Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, the first humans born from artificial wombs and raised under the Social Surrogacy system had reached adulthood.
And today, July 3, 2420 of the Earth calendar, was the day the first "communally raised people" would undergo their Coming-of-Age Ceremony.
For their daughter's Coming-of-Age Ceremony, Qi Yang and Xu Ting had specially taken time off and boarded a public starship bound for Space Child-Rearing Center Two.
Over the past twenty-five years, they had shared joyful moments with their daughter, as well as heart-wrenching arguments.
As their daughter grew older, they had even visited the child-rearing center less and less each year, at her request.
But no matter what, as they looked at their daughter, now a grown woman brimming with youthful vitality, both were overcome with emotion.
"Mengshu, after the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, you'll be an independent individual." Qi Yang's lips trembled slightly as he spoke, reluctant to let her go. "When that happens..."
Facing her parents, Qi Mengshu gave a polite, faint smile. "Don't worry. Everything will be fine."
"I've already made plans with them. Once the Coming-of-Age Ceremony is over, we'll go to Dawn Star together."
"Our socialization training course instructor went over all the precautions. You don't need to worry about me."
At those words, bitter smiles returned to Qi Yang's and Xu Ting's faces.
The "them" their daughter mentioned referred to the companions she had grown up with.
They knew that children raised under the Social Surrogacy system placed little importance on family ties, and were even somewhat indifferent to them.
In their daughter's heart, her companions mattered far more than her parents.
The reason was simple.
Within the child-rearing center, companions born in the same cohort had long since become one big family.
For them, when difficulties