Jiang Senlin finally returned home.
Li Nannan brought him back in the middle of the night, very discreetly, only notifying Jiang Ye and his wife when they were close to the planet's orbit.
Cen Yemeng was fast asleep, as if dead. If Jiang Ye hadn't gotten up to use the restroom and happened to check the message, these unreliable parents might have missed picking up their son.
After Jiang Senlin returned home, he seemed to have changed little.
He asked for snacks, for toys, and chased the robotic dog all over the yard. After eating his fill, he went back to the studio to paint.
Jiang Ye invited Li Nannan to stay for a meal, and they chatted as they ate.
"Why did you suddenly send him back?" Jiang Ye asked.
"What? Are you unhappy that I sent your son back?" Li Nannan raised an eyebrow.
"Of course, I'm happy. Didn't you say there was a reason for him to stay there?" Jiang Ye lowered his voice.
"You don't need to be so quiet, there's no one else here," Cen Yemeng chuckled from the side.
Jiang Ye also smiled. He couldn't help but feel nervous when discussing this matter, as it touched upon very high-level existences, and his voice involuntarily lowered.
"A very important person personally went to see Senlin," Li Nannan said. "I can't tell you the name of this important person, they are truly terrifyingly high-level. Ordinary planets are like cherry tomatoes on a plate to that person."
"And then?" Cen Yemeng also lowered her voice slightly, nervously.
"The important person arrived suddenly one morning, with no prior warning. It was just past five in the morning, and I had just gotten up to shower. A message came out of nowhere, making me break out in a cold sweat because I was completely unprepared. Fortunately, the important person didn't mind. They first looked at Jiang Senlin painting, and then at him teaching students. They watched from a distance, without getting close. I accompanied them. The important person showed no expression; the thoughts of beings in such positions are usually unfathomable to others," Li Nannan said.
Jiang Ye nodded, thinking, "This divine being is quite good at putting on a show, not even showing an expression. I should learn this demeanor."
"After looking, the important person instructed that they wanted to have a private chat with Jiang Senlin in a separate room." Li Nannan's smile suddenly became strange. "What happened afterward made the sweat soak through my clothes."
Cen Yemeng and Jiang Ye were both taken aback.
"I carried Jiang Senlin into the room where the important person was, closed the door, and stood by the side."
"The important person said, 'Kid, do you want a wife or not?'"
"Jiang Senlin tilted his head and looked at him, saying, 'Is the wife being given for free?'"
"The important person smiled and said, 'Yes, a wife given for free.'"
"Jiang Senlin directly shook his head, saying, 'Anything given for free in this world is definitely not good. I don't want it.'"
Li Nannan picked up her water cup and took a sip, as if still shaken, drinking water to calm her nerves.
"I quickly went over to scold Senlin, telling him to watch his words. If an ordinary person dared to say that the important person's daughter was not good even when given for free, they might lose their head. But as soon as I moved, before I could even take a step, the important person glanced at me, signaling me not to interfere. I was helpless and could only make eye signals to Jiang Senlin from behind, but Senlin didn't even look at me."
"The important person continued to say smilingly to Senlin, 'Since you dislike the free wife, you must want one with an exorbitant bride price, right?'"
"Jiang Senlin shook his head, saying, 'I don't want anything too expensive either; it's flashy but impractical.'"
"The important person asked, 'You don't want the free one, and you don't want the too expensive one. What price would you set?'"
"Jiang Senlin shook his head again, saying, 'If you let others set the price, it's definitely unsellable.'"
"The important person's face turned cold and said, 'You child, I want to give my daughter to you, why are you so picky? Other children would be overjoyed.'"
"Jiang Senlin said, 'You adult are so strange. What's there to be happy about? I haven't even seen your daughter, I don't know if she's good-looking, I don't even know how old she is. If you find me a yellow-faced woman who's decades older than me, I won't want her.'"
"The important person asked, 'Do you know who I am?'"
"Jiang Senlin said, 'I don't know who you are, but I know you are very powerful. With just a look from you, my godmother doesn't dare to move. My godmother is very afraid of you.'"
"The important person said, 'My godmother is afraid of me, and you're not?'"
"Jiang Senlin said, 'Why should I be afraid of you? It's your daughter who can't get married now and is begging me. If anyone should be afraid, it's you that I won't agree.'"
"At this moment, the important person burst into laughter, making me break out in a cold sweat, but Jiang Senlin remained calm and composed."
"After laughing, the important person became serious, staring at Senlin and saying, 'Kid, do you know that if you betroth my daughter, you will have infinite supreme status, unlimited resources, and countless wealth? This might be the greatest opportunity of your life. What I can give you is tens of thousands of times more than what your parents can give you.'"
"Jiang Senlin stared at the important person for a long time and shook his head."
"Senlin said, 'If I agree to this marriage, I'll be happy, and you'll be happy, but your daughter won't be happy. With such an ugly face as mine, how could she like me? You came to find me because of her, but in the end, everyone is happy except her. So, isn't this a terrible job you've done? I, Jiang Senlin, would never do something that involves colluding with others to bully a girl. Please think carefully.'"
"After listening, the important person's expression clearly changed. They looked at Jiang Senlin in surprise for a long time, then reached out to pat his head and got up to leave."
Jiang Ye and Cen Yemeng looked at each other.
Both their eyes were filled with shock.
Jiang Senlin was only a few years old, yet his words were of this caliber. It seemed as if this trip had suddenly enlightened him.
Li Nannan took another sip of water and continued, "I had my adjutant take Jiang Senlin back to the studio, and then I accompanied the important person as they left. On the way, the important person asked me about your situation."
"Our situation?" Cen Yemeng asked curiously, "What did they ask?"
"They asked about things that couldn't be seen in the archival data, such as your speaking styles, marital affection, cultural literacy, and behavioral habits," Li Nannan said. "Finally, I mustered all my courage and asked the important person for their impression of Jiang Senlin."
"I originally thought that since Jiang Senlin was so impolite, the important person would dislike him greatly," Li Nannan said. "Unexpectedly, the important person broke into a smile. They said they were going to travel through a time gate to see the situation thirty years later, and they hoped that Jiang Senlin and their daughter would be living well thirty years from now."
"Time gate?" Jiang Ye's eyes widened. "A time machine? It can go to thirty years later? Does the Galactic Empire have such technology?"
"Of course, they do. When the Galactic Empire expands to other star systems and encounters other advanced civilizations, they often engage in time wars, altering the past and the future. Otherwise, how could they maintain such a vast territory?" Li Nannan said. "Time gates are relatively primitive; they can only witness, not change."