Colorful years

Chapter 374 Testing True Feelings Under the Moonlight

(I) The Rashomon of Morality

In the vortex of deconstruction and reconstruction of contemporary marriage and love value system, a classical moral drama in a postmodern context is quietly unfolding in room 1608 of Tianmen Building at the foot of Tianmen Mountain in Zhangjiajie.

The intelligent temperature control system of the four-star hotel keeps the indoor temperature constant at 23.5°C. The fresh air system filters out the chill of the winter night, but cannot filter out the anxious atmosphere of the human experiment.

Xiao Hong's choice of this place as a testing ground was quite meaningful—Tianmen Building is far away from the hustle and bustle of the city, which not only avoids the prying eyes of the familiar society, but also cleverly uses the safe distance of the star-rated hotel to create a temporary moral vacuum.

This high school teacher, a graduate of the Psychology Department of Beijing Normal University, was conducting her emotional assessment program with the rigor of a clinical trial, bathed in the glow of a lamp on her rosewood carved bedside table. Her eyes gleamed with an inquisitive light, as if searching for the most hidden answers to the depths of human nature.

(II) Desire Dynamics

As moonlight pierced through the gaps in the three layers of blackout curtains, outlining geometric patterns of light and shadow on the Persian carpet like fine threads, Zhang Cong's physiological responses were subtly changing. His pulse accelerated to 112 beats per minute, his body temperature quietly rose by 1.8°C, and his pupils dilated to 37%.

The deputy director of the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau reacted with the same tension he felt when presiding over a hearing on urban renewal projects—both nervous and full of anticipation.

"The smart home system shows a constant room temperature and suitable humidity." Xiao Hong's voice trembled slightly, as she tried to mask her nervousness with an academic presentation. Beneath her silk robe, her skin generated a 0.5 microvolt electrical response due to her inner turmoil.

The aroma diffuser on the bedside table was slowly releasing the scent of ylang-ylang essential oil. This plant extract from Southeast Asia has been shown in psychological experiments to increase the desire for intimacy by 23%. A subtle atmosphere filled the air, as if every fragrance was telling a story of unfinished emotions.

(III) The Equation of Willpower

When Zhang Cong's gaze inadvertently swept across the alluring silhouette reflected in the frosted glass of the bathroom, his heart felt as if it were being torn apart by an invisible force. The struggle between the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system was like that of warriors on an ancient battlefield, each fighting for their own territory, neither willing to yield.

This iron-fisted official, who once presided over the demolition of 32 square meters of illegal buildings, is now engaged in a fierce struggle with instincts that are even harder to tame than reinforced concrete.

"We need to calculate the costs of exceeding the limits just like we calculate project budgets." Zhang Cong silently repeated this sentence to himself, exhaling a puff of white mist onto the bathroom mirror, and then tracing blurry lines on the condensation layer with his finger, as if he were waging a silent battle.

When Xiao Hong appeared before him wrapped in a Turkish towel, Zhang Cong had already constructed a complete moral model: the short-term dopamine gains were far less than the long-term devaluation of trust assets and the risk to his career. He knew that at this critical moment, any slight indulgence could lead to irreversible consequences.

(iv) Cognitive Restructuring Experiment

As the clock struck its 107th oscillation at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), a brief silence fell over the room. Xiao Hong knew this was a crucial moment; she had to take action to break the deadlock. She decisively activated Plan B, turning on white noise from her B&O speakers, adjusting the tablet's brightness to 270 nits, and opening the 4K restored version of *Before Sunrise*. The narrative rhythm of this classic art film flowed gently between them like a clear spring, effectively lowering their adrenaline levels.

During their three-hour discussion on existentialism and pragmatism, they unexpectedly discovered a 17.3% difference in their understanding of Book VII of The Republic.

This academic dialogue acted as a key, unlocking a door deep within their hearts and allowing them to re-examine each other.

Activation of the anterior cingulate cortex reduced their intimacy index from a dangerous 82 points to a safe threshold of 47 points, gradually leading the experiment in a new direction.

(V) Ascetic Economics

As the third night approached, Zhang Cong and Xiao Hong began to realize that the experiment had far exceeded their expectations. To cope with their increasingly intense desires, they had to develop a unique desire-hinged mechanism.

Whenever Zhang Cong's testosterone levels exceed the standard, he silently recites Article 38 of the "Bidding and Tendering Management Measures" while simultaneously approving pending items on the e-government platform using his mobile phone.

This seemingly absurd approach unexpectedly allowed him to detach his attention from his desires and focus on his work. His serotonin levels were thus maintained within a stable range, enabling him to remain clear-headed and rational.

Xiao Hong, on the other hand, used behaviorist therapy for self-intervention. Whenever mirror neurons resonated with male physical characteristics, she would stimulate the Neiguan acupoint with an acupressure device while reciting the poems from the Book of Songs (specifically the Zheng Feng section).

This fusion of classical literature and modern technology gradually restored peace to her heart. The decrease in her skin conductivity indicated that her desires and impulses were being effectively controlled.

In this process, they gradually discovered that abstinence was not a painful torment, but a way to transcend and elevate oneself. They began to learn to view desires and temptations with a more rational and mature attitude, and to face the challenges of human nature with a more resilient and self-disciplined spirit.

(vi) The dissolution of moral dilemmas

As time went by, this 72-hour experiment on humanity gradually drew to a close. During these long three days, Zhang Cong and Xiao Hong had both undergone unprecedented trials and tribulations. However, when they finally stood in the morning light at the Civil Affairs Bureau, holding two cups of Americano, they found that the look in each other's eyes had become more resolute and clear.

Zhang Cong's willpower depletion rate was only 17.8%, far lower than his average depletion rate when handling demolition disputes. This made him deeply realize that when faced with temptation, as long as one can adhere to one's inner beliefs and principles, one can overcome all difficulties.

Xiao Hong's emotional risk assessment model also shows that the confidence interval of the loyalty coefficient has jumped from the initial [0.65, 0.72] to [0.89, 0.93].

This made her even more convinced that true love is built on mutual trust and loyalty.

In this moral breakthrough within a postmodern context, Zhang Cong and Xiao Hong not only verified the feasibility of the Liu Xiahui paradigm in the information age, but also revealed the important role of the superego mechanism evolved in the human prefrontal cortex when facing temptation.

Their actions have proven that even in the tempting and challenging environment of modern society, as long as one maintains a clear mind and firm beliefs, one can build a dam of rationality and resist the onslaught of dopamine.

As they stepped out of the hotel revolving doors, the condensation on their glasses glistened in the sunlight. This was not merely the condensation of water vapor, but a tangible testament to the dissolving of their inner moral dilemma.

They knew that although the experiment had ended, the reflections and insights it left them with would accompany them through the long years to come.