Chapter 121
The ocean here was teeming with life, and locals even provided tools like fishing rods, nets, and diving suits. After catching enough seafood, they could bring it back to their rooms to cook.
That evening, they opted for the first dining option.
The central city was already quite developed, considered one of the best cities on the Empire planet, but technology hadn’t advanced to the point where buildings could float like this. Initially, both Ye Zhi and Aunt Huo were a bit worried about the stability of the ground and feared the spheres might collapse at any moment. But Huo Youqiao reassured them, “No, these buildings are very safe.”
“They are not completely man-made structures that float in the air; each sphere is originally a very small planet, so small that it’s difficult to detect in the universe.”
Ye Zhi was taken aback, looking down at his feet. “These… are planets?”
Huo Youqiao nodded. “Yes, these planets were originally scattered around here, and they were brought over by humans and then fixed in place. The glass dome ensures there’s enough oxygen inside. The real Blue Sea planet doesn’t have enough oxygen for humans to survive at low altitudes.”
His explanation was so convincing that no one doubted its authenticity. Huo Yan asked, “What about these mobile restaurants?”
Huo Youqiao smiled. “The planets themselves have a trajectory, some slower, invisible to the naked eye, while these move fast enough for us to see. If you observe closely, you’ll notice they follow specific paths.”
In any case, it was a very dreamy place.
The seafood here was also delicious, and even though Ye Zhi didn’t have much of an appetite, he ate quite a bit. Huo Yan spent some time eating, but most of the time was spent taking photos. The restaurant moved every minute, and every time the scenery changed, it offered a different view. Once they learned that the hotel rooms were above individual planets, they found it both novel and beautiful. Looking down through the glass bottom, they could see large fish leaping out of the vast, blue sea, and schools of fish swimming by, each frame as beautiful as a painting.
“What are those flying in the sky? Isn’t the space outside the glass dome?” Huo Yan saw a special sight and quickly asked Huo Youqiao.
Huo Youqiao looked and replied, “Those are small airships.”
Huo Yan had never seen such small ones before and was a bit surprised. “Airships can be made so small?”
Huo Youqiao explained, “They are family-sized, like RVs, not able to fly too high. They’re also used as hotel rooms here.”
After dinner, as the sunlight dimmed, the hotel surroundings became dark, with only the stars still twinkling. Huo Ran chose her cat, a white pet cat, fat and docile, with beautiful blue eyes. Huo Youqiao made sure it was gentle and healthy before allowing Huo Ran to take it to bed with her.
With so many rooms here, aside from lounges and recreational areas, there were nearly twenty rooms for accommodation. Huo Yan and her mother chose one facing south, Huo Youqiao chose one facing north, and Ye Zhi chose a nearby room.
Huo Youcheng didn’t come, and Ye Zhi had originally intended to sleep with Huo Ran. However, now that Huo Ran had a cat and was willing to sleep alone, he had no choice but to leave her room and return to his own.
Then his wrist was grabbed, and he was pulled into Huo Youqiao’s room.
“Big brother…” Ye Zhi felt a bit at a loss, his inner alarm bells ringing.
It was too dangerous. In this situation, with the two of them in the same room, undisturbed for the entire night, it was too dangerous.
The room was furnished much like a five-star hotel, with a bit more flowers. Huo Youqiao didn’t turn on the lights too brightly, so the room was dimly lit, making certain ambiguities easier to magnify. As Huo Youqiao leaned in, Ye Zhi’s heart skipped a beat.
Huo Youqiao stared at him, his voice low. “Still calling me that?”
They hadn’t had much contact during this time, and the few moments they did have were spent on more important matters. They hadn’t corrected their address on purpose, and it was only now that they had the chance. Ye Zhi felt a bit flustered, his gaze falling into Huo Youqiao’s deep eyes, his cheeks flushing, his voice slightly hoarse. “Ah… Ah Qiao…”
It was an intimate address, one that until now Ye Zhi had only heard his parents use. No one else had called him that before.
After the change in address, the distance between them quickly narrowed. Ye Zhi once again realized that he was truly in love with Huo Youqiao.
This man, whom he had thought was unattainable at first, whom he hadn’t dared to entertain thoughts of when he fell in love, was now gently holding him, kissing his forehead, with an affectionate look and actions, even a hint of obsession, then kissing his nose, his cheek, and finally his lips.
