Genius Chapter 175: Dad?

Chapter 175: Dad?

Translated by Karai of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Addis

“I had heard about B2145 before, but I didn’t expect that even after so long, people could still be rescued,” a man dressed in form-fitting light armor said from the captain’s control room. He had a handsome face and spoke in a relaxed tone. “The magnetic fields in the Eternal Winter Star Region have been stable recently, so there shouldn’t be much of a problem. I just didn’t expect you to be involved in this… I remember you were working on the loader before.”

“The previous project was completed. I’m now working on the civil aviation System,” Yu Zhen replied from the lounge outside the control center. “Thanks for your help with this. If all goes well, the rescue team should be back in a few days. My mom called yesterday; she couldn’t reach you and asked if you would be returning to Capital Planet this year.”

“I’m not coming back,” Jiang Yu said. “I took on a tricky assignment, and it happens to be in the Eternal Winter Star Region Vicinity. I know more about the rescue team’s situation than you do, and I’ll have my subordinates keep an eye on the magnetic fields… Oh, by the way, about the friend you mentioned last time.”

Yu Zhen corrected him, “Boyfriend.”

“Oh, right, boyfriend.” Jiang Yu smiled. “Let’s meet up next year when I have some free time. I won’t chat with you for long; I have other matters to attend to.”

“Stay safe,” Yu Zhen said.

Jiang Yu waved his hand and ended the call. “Don’t worry.”

The good news from the rescue team relieved everyone at the research center. However, the situation was not over yet. It would still take 4 days for the rescue team to return using the fastest jump method. Moreover, due to the unstable spatial conditions in the Eternal Winter Star Region Vicinity, the rescue team, exercising caution, opted not to use immediate jump but instead chose conventional flight. They would only initiate the jump once they returned to an area under the Alliance’s jurisdiction.

During this period, an investigation into the cause of the B2145 spaceship’s loss of contact was conducted at the research center. The B2145 crew consisted of renowned researchers from various fields a decade ago, and they quickly revealed the actual circumstances once the investigation commenced.

The investigation into the β2 unknown star region began more than ten years ago. After it started, a temporary investigation team was assembled to explore the area when signs of civilization were detected in the Eternal Winter Star Region Vicinity. This team was composed of all members of B2145.

The jump anomaly was discovered the day before the team noticed abnormalities in the Eternal Winter Star Region. The B2145 research team observed magnetic field fluctuations around the Eternal Winter Star Region and detected health signs and traces of civilization on nearby planets. They attempted to send the data back to the Capital Planet control room but lost communication due to magnetic field interference.

The primary leader, noticing the unusual situation in the Eternal Winter Star Region, activated a special safety mode and attempted a return jump to preserve the crew’s safety. However, the magnetic field fluctuations caused a malfunction during the jump, leading them from the outer region to the inner circle of the Eternal Winter Star Region.

This area was beyond the detectable range of Alliance technology, so subsequent rescue teams found no results after multiple investigations in the Eternal Winter Star Region Vicinity. Eventually, it was concluded that all crew members had perished. This was a rare accident in the history of Alliance space exploration. Due to the involvement of multiple parties, all details of the incident were suppressed after it occurred. The public only knew that a major accident had happened, but details were difficult to probe on StarNet.

But the B2145 crew had not died; for them, the ten years that had passed for the Alliance were merely five years in their time.

“After the incident, we tried to contact the outside world immediately, but all communications disappeared without a trace. We knew we had lost contact with the outside,” the captain of B2145 said while sitting in the nutrient chamber and communicating with the command center. “Venturing out recklessly would have posed significant risks. With numerous experts aboard, we chose to land on a primitive energy planet in the Vicinity based on their advice.”

Landing on an unfamiliar planet was also dangerous. Given the urgency of the situation, it was better to find a planet to assess the situation rather than risk further travel. Fortunately, they were lucky; the planet they landed on had no large creatures or potential dangers. Their biologists even found suitable food and water for human consumption.

There were many unexploited resource planets in the Eternal Winter Star Region, and most of these planets had conditions suitable for biological life. As a result, they were able to take a temporary respite. To conserve the spaceship’s energy, they chose to mine resources and rest on-site.

Throughout this period, they continued to make efforts to contact the outside world.

To the outside world, ten years had passed, but due to the time-space distortion caused by the jump, only five years had actually elapsed for them. Their survival relied entirely on the resources of the planet they had landed on. The spaceship’s energy was used for each attempt at jumping and exploration, but despite thoroughly exploring the inner planets of the Eternal Winter Star Region, they had not found a way back home.

It was only recently that they received a signal from Capital Planet.

The signal came from a System with reverse positioning capabilities discovered by the Celestial Horizon civil aviation research team. Through frequency signal testing, they successfully established the first information exchange with B2145.

“Time-space distortion…” The aging head of the research institute sighed, “It was pure luck. If it hadn’t been for the Celestial Horizon’s young team developing the new System and discovering the B-type spacecraft’s response System program issues, we might not have been able to contact you with current technology.”

Crossing time-space responses was considered impossible, meaning luck played a significant role. During B2145’s attempts to jump, they had always chosen coordinates relatively safe within the Alliance’s border. This was fortunate because it allowed them to be in the same time dimension. Their response System was able to react because they were aligned with this dimension. If they had not attempted a jump at that time, or if the spacecraft had been in hibernation mode, even if they had mastered the technology, it might have been impossible to locate their position.

Ultimately, it was the combined efforts of both parties that led to the success of the rescue.

“How are the others?” The elderly professor, who had just arrived from an alien planet, asked with reddened eyes, “I have a few students among them. Are they all right?”

All the researchers involved in the project from back then had come over. The research center was now fully staffed, and the passage of time had left various degrees of marks on both groups.

“The rescue team’s doctors are conducting physical examinations on them, checking the effects of the jump on their bodies and performing bacterial tests. It will take some time to complete the checks.”

Compared to the fresh-faced departure ten years ago, the captain of B2145 now appeared weathered as he sat in the nutrient chamber. He was alone but spoke with gravity, “As promised, all B2145 crew members are safe and have successfully returned.”

The most fortunate outcome was that, aside from some crew members who were injured during the jump, all other researchers were safe and sound. Their physical indicators were all very normal, showing no signs of having drifted in space for over a decade. After a few more days of continued flight, the rescue team’s spacecraft landed at a military airport on Capital Planet under strict confidentiality during the late night.

The rescue personnel from Capital Planet and the researchers had all arrived. However, for safety reasons, this return had not been announced to the crew members’ families. With the year-end approaching, the relatives of those who had gone missing were scattered across the Alliance. To avoid giving them hope only to face disappointment again before there was any concrete news, the entire rescue operation had been kept secret.

Now, with the rescue team having arrived at Capital Planet, everyone present finally felt a great weight lifted from their hearts.

Yu Zhen sent out the carefully edited messages and followed the research center staff to the arrival area. Many people began to disembark, including individuals from various research institutes. Originally, Grandma Cheng had also intended to come, as there had been her students among the missing. However, considering her poor health over the years, Yu Zhen had decided not to have her come…

In his terminal, Yu Zhen had saved several photos. Some were of Grandma Cheng’s students, and two were of young researchers. The two researchers were affiliated with Capital Planet’s top Archaeological Institute. Despite their youth, they had become lead researchers, appearing to be just over thirty years old. From the photos alone, their gentle and calm demeanor was evident, suggesting they were very kind individuals.

“Professor Chen, the airport entrance has changed; you need to go this way now.”

“You need to register first. You can only leave after registration.”

“Professor Chen, you also need to get the address from Engineer Liu.”

Before getting close, Yu Zhen heard a woman from the Archaeological Institute group. She resembled the one in the photos, hurriedly pulling a small suitcase and following the young guide towards the exit.

“Is Mr. Yu here to find someone?” a researcher asked as they approached.

Yu Zhen recognized him as Engineer Liu, who was responsible for contacting the relatives of the crew members. They had previously communicated to confirm the list of missing persons. This researcher had been working at the research center, and he would only reach out to the relatives once the safety of everyone was confirmed.

Engineer Liu, noticing Yu Zhen’s gaze, explained, “That’s Professor Chen Shanxue. She was on a secret mission with her husband back then. At the time, her child was only a few years old, and there was only a robot at home to take care of them. Shortly after the incident, Professor Chen’s husband, who was a friend of Su Zhixing, came to pick up the child. I remember Professor Chen’s family quite well, especially the child, who was in poor health but very sensible.”

Yu Zhen paused slightly, listening to the researcher continue.

When the rescue team brought the crew members back, both Professor Su and Professor Chen kept asking about the child, especially when they learned that over ten years had passed on the Alliance side. Both professors cried at the news, and it was only later that the crew members contacted me,” Engineer Liu continued. “I went to check the relevant information, and it turned out that the child had been living alone all these years. After informing the professors that their child was safe, their emotions finally calmed down.”

Engineer Liu recalled the chaotic crowd of relatives at the time.

The child had been sitting in a corner. He was in poor health, dressed more warmly than others, and looked very young and frail, with particularly bright eyes.

Whenever a researcher walked by, the child’s eyes would follow them, not crying or making a fuss, as if waiting for others to give him news. When staff asked him questions, he would only ask where his parents were.

A young child wouldn’t remember things clearly, but this child was particularly stubborn, sitting and waiting all the while. Eventually, as many people went to rest, he remained in that corner with only a robot for company, until someone claiming to be a friend of the child’s father came to pick him up. Only then did the child leave.

After the accident, the rescue work continued for a long time. Whenever Engineer Liu greeted the relatives of the missing persons, he would always see the child. It was only later, when he heard that the child had fallen ill and been hospitalized, that he stopped seeing him.

“Mr. Yu is here to find Professor Cheng’s student, right?” Engineer Liu asked.

Yu Zhen replied, “Yes, but they still need to return to the research institute. I just came to check on things.”

After exchanging a few words, Engineer Liu hurried off to attend to other matters. Yu Zhen watched as the woman, guided by a researcher and an airport’s smart robot, seemed to have decided to head back.

Professor Chen Shanxue had thought only five years had passed, but upon returning to Capital Planet, she realized that everything had changed drastically. The military airport’s exit had been modified, and the main urban roads in Capital Planet had been re-planned.

Due to work, her husband needed to go to the research institute to complete the handover before returning, but she was eager to see her child and wanted to return as soon as possible. However, the unfamiliar changes left her feeling lost, and she could only calmly ask the young researcher for directions. Initially, she had planned to book a hovercar, only to find out that the research center had already arranged one for them, facilitating their prompt return home.

“Professor Chen.”

As Professor Chen Shanxue was noting the information provided by the researcher, a voice suddenly spoke up beside her. She turned to see a young man in a suit.

The young man said, “My surname is Yu, and my name is Yu Zhen.”

Professor Chen Shanxue looked at the young man and felt that his face seemed somewhat familiar.

Before she could ask further, the young researcher introduced him. She learned that this was Professor Cheng’s grandson. It was due to his research team’s discovery of a System issue that allowed the rescue operation to be restarted so quickly.

Upon inquiry, she found out that this young man lived in the same neighborhood as Professor Cheng at that time.

“I am a friend of Su Mo’s and have heard about your situation,” Yu Zhen continued. “I know his address and came to take you back.”

Professor Chen Shanxue was slightly taken aback and her eyes reddened. “Do you know Momo?”

***

After Yu Zhen had gone out to work overtime that day, he hadn’t returned for several days. It seemed that things over there were particularly serious. Normally, he would reply to messages within an hour, but now it took half a day for him to respond to Su Mo, and his replies were always brief and followed by silence.

Su Mo’s studies in mechanical forging were somewhat related to civil aviation systems, but his university specialization focused mainly on small-scale machinery. Large-scale mechanical system coordination was beyond his current research scope. If Yu Zhen found such projects challenging, there probably wasn’t much Su Mo could do to help.

During one extended conversation, Yu Zhen mentioned that he had been quite busy recently and that he might have good news to share with Su Mo soon.

Su Mo asked if it was a particularly difficult technical problem.

Yu Zhen replied that it wasn’t, but there was another issue that would be resolved quickly.

As the end of the year approached, the residential area for families became increasingly lively. Capital Planet retained many traditional Chinese customs, and with the year-end approaching, many people who had been busy elsewhere had returned home. When Su Mo went out for a walk, he occasionally encountered many young people who had just come back. Some of them were familiar faces, and he would greet them when he saw them.

“Xiao Mo, want to play chess?”

While passing through the neighborhood square, Su Mo was stopped by an elderly man who enjoyed playing chess.

“Old Li and the others have been swamped at the research institute lately. I heard there’s an old project that has been restarted, and they’ve called them all in to help.” The old man who played chess with Su Mo said, “Old Zhang went too. He’s been gone for a few days. I can’t even find someone to play chess with.”

Su Mo paused for a moment and said, “That must be quite busy…”

With so many people coming back these days, the residential area looked very lively. However, a closer look revealed that many of the regular elders who used to frequent the square were missing, including Old Li, who was usually there every day. With so many people leaving, it seemed like not just a single project, but rather a major multi-party collaborative project had been restarted.

Many of the elderly in the residential area were retired professors and researchers or the families of special staff members from Capital Planet. Su Mo’s family home had originally been allocated to his parents by the Alliance. His parents had been researchers at Capital Planet’s Archaeological Institute.

The old man said, “If a big problem arises, we might not be able to have a good New Year.”

Su Mo listened and thought that he should check the recent news from the Alliance when he got back. Perhaps there was some major development underway.

After playing two rounds of chess in the square, Su Mo finally headed home. When he arrived, Lele was getting ready to go out. Lele had prepared quite a few dishes, and since Yu Zhen wasn’t at home, the taste testers included Su Mo, their increasingly close neighbor Zhang Qi, and Grandma Cheng from a few buildings away.

“Capital Planet’s forecast says there will be snow later,” Su Mo said. “Come back early; it’s not easy to walk in the snow.”

Lele replied, “I’ll be back after I finish delivering.”

Several packages were piled up in the foyer, and Su Mo knew they were New Year’s goods bought by Lele. With the New Year approaching in just a few days, this year’s supplies were more than usual. Su Mo recalled that Lele had asked Yu Zhen a few days ago if he would be staying for the New Year, so he figured these New Year’s goods were likely intended for Yu Zhen as well.

After changing into pajamas, Su Mo settled on the sofa and played a game. Rather than simply playing, he was actually organizing a shortcut tool. Previously, he had structured formulas for crafting divine weapons into a framework and created a tool system for quick generation. Because it couldn’t be customized according to player attributes, it had been left aside until he saw in the exploration group chat that divine weapon forging progress was very slow.

Recently, Celestial Horizon’s material library has been updated with new materials, adding a lot of uncertainty to divine weapon forging. Most players figured things out on their own and rarely sought out master blacksmiths, resulting in many players holding level 80 weapons but hesitating to upgrade their divine weapons.

With school on break and the weather outside cold, Su Mo focused on organizing his tools and preparing for the New Year.

With nothing much to do at home, Su Mo decided to discuss with ScarletFruit about taking out the abandoned framework and organizing it into a shortcut tool to share. The tool was designed for general forging styles, but it couldn’t cater to custom forging. Simply put, it imported some forging materials from various styles, and by inputting the style and main focus, it could generate a formula that was relatively close, essentially a one-click formula generator. It was very general and could provide players with forging ideas.

“This thing is practically undercutting the market for master blacksmiths…” ScarletFruit exclaimed in surprise when he received the tool. “But it’s actually a good thing. There have been so many blacksmiths recently charging exorbitant fees, all because they know how to forge divine weapons and are hiking prices recklessly. Even as a businessman, I haven’t dared to raise prices so wildly, and because of their antics, many materials I have with friends are stuck in inventory and can’t be sold.”

“It’s just a formula tool,” Su Mo said simply. “Players with high mental power can forge on their own, and those who are unsure can consult master blacksmiths. These are basic things once you understand them, and some blacksmiths probably already knew, but kept it hidden to justify high prices.”

ScarletFruit replied, “In that case, I’ll just post a guide and share it. Why don’t you post it yourself?”

Su Mo responded, “You go ahead. I have some other things to do.”

He didn’t have a StarNet account, so posting himself wasn’t an option.

After finishing his daily routine in the morning, Su Mo spent the rest of the day working on his tasks and then logged into his ReturnToSimplicity account to refine Yu Zhen’s attributes. During this period, Yu Zhen had hardly logged into his marksman account, but the daily tasks had still been taken care of, mostly handled by a substitute player in the mornings.

As a result, the points and materials were sufficient to upgrade the old equipment. He spent two hours in Sunset City, finished crafting the equipment, and then logged off.

After dinner in the evening, Su Mo suddenly felt a bit cold. Checking the weather forecast, he realized there was heavy snow in District C. After adjusting the indoor temperature, he sat idly in the living room and took out a puzzle to play with.

Lele came over to check his temperature. “Su Mo, it’s 37.8 degrees Celsius.”

He hurriedly went to get some things and asked, “The weather is so cold today, and you were outside for quite a while.”

Su Mo hadn’t noticed the temperature change until now. Even though he had been fine while playing games earlier, he now felt a bit of a temperature fluctuation. He wrapped himself in a blanket. Despite not having had a nosebleed lately, he wondered if staying outside for too long in the cold had made him sick.

After taking some medicine, he started to feel a bit drowsy. While flipping through his terminal, he suddenly saw a message from Yu Zhen that had arrived 5 minutes ago.

[-Yu Zhen: I’ll be back later. Do you want anything to eat?]

After reading the message, Su Mo paused for a moment before replying that he didn’t need anything. He then told Lele, “Lele, brother Zhen is coming over later.”

Lele, who was busy in the kitchen, brought out a bowl of ginger tea for Su Mo. “Is Mr. Yu Zhen coming here for the New Year? I went to see Grandma Cheng in the afternoon. She asked me to bring something over and said she would be going home for the New Year tomorrow.”

After Grandpa Yu passed away, Grandma Cheng had been living with Yu Zhen’s parents.

Because she had been staying with Yu Zhen for recuperation, Grandma Cheng was expected to return home to celebrate the New Year with her children. Su Mo thought that Yu Zhen would probably go home for the New Year once he finished his work. “He should come over after finishing his work. It looks like it will just be the two of us for the New Year.”

Feeling a bit more awake, Su Mo worried that he might fall asleep soon, so he dug out the virtual device and used Yu Zhen’s account to log into StarNet to watch the livestream. Although he hadn’t gone online himself, the dedicated ClearWind was still livestreaming. He was currently teaming up with ScarletFruit and ZenSlasher to tackle a high-level dungeon, chatting with fans while running the dungeon.

Su Mo watched for a while, and just as he was about to fall asleep, he suddenly heard the doorbell ring from outside. Slightly puzzled, he wondered why Yu Zhen, who had access to the house, would ring the doorbell.

Lele, who was in the kitchen, went to the entrance. He accessed the home’s smart monitoring system and saw that Yu Zhen was accompanied by a woman. Almost immediately, the doorbell camera’s system performed a biometric match, displaying two visitor records: one was registered under Yu Zhen, and the other was from ten years ago.

The system paused for a moment before announcing, “It’s Mr. Yu Zhen… and Miss Chen Shanxue.”

Su Mo was momentarily stunned upon hearing this. Almost immediately, without even putting on his slippers, he hurriedly ran to the entrance, just in time to see the person who had just entered. The woman, who had come in first, was pulling a suitcase. When she looked up, Su Mo saw the familiar yet unfamiliar face.

Chen Shanxue had seen the changes in Capital Planet along the way. Inside the car, she listened to the young people around her talking about her child’s achievements. Su Mo had been admitted to Capital University, studying mechanical forging. He had won numerous awards and was well-liked by teachers and classmates. His health had improved significantly, with his physical condition moving from F- to F… The information about Su Mo was plentiful, but as Chen Shanxue listened, she felt a sharp, aching pain in her chest.

In the five years of wandering outside, she and her husband had managed to hold on for a long time.

Just thinking about her child, who was alone and uncared for on Capital Planet, made every second feel like torture. Her husband, during every jump, kept a close eye on coordinate changes. Despite not being skilled in this, he would ask other researchers on the ship about theories and practices. Although he was in an administrative role, he always followed the exploration personnel during every mission.

He desperately hoped to find a chance to return home and see his young, ailing child.

Chen Shanxue had imagined many times what it would be like to return home and find a stranger in place of her child.

In the five years they had been away, they wondered if their child had taken their medication properly, if their diet had been controlled, and what the primary doctor’s assessments had been. Has the child gained weight? Had they grown taller?

At five years old, the child should have started elementary school. Had they been bullied by other students? Did the teacher like them? How had they performed in physical tests? Were they more inclined towards the humanities or sciences now? What new interests did they have? Did they still enjoy puzzles as much as they did when they were younger?

In addition to concerns about health, they had imagined every detail of their child’s growth over those five years.

But what they had thought was five years of separation turned out to be over ten years of dereliction.

“Momo?” Chen Shanxue looked at the child before her in astonishment, “You’ve grown taller?”

Seeing that the child was unresponsive, she approached timidly and asked cautiously, “Momo, it’s Mom. Do you remember Mom?”

Yu Zhen quietly closed the door and watched the woman, who had tried to remain composed throughout the journey, now appearing fragile and timid in front of the child. His worried gaze stayed on Su Mo, paying close attention to his emotions.

When Chen Shanxue’s hand touched Su Mo, he finally snapped out of his daze.

It had been so long that Su Mo had to dig through his memories to recall anything related to her. It felt so unreal to see her, almost as if she had changed in some way.

He wondered if he was dreaming, if he had fallen asleep, or if the fever had left him confused. He had not dreamt of her for a long time and had almost forgotten her, but now, for the first time in years, he saw his mother so vividly…

“You have wrinkles now,” Su Mo suddenly said.

His mother had always cared about her appearance, but now there were wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.

At that moment, Chen Shanxue broke down, tears streaming down as she held her child. Su Mo stood in the entrance, feeling lost and disoriented. He couldn’t tell if he was happy or sad.

All he wanted was to reach out and smooth away the wrinkles from his mother’s eyes, to wipe away the slightly burning tears.

Outside, the heavy snow fell, and all the cold seemed to disappear in the warmth of their long-awaited reunion.

Su Mo felt like he had been in a very long dream. In the dream, he opened the door to find his mother coming in with a suitcase. Just like in his memories, she picked him up, kissed his face, and softly said that she was back.

As a young child, he could barely walk. Holding the small puzzle his mother had brought back, he sat on a heated blanket, sorting the puzzle pieces one by one. Round, plump Lele sat beside him, teaching him how to arrange the pieces. The house was bustling with activity—his mother, who had returned from a business trip, was talking with his father, and a delicious smell wafted from the kitchen, making his stomach rumble.

His mother’s suitcase was filled with many things: a terminal, a StarNet loader, and many toys he had never played with before. The toys were scattered all over the sofa, and his father suggested playing with one each day and switching to another if he got bored.

He felt like the happiest child in the world.

But suddenly, the beautiful dream shattered. The noisy discussions around him and the cold, mechanical announcements about the rescue progress reminded him that he was waiting at the door, unable to see his parents coming home with their suitcases. There were no towering piles of toys, no food made by his mother, and no loader toys. His fantasies dissolved into emptiness, leaving him alone in the cold, empty house with only Lele. The heated blanket had turned cold, and he felt utterly lost.

In the end, he ended up in a stark white and silent hospital room.

Countless memories intertwined as Su Mo, from his daze, saw the door of the hospital room open. Yu Zhen, dressed in a suit, walked in and placed a candy in his hand.

At that moment, the dream ended. Su Mo opened his eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling.

So it had all been a dream? … Was he feverish again?

Su Mo lay there, glancing toward the slightly ajar door, hearing intermittent voices from outside. There was Lele, Yu Zhen, and…?

Chen Shanxue said, “So this is what the child likes now?”

“Yes, is this cooking station convenient to use?” Yu Zhen said, after sharing the recipe with her and adjusting the temperature of the cooking station.

“I see,” Chen Shanxue said, recognizing the controls, “This cooking station is very similar to the one we had at home; the button positions are the same as before.”

Lele added, “Su Mo modified this one himself! He took apart the control panel of the old cooking station and assembled it with the new one.”

Chen Shanxue was taken aback for a moment, touching the cooking station’s smart screen. “Is that so? Momo is really impressive.”

Yu Zhen continued, “The cabinets in the back are also the old model. He mentioned that many things in the house haven’t changed.”

Chen Shanxue lowered her gaze slightly, her hands trembling a bit. “It’s still the same as before. He’s such a considerate child.” She quickly composed herself and asked, “I’ve been so focused on learning from you. What does Xiao Yu like for breakfast? And Lele? I heard that the simulation robots can eat. Do you have any favorite foods? I can make them for you.”

Lele said, “I like to eat fish; there’s some in the fridge.”

Chen Shanxue gently patted Lele’s shoulder. “Then please get the fish for me. I’ll make sweet and sour fish for you all, okay?”

Lele replied, “Put less sugar; Su Mo can’t have too much.”

“Got it,” Chen Shanxue said, “I know.”

Yu Zhen stood nearby, listening to the voice of Su Zhixing.

Su Zhixing, changed into comfortable home attire, came from the living room and saw the three busy in the kitchen. He said warmly, “Xiao Yu, you’ve been a real help; you haven’t rested all night. Leave things here to us.”

The previous night, Su Zhixing had returned to the research institute to hand over his work. While waiting for the hovercar, Yu Zhen had arranged for an assistant to pick him up, and when he returned, Yu Zhen had also helped with the household matters. Su Mo had gone to bed early but developed a high fever in the middle of the night. The family had been busy all night, and it was only in the morning that Su Mo’s fever subsided.

Now, things were different from over a decade ago. The old home’s caretaker robot had been replaced by a nearly two-meter-tall simulation robot. If Yu Zhen hadn’t mentioned it, they wouldn’t have recognized it. They had prepared themselves to adapt, but upon returning home, they found the setup was very similar to how it had been, with not much change. Everything looked familiar.

Yu Zhen said, “It’s okay. Have you finished handling the other matters?”

“Yes, I have,” Su Zhixing said. “I’ve left the rest to others; we’re on vacation now…”

Just as Su Zhixing was halfway through his sentence, he suddenly heard a noise behind him. He quickly looked towards Su Mo’s room and saw the child, wearing only pajamas, standing there, staring intently.

Su Zhixing was momentarily stunned, trying to hold back the pang of emotion he felt, and immediately went over to get the slippers. As he walked, he said, “The floor is so cold. You’ve just had a fever; you can’t walk around barefoot.”

As he set the slippers down, he suddenly heard a voice. The voice was uncertain and a bit anxious, “Is it Dad?”