Superstars of Tomorrow

Fang Zhao belonged to batch of cast and crew that would be leaving slightly later. Mo Lang hoped that Fang Zhao could stay on a little longer to discuss questions regarding composing, so as a result, Fang Zhao would be leaving later.

But when Fang Zhao was leaving planet Wai, there were still some crew members handling postproduction and others who wanted to tour around planet Wai that would still be staying on.

Mo Lang had already completed the series’s 10-minute ending theme, and he had decided to call his family over to visit the scenic areas on planet Wai and maybe search for more inspiration for composing. Thus, he did not return with Fang Zhao.

Because he left later, when Fang Zhao returned to Earth, all the various entertainment headlines in each continent had already been occupied by those that returned earlier. Even though season nine of "Founding Era" had yet to finish broadcasting, the Fang Zhao in the series had not received his bento meal yet and Fang Zhao was rarely mentioned in news notifications.

When actors from the cast of "Founding Era" returned and took part in various activities and accepted interviews, they rarely mentioned Fang Zhao. Unless reporters or certain program hosts asked, they would say one or two brief sentences but nothing more. What was the point in talking about Fang Zhao? To compete with themselves to occupy news? These people weren’t foolish either.

The attention of the masses was attracted by news that was even more meaningful. As for Fang Zhao who hadn’t been mentioned in a long time, he slowly faded from people’s sight.

Now, Fang Zhao had returned, and as before, he didn’t choose a high-profile appearance.

Having rejected the company’s suggestions for hyping up news of his return, Fang Zhao first returned to Qi’an City to sort out some matters.

He returned to his residence in Qi’an City. An intelligent robot had been in charge of cleaning his apartment. Even the feeding of his hybrid sea slug "Spiky Hare" had been done by the robot.

After being away for so long, the apartment was still as clean as before, and the air smelled fresh. The intelligent robot facilitated a lot. Sweeping, mopping, watering plants, applying fertilizer, regulating air quality, etc. Everything was in order.

Pots of lush green bonsai in the apartment had grown especially well. Two pots were currently experiencing their flower season, and the flower petals were tender and beautiful...

Not right!

Fang Zhao swept his gaze across and did not see any of the other bonsais in the apartment flowering.

These bonsai had been left behind by Xue Jing when he’d handed the apartment over to Fang Zhao. Fang Zhao remembered that there had been five of these pots. If two of them were flowering, what about the other three?

Fang Zhao wasn’t too familiar with these florae that were cultivated in the New Era, but he could compare their leaves. After searching meticulously, three pots with the exact same leaves were found in his study.

But none of these three pots were flowering. Although they weren’t dead, these three bonsai appeared much shorter than the other two in the living room.

Having arrived back to patrol his territory, Curly Hair ran into the study and saw Fang Zhao staring at a pot of bonsai on his table. Curious, he also got up, twitched his nose, and sniffed it. He paused awhile, then turned his neck to look at the water tank by the side.

"Woof, woof, woof, woof!" After a few barks, he turned to look at Fang Zhao, then returned his attention to the water tank and began to bark even more violently.

Fang Zhao turned to look at the water tank.

With the intelligent robot feeding it at designated times, this hybrid sea slug did not look much different from how Fang Zhao had left it. As before, it was lumped into a ball and floating lazily in the water tank. Those fine and soft spikes covering it’s entire body moved with the ripples in the water. Looking like a soft and squishy ball, it seemed totally harmless.

Seeing Fang Zhao staring at the water tank but not saying anything, Curly Hair’s barking became even louder.

"All right, I know it has a problem." Fang Zhao patted Curly Hair and went to his study to view the security footage.

A monitoring system was installed in every room in the apartment. Normally, when Fang Zhao was at home, he would leave it off, but when he wasn’t, the system would be turned on.

Fang Zhao had been away for "Founding Era" for too long, and the monitoring system had been turned on. Fang Zhao had been too busy during the filming period, so he hadn’t examined the monitoring system carefully and had only glanced through the data the intelligent robot transmitted to him. Knowing that everything in the house was normal—sweeping, mopping, watering plants, adding fertilizer, feeding the "rabbit" at the designated timings, all of these set tasks had been completed on time, and the vital signs of the "rabbit" in the water tank had been maintained in the normal range, so Fang Zhao had not needed to view more details.

Now, Fang Zhao brought out the surveillance footage from inside his study and filtered any activity over at the water tank. In no time, over 40 video clips appeared.

Opening the first video, Fang Zhao right away saw the rabbit in the water tank begin to change its body, sticking itself to the wall of the water tank. After that, it pushed open the lid at the top of the water tank, which wasn’t too tightly sealed. One end of the "rabbit" remained sticking to the wall of the water tank, while its other end explored the potted plant that was nearest to the tank.

Each leaf of that plant was about the size of a duck egg. After rapidly eating one leaf, the "rabbit" retraced its path back into the water tank. Its entire body also slowly turned green, until it was the same color as the leaf it had just eaten!

From a white "rabbit," it became a green "rabbit".

Through the study’s windows, sunlight shined on the water tank on the desk. The "rabbit" that had once again curled up into a lump swayed its two ears in a larger oscillation. It seemed even more lively than before, as if it was in a good mood.

Fang Zhao remembered that the breeder of this hybridized species had said before that this sea slug could photosynthesize like a plant.

Furthermore, it was omnivorous.

Back then, on planet Baiji, it ate a chili that Zaro tossed in. Now, having eaten a leaf, it would naturally still be fine. Fang Zhao had received the vital signs of the "rabbit" and they had been in the normal range.

What amazed Fang Zhao was that the sea slug had actually been able to push open the lid of the water tank. Although the lid wasn’t locked, pushing it open required some strength. Not only that, the sea slug could lengthen its body and accurately find the plants outside the water tank...

Because it had extraterrestrial genes, Fang Zhao could not compare it to native sea slugs.

Shaking his head, Fang Zhao checked the later videos.

After its first leaf-nibbling operation, the "rabbit" apparently knew that there were no dangers or threats in its surroundings, so its courage increased. After a while, when its body turned back to white from green, it once again explored the outside and nibble on leaves.

After it had nibbled on the desk’s potted plant till it was shorter, it set its sights on the other bonsais in the study.

Besides the three pots that had not flowered, there were other bonsais that were nibbled on. Two pots were a little further away and were on the floor, so the sea slug had probably left the water tank for a short period of time.

Watching the sea slug proficiently open and close the lid, Fang Zhao squinted. It seemed like he would have to lock the lid of the water tank in the future.

After shifting out the few potted plants in the study that had been trimmed shorter and exchanging them with other plants that were growing well, Fang Zhao sent a message to the hybrid sea slug’s breeder and arranged to leave it with him temporarily.

After getting up to date with work-related matters from Silver Wing’s side, Fang Zhao let Yan Biao and Zuo Yu have a break and return to their families. After all, they had been away for so long.

When most matters were handled, Fang Zhao brought Curly Hair and quietly headed to Yanbei City to visit Great-Grandfather Fang and Great-Grandmother Fang.

At Yanbei Retirement Facility.

Great-Grandfather Fang had a visitor today, a junior he had guided before he’d retired.

This junior was doing rather well now. After being transferred out for five or six years, this person had been promoted and now held a position as an assistant bureau chief in a certain region of the continent. This time, he had returned to Yanbei City to visit relatives and had specifically come over to visit his old leader, Great-Grandfather Fang.

Subordinates that had worked under Great-Grandfather Fang all knew that this old man really loved to guide his juniors and younger generations. It was a pity that none of his children and grandchildren had become very capable figures. On the contrary, those subordinates of his had all ascended with great momentum and had ranks that were at least similar to Great-Grandfather Fang’s before his retirement.

"Xiao Wei, watching each of you rise up so fast and high, I am also very happy. All of you are very good!" Great-Grandfather Fang was in the retirement facility’s garden. He was leaning on a walking stick as he unhurriedly walked on the small stone path step by step.

There was a slight uphill slope in front of them. This assistant bureau chief that was called Xiao Wei hurried forward and supported Great-Grandfather Fang. "If you had not pulled me up all those years back, I would never have climbed to my current height."

Assistant Bureau Chief Wei lamented in his heart. He had been transferred away and had not returned for five to six years. Now that he’d had time to return and saw his old leader who had guided him in the past, he felt a little sad.

Before he was transferred out, the old man might have been of advanced age and had a full head of silver hair, but his body had still been rather healthy, but just five or six years, he was now using a walking stick and walking slowly. His legs didn’t seem like they had much strength.

The old leader has really aged!

As the two were chatting, Great-Grandfather Fang’s footsteps abruptly stopped.

Beside him, Assistant Bureau Chief Wai followed the old man’s line of sight.

Not too far ahead was another retired veteran. At his side was a youngster. This youngster also seemed familiar. Apparently, he was a rising political star in Yanbei City. Two days ago, he had even given an important speech.

At that side, the old man and the youngster were having a light-hearted chat. At a certain point, that old veteran let out a hearty laugh.

Assistant Bureau Chief Wei looked at Great-Grandfather Fang beside him. This old master’s eyes clearly carried a tinge of envy.

"How envious," Great-Grandfather Fang muttered.

Assistant Bureau Chief Wei let out a sigh in his heart. The old leader was still unresigned that there weren’t any outstanding descendants in the Fang family. He was regretting that he did not have a suitable successor. In the past, there had even been people who joked that Great-Grandfather Fang had guided and mentored so many people but, at the end of the day, all of those that were promoted were not from the Fang family.

The last time Assistant Bureau Chief Wei had visited the old leader, Great-Grandfather Fang’s tone had sounded slightly depressed and unresigned, but now, after five or six years had passed, the old leader seemed to have accepted and moved on. He no longer had those unresigned feelings and even had the mood to do some farming with his old wife.

Thinking about all this in his heart, Assistant Bureau Chief Wei consoled the old man. "Your family has a few that aren’t too bad. Compared to the majority, they are already doing quite well."

Hearing what was said, Great-Grandfather Fang chuckled. "Stop trying to flatter them. Compared to normal people, of course they are doing rather well, but when compared to others in the same system, they can only be considered to have reached the minimum criteria. The support I have provided them is not any less than what I have given you all. If they are unable to rise, it’s because they lack the ability or do not have the ambition."

There were members of the Fang family in the military and in the government, but they weren’t considered outstanding. At the start, Great-Grandfather Fang had helped them a little, but how far they went depended on themselves.

"I cannot support them all the way, One’s own path, one’s own future still has to be fought for with one’s own hands." Great-Grandfather Fang sighed. "Now that I have retired, I am all the more unable to accompany them on their paths. The younger generations will do right on their own. I am already old and don’t wish to worry so much. Why not own a plot of land behind the retirement facility and grow crops with my old wife for fun?"

Mentioning the land behind the retirement facility, Great-Grandfather Fang became spirited again. There was a limit to the land that could be drawn out, and it wasn’t comparable to the farmlands of Muzhou. The area was entirely for the old veterans of the retirement facility to grow their own crops for fun and while away their time.

Hearing the old leader’s tone not sounding gloomy, Assistant Bureau Chief Wei chuckled along. "That’s great. When your children and grandchildren visit, you can even pick some of the vegetables to cook for them."

How would he have known that upon hearing this, Great-Grandfather Fang exclaimed, "No way! The land I rent is just a small piece. Everything is grown for ourselves. No way am I letting them have any! None of them will have any!"

As he was speaking, an old and young pair walked by from the front.

That old veteran stared at Great-Grandfather Fang in astonishment. "Hey Old Fang, I just saw your family’s Little Zhao. He seems to be heading over to your place and he appears to be carrying a basket full of things. I thought that you had returned home; I didn’t know you were still outside walking about."

Great-Grandfather Fang paused for a second. "What? My Little Zhao has returned? The old woman surely knew beforehand and she actually didn’t tell me!" Following that he was ecstatic. "My Little Zhao has returned!"

Knowing that Fang Zhao had already arrived, Great-Grandfather Fang could not stay here and so turned around to walk back. He even told the assistant bureau chief, "Xiao Wei, let’s continue chatting when we return! If you are busy, go on ahead. I have received your kind intentions and I’m very thankful you still remember this old geezer. I wish you success in everything you do. May more major undertakings come your way and may you continue to have a meteoric rise in your career! My Little Zhao has come to see me, so I will return home first... Oh, right, do you know my family’s Little Zhao? Have you watched ’Founding Era’? The role he plays in that show is Fang Zhao!"

The assistant bureau chief: "..." This turn had been too rapid. He suddenly felt a little stupid.

Watching the old leader head back, there was a flight of steps in front of him. He was about to head forward to lend an arm for support when he saw the old leader lift his legs up and leap. Following that, he broke into a slow jog.

The assistant bureau chief of a certain region: "..."

But Great-Grandfather Fang had not run far before he ran into Fang Zhao.

"Haha, Little Zhao is back! Good, good, good! You look like you have lost weight. Filming is tough... Not tough? How can it not be tough! Don’t lie to me. I know all about it, I check the news every day!"

The assistant bureau chief that had been left in his original spot saw the always stern Great-Grandfather Fang chuckling as if there were flowers blooming on his face. His voice had also gone several pitches higher, and he appeared full of energy.

"Little Zhao, you came back at the right time. I’ve rented a plot of land on the hill behind this place. It’s all homegrown. In a bit, I will go and pick some ripe vegetables and cook them for you. If you can’t finish them, we can pack them for you to bring back... This walking stick? It’s an online fad. Everyone in the retirement facility wants to buy them, so I followed everyone when they made a bulk purchase. It is rather meaningful and can even be used as a weapon. Whoever tries to mess with me can have a taste of my stick!" Great-Grandfather Fang enthused, one arm holding onto Fang Zhao as they returned, the other arm twirling the walking stick around for fun.

"You can stay here for a few days... A break? Good, good, good! Then you should just stay here. I haven’t touched the room you slept in last time. Let’s watch ’Founding Era’ together! Now, season nine is almost done airing, but we haven’t watched you die... Pooh! Pooh! Pooh! We haven’t watched the part where the character you act as perishes in battle. You are just in time to watch it together with us!"

The surrounding old folks in the retirement facility who heard Great-Grandfather Fang’s words: "..."

What? That young fella Fang Zhao is going to stay here for a few days?

It’s over!

There won’t be any more peaceful days!

Old geezer Fang’s head is surely going to swell like no tomorrow!

Great-Grandfather Fang’s loud voice gradually faded into the distance.

The assistant bureau chief was still standing in his original spot, staring absent-mindedly.

It is as if I just visited a false leader.