The latest batch of matured oranges, transported by a fully AI-controlled carrier, has departed from the E69 Fengge cultivation planet. The carrier sliced through the vast sky, breaking free from the atmosphere, leaving behind a bright trail amidst the clouds. In the kitchen, Grandma was preparing her signature smoked ham pizza with chicken breast, avocado oil vinaigrette salad. Auston was lending a hand, no longer the kitchen novice he used to be. His movements in handling vegetables and meat were no longer clumsy, though he still mostly assisted, he has become a more proficient kitchen helper.
After boiling the chicken breast until it’s slightly cooled, Grandma teared it into strips. She pinched a strip of chicken breast and dipped it into the black pepper oil and vinegar sauce she prepared. “Auston, come and try. How does it taste?”
Standing beside Grandma, Auston turned his head and ate the strip of chicken breast from Grandma’s hand. After chewing, he praised, “Grandma, this tastes really delicious.”
Grandma smiled, her eyes narrowing into slits, “Haha, let me tell you, Ryan has already received my culinary skills. When he’s out and not at home, just ask him to cook if you crave this taste.”
“Ryan often cooks for me,” Auston said as he looked at the evenly sliced avocado he cut, pursing his lips. “Grandma, I want to learn to cook for Ryan.”
Grandma playfully raised her eyebrows, expressing her joy. What could be better than having a grandson who loves and is loved by his partner? “Alright, Grandma will teach you a few simple yet delicious dishes. Do you want to keep it a secret from Ryan?” Grandma lowered her voice, conspiring with Auston.
Auston nodded, “Yes, let’s give him a surprise.”
“Grandma loves surprises the most.” When Grandma first learned Auston’s last name, she was a bit worried. However, as they spent more time together, she realized he was a good kid. Growing fond of him, she hopes they can bring new life to the family, “Grandma likes girls.”
The sudden shift in the conversation caught Auston off guard. After a moment, he recovered, and his cheeks involuntarily turned red, “Um, yeah, I like girls too.”
“However, the matter of having children depends on fate. Whether it’s a boy or a girl, as long as it’s your child, Grandma will love them,” the old grandmother comforted Auston. “Don’t carry any psychological burden. Grandma has lived for so many years and has seen a lot. Sometimes, things you really want to achieve may not happen when you’re anxious. Relax, eh, and you’ll find that, inadvertently, you’ve achieved it. That’s how it was when I was pregnant with Ryan’s dad. Right after getting married, I really wanted our own little baby. Whenever we had some free time, I’d pull Ryan’s grandpa to do that, haha, he used to joke that I was going to empty his pockets.”
Grandma has a cheerful personality. Recalling the humorous moments with grandpa, her aged yet lively eyes reflect the shyness and affection she had during the early days of marriage. All these emotions merge into one word—love.
“Do you know how long our private world lasted?”
Auston shook his head, “How long, Grandma?”
“Haha, thirty years. I was almost fed up with that old rascal.” Grandma spoke with a hint of disdain, but deep down, she missed grandpa a lot. “During that time, I would often lose my temper, scold him, and even hit him for no reason. Then, you know what happened? Boom! We had Ryan’s dad in less than three years, and soon after, we got Ryan’s uncle. Later, we wanted a girl, and I was pregnant at that time…”
Grandma’s eyes glisten with moisture. She shook her head, cutting off the topic before the tears fall. “The past is in the past. Let’s not talk about it anymore, haha. Let’s not talk about it. Grandma just wants to tell you not to rush. Having children is fate. Who knows, they might come when you least expect it.” She playfully glanced at Auston’s stomach. “Maybe there’s already a little cutie in there by now.”
Auston felt a bit awkward under Grandma’s gaze, mixed with a hint of anticipation. It’s different from when they first got married. Back then, the focus was on completing the mission quickly, producing an heir for the Dalton family, and stabilizing the scattered sentiments within the Dalton family. Now, he looked forward to having a child with both of their bloodlines.
Ryan and Auston were about to complete three months back on the E69 cultivation planet. In three more days, they planned to leave home for the capital planet to spend the rest of the vacation, handling various Dalton family matters, preparing for the National Day parade, and welcoming the once-every-three-years parliamentary session. There’s a lot to do, and they can’t afford to stay in the warm, comfortable, quiet, and cozy E69 cultivation planet indefinitely.
Next, Grandma taught Auston several simple yet tasty dishes, such as the classic Chinese tomato and scrambled eggs. Grandma mentioned that he could replace tomatoes with anything—cucumber with eggs, zucchini with eggs, bell pepper with eggs… Learn one, and you have a whole world of egg dishes. She also imparted some other cooking skills, ensuring that Ryan would be in for a satisfying surprise.
While Grandma and Auston were busy in the kitchen, Ryan, who also wanted to stay inside, got kicked out. He ended up sitting under the eaves, bored, watching the vivid blue sky gradually darken. He observed the sun casting long shadows, the sky adorned with brilliant clouds, and two transport ships—one heading east, the other west—slicing through the sky as they leave E69. They were carrying the large oranges produced in the Western Orchard to the Victory Base of the Honor Legion and the Gamma Base of the Golden Crusade Legion. The first batch of oranges received unanimous praise from the soldiers. Some exaggeratedly claimed that taking a sip was like a blind person seeing the sun in the darkness.
The feedback from the supermarket was also fantastic. Merchant Riggs, witnessing the oranges repeatedly breaking sales records, deeply regrets his earlier disdain. If he hadn’t shown aversion, Mr. Smith wouldn’t have called his son to showcase the oranges. If Mr. Smith hadn’t called his son and daughter-in-law over, the orchard’s fruit trees could have been chosen freely… The losses he incurred were all in terms of money. Oh, the agony!
Ryan doesn’t know, nor does he care about Mr. Rigg’s mood. He thought his old man was quite happy, laughing every day as he watched the growing funds in the account. He was even planning to give generous red envelopes to the hardworking employees and family members during the year-end. Bored, Ryan picked up a book from nearby. The title was “The Past of Emperor Qin Feng and His Friends,” a reference book brought back by his cousin. The pile of books about the Black Emperor that he bought remained in his cousin’s study. Whether his cousin and Auston read them, he had no idea.
Connor began his largest book tour since becoming famous about half a month ago, invited by the publishing house. The first stop of the book tour was Newnes, and the second was the second-tier planet, Beland—Fan Lanting’s hometown. Fan Lanting accompanied Connor, saying it was a good opportunity to visit home.
Ryan casually opened and flipped through the book, and the first thing he came across was something he didn’t know—The Emperor likes to take a stroll by the side of the Dolan River at dusk, discussing important domestic affairs with the Chief Justice Gustav.
Ryan: “…” No, the Emperor walking by the lake is only thinking about catching a couple of fish, seeing how fat the artificially fed koi in the Dolan River have become. The daytime is already busy enough; the hour after dinner is his time to not use his brain.
Skipping past this page, Ryan came across a description in the book: The Emperor greatly admired the Minister of Education, Li, whom he personally nurtured. Minister Li, with his straightforward personality, often had his sharp opinions adopted by the Emperor. The Emperor said that Li was his mirror, reflecting all his shortcomings, making him the best advisor.
After reading this, Ryan couldn’t help but chuckle. He wondered if Qin Feng had a loose screw in his head to keep a blunt “blockhead” around, causing him trouble all the time. Every night before going to sleep, he contemplated climbing over the wall to tie up Li in a sack.
This book written by later generations was nonsense, Ryan thought, pursing his lips. He was about to throw it away when he decided to let Connor read it himself. He wouldn’t disgust himself. As the pages fluttered in the wind, nearly half the book passed like the swift retreat of time. Suddenly, a photo caught Ryan’s eye—a picture of six young and vibrant individuals, looking confidently at the camera. It was taken in the first month of Qin Feng Anderson’s transition from the military to politics.
The person standing in the middle of the photo had become the highest ruler of the empire—Qin Feng Anderson. He wasn’t particularly robust, and he was not the tallest among the group. With black hair, brown eyes, and typical East Asian features, he wore a gentle smile. Who could have imagined that he would become the iron-fisted ruler of the empire? To his right was the Supreme Commander of the military, James Dalton, Auston’s great-great-grandfather, a man who appeared stern and rigid. To the right of him was the future Chief Justice of the Empire, Bilbo Gustav. Standing at the far right was the Minister of Education, Li Minghao. On the left side of Emperor Qin Feng was the Director of the National Research Institute, Grove Bromfield. On the far left, glancing away from the camera, was the Minister of Health, Denise Lannister, the only woman among the six.
Who would have thought that in the photo, they were just individuals who had begun to show their potential in their respective fields? Later, they would become the pillars of the empire, ushering in a new era.
After briefly pausing on the photo, Ryan decisively closed the book. He didn’t need a closer look to know that this photo was an edited version. As history marched forward, some people slowly faded away.
“Ryan.”
“Hey,” Auston called out, and Ryan tossed the book aside, standing up and entering the room. He asked eagerly, “What do you need me to do? Is it time for dinner?”
Wearing a light blue apron with strawberry patterns, Auston nervously handed a bowl of steamed egg custard to Ryan. The tender yellow custard contained delicate shrimp and a few vibrant green peas. The sprinkled chives on top might seem a bit much, but it certainly didn’t affect the overall aesthetics.
“Start with a bowl of steamed egg custard to fill your stomach,” encouraged by the grandmother’s eyes, Auston served it to Ryan.
Seated at the table, Ryan picked up a spoon. Under Auston’s hopeful gaze, he scooped up a bite of the custard and put it in his mouth. His eyebrows shot up, “Delicious!”
“Really?” Auston asked eagerly.
Ryan nodded vigorously, exaggerating his emotions to show appreciation, “Yes, it’s really delicious. It must be Grandma’s. It’s been a while since I had Grandma’s steamed egg custard. The taste is amazing.”
Unable to contain his inner joy, Auston laughed. He didn’t tell Ryan that he made the dish himself. “Go ahead and eat more. The whole bowl is for you. I’ll go back to the kitchen to help.”
“Sure, sure.” Ryan looked up and saw Grandma standing at the kitchen door, smiling at them. She gestured playfully, indicating that he should finish the meal.
Grandma had taught Auston to make steamed egg custard and emphasized using just a little salt. Clearly, Auston misunderstood the concept of “a little,” and when Grandma tasted it, the custard was salty enough to rival a salt merchant. Ryan immediately knew it wasn’t Grandma’s handiwork; it must be Auston’s. He reassured himself that, aside from being a bit salty, it tasted good, and drinking more water after the meal would solve the issue.
During dinner, Grandma’s smoked ham pizza received unanimous praise. Many liked the salad, even though the dressing wasn’t made by Auston. While eating, Ryan drank water like crazy. The creamy pumpkin soup couldn’t quench his parched throat, and only continuous sipping of water made him feel better.
After finishing the meal and taking a short break, everyone prepared to go back to their rooms. Grandma called out to Ryan, “Ryan, come with me.”
“Oh, okay.” Ryan nodded and quickly walked a few steps to support Grandma’s arm, following her.
Grandma’s room was on the east side of the first floor, with a sliding door that opened into a small garden. The room was well-lit, with good air and a pleasant environment. The interior was decorated warmly with contrasting fabric sofas (sweet orange and lime green, reminiscent of an orchard in the afternoon), a white porcelain vase with fresh flowers, an aged wooden wardrobe, and a sturdy bed adorned with several cartoon throw pillows. A wine-red circular rug lay at the foot of the bed.
The walls, adorned with light milky yellow wallpaper, were covered with numerous photos: individual portraits of Grandma and Grandpa when they were young, their wedding photo when Grandma wore a white wedding gown, and Grandpa a black suit, happily leaning against each other—they had a love marriage. There were pictures of all the family members and photos of Ryan from childhood to adulthood. Now, a new picture was added, featuring Ryan and Auston standing together, and in the future, there would be photos of their children.
Next to the glass sliding door was a white recliner. With Ryan’s assistance, Grandma sat down. The rocking chair, made by Grandpa some years ago, made a faint creaking sound as Grandma settled into it. In the gentle, age-laden sound, Grandma pointed to a five-drawer chest, saying, “Ryan, take out the album inside.”
“Got it, Grandma.”
Ryan walked over and took out an old album from the designated chest. The album had seen some years, with edges and corners showing signs of wear and a vintage style that reflected the trends during Qin Feng Anderson’s later years. Ryan handed the album to Grandma, who placed it on her lap. With her aged, wrinkled hands gently caressing it, she sighed and said, “This holds the history of the Qin family.”
Grandma gestured for Ryan to bring a small stool and sit beside her. “Let’s look at it together.”
Following her suggestion, Ryan fetched a small stool and sat next to Grandma. She opened the album, and the photos that Ryan had just seen before dinner entered his sight again. However, the ones in the album were the complete versions, unlike the cropped ones in the book.
Emperor Qin Feng Anderson had different figures on his left and right sides in the photos. On his right was his adopted son, the plump and fair Antonio Stark. On the left was the Emperor’s cousin, Qin Hao. They respectively served as the Emperor’s deputy and the head of the intelligence bureau. The former resigned due to a tax evasion scandal and, after enduring three years of imprisonment, left the capital star. The latter was accused of treason and disappeared before reaching trial.
On the far left of the photo, beside Denise Lannister and the person she was gazing at, stood the somewhat grim-looking Yuheng Tyrell, later known as the Betrayer.
“Ryan, do you still remember the stories Grandma used to tell you when you were a child?”
Ryan nodded, “Yes, I remember. Our family is supposed to have the surname Qin, descendants of Emperor’s cousin Qin Hao. Our great-great-grandfather was framed, accused of treason. With the help of a good friend, the family escaped before the trial.”
“Good child, very clever. Grandma mentioned this to you when you were five, and you still remember it now.” Grandma hesitated when telling Ryan, whether to completely forget this family history and not tell the descendants, or to reveal it and warn future generations. In the end, Grandma chose the latter, but she was careful and mentioned it when Ryan was still a child. When Ryan grows up, if he still remembers, she’ll tell him the rest of the story. If Ryan has forgotten, then let it be forgotten.
Ryan smiled and said, “Well, I am your grandson after all.”
“Always saying good things.” Grandma raised her hand and touched Ryan’s face. Her fingers were rough with age, but they felt warm. “Grandma asked you to come and talk about this not to make you seek the truth behind the injustice suffered by our ancestors or to risk helping the Qin family clear their name. When Grandma found out that your loved one has the surname Dalton, she worried that you might do something because of this. She also feared that the descendants of the Dalton family might treat the descendants of the Qin family unfairly.”
“Grandma…”
“Hush, listen to Grandma finish.” Grandma’s gaze returned to the photo. These people in the photo were once friends, but later became opponents, with a hint of betrayal, secretly enjoying glory for hundreds of years behind the scenes. That tumultuous period had passed, and descendants had their own lives. The Qin family was no longer as powerful as before, just living ordinary lives under new names on the small planting star, unable to provide a strong backing for Ryan. “The interstellar pirates’ plunder of E69, which robbed Grandma of Grandpa, the child in her belly, and her young and healthy body, also made Grandma see many things clearly. Life and death have fate, wealth and nobility are in the hands of fate. One never knows which will come first, accidents or tomorrow. Before Grandpa closed his eyes in Grandma’s arms, he reminded Grandma to tell the children not to dwell on the past and to live their lives well.”
“Now Grandma is telling you the same thing. Live your own little life, don’t dwell on the past.”
Ryan gently closed the door. Grandma watched the slender figure outside the window gradually disappear, but her advice still echoed in his ears—don’t dwell on the past, don’t seek revenge or justice, don’t try to uncover the truth.
He sighed. Sometimes, it’s not that he actively seeks the truth, but rather the truth seems to be chasing him. Perhaps it’s a sense of duty, a curiosity floating in the vast universe, wanting to understand the reasons behind everything. He promised Grandma not to actively search, to let things unfold naturally, and he would understand when the time comes.
He shook his head self-deprecatingly. If Yuan Chu knew, he would surely say he’s not assertive.
Opening his palm, a small brass key lay quietly in the center. It was the key he saw when taking the photo album, casually bringing it along. It’s the key to the underground basement of the Qin family’s house on the capital star. He wondered if, after seven hundred years, the house still stood, and if anything remained in the basement.
- ··
The happy and carefree days passed by in a blink, and the good times slipped away like sand held in the hand, quickly fading. Ryan and Auston were about to leave the E69 planting star.
Upon the advice of their parents, they chose not to take a transport ship to quickly reach the capital star. Instead, they signed up for a ten-day cruise in the Stormwind and Life star regions. After reaching the Life star region, they planned to find a transport ship to speed up their journey. The ten-day cruise was Ryan and Auston’s honeymoon trip, with a romantic and warm itinerary. Their parents highly recommended it, having already booked the tickets, hinting that there might be a honeymoon baby.
If it weren’t for the ten-day cruise, they could have stayed a few more days on the planting star.
“I really hate to leave.” Ryan hugged his parents, as well as his grandmother, aunt, and bid farewell to his uncle’s family and Uncle Potter and his wife, who came to see them off. He looked at his teary-eyed mother and his father with reddened eyes. “While we haven’t left yet, there’s still time to regret. We can just cancel the cruise tickets.”
“No, you can’t!” His mother’s voice carried an obvious sob, “Children grow up and need to fly. You can’t stay by your parents’ side all day. Both of you should have your own lives, get along well, and nurture your relationship.”
Ryan took the handkerchief from his mother’s hand and gently wiped away her tears. “I’m not the kind to stay at home all the time.”
His mother hugged Ryan, crying silently. After a while, she let go and pushed his shoulder, “Go, go, don’t stay around and be a bother.”
Ryan was pushed away, and Auston was embraced by his mother. She said, “Ryan is a silly boy. He doesn’t know how to express love or sweet talk. He actually likes you a lot, just doesn’t know how to show it. Don’t find your life together boring.”
“Mom, Ryan is really good. It’s me who doesn’t know how to express.” Auston hugged his mom, feeling the long-lost maternal love from her. He really didn’t want to leave the planting star. “Take care of yourselves, and when we have the next vacation, Ryan and I will come back home.”
“Okay, okay.” His mom had stopped crying, patting Auston on the back as she held him. “Good child, Mom and Dad will always keep the door open for you to come back.”
“Seeing off a loved one for a thousand miles, eventually there must be a parting.”
Although not entirely fitting for a family farewell, the sentiment in this scene was appropriate. Ryan and Auston stood at the entrance of the small starship, unwilling to leave, but they had to go after all.
Ryan noticed a small white figure squatting next to his grandma. Pretending not to see, he turned to put his arm around Auston’s shoulder. The little creature, the stubborn small thing that refused to move from its spot, let out a couple of coos, as if bidding farewell to everyone. It flapped its wings and swiftly flew into the small starship, leaving a smug little silhouette for Ryan. It was Da Fu, the griffin creature, and it was not going to be left behind.
Under the gaze of many relatives and friends, the small starship ascended, accelerating through the atmosphere of E69. After flying a distance, it escaped the gravitational pull of the planting star and smoothly cruised in space. E69 transformed into a blue planet in their eyes.
“Yuan Chu, head towards the space station outside of Newnes.” Ryan instructed.
Yuan Chu, piloting the small starship, responded, “Yes, sir.”
Seated at the pilot’s seat, Yuan Chu was accompanied by a smaller humanoid robot at the co-pilot seat. A vast star map unfolded in front of the eyes of Code Zero. He was surveying and planning the route for the journey after the ten-day starship tour.
Auston held Da Fu, who had grown quite a bit, by the window. His hand absentmindedly scratched Da Fu’s head, and Da Fu happily cooed softly, resembling a large-winged cat. Auston’s gaze fixed on the receding and shrinking planting star, a feeling of melancholy filling his heart. Just as they left, he already wanted to go back. There were gentle parents, a loving grandmother, and friendly relatives. There were orchards filled with fruit, fields covered in strawberries, herds of cattle and sheep, vast grasslands, and flower seas. He and Ryan had almost explored every corner of the planting star, intimately touching each other under the starry night, by the seaside, on the prairie, and in many other places, experiencing the pleasure of becoming one.
Life on the planting star was plain, and the soul was calm. Leaving was truly difficult.
Standing beside him was Ryan.
“When the next vacation comes, we’ll come back.”
Auston nodded, “Yeah, looking forward to the next vacation.”
“Soon, when you have a lot on your plate, time seems to fly, and in the blink of an eye…” Ryan grabbed the back of Da Fu’s neck, lifting the increasingly heavy creature, “Little Da Fu will grow into Big Da Fu.”
Da Fu closed its mouth in displeasure. It didn’t make a fuss because it knew that Ryan’s methods were ineffective in this situation. It was better to be carried like a lifeless salted fish, not resisting.
Not resisting didn’t mean it couldn’t seek help. With watery amber eyes, Da Fu looked at its master, making Auston’s heart soften. He reached out and took Da Fu from Ryan’s hands. Following Da Fu’s back, Auston said, “While it’s still not too big, I can still carry it. Let me hold it a bit more.”
Da Fu wiggled its butt, burying its head in Auston’s arms, making soft cooing sounds as if complaining about Ryan’s unreasonable actions.
With these playful banter and jokes, the lingering melancholy finally faded a bit, and before them appeared the vast tourist starship.
The tourist starship, similar to the cruise ships of ancient Earth, combined travel, sightseeing, and exploration activities. The Shakespeare-class tourist starship was about one-fifth the size of the mobile fortress Kintoki, capable of accommodating over ten thousand people in one go, including all onboard staff. Its design resembled a massive whale, with countless windows on both sides of the ship, distinguishing it from military vessels. The focus here was not on defense but on providing convenient views along the journey.
The privately owned small starships were docked on the belly of the tourist starship. Thanks to early ticket reservations by Ryan’s parents, they secured a good location—not near the constantly roaring engines but on the right front side, convenient for both boarding and future detachment.
The boarding small starships looked like small fish attached to the belly of a whale, ready to embark on the journey as the colossal tourist starship set sail.
Setting off with the tourist starship were six escort ships. With Ryan and Auston’s discerning eyes, they quickly identified these as decommissioned military vessels. The personnel on the escort ships exhibited disciplined conduct, mainly consisting of retired military personnel. As long as they operated appropriately, the defensive index for this journey remained relatively high.
When navigating through space, the greatest concern was encountering pirates. Despite being within the Glory Legion’s radiation range in the Stormwind region, piracy was still a threat. The universe is vast, and there are many places humans cannot oversee. Having robust defense measures when traveling is never excessive.
After their small starship was secured on the Shakespeare-class starship, Ryan and Auston, accompanied by Yuan Chu, Code Zero, and Da Fu, headed to their room on the starship. A procession of robots followed them, carrying their luggage. Since they were embarking on a cruise, there was no reason to stay exclusively on their personal starship. Of course, they intended to enjoy the services provided on the tourist starship.
As they walked down the corridor outside the first-class suite on the upper deck, guided by the starship service personnel, Ryan and Auston suddenly heard someone call out from behind, “Ryan!”
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Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152