Chapter 1448: New Year
On New Year’s Day 2021, history flipped to a new page.
To the surprise of the World Meteorological Organization, typhoon “Banyan” did not make its way onshore. Instead, it disintegrated abnormally after it arrived at Dongsha Islands, which made residents in Southeast Asia and Hua relieved.
At the same time, the abnormal snowfall that occurred in northern South America and Central America this year also surprised the international meteorological community. The abnormal weather around the world seemed to be an indication that the international situation this year could be more uncertain than last year.
On New Year’s Day, Jiang Chen and Xia Shiyu went back to their parent’s house and stayed for two days.
Because they were from the same hometown, and since they were neighbors after they moved here, the two families were very close. Papa Jiang and Papa Xia often fished together and “competed” in fishing once in a while. As for the marine fish that they catch every time, the two elders obviously couldn’t finish them all. In the end, they either ended in Jiang Chen’s stomach or were sent to the apocalypse.
Even if work was busy, Jiang Chen would always spend a few days every month at home to have a few meals and chat.
Although he could let his parents live a prosperous life, there were some things that could not be replaced by wealth.
“Chen, Mom knows that you are busy with work now, but you’re not young anymore. You should get married soon. I think Old Xia’s daughter is pretty good, why don’t you consider her?” Mama Jiang was making dumplings in the kitchen as she nagged Jiang Chen about his marriage.
From the year before till now, there was no news at all, and his parents started to get a little worried.
“Mom, don’t worry, marriage will come sooner or later. It’s just that I’m still too busy at work now, it’s not the right time…”
“What’s not the right time!” Mama Jiang glared at Jiang Chen, and pressed the wrapped dumplings on the board, “I’m not asking you to bring up the child, you just need to give birth.”
With a helpless expression on his face, Jiang Chen was speechless for a while as he chopped up dumpling fillings with a kitchen knife.
Every time he came home, his mother would touch on this problem that he didn’t want to face at this stage. He didn’t want to wrong any of the relationships he maintained, but if he married them all, he didn’t know how to make his parents accept this reality.
Maybe time could solve this problem.
Of course, perhaps it was his wishful thinking…
Finally, Jiang Chen seized the opportunity and quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, did you drink the health supplements I sent you on time?”
Those so-called “health supplements” were life-prolonging drugs that extend DNA telomeres. In order to prevent changes from being too abrupt, each tube was mixed and diluted with other body-building medicines and had to be taken every day.
The reason for saying they were “health supplements” was the same reason as to why he was not willing to confess about Ayesha and Natasha. He was purely worried that the two elders would not be able to accept it.
“We’ve been drinking it every day on time. Your parents’ health is very good, so don’t worry about it. Also, in the future, don’t buy these health supplements. Even if you have money, don’t waste it. Have you not heard? All health supplements are made to fool people!”
While they chatted about the health supplements, Mama Jiang scolded Jiang Chen again.
Jiang Chen listened tentatively, but he was laughing in his mind.
The so-called “health supplements” were not only unavailable in the market, but if they were sold, countless people would cry and beg to buy them…
“By the way, at the end of the month, your dad and I are going to go back to our hometown. Will you go with us? We haven’t been back for a long time. I heard that our home has changed quite a bit.
“I won’t go back.” Jiang Chen smiled and said, “You guys have fun over there.”
At night, the family ate dumplings together.
Jiang Chen waited until the bell rang on New Year’s Day before he went back to the room upstairs to sleep.
It was the first time he slept alone for a while, and he slept particularly peacefully.
Early in the morning of the next day, Jiang Chen got up, washed up, and ate breakfast. After he greeted his parents, he left the house and drove to the Coro International Airport.
With flights between the Mars Colony and Celestial City commencing at the end of last year, the first passenger ship from Mars to Earth had arrived at the port of Celestial City. The ship not only brought the few astronauts from the UA stranded in the colony, but as well as the two hundred researchers that inoculated the Flowers of Memory.
Soon after Jiang Chen arrived at the airport, he received a call from Kelvin as soon as he got on the Aerospace G100.
“The researchers inoculated with the Flowers of Memory have arrived in Celestial City. They are now temporarily placed in the Special Project Research Institute of the Space Department and await your next instructions.”
“I will arrive in Celestial City soon,” Jiang Chen checked the time on his watch, “At about twelve o’clock.”
“I’ll wait for you at the airport.”
“No need, just wait for me at the Special Projects Institute.”
After he hung up, he gestured to the flight attendants and indicated that they could depart.
…
Propelled by a trail of blue tail flame, the Aerospace G100 accelerated through the atmosphere and finally reached the synchronous orbit.
Today’s synchronous orbit was much more crowded than when the space elevator first started construction.
The Aerospace G100 passed through the satellites floating around Celestial City, as well as the functional units and small space stations connected by various pipelines. The engine behind the Aerospace G100 gleamed with a faint light and slowly moved towards the port.
The hatch door that covered an area of 1,000 square meters slowly opened to make way for the Aerospace G100’s vertical landing.
This newly built spaceport looked quite empty. After all, only a few Aerospace G100s were manufactured, and they were difficult to buy even with money. Naturally, there were only a handful of people who experienced this new spaceport.
Jiang Chen arrived at the Special Projects Institute of the Space Department by train, then met Kelvin and Dr. Amos.
Compared to the time when Dr. Amos left Celestial City half a year ago, he had lost a lot of weight. It was rumored that it took a lot of effort to overcome the ‘cognitive barrier’ for food. For a long time, he had to drink liquid food to maintain his daily energy consumption.
“How do you feel?” Jiang Chen asked.
“Not bad,” Amos shrugged. “At least now I won’t drool when I see Devil Worms.”
“Haha, if you would like to eat it, I can ask the people at specimen to prepare one for you,” Jiang Chen joked.
“Come on, I want to live a few more years.” Dr. Amos also laughed along.
Even the blood of the Devil Worm was highly corrosive and composed of organic acids. To the species on Earth, every part of the worm was poisonous. Even Bear Grylls would refuse to eat the Devil Worm. Only the native Mars species considered it a delicacy.