With three superpowers at his fingertips, he could dominate the 1970s.

In early March, Kyoto finally felt a hint of spring in the air.

Jiang Zhiyu leaned back in her wicker chair, holding a cup of warm spring water in her hands, listening to the sparrows chirping incessantly in the courtyard. New, rice-grain-sized buds sprouted from the grapevines, tender and green, glistening in the sunlight.

She looked down and touched her belly. She was more than four months pregnant, and the twins were moving more and more each day, especially in the afternoon. The two little ones seemed to have planned it together and took turns kicking, making her frown.

Every day before leaving the house, Song Yanzhou would squat in front of her and listen for a long time. Sometimes after listening, he would lean in and say a few words to her stomach. Jiang Zhiyu always wanted to roll her eyes, but she couldn't bear to interrupt him because of his serious expression.

The tranquility of the courtyard was broken by a telephone ringing.

Su Wanqing's voice came through the receiver, tinged with barely suppressed excitement, "Zhiyu, your dad got a phone call. Come next door quickly, he has something to tell you."

Jiang Zhiyu slowly stood up, supporting her waist as she walked to the next room. She was slightly out of breath after just a few steps; four months into twins was more strenuous than six months into a single pregnancy.

Upon entering the adjacent main room, Jiang Boxun and Su Wanqing sat on either side of an eight-immortal table. On the table lay an opened official letter, the kind with a bright red header and stamp.

As soon as Su Wanqing saw her, she grabbed her hand, "Please sit down, don't stand."

Jiang Zhiyu plopped down in a chair. "What's wrong?"

"People from Beijing Institute of Technology came this morning. They came directly to our place and gave each of us an invitation letter." Jiang Boxun pushed the official letter in front of her. "They're inviting your mother and me to teach at Beijing Institute of Technology. They've even arranged formal transfers and staff positions for us."

Jiang Zhiyu took it and looked at it. The official letter was written in a neat and proper manner, and it was signed by the Revolutionary Committee of Beijing Institute of Technology and stamped with a bright red official seal.

"Beijing Institute of Technology?" She put down the official letter.

Jiang Boxun took off his glasses, wiped them, and put them back on. "Thank you for your help, Senior Zhuge."

Su Wanqing added from the side, "The benefits your dad wrote in that letter included a two-bedroom apartment, a salary two levels higher than in Shanghai, and a separate research and teaching room. Your dad was overjoyed when he saw it."

Jiang Boxun blushed slightly, "How could I have a sore mouth?"

"Your lips are practically curled up to your ears, and you still can't close them." Su Wanqing rolled her eyes at him, then turned to Jiang Zhiyu, "As for your mother, the chemistry department is also short-staffed, so I was given a permanent position too."

Jiang Zhiyu laughed, "That's a good thing. The country is desperately short of people right now. With your skills, you'll be in high demand everywhere."

"This is good. We were worried about you being alone in Kyoto," Su Wanqing said, frowning as she looked at her. "Your belly is getting bigger and bigger, so we can take care of you here."

Jiang Zhiyu shook her head, "You all go to work with peace of mind. I have Song Yanzhou, the Song family, and Sister-in-law Ma here. They can take care of everything."

Jiang Boxun glanced at Su Wanqing, who sighed, "That girl is very stubborn, let her be."

...

After leaving the house next door, Jiang Zhiyu took a slow walk around the courtyard.

Kyoto in March is different from before the Spring Festival. People on the street are starting to wear light-colored clothes, new slogans are posted at the entrance of department stores, and passersby are chatting in twos and threes.

She stood at the gate of the courtyard and glanced outside. A bus drove past the alley entrance, its body painted with new propaganda posters. The old ones with raised fists were gone; the posters now depicted factory workshops and ears of wheat.

Seventeen's voice popped into his mind, "Host, something seems to have changed outside."

"Yes, a sign of spring."

"What signs of spring?"

Jiang Zhiyu didn't answer, she just smiled.

...

Song Yanzhou returned in the afternoon and saw Jiang Zhiyu leaning against a rattan chair flipping through a newspaper as soon as he entered the door.

He walked over and took the newspaper away. "Aren't your eyes tired after looking at it for so long?"

"You know I'm just bored."

"I heard about Mom and Dad's situation. Beijing University of Technology, that's a good place." Song Yanzhou sat down next to her, pulled her hand over, and rubbed it on his lap. "Why are your hands so cold again? I'll get you a blanket."

"No need, just cover it up."

Song Yanzhou smiled, lowered his head and squeezed her hand tightly. "It's good that Mom and Dad went to Beijing Institute of Technology. I can see the expectation in their eyes these days."

"Yeah! They can't stay idle."

Song Yanzhou pulled her closer to him. "Of course, with me here, you can rest assured. By the way, Zhang Chong and the others started school this week, right?"

"Yes, registration has already begun."

"Should I drive them to school?"

"Take them a ride when you have time!" Jiang Zhiyu looked up at him. "They all did well on the exams. Zhang Chong went to the Mining University, Li Hongmei and Song Laidi went to the Normal University, and Zhao Jing went to the School of Civil Engineering."

"These are all good schools; graduates become citizens of the country," Song Yanzhou remarked with emotion. "A few years ago, all universities were closed, but now they've all reopened at once. There are people everywhere, and opportunities are everywhere."

He stood up and went to the kitchen to bring out a bowl of chicken soup. "Here, drink this first. Sister Ma has been stewing it all afternoon."

Jiang Zhiyu took it and drank a couple of sips. It was black-boned chicken stewed with goji berries and red dates, and the flavor was very strong.

Song Yanzhou sat down opposite her, resting his chin on his hands as he looked at her. "I went to the military base today and heard some news: the National Science Conference is going to be held next month, and many people will be coming to Beijing then."

Jiang Zhiyu put down her bowl. "I know it will be big."

"What do you think will happen?"

"The spring of science has arrived." After saying this, Jiang Zhiyu felt a little dazed.

She had returned from the apocalypse and witnessed what it was like after technology was destroyed, so she understood what those four words meant better than anyone else.

Song Yanzhou didn't reply, but just looked at her. After a while, he reached out and took the bowl from her. "Alright, don't think about it too much. Your most important task now is to bring these two little ones out safely."

"I know."

Jiang Zhiyu leaned back in the rattan chair, half-closing her eyes, feeling the two little ones kicking in her belly for the first time, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily turned up.