'SEE YOU MORNING' 011 Bird's Wings

Since Li Haojun’s solar farm had been completed, providing more electricity, he spent increasing amounts of time in its underground basement. Though he always tended to Qin Wenjing’s emotions before leaving, she still felt lonelier. So whenever she had no work on her end, she would seek him out at the solar farm. After finishing her company tasks today, she arrived there again. To avoid occupying ground space, all facilities besides solar panels and wind turbines were placed underground. Walking down the descending corridor, Qin Wenjing reached the basement: first a large chamber housing power equipment, followed by the electrical device room, and finally the electrolytic capacitor storage room.

Li Haojun was usually in the first room, and today he remained there, though new additions filled the space—flight and automotive control terminals for operating equipment or gaming. He sat before monitors, watching something. Li Haojun noticed Qin Wenjing’s approach immediately, swiveling his chair to rise and greet her.

Even with these big toys, Li Haojun had not become indifferent to Qin Wenjing, but objectively they did take up the time they spent together. Qin Wenjing’s heart was also conflicted: she wanted her man to stay with her, but she also wanted her man to have his own profession, career, or at least something he was focused on — that was what a man should be like. And a man’s ability, like a bird’s wings, once he starts to use it, it seems he is destined to no longer stay by the woman’s side, but to roam the vast blue sky.
Li Haojun took Qin Wenjing’s hand, guiding her to sit before the monitors. One screen displayed footage from a pet-mounted camera navigating through grass.
"Are you watching a livestream?" Qin Wenjing pointed, thinking,You’d rather watch videos than keep me company.
"Heh, this? Not a network stream—I tapped into a signal from a robotic dog similar to John’s," Li Haojun explained, demonstrating other monitors’ functions.
"I installed navigation on the shopping dog. Soon it’ll roam roads untethered. This is its visual feed." He gestured to a nearby display.
"This shows the neural network processing the dog’s video—identifying objects, judging paths. Decisions convert directly into leash-signal directions. Minor tweaks, but fun, right?" Li Haojun grinned at her proudly.
"Really?" Qin Wenjing smiled sweetly, then asked, "How far’s it gone?"
"A dozen miles or so. Fetching daily supplies won’t be an issue. Itcould go farther, but its four legs are much slower than wheels." Li Haojun pondered. "I’m still undecided—maybe wheeled drones would work better. Though homemade autonomous vehicles might hit legal snags."

Qin Wenjing smiled at Li Haojun without speaking. She loved his seriousness—thorough, responsible, always thinking ahead. Yet she disliked spending time with him in this lifeless, cold basement.
"Come," she said, pulling him topside. Midday sun cast a golden hue over the land; the lawn exhaled the scent of grass and earth. She led him to sit on the stone steps of the basement entrance, savoring the moment’s harmony.
Her upturned face warmed in the light; closed eyes sensed sunlight’s color through her lids. After a while, she turned. "Is this nice?"
"Mm," Li Haojun understood she simply wanted his presence—her clinging devotion never ceased. He wrapped an arm around her waist, held her hand, and shared the afternoon’s quietude.

"Hey, do you know what happened to my family?" Li Haojun, reflecting on the present, realized he remembered nothing and asked Qin Wenjing.
"Sorry, none of your kin survived. You slept for so long—but you’d already buried them before that."
"Oh. May I ask about your family?"
"Same story. We rode the biotech boom’s wave. They’re gone too."
"Ah," Li Haojun grasped why she clung to him so fiercely. Beyond her nature, he was likely her only kin left—if loving partners without blood ties could count as family.
"Say, when we weren’t together... did I marry?" His probing streak resurfaced.
"Yes, but she dumped you." Qin Wenjing’s reply was blunt.
"Haha, embarrassing," Li Haojun chuckled, wondering if she sought to bury memories of exes or other women.
"Why’d she leave? Did you tell me before?"
Qin Wenjing hesitated, then smiled. "She divorced you—said you were poor."
“Me? Isn’t this alright? I have a job, I’m a quasi-interstellar citizen,” Li Haojun was a bit surprised.
"You only turned things around after meeting me!" Qin Wenjing snapped.
"Haha, fair enough. So you’re my savior?" Li Haojun self-mockingly agreed.

Seeing his puzzled look, Qin Wenjing stifled a laugh. His earnestness always charmed her, but he needed clarity.
"You hit a rough patch—jobless, unhealthy, midlife crisis. She left. Back then, like now, you poured energy into self-improvement, neglecting her feelings and your own health. Sadly, she couldn’t understand. But you learned to reflect—that’s what you told me."
"Oh," Li Haojun murmured, nodding gently at Qin Wenjing.
"So... you get me?" His serious expression softened into a smile.
"Hmph,you pursuedme, not the other way! Don’t act like I’m desperate," Qin Wenjing pouted, lips pursed like a little trumpet.
"Oh, is that how it was? Come," Li Haojun pulled her back underground. "Stand here."
"What’s this?"
"3D scan."
"What for?"
"To win you over."
"Huh?"
"I’ll take you for a virtual drive. Deal?"
"Oh."
"Feet apart, arms out. Gotta build your 3D model."
"Pfft—virtual’s pointless."
"Crash in reality and you’re done. Only in simulation can you speed freely."
"Oh."
"Take off your top and pants."
"What?!" Qin Wenjing snapped, offended.
"This scan records skin texture and color."
"Ugh," she complained but obeyed, ever compliant.
"Now the bra," Li Haojun added, already reaching before she could react.
"You... you creep!" Qin Wenjing glared, lips tight, biting backpervert—yet didn’t stop his hands.

"Follow my moves," he said, demonstrating. "This captures skin and muscle elasticity. Recording these responses means your virtual muscles and skin will jiggle like real life during actions. Then we simulate how clothes drape over your body—this tech powers remote virtual fashion."
Qin Wenjing completed the motions silently, stepping off the platform to watch him.

Li Haojun didn’t return her clothes. Instead, he drew her close, kissing her breasts while pleading, "My dear, my perfect wife—how could Inot crave perfection, even for your virtual self? Say yes?" He tilted his head, grinning like a child. "Say yes?"
"You creep, you jerk," she whispered, punching his chest lightly.

After dressing her, Li Haojun guided Qin Wenjing into the simulator cockpit, fastening her seatbelt and fitting an FPV helmet.
"Where to?"
"Your call," she said.
"Let’s revisit Highway 1."
"Good."
"Pick a ride—sports car, wagon, SUV, luxury sedan? Any preference?" Li Haojun scrolled the menu.
"Porsche 356A. Silver convertible." Qin Wenjing murmured.
"Oh," he marveled at her automotive knowledge. "How’d you know that?"
Calmly, she replied, "You introduced it to me."
"Ah," Li Haojun found it instantly—a 1950s Porsche, petite four-cylinder rear-engine roadster.

They selected starting point, era, time, weather, and traffic density. The simulator loaded. The vintage four-cylinder engine chattered crisply but lacked power, though sufficient for cruising this nimble runabout. Beyond six-axis motion feedback, it simulated acceleration. Suspension felt soft, rolling side-to-side mid-turn, with predictable oversteer. Altogether, an agile little car hampered by modest horsepower.

"Feel it?" Li Haojun asked Qin Wenjing beside him.
She almost said it reminded her of childhood coin-operated carousel rides but held back to spare his enthusiasm. "It’s okay."
Turning toward him in her helmet, she noticed he’d imported his own virtual model—a white shirt collar fluttering in the wind, though his hair flowed smoother than in reality.

Qin Wenjing glanced down at herself but couldn’t see well. "What am I wearing?"
"Hold on," Li Haojun activated a virtual companion camera, projecting the view to her.
In the simulation, she wore a deep-V aubergine shirt, dark teal PU skinny pants, a bob haircut, and a pale green silk scarf at her neck.
Pleased with the outfit, Qin Wenjing admired her virtual self from angles.Maybe I’ll use this for video calls—it’s kinda trendy. She noticed road bumps transmitted realistically; her breasts jiggled with each jolt, threatening to spill past the deep-V neckline. The green scarf fluttered against her chest or danced on the breeze. Closer inspection revealed subtle beautification—smoother skin, a slimmer waist...

She turned to Li Haojun, thinking,You little bastard, playing me like this! A sudden blaze of anger flared within.
Just then, Li Haojun glanced over. Their virtual avatars met eyes; in reality, they smiled.
"Fun?" he asked, oblivious to her thoughts.
Calmly, she leveled her voice. "Well? Like it?"
"You look stunning," he beamed. "Love the outfit I picked?"
Qin Wenjing was furious — whether because he had chosen the clothes and hairstyle without her consent, or because she was accompanying him while he was admiring a virtual version of herself — she didn’t know. She grabbed Li Haojun’s thigh hard and said through clenched teeth, “You shameless bastard, you really know how to have fun…”
"Ow! What’s wrong?" Li Haojun yelped, leg stinging. He jerked back, hands up. His right foot, meant to brake for a curve, slipped off the pedal.
"Don’t! Don’t move!" He braked with his left, steered one-handed, and pinned her wrist with his right. "Careful—we’ll plunge off the cliff. The simulator mimics crash G-forces—weak but still jarring."
Hearing this, Qin Wenjing stilled, then snapped, "Which gorgeous babe’s riding with you?"

Li Haojun caught her exaggerated tone and understood. "It’smy Wenjing," he said, locking the gear in fourth, maneuvering the curve with clutch and throttle. Freed hand snaked around her waist, pulling her onto his lap, right hand cupping her breast.

Nestled against him, Qin Wenjing tilted her head upward. Dusk painted the coastline: twilight rays gilded the horizon, azure sky peeking through cloud gaps, their undersides reflecting the ocean’s depth, edges rimmed in gold. Waves crashed against rocks below; the engine’stat-tat-tat sounded like a joyful tune.

Qin Wenjing cared not whether the simulation felt real or beautiful, nor if she’d ever driven Highway 1. All that mattered was resting in Li Haojun’s arms now.