Time flies so fast. In the blink of an eye, it was already four years later.
Today, Qiao Jing Jing, who was filming in Hengdian, received a call from Yu Tu, who was calling from where he was on a work trip.
Yu Tu said over the phone, "I went to the canteen at noon today to have lunch. There were two young girls lined up in front of me who are from another institution. I heard them talking about me."
Qiao Jing Jing snorted: "You have fans now, too. Are you showing off to me?"
Shortly before their wedding, Yu Tu was appointed as one of the deputy chief designers of the first asteroid probe. Then the year before he was appointed as the chief designer of the Deities probe. As one of the youngest chief designers in the field of aerospace, he also had many young admirers.
"There is no way I would dare show off in front of you when it comes to fans?" Yu Tu laughed. "I heard one of the girls say that she is disillusioned with me."
Qiao Jing Jing was suddenly curious, "What did you do to make her feel disillusioned?"
"She said; 'I ran into Chief Yu outside the meeting room today. I didn't expect that Chief Yu, who seems like a learned person, would actually have a female celebrity as his phone's wallpaper'."
Qiao Jing Jing:
"..."
Yu Tu sighed and said, "Fortunately, she and I don't have to interact much. Otherwise she would find out that I change the photo of this female celebrity every week."
Qiao Jing Jing laughed out loud. "Those two young girls must have been very focused when they were in school and never paid attention to gossip. Did you explain yourself afterwards?"
After the two girls finished paying for their meals, when they turned around and saw him, they were stunned and very embarrassed. Yu Tu had originally intended to just nod his head and let it pass, but while eating his lunch, he changed his mind and felt that he could not let his image be tarnished.
"After I finished eating, I saw them again at the doorway. I deliberately walked up to them and said to them, 'The one in the wallpaper photo on my mobile phone is my wife'."
"Chief Yu, you are so childish." Qiao Jing Jing laughed irrepressibly on her end of the phone.
"But I think they don't seem to believe me." The childish Chief Yu said, "So, do you want to help me confirm it?"
"How do I confirm this? Post something in Weibo?" Qiao Jing Jing did not know whether to laugh or cry.
"No need to do that, but perhaps you can come to visit me, and, in passing, watch a rocket launch? Isn't your drama going to finish filming soon?"
"Ah?" Qiao Jing Jing was stunned, but quickly responded, "Can I go? Are you at the rocket launch site? I want to go! Where are you? Can you tell me now?"
The other end was amused with her series of questions. He explained, "You can come. This time the institution is organizing a site-visit event for family members.
"I am in Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site in Hainan."
How can watching a rocket launch be done "in passing"? Obviously the thing she was actually just going to do "in passing" was to see Teacher Yu.
Half a month later, Hainan.
Qiao Jing Jing arrived in Hainan two days later than she had originally planned. Nothing could be done about it; because of bad weather, they were unable to shoot outdoor scenes, so filming finished two days late. When the plane landed at Haikou Meilan Airport, she immediately sent a WeChat message to Yu Tu.
"I'm off the plane now."
Then she posted another message in the group chat that was set up for all the family who were coming to this site-visit. "I've arrived in Hainan. I am sorry for being two days late."
The site-visit event for family members organized by the Aerospace department had a total of ten available slots, mainly for the family members of the research and development personnel of the Deities probe. Yu Tu's Institution 80x, as the primary unit responsible for development work, was given three of those slots, while the other seven family members came from all over the country and belonged to other research institutes that had participated in the research and development.
The logistics staff responsible for the event specially set up a WeChat chat group for the family members so that everyone could contact each other. However, the aerospace staff were not included in the group, because, after all, the launch mission was around the corner so it was better to not have too many chats and chat notifications that would disturb them.
Very soon, there were replies in the group.
"My granddaughter even called me in the morning and asked if I got the autograph yet. Come quickly." This was Professor Zhao, the wife of Deities probe's chief scientist, Academician Xiao.
"You're not late, not late, since you didn't miss the launch." This was a male family member, Big Brother Wang, from Tianjin.
Qiao Jing Jing replied to them one by one, then put away her mobile phone. She went with Xiao Zhu and Big Sister Ling to get her baggage.
It was more than an hour's drive from Meilan Airport to Wenchang. Big Sister Ling had already arranged for a car ahead of time. After she got into the car, Qiao Jing Jing took out her mobile phone. Yu Tu still has not replied. Most likely he was still working. In contrast, there were several more messages in the group, most of them welcoming her, except one.
"It's good to be two days late. There's no point in being here anyway. I feel like we're just here to help wash the clothes."
Qiao Jing Jing was somewhat surprised. She knew the person who wrote that. She was Xiao Li, the wife of Yu Tu's colleague of the same research institute, Xiao Hu. Over the years, they had met several times during dinner gatherings. Her impression of her was a shy, reticent girl, but this sentence had quite a hint of resentment in it.
However, there were staff members and other family members in this group after all, and it seemed inappropriate to write something like that.
Sure enough, after she said that, there was an awkward silence for a while. Only after a few minutes did a staff member appear to smooth things over.
"At the end of the mission, there will definitely be time for everyone and their families to have fun together. Teacher Qiao, you really don't need us to go to the airport to pick you up?"
Qiao Jing Jing replied to him, "I was picking up my luggage just now. There is no need to bother you. I have someone who will take me over. When I arrive at the doorway of the base, I'll just trouble you to come and take me in."
Staff member:
"Certainly."
The driver drove the car in accordance with the directions given by the staff member to a comparatively remote doorway of the Wenchang launching base. The entrance was already in sight, and the car started to slow down. Xiao Zhu, who sat in the front passenger seat, suddenly shouted, "Wow, Jing Jing, it is Teacher Yu who has come out to get you!"
"Oh, how does he have the time?" Qiao Jing Jing opened the window in surprise, and sure enough, she saw Yu Tu's tall and straight figure at the doorway of the base. At this time, he also saw them and walked towards them.
The car stopped. Qiao Jing Jing quickly got off the car and hugged Yu Tu, who was at the front of the car. "How come you're here? You're not busy today?"
Yu Tu caught her. "I just happened to have time."
Big Sister Ling, at the back, simply could not bother to look. She coughed once as a warning to her that the military personnel guarding the entrance to the base were watching.
Yu Tu, with a smile on his face, expressed his thanks to Big Sister Ling and Xiao Zhu. "Big Sister Ling and Xiao Zhu, sorry to trouble you."
Big Sister Ling said, "No trouble at all. We're here in Hainan for a holiday anyway."
Xiao Zhu nodded repeatedly. "Jing Jing said she'll reimburse us."
Qiao Jing Jing said with disapproval, "When have I ever not reimbursed your travelling costs?"
Xiao Zhu immediately began bootlicking: "Long live the boss. May you live a long and happy life together."
Yu Tu couldn't help laughing. "Xiao Zhu is getting more and more fun and lively."
Big Sister Ling talked about their upcoming arrangements. "A Guo, along with the children, and Xiao Zhu's mother have already arrived in Sanya. After we've seen the sights in Sanya for a few days, we'll also come over to watch the launch, too. I saw the official news announced yesterday that said it'll be launched on Saturday night, right? The launch this time is receiving a lot of attention. It seems like CCTV will even have a live broadcast of it."
Xiao Zhu said, "We just can't watch at the launch site like Jing Jing."
"There are a few viewing points in town that are also very good." Yu Tu recommended several places.
Big Sister Ling said, "Will we be able to watch it from the hotel?"
"You should be able to."
"That's good, I will confirm with the hotel again when the time comes. Okay, then we're going now." She was in a hurry to go and meet up with her husband and children.
Qiao Jing Jing waved, happily sending them off.
After Big Sister Ling and Xiao Zhu left, Yu Tu, dragging the suitcase, brought Qiao Jing Jing to the gate for security inspection. Because the aerospace base was a confidential site, it was manned by military personnel. Qiao Jing Jing handed her ID card to the young soldier doing security. Yu Tu registered her name into the visitor registration book.
After the soldier checked her ID card, he returned it to Qiao Jing Jing. Yu Tu still has not finished registering yet. The military personnel glanced at her several times. In the end, blushing, he was unable to contain himself and said, "Miss Qiao, I grew up watching your TV series."
Qiao Jing Jing:
"… Thank you."
Young man, that comment's like a stab in her heart.
Yu Tu, beside her, didn't give face to her and burst out laughing. Qiao Jing Jing secretly kicked him. While bowing his head and continuing to register her, Yu Tu expertly shifted his position a little and dodged her attack. After he had finished registering, when he handed back the registration book, he even politely thanked the young man again: "Thank you for your support."
The military personnel's face became redder, and he waved his hand foolishly. "No need, no need."
Qiao Jing Jing:
"..."
Aiya, young man, how do you expect to find a girlfriend in the future if you're like this?
Qiao Jing Jing, who had suffered a blow to her ego, was wilted as she followed Yu Tu through the security check, but very quickly she was reinvigorated. That was because she unexpectedly discovered that Yu Tu had driven an open-air electric car to come and pick her up.
It was that kind of tourist sightseeing electric car that you often see at tourist attraction spots, one that can sit more than a dozen people!
She felt that it looked kind of cool.
Qiao Jing Jing immediately climbed up to the passenger seat next to the driver right up in front. "How did you get such a car to come and pick me up?"
"It was whatever I could borrow." Yu Tu put her suitcase in the back row. After sitting into the driver's seat, he took out a big straw hat that he had prepared in advance. "It's to protect you from the sun."
Teacher Yu was definitely the straight guy with the best learning ability in the world. Qiao Jing Jing satisfactorily put the straw hat on her head and urged him, "Let's get moving. Tour guide, please start driving."
The sightseeing car slowly traveled along the wide main road through a coconut grove. The blue sky and white clouds were above them, a gentle sea breeze was blowing, and as far as the eye could see were coconut trees and green grass. Qiao Jing Jing leaned comfortably into the back of the seat. She felt that the exhaustion of these past few days from rushing to finish filming the drama had been swept away. All of her, body and mind, felt relaxed.
"It's practically like a tourist destination here."
"This base functions as a place for both tourism and science education."
"Tour guide, you are neglecting your duty. You're not providing me with information."
"Oh," Tour Guide Yu responded, and then started to recite information. "The Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site is one of the four major launch sites in our country and the only low-latitude launch site...."
Qiao Jing Jing:
"… I have already read that in Baidu's online encyclopedia!"
Yu Tu:
"The food in the canteen is very delicious."
Qiao Jing Jing:
"What else?"
Yu Tu:
"I will be sending Deities probe into outer space from here."
His eyes looked forward as he drove the car. There was a faint smile on his lips, and all his features showed he was full of confidence. As Qiao Jing Jing looked at him, her heart was also full of pride. "Okay! Then this place is my favorite launch site!"
She pointed at the huge steel structure in the distance and asked, "Is that the launch tower?"
"That is LM-5, Long March 5, launch tower. The other is LM-7."
"Then what are those two very tall white buildings?"
"The vehicle assembly building."
While she was continuously asking questions, the sightseeing car turned a corner and drove into a narrower road. The coconut groves on both sides seemed to be a little denser. It was quiet and hidden here. Qiao Jing Jing quieted down. After a while, she asked him, "Are there any security cameras here?'
The sightseeing car suddenly slowed down and slowly came to a stop at the roadside.
Qiao Jing Jing turned her head in puzzlement. "Why did you stop… Mmph…"
Her lips were suddenly sealed. Yu Tu leaned over, holding down her straw hat with one hand and her hand with the other. His kiss was deep and gentle.
She didn't struggle hard. "What are you doing?"
Yu Tu found the time to answer her, his voice a bit low and husky. "Isn't this what you meant when you asked if there are security cameras?"
…That's a little bit true, but how did you understand so fast?!
Qiao Jing Jing mind was muddled as she asked, "So are there?"
"Of course," Chief Yu said. "We're a confidential work unit."
Qiao Jing Jing glared at him. Then with his smiling eyes on her, she pulled him close and took the initiative to kiss him back.
It was a confidential place anyway… so what was there to be afraid of?!