Courtyard House: Time Traveler Not Yet a Ghost

Watching his skipping figure, He Damin suddenly remembered the plan he had written down the night before. One hundred years? Too short. Two hundred years? Not enough either. His children, He Damin's children, how could they only live such short lives? Golden Core stage, at least five hundred years of lifespan! He would cultivate them all to the Golden Core stage, or even higher! Let them have enough time to see this vast world, to experience the wonders he had experienced, and even those he had never experienced.

"Dad, what are you thinking about?" A clear voice rang out beside me.

He Damin lowered his head and saw Yuan Ping standing beside him, a hint of confusion on his small face. Yuan Ping's eyes were bright, like Chen Xueru's, always carrying a calmness and thoughtfulness beyond his years.

"It's nothing," He Damin smiled. "I was just thinking about taking you to a very far place someday."

"A very far place?" Yuanping asked, tilting his head. "How far? Is it farther than America?" He had heard his father say that America was a very far country.

"Yes, it's even farther than the United States." He Damin nodded.

Yuanping frowned, as if trying to imagine how far that place was. "Is it... farther than Disneyland?" He had just gone to Disneyland with his mother last year, which was the farthest and most fun place he had ever been.

He Damin was amused by him: "It's much farther than Disneyland."

"What's fun there?" Yuanping asked curiously, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. For children, "fun" is the most important criterion for judging a place.

He Damin gazed at the rising sun in the east, its rays shining brightly. He whispered, "There are stars, there is the moon, and there is the sun."

Yuanping's eyes widened instantly, as if two tiny stars had fallen into them: "Really? Daddy, we can go see the stars and the moon?"

"Really." He Damin squatted down, looking him in the eye. "When you grow up, Dad will take you."

"Pinky promise!" Yuanping immediately extended his little finger.

"Pinky promise." He Damin also extended his little finger and hooked it with his. "Never to change for a hundred years."

"No change for a hundred years!" Yuan Ping nodded vigorously, a bright smile on his face, and turned to continue practicing. His movements seemed more precise and powerful than before.

Watching the children practice diligently, He Damin felt a surge of indescribable happiness. This happiness wasn't the satisfaction of increasing bank account balances, nor the pride of career success, but a purer, warmer feeling. It was watching them grow up little by little, watching them grow healthy, watching them become stronger, watching them fill with longing for the future. This feeling was grounded and genuine.

As evening fell, the setting sun painted the sky a magnificent golden-red. He Damin stood alone on the balcony of his villa, gazing into the distance. Victoria Harbour, in the distance, seemed sprinkled with gold dust, its shimmering surface a breathtaking sight. On the sea, a massive cargo ship slowly sailed out of the harbor, the spray from its stern, illuminated by the setting sun, stretching out like a long, shimmering golden ribbon.

He thought of the plan from last night, of the Voyager 7 that floated quietly in the small world, and of the distant and blazing sun.

Soon. He told himself. When the children are a little older, when they can stand on their own, when their cultivation reaches the Golden Core stage and they have enough ability to protect themselves... he will take Xue Ru and the children with him, and together they will pilot that flying saucer out of Earth and fly into the vast and boundless space.

Their first stop was the moon. He wanted Xue Ru to see their Earth from the moon, that blue, beautiful planet, like a sapphire set in the universe. He wanted the children to touch the lunar soil with their own hands and feel the desolation and mystery of the universe.

The second stop: Mars. That red planet is full of unknowns and challenges; perhaps one day, it will truly become humanity's second home. He wanted to take the children to see the Martian canyons, to see Mount Olympus, and to experience its desolate grandeur.

The third stop was Jupiter. The largest planet in our solar system, with its mesmerizing stripes and the famous Great Red Spot. He wanted the children to know how vast and wondrous the universe is.

Finally, the Sun. That star that provides light and heat to the entire solar system is their target for replenishing energy. He will pilot the flying saucer, carefully approaching it, sensing its devastating energy, and then filling Voyager 7's energy tank.

Then they can go to even farther places. Saturn's rings, Uranus's blue, Neptune's storms... and even fly out of the solar system to see other star systems.

"Brother Da Min." A gentle voice came from behind, and a pair of hands gently wrapped around his waist.

He Damin snapped out of his daze and smelled the familiar scent of hair. "Xueru."

"What are you thinking about again? Standing here without moving, the wind is so strong." Chen Xueru pressed her cheek against his back, feeling the warmth of his body.

"I'm thinking about the future." He Damin turned around and pulled her into his arms.

"It's always about the future." Chen Xueru snuggled against him like a docile kitten. "Why are you always thinking about the future lately?"

"Because it will be beautiful in the future." He Damin looked down at her. "When the children grow up, I'll take you to see the moon."

Chen Xueru looked up at his earnest gaze and couldn't help but laugh: "Here we go again. Wasn't what you said last night enough?"

"Not enough," He Damin shook his head, his eyes unwavering. "Xueru, do you believe me?"

Chen Xueru looked into his eyes. In those eyes, she saw a familiar gentleness, a familiar firmness, and a depth she had never seen before, a depth that seemed to see through the starry sky. She looked at him for a long, long time, then nodded gently, her voice soft but filled with unwavering trust: "I believe you. I believe whatever you say."

From the day she met him, she chose to trust him. No matter what he said or did, she trusted him unconditionally. And as it turned out, her trust was right. He gave her a home, a stable life, and six lovely children. Now, he says he'll take her to see the moon; although it sounds like a fantasy, she still chooses to believe him.

He Damin smiled, his heart feeling filled with a warm glow. He tightened his arms, holding her even closer. "Okay."

Outside the window, the setting sun had slowly sunk below the horizon, the sky changing from golden-red to deep blue, and then, stars began to twinkle in the velvety night sky. In the distance, Victoria Harbour's lights shone again, even more dazzling than during the day, like stars fallen from the sky, dancing on the sea.

He Damin held Chen Xueru in his arms, watching all of this quietly for a very long time.

He knew that the worldly wealth he possessed was more than he could spend in several lifetimes. Bank deposits, stock market value, businesses spanning the globe... all of this was enough for him and his family to live a life of unparalleled luxury.

But these are not his true wealth.

His true wealth is the person in his arms at this moment, the children in the room who are slowly growing and sleeping, the little world hidden inside his body that can continue to grow and create, and the alien spaceship that is quietly waiting to take him through the sky.

And then there's that boundless longing and hope for the future.

"Brother Damin," Chen Xueru whispered in his arms.

"Um?"

"What do you think is on the moon?" Her voice carried a hint of curiosity and longing.

He Damin thought for a moment and described it in the simplest language: "There are mountains, very, very high mountains; there are stones, lots and lots of stones; and there is dust, thick dust."

"That's all?" Chen Xueru was a little disappointed. She had imagined the moon to be more romantic.

"That's all." He Damin smiled. "But Xue Ru, what's beautiful isn't the moon itself, but the view of Earth from the moon."

Chen Xueru paused for a moment, imagining the scene: standing on the desolate surface of the moon, looking back, and seeing a blue planet suspended in the dark universe—what a magnificent sight that would be! Her eyes lit up, and a smile appeared on her lips: "You're right."

They held each other, nestled together, watching the sunset completely, watching night fall, watching the stars grow brighter one by one. In the distance, Victoria Peak stood like a silent giant in the night, guarding this land.

"Brother Da Min".

"Um?"

"When the kids grow up, will we really travel around the solar system?"

"real."

"First stop, the moon."

"it is good."

"Second stop, Mars."

"it is good."

"Third stop, Jupiter."

"it is good."

"Last stop, the sun." Chen Xueru looked up at He Damin, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "The sun's so hot, won't we get roasted?"

He Damin was amused by her and playfully flicked her nose: "Silly girl, there's a flying saucer. It can protect us, so don't be afraid."

Chen Xueru smiled, leaned back on his shoulder, and closed her eyes peacefully. The stars in the sky twinkled, like countless eyes blinking in the night sky, as if guiding them towards the future.

It was late at night, and the children were already fast asleep. Chen Xueru had also fallen asleep in his arms, her breathing even and long. He Damin gently carried her back to the bedroom, covered her with a blanket, and then went back to his study alone.

He opened the bottom drawer of his desk and took out a small metal box. The box was specially made, anti-magnetic, moisture-proof, and heat-resistant. He opened the box and saw a chip, no bigger than a fingernail, lying quietly inside.

This chip was a sample he had recently brought out from his small world. Its manufacturing process is two generations ahead of the most advanced chips currently on the market. An unimaginable number of transistors are integrated into an area the size of a fingernail. If it were released to the world, it would be enough to cause a disruptive revolution in the global technology industry.

He Damin's fingers gently traced the smooth surface of the chip, a cool sensation washing over him. He looked at the chip, his eyes filled with complex emotions. The technology contained within was enough to change the world's landscape. But he knew now was not the time. The world's basic industries, energy systems, and even humanity's level of understanding were not yet prepared to receive such technology. Revealing it rashly would only bring endless trouble, and might even endanger his family.

He carefully placed the chip back into the box, locked it, and put it back in the deepest part of the drawer.

When the time is right, he will bring it out. When the children have grown up and are capable enough to protect themselves and their families; when the world's technology and acceptance level are able to digest these advanced technologies... he will gradually bring out the "real treasures" of his small world to bring about some changes to the world.