The night before departure, Su Wantang helped Zhao Chen pack his luggage.
The temperature in Texas in December was much lower than that in Chongqing. She folded the cashmere coat, scarf, and thick socks one by one and put them in the suitcase. Her movements were unhurried and slow, as if she was doing something she had done countless times.
"Lawyer Lin has made arrangements there. After Houston lands, he will wait for us at the airport, and then Turning Point go to Brownsville together.
The assistant of Elon Musk said that the test base of Starworm is at Boca Chica, which takes about forty minutes to drive from Brownsville."
Su Wantang spoke without raising his head, his fingers checking items on a handwritten list.
"The hotel is booked at Brownsville, which is the closest hotel to Launch Site. The conditions are average, but Elon Musk stays there every time."
Zhao Chen leaned against the door frame and looked at her.
"Wantang."
She raised her head.
"This trip may not just be about watching rockets."
Su Wantang's hand paused for a moment, then continued to put the last piece of clothing in and zipped up the suitcase.
SpaceX's Starworm test was the vaguest and clearest memory he had before his rebirth.
It was vague because at that time, his main energy was on the operation of Henglong, and aerospace news to him was just a flashing headline on his mobile phone.
It's clear because Starworm, a crude prototype like Stainless Steel Water Tower, was repeatedly played back, screenshotted, and made into emoticons a few years later, becoming a crazy footnote in the history of human spaceflight.
He remembered that the first Tethered Test of Starworm was successful, and also remembered how many times the subsequent Starship prototype exploded.
But what he didn't remember was what else Elon Musk did before and after that test.
The invitation said "Watch Starworm Tethered Test", but when Elon Musk said on the phone, "Texas is having a barbecue, I'll treat you", there was something in his tone that he couldn't fathom.
That's not polite to investors.
That is an invitation to the same kind.
Chongqing Jiangbei Airport Terminal 3.
It was a rare sunny day in December Shan City. The sunlight poured down from the glass dome of the terminal building, spreading a pale golden light and shadow on the smooth ground.
Zhao Chen wore a dark gray cashmere coat, and Su Wantang followed him, dragging a silver-gray boarding suitcase.
The two of them didn't bring much luggage. They didn't need suits and ties to see the Rockets at Texas.
When going through the security check, Su Wantang took out Zhao Chen's computer from his bag and put it into the tray, as if he had done it a thousand times.
The security inspector took another look at her - not because she was good-looking, but because when she was doing these things, her eyes never left Zhao Chen's back.
The seats in first class are side by side. Zhao Chen is by the window and Su Wantang is by the aisle.
As the plane was taxiing, she stretched out her hand to fasten the small table in front of him, and then placed a glass of warm water next to his armrest.
"Fourteen hours, just a nap," she said.
Zhao Chen turned his head to look at her.
The lights in the cabin cast a soft halo on her face, and the shadows of her eyelashes fell on her cheekbones, like two thin feathers.
The December sunshine shines in from above the sea of clouds, making it dazzlingly white.
Su Wantang reached out and pulled down the visor halfway for him, and the light became softer.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked.
Zhao Chen was silent for a long time.
It took so long that Su Wantang thought he wouldn't answer.
"I wonder where I have to go before it's enough."
His voice was very low, as if he was speaking to himself,
"In the past two years or so, I have completely mastered Henglong, Era Vanguard, Bitcoin, Tesla, Nvidia, Bubble Mary. Every step is on point.
But every time I take a step forward, I want a little more."
He turned his head and looked at her.
"It's not that I'm not satisfied. I'm afraid that I won't be able to stop."
Su Wantang reached out and took the hand on the armrest.
Her hands are small, with warm palms and soft fingertips.
"If you can't stop, don't stop." She said,
"You walk in front, and I'll watch from behind. As far as you go, I'll follow."
The plane flew smoothly above the clouds, and the roar of the engine was filtered by the bulkhead into a low background sound.
Zhao Chen said no more, but he held Su Wantang's hand and did not let go.
Fourteen hours later, Houston George Bush International Airport.
Lin Shicheng was standing at the pick-up port in the arrival hall. He saw Zhao Chen and Su Wantang coming out, and he quickly walked up to them. When he extended his hand, he held it with both hands.
"Zhao Zong, it's been a hard journey."
Lin Shicheng glanced across Su Wantang's face and nodded slightly, "Miss Su."
"Lawyer Lin." Su Wantang smiled back.
The three of them did not stay longer at Houston.
Lin Shicheng arranged for a small business jet to fly directly from Houston to Brownsville.
"Elon Musk's situation over there, I confirmed it again yesterday."
Lin Shicheng sat opposite Zhao Chen and opened a folder.
"Starworm's Tethered Test is scheduled for December 15th.
The test content is that Raptor engine is ignited, and Starworm is tied to the launch pad by a cable, and the lift-off height does not exceed 20 meters.
If the test is successful, the next step is to cancel the tethering and do a real low-altitude flight test."
He turned to the next page.
"In addition, I got news from within SpaceX that Elon Musk is not the only one invited this time.
There are also several Silicon Valley technology investors, as well as several former NASA officials. But among them all, you are the only one from Asia."
Zhao Chen's brow moved slightly.
"What does he want to do?"
"I don't know." Lin Shicheng closed the folder,
"But based on what I know about Elon Musk, he never spends time on things without purpose. Inviting you to see the Rockets must have his intention."
When the plane landed at the small airport of Brownsville, it was already evening local time.
The sunset at Texas is bigger and redder than that at Chongqing, hanging on the horizon like a burnt iron ball, dyeing the entire wilderness the color of rust.
Su Wantang wrapped his coat tightly when he walked out of the cabin.
The winter here is different from Chongqing - the cold in Chongqing is wet and penetrates into the bones;
Texas's cold was dry, and the wind blew through my skin like a knife.
The car arranged by Lin Shicheng is already waiting at the side of the track.
A white Cadillac Escalade, the car body is covered with dust. In a place like Texas, washing the car is meaningless.
"Boca Chica's Launch Site is about forty minutes away from here."
Lin Shicheng said while driving,
"That place used to be a retirement community. Elon Musk bought it and moved the residents away.
Now the whole peninsula is just a SpaceX facility and a bunch of engineers living in RVs."
Su Wantang looked at the passing wilderness outside the car window and suddenly spoke.
"Why did he choose such a remote place?"
"Because no one will care if it explodes."
Zhao Chen answered for Lin Shicheng,
"The prototype of Starship is made of stainless steel and is extremely low cost. If it explodes, it will explode.
If it explodes once at Cape Canaveral, NASA will stop it for half a year.
Here, we can start welding the next one the next day after the bombing is completed."
Su Wantang turned his head and looked at him.
There was no mockery in Zhao Chen's tone, but a rare appreciation.
This hotel is the best one in Brownsville, but in any big city it can only be considered an economical one.
The carpet in the lobby is frayed, the Mexico aunt at the front desk cannot speak any language other than English, and there is a faint smell of detergent in the corridor.
Lin Shicheng completed the check-in procedure and handed the room card to Zhao Chen.
"Zhao Zong, have a good rest tonight. People from Elon Musk will be waiting for us at Launch Site tomorrow at ten o'clock in the morning."
Zhao Chen took the room card and nodded.