, with jobs like yours, finding a partner is already a miracle. The boss said that none of you in the BAU have normal relationships."
"Hotchner does,"
JJ couldn't help but retort.
"If Hotchner keeps focusing solely on work, that marriage won't last long."
Lisa immediately understood why Chuck had been lying there watching her last night. He was clearly using her as an example to encourage JJ to be more proactive.
JJ remembered the many disappointed looks she'd seen from Hotchner's wife when Hotchner was on an emergency call and left without regard for time or occasion. She knew Lisa was right.
Even the best relationships couldn't withstand such strain.
If even the model member of the BAU was like this, what about the others who didn't even have families? They couldn't even dream of it.
Just look at the team leader, Gideon, and the others—none of the older BAU members had normal family lives.
"So,"
Lisa smiled, "instead of settling for someone whose schedule doesn't match yours, why not find someone whose schedule does match yours, someone you both like? That might be the best way to break your BAU curse."
"Don't worry about what people will say!
Boss said you can date all you want. If your supervisor, Hotchner, talks to you about colleagues dating, he'll talk to Hotchner.
And if your relationship is stable and the BAU really can't accommodate you, you can leave the BAU!"
Seeing JJ about to say something, Lisa interrupted directly: "I know you all love this job, but there are many similar jobs out there.
With your abilities and the boss's help, you could easily start a husband-and-wife private investigation firm, settle down, and become consultants for local police and the FBI, continuing to solve cases and catch serial killers.
That way, you can still do what you love, have enough autonomy, and have more control over your time—a perfect work-life balance.
Isn't that great?
Boss said this is how the BAU should work: accumulate enough experience in the BAU, and then leave when it's time to make room for newcomers to learn and grow."
"And those of you who left but still love this work are scattered across the country like seeds, helping local areas build systems strong enough to combat those serial killers. This is a much more efficient approach.
The world won't stop turning without you; on the contrary, your timely departure will better help more people."
JJ didn't need to speak; Lisa already knew the answer. JJ was truly moved.
Just as Dr. Reid admired her, she had always admired Dr. Reid—very strongly.
The other colleagues in the BAU were all perceptive; they had already noticed and, instead of discouraging them, had even encouraged them.
Dr. Reid had also asked her out once.
And then, nothing more happened.
Because the date went similarly to now—the overly introverted Dr. Reid and JJ, not extroverted enough to guide things, gradually suppressed their feelings and impulses in awkward silence.
Dr. Reid immediately thought of his hereditary mental illness, worrying that one day he might end up like his mother, confined to a psychiatric facility, and even more worried that his children might inherit his condition.
JJ, on the other hand, thought about her love for her job; if she were to fall in love with Dr. Reid, one day she would have to face the situation where someone had to leave.
Because colleagues weren't allowed to be in relationships.
A supervisor could overlook it for a while, but couldn't keep it hidden indefinitely.
They exchanged a knowing smile and unanimously decided to bury the relationship completely. The next day, when faced with gossip from colleagues, they simply smiled and remained silent.
Now, it seemed this was perhaps the true way to balance work and life.
Of course, this was all predicated on having their friend, Detective Chuck, who proactively offered to help, convincing JJ that it was all possible.
Otherwise, faced with an unknown future, she would rather choose the present, which she could control, even if it meant burying her feelings for Reid.
With Detective Chuck's help, even though the future still held uncertainty, JJ's heart, which had pounded fiercely for Dr. Reid and had been dormant for over a year, began to beat wildly again.
"What should I do?"
JJ touched her face, which was flushed from the intense heartbeat.
"Leave it to me!"
Lisa laughed. "Just be proactive tonight."
Night fell.
Lisa prepared a lavish dinner, and the four of them dined together.
"Spencer, come on, try this champagne!"
Lisa poured them drinks. "JJ, drink up, this isn't cheap! Come on, let's raise a glass, cheers!"
"Lisa..."
Dr. Reid hesitated.
"What's wrong?"
Lisa smiled.
"Your glass isn't champagne,"
Dr. Reid bluntly reminded her.
"I know!"
Lisa laughed. "The boss doesn't drink!"
"..."
Dr. Reid was speechless. Urged on by Lisa, he could only clink glasses with Lisa, whose glass was empty, just like Chuck's, saying "cheers" and downing his champagne with JJ.
As the champagne went down his throat, he watched JJ, who had drunk with him, blush and become even more beautiful. Dr. Reid's heart raced.
This super genius had also studied literature and poetry; at this moment, he couldn't help but think of romantic symbolism.
With Lisa enlivening the atmosphere, he and JJ drank one glass after another, then watched Chuck and Lisa leave.
"Boss, what do you think?"
Lisa and Chuck returned to the master cabin and asked curiously.
"It's up to them."
Chuck shook his head. "For Spencer, who's been single for decades, actively breaking through this barrier might open up a new world; there will be no more obstacles between him and JJ.
Sometimes that's how relationships are.
Just like the increasing number of socially anxious people who are used to being single nowadays, what they reject isn't love itself, but the uncertainty before committing to a relationship.
They'd rather not be in a relationship at all!"
Chuck was already impatient watching Dr. Reid continue wasting time.
He wanted to see if a super genius like Reid could find happiness with his help.
This was a long-term research project with great reference value.
"Alright, let's begin!"
Chuck thought to himself, adjusting his decorative glasses and looking at Lisa.
"..."
Lisa's lips twitched.
Even though it wasn't the first time, seeing Chuck talk about this so emotionlessly still left her speechless.
However, she quickly laughed.
Because she knew Chuck wasn't actually emotionless.
Under her charm and effort, his eyes also showed fluctuations, and sometimes quite a lot...
"Chuck, where are you?"
While Chuck was contemplating the infinite charm of the mathematical concept of infinity, he received a call from Monica.
"Sailing!"
Chuck glanced at Lisa, who was holding her breath and looking down at him, too focused to utter a sound, and said bluntly.
Driving on flat ground is too stable, but sailing on the ocean waves is much more dynamic.
"Sailing?"
Monica paused for a moment, then quickly refocused, saying worriedly, "Come back soon, I'm worried about Ross."
"Worried about what?"
Chuck played with the concept of frozen infinity.
Just like controlling variables in an equation, everything was under his control!
"I can't really say... I just feel like this Ross isn't my brother!"
Monica said hesitantly.
"Why do you say that?"
Chuck asked.
"He cashed in the lottery ticket right away,"
Monica said, "and chose to take the lump sum payment."
"That's not surprising. I don't believe he would wait 180 days. A lump sum is close to a billion dollars. Claiming it a day earlier means 180 days of interest that's enough for someone to work their whole life for. Do you think Ross's personality would tolerate such a loss?"
Chuck said calmly.
"I know, I know,"
Monica said with a wry smile. "He's working with a financial advisor. With a dedicated bodyguard, it makes sense..."
"What makes you most suspicious?"
Chuck asked.
"Intuition?"
Monica said. "No, it's that he bought this house I'm renting, and the deed is in my name."
Chuck's hand clenched suddenly. Seeing the slightly pained expression on Lisa's face, he said into the phone, "I'll be back as soon as possible! You stay away from this fake Ross!"
(End of Chapter)
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