CIATB Chapter 522 The Day I Owe You!
Chapter 522 The Day I Owe You!
At 9:17 a.m., when Zhang Yan entered the underground laboratory, the training environment for stargazing had already been set up.
The Chaos Mech's consciousness interface was fixed separately in the center of the experimental platform, with sixteen data cables connected to different monitoring terminals.
The stargazer stood behind the control panel and checked the security protocols according to the procedure.
"Heart rate limit 110, brain wave frequency exceeds threshold automatically interrupted, body temperature deviation 1.5 degrees forced exit."
She glanced at the screen and added another sentence.
"Miss Nie added a fourth rule: after 120 minutes of training, the training will be completely interrupted, regardless of the progress."
Zhang Yan sat down in the training chair and placed his wrist on the sensor area.
"start."
After the interface was activated, his consciousness was dragged into the outer layer of the Heart of Heavenly Craftsmanship. A massive amount of information pressed in from all sides, each piece of data carrying weight, forcing him to push his perception deeper.
2.4% is a stable value.
To push it to 2.5%, we need to go down another layer.
For the first 30 minutes, the progress was stable; at 45 minutes, it reached 2.42%; at one hour, it reached 2.43%; and the heart rate remained around 88.
One hour and fifteen minutes, 2.44%.
Too slow.
Zhang Yan abandoned the search for information gaps and directly expanded the scope of his consciousness's contact, allowing more data to flood in simultaneously.
On the external monitoring screen, the heart rate jumped from 88 to 94, and the brain wave frequency began to rise.
The stargazer's finger hovered over the interrupt button.
One hour and thirty minutes, 2.46%.
One hour and forty minutes, 2.48%, heart rate 102.
The stargazer pressed down a little, but didn't press down completely.
One hour and forty-seven minutes later, Zhang Yan felt the barrier in front of his consciousness being pushed aside, and the threshold that he originally had to forcefully break through disappeared.
2.5%.
The moment the numbers stabilized, he felt a rush of heat to his nose, his heart rate spiked to 108, and the system automatically cut off the interface.
"Training terminated, heart rate exceeded limit."
Zhang Yan opened his eyes, the cold white light making him blink twice. He raised his hand to wipe under his nose, his fingertip stained with red.
He stood up, supporting himself on the training chair; his legs felt a little weak.
The results of the stargazing report were released.
"2.5%, stable for three seconds, still 0.5% away from the target of 3%."
"Four or five more times."
Zhang Yan took the tissue and had just bent down to wipe the blood when the lab door opened.
Nie Qingcheng stood at the door, wearing a light gray cashmere sweater and black wide-leg pants, her hair casually tied back, holding a wet towel and warm water in her hand.
She didn't come in; she only glanced at the equipment before her gaze finally settled on Zhang Yan's nose.
"Wipe it clean before you come up."
She placed the towel and water on the instrument table by the door and turned to leave.
Zhang Yan picked up a towel to wipe his face. The towel was warm and wrung out without dripping water. The cap of the warm water bottle was also loosened by half a turn beforehand.
She said she wouldn't watch it.
However, the elevator from the second floor to the underground laboratory takes forty seconds, and the towel is still hot while the water is just right for drinking.
Zhang Yan drank half a bottle, folded the towel and put it back on the table, then headed for the elevator.
Upstairs in the living room, Nie Qingcheng sat on the sofa with a gardening guide open on her lap, the pages still stuck on the first few chapters.
Zhang Yan sat down next to her.
"I'm 2.5."
Nie Qingcheng turned a page.
"Um."
"Take a rest tomorrow, the second round is the day after tomorrow."
"It's written on the schedule, no need to repeat it."
Zhang Yan leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes for a moment, and felt his head grow heavy.
A few minutes later, Nie Qingcheng reached out and touched his forehead.
"It's not hot."
She withdrew her hand and continued flipping through the book.
Zhang Yan didn't open his eyes.
"You've been flipping through this book for three days and haven't even finished the first chapter."
"The content is complex."
"Instructions for caring for Moon Shadow can be found online."
"The information online isn't detailed enough."
Zhang Yan did not respond.
My phone vibrated; it was a new message from the stargazer.
"The twelve black-species propellant charges have increased their speed slightly, by about 80,000 kilometers per hour, and are expected to arrive at Jupiter's orbit twelve hours ahead of schedule."
"The blocking window has been compressed to the sixth and a half days."
Zhang Yan forwarded the message to Qin Xiao.
"The Mo soldiers were deployed half a day ahead of schedule."
Qin Xiao replied instantly.
"Received, I'll adjust it here."
Zhang Yan put down his phone and stared at the ceiling.
Six and a half days later, the battle began in Jupiter's orbit.
Next comes the mother.
Nie Qingcheng closed the book and looked up at him.
Do you remember what happened tomorrow?
"I'll spend the day with you."
"Phone your phone on silent all day, and don't even look at the system panel."
Zhang Yan paused.
"Except for emergency notices."
Nie Qingcheng put the book on the coffee table and stood up.
"Zhang Yan, if there's an urgent notice tomorrow, it will be the day after tomorrow."
She walked to the bedroom door and glanced back at him.
"Heat the milk in the microwave for twenty seconds, drink it, and then go to sleep."
Zhang Yan sat on the sofa for a while, then went to the kitchen to heat up some milk.
Twenty seconds later, he took a sip and the temperature was just right.
He washed the cup, turned off the light, and went into the bedroom.
Nie Qingcheng lay on her side with her back to him, the blanket pulled up to her shoulder, her breathing slowed down.
As soon as Zhang Yan lay down, her feet stretched out and rested on his calves.
It's a bit chilly tonight.
He reached out and grasped it.
"Six and a half days." Nie Qingcheng's voice was muffled under the pillow.
"I will wait for them in Jupiter's orbit."
"You said you would let me know you were safe."
"Send it as soon as it's finished."
After a long while, she pulled her foot back slightly, then put it back on.
"Push harder."
Zhang Yan held her feet tighter.
Before long, her breathing became completely shallow.
At eight o'clock in the morning, Zhang Yan was woken up by his alarm clock. Nie Qingcheng was not in bed. There were faint marks on the pillow, and warm water and vitamins were placed on the bedside table.
He got dressed and went out, and saw Nie Qingcheng standing on the balcony with the potted Moon Shadow in front of her.
The silvery-gray leaves were bathed in the morning light, and a tray sat beneath the white ceramic pot.
Nie Qingcheng waved to him.
"Come here, put your hand out."
Zhang Yan did as instructed.
She slipped a small shovel into his palm.
"Repotting is necessary because the original soil was too sticky, preventing the roots from breathing properly."
On the table were peat moss and perlite, next to a larger new flowerpot.
Zhang Yan glanced at Yueying.
"Just bought it yesterday, and you're exchanging it today?"
"The seller's soil is no good; it's peat moss mixed with perlite, a 3:1 ratio."
"Why did I come?"
"Because you're with me today, being with me means you're listening to me."
Zhang Yan didn't argue, and poured the soil into the tray and mixed it well.
Nie Qingcheng noticed the damp dirt on his sleeves, glanced at him with disdain, and came over to roll up his sleeves for him.
"Your hands were so steady when you were building the mecha, how could you mess up like this when you were just changing a basin?"
"Mechs don't need mud."
She touched his forearm with her fingertips, paused for half a second, and then withdrew her fingers.
"continue."
Zhang Yan took the Moon Shadow out of the old pot. Its thin roots were tightly wrapped in clay. He moved gently and peeled away the old soil little by little.
Nie Qingcheng stood to the side with her arms crossed.
"Be gentle, if the roots break, it won't survive."
"You bought it just because the name sounds nice?"
"right."
Zhang Yan placed the loosened roots into a new pot, filled it with soil, compacted it, and watered it.
Nie Qingcheng watched him carry the flowerpot to a corner of the balcony, where there was light but no direct sunlight.
Her voice came from behind.
"It's difficult to raise; it needs someone to watch over it, and it will die if you leave."
Zhang Yan paused for a moment.
Nie Qingcheng added another sentence.
"If it survives, it can live a long time."
Zhang Yan placed the flowerpot securely.
"Wash your hands and come to the kitchen. You're cooking today."
When Zhang Yan entered the kitchen, Nie Qingcheng was already sitting behind the bar reviewing documents.
The refrigerator is stocked with sea bass, ribs, shrimp, tofu, and vegetables—all the ingredients he often uses.
He began slicing ginger, the knife landing steadily on the cutting board.
Nie Qingcheng would occasionally look up at him, then look down again to review documents.
How long should the fish be steamed?
"Why are you asking me? You're a culinary master."
"I'm afraid you'll think it's not cooked enough."
"When have I ever missed eating the food you've cooked?"
At 11:30, four dishes and a soup were served.
Nie Qingcheng picked up a piece of pork rib, took a bite, and made no comment. She then picked up another piece with her chopsticks.
Zhang Yan saw it, but didn't expose it.
After the meal, he washed the dishes, while Nie Qingcheng wiped the table.
In the afternoon, the two sat at opposite ends of the living room sofa. Nie Qingcheng was reading documents, her feet naturally resting on Zhang Yan's lap. Zhang Yan was flipping through his tablet while massaging her ankles.
She twitched her toes.
"itch."
Zhang Yan changed his position and started massaging the instep.
Around 3 PM, Nie Qingcheng put down her pen and saw the paper on high-dimensional energy decay on his screen.
"You are not allowed to look at the system panel today."
"This is a thesis."
"Anything related to work counts."
Zhang Yan placed the tablet on the coffee table.
"Then what should I do?"
Nie Qingcheng thought for a moment.
Tell me a story.
"What story?"
"Make up a story about you taking me to Hokkaido."
Zhang Yan leaned back on the sofa.
"Go in winter, stay at a hot spring inn when it snows, and you can see the snow just by opening the door."
Nie Qingcheng hugged her knees.
"What do you want to eat?"
"Seafood, the kind of crab with long legs, you eat it, I'll peel it."
The curve of her lips changed slightly.
"Then?"
"Soak in the hot springs."
"Want to go for a soak together?"
"Aren't men and women separated?"
"I've booked the entire venue."
Zhang Yan glanced at her.
"Let's soak together, then go back to our room and have some snacks. You can wear a yukata, and I'll wear a yukata too."
"Then?"
"sleep."
"boring."
Zhang Yan reached out and pulled her foot back.
"No refunds for the trip."
Nie Qingcheng looked out the window without turning around, and simply rubbed her foot against his palm.
"Um."
In the evening, Zhang Yan rolled out dough and poached eggs.
After finishing her noodles, Nie Qingcheng also drank the soup.
"It's too salty."
How does it compare to yesterday?
"A little better than yesterday."
At nine o'clock in the evening, only a floor lamp was left on in the living room, casting a warm yellow light on the floor.
Nie Qingcheng curled up at one end of the sofa, with a blanket draped over her legs, and remained silent for a long time before speaking.
"Zhang Yan, what if you forget about today by then?"
Zhang Yan paused for two seconds on her ankle.
"Then go through it with me again."
Nie Qingcheng didn't reply, but pulled her foot out of his hand and shrank into the blanket.
After a long while, she finally spoke.
"Go to sleep."
Zhang Yan turned off the floor lamp, walked up to her, bent down and picked her up.
"I can walk by myself."
"I know."
She didn't struggle; she placed her hand on his shoulder, buried her face in the side of his neck, and breathed very softly.
When Zhang Yan put her on the bed, her hands were still clutching his clothes, her fingertips tightening slightly before she loosened them.
He lay down beside her.
Nie Qingcheng's feet stretched out again; it was warm tonight.
Zhang Yan grasped it, and neither of them spoke again.
Starting tomorrow, it won't be today anymore.