Family Portrait

"All right, I understand. Go ahead with your duties. Just contact me directly if anything comes up later; you don't always need to report in person." Han Qingyu gave the base officer his communication code. Once the man was sent off, he forced himself to stay calm, got dressed, and carefully covered up all the medical devices stuck and inserted into his body, tidying himself up. When he walked out of the small base's gates, Wen Jifei, Wu Xu, and Yang Qingbai were already waiting there. "How did it go?" Wen Jifei asked immediately upon seeing him. The looks in their eyes were tense and full of concern. "Not too terrible, but nothing great either. She said humanity has zero experience treating Yanxiu, so we can only take a conservative approach, trying to guide it to awaken and repair itself on its own. The process might take a very long time, and she told me to wait patiently." Han Qingyu unconsciously avoided their gazes. Wen Jifei: "That's it?" "Yeah, what else could there be? I've thought it over. Under the current circumstances, rather than forcing Zhe Qiuhong to try a risky treatment on me, my chances are better if I place my hopes on the remaining half of the skeleton near the moon." Han Qingyu voiced his thoughts. Given humanity's current situation, if any crisis or unexpected event arose, he certainly wouldn't have the luxury of time to wait patiently for the Yanxiu to recover naturally. When the moment came, his only choice would be to go there in person and strive to locate the remaining half of the skeleton as quickly as possible to achieve recovery—or even enhancement. "That makes sense too," Wen Jifei nodded. "But your current expression and state don't look like they're about this. You look a bit strange," Yang Qingbai said skeptically. "So you definitely have something else going on, and it's something awkward to talk about. Did she... make a move on you?!" Han Qingyu: "..." *They can even tell that? Am I really still stuck in the beginner's village when it comes to certain things?* "Spill it," Wen Jifei urged from the side. "It's really nothing much." Han Qingyu paused, turned to look at the distant sky, and mumbled, "She just asked me for something, saying that if the Fireseed Fleet actually sets off, they could take it along." "Did you give it to her?!" "Did you?!" Han Qingyu hadn't expected Wen Jifei and Yang Qingbai to be so sharp. Without needing even a second to think, they had already deduced the exact answer, their eyes roving lewdly toward a certain part of his body. "Not yet. I said I'd think about it. Dr. Zhe said that's fine too—with so many devices currently hooked up to me, she was worried it might affect things." Han Qingyu made sure to clarify that his innocence remained intact. Actually, Zhe Qiuhong had also mentioned that it would be best to test whether he still had normal reproductive function after fusing with the Yanxiu. But as a man, this was obviously something he couldn't share with these mischievous friends of his. Just as Zhe Qiuhong had also noted that given the unique nature of Rusty Sister's body, if there were any need in this regard, it would be best to get her examined as soon as possible before the Fireseed Fleet departed. Those two matters had nothing to do with each other anyway, so there was no need to bring them up together. "Why would you even need to think about it?" Yang Qingbai asked with utter incomprehension. Han Qingyu: "Wouldn't you? If it were you guys..." "I'd agree! Without hesitation, I'd agree immediately. My only concern would be the details of how they're going to ask me for it, and by what method," Yang Qingbai said, spreading his hands with frank enthusiasm. Only then did Han Qingyu remember that back in the day, Yang Qingbai had actually been Stream Blades' other young master aside from Liu Shiheng. If he didn't bring it up himself, everyone almost forgot his past reputation. Back then, he had only been conscripted by Azure because he happened to run into a Great Spike airship landing while he was out in the wild fooling around in a bouncing car. Han Qingyu turned his gaze toward Wen Jifei. "I'd have to ask Yao Yue." "You can even ask about that?!" "Why not? It's purely a scientific question," Wen Jifei said with a playful grin. "And a major scientific question concerning the fate and future of the human species," Yang Qingbai chimed in with emphasis. Wen Jifei: "Exactly!" Han Qingyu turned to look at Wu Xu. "..." Wu Xu's eyes pondered for a moment. "What... are you guys talking about?" He hadn't caught on yet. Yang Qingbai simply laid it out in plain terms. After listening, Wu Xu was startled at first, and then seemed somewhat conflicted. "Is this... a mission?" Wu Xu directed an inquiring look at Qingzi. "Yeah, it's a mission," Han Qingyu said. Wu Xu: "..." His eyes looked thoroughly conflicted and innocent, the picture of pitiable helplessness. By the time the group returned to Fenglong'ao amid chatter and laughter, Han Youshan and Zhang Jiexia were already waiting atop the high earthen slope at the village entrance. Standing side by side and gazing into the distance, the two looked as if cast in stone. It gave the impression that at every single moment, the second their son was out of sight, they were terrified he might suddenly never return. Han Qingyu felt a pang of melancholy watching them, but Wen Jifei abruptly interrupted, saying, "Look at that. What a wonderful thing Zhe Qiuhong proposed! What are you still hesitating for?" "Huh?" Han Qingyu looked at him suspiciously, wondering how this connected at all. "If you accept, you can walk up right now, puff out your chest, and tell your parents that the grandchildren they've been longing for will soon be scattered across the universe. And in all likelihood, a whole bunch of female scientists will be lining up to bear your children," Wen Jifei said. "My parents would beat me to death," Han Qingyu retorted crossly. He knew his parents' temperament well. They wouldn't see that as having descendants scattered across the universe. If they found out, they would only feel that their grandchildren were left to drift alone, pitiful and unloved. Besides, what they wanted wasn't so many grandchildren who appeared out of nowhere, devoid of any emotional foundation or process. ... Dinner was just as sumptuous. Zhang Jiexia seemed keenly aware that the time her son could stay at home was destined not to be long, so she kept varying the dishes each day. Before the meal began, as the sunset started to descend, Rusty Sister and Shen Fengting also returned from the base. As usual, the large round table was set up in the courtyard. The atmosphere around the table was delightful, best described as a rustic, tranquil liveliness. Villagers and neighbors walked by intentionally or casually, offering warm greetings over the courtyard wall while politely declining the invitations from Han Qingyu's parents. After dinner, it was still early, and there was nothing pressing that had to be done. Han Qingyu was contemplating whether he might head over to the threshing ground later to sit, chat, and watch the stars. "Qingzi, how about your family takes a family portrait?" Wen Jifei suddenly produced a camera from somewhere and suggested. Han Qingyu was taken aback. A family portrait? Come to think of it, it really had been ages since they took one. If they didn't take one now, who knew if there would ever be another chance. "No way! There are only three of us—what's there to take?!" Mother Han's tone sounded annoyed, but anyone could tell she was merely acting out of habit, seizing the chance to express her dissatisfaction and urge him to marry. Right after saying it, she instantly began to regret her words, changing her tune with a slight lament. "Well, we could, but even adding General Jiang, that's only four of us." As a country mother, Zhang Jiexia's longing for a family portrait was simply to see the frame packed full, with both old and young—what an old saying called a thriving household with flourishing descendants. "Don't worry, can't I count as one, Godmother?" Wen Jifei took the initiative to liven up the mood. Seeing that Zhang Jiexia seemed open to it, he added, "Then let's do this: first one with just the three of you, then another with General Jiang and me. If..." Unnoticed by anyone, Wu Xu had quietly walked over from the corner and stood there stiffly. Xu'er lacked the ability to express himself directly. With an uneasy look in his eyes, he glanced first at Wen Jifei, then at Zhang Jiexia and Han Youshan, hesitating for a long time before finally managing to speak: "I've never taken a family portrait... Can I take one with you?" "Of course, of course you can! Xu'er, come, quick, come over to me," Zhang Jiexia smiled and hurriedly waved him over. "Come on over, Xu'er," Han Youshan urged as well. "Qingbai, you come too." Seeing this, Wen Jifei turned once more to look at Shen Yixiu, his tone loaded with deliberate meaning. "So, does Rusty Sister want to take one too?" "Of course! She'll join. Go on, Xiuxiu." Seeing his granddaughter looking awkward and flustered, Shen Fengting answered for her and gently pushed her forward. Then he stepped up, took the camera from Wen Jifei's hands, and said, "I'll take the photos. I was into photography for a while years ago, so my skills are decent. Let's take several while we're at it." ... Rushing before the sun set completely, Zhang Jiexia hurried off in a flurry to change into new clothes and comb her hair. Han Youshan went to change as well. He put on a pair of black leather shoes, black trousers, and a white dress shirt that he seemed to cherish deeply, tucking the hem neatly into his belt. On this day, beneath the glorious sunset of Fenglong'ao, inside the Han family courtyard: The camera shutter clicked for the first time. Zhang Jiexia stood straight in the center of the frame, flanked behind by her son and her husband. The shutter clicked a second time. Zhang Jiexia and Han Youshan stood side by side in the center, flanked by Han Qingyu, Wen Jifei, and Wu Xu, while Jiang Longchi sat in front of them in a high-backed armchair. The shutter clicked a third time. Rusty Sister was surrounded in the center, standing in front of the Han couple, looking intensely nervous. The shutter clicked a fourth time. The nervous Rusty Sister suddenly leaned sideways and flashed a peace sign. Zhang Jiexia and Han Youshan beamed from ear to ear. The shutter clicked a fifth time. The younger generation grinned playfully at the camera.