Su Li shouted to Saina in the distance.
"Added a flow guide. It won't blast the vegetables."
Saina's shoulders relaxed. She waved, then turned back to fussing with her wooden crate.
Beneath the observation shed, Elena turned a page in her documents and added a line in the blank space with her pen.
"Additional modification to thruster casing: one flow-guiding circuit. Purpose: prevent wake turbulence from damaging the deck planting area."
She paused, then added four more words at the end.
"Required by the client."
The materials were in a lull.
The Empire's third shipment of deep-sea forged steel plates was still being transported by sea. All that remained at the shipyard was polishing and applying anti-corrosion paint, neither of which required Su Li's supervision.
At the dinner table, Saina set down her chopsticks and said, "I want to go back to Wading Village for a look."
Su Li kept chewing his ribs without looking up. Elena's hand paused as she turned the account book's pages. Elonore lowered her head and quietly shoveled rice into her mouth.
Saina added, "And take my parents back to pay respects to our ancestors. We haven't visited the graves in years."
"Go." Su Li spat a bone into his plate. "Pack your things tomorrow."
Saina froze, clearly not expecting him to agree so readily.
"We don't need to wait for the materials?"
"Waiting would just be waiting for nothing." Su Li soaked a mouthful of rice in soup. "If we take the main road, we'll be there in three days at most."
Elena closed the account book. "I'll arrange the guards. Also, the messenger reported last time that the road into Wading Village turns into a mud pit whenever the spring rains get heavy."
She pulled out a blank sheet of paper and