Chapter 70: Joint Custody
Leon called a private car. They got on the highway and drove for about two hours until a massive rocket billboard appeared in the distance.
Wen Rong looked over curiously, hearing Leon introduce it: “This is the Federal Astronomy and Technology Exhibition Hall.”
“Astronomy…”
“When you were little, did you ever fantasize about flying?”
“Yes!”
Wen Rong answered emphatically. In his excitement, he couldn’t help turning his head, and his vision went black, as if covered by a colossal object.
The car had just entered a tunnel. The surroundings plunged into complete darkness, leaving only the whoosh of the wind in his ears.
He swallowed his saliva, not daring to move a muscle, until the light flooded back in.
Senior Leon’s forehead was pressed against the window, very close. Wen Rong could see the short, golden fuzz on his well-defined chin.
Immediately after, he felt a light tickling at his roots, wave after wave, matching the rhythm of breathing.
“It tickles a little,” Wen Rong couldn’t help saying.
“What?”
When Senior spoke, it tickled even more.
Wen Rong shrank his neck, reached up to smooth the hair that had been blown by the breath, lowered his body, and whispered, “Nothing.”
If a car passed by, the driver would likely see two heads stacked against the rear window of this car. The black-haired head revealed only a pair of beautiful eyes, and above it was a golden head, tilted slightly, smiling deeply.
The mountain road wound and twisted. After seven turns and eight bends, they finally reached the summit. A huge modern building stood there, labeled “Federal Astronomy and Technology Exhibition Hall.”
They got out and approached the main gate, spotting an A4 paper taped to the iron bars: Closed on Fridays.
Wen Rong froze. “Senior, is it closed today?”
Leon pulled his arm and walked him inside. “It’s fine. Senior has connections.”
The connection-holder Leon successfully led him through the gate as if entering his own home, scanning his face to enter the hall. They passed through the giant rocket set on the first floor and took the elevator up.
On the fourth floor, there were four or five people in dark blue jumpsuits. They were unfamiliar faces, tall and strong, walking with crisp, efficient strides like trained professionals.
They greeted Leon. Leon nodded and continued dragging Wen Rong inside.
At the very back, they finally arrived at a place full of railings.
It looked exactly like a maze. The waist-high railings formed walls that wound back and forth in circle after circle.
Seeing Wen Rong’s confusion, Leon explained, “This is a popular attraction at the Science Museum. Usually, a lot of people come to experience it, so these queuing railings are set up.”
Sounds like a hot ticket.
Wen Rong nodded. He looked up and saw darkness at the end of the railings, unable to guess what kind of thing made tourists flock to it like ducks.
“You should like it here.”
Just as Senior Leon finished speaking, blue strips of light suddenly lit up beneath Wen Rong’s feet, extending from bottom to top to the ceiling, forming a ring of light.
By this light, he could roughly make out the wall structure—glass, with large machinery-like structures inside, looking like a scene that would only appear in a sci-fi movie.
As Leon led him further in, circle after circle of light illuminated. Wen Rong was completely immersed, feeling as if this “alien” had returned to his home planet.
When they reached a row of lockers, Leon stopped abruptly. “You need to store your things before going in. Phones and anything that might leave your body must be stored.”
Beep—
As Leon operated the locker, he said, “Check your pockets. Give everything to Senior.”
Wen Rong obediently reached into his pockets. He handed over the bulky phone first. He thought he didn’t have anything else, but his fingertips suddenly touched soft fabric, and his whole body jolted.
“What is it?” Leon keenly noticed the subtle change.
“No…” Wen Rong steeled himself and put the silk stockings into the box.
Leon glanced at it and laughed. “Why did you bring that kind of thing?”
“Senior Zhang Lin brought it when taking photos this morning. He said putting these mint-green stockings on the skin can hide blemishes.”
“That magical?”
“Mm.”
“Did it work?”
Why is Senior so curious?
Wen Rong replied awkwardly, “It should work. Senior Zhang Lin said it does.”
“You didn’t try it?”
Still asking…
Wen Rong moved his mouth but didn’t speak.
This was also why he didn’t really want to take the stockings out—he was afraid Senior would keep asking, and he didn’t know how to answer.
“Can’t say?”
Wen Rong shook his head vigorously and took a deep breath. “Senior said I was a white-cut chicken (pale and skinny), so I didn’t need them.”
“Pfft.”
Feeling the embarrassment of having his shortcomings exposed, Wen Rong couldn’t help saying, “I’m learning to play tennis with Shi Ye now. I’ll grow muscles in the future, and I can also tan into a sexy wheat color.”
“You even know about wheat color?”
“Saw it online.” Wen Rong added, “It looks very good.”
“Then… good luck?”
Wen Rong gave a muffled “Mm,” and only sighed in relief when he saw Leon close the locker.
Leon led him further inside.
For about twenty meters, Wen Rong wondered just how mysterious this mysterious project was. With such a long path, was there usually a line all the way out here?
“Want to hold Senior’s hand?”
“Huh?”
Leon raised his hand in the darkness and repeated, “Do you want to hold Senior’s hand?”
Wen Rong reacted and shook his head quickly. “No need, no need.”
Although he was used to communal living—sleeping in large bunks and washing in public bathhouses—two guys holding hands felt a bit weird.
“Alright, let’s go in. Slow down.”
“Okay.”
Wen Rong followed Leon through a curtain. In that instant, it felt as if a wind had hit him, destabilizing his footing.
He looked down in confusion but only saw the white floor. He didn’t feel any wind, and his clothes weren’t blowing around.
Passing through another curtain, the sensation of instability became even more pronounced.
Through his confusion, he slowly realized that this might be “weightlessness.”
“Senior, this…”
Crossing the third curtain, Wen Rong couldn’t control his body from tipping backward. He looked toward Leon in panic. Leon raised a hand to press on his shoulder and laughed.
“You eat too little.”
After speaking, he pointed his chin forward, signaling Wen Rong to look.
Ahead was a blaze of light. He couldn’t see clearly what it was, but Wen Rong felt like his position was a cave. Like in a TV show, walking toward the light, he would suddenly see a cliff, a waterfall…
Sure enough, when they reached the end, the ground beneath his feet suddenly vanished. Looking down, he didn’t see a waterfall or cliff, only a “well” about ten meters deep, bare and without any landscaping.
Wen Rong realized for the first time that he was afraid of heights. Just looking at it made him dizzy.
“This is the Zero Gravity Experience Hall. It simulates the state of weightlessness in space. You can also understand it as flying.”
Wen Rong repeated dazedly, “Weightlessness…”
“Reach out.”
He was already dizzy and disoriented; where was the room to consider if it was appropriate? He reached out and was pulled by Leon, tumbling into the hole.
It was like falling into water. His cheeks puffed out as he held his breath.
Clothes, hair—everything began to float.
“Open your mouth. You can breathe in here.”
Wen Rong obediently opened his mouth wide. Sure enough, no water rushed in. He hurriedly took a deep breath.
“Is it fun?”
Wen Rong turned his head to see golden hair floating like satin. Senior was wearing a loose T-shirt, not tucked into his pants like his own shirt. In this strange weightless state, the hem floated up, revealing a waist full of muscle.
“I come here when I’m bored.”
“This feeling is very similar to flying.”
“It’s very free.”
The voice went in one ear and out the other; Wen Rong couldn’t hear anything clearly anymore. The sensation of flying was too satisfying, completely occupying his heart, brain, and every cell.
Thump, thump, thump. He felt as if he could hear the sound of everything expanding. His mouth was wide open, and he didn’t know if his smile was distorting his features. He completely forgot himself.
He felt like he was really flying.
This wondrous experience was like a dream.
He, who had never even been on an airplane, was flying in mid-air!
So cool!
“Want Senior to teach you how to control your body in zero gravity?”
Wen Rong’s mouth was too busy smiling to speak, so he just nodded vigorously.
The four-story cylindrical Zero Gravity Experience Hall was designed with reference to an aquarium. The glass was deep blue, and when the light hit it, the walls shimmered like rippling water.
The slender figure was embraced within a broad chest, arms extended, pressed closely together.
There were only the two of them. No one could disturb them.
Shi Ye craned his neck, hating for the first time that he understood his childhood friend too well. A simple thought was all it took to guess he would bring Wen Rong here.
After staring in lonely silence for a while, Shi Ye turned toward the corridor marked “Emergency Exit.”
The glass was transparent. He could see them, and if they reacted, they would see him.
Shi Ye couldn’t bear to imagine the scene of himself becoming a “third wheel” (lightbulb).
However, after turning into the corridor and walking only a few steps, his body abruptly froze.
On the wall introducing the founders of the Zero Gravity Experience Hall hung a face with golden hair and blue eyes—a miniature version.
Time rushed in like the tide. The gurgling of water sounded exactly like the cries of insects in the tea garden.
The mothers were far away from them. Here, there was only the noise generated by Shi Ye and Zhou Xie fighting three hundred rounds.
In the end, Shi Ye successfully seized the remote control using boxing techniques he had just learned. Zhou Xie was furious and joined forces with Li Ao to smash the TV.
“Oh my god.”
“Causing trouble again.”
“Did anyone get hurt?”
The servants and butler were busy cleaning up the mess. The victor helplessly became a marginalized figure, gloomily hugging the remote control in a daze.
Then, he inadvertently saw Leon sitting properly on the sofa, writing and drawing.
Little Shi Ye leaned in and saw dense text and symbols. “What is this?”
If he had asked Zhou Xie, Zhou Xie would certainly have said, “You don’t even understand this, idiot.” But he asked Leon. Leon thought for a few seconds and answered, “A formula that can make people fly. You’re too young, you won’t understand. Only Zhou Xie can understand.”
“Who said I don’t understand!”
Leon handed him the notebook. “Then you look.”
Shi Ye glanced at the unfamiliar symbols, kept a straight face, and insisted, “Isn’t it just a formula that makes people fly?”
Leon smiled. “Mm.”
Shi Ye sensed other emotions in that smile and continued to insist, “I really understand it.”
“Mm.”
Shi Ye couldn’t help asking, “Flying… is it like in anime?”
“Yes.”
“I want to write it too.”
Leon: “You don’t understand.”
“I-I… I’ll go back and learn right now. I’ll understand it tomorrow.”
…
Next to the golden-haired, blue-eyed boy was another photo. A little boy with black eyes and black hair smiled so brightly that Shi Ye dared not admit it was himself.
—Leon von Löwenstein
—Shi Ye
After a year, the two children finally researched the “formula that can make people fly,” and with the help of their parents, successfully built this Zero Gravity Experience Hall.
This place was the glory of two people, and proof of their friendship. Perhaps many, many years later, if someone mentioned this past event, they would say: Two good friends created a miracle together.
Shi Ye stared tightly at the side-by-side photos. He could even remember that the sunlight was very good on the day they were taken.
But the sun from back then could not shine into his eyes now.
—Why can’t Wen Rong be like this honor… jointly owned?
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