Chapter 25

Wu Ying stared at the steak still more than half remaining on her plate, then at Ming Yu's retreating figure already at the door. It had all come so suddenly.

She really was something—the busy Director Ming had made a special trip just to persuade her to divorce. Mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts were indeed an age-old problem. They said no marriage could survive a mother-in-law's interference—what a truism.

After this meal, Wu Ying's irritation toward Asher reached its peak.

She had known before that many people felt a pang of regret and surprise the moment they learned she had married Asher. She had never bothered with those she barely met, but Ming Yu had traveled a long distance specifically to slap her in the face.

Now she cared—deeply!

It was just a man, after all. She wouldn't trap herself over him. Fine, seize the day, take things slow.

After thinking for a while, Wu Ying looked at the steak before her and decided to sit back down and finish the rest. Food was innocent, after all, and this restaurant was indeed good.

She tapped the table to signal she was done, then stood up and left. The semi-enclosed, soundproof, private space offered a good experience—it really did evoke the ambiance of sitting in a café from her old life.

Thumbs up!

It wasn't until evening that Asher replied, saying something like "just go on as usual." She had already finished eating! If she'd waited for his reply, the fresh steak would've grown grass by now.

Feeling displeased, Wu Ying immediately sent a long barrage of messages. She didn't mention the things Ming Yu had insinuated, directly or otherwise—there was no point.

But it gave her a perfect excuse to vent. This was all Asher's fault! Mother-in-law conflicts had always been the man's burden. If he had done his part, none of this would have happened!

Asher should have taken the initiative to tell Ming Yu himself that he loved her to death, couldn't leave her for even a moment, that being apart from her made him uncomfortable all over, triggered his illness, left him unable to eat or sleep, restless and sleepless...

On the other end, Asher saw her messages and was speechless for a moment. He only sent her a few words: "Are you having an episode?"

"You're the one having an episode. I was just giving you advice because I thought you were slow. I'm showing you on-site what a real plan looks like—specific, concrete, and operable. Did you learn anything?"

"..."

Wu Ying shook her head. Men, truly not worth expecting.

Unlike the day before, dinner with Teacher Nova was delightful. The two of them could chat for ages in the simulation training room, and now, face to face in person, they communicated without any barrier.

Teacher Nova often looked at her gently, her green eyes like rippling water, as if nothing she said could make her angry. She embodied both tenderness and fortitude—tall and long-legged, yet with a gaze so soft.

Wu Ying often caught glimpses of a mother's warmth and a warrior's resolve in her. She was like a teacher, and also like a friend.

"Teacher Nova, you look exactly as I imagined. And me? Did I disappoint you?"

Wu Ying cupped her face in her hands, her brows and eyes bright, using a soft, coquettish tone as she gazed up at her, enough to melt bones.

"You too, as adorable as ever."

Nova lightly tapped her forehead with a finger. Not long ago, she'd heard Wu Ying had been confined, and she'd worried terribly. Wu Ying had a sometimes mischievous streak—the more she was told not to do something, the more she did it.

So she fully believed the girl must have done something bad. The outcome turned out better than she'd expected, though her luck had been far worse.

Some people never encountered the insect race in their whole lives. She had always felt Wu Ying should be one of those people—all that was beautiful should gather around her.

Hearing her words, Wu Ying smiled even brighter, eyes narrowed, cheeks flushed, grinning at her like a little cat.

...

"Welcome home, Master! Confetti, confetti, confetti~"

Amid the welcome ceremony Jiujiu had specially prepared, Wu Ying slipped into the slippers she'd missed for so long. She carefully avoided the flower petals scattered underfoot—they were all real flowers, and it would be a shame to trample them.

"Master, I only used naturally fallen petals."

Wu Ying handed her bag to Jiujiu and happily patted the robot. She had reminded Jiujiu countless times not to touch her precious flowers, and Jiujiu was an obedient robot—it would never.

Jiujiu's eyes curved into crescents as it circled her a few times, rattling off her weight, height, and measurements. Its scanner-like gaze laid her information completely bare.

Fortunately, no one else was home, or she'd definitely give it a smack.

"Master has lost weight and needs nourishment. Jiujiu suggests the following approaches. Option one..."

Wu Ying headed to her room while Jiujiu chattered beside her—dietary supplements, machines, exercise, all sorts of plans. She wouldn't adopt any of them except the food.

Still, she didn't stop it. She didn't like too quiet an environment. She always needed some sound to feel grounded. She began tidying her room. She knew where everything was; some things she'd brought to Pilan Star because she was used to them, and now she'd brought them back.

She chatted with Jiujiu while cleaning. Every item in this room had been chosen by her, some even handmade by her. She enjoyed the process of organizing.

A room entirely her own—that realization brought her peace.

Finally, Wu Ying stretched out her arms. The fragrance of various flowers wafted from the flower house. Standing there, surrounded by a sea of blossoms, she needed to think of nothing at all.

This was a paradise Wu Ying had built for herself—pure serenity and exquisite floral scent. She didn't bother with anything else, heading straight to the hammock for a nap.

She didn't know how long passed, but when she opened her eyes, she felt utterly refreshed. Jiujiu was crouched beside her in standby mode. Wu Ying propped herself up and looked at the little robot bunched into a ball at her feet, and her heart softened. She could never quite treat Jiujiu as a mere machine—it was like a dog, obediently meeting her every need.

"Jiujiu, you know what? On Boska Star, I saw a robot that couldn't compare to you at all. It wasn't as cute as you, not as thoughtful, and not as smart either."

Hearing its master's voice, Jiujiu automatically activated, stretching out just as Wu Ying was praising it.

"Yes, Master is the best master, and Jiujiu is the best Jiujiu."

"Right."

Wu Ying put on her shoes and began her rounds of the garden with her little assistant, Jiujiu. Jiujiu could only record, so many small issues that came up required Wu Ying's own hands to fix—fortunately, nothing major.

Some flowers seemed to have growth characteristic issues, and the nutrient solution needed adjustment. However, Wu Ying planned to compare with other plants before deciding. If it was merely a change in nutrient needs without mutation, they might need to be removed.

Looking at the camellias, over half of them dead, Wu Ying felt she'd been too optimistic before. Already delicate, the camellias had become even frailer under the effects of interstellar radiation.

Helplessly, she continued to induce growth with her mental power, pouring in large amounts of nutrient solution until she finally saw a hint of life.

By the time Wu Ying finished the last plot in the flower house, the sky had darkened.

She straightened up, made a fist, and pounded her lower back. "Oof, sore back and aching bones. No matter where you are, a gardener's life is tough."

Jiujiu immediately scurried over to offer a massage. Wu Ying glanced at its exposed mechanical joints and found it quite novel. She said she could try it next time—Jiujiu's intelligence was high enough, it just needed the right program loaded.

The whole villa was lit up. Wu Ying and Jiujiu stepped through pools of dim yellow lamplight to reach the living room.

The quiet living room instantly became lively. Wu Ying sent Jiujiu off to cook while she grabbed her tablet to look up information. The flower house had always used culture medium, but she wanted to try soil. The teacher had said the soil conditions across various star systems no longer suited traditional plant growth—a tough challenge.

No fear—nothing is difficult in this world for a determined heart!

Wu Ying clenched her fist, full of confidence, just as a cold breeze blew from behind her. "Ah—"

She whipped around in fright and found a long silhouette behind her. "What's wrong?"

It was Asher, appearing silently behind her. He had opened the study door, and a draft of cold air had flowed down her back, scaring her half to death.

"Why didn't you make a sound when you came back!"

"I sent you a message when I got home," Asher said. In truth, he'd only sent it after returning to find the house empty. As long as Wu Ying was home, the door stood wide open, and he could tell at a glance she was in the flower house.

"Ah? Oh, I didn't see it." Wu Ying didn't mention that she'd muted Asher and couldn't see his messages now.

After a few words, the living room fell silent again. Wu Ying glanced at Asher, still standing nearby, wondering why he was just standing there.

Asher didn't keep standing either. Seeing Wu Ying had nothing more to say, he turned and went back to the study.

Wu Ying watched his retreating back. Between the two of them, as long as she stayed silent, they could live like complete strangers sharing a roof.

She felt uneasy, though Asher was probably used to it.

Wu Ying let out a soft tsk, stopped thinking about him, and went back to her soil analysis homework.

Wasn't everyone busy?

At the dinner table, Wu Ying was ready to dig in, while Asher pulled out the chair across from her and sat down to eat as well.

Wu Ying didn't feel like acknowledging him yet, eating slowly to pass the time.

"I ordered a mecha. It's in the training room. Tomorrow I'll have Jiujiu install a mecha guidance system. You can learn—I'll be home for the next few days, I'll teach you."

As Asher spoke, Wu Ying's eyes widened. A mecha? Somewhat dazed, she thought this might be the result of the things she'd said to him before.

"You're going to teach me to pilot a mecha? But that doesn't seem very meaningful." She meant in the context of the whole military training rut.

Asher nodded. He'd thought about what Wu Ying said, investigated, and found it indeed to be true. He couldn't change the whole situation at once, but he could change this.

The rest, he would work on.

Civilization itself was rebuilt from ruins—you couldn't demand too much all at once.

"As long as it's meaningful to you."

Wu Ying squeezed her chopsticks and looked up slightly. Asher's long black lashes drooped low, veiling his deep eyes, making him seem much gentler overall—like a casual warmth that suddenly descended.

Her gaze drifted lower. His slender fingertips grasped the metal fork and knife, unhurriedly cutting the whole steak into pieces. He cut them not too small and ate quickly, but his movements were elegant—so elegant they suddenly reminded her of a bad memory.

Mm. His movements were remarkably similar to Lady Ming Yu's.

The heart that had just softened instantly hardened again. That effortless, composed demeanor of his was exactly like his mother's, let alone how much they resembled each other in appearance.