'SEE YOU MORNING' 094 I Hope You Are Happy

The two set off again. Looking at Kesiya in the rearview mirror, her new look brought a new mood. In the smile they exchanged, it seemed as if the long separation had finally been satisfied.

Speeding along Highway 2, passing through Cut Bank and Shelby, the first stop was Dunkirk. The facilities looked a bit rundown—mechanic sheds and parked farm tools. They found the appointment, inspected the varieties and quantities, and signed the acquisition contract. Then Li Haojun realized two things were definitely a loss: men of different ages were greedily ogling Kesiya’s figure. Back in the car, he took a silk scarf and tied it diagonally around her waist, just enough to cover the front and back of her hips. Also, their shoes were covered in dust from the fields.

The second stop was Devon. The same routine bored Li Haojun. Feeling dull on the road, he said to Kesiya,

“Maybe I should set up an acquisition company and hire some buyers. Next year we won’t have to run these errands ourselves.”

After a moment he added,

“Then we could go on to start a futures company and be our own market makers.”

“No, we can’t do that now. Only producers and consumers are allowed to trade directly. Capital-driven systems, debt-driven systems are no longer permitted—they hit society too hard when they collapsed. I learned that in history class.”

“Oh, you could be my consultant.”

“Ha ha, too bad you forgot the past.”

“That just means you and I will have to work hard, going from town to town to negotiate contracts with the locals.”

“It’s okay. I’ll go with you…” Kesiya started, then fell silent.

“Go with me what?” She didn’t finish, and Li Haojun, focused on driving, pressed for an answer without thinking much.

“I’ll go anywhere with you,” she finished softly, watching him in the rearview mirror.

Li Haojun didn’t reply. He just pulled over to the side of the road again. Kesiya watched silently as he opened his door, cupped her cheek, kissed her lips, then took her hand, knelt on one knee in front of her, and kissed the back of her hand.

“What’s wrong?” Kesiya’s voice seemed a little flustered. She studied his expression and added,

“I just said I’d go anywhere with you.”

Li Haojun held her hand and looked at her.

“I just thought—we were apart for so long, and you’re still willing to follow me.”

“That long?”

“You’re so young.”

“So? 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 at a loss for words, Kesiya continued,

“What would you do about your Emily then?” She laughed.

Back on the road, Li Haojun reflected on himself. How had he moved himself so much that he nearly frightened her? Then he tried to reassure himself: Kesiya was a young girl. She just wanted a close relationship with him to heal her wounded childhood. She just wanted the feeling of the moment, the process. She wasn’t deciding to follow him for a lifetime.

They had a late lunch in Chester, then arrived at Havre for the night even later. They had a simple dinner and went for a walk in Milk River Park. The cool evening breeze, the moonlight filtering through the trees and shining on the river, gently brushed and reflected their strolling silhouettes.

“Sorry I scared you earlier. I don’t know why I felt such a rush of emotion,” Li Haojun apologized as he walked.

Kesiya didn’t answer immediately. She was wrapped in a cotton knit throw blanket matching her wrap, arms folded over her shoulders, walking slowly. Then she suddenly turned her face toward Li Haojun and asked,

“Tell me the truth. Were you really going to propose to me then?”

“No. You’re like a great princess to me, a queen. I’m deeply moved that you’re willing to stay with me.”

“Why would I be a great princess, a queen?”

“You’re so young and beautiful. Standing before me, you are my great princess, my queen.”

“Oh.” Kesiya nodded slightly, then asked again,

“Don’t you want me to be your daughter?”

“Of course I do. Aren’t daughters their father’s princesses?”

“But a princess or queen feels more distant. What if I just want to be your daughter? Is that okay?”

“Of course. I’d just worry I’m shortchanging you.”

“No, you’re not. Didn’t you buy me new clothes?”

“You’re such a good girl, so easily satisfied.” Saying this, Li Haojun put his arm around Kesiya’s waist and pulled her closer.

“So do you like me or Emily?” Kesiya asked as they walked.

“You’re very special.”

“Isn’t she special?”

“She’s special too, but you’re different.”

“Oh. If one day there’s someone you can trust to look after Emily, would you be willing to leave with me?”

Li Haojun hesitated. He didn’t seem to understand why Kesiya asked that, but he silently weighed in his heart whether he could accept Qin Wenjing belonging to another man.

“What if a clone of you stayed with her? Could you leave her without worry?” When he didn’t answer, Kesiya rephrased the question.

“A clone of me? With the same soul as me?” Li Haojun thought a moment and asked back.

“Yes.”

“How can we be the same soul if we each have our own perceptions?” he asked, puzzled.

“Then what if you both share each other’s perceptions?”

“Would he also share you with me?”

“Ha ha ha, are you jealous? Then what if only you feel his perceptions? That works, right?”

“Hmm, that’s strange. It’s like knowing another man is sleeping with your girlfriend.”

“That other man is you. Why can’t you see it that way?”

“Oh, all right.”

After a relaxing walk and chat, they returned to the hotel room. Kesiya sent Li Haojun to shower first. She went to the window and gazed at the bright moonlit sky.

Meanwhile, in low Earth orbit, Liana had just finished a day’s work and felt a little tired. Interstellar politics were a real mess. In the vast universe, no one could be sure who those claiming to represent this or that race really were, or what their true interests were—not to mention the life forms without physical bodies.

She returned to her room and found her younger sister using her privileges to access a remote immersive experience through the terminal interface in her room. They were twin sisters but had inherited different personality traits: the elder sister was calm and resilient, the younger one lively and playful. It was hard to tell whether a single soul had split into two different parts, or the same soul expressed different dominant characteristics.

“What are you doing?” Liana asked.

“Watching him take a shower.”

“Him? Heh.” Liana started with a puzzled tone, but quickly realized who he was.

“Want to try?”

“Sure.” Saying that, Liana didn’t take the perception helmet her sister handed her, but walked toward the more fully featured immersion control pod and lay down inside.

Watching her sister lie down, Lydia picked up her perception helmet and opened the door connecting the room to her own. Just as she was about to leave, she turned to see that her sister had settled in. She quietly closed the door again, tiptoed back to her sister’s immersion pod, and set her perception helmet to slave observation mode.

After gazing at the moonlight outside the window for a while, Kesiya came back inside. She walked to the bathroom. The glass was transparent. Li Haojun saw her, looked a little surprised, but not embarrassed—just gave her an awkward smile.

Kesiya took off her clothes and set them aside. Li Haojun watched her movements at first, then felt too shy to look directly.

Kesiya pushed the door open and stepped into the bathroom. Li Haojun instinctively stepped back, yielding the showerhead to her.

“Ethan, will you wash my hair?” With that, Kesiya turned around, her back to Li Haojun.

“All right.”

Kesiya closed her eyes, tilted her head back, and let the warm water flow from the top of her head over her body. She felt the caress of the water, and also felt Li Haojun behind her, gently spreading her hair strands with both hands, wetting them, but so carefully—none of his body ever touched hers.