The two set off once more. Glancing at Casey in the rearview mirror, her new look mirrored her renewed spirit. Their shared smile seemed to satisfy the long-awaited reunion after their separation.
They sped along Highway 2, passing through Carterbank and Shelby, with their first stop at Dunkirk. The facilities looked somewhat dilapidated—machine repair sheds and parked farm equipment. They found the person they had made an appointment with, who showed them the varieties and quantities of livestock. They signed the relevant purchase contracts. Then Li Haojun realized two things were definitely going to cost him. Men of all ages were greedily ogling Kacyia's figure. Back in the car, he took a silk scarf and tied it diagonally around her waist, just covering the front and back of her hips. The other thing was that their shoes were caked with dust from the fields.
The second stop was in Devon. The same routine bored Li Haojun. Feeling restless on the road, he remarked to Kasiya,
“Maybe I should start a purchasing company and hire buyers. Then we wouldn't have to run around like this next year.”
After a moment, he added,
“Then we could also set up a futures company and act as market makers ourselves.”
“No, that's not possible now. Only direct transactions between producers and consumers are allowed. Capital-driven systems and debt-driven systems are prohibited because when those systems collapsed in the past, the impact on society was too devastating. I learned that in history class.”
“Oh, you could be my advisor then.”
“Ha! Who told you to forget the past?”
“But that means we'll have to work hard—negotiating contracts with locals station by station.”
“It's fine, I'll go with you...” Kasiya trailed off mid-sentence.
“Go where?” Li Haojun didn't dwell on her unfinished words, pressing on as he drove.
“I'll go anywhere with you...” "Kasia murmured the rest of her sentence, gazing at Li Haojun in the rearview mirror.
Li Haojun didn't respond. He simply pulled the car over to the side of the road again. Kasia watched silently as he opened the door first, cupped her cheek, kissed her lips, then took her hand, knelt on one knee before her, and kissed the back of her hand.
“What's wrong?” " Kasiya's voice seemed slightly flustered. She studied Li Haojun's expression before continuing,
“I just said I'd go anywhere with you.”
Li Haojun held her hand and looked at her, saying,
“I just feel... after being apart for so long, you're still willing to follow me.”
“So long?”
“You're so young.”
“What? Just because I'm young, I can't have my own thoughts? Whoa, you scared me. I thought you were going to propose.” Seeing Li Haojun momentarily at a loss for words, Kasiya continued,
“What about your Emily then?” " With that, Casey laughed.
As they set off again, Li Haojun reflected on himself. How had he gotten so emotional he nearly scared her? He tried to reassure himself: Casey was a young girl. She just wanted an intimate relationship to heal her wounded childhood. She only wanted the feeling of the moment, just this process. She wasn't deciding to follow him for a lifetime right now.
Along the way in Chester, they had a late lunch, arriving even later at their lodging in Haver. After a simple dinner, they strolled to Milk River Park. The cool evening breeze carried moonlight filtering through the trees, illuminating the river as it gently lapped against the shore, softly caressing and reflecting the silhouettes of the two walking together.
“I'm sorry I scared you earlier today. I don't know why I felt so impulsive then,” Li Haojun apologized for the day's events as they walked.
Kasia didn't respond immediately. She wrapped herself in a cotton knit shawl matching her cardigan's pattern, arms crossed over her shoulders, walking slowly. Then she suddenly turned to face Li Haojun and asked,
“Tell me honestly—were you really going to propose to me then?”
“No. To me, you're like a princess, a queen. I'm deeply moved that you're willing to walk beside me.”
“Why would I be a princess or a queen?”
“You're so young and beautiful. Standing before me, you are my princess, my queen.”
“Oh,” Casey murmured, nodding slightly before asking again,
“Then didn't you want me to be your daughter?”
“Of course I did. Isn't a daughter her father's princess?”
“But princess or queen seems a bit distant. If I only want to be your daughter, is that okay?”
“Of course it is. I just worry it might be too limiting for you.”
“No, you did buy me new clothes, didn't you?”
“You're such a good girl, so easy to please,” Li Haojun said, wrapping his arm around Kasiya's waist and pulling her closer.
“So do you like me or do you like Emily?” Kasiya asked as they walked.
“You're special.”
“Isn't she special too?”
“Her? She's special too, but you're different.”
“Oh. If one day someone you trust could take care of Emily, would you be willing to leave with me?”
Li Haojun hesitated, seemingly confused by Kasiya's question. He silently weighed whether he could accept Tan Wenjing belonging to another man.
“If a clone of you were to accompany her, could you leave her with peace of mind?” Seeing no response, Kasiya rephrased her question.
“A clone of me? Would it share my soul?” Li Haojun pondered before pressing further.
“Yes.”
“We each have our own perceptions. How could we be one?” Li Haojun asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
“Then how about letting both of you share each other's perceptions simultaneously?”
“He'd share you with me too?”
“Hahaha, jealous? How about just letting you experience his perceptions? That should be fine, right?”
“Oh... that feels a bit strange. Like knowing another man is sleeping with your girlfriend...”
“That other man is you. Why can't you accept that?”
“Oh, alright.”
After a leisurely stroll and casual chat, they returned to their hotel room. Kasiya sent Li Haojun off to shower first while she approached the window, gazing at the moonlit night sky.
Meanwhile, in low Earth orbit, Leanna finished her day's work feeling slightly weary. Interstellar politics were truly a mess. In the vastness of space, no one could verify those claiming to represent certain races, let alone their true interests and motives. And that was before considering lifeforms without physical bodies.
Returning to her own room, she found her younger sister exercising her privileges, using the terminal interface in her room for a remote immersive experience. They were twin sisters, yet had inherited different personality traits—the elder calm and resilient, the younger lively and playful. It was unclear whether one soul had split into two distinct parts or if the same soul expressed divergent dominant characteristics.
“What are you doing?” Liana asked.
“Watching him bathe.”
“Him? Huh,” Liana began to question, but quickly recalled who he was.
“Want to try it?”
“Sure.” Speaking, Liana didn't take the perception-acquisition helmet her sister offered, but instead walked toward the more advanced immersion control pod and lay down inside.
Watching her sister settle in, Lydia carried her own perception-access helmet, opened the internal door to her own room, and was about to leave. Glancing back to see her sister comfortably positioned, she quietly closed the door again. Tiptoeing back to her sister's immersion pod, she set her perception helmet to subordinate observation mode.
After gazing at the moonlight outside the window for a moment, Kasiya returned indoors and approached the bathroom. The glass was transparent, and Li Haojun saw her, feeling a bit surprised but not exactly shy. She just gave her an awkward smile.
Kasiya took off her clothes and placed them aside. At first, Li Haojun watched her every move, but later felt too embarrassed to look directly.
Kasia pushed open the door and stepped inside. Li Haojun instinctively took a step back, yielding the showerhead to her.
“Ethan, would you wash my hair for me?” she asked, turning her back to Li Haojun.
“Sure.”
Kathy closed her eyes, tilting her head back to let the warm shower water cascade over her body. She savored the caress of the flowing water against her skin, feeling Li Haojun behind her gently unfurling each strand of her hair with his hands, moistening them with care. Yet, he remained meticulously careful, ensuring no part of his body ever touched hers.
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAVyYTJVJQ
87Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyWwnexOiU
and then Add to home screen.