Chapter 11: The Plan

Kai S. Gao had nearly wrapped up his previous research project, his paper now in its final stages. But the aberrant behavior of his slime mold samples hinted at an entirely new direction!

He carefully isolated the desiccated sections, sealing them in cryogenic freezers while transferring the healthy remnants to fresh culture medium. Next, he extracted genetic fragments from the necrotic slime mold for comparative analysis with the living specimens.

Kai hypothesized that errors in gene replication during cellular division—a microscopic anomaly—had somehow manifested macroscopically. Some widespread trigger must have induced this phenomenon, and genetic clues might reveal it.

But first, he needed to amplify the DNA. Loading the samples into the PCR machine, he set the program for a two-hour run and left the lab. The real work could wait until tomorrow.

Rushing back earlier had cost him dinner. Now past eight, he assumed Miomi Guo was home and dialed her. The line rang endlessly—typical for Miomi, who treated phones like disposable accessories (three lost this year alone).

Kai S. Gao reassured himself that Dr. Zhong’s hospitality would keep Miomi Guo occupied over dinner. At this hour, he’d normally be at the gym—today was no exception.

Before meeting Miomi, his life revolved solely around two pillars: lab experiments and weightlifting.

Once the quintessential "science nerd"—unkempt curls, scruffy beard, and thick-framed glasses that screamed "top-tier STEM student"—he’d leaned into the stereotype through undergrad, grad school, and his PhD. His obsession with research bordered on fanaticism; colleagues joked he’d “drop dead mid-experiment”, prompting them to train in CPR.

Kai took the warning seriously. Fitness became his armor against burnout.

Then Miomi Guo arrived.

He still remembered her first day at the lab: timid as a kitten, she’d gifted every senior a present. His was a pink paper bag filled with fly agaric-shaped cookies—red caps dotted with white chocolate chips. As a mycologist, the gesture struck a chord.

Orphaned young, Kai had been taught that academic excellence was his only path to stability and marriage. Now employed, he lacked only the latter.

So he Googled “how to groom yourself”. Three months transformed the slovenly scholar into a sharp-dressed researcher. Through sheer will, he won Miomi’s heart.

Five years into their relationship, Kai S. Gao hammered through his gym routine while plotting a surprise to deepen his bond with Miomi Guo. He longed for a home—something he’d never known.

His phone buzzed. Miomi Guo’s name flashed. He tapped his earpiece.

“Kai! What’re you up to? Don’t forget to eat!” Her voice was muffled, likely mid-bite.

“Where else? Grunt… Gym! Grunt…” He kept lifting, breaths ragged.

“Pant… Pant… I’ll exercise too!” she mimicked playfully.

“You? All talk!” he teased.

“Then I’ll exercise my lips!”

“Yeah right.” He chuckled. “You still at Dr. Zhong’s?”

“Yep!”

“Did he like the tea?”

“Loves it! Called it ‘refreshing and thirst-quenching.’” Her words blurred by chewing—a habit Kai knew well.

Kai S. Gao finished his set, dropped the barbell, and caught his breath. “Give my regards to Dr. Zhong and his wife.”

“Oops! You’re on speaker!” His voice echoed oddly through the phone.

A middle-aged man’s voice boomed: “Kai, when’s that paper ready? I’ll review it.”

“Just finalized the figures. Sending them soon!”

“Good. Don’t worry about Miomi—I’ll drive her back.”

“Alright…” Kai swallowed his urge to mention the slime mold anomaly. “Enjoy your meal.”

Silence. The call ended.

Tucking away his phone, Kai refocused on his plan. This time, he wouldn’t Google clichéd proposals. He needed something uniquely microbiological.

Distracted, he abandoned his workout, grabbed a quick meal, and returned to his dorm at the research institute.

Though they’d dated for years, they hadn’t moved in together. Maybe after the proposal.

He envisioned their future: a new apartment, grocery runs, a balcony lush with plants, mornings greeting the sunrise together…

Post-shower, sprawled on his bed, proposal ideas flashed through Kai S. Gao’s mind like DNA strands replicating wildly in a PCR machine.

One vision crystallized: a reticulated, golden-viscous organism. Easily domesticated, it would grow into predefined shapes with nutrient guidance. Simple staining could transform it—romantic crimson, playful pink, even cosmic nebula-blue.

His plan? Craft a living canvas from its protoplasmic mass, concealing the engagement ring within a gooey blob. A drop of specially formulated reagent would trigger contraction, unveiling the band in seconds.

He’d rehearsed every detail—nutrient gradients, pigment stability, contraction timing—until exhaustion claimed him.

In his dreams, golden slime mold spread across the globe.