The endless darkness receded, and a ray of sunlight fell across Ren Ye's face...
He slowly opened his eyes and saw Xu Qingzhao and Old Liu sitting cross-legged beside him. The surrounding scenery was familiar, too.
Phew, finally back. This was the Migration Land's Star Gate, the Fortune Tea House in Base City. Under the Star Gate's rules, you had to leave from wherever you entered, so he did not see Tang Feng, Mad Dog, or Apu.
After returning, the three did not leave immediately. Instead, they sent their lackey Old Liu downstairs to order eight dishes, then ate in the private room while they waited.
Poached fish covered in red chilies, fragrant shredded pork in garlic sauce, stir-fried greens...
Like a little greedy cat, Ai Fei wrinkled her nose as she sniffed the food. While saying that a woman should not eat too much and ought to have smaller, more frequent meals, she polished off two bowls of rice.
There was no helping it. This Star Gate had been set in the Republican era, and they had spent the entire time as vagrants amid constant danger. Even their only two lavish meals had coincided with missions, leaving them to subsist on the supplies they had brought or Old Liu's two-hundred-million-descendants braised beef.
Of course, Apu had eaten all the beef himself. No one else had touched a single bite.
The three had been eating for a little while when they heard the private room's door being pushed open. Looking up, they saw Apu walk in wearing a black robe, all smiles. "A meal waiting as soon as we meet. Excellent."
"Get my brother another pair of chopsticks," Ren Ye called.
A moment later, Apu accepted the bowl and chopsticks, bent down to sit beside Ren Ye, and gave a