Man Yuemei

Perhaps something was amiss, Man Yuemei seemed oblivious to Yue Yuan's actions and continued talking slowly.

"If youth is like a dream, then I have never woken up. Unfortunately, dreams cannot last longer. I can only face reality with equanimity. People always grow old, and there is no use in envying others."

If the Life Elixir hadn't appeared, I might not exist now. I believe many of the old people on Callisto felt the same way, because we all share the same deep reluctance to let go of the passing years!

"Hehe, perhaps Commander Yue doesn't feel this way." Man Yuemei stared at Yue Yuan with her Cat Eye, the crystalline brilliance in her eyes seemingly revealing a hint of self-mockery.

She paused for a moment, then continued, "The feeling before using the Life Elixir was like yesterday when it was still a bright spring day, and in the blink of an eye, the autumn wind was blowing. Through spring and autumn, winter and summer, I don't know how much sunshine I've dappled away in my daily laughter and conversation. I only know that I can never grasp the vast and helpless years behind this gentle affection."

"Many people in the world try their best to hold on to their youth, but I know that even thick makeup cannot hide the wrinkles that quietly appear, and even flowing dresses cannot stop the vitality that gradually fades. Time flows on like a great river, unstoppable."

"Um... why are you suddenly reminiscing about youth?" Yue Yuan thought to himself. "What cosmetics and flowing dresses? You've never even used or worn them, have you? What's wrong with those Man Yuemei? This guy isn't usually like this!"

Suddenly, Yue Yuan felt a little uncomfortable with the appearance of the crescent-shaped Man Yuemei. He was still used to the clean, efficient, and ruthless Man Yuemei.

Is this the side of her that no one knows? Or is she explaining to herself why she used methods to fabricate a non-existent son in order to obtain the normal Life Elixir procedure?

But didn't he already say that this was the last time? That meant it was over. So many years have passed, why bring it up again? Yue Yuan was pondering this when Man Yuemei was still talking.

"After I went to work on Callisto, I wrote this sentence on a small photo: 'As long as I was young, I don't ask for youth to last.' At that time, I thought that as long as my youth was spectacular, I would have done my life right. But that doesn't mean I was so carefree that I didn't care about getting old. It's just that I had no choice at the time. I was willing to let nature take its course. Even if I was reluctant, unwilling, and unwilling to let go of what I was destined to lose, I had to let go in the end."

"Because I know that youth is just a process, and the essence of youth lies in its inevitable passing. No matter how hard I try or how persistent I am, I can't have it forever. Since that's the case, why should I desperately try to make youth stay?"

"But youth has been so kind to me, taking me from childhood to military academy graduation, letting me taste joy and sorrow, right and wrong, love and hate, gain and loss. In the end, I have not wasted my youth. So I no longer lament the fleeting nature of youth, nor do I complain about the ruthlessness of time. In the past, I was actually a content person. If the sky is to be barren, let it be barren; if the earth is to grow old, let it grow old; if youth is to leave, let it leave. I will not be as sad and sorrowful as if I were attending a funeral. But just as I made up my mind to bid farewell to my fleeting years, the Life Elixir shattered everything."

"The starry sky is so dazzling and beautiful, and I yearn for it. But I do not wish to face that magnificent and moving starry sky in my twilight years, for that would make me feel ashamed. So I used the power in my hands to fabricate it."

Upon hearing that he was indeed explaining that matter, Yue Yuan waved his hand to interrupt, saying, "Didn't I already say that this matter is in the past, and you don't need to dwell on it?"

"Don't you think I'm selfish, Commander Yue?" Man Yuemei stared at Yue Yuan's face. His Cat Eye, which were still shifting, seemed to make her a little uncomfortable. She blinked as she stared at him.

"Actually, it wouldn't be a problem if you didn't fabricate that record. In fact, if I were in your shoes, I would have done the same. It's only human nature," Yue Yuan said sincerely. "However, you also know that the rule was set up entirely to allow the human population to grow rapidly. It wasn't targeted at anyone, nor was it intended to discriminate against women."

"I know, I remember those three backup plans." Man Yuemei bowed slightly. "Actually, from a rational point of view, those three backup plans are more suitable, although there will be greater resistance."

"You don't seem to object to even those three backup plans, but why?"

Before Yue Yuan could finish speaking, Man Yuemei seemed to have already guessed what he was going to say, so she said directly, "Didn't I already tell Commander Yue the answer back in the Hope's bridge corridor? There were no alternatives among those three options. Now that there are options, why shouldn't I choose for myself?"

Have you made your choice?

Yue Yuan was about to ask the question, but he swallowed the words back. At that moment, he seemed to realize why Man Yuemei was behaving so unusually.

Yue Yuan certainly remembered what Man Yuemei had said back then in the bridge corridor of the Hope.

'On the Hope, I still can't find a man worthy of me!' These words, which sounded arrogant back then because of the Man Yuemei, echoed in Yue Yuan's mind once again.

Thinking of this, Yue Yuan raised his eyelids and looked at Man Yuemei directly opposite him, and their eyes met.

"Could this woman have taken a liking to me?" Suddenly, Yue Yuan realized this, but he didn't know if it was just his imagination.

For a moment, Yue Yuan was unsure whether he should ask the question that had been swallowed back earlier.

If asked, Man Yuemei would say: I've made my choice, it's you.

How should I answer that?

Although human society is now very open about relationships between men and women, Yue Yuan, as an old man, has not changed so quickly, which is why he has remained single for so many years.

Moreover, he felt that finding a partner was pointless, since he couldn't have children or contribute to the continuation of humankind, so he might as well stay single and save his energy to focus more on the future development of humanity.

Not only Yue Yuan, Man Yuemei is the same.

Moreover, this period of time is not short, and the Life Elixir for the two individuals have different expiration times.

Yue Yuan felt that if Man Yuemei really took a liking to him, then having children would be out of the question, since one person's Life Elixir would expire while the other's was still effective.

There's no way to fix the time misalignment. In that case, it's impossible to wait for the other one to also become invalid, because waiting would take hundreds of years, and we wouldn't be able to wait until we die.

"It must be my imagination," Yue Yuan thought to himself.

He felt that if Man Yuemei was really like that, then there would be another negative impact, which would make others think that he and Man Yuemei were using force to jointly rule the New Humans.

Thanks to Jun Ge for the donation while reading! The author will try harder and add another chapter.