The many netizens who had initially despaired at the price were suddenly excited again.
The live stream was filled with overwhelmingly joyous comments:
"I think it's doable! Forty-six thousand a year, that's acceptable!"
"As long as one lives long enough, they'll definitely pay off the longevity loan early, after all, many jobs pay more as you get older!"
"Damn, I'm excited, but is there a quota limit for this longevity loan?"
"Can students get a half-price discount?"
Jiang Ye paused and continued his explanation.
"Besides the longevity loan, the second method is the longevity contract worker."
"What is a longevity contract worker? It means you need to sign a contract, promising not to leave the scope of the three planets or take extended leave without working until you earn enough longevity points."
"Certain enterprises will be granted the authority to issue longevity points. Contract workers will need to work for these enterprises. Years of service can earn points, promotions can earn points, significant meritorious deeds can earn points, and earning profits for the enterprise can earn points. In short, there are many ways to accumulate points."
"Essentially, it's the enterprise indirectly paying for your life extension surgery, and you work for them to repay the debt."
"Compared to the former longevity loan, the advantage of being a longevity contract worker is that it guarantees your employment for a long time in the future. The disadvantage is that you cannot leave the three planets, you must accept conscription in emergencies, and your freedom is somewhat reduced."
"The most crucial point is that the longevity loan has a quota limit," Jiang Ye said. "Citizens who settled on the three planets before January 20th of this year can receive the maximum longevity loan. Citizens who settled after January 20th can only receive a longevity loan of up to three million. If the money is insufficient for the surgery, they will have to sign a contract and become a longevity contract worker, working on the three planets for decades."
"Finally, there is a third method," Jiang Ye said. "Those who have made significant contributions can receive life extension surgery sponsorship from me personally. Significant contributions cover a wide range; any contribution that benefits the development of the three planets may qualify for my sponsorship."
"The above are the general policy details. Detailed information will be released online soon, and life extension hospitals in various locations will also post it. Please refer to the official documents that will be issued later," Jiang Ye said. "I wish you all a happy new year and all the best!"
The televised speech concluded.
Applause filled the studio.
Jiang Ye happily stood up, waved goodbye to the staff, and strode away.
He took the elevator down.
The elevator was not very soundproof, and as it descended through the floors, deafening cheers could be heard. The entire television building was extremely lively, a scene of great joy.
The people at the television station were mostly ordinary employees, working diligently to make a living. They couldn't afford the previously expensive life extension surgeries. Now, with the reform of average lifespan, everyone could live many more years, so why wouldn't they cheer?
As he exited the television station, the cool night wind swept over him. Guards were already waiting, their military trench coats billowing in the wind as they quickly escorted Jiang Ye to his dedicated car.
Flashes of light erupted from all directions. Throngs of citizens surrounded the area, creating an impenetrable crowd. Guards held up isolation belts, forming human walls to prevent the flow of people from reaching Jiang Ye.
Cheers surged like tidal waves, the sound so loud it hurt his ears:
"Long live Jiang Ye!"
"Happy New Year, Commander Jiang!"
The dedicated car quickly took off.
Jiang Ye looked out through the car window, stunned by the scene on the streets.
The area around the television station was packed with people, like an army preparing to storm a city. Vast crowds converged from streets in all directions. However, their faces were not filled with the anger of an attacking army, but with joy, tears, and fervor, like citizens celebrating a war victory.
The dedicated car ascended rapidly. Instead of weaving through buildings as usual, it rose to a height close to the clouds.
The entire city was bathed in a kaleidoscope of lights. Thousands of fireworks exploded in the night sky, more brilliant than anti-aircraft fire. Millions of families gathered on the streets to set off fireworks. If the car hadn't flown higher, it might have been scorched by the fireworks.
Soon, the dedicated car landed at his doorstep.
Cen Yemeng stood at the door, wearing a women's trench coat and holding a plastic bag.
Jiang Ye got out of the car and embraced his wife. "What's in the bag?"
Cen Yemeng giggled and opened the bag. "Sparklers, let's play with them, husband."
The plastic bag was filled with hundreds of long sparklers, along with two lighters.
"Let's go to the rooftop," Jiang Ye thought for a moment, then put his arm around his wife. "Putting sparklers on the ground is just so-so. If we put them on the rooftop, the sparks will drift down to the first floor, which should be very beautiful."
"Husband is so good at playing," Cen Yemeng said, smiling with a hint of excitement.
The couple, arm in arm, went up to the rooftop and leaned against the railing, holding sparklers and setting them off.
With a sizzling sound, red and green flames erupted, followed by thousands of sparks shooting out like rain, falling to the ground.
The couple held their sparklers and drew circles in the night sky like children, quietly playing for a long time.
Finally, tired from holding the sparklers, they leaned against each other, holding one each and chatting quietly.
"Now that there are billions of people on the three planets, they must all be very happy, right?" Cen Yemeng rested her head on her hand.
"Definitely," Jiang Ye nodded. "Only a very small number will be unhappy."
"Why?"
"For example, those whose friends or relatives passed away just a few months ago," Jiang Ye said. "They will sigh and think, if only their friends or relatives had held on for a few more months, they could have had their lifespans extended."
"Yes, that's very unfortunate," Cen Yemeng nodded obediently.
"Will you be busy for a while longer? Is the pressure high?" Jiang Ye stroked his wife's head.
"It's alright," Cen Yemeng said. "This kind of busyness is a happy busyness, a busyness for a good cause, so the pressure isn't too great. However, when you were speaking, I looked at some questions from netizens online, and they were quite insightful."
"Oh?" Jiang Ye raised an eyebrow. "For example?"
"Let me find them," Cen Yemeng snuggled into her husband's embrace, her small hand pulling out her phone and tapping away.
"Found it." Cen Yemeng read from the screen. "The first question is, if the job market is filled with old monsters who have decades, even two hundred years of work experience, will newly graduated young people face discrimination in the recruitment market and be unable to find jobs for a long time?"
"That is indeed a reasonable concern," Jiang Ye nodded. "But this question actually doesn't break free from the original framework of average lifespan."
"How so?" Cen Yemeng looked up at her husband.
"Why did the Galactic Empire allow us to pilot the average lifespan reform? Isn't it for external expansion?" Jiang Ye said. "With external expansion, there will be more territories, more job opportunities. The experienced can be leaders, and the young ones won't have to worry about jobs. Moreover, with more mature superiors guiding them, they will grow faster."