These days, humanity had reclaimed its lost territory, and technology had entered a period of explosive growth. The term Base City had become a thing of the past.
It was the height of summer. Jiang City's central park was lush with greenery and shaded by trees, making it an excellent place to escape the heat and enjoy a picnic.
On a secluded lawn, Jia Yi had set aside the heavy burdens of his office and was playing chess with Xue Xi like an ordinary old man.
Xue Xi stared intently at the endgame on the board. She blinked, then suddenly sneezed, sending the pieces into disarray. "Oh dear, that sneeze couldn't have come at a worse time. Let's start over!"
With a dark expression, Jia Yi slammed the cannon in his hand onto Xue Xi's general. "You little brat! You've taken back your moves three games in a row! Is cheating at chess what a gentleman would do?"
Xue Xi gave an awkward smile as she reset the board. "Who said I took back a move? That was clearly an unavoidable accident. Right, Sister Xin?" She winked at Xu Xin, who was watching from the side.
Xu Xin's gaze suddenly went blank. She stood up, looking confused. "Huh? I suddenly can't see a thing. Xiao Ping, Xiao Hua, Mommy's coming to play with you!" Then she turned and went to join the two little ones beside Luo Feng, who was acting as the temporary chef.
Thor was playing a virtual game as he craned his neck and chimed in. "Fourth Sister, Second Brother isn't trying to criticize you, but look how angry you've made Elder Jia. You even ruined his three-move checkmate."
Jia Yi flung his sleeve and angrily stroked his beard twice. "I'm done! You're a terrible chess player, yet you keep pestering me to play. What's the point?"
Xue Xi pursed her lips, then spotted Hong sitting serenely nearby, his gaze lowered. "Brother Hong, how about a couple of rounds with me?"
Hong shook his head and turned away. "Fourth Sister, though my heart is infinitely vast, I'm afraid I can't tolerate your un-gentlemanly way of playing. I might start swearing. Getting so worked up isn't good, not good at all."
Seeing that no one would play chess with her, Xue Xi got angry! Well, a little angry. She muttered, "It's not like I'm a gentleman. I'm a lady, okay?" Then she swept the whole chessboard into her pocket space in one go and cheerfully went to join Xu Xin and the two little dumplings.
Only after Xue Xi had put away the board and left did Jia Yi settle back into his seat. He shook his head and looked thoughtfully at Hong, who was resting with his eyes closed. "Have you really made up your minds? Isn't it too soon to make contact with the universe? We've made some progress in recent years, but we're still a long way from catching up with the rest of the universe. It still feels too risky."
At that, Hong opened his eyes. Remembering the horrifying fate of the slave planets described in Xue Xi's information, he firmly shook his head at Jia Yi's worried expression. "It isn't too soon. If anything, we're a little late. The information gap is dangerous for us. Getting out into the universe as soon as possible and finding a way forward for Earth is what matters most. After we leave, we'll be counting on you to take care of things here."
Jia Yi sighed. "Perhaps you're the ones who are right. I'm old, and I don't have much appetite for adventure anymore. These days, I just want things to stay peaceful. Go without worry. The old man may not be able to do much for you, but I can manage the many tedious affairs on Earth."
Just then, Luo Feng carried a platter of barbecue to the table in the middle and clapped his hands. "All right, everyone, stop playing and chatting. Come try Chef Luo's cooking!"
Luo Feng had looked up barbecue recipes online in advance so he could show off his skills at the gathering in front of his family and friends.
Luo Hongguo and his wife were the first to support their son. They each grabbed a grilled chicken skewer and took a bite. Both of them paused noticeably, then finished eating without changing expression. Facing Luo Feng's eager look, they praised him. "Mm, not bad! It's almost as good as Chef Xue Xi's cooking."
Xu Xin glanced at the older couple suspiciously. Seriously? A-Feng could put enough salt in his egg fried rice to fill a salt mine. Could this really be edible?
But it did look pretty good. Maybe she should try some?
Soon, she popped a skewer of fried enoki mushrooms into her mouth. Before she could even chew, an intense, overwhelming spiciness shot straight to her head. Xu Xin's composure instantly crumbled, and she hurriedly began searching for water. Everyone else who had tasted the food wore strange expressions.
Xue Xi conjured a cup of spring water with Myriad Manifestation Water and handed it to the smoking Xu Xin. Then, as if refusing to believe the food could be that bad, she picked up a grilled sausage and took a bite.
The next second, with God's Tongue's sense of taste fully unleashed, she was hit by a greasy combination of sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy. She fell over stiff as a board. "The food's... poisoned!"
Luo Feng looked awkwardly at the people he'd taken down with his cooking and hurriedly pulled the dishes Xue Xi had prepared from the box behind him. "All right, all right, I know I'm a terrible cook. Quit pretending and eat something good to cleanse your palates. If I ever go near the kitchen again, I'm a dog!"
As soon as he said that, the expressions of the people who had been suffering returned to normal. They hastily comforted Luo Feng, then immediately sat down to eat. (Luo Feng: You're pretending to be hurt just to get good food? Who's the dog? I'm not saying.)
Of course, the others had been pretending, but Xue Xi hadn't. God's Tongue meant she could no longer stand ordinary, flavorless food. She hurriedly grabbed a Tianfu Cola and gulped down a few mouthfuls before she finally recovered. Then she stared at Luo Feng's barbecue in fear, resolving never to eat anyone else's food again. It was terrifying!
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