Chapter 31

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Chapter 31: Twin Genes

Ying Zhao and Zhu Huai exchanged a glance but didn’t speak. The atmosphere suddenly became a bit somber. Just as Ying Zhao was about to say something, she noticed Luo Yu had already turned and stepped out of the hot spring pool.

Walking barefoot on the grass nearby, she smiled and said, “The grass has been warmed by the sun all afternoon. It feels so nice! You should come try it.”

Seeing this, Zhu Huai raised her glass and clinked it with Ying Zhao’s, making a cheerful “ding” sound. “Let’s agree to this for now. Who knows what the future holds?” She quoted what Mo Chuan had said yesterday, “Enjoying the moment is what matters most.” With that, she drank the rest of her drink, set her glass down, and jumped out of the hot spring pool to join Luo Yu on the grass.

The summer night breeze was gentle and warm. After stepping out of the water, the three of them simply used the nearby soft towels to dry their hair and any excess water, then walked onto the grass to take in the view of the night. The mountain wall opposite was silent, occasionally interrupted by the sound of cuckoos echoing from afar, creating a serene harmony.

Ying Zhao approached the edge of the grass, spread her arms, and took a deep breath, looking up. “The air is wonderful! Ever since coming here, my nasal congestion has cleared up!” After speaking, she placed her hands on her cheeks and shouted towards the mountain wall, “Ah—,” and quickly, the echo returned, startling a flock of birds that flew out in pairs.

“Your shout might attract someone who’ll come and tell us we’re disturbing the peace,” Zhu Huai walked over, glancing outside.

“Not at all,” Ying Zhao confidently put her hands on her hips. “I’ve observed that the layout of this cave villa has spacious gaps between the rooms. Ours is the only suite up here, and the people here take comfort and privacy very seriously.”

Luo Yu and Zhu Huai caught the sarcasm in her words; this place was nothing like the single-apartment accommodations they had at the Space Administration base. Although those apartments were beautifully decorated, they were jampacked next to each other like sardines, making them feel cramped and oppressive, despite being a high-end dorm for top-tier talents at the base.

The three stood quietly on the grass, enjoying the evening breeze, before stepping into the nearby changing room to switch into their summer loungewear.

When they came out, a dining table was already set up on the grass next to the pool, complete with cushions, ready for them to sit down and eat.

As soon as they sat down, the central green activation light on the table flashed, announcing the dishes and drinks they had ordered upon returning. After confirming that everything was correct, the plates and glasses slowly rose from beneath the table to their front.

Previously, before activating the housekeeping system, after they ordered, the housekeeping robot would deliver their meals to outside the door. They would have to manually open the door or walk over to greet the robot before it could enter and deliver their food. Now, with the system activated, the meals were delivered directly to them.

They took a few bites of the dishes; Luo Yu picked up her glass and took a sip of the seasonal herbal wine from the central menu, finding its fragrance light and its taste smooth. Zhu Huai had ordered chilled rice wine, while Ying Zhao, who wasn’t fond of alcohol, opted for a summer fruit drink.

After tasting the herbal wine, Luo Yu lifted her glass toward the center of the table. “Although we have no reason to celebrate, let’s toast to enjoying the moment!”

“Cheers to summer!”

The sound of their glasses clinking echoed crisply in the moonlit garden.

Moonlight shone on the deep red glasses, casting a soft glow. Mo Chuan sat in a large armchair on her garden terrace, gently swirling her drink before raising it to her nose to appreciate its aroma. With a smile, she looked at the two people in front of her. “This summer’s new wine is so good, but it’s a pity you’re not here to taste my grandmother’s cooking.”

The person sitting directly across from her smiled down briefly. “Has Grandma ever stopped thinking of me? She must have saved a barrel for me this year. If you’re hiding it, I’ll come back and claim it.”

Mo Chuan laughed heartily. “She saved it, but you’ll need to come back with something good to trade for it.”

The person across from her chuckled, “I gathered a basket of wild tea from Qingqiu Mountain, along with my sister. We spent half a day foraging; does that weigh up to a barrel of wine?”

Mo Chuan raised her glass in satisfaction. “Now that’s more like it!”

Just after she spoke, a breeze swept through, gently tousling her bangs, but the two people in front of her felt none of it. They appeared shrouded in a mist, slightly distant yet clear, as they were projections.

If Luo Yu were here at that moment, she would recognize that the person sitting across from Mo Chuan, happily sipping tea, was Ji Shu, the same person who had sent her medication via the robot today. The woman beside her looked nearly identical to Ji Shu, with slightly softer features.

Mo Chuan took a sip of her drink and turned to the woman next to Ji Shu. “Are you coming back with your sister in a couple of days? It’s been a while since I last saw you.”

Ji Qing, sitting beside Ji Shu, smiled softly. “I’m not going back. There might be flash floods in the west, and I can’t leave the monitoring station.”

Mo Chuan nodded. “That’s true for this season. You geologists have it tough.” Turning back to Ji Shu, she asked, “Have you decided when you’ll return? What did you gain from visiting the old expert on Qingqiu Mountain?”

A few days earlier, when Ji Shu left Di Qiu, she had left a brief message for Mo Chuan, mentioning her visit to an elder in gene medicine on Qingqiu Mountain. Coincidentally, her sister Ji Qing also worked there at the geological monitoring station. Ji Shu intended to visit her sister as well but hadn’t specified when she would return.

Mo Chuan had known both Ji Shu and Ji Qing since childhood, having grown up together as old friends. In their youth, Mo Chuan and Ji Shu studied basic biological theories with Ao Ci for a few years. Later, they chose different research paths—one became a neuroscientist, and the other a geneticist.

In contrast, Ji Qing had always preferred geological studies, often visiting various monitoring stations, resulting in her returning to Di Qiu less frequently. Thus, the three would sometimes gather using holographic projections.

“This trip yielded significant gains,” Ji Shu replied, taking a sip of tea. “What we uncovered even pertains to a guest from the future.”

Mo Chuan understood that Luo Yu had visited Ji Shu and had privately inquired about her niece, so she guessed that Ji Shu’s trip might be related to pharmaceutical matters. She straightened up and listened attentively as Ji Shu continued.

"The elders in the assembly hall had an intense debate a few days ago about whether there was a gap in human history over the past thirty thousand years due to the recent visit from the future," Ji Shu said, looking at Mo Chuan. "The answer I’ve gotten is that, at least from a matrilineal perspective, there hasn’t been a break. We were able to trace the genetic information extracted from Luo Yu’s blood through mitochondrial matching back to me."

"Traced back to… you?" Mo Chuan set down her glass.

"Technically, it’s back to my family. To confirm this, I’ve extracted the genetic information of my sister and me here in the laboratory. I also asked my mother and aunt for small samples of their genetic material, and the mitochondrial matching is very high. However, due to the long time span and certain peculiarities with the twin genes, we haven’t pinpointed the details yet."

"In any case, she is indeed a descendant of your family." Mo Chuan summarized in shock. "Your family’s twin genes are impressive; they’ve been passed down for thirty thousand years."

Ji Shu smiled lightly before discussing the next steps. "I believe we can also look into the other two. The Old Director has their genetic information stored. I sent someone with supplies today to retrieve it. The laboratory equipment here is more comprehensive, and once we make some progress, I’ll head back in a few days."

Mo Chuan understood her thoughts. This matter was significant, especially with the old expert in gene medicine and the research team involved, which made Ji Shu feel more secure. So, Mo Chuan said seriously, "Alright, I’ll await your research results. This truly is a major discovery. Have you spoken to your teacher about it?"

Ao Ci was also preparing to undertake this research, but the computation for gene sequencing and retrieval was immense. Plus, the connection with parallel time wasn’t guaranteed, so they hadn’t started yet. It was only because Ji Shu needed to prepare medication for Luo Yu’s niece that this matter had come to light.

Holding her teacup, Ji Shu smiled, "Of course I told her! Otherwise, could she agree to give me their genetic information? She was very excited after hearing it and said she’d prepare the remaining materials to send to me tomorrow."

Mo Chuan was not surprised. "The old lady has always been action-oriented."

After discussing these matters, they chatted casually about interesting stories from Qingqiu Mountain until the moon rose high overhead. They wished each other goodnight and turned off the holographic projection.

Mo Chuan stood on the terrace, holding her wine glass, gazing at the shimmering river in the distance for a moment before tilting her head back to finish her drink. She then turned to activate the in-house housekeeping system to clear the table and slowly walked towards the stairs.

"I won’t take the elevator; I’ll walk the stairs." Zhu Huai, a bit tipsy, leaned against Ying Zhao’s shoulder while Luo Yu supported her on the other side. The three were about to head to the service stairs, but Zhu Huai insisted on going the other way. "I can’t handle weightlessness; I’ll throw up."

"I’m worried you’ll fall down the stairs," Ying Zhao said, struggling to support her. "Can you lean that way? I’m not strong enough for you, Sister Huai."

The three of them spent the evening on the garden terrace eating, drinking, and reminiscing about past events at the Space Administration. After finishing her rice wine, Zhu Huai sampled Luo Yu’s herbal wine. Then, she became excited and ordered all the drinks on the menu to try, even if she didn’t drink much of each. However, mixing various drinks without realizing it led to her getting quite drunk.

Seeing Zhu Huai swaying and almost knocking into Ying Zhao, Luo Yu shook her head, bent down, and hoisted Zhu Huai onto her back. "Don’t move around. If you fall, it’s not my problem."

Ying Zhao quickly helped by supporting them. Zhu Huai leaned on Luo Yu’s back, slurring her words, "Luo Yu, you’re actually a pretty good captain. Really, even though you can’t compare to me, you’re not bad."

Luo Yu showed no expression. "I’m honored to receive your approval."

"I’ll make a commemorative banner for you."

"No need."

"You don’t want it because there’s no place to display it? Then how about a small one, like a badge you can pin on your clothes? What do you think? Isn’t that creative?"

"It’s very creative, but no thanks."

"Actually, you’re quite stubborn sometimes," Zhu Huai sighed heavily. "Zhu Long has praised your resolve, but I think you’re just rigid." Her speech was a bit disjointed. "Neither the Space Administration nor the Special Operations Department is someone you can mess with; they’re ruthless, especially regarding this matter. Zhu Long can’t always shield you, so you must be careful. I understand you want to help your family, but when you return, keep your wits about you. Don’t let your good intentions backfire and harm your family."

After speaking at length, Zhu Huai saw Luo Yu’s lack of response and pulled her ears playfully. "These are all good words. Are you listening?"

"Don’t tug on my ears." Luo Yu tilted her head. "I’ll remember."

"Just remembering isn’t enough. You need to understand, to integrate and apply it…" Zhu Huai didn’t finish her sentence before dozing off on Luo Yu’s back.

"How did the conversation lead to her falling asleep?" Luo Yu turned to Ying Zhao helplessly. "Keep an eye on her; don’t let her throw up on me."

Luo Yu carried Zhu Huai down the stairs and, along with Ying Zhao, took her back to her room. They activated the housekeeping system, and the ceiling quickly extended robotic arms to clean Zhu Huai up, then switched to post-drink monitoring mode to keep an eye on her condition.

Luo Yu and Ying Zhao noticed that the room was organized neatly by the housekeeping system. Seeing Zhu Huai sleeping soundly with no signs of vomiting, they both felt relieved. After wishing each other goodnight, they headed back to their own rooms.

After finishing her evening routine in the bathroom, Luo Yu walked to a cabinet in the bedroom and took out the two small vials of medication she had just set aside that day. Under the soft light in her room, she examined the medication closely before tightly grasping it in her hand.