ABFMV Chapter 7 Part 1

The floating bed had already risen, and Xu Linlang was curled up under the blanket, asking lazily, “Who is it? I’m about to go to sleep.”

No one answered.

It seemed whoever was there must have left after hearing her.

But three minutes later, there was another knock at the door.

A mechanical, even-toned voice came from outside: “I know I’m disturbing you, but I would like to see you.”

That voice… was it a smart robot?

Xu Linlang found it strange—why would a robot want to see her at night?

She pressed the door control button, and a round-headed little robot slowly rolled inside.

The more she looked at it, the more familiar it seemed, as if she’d seen it somewhere before.

Then it clicked—wasn’t this the cooking robot she’d spotted in the kitchen the other day?

The robot tilted its head up and said, “Good evening, Miss. I’m C8, the domestic cooking unit responsible for meals at the Marshal’s estate.”

On its round head, a spectrum panel displayed eyes and a mouth, allowing it to make surprisingly clear and expressive facial expressions.

Xu Linlang asked, “It’s so late. What do you need from me?”

C8 showed a bashful expression. “I’m sorry, but this is the only time I’m off duty. I have to work again tomorrow, and before you leave, I won’t have another chance to rest.”

Xu Linlang couldn’t help sighing. “Wait, even robots in this era have to work 996 hours?”

No—actually, this looked worse than 996. More like 007.

If she guessed right, C8 was responsible for preparing food for everyone in the Marshal’s estate from morning to night, an enormous workload. Even when it wasn’t busy, it still had to stand by in case the masters suddenly wanted something.

C8 didn’t understand what she meant and blinked in confusion. “Miss, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Xu Linlang waved it off. “It’s nothing. So what did you need to see me for?”

C8 swayed side to side, almost shy. “Um… Miss, I heard you’re going to Lilan Military Academy. Could you… take me with you?”

Xu Linlang frowned. “Take you with me?”

C8 nodded earnestly. “I want to stay by your side to improve my cooking. These past few days, I’ve been thinking a lot, and it’s only because of you that I realized how many shortcomings I still have.”

That was the last thing Xu Linlang expected.

A robot… this eager to learn and improve?

As a human, she suddenly felt ashamed.

“But if you come with me, who will handle meals here at the Marshal’s estate?” she asked.

Sensing that she was wavering, C8 hurried to reassure her. “Please don’t worry, Miss. Units C1 through C7 are also here to serve the Marshal’s estate. If you agree to take me, everything will be fine.”

Its gaze was so sincere, so full of longing, that it was hard for Xu Linlang to refuse.

In the end, she softened. “Alright then. You can come with me.”

C8 practically jumped with joy like a child, its eyes glowing. Then it carefully rolled over to the corner, pressed a button on its body with its mechanical arm, and slowly crouched down.

It looked exactly like a little mushroom growing at the base of the wall.

After completing its little routine, C8 tilted its head at her and said, “I’ll just rest here for the night. That way, it’ll be easy for you to take me with you tomorrow.”

Its enthusiasm was like a school kid excited for a field trip the next morning.

Bringing C8 along didn’t seem like a bad idea. Xu Linlang still didn’t know much about this world or the Marshal’s estate, and there were things she couldn’t easily ask people. Having C8, who had been here all along, might be very useful.

The next morning, after a night’s rest, Xu Linlang rubbed her eyes as she got up—only to see Rong Ruyue sitting neatly on the sofa, folding fresh clothes and carefully packing them into her suitcase.

When she noticed Xu Linlang was awake, her eyes turned a little red. “Your child… Going to military school is one thing, but why are you in such a hurry? I didn’t even have time to prepare properly.”

Xu Linlang glanced at the mountain of luggage practically covering the floor.

This was what she called “not enough time to prepare”?

She couldn’t even imagine what it would look like if her mother had prepared seriously.

But when she reached the Marshal’s estate gates, Xu Linlang realized her imagination had truly been limited by poverty.

Floating above were no fewer than seven or eight massive warships, each more than a thousand meters long, flanked by dozens of elite smaller vessels on both wings.

She had seen these fleets before in A Comprehensive History of the Stars. They were among the Empire’s finest, described in great detail in the texts. And now, they were right in front of her.

And yet, Rong Ruyue still wasn’t satisfied.

“Sweetheart, maybe you should wait a bit longer. This is your first time traveling so far. During hyperspace jumps, you might run into Celestials out there. I should call in a few more warships just to be safe.”

Xu Linlang cut her off. “That’s enough. These ships are more than enough.”

But Rong Ruyue still looked uneasy. “It’s not about being paranoid, it’s about being prepared.”

“Mom, I trust the fleet Father trained. Nothing will happen.”

She looked at the worry and reluctance in her mother’s eyes and felt a wave of emotion she couldn’t put into words.

This kind of unconditional warmth and love burned so fiercely.

But the truth was, the original Xu Linlang had already died. She was just a stand-in.

And because of that, she had to live better, avoid repeating the past, and make sure Rong Ruyue never got hurt again.

Xu Linlang hugged her mother gently and whispered, “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll take good care of myself.”

And I’ll live well enough for both myself and the life the original Xu Linlang never got to live.

And thank you, too, for loving me unconditionally and accepting me as I am. Because of that warmth, I’ve been able to adapt to this world.

Rong Ruyue gently stroked her head, still reluctant to let her go, murmuring her name over and over.