Chapter 33: The Spaceplane
In the dim and quiet bedroom, the phone screen suddenly lit up with a ringtone on the luxurious nightstand.
On the wide bed nearby, the silk quilt rustled slightly as both people inside were disturbed. One of them curled up under the covers, while the other reached out a strong arm and turned on the bedside lamp.
The middle-aged man with a stern face swiped his finger across the screen and picked up the phone. Though his tone was grumbling, a gentle warmth crept into his otherwise expressionless features. Even without looking at the caller ID, he knew who was calling.
“You don’t even check the time before calling? Couldn’t you have waited a bit longer?”
The person on the other end answered self-righteously, “I’m about to go to work. Once I’m inside, it’s hard to make calls.”
Gu Caiwei had also been woken and couldn’t fall back asleep. She stifled a yawn, eyes open, listening to the two brothers talk.
“Like going to work is something impressive.” Xu Huafeng sat up, bickering with his younger brother. “So now just because you’re going to work, you’ve got to wake me and your sister-in-law too?”
Xu Huazhang didn’t take the bait. “Help me deal with someone at the Imperial Polytechnic University named Zhu Feiyu.”
“For your little boyfriend again? Got it.”
“Hanging up now.”
Xu Huafeng shook his head at Gu Caiwei helplessly. “See that? He’s always been like this since we were kids—uses people and tosses them.”
Gu Caiwei rolled her eyes behind his back, not echoing his complaints. Though he often complained about his little brother, if anyone else dared badmouth Xu Huazhang in front of him, they’d immediately be in trouble.
When Gu Caiwei had first married Xu Huafeng, she didn’t realize this. She casually joined in one time, and the two ended up in a cold war for two days before she figured it out. Xu Huafeng was over ten years older than his brother and basically raised him like a son. When it came down to it, even his own children took a backseat.
Oblivious to his brother’s grumbling, Xu Huazhang sent a message to Mu Lantu after hanging up.
He’d read online that it’s good to report everything, big or small, in a relationship.
Because of lingering trauma from his past life, Mu Lantu was a very light sleeper. The message tone instantly woke him, and he realized he’d forgotten to disconnect his phone from the internet before bed.
[Gorgeous Beauty ]: Baby, I’m off to work. I won’t be able to spend time with you for a while. Eat well, rest well, and stay safe.
[Mu Lantu]: You too—eat on time.
There was still a bit of time before Xu Huazhang reached the research institute, so he continued chatting with Mu Lantu.
[Xu Huazhang]: Did I wake you? Thought you’d turn off your data. What are you doing today? Livestreaming?
[Baby]: Streaming this afternoon. In the morning, I’m heading to the mall to buy some clothes. Gotta get ready for summer.
[Xu Huazhang]: Buy a few sets for me too? I like your taste and wouldn’t mind matching.
[Baby]: Xu Huazhang, smooth talker—very experienced, huh?
[Xu Huazhang]: Because I have an all-knowing online friend?
[Baby]: Want shoes too?
[Xu Huazhang]: Yes, and a hat, and a backpack too.
“Boss, we’ve arrived.”
The car had pulled into the underground parking garage near the research institute.
Xu Huazhang had to switch vehicles here before heading into the institute.
Although the sign read “Water Quality Research Institute,” in reality…
Zhou Ye and Ge Tao followed Xu Huazhang in but could only access the open areas. They had no clearance for the restricted sections.
After passing multiple security checkpoints, Xu Huazhang entered the underground lab—instantly becoming a different person: cold, sharp, and professional.
Every researcher they passed greeted him with the utmost respect.
“Chief Engineer Xu, good morning.”
“Morning.”
“Chief Engineer Xu, you’re here.”
“Morning.”
“Hello, Chief Engineer Xu.”
“Hello.”
“……”
He made his way straight to the cafeteria.
Every staff member at the institute was a national treasure, and the government took great care of them. Once operations began, everyone was required to eat all meals in the cafeteria, where food was tailored for high-performance work—rich in nutrients and sourced from top-tier organic farms. No synthetic additives, no shortcuts, ensuring that their health wasn’t compromised despite their demanding workloads.
When Xu Huazhang entered, several people already eating waved him over.
“Chief Engineer Xu, try the fruit pizza this morning—it’s surprisingly good.”
Four out of the five were wearing glasses, and the synchronized glare from their lenses gave the scene a touch of comedy.
Xu Huazhang nodded in thanks and grabbed a tray: a serving of fruit pizza, a cup of hot soy milk, and a bowl of freshly made beef noodles.
The noodles were hand-pulled, rich with wheat aroma.
He sat down with his colleagues, tasted the beef noodles, and thought Mu Lantu would probably like them too. He made a mental note to ask the chef for some hand-pulled noodles and beef broth to take home next break.
No matter how many times Jiang Yuxiu saw Xu Huazhang, his looks never failed to impress her. Humans are visual creatures—who doesn’t like beauty? She was no exception. But she knew her place; a man like that would never be hers. It was enough to appreciate him from afar.
After being dazed for a moment, she snapped out of it and got to the point. “Chief Xu, you weren’t here yesterday, but I caught a bit of gossip.”
“Oh?” Xu Huazhang’s single-syllable reply showed interest.
Everyone else at the table looked over curiously.
Jiang Yuxiu lowered her voice. “Word is, the U.S. is wrapping up its spacecraft project and might launch toward Dream Home in a month.”
Though everyone had signed NDAs, they all had connections and means—rumors of major breakthroughs still circulated internally. But no one could say for sure what was true.
The oldest in the group, Engineer Yue (Yue Chao), 52, wasn’t about to be intimidated by foreign progress. “So what if they go first? If Chief Xu’s spaceplane passes testing, our trip to Dream Home will be as easy as flying from the capital to the southern coast!”
Everyone was stirred by that thought and looked at Xu Huazhang with awe. At only 27, he had already achieved so much. Calling him a once-in-a-generation genius wasn’t an exaggeration.
Unfazed, Xu Huazhang continued eating calmly. Only after finishing his last bite did he speak.
“If it’s true, it means they’ve been developing in secret and their technology is highly mature. Engineer Jiang, notify everyone—we’re meeting in ten minutes.”
“Yes, sir!”
