The spaceship vibrated gently, like a sleeping giant whale trembling in a dream. A broadcast voice announced that the ship was beginning its descent towards the Leng An Star Station.
Jiang Ye, dressed in formal attire, sat on a leather sofa by the window.
A woman with a graceful figure slept, her arm around his. Her profile and neck were fair and delicate. The spaceship's vibration startled her awake. She sat up, reaching to brush the hair from her face, revealing a countenance frequently seen on the news of the refugee planets.
"Are we here?" Cen Yemeng asked groggily.
"Mm," Jiang Ye replied expressionlessly, gazing at the Leng An Star below. Deep blue oceans and yellow-green landmasses were veiled by milky white clouds, and some glittering satellites zipped past at close range.
Cen Yemeng quickly roused herself from the haze of sleep. She seemed to recall something, her eyes reddening, her face etched with sorrow.
A strong arm embraced her, stroking her head.
"Your son is fine," Jiang Ye comforted her softly.
"I was thinking, when our son stabbed those assassins with a knife, was he very helpless, like a desperado?" Cen Yemeng's eyes grew redder, tears welling up as they streamed down her cheeks, each one a sparkling drop.
Jiang Ye remained silent, holding his wife, his eyes closed in thought.
The light from outside the window shifted continuously. The landmass grew larger, and finally, a silvery-grey city appeared. The spaceship landed on the vast star station. Due to the global traffic lockdown, the star station was packed with ships, almost no empty spots, resembling a spaceship exhibition.
Leng An Star had taken significant measures this time, fearing the suspect's escape. They had resolutely cut off traffic, willing to endure a substantial economic downturn to provide Jiang Ye with an explanation.
They disembarked.
A vast crowd awaited them below. All the high-ranking officials of Leng An Star had come.
At the forefront, of course, was Jiang Senlin, dressed in a new, presumably expensive, outfit, likely a gift from the Planetary Governor's wife.
Cen Yemeng was the quickest, running directly to embrace her son and bursting into tears.
Jiang Ye's expression was also grim. Ignoring the others who had come to welcome them, he first walked to his son's side.
"I'm fine, I'm really fine," Jiang Senlin patted his mother's back, telling Jiang Ye.
"Where are your two friends?" Jiang Ye asked.
"Behind..." Jiang Senlin turned and shouted loudly, "Edith! Dominika! Come here!"
The crowd parted in a hurry, and two blonde girls emerged. Their eyes were like little sheep lost in a wolf pack, and they approached nervously, their steps cautious as if afraid of stepping on a landmine.
Jiang Ye strode forward and shook each girl's hand firmly.
"I heard you helped Jiang Senlin, that you are his friends. I am immensely grateful to you," Jiang Ye said.
"You're welcome, you're welcome..." Edith bowed repeatedly.
"Hello, Uncle, hello!" Dominika stammered. It was her first time meeting a prominent figure like Jiang Ye. She had envisioned countless eloquent words beforehand, but now, in her nervousness, she could only manage to say "Hello, Uncle."
"Jiang Senlin should have communicated with you. For safety reasons, we will be taking you and your families to Jiang Ye Star," Jiang Ye asked, "Are you all prepared?"
"We are all ready. We didn't bring much luggage... our families are all here," Edith nodded vigorously, like a pecking chicken. "Thank you, Uncle!"
"My... my family is also here, thank you, Uncle!" Dominika's face flushed red with nervousness.
"I will reward you handsomely later. For now, please board the spaceship with your families. Dedicated personnel will guide you to your cabins," Jiang Ye said with a kind smile. "If you have any requests, please inform the guards. We will fulfill them if possible, so please don't be shy or reserved."
The two girls offered their thanks again and quickly ran back into the crowd to call their families.
Only then did Jiang Ye approach the welcoming team from Leng An Star. After a round of pleasantries, he departed, surrounded by the crowd. His visit was not just to pick up his child; he had many official duties to attend to. Cen Yemeng remained on the spaceship, responsible for arranging various matters.
Jiang Ye did not return to the spaceship until nightfall.
The spaceship's hatch closed. The corridor was empty, with only Cen Yemeng waiting. She leaned against the wall, gazing out the window, her arms crossed, a pensive expression on her face. Seeing her husband return, her unfocused gaze immediately animated, and she broke into a smile.
"Finished with your business, dear?"
"Finished. Are they all settled?" Jiang Ye asked.
"Our son and those two girls are in the same cabin. Don't glare, it's an open cabin, visible from the outside. Each of the three children has claimed a sofa bed and is sleeping under a blanket. The families of those two girls are in the guest cabins and have also been settled. There are four elderly people who are quite old, and I've arranged special guards to look after them."
Cen Yemeng spoke, looking around, and lowered her voice. "Both families are quite poor. I heard the onboard catering is unlimited. They ate a lot tonight, several men drank until they had to go to the restroom to vomit. The old lady filled her travel mug with drinks, stuffed her pockets with a lot of yogurt and nuts, and even secretly wrapped a few silver utensils in a towel. The guards reported it to me, and I told them not to make a fuss."
"We shouldn't make a fuss. It's not worth much. When we get to Jiang Ye Star, have the kitchen pack some yogurt and nuts, and give each of the old men and women a bag to carry," Jiang Ye nodded.
As the couple spoke, they returned to the private cabin on the top floor and closed the door.
Cen Yemeng helped Jiang Ye take off his clothes. Once he was mostly undressed, she also took off her jacket and pants, kicking off her shoes.
"I'm going to take a bath. Have you showered?" Jiang Ye asked.
Cen Yemeng wrapped herself in a white bathrobe. "I've showered. Do you need me to scrub your back?"
"No, I'll use the scrubbing bug," Jiang Ye entered the bathroom and pulled the glass door shut.
The bathtub automatically began filling with water, making a soft sound. Cen Yemeng brought a small stool from the living room and sat outside the bathroom door. Through the frosted glass, she could see her husband standing by the bathtub, testing the water before sitting in it.
"I talked with our son for over an hour," Cen Yemeng pulled the glass door open a crack and said, "He told me about the incident."
"Oh?" Jiang Ye was very interested. He had already read the detailed report from the Leng An Star police, but he was more concerned about what his son had experienced.
"That noodle restaurant put a knockout drug in the noodles. Our son was eating with those two girls at the same table. As they were eating, they all started feeling dizzy. Our son was scared, so he took out a red needle from his pocket, secretly injected himself, and then pretended to faint," Cen Yemeng said.
The red needle was a high-pressure air injector resembling a capsule, entirely red. When it touched the skin, it could prick a small needle.
When Jiang Senlin went to study abroad on an alien planet, Jiang Ye, as his father, had prepared many small gadgets for him, including these red needles. He had brought a large box of over three hundred. Each needle cost thirty thousand yuan, a definite luxury item.
If one felt food poisoning, fever, inflammation, difficulty breathing, or various physical discomforts, they could use the red needle. The injected fluid would provide various artificial hormones and nutrients, temporarily restoring one's condition and maintaining peak energy.
Jiang Ye never imagined that this small item, prepared casually, would save his son's life.