Pillar of Yita

Fang Hong’s aunt is named Zhang Rou.

The name sounds very gentle, and she also appears to be a delicate woman, but in fact, she’s quite assertive. Her work is teaching at a university in the country, making her a typical intellectual woman.

In his impression, whenever he and Tang Xin caused trouble at school when he was a child, his uncle, being a writer, would occasionally hold a ’discussion meeting’ with them, having a heart-to-heart talk and thoroughly examining the two little ones’ views on life and the world. But more often, it was this aunt who would have a ’heart-to-heart’ with them.

And Lady Zhang Rou’s ’heart-to-heart’ was often much more direct — look at this ruler, wide and long — therefore, the two of them were actually more afraid of this lady. So much so that Fang Hong still remembers her stern face, gathering storm clouds, and the brewing storm.

He even felt that compared to her, the Virus was a mere insignificant threat.

And at this moment, appearing on the other side of the video was Zhang Rou, still wearing a pair of black-rimmed glasses, only casting a cold glance at him: ”Grown skills, have you?”

Instantly, Fang Hong was so scared that he didn’t dare breathe too heavily, hastily lowering his head, as the series of pre-planned words had already vanished to Javaland. He knew his aunt had been an academic star since her youth, excelling both emotionally and intellectually, and if he tried to lie, he feared she would see through it within three sentences.

Moreover, his aunt had a sharp tongue, and even his writer uncle was often verbally parried by her; once his lies were exposed, his fate would be obvious — complete humiliation.

He still remembers once when Tang Xin lied, and her miserable fate after being exposed by her aunt. Although he luckily didn’t participate in his cousin’s ’plan’ and escaped unscathed, merely observing left him with serious psychological trauma — it was quite a beating.

Since then, he dared not lie in front of his aunt anymore.

However, having successfully survived to seventeen years of age, Fang Hong obviously had his survival strategies. He understood that in front of this lady, as long as he acted like a shivering quail, his life would not be at risk. In this respect, he considered himself much smarter than Tang Xin.

Sure enough.

Zhang Rou had a look of bitter disappointment on her face, giving him a thorough scolding, even Su Changfeng on the side couldn’t help but laugh; his uncle wanted to interject several times but was fiercely glared back by this woman:

”Tang Sheng, this kid is now so bold and reckless, all because you indulge him.”

”Well, I think Little Hong is inherently good, it’s just some minor issues —”

”Minor issues, if you continue to indulge him, minor issues will become major problems.”

”That’s going too far, way too far.”

But after a storm, it always clears up.

Seeing him not daring to make a sound, Zhang Rou couldn’t help but ’hum’ coldly once. She sized Fang Hong up and down, eased her brow, and asked: ”Nothing serious happening, right?”

Fang Hong thought to himself that he was still in one piece — although he had fallen off a cliff and died once, been stabbed with a knife, and several times almost ended up in a dragon’s belly, and had thrilling encounters with cultists several times, all ended without real danger, so he nodded.

Only then did Zhang Rou feel relieved, her tone turned gentle as she inquired: ”How long have you been out this time?”

”About a year, I guess.”

”A year,” she frowned: ”What about your studies?”

Her gaze turned cold again, piercing into Fang Hong like a knife, her tone full of skepticism: ”You haven’t dropped out behind our backs, have you?”

Fang Hong was scared half to death; if he dared to do that, he’d probably lose half of his little life. So he hurriedly shook his head: ”No, no, I took a leave of absence from my Mentor. Besides, I can also complete my studies in Eteliria, my thesis is related to the ecology of Giant Tree Hill—”

But Zhang Rou wouldn’t listen at all, only giving him a glare: ”That’s wishful thinking. Get it over with here, and get back early.”

She suddenly paused: ”And Tang Xin too, she’s with you, right?”

Fang Hong was startled, thinking his aunt really had sharp ears and eyes, even knowing this. He mourned silently for his cousin for a moment, but had no intent to hide it, quickly nodding.

”Tell that troublesome girl to come back too.”

After his wife calmed down, Tang Sheng on the side finally had a chance to speak. As always, he wasn’t very talkative, only gently and gracefully advising Fang Hong not to shoulder too much psychological burden, to take care of his safety, and so on.

As for the military side and the Stargate Port issues, he and Zhang Rou would try to think of ways for him.

Even though stowing away through the Stargate violated certain regulations, for the stowaway themselves, there weren’t any rigid legal stipulations that outlined what legal responsibilities they had to bear. The military, if they caught a stowaway, mostly just evicted them. For any damages caused to varying degrees, at most, it would just be civil compensation.

After all, the tourist and official Stargate tour routes have only existed for a few years, when the earlier times lacked Glow Objects equipment, freely entering the Stargate was considered a universal right, stowaways abounded back then. And there were historical reasons why Fang Hong chose this path, not just mere stubbornness.

Finally, the other side earnestly said to him:

”Little Hong, you and Tangtang wait for us there, we’ll come to take you back together. As for other matters, listen to the arrangements at Stargate Port—also, don’t take your aunt’s words to heart; she’s just worried about you, that’s why she’s so anxious.”