After finishing lunch and chatting for a while longer, Vincent checked the time. “We’ve been out for quite a while; we should head back. Otherwise, they might worry.” With that, he stood up.
Just before leaving, he handed Zhong Yun a card. “Look me up when you have time. I’ll be here until the World Flower Exhibition concludes.”
“I certainly will,” Zhong Yun agreed readily.
After a woman dressed as a secretary escorted Vincent out, Zhong Yun chuckled. “That foreign friend is quite enthusiastic.”
“That’s because you possess the necessary qualifications,” Yu Daoqing shook her head, cautioning him. “People like them only respect strength. If you have no power, they won’t even spare you a glance.”
“What strength do I have?” Zhong Yun laughed.
Yu Daoqing’s gaze suddenly became rather peculiar. After studying him for a moment, she finally said, “You aren't deliberately playing coy, are you? If anyone else heard you say that, they’d accuse you of showing off.”
Zhong Yun pouted. “What’s there to show off about? It’s just Level Seven Physical Arts. Don’t think I’m completely clueless; there are plenty of people in the Physical Arts Association above Level Seven.”
“True, there are oceans of people above Level Seven, but try finding me one who is under eighteen with your current strength,” Yu Daoqing replied, sounding both exasperated and amused.
“Right. With your current power, you might not capture Vincent’s direct attention, but he values your future potential.”
“Let’s change the subject. I have something I want to ask you,” Zhong Yun steered the conversation away.
“What is it?” Yu Daoqing stretched languidly on the sofa, pressing her feet beneath her hips. The silk long dress had ridden up to her knees, revealing a length of slender, fair calf.
Zhong Yun subtly shifted his gaze away from her leg. “Do you know anyone named Yang Siqing? Someone around fifty years old?” If Chen Wen hadn't mentioned it, Zhong Yun would never have believed Yang Siqing was only fifty. Every time he saw him, he had assumed the man was nearing seventy.
“Oh, and he has a pot of Crystal Glazed Roses that he treats like his life. He calls her Qingqing,” Zhong Yun added another detail.
Yu Daoqing concentrated, thinking for a while, then finally shook her head. “No, I don’t know him.”
“Really don’t know him?” Zhong Yun stared into her eyes.
“Why would I lie to you?” Yu Daoqing asked with a smile, then looked at him curiously. “Why are you asking me this?”
The question momentarily stumped Zhong Yun. Why was he asking? “Because… curiosity, I suppose. I know this person. I can tell he is deeply devoted to that Qingqing, having loved her faithfully for twenty years, even betraying his own family for her. And his name sparked an association in my mind.”
“If that’s the case, his devotion is certainly moving,” Yu Daoqing said, a hint of longing in her expression. Women rarely have immunity to such selfless love.
Zhong Yun hesitated. “How old are you this year?”
“It is impolite to ask a lady her age,” Yu Daoqing observed with a half-smile.
“Can’t you even tell me?” Zhong Yun pressed.
Yu Daoqing only smiled.
Since she wouldn't tell him, Zhong Yun could do nothing. Judging by her appearance, she couldn't be older than twenty-five, perhaps thirty at the absolute maximum, factoring in good upkeep. Twenty years ago, she would have been only a young girl of about ten, which meant she genuinely had no connection to Yang Siqing.
Realizing this, Zhong Yun gave a self-deprecating laugh, thinking he had been overly fanciful to make such wild connections.
“Do you want to try piloting a mecha yourself?” Yu Daoqing suddenly asked, an astonishing proposition.
Zhong Yun looked at her in surprise. “You can’t be joking.”
“Do you want to try it?” Yu Daoqing repeated the question.
“Yes,” Zhong Yun answered. “You can really let me pilot a mecha? A real one, not a simulation?”
“Of course, it’s real.”
“When?” Seeing she wasn’t joking, Zhong Yun grew excited. What boy hadn’t dreamed of mechas as a child? Being able to physically sit inside and command one was his greatest childhood fantasy.
“How about tomorrow? I’ll take you to my mecha base,” Yu Daoqing saw his intense interest, which made her feel quite pleased.
“Your mecha base?” Zhong Yun gasped. It seemed he had still underestimated her status as the President of the Jialan Alliance. “Are you perhaps affiliated with the military?”
“A slight connection, but the military doesn’t command me,” Yu Daoqing stated lightly.
“It seems I’ve met someone truly remarkable,” Zhong Yun exaggerated, shaking his head. “Tsk tsk, you don't even hold the military in high regard.”
The next day, the young female gardener named Xu Guanming arrived at Zhong Yun’s home punctually. Zhong Yun watched her operation firsthand and, seeing no issues, said, “It seems you’ve grasped it well. I’ll send these pots of flowers over to Elder Huang in a few days, so you won’t need to come anymore.”
Xu Guanming looked somewhat disappointed. Not only would she miss seeing these peerless rare flowers for the next few days, but she also wouldn't get to see the “Teacher Zhong Yun” she admired.
After sending her away, Zhong Yun found it slightly amusing. He truly wondered what Elder Huang had told her to make her imagine him as an old man.
Telling his parents he would be traveling for a few days and letting Tianhai and the others know he was leaving, Zhong Yun shouldered his luggage and headed to Mingzhou Port. As soon as he reached the main entrance, someone approached to guide him.
Passing through a special channel, the guide led Zhong Yun to the docking bay of a small spacecraft, about one-fifth the size of the Mars. The vessel bore the logo of Davos.
Although Davos rarely interacted with other nations and possessed thirteen administrative planets and hundreds of resource planets, its cosmic navigation capabilities were quite advanced.
The port wasn't just for spacecraft takeoffs and landings; it also served for passenger embarkation/disembarkation, cargo handling, and resupply of materials and energy.
Zhong Yun entered the docking bay and boarded the ship. Two staff members led him to the largest cabin, where Yu Daoqing was already waiting.
“Do you still feel any fear sitting on a spaceship again?” Yu Daoqing, reclined on a chaise lounge, didn't bother to rise when she saw Zhong Yun approach.
Zhong Yun found a random chair and sat down. Hearing her question, he replied nonchalantly, “What’s there to fear? At worst, I’ll have another few days touring a primordial planet.”
Yu Daoqing chuckled, her amber eyes flickering. “What about your Mars? I assume you didn't leave it docked at Mingzhou Port?”
“It’s in a very safe location.”
“You really are quite mysterious,” Yu Daoqing smiled faintly. “That Mars vessel—it must be from a higher civilization.” Seeing his noncommittal smile, she continued, “Speaking of which, during those days aboard that ship, I never saw a single crew member. Your captain enforces discipline strictly, doesn’t he?”
Zhong Yun felt a jolt. He hadn't even noticed that there wasn't a captain or a single crew member aboard the Mars—a fully automated vessel?
“You flatter me,” he responded vaguely.
As they spoke, a meticulous older man entered, followed by a group of people.
“I am the captain of this vessel, and I will be in command of this voyage,” the old man began with a few formalities, then bowed to Yu Daoqing. “Miss, although you travel the cosmos frequently, according to custom, there are matters I must clarify.”
“Please proceed. You are the captain, and after takeoff, I will follow your command,” Yu Daoqing nodded, showing understanding.
“Thank you for your consideration, Miss,” the old man straightened his posture and announced the precautionary notes with a stern expression.
Zhong Yun recalled a similar procedure when he was aboard the Tongguang Star, but the captain there paled in comparison to this man. While the old man was a bit long-winded, he instilled a sense of security; this was the kind of captain one could trust.
Once the precautions were delivered, the captain bowed once more to Yu Daoqing and departed with his entourage. This was just a short journey; there shouldn't be any danger, but having been through a scare already, Zhong Yun dispatched the "Insect Bee Three" to trail them for safety.
"Insect Bee One" was a micron-sized spy robot; "Insect Bee Two" was a small landing pod—Zhong Yun used it for his first trip aboard the Mars; and "Insect Bee Three" was a small flight unit resembling a survival capsule.
Two days later, the ship arrived safely at Yu Daoqing’s secret base, established on a moon orbiting a planet in a remote star system.
As the vessel landed, Zhong Yun couldn't help but marvel at Yu Daoqing's wealth.
P: My condition isn't great today, so it's only 2,500 characters. Still requesting monthly votes.