'SEE YOU MORNING' 045 Vision

After a good sleep, Li Haojun and Kesiya welcomed another workday. Kesiya was assigned to collect statistics on the quantity and models of facilities and equipment, as well as confirm their nameplate information. Li Haojun had initially planned to send her off to handle this task before arranging for the young soldiers among the workforce to carry out cleaning duties—teaching them the cleaning procedures would be tedious, so he had prioritized Kesiya’s assignment first.

But then, Li Haojun thought of her safety. Beyond the adolescent soldiers, even stationary equipment posed potential hazards. Though Kesiya was his work assistant, it was only a professional role—he couldn’t treat his cherished companion as a mere tool. So Li Haojun called Kesiya back and kept her by his side. Citing the need to oversee technical details and ensure work quality, he summoned the commander of the soldiers and arranged for the work to proceed under military supervision. He then requested the facility operations supervisor to bring technical documentation and accompany him and Kesiya on an inspection of the existing equipment. Through inquiries, he learned that the operations team lacked dedicated safety and environmental protection personnel. Li Haojun glanced at Kesiya beside him and thought: since the facility was so inadequately equipped, he couldn’t be blamed for holding back. They would have to stay a few extra days and proceed slowly according to protocol. He first deployed biochemical defense soldiers from the camp and jointly drafted a preliminary site and equipment cleanup plan. Meanwhile, Li Haojun stayed in the office with Kesiya, familiarizing themselves with the technical materials while receiving updates on cleanup progress and handling work details.

However, while reviewing the documents, Li Haojun noticed that the specifications of this facility’s equipment differed significantly from others. The dimensions of the culture dishes, the types and quantities of interfaces—all deviated considerably from standard equipment. Li Haojun selected several examples and showed them to Kesiya.

After looking for a while, Kesiya asked softly,
“What’s wrong? Ethan.”
“Look at the dimensions—these aren’t meant for humans,” Li Haojun whispered.
“Oh,” Kesiya replied, following where Li Haojun pointed.

What astonished Li Haojun even more was that some culture dishes were pressure-resistant (positive or negative), others electromagnetically shielded, and still others placed within certain field-generating devices. It seemed plausible that the organisms inside served specific functions—or lived in environments unlike Earth’s ordinary conditions.

And so, another unplanned day passed. Li Haojun had considered reporting the procedural issues of such assignments to the company to improve efficiency, but confidentiality restrictions made that difficult. He dropped the idea.

After dinner, the two decided to take a walk. Snowbound in the valley, they could only stroll along the wooden porch of the inn, yet from there they could see the stars in the southern sky. Li Haojun held Kesiya’s hand, tucking it into his pocket to keep warm. This gesture reminded him of that rainy night with Malaya.

But recalling Kesiya’s verified perceptual sensitivity yesterday, Li Haojun quickly shifted his focus and asked,
“How do you know so much about the stars? Is it a hobby?”
“It’s not my hobby—it’s Malaya. She used to tell me stories whenever we watched the stars together,” Kesiya said, glancing at Li Haojun. Under the dim porch lights, her silhouette was half-lit. “Over time, I grew fond of stargazing too. Sometimes I even feel that’s our real home.”

Kesiya paused, sighing softly.
“Maybe it’s nostalgia for our childhood.”

Li Haojun squeezed her hand in sympathy. This world owes them warmth, he thought, that she sees those distant cold stars as home. He said,
“Then let me accompany you on your journey here, okay?”
The words had barely left his mouth when he regretted them. He already had a partner, Qin Wenjing—yet here he was, making such promises.

Kesiya said nothing, only looked at him.
“I mean… wherever I can, I’ll be by your side,” Li Haojun hurried to clarify.
Kesiya remained silent, watching him.
“What I mean is, I hope to bring you some warmth… if I can. No—if you’d like,” Li Haojun struggled to explain, sensing his words fell short.

“Actually, I understand your situation,” Kesiya said calmly. She breathed in the crisp winter air and continued,
“My sister isn’t like me. She seems to need no one—no partner, no man, no emotional companionship.”
“She’s still young; it’s normal her mind isn’t on such things,” Li Haojun offered quickly.
“No—it’s like she’s detached from the world. She notices pretty clothes, watches what her peers are doing, but never joins them. Her vision has never aligned with theirs.”
“I see,” Li Haojun said.
“Then why choose me? You could have someone your age. I’m ordinary, older, and have a girlfriend.”

Kesiya smiled, turning to face him.
“You think—with a sister so unique—her older sister can’t be a little special too?”
“You’re right,” Li Haojun replied, though his inner questions remained unanswered.
“We have no other family. After reuniting at the orphanage, we’ve been inseparable. I raised her when she was little; now she stays with me that I’m grown. Besides us, no one else has ever entered our circle.”
“I see.”

“Actually… I’ve never had a boyfriend,” Kesiya murmured, lowering her head shyly. Then she glanced up at Li Haojun, brushing aside her bangs with her left hand.
“Mm. I can tell—your innocence, your purity.”
“Haha, she wouldn’t allow it. In school, she never let boys near me.”
“Your sister? So mischievous.”
“Yes, exactly.”
“Can’t blame her—she only has you,” Li Haojun said gently.
“Yes,” Kesiya agreed, looking toward the distant mountains on the other side, perhaps to ease the heated atmosphere. In the dim night, it was impossible to tell if she was blushing.

“So… does she oppose… whatever this is between us?” Li Haojun asked curiously.
“She’s grown up now. Not like when we were children,” Kesiya said with a self-deprecating laugh. “She understands these things now.”

Li Haojun had wanted to ask if Malaya liked him too—the girl sometimes acted ambiguously, sometimes aloof, impossible to read. But he thought better of it, not wanting to spoil the mood, and changed the subject.
“Do you know what she’s studying?”
“She didn’t tell me.”

Li Haojun sighed inwardly. Even her own sister doesn’t know.
“Call her when you can. Tell her to stay safe.”
“I will. Don’t worry. She… heh… apart from needing her sister’s company in daily life, she’s very independent. More decisive than me, even. Sometimes she gives me advice—things I never would’ve thought of.”
“Good. That puts me at ease. I sensed she was extraordinary,” Li Haojun said, curiosity piqued again. “Did she give you any advice… about us?”

Kesiya laughed softly—a gentle, happy sound.
“She told me not to rush. To think carefully—whether he’s the one I’m looking for.”
“I see. And am I?” Li Haojun asked, eager to hear her answer.
“I’m not entirely sure. But seeing you feels like… I’ve known you before,” Kesiya said, stopping to face him. She studied him intently, as if confirming whether he was someone familiar from long ago.

Her gaze was focused and serene, profound as if gazing across time itself. Li Haojun couldn’t bear to interrupt this affection that spanned lifetimes.

The galaxy turned above them—unchanged, witness to yearning beyond time, guiding entangled souls to meet again in this world of dust.

In that gaze, Li Haojun slowly drew Kesiya into his arms and kissed her lips gently. Though he knew not what unfinished bond tied them from past lives, he could not fail this sincerity, this devotion before him.

As the night deepened, indoor lights went out, and the river of stars blazed clearer in the sky. Li Haojun led Kesiya down the porch steps. Together they tilted their heads back, as if asking the stars: Do you witness the journeys of all who wander below? Do you weave the threads of longing between hearts?

“If the brilliant galaxy is our home, then splendid eternity is a beautiful destination,” Li Haojun said, tightening his arm around her shoulders.
“I don’t want eternity. Now is enough for me,” Kesiya whispered. The wind tousled her hair, like the chaotic fate that had followed her since childhood—heartbreakingly fragile.

Yet the less she asked for, the more Li Haojun felt the world owed her—and the more he longed to give.
“Then let the eternal eyes of the stars witness this moment—you and I, together, heart to heart,” he said. For an instant, Qin Wenjing flickered through his mind—the woman who held his obligations. But here, now, Li Haojun set aside the space he’d kept for himself and made room for Kesiya instead, to offer her warmth.

Kesiya turned to him. In the starlight, her smiling face glowed. Though the night was romantic, Li Haojun worried she might catch a chill—she wasn’t dressed heavily.
“Let’s go back. It’s been a while, and it’s freezing out here,” he said, giving her hand a gentle tug.
“Alright.”