Evolving infinitely from ground zero

Xiao Chen spent over an hour in Yuan Dongzhi's office, discussing a lot about the Divine Plant Cult and significant domestic figures.

It was almost 10 p.m. when he and Shen Qinghan, each dragging their luggage, headed home.

The campus was quiet and serene during winter break at 10 at night.

Walking along the campus roads, there were hardly any students to be seen.

The only thing present was the intermittent evening breeze.

It brought a slight chill when it brushed across the face, which felt rather pleasant.

"Xiao Chen, the school is so quiet, nothing like its usual bustle," Shen Qinghan remarked.

"It's normal; it's still winter break, and students have gone home for the New Year," Xiao Chen replied.

If it were summer vacation, many students might choose to stay on campus to study or take on tasks for credits.

But during winter break, which was shorter and included the Spring Festival, very few students stayed.

"Xiao Chen, I've slept by myself during this half-month of special training, and it feels so unfamiliar. Can I sleep over at your place tonight?" Shen Qinghan asked.

"Then come over and sleep at mine," Xiao Chen said.

"That's settled then. After I've eaten and taken a bath at home, I'll head your way," Shen Qinghan declared.

"Alright, before bedtime, I'll release my Blood Qi Power to warm your feet," Xiao Chen offered.

"..."

As they continued their conversation, they strolled leisurely, soon arriving at their respective homes.

Xiao Chen took out his keys to open the door and entered the house, dragging his luggage in.

All the lights in the house were off.

Only the writing room was lit.

Standing in the entrance hallway, he could clearly hear the sounds of keyboard typing from the writing room.

Despite having a son so capable that the family had no shortage of money, the couple was still writing novels late into the night as before.

It could only be described as true passion.

He changed into slippers.

He wheeled his luggage into his room and put it away.

Xiao Chen approached the door of the writing room and gently knocked, "Dad, Mom, I'm back."

Lin Yansheng's puzzled voice came from the writing room, "Eh? Is the son back?"

Immediately afterward, the door opened, and Lin Yansheng and Zhang Wanxin walked out.

Seeing the Xiao Chen standing at the door, Lin Yansheng asked in bewilderment, "Didn't you say you were going for a month of special training? How come you're back in just half a month?"

Xiao Chen replied, "The special training finished early."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yansheng immediately frowned, "Did something happen?"

"No, nothing like that. This batch of trainees was quite outstanding, and they reached the training goals early, so we came back ahead of schedule," Xiao Chen explained, giving the reason he had thought up beforehand.

Lin Yansheng looked surprised, "There's such a practice?"

Zhang Wanxin, on the other hand, wasn't as curious; her concern was apparent.

She said to Xiao Chen, "How could you come back early without calling home? I could have prepared something delicious for you."

"I mainly wanted to surprise you guys," Xiao Chen admitted.

"More like a scare," Zhang Wanxin complained without much temper, "Coming back without a sound in the middle of the night, someone might have thought there was a burglar."

"Mom, you're thinking too much. You live in the faculty residence at Shanhai University, where security is tight. Even if the burglars could fly, they couldn't get into our home," Xiao Chen joked.

"It's so late, you haven't had dinner yet, have you? What do you want to eat? I'll go make it now," Zhang Wanxin offered.

"Just stir-fried rice vermicelli is fine," Xiao Chen responded.

"How can you only eat stir-fried vermicelli? You should eat well at home," Zhang Wanxin insisted before heading to the refrigerator, saying, "How about this, I'll make you a cucumber salad, tomato and egg stir-fry, soy sauce chicken, and bitter melon soup with dragon bones."

"Hmm, and steam some Exotic Beast Meat as well," Xiao Chen added.

"President Liu from your research institute brought us several pounds of ice crystal shrimp yesterday, which are currently frozen in the fridge, just right for steaming for you to eat now," Zhang Wanxin said.

These were dishes that Xiao Chen usually enjoyed.

Luckily, the ingredients were available in the fridge.

...

By almost 11 p.m., dinner was ready.

Four dishes and one soup.

The family of three sat together to eat.

The couple, having already had dinner, treated the meal as a late-night snack.

"Here, try this ice crystal shrimp," Zhang Wanxin said while placing a shrimp in Xiao Chen's bowl, looking affectionately, "Don't be fooled by it being frozen; it still tastes fresh and even sweeter than regular live shrimp."

"Thanks, Mom," Xiao Chen appreciated.

"By the way, Han Han hasn't eaten yet, either. Go call her over to join us," Zhang Wanxin suggested.

"No need, Mom, she's eating at her place right now. She sent me a bunch of food photos on WeChat. She also made a big dish of ice crystal shrimp and told me to come over and eat with her," Xiao Chen explained while eating his shrimp.

Lin Yansheng, peeling his own shrimp, said leisurely, "Wanxin, don't keep inviting Han Han over here. She has her own parents too."

"You always coax her to come here, but Xu Meng and Shen Jianye are definitely not going to be happy about it."

"Especially now, right after she's gotten home. Xu Meng and Shen Jianye must be missing her terribly after half a month without her. If you were to call her over now, they might want to give you a piece of their minds."

"..."

"Yes, I hadn't thought that through," Zhang Wanxin admitted, rarely acknowledging that her husband had a point.

After all, no matter how much she treated Han Han like her own daughter, she wasn't her actual mother; her best friend Xu Meng was.

Constantly summoning Han Han to their home, she indeed had been neglecting the feelings of Shen Jianye and Xu Meng.

Well, she'd have to be more considerate in the future...

As Zhang Wanxin reflected, she put another ice shrimp in Xiao Chen's bowl and cheerfully announced, "Xiao Chen, Mom has some great news to tell you."

"What good news?"

"You're going to have a little brother or sister."

"What?"

Xiao Chen was momentarily stunned, taking a bit of time to process the news.