“Additionally, I sincerely hope that students from our academy will have the opportunity to observe the military research institute and laboratories at First Academy.”
The envoy paused, hoping to receive a response from the Regent. However, the Regent remained silent. Feeling somewhat uneasy, he asked again.
“Your Excellency, would that be possible?”
“The military research institute is classified as the Federation’s highest-level secret. I’m afraid that won’t be possible.”
As a subordinate planet of Kloss Star, Ninth Star had its own commander, though it ultimately followed the central command’s unified orders.
The envoy felt it was a pity, but the Regent’s next words filled him with overwhelming delight.
“However, outstanding students from Ninth Star may enter the laboratories as assistants to learn.”
By the time the meeting ended, Ninth Star’s diplomatic envoy was still exhilarated. The chance to study at a top-tier laboratory on the main planet of the star system was something he had never even dared to dream of!
When Yu Nianqing came downstairs, Feng Yue was sobbing softly, her eyes red. Yu Tiancheng saw Yu Nianqing and parted his lips to speak.
“Can I go back to class now?”
Yu Nianqing avoided his gaze, her tone cold. Without waiting for Yu Tiancheng to respond, she turned and walked away. This time, Yu Tiancheng had nothing to say and granted her permission to leave the house.
When Feng Yue saw Yu Nianqing leave, she said, “Tiancheng, Yarou wouldn’t lie.”
“Are you saying the research institute colluded with Yu Nianqing to lie?”
“Xiao Rou’s mental fluctuations were discovered by you…” Feng Yue grasped Yu Tiancheng’s hand, unable to believe it herself.
She had never imagined that Yu Nianqing would clear her name in this way. It had truly caught her off guard.
It was like accusing someone of murder with a gun, only to discover that the person didn’t even have hands.
Yu Tiancheng was equally troubled. He had no idea what was going on. Just then, Yu Ningyan returned home in a hurry and tossed a bottle of liquid onto the table.
“Yu Yarou’s talent lies in medicine. And this is how she chooses to apply herself, spending her time concocting this kind of drug. What an accomplishment.”
A label was affixed to the light blue liquid: Short-Acting Mental Fluctuation Potion.
“Why are you back?” Yu Ningyan should have been at the military research institute at this hour, but when Yu Tiancheng asked, he didn’t answer.
“I warned her yesterday, yet she still dares to stir up trouble in this house.” Yu Ningyan’s icy gaze fell on Feng Yue.
“Ningyan, Xiao Rou is your younger sister. You…”
“I have only ever had one younger sister.” Yu Ningyan looked up, his gaze fixed straight ahead as he cut Feng Yue off, not sparing her the slightest regard.
Yu Tiancheng wanted to say something. After all, Feng Yue was his current wife and could be considered Yu Ningyan’s elder.
But when he saw Yu Ningyan in his dark blue military uniform and the emotionless look in his eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Yet Yu Ningyan noticed everything. His father’s favoritism toward Feng Yue and her daughter, and his neglect of his own younger sister, must have hurt her deeply.
The three brothers had never expected to receive their father’s love. They had already experienced more than enough maternal love. But their younger sister had grown up without a mother… She must have longed for her father’s love once, too.
Yu Ningyan suppressed the anger in his heart and merely warned them, “If you still want to stay in this house, then behave yourselves.”
With that, Yu Ningyan left the Yu residence without another word.
Feng Yue wiped away her tears in silence, feeling deeply resentful toward Yu Ningyan. “Tiancheng, the children really don’t like me…”
Yu Tiancheng had been thoroughly put in his place by his own son, and naturally, he was angry as well. However, he blamed Yu Yarou’s actions for the situation.
His three sons had doted on Yu Nianqing and protected her like a precious jewel since childhood. Now that Yu Yarou’s scheme to frame Yu Nianqing had been exposed, of course they weren’t going to let it go.
“Feng Yue, is this how well you’ve raised your daughter?”
Feng Yue clenched her fists, then slowly relaxed them. “Tiancheng, there must be some misunderstanding.”
“Ningyan has always been a person of his word. No matter what the misunderstanding is, once he’s made up his mind about something, he won’t change it.” Even now, Yu Tiancheng still wanted to smooth things over between Feng Yue and her daughter and his own children.
Although he and Feng Yue had been secretly involved for over twenty years, they had only recently married officially. It was understandable that his children hadn’t adjusted to the situation yet.
On top of that, Yu Tiancheng felt deeply guilty toward Yu Nianqing over what had happened this time. So he suggested, “Nianqing’s twentieth birthday is in two days. As the mistress of the Yu family, we must make sure her birthday banquet is a success. The most important thing is that Nianqing is happy. We can also treat it as an apology to her.”
Feng Yue hesitated for a moment. “Will that really work?”
Yu Tiancheng didn’t think it was a big problem. “If necessary, have Yarou apologize to Nianqing at the birthday banquet. They’re sisters now. What could possibly be so difficult to get past?”
Feng Yue sensed that Yu Tiancheng was growing impatient, so she had no choice but to reluctantly agree for the time being.
Before leaving, Yu Tiancheng warned her, “Make sure nothing like this happens again.”
Yu Ningyan did not object to holding a birthday banquet for Yu Nianqing. For the people of Kloss Star, turning twenty was an extremely important milestone, as reaching the age of twenty meant they could begin developing their innate talents.
When the news reached Yu Nianqing, she was wearing a lab coat in the research laboratory, conducting experiments with that embarrassing name badge pinned to her chest.
“Add the reagent to Test Tube One and observe all the tea tree’s data.”
Bo Chen was busy working with Test Tube Two, but he still remembered to give Yu Nianqing instructions. When he happened to glance sideways, he saw her operating her smart terminal. The reagent had already been added to Test Tube One, and the dosage was precisely correct.
He had originally thought Yu Nianqing would need a long time to learn and adapt to working in the laboratory. What he hadn’t expected was that she handled these tasks with such ease, as though she had performed them countless times before.
“A birthday banquet?” Yu Nianqing murmured as she used a testing instrument to examine the tea tree seedlings.
Ivy’s ears perked up, and she moved closer. “Xiao Qing, is it your birthday?”
“The day after tomorrow. My family said they’re going to hold a birthday banquet.” Yu Nianqing answered calmly.
Ivy immediately understood. When they had registered their marriage last time, she had noticed that Yu Nianqing was about to turn twenty. It was certainly a major occasion.
“Can I come?”
“Xiao Qing will definitely make lots of delicious food!”
Yu Nianqing smiled brightly. “Of course! You’re more than welcome!”
Bo Chen said nothing when he heard this, though he began making plans in his mind.
“Xiao Qing, once you turn twenty, you’ll be able to develop your innate talent. Are you nervous?”
Yu Nianqing froze for a moment. She still didn’t really understand much about these things. “Is it that important?”
“Of course it is! It wasn’t until the first year of the New Era that humanity discovered innate talent development. Different talents can be applied to different fields, so developing one is essentially a form of human evolution.”
“Over the past two thousand years, it’s the diversity of innate talents that has allowed Kloss to develop to where it is today. Humanity could never have come this far by relying solely on its original abilities.”
“Oh, I see. Bo Chen, what’s your innate talent?” Yu Nianqing asked curiously.
Ivy looked as though she wanted to say something, but held back. Bo Chen kept his eyes on the data from the experimental seedlings and didn’t even raise his head. “Add another dose of reagent to Test Tube One.”
“Oh.” Yu Nianqing pursed her lips.
Bo Chen still hadn’t answered her question by the time Butler Lin arrived to pick them both up.