Deep Space Wandering Fleet

Chapter 92: Chapter 94 Unable to Go Back

Elwin fell silent for a while.

He suddenly said in a low voice, “Do you know? I regretted it the moment I got on the spaceship, regretted leaving everything on Earth behind, regretted abandoning billions in property and the superior life on Earth. During these eight or nine months, I’ve been living in annoyance, so the paintings I produced are just a pile of garbage!”

Zhang Yuan was stunned, not knowing why Elwin suddenly wanted to talk about these things, “Mr. Elwin, you can choose to go back. With our industrial base on Jupiter’s moon and the spaceship for the return trip… you can return to Earth.”

Elwin shook his head, his tone growing firmer, “There’s no going back. Once I return, I’ll be spit upon forever, and I’ll never sell another painting again!”

“It’s impossible, I’m already gone without return…”

“In their eyes, I’m already a real dead man! Even if I have the nerve to go back, I’ll be assassinated, do you know… only the work of dead people can truly fetch high prices!”

“I shouldn’t continue like this! Yet, I’m afraid, filled with regret, regretting the loss of everything I had.”

“I miss the life on Earth, but I can’t possibly go back!” Elwin grew more and more agitated, his pace of speech quickening. Tears and snot flowed out together because of the pain in his heart.

Zhang Yuan had no words.

Suddenly, as if struck by a thought, Elwin screamed wildly.

“I will create a real piece of art to record my cowardice, timidity, and ignorance at this moment. This is the real me; to hell with any so-called great character!”

…

After saying goodbye to the great painter, Zhang Yuan returned to the living area and called the community’s senior liaison on a whim.

“Is this Ms. Lin Xuan?”

“Hello, how may I assist you?”

“It’s like this. I suggest that you find a psychologist to visit the painter in Area M, Mr. Elwin. He seems a bit off…” Zhang Yuan explained the whole situation from beginning to end.

“Okay, I understand. Thank you for your suggestion.”

After hanging up the phone, he breathed a sigh of relief. This was the best solution he could choose.

He felt that, as they drew nearer to Jupiter’s moon, everyone became a bit neurotic. It could possibly be related to the special group of people with whom he interacted or perhaps related to the increasingly oppressive atmosphere on the spaceship.

Bringing himself back to reality, he continued to mull over his “turbulence problem.”

This sustained, long-duration contemplation had become a habit, and he was even able to carry it on while performing other simple activities.

He could contemplate while eating, and even while talking to people, though he would seem a bit bookish then.

It was even somewhat reminiscent of those scientists who bump into telephone poles while walking.

Sometimes, Zhang Yuan would question himself: should he be doing some work that could produce results, rather than gnawing on this tough bone?

But in the end, he decided not to.

After all, he was still young. Even if he failed, what did it matter?

“Ding!”

His wrist communicator suddenly pinged, and Zhang Yuan, jolted from his thoughts, shook his slightly tired brain.

This communication device often announced large group events such as symposiums, dance parties, and others.

[…Tonight, the notes of youth are leaping, and the flames of passion are burning. A mysterious dance party will be performed on the dance floor in Area Z.]

[There will even be once-in-a-lifetime spicy hot pot and fried foods to eat!]

A thought struck him; had the new batch of chili peppers matured? The thought alone made him salivate.

Since he was free anyway, it would be good to go and enjoy the dance.

Z District is an upper region of the Circular Living Area, and because it’s closer to the central axis, the gravity here is about half of Earth’s.

In the low gravity environment, the human body becomes lighter, making originally difficult dances such as ballet much simpler.

Zhang Yuan, unhurriedly, made his way to Z District and bought a ticket.

It wasn’t expensive, just 40 yuan.

Then, he found a secluded spot to sit down and started to enjoy the buffet.

Although it was called a buffet, the taste of the meat dishes was generally not great. Synthetic pork, synthetic mutton, just a bunch of meatballs.

However, with a hint of spiciness from the chili, and after being deep-fried in oil, it seemed to taste a bit better. After all, he was fed up with the steamed dishes he usually ate; he was almost sick of them.

Zhang Yuan missed the big chicken legs, spicy hot pot, chafing dish, seafood noodles, and Lanzhou ramen from Earth terribly…

While he was sweating profusely from eating, an unexpected figure sat down right across from him.

It was his senior brother, Zhao Qingfeng.

Zhao Qingfeng said, “Your way of eating is really uncivilized. I didn’t expect you to attend such a party. Aren’t you going to join the dance?”

Zhang Yuan wiped the chili from the corner of his mouth, “No, I’m just looking for a place to be quiet and have some spicy food.”

A dance party? Eating chili and dancing at the same time, doesn’t that seem strange?

“Be quiet, in this place?” Zhao Qingfeng said with a hint of amusement, “You’re already here, why keep up the pretense? Do you want me to introduce you to a very open Western girl, and we can all have some spicy hot pot together?”

“I also have a bottle of ancestral beef sauce, brought from Earth. Do you want some?”

Unexpectedly, Senior Brother Zhao was a foodie too, using his valuable material allowance to bring food.

Zhang Yuan teased, “I’ll try the beef sauce, but I can’t handle a Western girl. As a married man, why are you here, anyway? As far as I know, this is a singles club, a kind of matchmaking event.”

“Senior Brother Zhao, adultery within marriage will get you in serious trouble…”

Zhao Qingfeng pointed across the room, “Isn’t my wife right there? Appreciating the beauty of art together is one of life’s pleasures. Whether a man or a woman, everyone likes beautiful girls; you simply have no aesthetic sense.”

Zhang Yuan coughed awkwardly.

“Hi, Mr. Zhang, are you here to see my performance?”

A girl with long golden hair casually draped over her shoulders and wearing a white ballet dress without too much adornment approached. She looked exceptionally elegant and beautiful.

Zhang Yuan looked up and for a moment forgot who this girl was. He felt she was quite pretty and somehow familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere.

“You are…?”

“After spending so much time together, have you really forgotten who I am?” The girl furrowed her brows, a touch of dissatisfaction in her tone.

“Oh, it’s Anna, haha…” Zhang Yuan said embarrassingly, recognizing her identity only from her voice.

Actually, she was a colleague from the lab. However, once she had taken off the bulky space suit, he hardly recognized her.

Zhang Yuan thought to himself, that’s not really my fault, is it? How could he recognize her when she usually spoke through a layer of headset while dressed in a space suit?

Nonetheless, he kept praising her, saying, “I had no idea you were so beautiful, and you can dance ballet too?”

Anna said with a smile, “Yes, I’m about to perform soon… This gentleman, if you’re considering pursuing me, I might give you a chance.”

“Then, I’ll treat you to some spicy synthetic meatballs,” Zhang Yuan said, as if he had stumbled upon a key idea, completely unaware of what he was blurting out.

“…”

The girl fell silent for a while, suddenly at a loss for words.