The summer break is approaching, and this period is also the peak season for movies and other entertainment activities. Celebrities in the entertainment industry are all desperately promoting their films or new dramas at this time.
Originally, this industry should have had nothing to do with Tang Xiao.
That is—if his biographical film hadn't topped the box office.
Tang Xiao had no idea that, after a hundred years, he had gone viral on social media once again.
# ScientistTangXiao #
# TheLegendaryLifeofDrTangXiao #
# BreakingBiopicBoxOfficeRecords #
The summer break season is usually a battleground for commercial and artistic films, and no one expected a documentary-style movie to take the top spot. However, the industry reacted quickly—within just a few days, trending searches and interviews flooded the internet, and the directors and actors gained massive popularity.
Of course, the hottest topic was still Tang Xiao himself, sparking a wave of nostalgic tours and visits to his memorial. That was also why so many high schools near Tang Xiao’s residence organized trips to visit the site.
At this moment, on a certain social media platform, a high school student who had just finished a guided tour posted:
[I always thought that scientists who made it into textbooks were all dead. I never expected Dr. Tang Xiao to still be alive—and we even walked past him! Aaaah, I regret it so much! By the time we went over, his house was already closed, and I couldn’t get an autograph. qwq]
This seemingly ordinary post immediately attracted comments filled with curiosity and doubt.
[OP, are you dumb? Dr. Tang Xiao is still alive? Were you sleepwalking?]
[Lol, a high schooler visiting Tang Xiao’s former residence? That’s just part of the standard tour around there. Nostalgic.]
[OP probably just saw a cosplayer. The movie’s super popular right now—tons of people were cosplaying as Tang Xiao at the last convention I went to.]
[No! I’m sure it was him! I saw him go into the villa with my own eyes—and he even locked the door!]
[Maybe it’s a relative who looks like him? I remember Dr. Tang Xiao had no descendants, so his estate probably went to some other family members.]
[That’s possible…]
[It shouldn’t be… I saw it with my own eyes. Oh, right! I checked with the memorial too! They don’t have a recorded date of death for Dr. Tang Xiao! The staff said he’s not dead!]
[Lol, his scientific spirit will live on in our hearts forever.]
[Actually… Tang Xiao really is still alive…]
The student’s post spread in a small circle, but most netizens didn’t take it seriously, dismissing it as a joke since there was no evidence.
The student had classes to attend and didn’t have time to argue with people online, so the discussion eventually fizzled out. Those who had been drawn in simply started casually chatting about the latest hit movie.
[Honestly, the plot was like something straight out of a popcorn flick, hhhhh. Reality is wilder than fiction.]
[Dr. Tang Xiao is seriously amazing. He still managed to break the deadlock under those circumstances.]
[Right?! I used to be so frustrated with all the science projects based on Tang Xiao’s work. When my boyfriend suggested watching this movie, I was totally against it—I couldn’t bear to see the man responsible for my suffering during finals week. But in the end? Damn, it was amazing! Now I’m obsessed with Dr. Tang! I can even reread his papers a few more times!]
[Hhhh, another bio major? Too real. My professor even organized a class screening. Honestly, it was the best motivation to study—I was on the verge of giving up after all the lab work, but now I feel inspired to keep going!]
[Is this a scam, hhhh? How many people can actually reach Tang Xiao’s level in academia?!]
[This is called motivation! The power of idols! Actually, I wasn’t even planning to major in biology—I was going to switch in my sophomore year. But now, I suddenly feel a passion for it!]
[Bruh, that’s a bit much. Think it through carefully.]
[Come on! Once you enter the world of biology, you won’t escape before 35 (doge).]
[Dr. Tang Xiao torments me a thousand times, yet I love biology as my first love (doge)]
With rising life expectancy, kids were staying in school longer. Universities had become six-year programs, and it was now normal to graduate at 25 or older. Completing a master’s or PhD meant at least starting at 35—40s and 50s weren’t unheard of.
[Uh… is no one talking about Dr. Tang Xiao’s love life? His last documentary didn’t mention anything about a partner. They’ve hidden this scandalous gossip for nearly a century! I’m telling you, this movie breaking records is definitely tied to them finally revealing Tang Xiao’s mysterious lover!]
[So true!]
Back in the last century, there were countless theories about Tang Xiao’s partner. All people knew was that it was a man.
Whether it was a colleague or a student remained uncertain. But it was obvious the authorities deliberately concealed the truth—meaning his partner’s identity was likely problematic.
The more something was hidden, the more people wanted to know. For a hundred years, any research on Tang Xiao always included speculation about his partner. Even fictional adaptations had their own versions—some said he was a transgender person, a student, a distant cousin, or even a married man. The wildest guesses got more and more absurd.
These ‘forbidden romances’ always captured the public’s curiosity. Each new adaptation took things up a notch, fueling greater interest.
This time, the movie’s marketing campaign played right into that—its tagline boldly stated:
‘Unveiling the True Identity of Tang Xiao’s Partner—The Century-Old Crimson Mystery!’
[Who would’ve thought—the experiment subject faction won!!!]
The excessive exclamation marks made it clear just how overwhelmed this commenter was.
Even in this era, where societal norms had become far more open—where same-sex couples could walk the streets without a second glance, and legal protections were firmly in place—Tang Xiao’s choices still seemed far ahead of his time.
[Yeah, Dr. Tang Xiao’s taste is just as incomprehensible as his IQ!]
[It’s not that weird, right? Wasn’t the experiment subject supposedly an alien? A sentient species? We’ve had plenty of media with this kind of theme in recent years.]
With the rise of space exploration, people had developed even grander imaginations about the universe, and interspecies romance had become a staple of sci-fi films.
[Can you still say that after looking at this image? (Monster true form.jpg)]
[Uh… it’s not that terrifying, right? (Averted gaze)]
[Alright, alright. I see it. And I still approve.]
[Yo, the person above is really into this.]
[Who cares? I’M INTO IT! I LOVE EXPERIMENT-SUBJECT x RESEARCHER TROPES! HUMAN x NON-HUMAN ROMANCE! AAAHHH!!! I thought the wildest versions were just the fanmade adaptations, but the official release turned out even crazier. Damn, the director—no, Dr. Tang Xiao himself—is a master of drama!]
[Lmao, we even get a bit of the ‘raised-from-childhood’ trope here.]
[Exactly! Watching the monster on screen being tamed step by step, I— Dr. Tang Xiao, come tame me too!]
[Dr. Tang’s hands are so slender and long—perfect for holding test tubes. I bet they’d be even better for holding a whip…]
[Teachers, does the internet not have anyone you care about anymore?]
[This is a forum, not a lawless wasteland!]
[I totally support their love story, but the historical truth is just as mind-blowing. I kind of understand why government funding in recent years has mostly gone toward space exploration. If a powerful alien species like 428 exists, then there must be others. 428 wasn’t even specifically targeting humans—the people from that parallel universe were already in a miserable state. I can’t even imagine what would happen if we really had to fight a war against an invading alien race.]
[Yeah, it’s the Dark Forest Theory of the universe.]
[We can’t always count on Dr. Tang Xiao to ‘save’ us. Miracles like 428 won’t happen twice. Next time, it’ll be up to humanity itself.]
[...]
[Wait, hold up.]
At that moment, a video of Tang Xiao giving a university lecture was released on the university’s official website. It instantly went viral.
Many netizens who had been passionately discussing the movie’s plot and Tang Xiao’s character were completely stunned.
[W-What? He’s really alive?]
[Wait, wasn’t he supposed to be dead?]
[I just checked online—there’s actually no record of Dr. Tang Xiao’s date of death.]
[Uh… hold on. So that high school student was telling the truth? Dr. Tang Xiao is still alive and still living in the same place?]
[Wait a second, doesn’t this seem a little weird? It’s been a hundred years! Why does Dr. Tang Xiao still look so young?!]
[Now that you mention it…]
[Did we make a breakthrough in biotechnology?! Ahhhhh, eternal youth! Did Dr. Tang Xiao go into seclusion to develop this technology?!]
[Now that you put it that way…]
[Oh my god! Is humanity’s ultimate dream finally coming true?!]
The internet exploded. A single lecture video had suddenly pushed Tang Xiao’s alma mater into the spotlight. At a time when the movie was being widely discussed, anything related to Tang Xiao was bound to attract attention—let alone a ‘legend resurrection’ incident.
Of course, it wasn’t long before an official statement was released, clarifying that Dr. Tang Xiao had never died. He had been participating in a classified project and had gone to outer space, which explained why he still looked so young.
Some netizens were skeptical. After all, Tang Xiao genuinely looked no different from someone in their twenties. Most people leaned toward believing it was a breakthrough in biomedical technology.
But regardless, a flood of fans—many of whom had been drawn in by the movie—flocked to the video and left enthusiastic comments.
[I became a fan because of the movie. I’m so jealous of the students at this university—they actually get to attend Dr. Tang Xiao’s lectures!]
[AAAAAAAAAHHH MY IDOL IS RIGHT HERE! I was in my dorm watching fan edits instead of attending class. I’M DONE FOR.]
[Same here. I had enough credits, so I skipped whenever I could. Karma really got me today. qwq]
[Nobody told me Dr. Tang Xiao was going to be there! What the hell?! Shouldn’t the university have made a huge announcement?! Principal, what are you even doing?!]
[Guys, when’s Dr. Tang Xiao’s next lecture?!]
[…Bro, you’re from a different department.]
[Ahem. Suddenly, I’m interested in biology.]
More and more people shared the video, and what was once a mundane lecture clip suddenly became a trending topic on every platform. Confused netizens soon caught on: Dr. Tang Xiao had never actually died.
[This is hilarious. What do we call this? Some people die, yet they still live. Some people live, yet they’re already dead.]
[Dr. Tang Xiao—science’s first ‘cyber-deceased’ figure. LOL]
[Say no more. I’m applying to this university next year! Dr. Tang Xiao, wait for me!]
Watching the flood of traffic overwhelming the university’s website, the principal smiled more kindly than ever.
Tang Xiao, feeling both amused and exasperated, turned off the screen. He looked up at Jun Tesi, who was eagerly standing beside him. “The movie’s over. What’s next?” Jun Tesi asked, clearly itching to do something.
“We’ll stay here a little longer, then resume our original exploration mission,” Tang Xiao said. “Didn’t you always want to try creating life?”
Jun Tesi averted his gaze slightly, looking a bit guilty. He muttered a small ‘hmph’ under his breath.
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