Coming Home

Outside the train window, the scenery raced past.

The high-speed train sped toward Ning Yifan's hometown at 250 kilometers per hour.

Ning Yifan's hometown was a small, fourth-tier city in Xichuan Province. It took about an hour to get there by high-speed train from Chengdu.

Since Android No. 18 didn't have an ID card yet, she couldn't pass the security check at the train station and couldn't conveniently travel with him. Ning Yifan had her stay at the factory for the time being and told her to come over later that evening.

As the train rushed onward, Ning Yifan gazed at the scenery outside the window, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he thought of home and his family.

His father, Ning Guodong, was fifty years old and worked for a home renovation company. His pay wasn't high, but it was enough to support the family. He was gentle and hardworking, and doted on Ning Yifan and his younger brother—sometimes a little too much.

His mother, Zhou Fengmei, was two years younger than his father. She was a devoted wife and mother, and a little stricter than his father, though that only meant she was firm about Ning Yifan and his brother's studies. In her spare time, she liked to experiment with recipes and often cooked all kinds of delicious food for the family.

As far back as Ning Yifan could remember, she had never worked outside the home and had always taken care of the family's meals and daily needs. After decades of practice, she had become an excellent cook. He especially missed her sweet-and-sour carp; every time she made it, he could eat two big bowls of rice with it.

Ning Yifan also had a younger brother, Ning Yishun, who was currently in his final year of high school. In about six months, he would be taking the college entrance exams.

His grandfather also lived with them. He was sixty-nine years old, and Ning Yifan's grandmother had passed away when Ning Yifan was young.

It was a very warm family. As far back as Ning Yifan could remember, the atmosphere at home had always been relaxed. They might occasionally have a minor disagreement, but after a few days, everything would be back to normal.

Lost in his memories, Ning Yifan barely noticed as the high-speed train gradually came to a stop. Carrying a suitcase packed with a change of clothes and toiletries, he walked out of the station.

Before long, he spotted the Santana he'd ridden in since childhood, a car that was already more than a decade old. Beside it, a middle-aged man watched the passengers streaming out of the station, searching for Ning Yifan.

"Dad!" Ning Yifan called out loudly, waving.

His father nodded and smiled broadly. "Come on, let's go home!"

After putting his suitcase in the trunk, Ning Yifan took the passenger seat. His father got behind the wheel and skillfully wove through the traffic, heading home.

"How's work been since you graduated and went out on your own? Have you had any trouble adjusting?" his father asked with concern as he drove.

Ning Yifan thought for a moment before answering, "It's been fine. Pretty good, actually."

"Have you had any disagreements with your coworkers?"

"No, they're all great!"

"By the way, are you still working at that online gaming company?"

"I don't work there anymore. I changed jobs in the second half of the year."

"Did something happen there?"

"No, nothing like that. I just wanted to earn a little more."

"Don't set your sights too high."

"I know, I know."

"By the way, do you have a girlfriend now?"

"Not yet..."

"I'm sure someone like you won't have trouble finding a girlfriend. If you don't have one, it must be because you haven't been looking. Don't just sit at home all day. Get out and talk to people. Your mother and I are hoping to have grandchildren, you know."

"No rush. I only graduated from college a year ago. These days, it's perfectly normal for people to get married in their twenties or thirties!"

"That's other people. Your mother and I just want you to settle down and start a family soon."

"We'll see. You can't just make love happen."

To escape his father's questioning, Ning Yifan quickly changed the subject.

"By the way, Dad, you've had this car for over ten years. When are you going to replace it?"

"Why replace it? It still runs fine, and there's nothing seriously wrong with it. A new car is a big expense. Let's talk about it after your brother graduates from college. We'll have a little more money to spare then."

Ning Yifan knew his father was quite fond of cars. But with a family to support, from the old to the young, he had carried the whole burden on his shoulders all these years and was always careful with money.

Ning Yifan pressed him. "Just tell me, what kind of car would you want if you did get a new one?"

"What, are you going to buy it for me?" His father shot Ning Yifan a sidelong glance.

"Just tell me."

"Well, if I really were to replace it, I'd get an SUV in the 100,000-yuan range. Something with more room and a comfortable ride. We always have a lot to bring when the whole family goes out. Something like a Haval H6 or Geely Boyue. To be honest, I haven't really thought it through."

"A car in the 100,000-yuan range? Don't you have something more ambitious in mind?"

"Hey, you cheeky brat. Maybe something in the 200,000- or 300,000-yuan range, still an SUV. The Tiguan L, Highlander, and CR-V are all pretty good."

"Okay, got it." Ning Yifan nodded thoughtfully. His father still wasn't daring to dream big enough.

Before long, on the way home, they picked up his mother at the entrance to the vegetable market. She had bought a huge pile of ingredients.

Ning Yifan's family lived in an old residential complex in the small fourth-tier city. Their apartment was on the fifth floor, with no elevator, and had three bedrooms and a living room.

His parents, his younger brother, and his grandfather all lived there.

The kitchen was barely big enough for two people to stand in; with one more, there'd be no room to move. They also shared a single bathroom.

When they got home, his mother went into the kitchen to show off her cooking skills and prepare a sumptuous meal for him.

His grandfather sat on the sofa watching TV. His little brother was probably studying in his room.

As soon as he stepped inside, Ning Yifan called out loudly, "Grandpa!"

His grandfather was delighted to see him and called back just as loudly, "My grandson!"

"Heh heh!"

At home, Ning Yifan acted like a child who had never grown up.

"Dinner's ready!" His mother brought out plate after plate of delicious food.

There was Ning Yifan's favorite sweet-and-sour carp, as well as a family staple: dry-pot potatoes.

Ning Yifan and his younger brother both loved potatoes, so the family always kept a big sack of them at home. Every time his mother made a whole pot, they finished it.

The meal lasted well over an hour. His father and grandfather each had a small drink.

At the dinner table, his parents showed their concern about Ning Yifan's prospects for settling down.

His mother went on and on.

"You're an adult now that you've graduated from college. It's time to start thinking about getting married. Look at the son of your Uncle Liu—he's only nineteen and has already dated several girls. You need to get moving too."

"New Year's is coming soon, and lots of people who've been working away from home have come back. There are plenty of girls around your age. Why don't you take some time to meet one?"

"Mrs. Liu in Building Five has a daughter in her twenties. She's very pretty, and she's coming back in the next few days too."

Ning Yifan was sweating from all the pressure. "Mom, don't worry about it! Don't worry, I'll definitely bring home a wife in a couple of years! I'm not in a hurry right now. I want to focus on my career, and I'm not ready yet!"

"You silly boy, what do you need to get ready for? When I was your age, I was already married to your father!"

"Times are different. Things are different now than they used to be."

"Fine, then. This is your final warning: you'd better bring home a wife next year!"

"Got it." He finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After dinner, Ning Yifan and his younger brother cleaned up, scrubbing the pots and washing the dishes.

The apartment was about ninety square meters, with three bedrooms and a living room. His younger brother slept in the smaller bedroom, his grandfather had another bedroom, and his parents slept in the master bedroom. That left Ning Yifan with the sofa.

"The place is a little cramped, huh!"

Everyone had already gone to bed. Ning Yifan took out his phone and dialed a number.

"No. 18, search online for car dealerships in Chengdu that currently have SUVs priced above one million yuan in stock. Also search for homes for sale in the city I'm in, ZY City. Filter for homes priced above five million yuan, and send me the contact numbers you find."

"Okay," No. 18 replied over the phone.

"Mm. You can come over now. Find an unoccupied rooftop near my home and stay there for a couple of days."

"Got it."

After hanging up, No. 18 put on the hooded sweatshirt Ning Yifan had specially made for her. She adjusted her arms and legs, and, surrounded by pale blue energy flames, broke free of the earth's gravitational pull and flew toward the city where Ning Yifan was.

The hooded cloak was made of new materials. It not only provided powerful protection, but also concealed Android No. 18 from radar, infrared, thermal, and other forms of detection.

It had been specially made to keep her from getting shot down as soon as she took to the sky.

That night, a pale blue shooting star raced toward Ning Yifan's location, taking care to avoid cities and human settlements along the way.