He's Not My Boyfriend, So Why Do You Care?

Lin Chuan descended from the sky and landed outside the research institute. He carefully examined the twenty-meter-tall metal framework.▲

If he wasn't mistaken, it had to be for building a spaceship, right?

Otherwise, Lin Chuan couldn't think of any other enormous structure that would need such a huge metal frame for support.

Bulma might not build anything for a while, but once she did, she went straight for a large spaceship.

For the tedious journey through space, a larger spaceship really was better. Moving between different areas could help relieve the boredom, and there were more things to do.

Unlike a small spaceship, where you had to stay in one fixed spot and could barely even stretch your body.

The single-person spaceships used by the Frieza Force, for example, only let you sit in the cabin and sleep through the long journey.

Lin Chuan was looking forward to seeing what the spaceship would look like once it was finally finished.

He turned and went inside the research institute.

Having been there several times before, he knew his way around. Once the guard robots confirmed his identity, they let him pass.

Inside was an immense space.

Everywhere he looked, countless pieces of machinery were running, a truly breathtaking sight.

It was like some ultra-high-tech factory, with artificial-intelligence robots helping operate many of the machines.

Looking toward one corner of the institute, Lin Chuan spotted Bulma hard at work.

She was operating a computer, with Dr. Brief assisting beside her. He held a tablet and seemed to be checking the data.

As Bulma entered information into the computer, the large, square metal block at the front began to rumble.

Countless circuits worked in tandem with the data transmission and an ample power supply, fully activating the enormous block—whatever it was.

He strolled over to Bulma and Dr. Brief.

Lin Chuan didn't interrupt them. Instead, he tried to figure out what they were doing based on what he knew.

There was no doubt that this enormous metal block was the result of Bulma and Dr. Brief's research.

Whatever they wanted him to help with, it had to be related to this.

Otherwise, Lin Chuan couldn't think of anything else, and he hadn't seen any other new inventions here.

Could this be...

A thought crossed his mind. Looking closely, he saw a metal door at the front of the block, open to the outside. The interior was empty, and he could see what it looked like inside.

A Gravity Training Room!

There was no other possible explanation.

Otherwise, what would be the point of building a metal room like this?

"Huh? You're here already—why didn't you say anything?" After completing the final crucial step, Bulma wiped the sweat from her forehead and let out a sigh of relief. Only then did she notice Lin Chuan. She stood up and spoke.

It wasn't that she was slow to notice him. She'd been completely absorbed in her research and hadn't expected Lin Chuan to arrive so quickly, so she hadn't been paying attention to anything else.

Dr. Brief relaxed as well. He set down his tablet and lit a cigarette. "At least the last step didn't fail, or you would've come all this way for nothing. But we'll need you to test it before we can be sure it worked."

Having said that, Dr. Brief took a long drag, easing his taut nerves.

People like them, who worked in scientific research, sometimes needed something to keep them going when they reached a critical moment.

Cigarettes were one of the most effective options. They could keep you alert and help you relax.

In the Original Work, Bulma had also picked up a smoking habit because of her scientific research.

She tried to quit twice. The first time was when she was pregnant with Trunks, but she didn't manage to quit completely. Later, when she was pregnant with Bulla, she finally kicked the habit for good.

Of course, whether Whis had helped her succeed back then was anyone's guess.

Given how close Bulma and the Angel Whis were in the present timeline, helping her quit smoking should have been no trouble for an Angel who could do almost anything.

Lin Chuan's gaze followed Bulma's movements. When he saw her pick up the pack of women's cigarettes on the table, he was taken aback. He hadn't expected Bulma to already be smoking this much.

Then he noticed the ashtray on the table, filled to the brim with cigarette butts, and realized that Bulma's habit was already pretty serious.

He didn't hate smoking, but it really wasn't good for Bulma.

Although it could help her stay alert and relax, the downsides were worse if she smoked too much.

Instinctively, Lin Chuan snatched the pack of cigarettes away and crushed it in his hand. Bulma glared at him.

She'd finally finished the last step and had been about to smoke one to calm her nerves. What was this supposed to be?

"A beautiful woman like you shouldn't be smoking like an old chain-smoker. It doesn't suit you."

"You should lay off these things. There are plenty of ways to stay alert and relax. Smoking is the worst option."

"You're smart enough to know that."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Chuan tossed the crushed pack of cigarettes into the trash.

After hearing that and watching him do it, Bulma nearly choked with fury. "You're not my boyfriend, so why do you care?"

Her expression might as well have spelled out four big words: None of your business.

She was about to blow up, but Dr. Brief stepped between them and said a few words that cooled her temper.

What he basically said was that his daughter was exceptional, both in intelligence and looks.

But at her age, she should know better than to pick up bad habits. They were only getting worse.

Then he said something especially cutting.

More or less, he said that Bulma had wasted so many years of her youth on Yamcha, and had achieved little besides drowning her sorrows in cigarettes and alcohol. She hadn't managed to drown her sorrows, but her habits had only grown worse.

In the past, Dr. Brief had turned a blind eye and let Bulma do as she pleased.

After all, his daughter was grown up, and he didn't need to worry about her too much.

But Lin Chuan's arrival had changed a lot, and Dr. Brief had decided to help his daughter make a few changes.

Yamcha was gone, and that was that!

The past would always be the past, and a new future would eventually come.

Lin Chuan was clearly much better, too.

He also thought his daughter might be interested in Lin Chuan. Otherwise, why would she let him stay at their house, where they'd see each other every day?

What mattered most was that his daughter had agreed to help repair and build a spaceship, and had even taken on the Gravity Training Room as well...

He knew his daughter wanted to achieve more in the field of scientific research, but it was obvious that, on top of that, she wanted to help Lin Chuan.

Bulma had no idea that her father had completely misread the situation.

Although she was quite taken with Lin Chuan's looks and physique, and he was incredibly strong, she wasn't the sort of woman who would casually switch her affections.

Especially since her last relationship had ended so abruptly. She and Yamcha hadn't even properly talked things through.

No matter how much she liked Lin Chuan, she wouldn't make the first move.