FT DR Chapter 143: Family Honor and Hidden Love

Chapter 143: Family Honor and Hidden Love

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

 

Tianque Spaceport, where the eight fortresses stood silently in space. The Tianchao military personnel, who had been withdrawn from the star core, were arranged in the “Qian” area, adjacent to the headquarters of the Independent Legion, while the Tianchao Military Hospital was located next to the military personnel gathering area.

Due to the mid-journey ambush by Latika’s rebels, the military hospital suddenly lost more than a dozen frontline medical staff, and manpower was quite tight. Chen Miaomiao, whose injuries were just beginning to heal, promptly reported to the military hospital. Dean admired his strong and cheerful personality and assigned him to assist in logistics, manage material distribution, and look after the children in the nursery. Chen Miaomiao knew that his current condition was not suitable for working in the emergency department anymore. After all, his body hadn’t fully recovered yet, so he gladly accepted, becoming the king of the children.

Wu Qian and Jin Xiao, the two brothers, were in the hospital nursery. Zhuang Zhuang, who was originally taken care of by the Presidential Guard, insisted on staying with the twins when she heard they had arrived. As for Tata, following his life motto of “where the goddess goes, I go,” he strongly demanded to follow his sister Zhuang Zhuang. Kazumi Koyama and Yin Bo had no choice but to send him to the nursery with the others.

So, the four little troublemakers gathered together and followed Chen Miaomiao.

“Big Brother, are you very happy?” One morning, Tata asked Chen Miaomiao while eating breakfast. “You’ve been smiling all the time.”

Chen Miaomiao was very fond of this little boy with his unclear speech. He added a spoonful of pumpkin puree for him and said, “Yes, I am very happy today… but don’t call me ‘big brother,’ call me uncle or teacher instead.”

“But you’re not old at all.” Tata licked his spoon and said, “My dad is the oldest, hehehe…”

Kazumi Koyama was indeed relatively old, but is it really okay to curse your own father like that? Chen Miaomiao helplessly patted his head. “Alright, finish your meal. If you can’t finish all of this, I’ll tell Yin Bo to tidy you up.”

Tata was still a little afraid of Yin Bo, so he obediently ate his food. Zhuang Zhuang was the oldest and most sensible of the four children, and she was also the most informed. “Uncle, I know why you’re so happy. Your dad is coming to see you, right?”

“That’s right.” Thinking that he would soon see his long-lost relatives, Chen Miaomiao couldn’t help but smile, ignoring the annoying nickname. Ever since he heard that his parents led the Third Army back to the Federation, he had let go of a big worry. A week ago, he received a message from Jin Xuan saying that his father had set off for Tianque Spaceport. Calculating the time, he should arrive in the next few days.

“Is your dad handsome?” As a beauty-conscious little diva, Zhuang Zhuang was most concerned about appearance. Chen Miaomiao sat down beside her and peeled a boiled egg for her, saying, “Very handsome, much more handsome than me. He’s a hummingbird guide.”

“My dad is also a guide, he’s a butterfly guide!” Zhuang Zhuang proudly said, “My President dad is a big yellow cat sentinel!” After Mu and Jin Zhe returned to Tianque, they got married. Now, to distinguish between the two fathers, Zhuang Zhuang called them “Dad Dean” and “President Dad.”

Chen Miaomiao laughed heartily. “That’s right, you’re also a sentinel, you’re a little yellow cat sentinel.”

Jin Xiao heard them discussing animals and joined in eagerly. “My dad is also a butterfly guide, and my second dad is also a big yellow cat sentinel. I also have a little brother now!” He was ecstatic when he mentioned this. With a little brother, he was no longer the youngest in the family, and he finally had someone to accompany him! “My little brother is also a little yellow cat sentinel, but he hasn’t hatched yet, he’s still an egg.” He picked up his boiled egg. “It’s like this egg, but much bigger. My dad says he’s bigger than me and my brother combined.”

“My egg is the biggest.” Wu Qian interjected, refusing to accept defeat. “I was born weighing one and a half times more than you. Little brother couldn’t possibly be bigger than me!” He earnestly told Chen Miaomiao, “Teacher, my egg is big!”

Chen Miaomiao laughed so hard that his wounds hurt, and he shivered while holding his shoulders. “Yes, you have a big egg. Your family is all egg-born… Hahaha!” 

My god, Senior is as gentle as jade, and King is wise and brave, why are these two little rascals so out of line? Could it be a mutation?

After preparing breakfast for them, Chen Miaomiao went to wash his hands in the bathroom. Standing at the sink, he heard the children change the topic and start discussing the President’s arms—Jin Zhe had installed a prosthetic limb after returning, but because his imagination was quite fancy, he refused to wear ordinary prosthetic limb and instead opted for a mechanical arm that could change color and shape. Every day, he would play with his daughter, making her stare in amazement.

“The President’s arm is red today!” Zhuang Zhuang’s tone was full of admiration. “So beautiful, and his fingers can become thicker, so soft!”

“Wow! That’s amazing!” The twins were envious. “My second dad’s fingers are so hard, we can’t even bite them.”

“Oh meegawddd…” Tata had completely learned his father’s catchphrase and exclaimed with his unclear speech.

“But Dad is not happy,” Zhuang Zhuang said regretfully. “When he’s unhappy, President Dad likes to hit the wall. Ah, it’s so noisy. He hit it for a long time last night.”

“Wow! That’s impressive!” the twins said regretfully. “My second dad doesn’t hit walls…”

I think I know something I shouldn’t… Chen Miaomiao was struggling to hold back his laughter in the bathroom.

“Dr. Chen? Dr. Chen, are you there?” An administrator suddenly knocked on the door. 

Chen Miaomiao rushed out of the bathroom. “I’m here, what’s the matter?”

“Dean asked me to inform you that your father’s fleet has arrived,” the administrator said. “He wants you to wait in the pediatric ward. The Major General will be at the hospital in ten minutes.”

“Huh? My dad is coming to the hospital? Why is he going to the pediatric ward?” Chen Miaomiao was puzzled. The administrator said, “I’m not sure about the specifics, but he’ll be here soon. You should hurry over.”

Chen Miaomiao entrusted the children to the nursery teacher, changed into a lab coat, and went to the pediatric ward to wait for his father. Along the way, he racked his brains: Why the pediatric ward? Did his saintly dad impregnate his mom again?

A meeting room in the pediatric ward was specially cleared for their reunion. Chen Miaomiao waited anxiously for a few minutes, then heard a commotion outside. He quickly opened the door and rushed out, shouting excitedly, “Dad!”

Chen Zhen was coming down the elevator with the escort of the guards. When he saw Chen Miaomiao, he weakly curled his lips and opened his arms, “Miaomiao.”

“…Dad?” Chen Miaomiao was stunned, looking at his father, who seemed like an old man on the verge of twilight. He almost didn’t dare to recognize him: Was this really his dad? This man with silver hair, thin and haggard, was he really his father?

“Miaomiao.” Chen Zhen had long anticipated his son’s reaction, so he wasn’t surprised. He came over and embraced him, “Dad missed you.”

Chen Miaomiao was suddenly held in his father’s arms, smelling the faint familiar scent on him, hearing his gentle and familiar voice. He slowly began to feel a sense of reality—this was his father, the father who had cherished him for twenty-two years.

But why did he look so old? Why was all his hair white, why were there bruises all over his face? Chen Miaomiao held his father’s thin body tightly, feeling his cold body temperature and his struggling heartbeat. Suddenly, a terrible thought came to his mind, “Dad, Dad, why did you become like this, is it because of mom… she…”

“She passed away.” Chen Zhen calmly held his son, revealing the tragic news that he had been hiding from him, “Two weeks ago, at Gabriel Military Harbor, she fell in battle against Hannibal.”

Chen Miaomiao felt like he was being choked, staring at his father, unable to say a word. His throat made choking sounds as if airflow was blocked, and after a long time, he burst into tears, “No! Mom… Dad…”

Chen Zhen closed his eyes, silently embracing his distraught son, neither speaking nor crying, just gently stroking his back. After a long time, when Chen Miaomiao finally calmed down, he released him and said sorrowfully, “Don’t cry, Miaomiao, don’t cry.”

Chen Miaomiao’s heart was broken, he couldn’t speak through his sobs, muttering incoherently while clutching his father’s arm, “This can’t be true, it’s not… this can’t be true!” 

He couldn’t believe that such a terrible thing would happen to him, he couldn’t accept the reality of losing his parents! Two months ago, he thought he had experienced the greatest upheaval in his life, felt the greatest pain in life, but now, hearing the tragic news of his loved ones’ passing, he realized that compared to this, being shot by his lover was nothing!

Chen Zhen’s lips curved into a faint smile of sorrow as he wiped away the tears from his son’s cheeks, looking at his son’s young head with pity. He gently stroked his soft hair and spoke softly, “Don’t be sad, death is inevitable, dying on the battlefield, wrapped in horsehide, is the greatest honor for a soldier.”

Chen Miaomiao’s shoulders trembled as he bit back his tears. Chen Zhen gently rubbed his son’s thin earlobes, his eyes soft like spring water. “Your mother was a general of the Federation, the protector of the Federation fleet. She died for the unity of the Federation, for the people. She died with dignity, and we should all be proud of her.”

“Dad…” Chen Miaomiao choked up, unable to speak. 

Chen Zhen sighed softly and said, “Dad will be leaving soon, Miaomiao. Don’t let us worry about you. Be strong. You’re twenty-two years old now, you’re an adult. In the future, whatever you do, whatever profession you pursue, always remember, don’t tarnish your mother’s lifelong reputation, don’t tarnish the glory she brought to the family with her life.”

He cupped his son’s face in his hands, using his thumbs to wipe away the tears at the corners of his eyes, looking into his eyes and advising him word by word, “Miaomiao, Dad is leaving. From now on, you’re the only man in the family. You have to shoulder the responsibility of this family, the responsibility of Chen’s Sign of Good Fortune, and your own ideals and career! Don’t let the loss of your parents drag you down, don’t let the hardships imposed by fate make you falter. Your mom and I will be watching you from heaven. Don’t disappoint us!”

“Yes, Dad!” Chen Miaomiao’s heart surged with his father’s words, and he nodded heavily through his tears. 

Chen Zhen breathed a sigh of relief, his stern brows softening, warmth and tenderness shining in his eyes. “And, take care of your little sister for us.”

“Little sister?” Chen Miaomiao was stunned, then shocked and delighted. “I have a sister? Where is she?”

“She’s in the artificial womb. The adjutant has just sent her to the special care unit in the pediatric ward,” Chen Zhen said with a smile. “When your mother fell in battle, she was three and a half months pregnant. She held on until she returned to the fleet with the mecha, and before she died, she asked the doctors to take the baby out of her body.”

As he said this, Chen Zhen’s eyes reddened, and in his mind flashed the scene of his wife’s death: Their mecha squad was surrounded by Hannibal’s fleet. To cover the retreat of others, he and Popova fell behind and accidentally had their main engine blown off by a heavy cruiser chasing them from behind.

The shockwave of the particle orbit cannon penetrated the cockpit, the operating system was bathed in blood-red light, and at that moment, he was using mental tendrils to stimulate his wife’s potential. He almost got sucked out through the damaged hole due to the negative pressure! Fortunately, Popova reinforced the safety harness in time, firmly securing him to the co-pilot’s seat. Later, they continued to hold on with temporary oxygen supply, finally taking down the last cruiser chasing them.

He thought everything was over, that they would soon leave Gabriel Military Harbor’s defense perimeter, break through the Beta Front, and reunite with their son in the Federation. But when they flew back to the flagship, they found that Popova had been shot, her entire right chest pierced, almost searing her lung lobe.

It was like a nightmare. Chen Zhen couldn’t bear to recall the scene of himself carrying his wife out of the mecha. Popova’s petite body was almost weightless, her red curly hair sticking to her cheeks in disarray, her usually rosy face pale as porcelain.

The injuries were too severe, she couldn’t speak anymore, only apologizing to him repeatedly through mental communication. [“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I couldn’t protect you… I couldn’t protect our child… Let them, take her out, take her out… Promise me, bring her to her brother alive…”]

It hurt like a knife in his heart. Chen Zhen covered his eyes, desperately suppressing the tears, admonishing himself not to cry in front of his son, using all his strength to maintain his father’s strength and composure. “Your little sister, only four months old, will be your only relative from now on. Miaomiao, you’re her brother, you’re also her father. You have to take care of her, raise her, and tell her how her mother was a hero. Tell her that although your mom and I are no longer here, we’ll be watching you both in another world, watching over you.”

“Dad!” Chen Miaomiao knelt at his father’s feet, tears streaming down his face, but there was no trace of weakness or hesitation in his eyes. In that instant, he seemed to have grown up, like a man, in pain yet strong. “I will take care of my sister, raise her, and live happily with her. I swear, we will never let you and Mom’s reputation be tarnished!”

Chen Zhen looked at his son’s young face with determination, his cold fingers touching his forehead, sliding down to his eyes, then to his jaw, feeling relieved. “Dad believes in you.”

They went to the pediatric intensive care unit together, where inside an artificial womb, a tiny fetus, smaller than a fist, floated quietly. Because she was still too small, her features couldn’t be distinguished yet. Only the semi-transparent skin enveloping her delicate skeletal structure was visible. Her heart beat gently but vigorously in her membranous chest.

“She’s a guide,” Chen Zhen lovingly looked at his young daughter and said to Chen Miaomiao. “The doctors detected her guide gene. She should be like me, a hummingbird guide.”

“Oh, she’s so adorable!” Chen Miaomiao looked at the petite fetus floating in the transparent womb. The pain of losing loved ones was gradually diluted by a warm current. He gently “caressed” his sister with his index finger through the uterine wall. “Her eyes are so big. Maybe she’ll be a redhead like Mom.”

Chen Zhen smiled tenderly. “Yes, she’s very much like your mom. The doctor did genetic inference for her, allowing Mom to see what she’d be like when she grows up. She’s practically identical to Mom.”

“That’s wonderful.” Chen Miaomiao felt both sorrow and joy, his eyes reddening but his lips curling upwards. 

Chen Zhen placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “She’s so small. You need to take good care of her, ensure a smooth delivery. From now on, with me gone, you two are each other’s only support.”

Reluctantly accepting the impending loss of his father, Chen Miaomiao nodded solemnly. “I will, Dad. Please, trust me.” 

Even with the most advanced medical technology, raising such a small fetus purely through artificial means would be extremely challenging. They had to be careful and vigilant at all times. Fortunately, he was a doctor himself, and pediatrics was one of his specialized fields. For the sake of his only family, he would surely strive to excel in this field and raise her healthily.

“Let’s give her a name.” Chen Zhen said, “This was also Mom’s wish. It’s up to you to name your little sister.”

“Me?” Chen Miaomiao hesitated for a moment, then after much thought, she said, “How about Guoguo?”

“Chen Guoguo… sounds good.” Chen Zhen patted his son’s head and smiled. “Guoguo it is, a lovely name.”

Chen Miaomiao gazed affectionately at his sister floating in the womb, softly chanting her name, “Sister… Guoguo.”

Before Chen Zhen’s return, news of Popova’s death was kept under wraps, aiming to avoid a mutiny within the Third Army. Upon his return, Jin Zhe immediately conferred with Defense Secretary Balon and promoted Popova’s deputy to the rank of general, temporarily assuming control of the four major fleets of the Third Army, along with Jin Xuan and the naval reinforcements, to jointly defend the Alpha Frontline. As for the fleet left behind in Seiling, Popova had already made arrangements before her departure, so there was no need to worry excessively. Jin Zhe simply issued an obituary in the name of the President and instructed the officers appointed by Popova to continue in their positions.

With the return of the Third Army, Hannibal’s “Imperial Expedition” suffered a major setback, remaining dormant without any immediate plans for war. Thus, the Zhifu Chain Nebula temporarily stabilized. President Jin Zhe had been away from the capital for several months and had been repeatedly urged by the cabinet and parliament. Finally, he returned to Planet Dunkirk with his fleet and some senior officers.

Popova’s body was brought back to the capital by the presidential fleet, and a solemn funeral was held at the Federal Martyrs Cemetery. All the military and political dignitaries who had stayed behind attended her funeral, expressing the deepest sorrow and highest respect for this most outstanding female general in federal history.

Chen Zhen was unable to attend his wife’s funeral. His life had reached its end, his consciousness withered, his body deteriorated, relying only on life support systems to sustain a last flicker of life.

In early spring, the sky over Planet Dunkirk was clear and vast. Chen Zhen woke up from a chaotic nightmare, seeing the bright spring light outside the window. A bewildered smile appeared on his lips as he recalled his first meeting with Popova. At that time, he was not yet nineteen, shy and innocent. The moment he saw the petite redhead at the holographic ball, he fell deeply in love with her.

“I’m Chen Zhen, I’m a hummingbird guide. And you?” He gathered his courage to ask her. 

Popova’s face instantly turned crimson, unsure of where to put her hands and feet. After a long while, she said, “I’m Popova, I’m a major general in the Third Army.”

No one would believe that the youngest female brigadier general of the Voyager Army, a decisive warrior on the battlefield, was so shy and passive in her emotions. Popova was such a contradictory figure. She could pilot the most powerful mecha and rampage through enemies, could defeat dozens of burly men in the arena, yet when facing her husband, she always seemed like a silly ordinary woman. If she accidentally broke his favorite tea set, she would cry and beg for forgiveness. When she became pregnant, she would hold his hand all night, tossing and turning, worrying about whether she could give birth to a healthy baby…

That’s enough… With such a wife, such a life, it’s already enough… Chen Zhen silently told himself as he saw his emerald hummingbird quietly perched on his chest. Without its spiritual mate, it looked extremely exhausted. Its feathers on the back were dim, almost dark green, only the tips of its wings still faintly shimmered with a light green hue. Feeling its master’s gaze, the hummingbird struggled to lift its head, its weak wings supporting its frail body as it crawled to his pillow, hanging its head quietly against his cheek.

It’s time to leave. Goodbye, my son… Chen Zhen slowly closed his eyes, his head tilting gently, leaning against his hummingbird, as he stopped breathing.

Three days later, a grand funeral was held for Major General Chen Zhen of the Third Army. The President personally presided over the ceremony and buried him next to his wife.

Amidst the drizzling spring rain, the funeral had ended. Chen Miaomiao, dressed in black mourning clothes, stood quietly in front of her parents’ grave. Chen Zhen and Popova were buried together. The only tombstone was carved from a single piece of purplish-red crystal, deep and passionate, just like Popova’s elegant red hair. The tombstone was not the common square or cross shape, but, following Chen Zhen’s wishes, sculpted into an iris, the flower petals blooming quietly, silently expressing unspoken emotions.

Chen Miaomiao stood in the rain, allowing the fine raindrops to tap on his shoulders. In just a month, he had undergone a transformation, from an immature teenager to a responsible man. This growth was painful and brutal, yet the results were remarkable. He now resembled more than ever an elder brother, a father.

“Is it Mr. Chen?” An interstellar courier approached him in the rain. “Someone ordered a gift for you online and requested it to be delivered to the cemetery today. Could you please sign for it?”

“Oh? What gift?” Chen Miaomiao was surprised as he took the box and signed his name on the electronic bill. “Who ordered it?”

“Sorry, we’re not authorized to inquire about the contents of gifts or reveal the client’s name.” The courier apologized, noticing the mourning clothes and the white flower on his chest. “Please accept my condolences, sir.”

“Thank you.” Chen Miaomiao thanked softly, and after the courier left, he untied the white satin ribbon around the packaging box, opened the lid—a budding yellow rose lay quietly on the black velvet, its petals still adorned with dewdrops, emitting a faint fragrance in the breeze. A small heart-shaped card was pressed under the stem. Chen Miaomiao took out the card, opened it, and found it blank, with nothing written inside.

He stood quietly in the rain, holding the yellow rose in front of his parents’ grave, his hands trembling uncontrollably. Although the wound on his left chest had completely healed, at this moment, he felt a bone-deep pain, more painful and suffocating than the moment he was pierced by a radiation gun.

“Marlow…” He slightly parted his lips, silently murmuring the name that could not be spoken aloud, shedding his final tear in the lingering spring rain of Planet Dunkirk.

The language of yellow roses— “I’m sorry, I love you.”

 

 

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