See you there

title’s meaning: 不见不散 This phrase is used when dating to indicate that you will not leave until you see the other person, no matter what .

[Your friend request has been accepted]

This day has finally come again.

Bai Ling’s breath was stuck in his chest. He subconsciously touched the little pearl, then slowly exhaled, turning his gaze towards the window.

Under the leaden sky, gloomy clouds pressed down, thick and dense like a scrubber sponge soaked with sewage, ready to unleash a freezing rain at any moment.

Every time he and Mr. D arranged to meet, the weather was bad.

It was as if even the heavens above were desperately pouring cold water on them: Don’t bother, you’re not meant to be.

Thinking about it carefully, the background of his acquaintance with Mr. D had been fraught with difficulties every step of the way, full of thorns and obstacles. Meeting at the wrong time, in the wrong place; no flowers could bloom in barren soil, and bare branches could bear no fruit.

Even after regressing, having obtained a second chance, because he fell in love with Yu Chen, he had somehow missed Mr. D again.

Bai Ling closed his eyes and leaned back into the uncomfortable seat.

…All that remains after two lifetimes is only regret.

Bai Ling met Uriel in the workshop.

The other was still wearing his lab coat, the hem stained with spots of oil. His hands were lazily stuffed in his pockets, and glasses as thick as bottle bottoms hung precariously on his nose, looking like he had just crawled out of bed, not quite awake.

As a top-tier mecha engineering designer, his usual demeanor was no different from any passerby.

Approachable, kind, utterly unremarkable.

Perhaps weirdos like design geniuses were always somewhat distant from the real world, only coming alive and shining within their own research. The moment he asked about the experiment’s progress, Uriel perked up instantly, passionately introducing the new type of material weapon soon to be installed on the Rattlesnake.

“Light crystal alloy?” Bai Ling caught the term, slightly surprised.

“Exactly. Considering your bone density, Rattlesnake has always been adjusted within the light mecha category. But I studied your match videos from the other day, and I felt the weapon load for a light mecha’s too low, not meeting your needs.”

Bai Ling chuckled softly, guessing the other probably saw him snatching enemy weapons to use throughout the match and was slapping his thigh in frustration.

Uriel rubbed his chin and said, “After much consideration, to maintain the light mecha configuration while giving you more weapon mount to use, the only way is to use a large amount of light crystal alloy to create powerful yet lightweight weapons.”

Bai Ling had some understanding of this metal, but not much, because it was prohibitively expensive. Every kilogram synthesized required precise ratios, and the scrap rate during manufacturing was as high as 40%.

Currently, the application of light crystal alloy hadn’t really taken off. Only some manufacturers used trace amounts of it in their experimental zero-series units; it was still in the conceptual stage.

But Bai Ling knew that within three years, the military manufacturing industry would undergo earth-shattering breakthroughs and changes. By then, light crystal alloy would become the sole, irreplaceable raw material for seventh-generation weapons.

Ten years later, in that era of inter-legion warfare and severe weapon shortages, the price of every gram of light crystal alloy would even be driven up to diamond levels.

Bai Ling used his terminal to check today’s market price for light crystal alloy: 1,790 star coins per ounce, roughly equivalent to the price of gold.

Overall, it was historically low.

If he could get his hands on tens of tons now, forming a legion and going to war later would be absolutely satisfying.

Bai Ling asked, “Will the procurement for this batch also be handled by the Gorgon Design Bureau?”

Uriel pushed his glasses up and said bluntly, “Of course.”

With a major company leading the order procurement, the price could be pushed down even further.

Since Bai Ling was determined to overthrow the Empire, he had to start being frugal and calculating from now on, to avoid repeating past mistakes and falling into that vicious cycle of poverty -> gritting teeth and fighting -> scavenging weapons -> getting poorer the more he fought.

Bai Ling said, “I also want to invest in the light crystal alloy procurement.”

Upon hearing this, Uriel stumbled, and his glasses slipped right off his nose. Bai Ling reacted quickly and caught the falling glasses, handing them back to Uriel.

Uriel wiped the lenses and was about to put them back on. As he looked up, his whole face was revealed, unshaven and with a listless expression, yet unable to hide his handsome features, and a thought flashed rapidly through Bai Ling’s mind.

This face… why does it look a bit like Kaide’s?

Uriel covered his upper face with the glasses again and helplessly said, “Regarding the investment, I suggest you talk directly with our big boss. I’m just an ordinary corporate slave, I got no authority for that.”

Bai Ling nodded, absentmindedly giving him another couple of looks. Uriel, completely unaware, led him to the production bay, called over the technician responsible for installing the mental firewall this time, and then wandered off for afternoon tea.

“Wow, are you Zero? I’ve heard so much about you!” The technician was very young, connecting circuits with great agility, but also talking way too much.

Bai Ling: “…Yeah, pilot no. 0.”

He stressed the word “pilot,” emphasizing its importance.

The technician smiled, quite friendly: “I know you’re an excellent pilot. Your matches are incredibly exciting, it got our whole workshop hyped. It really makes one happy to see the mechas we built through day and night work exert their maximum power in the hands of the right person.”

The technician pressed the code lock by the door. The cyan steel door slid open, revealing a huge indoor manufacturing bay six stories high. In the very center of the space, a circle of scaffolding was erected, forming a hollow area. Rattlesnake was parked right there; people in white coats were walking in and out of its shoulders and cockpit, conducting routine data checks.

“This should be your first time in a production bay, right? Pretty cool, isn’t it?” The technician’s eyes sparkled as he crossed his arms.

Bai Ling said flatly, “Indeed cool.”

“The first time I came here, I was so excited I couldn’t sleep all night. Back when the Rattlesnake project was recruiting technicians, I was a fresh grad with little experience, so unfortunately, I was put on the alternate list. Good thing someone suddenly jumped ship to a rival company, which let me get in. You never know what life will throw at you.”

As the technician reminisced, he turned and realized Bai Ling had already walked to the side. He rubbed his nose sheepishly, knowing his old habit had flared up again, talking too much and being annoying, so he hurried over, ready to switch to a more interesting topic:

“Oh, by the way, do you know the story behind this production line? The big boss invested in it to honor his late wife. Romantic, isn’t it?”

Bai Ling’s face darkened. Romantic, my claw! He had even argued with Yu Chen about this matter, nearly going their separate ways. Having barely moved past it, now he had to hear it all again.

He glanced sideways at the technician, recalling that when Lu Xun had passed him information, he mentioned having a friend working in Uriel’s workshop who talked a lot. Could it be this one…

Anyone else, faced with Bai Ling’s sharp stare, would have wisely shut up. Unfortunately, this technician was naturally dense; he thought Bai Ling looking back at him meant he was interested in the topic. He eagerly pulled out the project establishment document to show Bai Ling:

“Look, the big boss even named the project after his late wife’s ID!”

Bai Ling wanted to say, I’m not looking, not looking, not looking.

But the technician had already enthusiastically thrust the document under his nose. Bai Ling inadvertently glanced at it, seeing it covered in dense black-and-white text, except for the second line on the left, which highlighted the name in dark blue font:

[Lodestar]

“The big boss’s late friend was called Lodestar. He gave Lodestar a production line, hoping that in the future, any bird with a broken leg could still spread its wings and fly high.”

Bai Ling’s heart stopped. His mind buzzed loudly, and after that, he knew nothing.

By the time Uriel strolled back after his tea, he looked closely and saw that his little white bird, which was usually so unflappable and directly poured diesel on an old house, was nowhere to be found.

The technician broke out in a cold sweat, rubbing his head: “I think I bored him into a breakdown.”

“Huh?!”

“He listened to me tell the story of the big boss deeply loving his late friend, and then he rushed out.”

By evening, the clouds that had been gathering all day pressed down even harder. Soon, the ground was wet with cold rain.

In winter, it gets dark early; the streetlights hadn’t come on yet. Looking out the small window, all you could see was a gray, dim gloom.

Yu Chen sat in the aircraft and checked the time: 17:45.

An hour ago, Uriel had reported to him that Bai Ling had run off.

Yu Chen had just woken up then. Holding his forehead, he’d said “Mm, okay,” and let the AI help him dress and send the aircraft on autopilot to the station.

Today, he wasn’t wearing a veil.

Yu Chen stepped out with his long legs, carrying the wild roses as he descended from the aircraft. He casually looked around, and suddenly, silence fell for a few seconds.

Passersby stood frozen, suppressed by the noble, dignified pheromones emanating from him. Only after he walked past did they breathe sighs of relief.

The oppressive presence was so strong they hadn’t even noticed what his face looked like.

The AI, embedded in the aircraft, pressed against the scanner, watching and shaking its sensor:

And this is with Master’s power restored to only 35%!

Indeed, with his vision working, Master’s deterrent force has greatly increased.

Yu Chen stood still on the platform. The sharp creases of his trousers fell smoothly. His entire demeanor was restrained and elegant; turquoise cufflinks were faintly visible at his wrists, with a low-profile elegance.

17:57, three minutes until the agreed time.

But the bird was nowhere in sight.

Yu Chen held the flowerpot in his left hand and pulled out his terminal with his right, slowly typing on the virtual keyboard with his thumb. The text on the screen was tiny. He had only recently regained his sight, so reading wasn’t very clear yet; he had to bring it close to his eyes now and then to confirm.

Glancing at the upper right corner, it was 17:59.

Yu Chen changed his mind. He decided to just call and ask.

He had also picked up a bad habit and couldn’t wait even one more minute.

Just as his finger touched the dial button, at that moment, a flash of soft white appeared across the street corner.

18:00.

The sound of rain gradually grew louder. The wind around his ears tugged sharply. At the station, its red billboard glowing, it radiated warmth in the cold rain.

Yu Chen’s heartbeat collided with the rhythm of the rain. He watched as that figure approached. Tall and slender, with long limbs like a ballet dancer, yet his gait was clean and sharp, his back ramrod straight. At a glance, you could see his military bearing.

Yu Chen now understood why the AI had repeatedly urged him to “renew the mechanical bird subscription.”

This was indeed to his taste.

However, that bird crossed the street intersection and then kept walking, about to cross the road, seemingly oblivious to the streaming traffic.

“BEEP BEEP BEEP!!” Drivers honked furiously.

Yu Chen’s gaze sharpened. The hem of his coat moved with the wind. He swiftly walked over, grabbed the man, and pulled him into the brightly lit station.

He tilted the man’s chin up towards the light and narrowed his eyes for a look. It was a delicate, soft contour and eyebrows, with eyes carrying a hint of heroic spirit, grey irises like those that have traversed snowstorms, and lacking any luster, his seemed consciousness unclear.

As if trapped in a trance.

But a little bird is still a little bird; even in a daze, he struggled to reach into his pocket. This time, he pulled out…

a jasmine flower.

It was wilted. Who knows how long it had been crumpled anxiously in his pocket.

Yu Chen watched as he tugged open his own coat pocket and stuffed the flower stem inside, an action like dropping a letter into a mailbox.

At the same time, he murmured, “Delivered…”

A heartbreaking little madman.

After mumbling, he dazedly looked up at Yu Chen. His eyes suddenly widened, his pupils trembling unsteadily. He instantly lowered his head and tried to run.

Yu Chen was prepared. His arm curved, pressing precisely against Bai Ling’s waistline as he pulled him back, then pinned his wrist to tuck the bird’s wing away, leaving him no chance to fly off.

Caught.

Bai Ling, still in a daze, shot him a reproachful look: “What are you doing?”

He still didn’t know Yu Chen had recognized him, thinking the other was still the blind old man he could easily fool.

Yu Chen asked gently, “Went out to buy flowers?”

“…I didn’t buy them.”

“Then where did they come from?”

Bai Ling’s lashes trembled as he said randomly, “I’m a… florist. Some omega bought these flowers and asked me to give them to you.”

Before, he was a street vendor; now he claimed to be a florist.

Yu Chen asked, amused, “What kind of omega?”

“Gentle, kind, pure, cute, and doesn’t peck.”

A whole string of words without a pause.

Yu Chen’s gaze was helpless: “Are you describing yourself?”

Bai Ling: “……”

He finally caught on. He pushed against Yu Chen’s chest a couple of times, but it was like welded steel plate; he couldn’t budge it. And this was a public place. His emotions had been wrecked for a while, he had wandered here in a daze, and now he was trapped in the merman’s arms. His eyes couldn’t help but redden.

A chest full of grievance and heartache suddenly found an outlet.

“Then what kind of omega do you want?”

The merman left him no room to escape: “One like you.”

Bai Ling’s body trembled slightly and his eyes moistened, but he smiled as he said, “…Then you’re done for.”

“I’m not at all like the online friend you imagined. I’m such a terrible omega. I warm my hands on your abs, lose my temper at you, and even peck you.”

Yu Chen held him tighter, squeezing as if trying to press and melt the bird into his very heart: “How wonderful, that’s what I deserve.”

18:01. Streetlights began to light up one by one from the distance along the coastline. The city’s brilliant glow illuminated the station, and also lit up Bai Ling’s eyes.

Yu Chen ruffled his head and his hand became wet. So soggy. He hadn’t even brought an umbrella in the rain, making his heart ache.

He leaned down to kiss the bird’s cold, damp forehead, but the bird dodged, rubbing his eyes vigorously, saying in a flustered, stiff voice:

“Don’t kiss, don’t kiss me here.”

“What’s wrong? Shy?”

No, it’s because he’d cry if kissed.

That little bird, tears streaming down his face, accused him, “If you kiss me, I won’t be waterproof anymore.”

Author’s Note:

Here it is, here it is.