I can travel to the past and the future

That night, outside Bubble Plaza, Qiao Yuan withdrew his gaze and looked at the dazzling array of candied hawthorn stalls in front of him. The stalls were filled with various kinds of candied hawthorns with fruit and even roasted meat, layer upon layer in the shop window.

He grinned at the baby and said, "Why is the number of candied hawthorns on these sticks always an odd number?"

Yan Baobao smiled knowingly, her eyes filled with memories of the past. Back in the orphanage, sometimes she would buy a string of candied hawthorns that were about to expire, which had exactly eight pieces. She and Qiao Yuan would then share four pieces each.

Now, in the main city, they've all grown into nine long, large ones, each containing eight pieces of fruit or roasted meat, much larger than when I was a child.

The stall owner was an old man with thinning hair and grayish-white mechanical arms. He smiled, revealing a set of smoky yellow teeth, and said, "Nine is a good number. If I add it up for you, it'll be 99, meaning 'forever and ever'."

"Buy two skewers, handsome young man? Your girlfriend will love them," the stall owner called out enthusiastically.

Yan Baobao blushed as she listened.

Qiao Yuan smiled. This boss really knew how to do business. He then looked at Bao Bao: "You choose, I'm fine with either. Hmm, isn't that durian flesh?"

"I'll have that kind, boss, two skewers."

As he spoke, he reached out and paid at the sensor next to him. The string cost 25 yuan, which was a bit pricey.

Fortunately, I have money now.

The old man chuckled and said, "Alright!" He deftly used his prosthetic left arm, wearing gloves, to pick up the two skewers of durian candied hawthorn, adding an extra one, and put them in a paper bag. He then handed them to Yan Baobao and said, "Wishing you both a perfect life together, a long and happy life, and a great time tonight. But there are quite a few bad guys around here, so be careful."

Yan Baobao blushed and kept smiling, as if she were in love, without explicitly stating their sibling relationship.

Qiao Yuan blushed slightly, then decided against it. He could tell the old man was genuinely offering his blessings, and he could even sense the old man's longing for him.

In particular, the old man's prosthetic hand had a screen embedded in his shoulder, displaying a moving photo of an old woman who was always smiling gently.

He had actually noticed it long ago, but he hadn't asked. Now it seems that the woman is probably already dead. He left this as a memento...

He nodded and said, "Thanks."

Qiao Yuan and Bao Bao continued walking on the bustling street. It was very lively here. Not far ahead was Bubble Plaza, a huge floating building that looked like a pink and transparent bubble.

Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the exterior is made of glass, revealing the layers inside. The floors, elevators, and merchandise shelves are all cleverly designed using composite glass to create a crystal-clear texture.

Overall, it looks like a transparent pink jellyfish, with its intricate internal structure visible, resembling a crystal palace, making it extremely pleasing to the eye.

Behind Bubble Square is the Royal Academy of Noble Families, the same one Charles attended. It's a prestigious private institution exclusively for the children of nobles, where the focus is on building connections.

He had always been puzzled as to why Tu Shanlin would come to Galaxy University, even though Galaxy University was more prestigious than Royal Noble Academy.

Perhaps these top noble families look down on the Royal Noble Academy, after all, Silver University is one of the seven-star alliance universities in the Federation, they are not on the same level.

Yan Baobao ate a candied hawthorn and muttered, "It's not as sweet as it was when I was a kid, but it tastes even better."

"Why?" Qiao Yuan was completely confused.

The baby spoke mysteriously, "Because~"

"Oh, I get it, because you didn't spend any money!" Qiao Yuan laughed shrewdly.

"..." Yan Baobao froze instinctively, then pouted her pink lips and exclaimed, "Idiot!"

Qiao Yuan kept laughing. He actually knew what Bao Bao meant. From childhood to adulthood, Bao Bao had always spent money on things and shared them with him.

But now he can buy things to share with his baby, and the reason they taste good is because he bought them.

Girls are so straightforward, they always like to beat around the bush.

He and his baby are now strolling around at their own pace. The last time they had such a leisurely shopping trip was during the winter break at the beginning of the year. After that, he was busy preparing for the college entrance examination and working hard during the summer break, without ever stopping for a moment.

Looking at the bustling edge of the floating passageway, Yan Baobao suddenly remembered something and asked him, "Um, you haven't paid for your fall insurance yet, have you?"

"You mean the insurance that protects you from falling off the edge and being pulled in by the strong gravity device below the floating structure?" Qiao Yuan nodded: "Yes, I checked it out a couple of days ago. There are several tiers, and even the entry-level one requires a one-time annual fee of 50,000 yuan, and you can only get insurance three times a year."

As he spoke, his gaze fell upon the bottom of the floating structure in the Bubble Plaza not far ahead. On the strong gravity device, a screaming short-haired woman was clinging tightly to the structure, waiting for the emergency team to rescue her.

The security in the main city is indeed much better, truly living up to the characteristics of a floating city.

Everything costs money.

The higher-end options cost 200,000 yuan per year, which can cover ten falls from heights. There are even higher-end options costing millions or tens of millions of yuan, but these are unaffordable for ordinary people.

Yan Baobao pursed her lips and said, "Three times is indeed a bit few, but it can be used in an emergency. I'll ask my master to lend me some money to pay for this insurance for you."

"No need, I'll pay it myself tomorrow," Qiao Yuan said with a smile. "I'll make a profit tomorrow."

"Stocks again?" the baby asked curiously.

"Yes, I've been having a lot of luck lately." Qiao Yuan didn't mention the betting on football; as long as he could make money, that was fine.

"Okay, remember to pay up. Pay for the basics first, and I'll pay for the bigger ones when I make money later." Yan Baobao said very seriously, her eyes sparkling.

"Okay," Qiao Yuan said without refusing.

Although he will definitely pay for the major expenses himself in the future, and the baby will no longer have to pay.

"Oh, and one more thing," Yan Baobao pursed her lips, "Your physique has reached level 10 now, so you can look forward to level 20, which will allow you to withstand ordinary bullets."

Qiao Yuan laughed and said, "I'm still a long way off. All the guys in my class are already in their twenties. You're almost there, aren't you, baby? But you still need to wear the mecha suit."

"Yeah, I'm already at level 19 in physique," Yan Baobao said wistfully, "Once I reach level 20 and can be bulletproof, I can protect you even better."

"Okay," Qiao Yuan said gently.

His high school homeroom teacher had mentioned that reaching a physical fitness level of 20 would make his skin bulletproof, but it had always seemed like a distant dream to him.

He then asked, "Don't just think about me, what about your insurance? If not, I'll pay for it all at once tomorrow."

"I already paid it. The bureau paid it for me. It's one of the benefits of becoming a permanent employee, and it's unlimited."

"Unlimited times? Wow!" Qiao Yuan looked envious yet incredibly relieved. "That's great!"

"No, there are conditions," Yan Baobao enthusiastically explained, "You need to be present every day and your performance must be in the top ten every quarter, otherwise it will be reduced to one hundred times a year."

"At that time, you'll have to pay to renew any extra sessions, but overall it's still quite lenient."

"Isn't that easy for you to control?" Qiao Yuan laughed. "After all, the baby is so outstanding."

Yan Baobao chuckled twice. She and Qiao Yuan walked into the arched main entrance of the Bubble Plaza and were gradually drawn to a virtual peripherals store.

The glass shop displays many brightly colored and stylish metaverse helmets and holographic glasses, all of which are collaboration helmets with cartoons such as Pikachu, Kirby, and Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf, and they all look very cute.

There are also many collaborations with a very hardcore feel, such as Warhammer 40K, Halo, and Doom, which are holographic tactical helmets for outdoor use.

Besides helmets, there are plenty of other equipment such as tactical mech gloves, high-tech nano-flying backpacks, wind-powered levitation shoes, and levitation nuclear-powered skateboards.

Qiao Yuan followed the baby inside; he really wanted to get a new flight backpack.

The speed I'm at right now is too slow.

Forget it.

I'll save some money and go all in tomorrow morning.

I'll come back to buy it tomorrow. I need to come over tomorrow night to investigate clues about that cult member.

However, holographic headsets for gaming are still worth buying; apart from collaboration models, they're not expensive.

Okay, he saw that the baby was attracted to Kirby's pink helmet.

Yan Baobao really likes the color pink, which is probably related to her natural pink hair color.

"Boss, pack it up." Qiao Yuan pointed to the Kirby collaboration item. The two together would only cost a little over ten thousand yuan, which was a bit expensive, but money can't buy happiness.

The description looks very good. It's rugged, has a 32k 240fps ultra-high definition holographic screen, surface nano self-healing technology, and is made of carbon fiber. It's very lightweight and can even provide a massage effect while playing games.

The one we used to have was bought during a big year-end sale. It was only 8K 120fps, and it made my head tired and uncomfortable after wearing it for a long time.

Yan Baobao looked at him with a smile: "Qiao Yuan spent so much money today, let me get you a new phone."

"It's fine, it still works." Qiao Yuan shook his head and laughed, "It's only a few dollars. I'll be rich tomorrow. I'll buy the computer then, a top-of-the-line one with a holographic home theater."

"Okay," the baby nodded gently, "but don't spend all the money, you have to keep some for yourself."

"Received from Mr. Yan!"

He and his baby tried on the helmets, each choosing the appropriate size, and packed them into a co-branded hard cardboard box.

Male fans are also acceptable.

After a while, he and Yan Baobao bought some clothes, and finally took the elevator to the 12th floor of the restaurant building, where they went to the Golden George Pizza, Baobao's favorite restaurant, which is still the only flagship store in the Sunset District.

The floors and walls are made of elegant brass and gilded finishes, but they are actually wooden floors with a plating, making it look like a high-end formal Western restaurant.

Besides the signature durian pizza, he also tried many famous dishes from both the East and West, including foie gras and crispy roast duck, which broadened his horizons.

It seems the restaurants in the main city are doing very well.

He ordered a few things one after another, and the window table where he and his baby were alone, in the dimly lit, slightly tipsy atmosphere of the restaurant, felt like a candlelight dinner.

Yan Baobao kept smiling, as if he had lit a fire, burning hot.

Qiao Yuan seemed to gradually understand something again, and he understood the vitality beneath the baby's aloofness.

It seems that only emotion can melt away the ice...

That's something he's quite like.

I've actually made similar discoveries in the past, but the feeling is much stronger now.

"Eat more, baby. Order more if you're still hungry."

"Hmm, this roast duck is pretty good. The skin is crispy, and it tastes great with this sweet sauce." Yan Baobao said, picking a piece for Qiao Yuan: "Try it."

Qiao Yuan took a bite and pondered, "It does taste very authentic, considering it costs several hundred yuan."

Before they knew it, it was almost 10 p.m. when they finished eating, and he and his baby took a taxi home.

He went to bed early tonight. After washing up when he got home, he went into the bedroom, mainly because there was no computer. Otherwise, the baby would definitely have dragged him to play games all night.

The following day, August 23, a light autumn rain fell from the glazed tile eaves of the Jiangnan Mansion, forming a curtain of water.

The floor-to-ceiling windows provided excellent sound insulation. When Qiao Yuan woke up, he was facing the direction of Galaxy University and lay on his side watching for a long time.

The mountains and waters blend into one, with lush hills and plains and vast blue lakes, truly exuding a poetic charm unique to the misty rain of Jiangnan.

Get up and go all in.

Yesterday, I spent 12,000 yuan on a helmet and food for my baby, and I still have 65,000 yuan left in my account.

As usual, we'll start by betting the minimum of 100 yuan as an anchor point to predict the future.

The result made his heart burn with desire!

The Chang'an Tian Ce team and the Ludier Bucks team were neck and neck, and the game went into overtime. In the end, the team won the game by scoring a golden goal by their star player Zhou Qiming, who was expected to win the game.

News reports at noon today are everywhere: a new football king, the defending champion, has been born.

Zhou Qiming's nickname "General Tian Ce" will resound throughout the entire Silver Moon Capital, causing his net worth to skyrocket, and the news will be simultaneously broadcast to various planets in the Federation.

It was only when Qiao Yuan arrived that he discovered that Huo Qiming was a fourth-order Heavenly Fate Martial Arts master, and also their senior from Galaxy University. He had entered the sport halfway through his career to fulfill his father's last wish and entered the sports field to fulfill his father's vow!

Even more surprising was that Zhou Qiming announced his retirement at the moment he received the award at noon.

He frankly admitted that there was still a vast universe ahead, and his father's regrets had been fulfilled. What followed was his father's expectation: to join the Time Watch Bureau, to expand the territory of the Apocalypse Federation for the second time, and to venture into deep space.

This statement actually alludes to the fact that the Apocalypse Federation and the Star Empire had been separated for thirty years.

It remains shrouded in mystery.

Qiao Yuan was thrilled, and in the end he went all in on his account. It wasn't just a few hundred thousand, it was a super return of a whole million.

Phew, now I'm really rich.

If this snowball continues, they could easily join the ranks of millionaires.

Money... has really become just a string of numbers.

Qiao Yuan washed her face and brushed her teeth with great excitement, chatted and laughed with her baby, and then went out with an umbrella.

The baby wore an extra khaki blazer today. At this altitude of 6,000 meters, if a heavy rainstorm starts, the temperature will drop sharply. It's not even September yet, and it's already 17-18 degrees Celsius.

He also wore an extra jacket.

Military training continued today, but due to space constraints in their respective classrooms, Instructor Zhou had them put away their chairs and do squats instead.

Hu Tu had just finished eating the fried dumplings he brought to school, his mouth still smelling of pork and scallions. He muttered, "Rain is good, hahaha, it would be best if it rained until school started."

Qiao Yuan clicked his tongue and said, "It's only been a few days? And he's still calling himself a muscular man? Is he even capable?"

Hu Tu coughed twice quickly: "Let's keep things separate, okay? I'll start practicing now."

Qiao Yuan smiled and started practicing too. Before they knew it, it was noon, and the students came downstairs one after another, holding umbrellas and wading through the puddles on their way to the cafeteria.

Before leaving, he shook his phone at Tu Shanlin, who was sitting in his seat, and the latter nodded slightly with a blush on his face.

On the way, Qiao Yuan received an email from Tu Shanlin, which mentioned food such as fish, beef, ribs, broccoli and corn.

After queuing up for his food, he called out to Hu Tu, "I'm leaving now."

"Damn it, you value women more than friends!" Hu Tu gave him the middle finger.

Back in class, Qiao Yuan sat down next to Tu Shanlin and handed him the steaming hot lunchbox.

The little fox's eyes lit up, and it subconsciously swallowed. Wagging its fluffy tail, it said hesitantly, "Thank you, thank you so much."

"Eat quickly, before it gets cold," Qiao Yuan said, and started eating by himself.

The classroom was quiet, with only him and Tu Shanlin present. The sounds of them eating became more noticeable, which made the other person eat even more reservedly, chewing slowly like a well-behaved little kitten.

Time passed slowly, and neither of them spoke; they simply ate in silence.

It was quite pleasant.

As students returned to class, they were all somewhat surprised to see him and Tu Shanlin.

Several girls, in particular, were quite surprised.

"I overheard Qiao Yuan calling 'Baby' on the phone yesterday. Shouldn't he have a girlfriend? How come he's with Tu Shanlin again...?"

"Yeah, could he be a jerk, cheating on me?"

"Shh, keep your voice down."

The girls' chatter suddenly caught Tu Shanlin's attention, who was happily eating.