"Hey, He Kui, dinner's ready!"
As He Kui returned home, he was greeted by Shi He, who had finished work, along with the enticing aroma of food wafting through the house.
The table was neatly arranged with colorful dishes of sautéed vegetables and chicken, while fluffy white rice steamed invitingly.
"It smells amazing! Your cooking skills just keep getting better, Shi He."
Since he had been able to earn more money, he had improved the quantity of meat and vegetables. This feast cost around 300 credits, and they could now afford to enjoy a hearty meal once a day, in addition to their regular work meals.
As the costs were split between them, it was well within their budget.
"I'm glad you like it!" Shi He beamed, her smile rivaling the deliciousness of the food.
"Also, I have some good news! I can officially start my A-Level assessment next week."
"Really!"
Shi He paused for a moment before her excitement bubbled over, her eyes sparkling with joy.
"Yeah, once it's done, I'll be able to get a small villa."
He Kui envisioned how he could also bring his parents over. Although he sent them money every month, they were still busy with their work. It would be better to have them closer.
"I have good news too! The director said we can apply for bonuses for our research, and it should be around 50,000 credits!"
"That's perfect! That'll cover food and daily expenses."
Fifty thousand was a substantial reward. Although it seemed modest, He Kui had only tackled a third of the problem, and that was without conducting final technical validations.
That amount would allow them to enjoy plenty of meat and even buy some new furniture.
"Great! Since the assessment starts next week, should I prepare extra meals for you?"
"No need; I'll just make a little extra while I'm there."
"Okay!"
As they chatted, they moved to the dining table, and soon the delicious meal was devoured by both.
"Have you heard from your roommate? I heard about a naval reconnaissance team that was wiped out by the Earth Alliance, and one of the GINNs had its cockpit sliced open by the wings of a fighter jet."
Though Shi He hadn't signed up for support this time due to her recent research progress, she was still well-informed about battlefield news as a member of the Sara faction.
"Not yet."
He Kui felt a wave of concern; under normal circumstances, they should have been able to send a communication to PLANT within a week.
Even though the neutron jammers slowed communication down, it should still arrive within two to three days. But there was nothing he could do. It wasn't instant messaging, and asking wouldn't help.
Moreover, the thought of a fighter jet slicing open a cockpit suggested that the opposing pilot was quite skilled. Did that imply the wings had been specially modified?
"Would you like me to ask someone for help?"
Shi He's offer made He Kui realize that as a rare Adjuster in the Sara faction, she likely had connections within the military. While those connections might not change much, getting some news about his roommate's safety was certainly worthwhile.
"If it's not too much trouble, that would be great."
"It's nothing! Just send me his identification number."
"Sure."
He Kui pulled up his wrist device and sent over the identification number.
"By the way, I found some professional books on beam radiation weaponry. Take a look!"
Shi He activated her wrist device, but inadvertently projected something onto the television screen.
The room was soon filled with a series of playful sounds.
Quick to react, Shi He turned off the projection, but He Kui had already caught a glimpse of what had been displayed—some rather suggestive poses.
"Just something I stumbled upon today," Shi He said, her cheeks flushing as she lowered her head, genuinely embarrassed.
"Uh-huh."
Time passed, and a week later, He Kui finally received a message on his computer.
"He Kui, as you read this, I apologize for the delays in communication due to the chaos at headquarters. Recently, I was able to temporarily withdraw from the front lines and, by a stroke of luck, earned some merit, allowing me to return from the Carpentaria Base. I'll be back soon, and when I am, please treat me to dinner!"
"Understood."
Hearing the joy in the voice at the end of the recording, He Kui smiled slightly.
The next day, He Kui arrived at the office.
"Why did you bring food today?"
"Are you working late?"
"Is it that busy lately?"
His colleagues noticed the food container in He Kui's hand and asked.
"Not particularly."
He Kui didn't intend to share much. While they might not be in danger knowing about his roommate, he was too lazy to discuss it.
"Sule is still making people work hard, huh?"
One colleague chuckled, happy that it wasn't him working late.
"Not really."
"Then why are you working late? You keep getting deductions. I can't wait for the day you become A-Level and flip the script!"
"...I'm just trying to get promoted to A-Level."
He Kui explained helplessly.
"A-Level?"
"Yeah, A-Level."
Recently, they had mostly assisted with simpler optimizations regarding the warning-type radar components, so no one had noticed how much He Kui's skills had improved.
"Ha ha, don't joke around, He Kui."
"Work hours are starting; are you trying to get penalized?"
Sule emerged from her office unexpectedly.
"Sorry!"
Everyone quickly returned to their workstations.
After some time, and after saying goodbye to colleagues who kept confirming whether he was really applying for A-Level, only two people remained in the office.
"Let's get started. Today, we'll be fine-tuning the MMI-M8A3 76mm Heavy Assault Machine Gun Control System."
Each day's task was randomly assigned with a two-hour limit, continuing for a month.
For a typical top-tier B-Level employee, it would be impossible to feign competence. However, for He Kui, who had already established himself at A-Level, it wasn't a significant challenge.
After a series of operations, He Kui finished in just an hour and a half.
"Looks about right compared to my expectations."
As the timer ended, Sule raised her eyes from her tablet to continue speaking.
"Since we're done, let's eat."
"Sure."
Hearing Sule's eagerness, He Kui was well-prepared. He opened the vacuum-sealed food container, and thanks to technological advancements, the food was still steaming hot, just as it had been when freshly made.
The sour and spicy aroma filled the office, making Sule unable to resist sniffing the air.
"Wow, you really know how to enjoy life."
Sule remarked, taking a deep breath of the steaming rice with satisfaction.
Not that she couldn't afford it; she just never had the time or inclination to cook.
"Just trying to make the most of the bonus I received."
"Good for you."
Sule accepted the compliment but didn't start eating right away.
"By the way, you didn't want to talk about this morning, did you?"
"Hmm?"
"It wouldn't hurt to share; I can still cover for you here."
As Sule spoke, she lowered her head slightly, avoiding
He Kui's gaze.
"Thank you, Director Sule."
"Humph."
With a cute huff, Sule focused on her meal, enjoying the appetizing sour and spicy potato shreds in front of her.
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