Chapter 46
On the last day of the 216th year in the Star calendar, the weather forecast indicated heavy snow. Qi Yan glanced out the window at the gloomy sky, pulled the covers tighter around him, and continued to indulge in the warmth of his bed.
Since the last two days of each month were designated as holidays, Turan Academy’s class schedule was typically empty. Qi Yan turned on his personal terminal and delved into the latest research progress on Pojun.
Just a minute after submitting his update, his communication device buzzed, leading Qi Yan to suspect that August had implemented a monitoring system that would alert him whenever he made an update.
“Qi Yan, you actually completed Pojun in three months?”
With half-closed eyes, Qi Yan responded with a grunt, then explained, “I have my mother’s foundation, and I started designing it twenty months before I came to Leto. But, at that time, my reality distortion was quite severe, so I didn’t dare to really restart the project.”
August sighed. “Was it just ‘quite severe’ back then? You have no idea how many times Elisa cried in secret. We were all terrified that you would never be able to wake up from your chaotic memories.”
Qi Yan rarely recalled the specific circumstances of that time because to this day, he still couldn’t distinguish which memories were real and which were self-fabricated. He simply said, “I made you worry.”
“In any case, you only took three months to create Pojun! Even if we add the twenty-one months of designing, that’s only two years! You made Pojun in two years!”
Listening to August’s excited speech, Qi Yan’s expression relaxed. “The specific effects can’t be tested yet.”
August was somewhat impatient, “You need to connect to the central control system of the military starship, right? Do you want to take a leave of absence and submit an application to go to the front lines?”
“Not yet. We’ll wait until the data core of Pojun is mined,” Qi Yan said. Keeping his own plans to himself, he changed the subject, “Tomorrow is New Year’s, August. Happy New Year!”
August’s hearty laughter echoed. “How many times have I corrected you? In formal settings like this, you should address me as ‘Uncle August’! I’ve corrected you every year, and yet, you still don’t follow it! But this year, it’s your first time celebrating New Year outside. It must feel a bit strange.”
Qi Yan didn’t hesitate to point out, “Last New Year you were in the lab. The year before, you encountered a difficult problem and locked yourself in your room for a week. And the year before that, you were sick, confined to the treatment pod for two days and nights. So, we’ve spent three New Year’s apart.”
August laughed. “Qi Yan, can’t we forget about all that?”
Qi Yan’s lips relaxed slightly. “No, my memory is too good. I can’t forget.”
At that moment, Elisa’s voice came from the other end, “August, are you talking to Qi Yan?”
Qi Yan took the initiative to greet her, “Happy New Year, Aunt Elisa.”
Elisa’s voice was filled with laughter, “Happy New Year, Qi Yan! Are you going anywhere special today?”
Qi Yan glanced instinctively towards the door and replied, “Probably. We might go to the Diamond Sky Plaza to watch the fountain performance and join the New Year countdown.”
Lu Fenghan mentioned it to him last night before bed. He said that since Pojun was completed and the Qi family matters were settled, it would be perfect to join the New Year festivities.
Elisa felt relieved. “Finally, our Qi Yan is going out to have some fun!”
Qi Yan tried to argue back, but his voice lacked conviction, “I’ve always known how to have fun.” He hesitated for a moment before mentioning, “Qi Wenshao… passed away a few days ago. His current wife fed him ‘River Alkali.'”
Elisa and August had been close friends with Lin Zhi, so naturally, they knew who Qi Wenshao was and what had happened in the past.
Both of them fell silent.
Elisa asked, “How are you holding up?”
Qi Yan pondered carefully. “I’m not sure. I saw him once, and by then, he was barely alive. When I heard of his passing later, there was a fleeting moment where I felt… strangely empty. It’s odd because to me, he was almost like a stranger.”
Growing up, Lin Zhi never shied away from mentioning Qi Wenshao in his presence. His descriptions and evaluations were always objective, so he harbored no expectations, attachments, or resentments towards Qi Wenshao.
“Qi Yan, it’s not strange,” Elisa’s voice was gentle and soothing, “You’re a person with emotions, not a machine regulated by algorithms. It’s normal for you to feel some kind of emotion over someone’s death. Moreover, this person’s passing also means that there’s no longer anyone in this world who is your biological father.”
Rolling over again, Qi Yan buried half his face into the pillow. “Hmm, I understand.”
When Qi Yan descended the stairs, he found Lu Fenghan engrossed in a workout, his muscles rippling under the strain as he wielded a gravity device.
Noticing the faint glow of Lu Fenghan’s personal terminal on his wrist, Qi Yan guessed that he must be on a call with someone.
Seeing Lu Fenghan’s cold and sharp demeanor, he remained silent and went to the kitchen to pour himself some water to drink.
“Commander, you instructed me to keep an eye on the frontline situation. According to the reports from the Expeditionary Force, due to the Alliance’s military showing signs of willingness to negotiate, there has been limited fire exchange between the Expeditionary Force and the rebels recently. Both sides have been exercising restraint, and the rebels have remained in their positions without showing any signs of major action.”
Vincent always considered himself one of Lu Fenghan’s most useful “tools,” so he didn’t question Lu Fenghan’s motives even when he didn’t understand them. He simply followed orders and investigated.
“As for the space pirates, after the hijacking incident, they raided two civilian transport ships and a small short-range starship near Leto, then vanished without a trace. The information I have suggests that they’ve gone dormant, only causing trouble three times at the borders of the Kepler and Southern Cross Regions.”
After listening, Lu Fenghan remarked, “Their activity level is too low.”
“I also find it remarkably low. I wonder if the rebels are providing them with food and supplies, so the pirates don’t have to worry about earning a living anymore,” Vincent asked directly, “Commander, do you suspect something?”
Lu Fenghan responded with a question, “Is it almost foundation day?”
Vincent: “Yes, yes, I remember these two dates very clearly! On New Year’s Day, the kitchen on the command ship serves a sumptuous feast, with twice the usual variety of dishes. Then, a few days later, the variety of dishes doubles again, signaling the arrival of foundation day!”
Floating in space, the crew on the starship were quite indifferent to the passage of day and night and the changing seasons. They relied on shuttle rotations or, like Vincent, monitored changes in the kitchen menu to distinguish any special celebratory days.
As soon as he finished speaking, Vincent quickly caught on “Commander, do you think the rebels might cause trouble on the foundation day?”
Without waiting for Lu Fenghan’s response, he preemptively dismissed the idea, “It’s highly unlikely. If I were the leader of the rebels, I wouldn’t choose that day. The symbolic impact would be undeniable, like rubbing the Alliance’s face right against the Diamond Sky Plaza’s floor. Moreover, not only is Leto heavily fortified, but General Nie has also concentrated all the forces in the Central Region to avoid being caught in a crossfire. Commander, if the rebels managed to breach Leto under such circumstances, the Alliance would be doomed.”
Lu Fenghan: “Just a mere hunch.”
Vincent didn’t dismiss Lu Fenghan’s premonition as unfounded. Instead, he recognized that a sudden gut feeling from someone like Lu Fenghan, who had been facing off against the rebels on the front lines for years, could potentially be more reliable than a hundred rounds of war simulations on a map table.
“Then I’ll keep a close eye on it. If anything unusual happens, I’ll report to you.”
Lu Fenghan acknowledged and then feigned concern for his subordinate, “Are you not going out to celebrate New Year’s tonight?”
Vincent: “Celebrate what? Going out by myself, gazing up at the midnight sky of Leto? Wait, in the Leto sky, even the moons come in pairs!”
Lu Fenghan replied nonchalantly, “Oh, Qi Yan and I are going out.”
Lu Fenghan added more details, “We’re going to Diamond Sky Plaza to watch the fountain performance. It seems they also have a countdown event there?”
Vincent: “……”
Why did I answer that question so trustingly?
Commander, after all the trust I’ve placed in you!
Qi Yan discovered that there was a kind of chill called “Lu Fenghan feels Qi Yan’s cold”. As Lu Fenghan cut off the communication and caught sight of him, his gaze immediately fell upon Qi Yan’s bare feet.
As Qi Yan, too, glanced down at his bare feet, searching for a reason to explain why he wasn’t wearing footwear, Lu Fenghan stepped closer and scooped him up in his arms. Lowering his eyes to meet Qi Yan’s, he asked, “It’s winter, and it’s going to snow today. Don’t you feel cold?”
Qi Yan hesitated for a moment, subconsciously placing his hand on Lu Fenghan’s shoulder to maintain balance. “…Not cold.”
Setting him down on the sofa, Lu Fenghan casually touched the soles of his feet. “You call this not cold?”
There was no hint of blame in his words, only a sense of resignation.
While Lu Fenghan went to fetch slippers for him, Qi Yan stared at his own feet.
Strangely, now… he did feel cold.
It was odd, considering he hadn’t felt cold before.
The slippers were also chosen by Lu Fenghan. His taste in footwear didn’t quite match his personality. They came in several styles, each with a different small animal embroidered on the top: a rabbit with perked-up ears or a squirrel with a long tail. Made of some unknown fur, wearing them made Qi Yan feel like he was stepping on clouds.
After gazing at the fluffy tail of the squirrel for a moment, Qi Yan explained, “No one reminds me to wear slippers, so I’ve gotten used to it.” He added with a promise, “I’ll try to remember from now on.”
Lu Fenghan pinched his cheek. “It’s okay if you forget. I’ll remind you.”
After nightfall, Lu Fenghan drove Qi Yan to the Diamond Sky Plaza.
Qi Yan was somewhat apprehensive. “Will there be a lot of people? I heard from Ye Pei and Xia Zhiyang that many people celebrate New Year’s at Diamond Sky Plaza.”
“It should be fine. They limit the number of people every year, and you have to make reservations in advance. Once it’s fully booked, you can’t get in and can only watch it at home using holograms.”
Qi Yan glanced at him. “Did you make a reservation?”
“Yes, I asked Xia Zhiyang in advance, and he told me the opening reservation time,” Lu Fenghan said as he drove the hovercar with one hand, then asked Qi Yan, “Are you happy?”
Qi Yan nodded earnestly. “I am happy.”
As they got out of the car, Lu Fenghan handed Qi Yan a pale brown plaid scarf before opening the car door.
The Diamond Sky Plaza, which occupied a vast area, had slightly more people than Qi Yan had imagined, but it wasn’t too crowded.
Seeing Qi Yan looking around, Lu Fenghan chuckled softly and reminded him, “There are a lot of people, stick with me, don’t get lost.”
Qi Yan nodded but still looked around without watching his step, almost bumping into people several times.
Lu Fenghan, feeling helpless, took Qi Yan’s wrist and placed it on his own forearm, raising an eyebrow at him.
After a few beats, Qi Yan lowered his eyelashes and slowly gathered his fingertips, gently grasping Lu Fenghan’s sleeve.
As he tightened his grip, Lu Fenghan’s sharp eyes softened, and he continued to walk forward. “Hmm, this way you won’t get lost.”
Qi Yan wanted to say he wasn’t a child anymore, but the warmth and dryness of the fabric against his palm, combined with the reassuring presence of Lu Fenghan’s broad shoulders and straight back, made him reluctant to let go.
The two of them went to watch the fountain performance first.
Standing near the front, they felt the pressure of the crowd surging forward. Before Qi Yan could react, Lu Fenghan instinctively took a step back, his hand gently resting on Qi Yan’s shoulder, pulling him into a protective half-embrace.
Qi Yan couldn’t help but look up at Lu Fenghan, coincidentally meeting his gaze.
In that instant, Lu Fenghan’s eyes seemed like light-absorbing black holes, momentarily erasing Qi Yan’s thoughts.
Lu Fenghan lowered his head and whispered in his ear, “The performance is starting.”
Qi Yan mechanically turned his gaze towards the fountain performance. The water and lights danced before his eyes, yet he felt as if he couldn’t take in any of it.
Instead, his attention was focused on the point where his shoulder blade met Lu Fenghan’s chest. He vividly felt every subtle vibration caused by the other man’s heartbeat.
The fountain show concluded, yet neither Qi Yan nor Lu Fenghan made any mention of it.
Joining the throng of people heading towards the clock tower, Qi Yan hesitated before gripping Lu Fenghan’s sleeve.
Despite the short distance, the crowd slowed their pace, and it took quite a while to reach the base of the clock tower.
The Diamond Sky Plaza’s clock tower was designed with great grandeur. Its surface was made of pristine white marble, adorned with exquisite reliefs. At the very top, a bronze-colored pointer, said to only miss a second every thousand years, marked the passage of time.
Lu Fenghan informed Qi Yan, “It’s said that this clock tower is the first of its kind, not just in Leto but across the entire Alliance. Erected after humans departed Earth and made Leto their new home, it symbolizes the origin of humanity and the beginning of the Alliance.”
Qi Yan nodded. “How do you know all this?”
Lu Fenghan chuckled, thinking that if Qi Yan didn’t even know this, then his three or four pages of research had been in vain.
As time passed, the surrounding crowd became noisy, then gradually quieted down in the final minute before midnight.
Lu Fenghan leaned in close to Qi Yan’s ear and asked, “Do you have any wishes for the new year?”
The moment the words left his lips, Lu Fenghan noticed that Qi Yan’s earlobes had turned a faint shade of pink. Even the faint mole on one of them seemed to have been inked anew.
“I’m not telling you,” Qi Yan said, trying to ignore the itchiness in his ear, then asked, “How about you? Do you have any wishes?”
Lu Fenghan laughed. “I’m not telling you either.”
“Okay,” Qi Yan pursed his lips, refraining from probing further, “then let’s quietly make our wishes.”
Shoulder to shoulder, like everyone else, they gazed up at the clock tower.
Thirty seconds until midnight.
The long-awaited heavy snowfall finally began, with snowflakes swirling down like cotton clouds, floating gently in all directions.
Ten seconds until midnight.
Across the entire Diamond Sky Plaza, a synchronized countdown echoed.
“Ten!”
“Nine!”
“Eight!”
…
“Four!”
“Three!”
“Two!”
“One!”
“Boom——”
At the exact moment the bell tolled, marking the first second of January 1st, year 217 in the Star calendar, Lu Fenghan enclosed Qi Yan’s hand, which was clutching his sleeve, within his own palm.
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