‘SEE YOU MORNING’ 002 On the Road

“The car was behind,” as Qin Wenjing talked while walking ahead.
She wore a beige business outfit, a women's blazer, wide-leg dress pants, and high heels. She walked with elegance, always unhurried, her feet stepping along a straight line, her hips swaying gently with each stride.
Though petite, her figure was well-proportioned. Li Haojun followed behind, his gaze naturally falling to her neckline. The white shirt collar was turned out over the blazer lapel, a braid draped from the left side of her neck down to her chest, and a purple crystal pendant hung from her right ear.
Out the back door of the house was an arched vine-covered corridor. Walking inside, they saw a silver sedan parked there. The dim overcast light and the green leaves reflected on the car's paint made it look dignified yet soft, especially the lines of the chrome front grille, which complemented the headlights and the color-matched front bumper.
"Volvo, 960," Li Haojun recognized it.
"Yeah, it's the one you like," Qin Wenjing said with a smile as she walked around the front of the car. She was beaming, her whole upper body facing Li Haojun as she made her way to the driver's seat, then pulled open the door and sat down.
Li Haojun got into the passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt. He watched Qin Wenjing grab driving shoes from the back seat, put them on, buckle up, and start the car. He was surprised that he remembered the car model himself, and wondered what else would pop into his head. But the sound of the engine starting wasn't that of a fuel vehicle—it was electric, just with a mechanical transmission.
"I thought this was a vintage car. Turns out it's a replica electric vehicle," Li Haojun said.
"Yeah, a premium replica. What else would it be? It's nearly a hundred years old," Qin Wenjing replied as she pulled the car onto the road.
On the country road lined with ash trees, a silver sedan drove smoothly. The shadows of the green trees and the pale gray sky alternated rhythmically, reflecting off the light green windshield and the silver body, as if all things had merged into one.
At some point, Qin Wenjing had put on a pair of gold wire-rimmed glasses. The wind from the side window occasionally tousled her hair, the bumps in the road occasionally jostled her earrings, and her lipstick-painted lips curved into a slight smile.
"Where are we going, and what are we doing? Can you tell me?" Li Haojun asked.
"Going to Spokane, to exchange a data key. A biotech company. All work is voluntary now, of course—voluntary for those who are capable. There's basic support even if you don't work. On the other hand, power and obligation are always equal, but with today's social and technological development, ordinary people can no longer participate."
"Lincoln once said, if you ask me what kind of government I want, I want a republican one, but the voters must be able to oversee it."
"Then why do you work for this company?"
"Because... you," Qin Wenjing said, hesitating for a moment.
"Because you work for this company."
"Ha," Li Haojun gave a self-deprecating laugh. I don't even know who I am right now.
"It'll get better. At least you're already a quasi-interstellar citizen."
"What does that mean?" Li Haojun asked after a pause.
"We all are. Since the AI explosion and the legislation allowing human enhancement programs, we've had to assign different rights and obligations to different levels of people. After the Third War, the big American government no longer exists. Those who meet the citizenship requirements have political power—like voting for governor. Those who can't meet today's societal requirements can only be residents. They still have basic social welfare and basic human rights, but no economic or political voting rights."
"Of course, some people don't accept the current government's jurisdiction—things like family planning, education requirements, vaccination programs, etc. Most importantly, they don't pay taxes, or in America you can't escape the IRS. They've gone to natural reservation areas. Unless a large-scale humanitarian disaster occurs, the current regime won't interfere with them."
"Just let them fend for themselves?" Li Haojun asked.
"Not quite. They live fine. Haven't humans been getting by like that for thousands of years? We don't go there to enforce laws either. Completely organic."
"So are we enhanced humans?" Li Haojun asked.
"No, you don't have to be a superhero to meet the quasi-interstellar citizen standard. You just need to keep up with the pace of this era. We're all ordinary people, natural people. Of course, people like us generally have IQs above 120. Just like the group that immigrated to Mars—basically anyone who can handle one or more professional skills qualifies."
"Hmm, that makes sense. Such a harsh environment really does require superior abilities."
"There's also personality and behavioral traits, like teamwork, psychological resilience, and so on. These are all evaluated through the social activity assessment system, which is also why I work."
"Cool, you're amazing," Li Haojun clapped his hands.
"Hehe, stop it," Qin Wenjing said, feigning annoyance, but her face was literally blooming with a smile.
Chatting and laughing, the car had already left the tree-lined stretch and entered rolling hill country. The two-lane rural road wound between hillsides and small rivers, with small towns, shops, and coffee houses flashing by on the roadside. The sky gradually cleared, and the rain-washed rooftops and fields looked brand new.
Arriving at a flat straight stretch, Qin Wenjing gradually slowed down and pulled the car over.
"You want to drive for a while?"
"What? Me drive again? Last time ended up like this."
"Last time wasn't your fault," Qin Wenjing said, glancing in the rearview mirror. She pushed open the door, got out, and stretched.
"So tired."
Following the coquettish voice, Li Haojun looked out through the door frame and just caught Qin Wenjing raising both arms high, revealing her slender waist. The white shirt under her blazer outlined the curves of her chest.
Li Haojun also got out of the car and couldn't help but ask,
"You say you're 42, but you look 22 to me."
"Bi—o—tech!" Qin Wenjing said, pressing her lips together, turning her head, and making an exasperating face.
"You say I'm 36, but look at me—I look 46. How come I don't get biotech?"
"You—are—ag—ing—grace—fully!" Both of them burst out laughing.
Li Haojun sat in the driver's seat, familiarized himself with the gear shift and control buttons, and was about to speak when Qin Wenjing got out of the passenger seat and moved to the back.
"Sigh, I was just about to tell you—the way you were being mischievous just now reminded me of a classic TV show, Dream of the Red Chamber, that character Qingwen." What Li Haojun was actually thinking was: this girl's smile is so playful, a little seductive, he just couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. Then Li Haojun seemed to realize something and stared straight into Qin Wenjing's eyes.
"Welcome back!" Qin Wenjing gave a double thumbs-up.
Li Haojun pulled the car back onto the road. After a short stretch, he realized he could drive. Qin Wenjing didn't disturb him, just sat quietly in the back seat, her head resting against the headrest, slightly turned to watch Li Haojun through the rearview mirror.
Li Haojun kept glancing at her in the rearview mirror, feeling something inexplicable.
"Why aren't you talking anymore?" Li Haojun asked.
"I'm tired," Qin Wenjing answered softly, her eyes still silently watching him...

Xiao Xin Qing 003 Zone 51
Li Haojun drove along the road. The sun climbed higher, and before he knew it, both sides of the road grew more prosperous. There were more residences, but they weren't like the artificially constructed row houses or detached homes of the rural areas—these were modern, industrial 3D-printed houses with a clear contemporary feel. Some were standard single-story homes with small courtyards, others were two- or three-story villas.
Some residents had actually built their houses in cartoon shapes—an entire community of Bugs Bunnys, Mickey Mouses, Goofys...
And the No. 6 Motel was literally shaped like a pool table, with units sitting on green lawns.
Li Haojun felt the car getting a bit warm. Opening the window made the wind too strong, so he closed the windows and turned on the air conditioning with internal circulation. He suddenly remembered it was an electric car, so he glanced at the fuel gauge.
"Does running the AC affect the range?" Li Haojun asked.
"It's fine. You can treat it like a gas or diesel car—it's fuel cell," Qin Wenjing answered from the back.
"Ah... my memory seems to have a blank spot in the middle. I remember some common knowledge, but it's from a long time ago. I don't know if I can still keep up with this era," Li Haojun murmured to himself.
"Don't worry about it. Maybe you'll remember, or you'll learn again. You knew a lot before. Don't worry—even if you can't recover your memories, I'll help you get your life back on track."
"Thank you," Li Haojun glanced at Qin Wenjing in the rearview mirror.
"What's there to thank me for..." Qin Wenjing hesitated, then said,
"Just like you helped me adjust to my life before."
While driving, Li Haojun seemed to see something in the sky to the left through the windshield. He leaned forward and looked up carefully.
"Is that a flying car?"
"Yeah, a flying taxi," Qin Wenjing answered in a playful tone, lightening the slightly heavy atmosphere.
"Then why aren't we taking it?"
"Be—cause—I—en—joy—it!" Qin Wenjing was at it again.
"Oh, fine. Can we take it?"
"Of course, we can call one—it's driverless. But this time I like you driving me," Qin Wenjing said, tilting her head and grinning at Li Haojun.
"Oh, fine. You've got it all planned out."
"Yep, you can start getting used to old age."
"Hahaha," they both laughed.
But after the laughter faded, Li Haojun looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar her in the rearview mirror. Is she really my partner? She is? But I have no past with her—or at least I don't remember any memories of her from before. Isn't she? Yet she's taking such careful care of me. And it seems I offer her absolutely no practical benefit. She's young, beautiful, financially independent. And me?
On the road, the flying cars grew more numerous, coming from all directions, following the same route, parallel to the road ahead. A road sign flashed by: Spokane, comma, Zone 51, 10 miles ahead.
"Zone 51? Isn't Zone 51 in the Nevada desert?" Li Haojun asked, confused.
"Now there are Zone 51s in counties all over the country. They're just called that—it's not the military restricted area. These Zone 51s are mainly communities of people who voluntarily live together—genetically modified, bionically enhanced, or AI robots. But a few across the country are officially certified for interstellar cultural exchange, and the one we're going to is one of them."
"Haha, this is getting exciting. Are there aliens?"
"Not necessarily."
"Why do we need to exchange data here?"
"Because there's no CIA, FBI, or anything like that. This is interstellar alliance law enforcement."
"Whoa."
"I'm guessing. More likely it's just company policy," Qin Wenjing added.
Speaking of which, up ahead beside the road was the flying car landing area. The flying cars then relied on their wheels to merge into the road, so Li Haojun had to slow down and merge into the traffic flow.
He was curious too—what kind of passengers were in those flying cars? Some had privacy curtains or UV-protective windows. There were tourists looking out, families, young people, some who looked like businesspeople, etc. Of course, there were also kids pressing their faces to the windows waving hello, but he didn't see anyone with pets.
"I thought I'd see octopuses, lizard people, stuff like that," Li Haojun laughed.
"It's not that dramatic. Look ahead—on the right side of the road there'll be a Starbucks. After that, there's a place called Chanson. Just park in front."
Ahead was the familiar green Starbucks siren. The building was glass, boxy, with a few customers inside.
Further ahead, a French two-story building with a stone façade, gray tile roof, dark brown wooden door and window frames. The sign out front read Chanson—this must be it.
Li Haojun parked the car in a spot, watched Qin Wenjing get out, lock the car, then walked over and took her left hand. Qin Wenjing looked up, turned her face, and smiled brightly, following him toward the entrance of the tavern.
Pushing the door open, they faced the bar directly. A customer dressed as a white cowboy was already sitting on a barstool. He turned around and recognized them immediately.
"Emily, long time no see."
"Hello John," Qin Wenjing replied.
"Ethan, how are you?"
"Fine, thanks." Li Haojun only then learned his English name and quickly gave a cover reply.
"This is Mr. John Weyant," Qin Wenjing quickly introduced Li Haojun.
"Nice to meet you," Li Haojun said, then thought to himself: should I say "again"? Eh, whatever.
After the greeting, Qin Wenjing had already sat on the barstool next to John, and Li Haojun sat beside her.
"Brandy, my treat. Sorry to keep you waiting today," Qin Wenjing said, reaching into John's jacket and pulling out a stainless steel flask.
"You're still... was everything smooth over there?"
"Yeah, same as always. Those country bumpkins are even lazier than me, and they lose things left and right."
The drinks they ordered arrived. Qin Wenjing filled John's flask to the brim with a few pours and put it back. She poured one glass with just a little left and handed it to Li Haojun.
"You're driving back. You can only have this much."
She poured a splash into an empty glass, handed the rest to John.
"Cheers!"
Li Haojun, not being familiar with the other man, clinked glasses politely out of courtesy and didn't interject. The two chatted for a while and decided to change places for lunch. After Li Haojun opened the door for Qin Wenjing, he glanced in the other direction—two men were walking toward the tavern, about to enter. One was tall and thin, with a pointed face, sunken cheeks, high cheekbones, looking like the legendary Thunder God, and his big round eyes had large irises and small pupils. The other had a long face, white lips, a sturdy build, and a round belt matching his pants tied in a knot at his waist.
Li Haojun realized he'd been staring too long and quickly offered an apologetic smile and a nod. Clearly, the other man had also noticed Qin Wenjing leaving.
The long-faced man hurried forward two steps, bowed, and said, "Beautiful lady, what a pleasure." He bent down, looking up at Qin Wenjing with a grin, but before he could straighten up, his belt burst open and clattered to the ground.
John, who had exited first, burst out laughing. It turned out he hadn't walked off on his own—he was standing at the street corner with his hands on his hips, watching.
Li Haojun gave a polite smile, put his arm around Qin Wenjing's waist, and they quickly walked away. Qin Wenjing just looked back and gave a smile in return, saying nothing.
On the midday street, the warm sunlight spilled on the ground, and the shadows of the trees' branches and leaves were clearly outlined on the pavement. John and Qin Wenjing walked ahead, chatting about something.
Li Haojun followed at a short distance behind, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. Why would he want to listen? Li Haojun didn't want to be a third wheel when he was the stranger here.
Just then, the two ahead were about to enter a roadside restaurant. Qin Wenjing turned back, saw Li Haojun following at a distance, and waved for him to catch up.
It was a barbecue restaurant, but the steaks and lamb legs were all bio-engineered—you could order any variety on the spot. John sat across from the two of them, glanced at Li Haojun, and said to Qin Wenjing,
"How's your little friend doing?" His eyes were fixed on Li Haojun.
"Don't worry, I'm fine, thank you," Li Haojun replied politely.
"He's still the same," John said to Qin Wenjing.
"Yes, I'll take good care of him," Qin Wenjing said, glancing at Li Haojun. But Li Haojun didn't turn to meet her gaze, even though he knew she was looking at him.
While they talked, the food arrived. John secretly pulled out a bottle and ate with gusto, alternating sips of liquor and bites of meat. They didn't talk much more.
After lunch, they said their goodbyes. Before getting in the car, John turned back and waved to them, then rode off on his Harley with a popping exhaust.
"So what do we do now?" With John gone, Li Haojun finally spoke up.
"Are you jealous?" Qin Wenjing asked, taking Li Haojun's hands.
"No," he answered coldly.
John and I are just work colleagues. He saved me once. He's a field operative in Montana.
"He's an agent?"
"Something like that."
"Does he love you?"
"Maybe, but... he's like my uncle to me."
"Alright, I'm good now."
Qin Wenjing gave a bitter smile, turned around, and walked slowly down the street. Li Haojun knew he hadn't behaved well and didn't say much more, just quietly took Qin Wenjing's hand and walked with her.
Maybe it was his nature—Li Haojun was always very alert. Maybe that was also why he overreacted. He kept an eye on the passing vehicles and pedestrians. Most were well-dressed, normal-looking people. No aliens.
Suddenly Qin Wenjing tugged his hand and said, "Let's go see an opera."
"Sure," Li Haojun followed her into the roadside theater.
The performance was already underway. They could hear singing from the lobby. Qin Wenjing didn't go straight in—she first went into a changing room beside the hall and came out in an evening gown.
A plum-colored off-shoulder mermaid gown with pale green edges the color of coleus leaves. Her braid swept to one side, revealing her slender neck and bare shoulder.
Li Haojun walked toward her, one arm around her waist, the other around her head and shoulders, gently pulling her into an embrace.
Qin Wenjing said nothing. She quietly placed both hands on his chest, leaned her face against his shoulder, and held him for a moment. Then the two walked into the performance hall, found empty seats in a corner, and sat down. Li Haojun held her hand, and Qin Wenjing leaned against his shoulder.
On stage, there were no elaborate ensemble performers—just vocal performances. The dim stage lights and ethereal melodies seemed to peer into every corner of the sparsely populated theater, probing into the deepest recesses of lonely souls.
And time itself seemed to slow its pace, held back by the winding songs, letting those with feeling savor this beautiful moment...
The lights came on. On the street of two, Li Haojun draped his own jacket over Qin Wenjing's shoulders, took a deep breath of the cool night air to refresh himself, and held her close. The melody of the song still seemed to linger behind them.
"Where to next?"
"Motel No. 6, outside the city..."