146: Warm daily life and expectations beneath the surface

Although strategic concepts and ethical debates regarding the "Bridge Project" were still proceeding cautiously and discreetly at the level of Wang Jianguo and the Supreme Advisory Group, daily life for the vast members of "Homeland" and Excellence seemed to flow exceptionally peacefully and slowly. One could even say the surface atmosphere appeared warmer, more orderly, and more vibrant than ever before. This was both a natural psychological relief after the crisis and a environment Su Mu and Evelyn intentionally created for Excellence to facilitate his healthy growth.

Excellence's life followed a reassuring rhythm. In the mornings, he would undergo systematic cultural knowledge studies and "Controlled Chaos" ability training under Evelyn's guidance. Afternoons were often for free exploration and practice, where he could immerse himself in his "hand-crafted" projects, or engage in outdoor activities, reading, or light collective labor at the base accompanied by Su Mu. In the evenings, the three of them would often walk and chat together, sharing the day's sights and thoughts.

His ability training achieved significant, visible progress. The sudden "premonitions" that used to trouble him so often were now more like a clearer "background Perception" that he could actively call upon. He was no longer easily overwhelmed by cluttered signals; instead, he learned to consciously "tune" and "focus" on specific information flows, much like adjusting a radio dial. His use of "Resonance Mapping" also became increasingly proficient; though the paintings remained abstract, the "feeling" conveyed by the lines and colors grew more precise and purposeful.

He even began applying this newly mastered tool to some "volunteer services" within his capability. He would proactively run to the logistics department, "sensing" an old air purifier that occasionally made strange noises for a long while, then draw a picture filled with sharp, jagged lines concentrated in one area, telling the maintenance master: "Here... it feels like teeth are grinding, it's uncomfortable." The old master, skeptical at first, took apart the corresponding part and indeed found a severely worn fan bearing! Although this "diagnosis" might only be accurate two or three times out of ten, his serious dedication and sincere desire to help deeply moved everyone at the base. People began to kindly call him "our little fault premonition meter."

The relationship between Excellence, Su Mu, and Evelyn also grew closer and more inseparable through this daily companionship, just like a real family. Their interactions were filled with various warm and interesting details.

"Science" and Laughter in the Greenhouse: The base's Greenhouse became Excellence's favorite place besides his workshop. He had his own "experimental plot" where he grew several tomato plants. Firmly believing that plants could "understand" music and grow better, he customized a "musical fertilization" plan for his tomato seedlings—regularly playing his self-selected "Growth Symphony" every day (a mix of Beethoven fragments and strange sound effects he made with a synthesizer, supposedly representing the "frequencies of sunlight and raindrops"). Su Mu couldn't help but laugh every time she saw him, while Evelyn would solemnly help him record growth data. Although the data followed no regular pattern, Excellence never tired of it. The moments when the three of them loosened the soil, watered, and removed pests together were filled with relaxed laughter.

The "Problem" Maker in the Library: Excellence was also a regular at the library, but his way of asking questions often gave the senior librarians a headache. He wouldn't ask "where is this book," but rather, "Are there any books that explain 'why time is sticky, sometimes fast and sometimes slow'?" or "I want to find a kind of mathematics that can calculate if the dream I had yesterday has anything to do with the rain tomorrow?" Whenever this happened, Evelyn would transform into his "human search engine" and "knowledge translator," patiently converting his whimsical ideas into searchable academic terms to guide him step-by-step toward the answers.

Birthday Surprises and Sincerity: What moved Su Mu and Evelyn the most was Excellence's clumsy yet incredibly sincere heart. Using the "Good Behavior Points" he had accumulated (a small reward system Su Mu created to encourage him), he secretly exchanged them for a pile of materials. He spent an entire week tinkering in his workshop to prepare birthday gifts for the two of them.

For Su Mu, it was an "Electronic Corsage" meticulously pieced together from discarded circuit boards, colorful LEDs, and tiny wires. When connected to a small battery, it would alternately flash the patterns of the initials "S" and "M" from Su Mu's name. Although the lights flickered a bit and the solder joints were crooked, in Su Mu's eyes, it was more precious than any jewelry. She pinned it to her collar on the spot and hugged Excellence with moist eyes.

The gift for Evelyn was even more "abstract"—a device he called an "Energy Balancer." It consisted of stones of various colors and shapes, wound copper wire, a small coil, and a crystal (actually an ordinary one) said to "absorb negative energy." Overall, it looked more like a mysterious piece of modern sculpture. Excellence explained seriously: "When Sister Evelyn thinks too much, there are 'little gray whirlpools' in her head. This can help 'straighten them out'!" Looking at this gift full of childish charm and care, a rare and extremely gentle smile appeared on Evelyn's usually cold face. She solemnly placed it in the most prominent position on her desk.

These mundane, trivial, yet life-filled daily routines formed the most solid emotional foundation for Excellence's growth. They effectively buffered the tension and pressure the external world might bring, allowing Excellence's mind to develop healthily in a safe, loving environment.

However, beneath this warm and peaceful facade, the core guardians led by Wang Jianguo and Evelyn never let down their guard. They knew well that the current calm was likely just an interval before the storm.

On Evelyn's desk, alongside Excellence's training records and research data, lay encrypted intelligence briefings. She and Wang Jianguo met regularly to analyze movements in the external world. After a period of silence, "echo" recently showed signs of restlessness again; its activity patterns had become more hidden and dispersed, as if it were undergoing strategic adjustments or testing new means of infiltration. Morpheus Li and the radical faction of the Prophet Foundation he controlled were also like venomous snakes lurking in the shadows; though they had no major movements for the time being, sporadic intelligence showed they were still active, searching for any traces related to Homeland or Excellence.

The grand vision of the "Bridge Project" and the heavy ethical burden that came with it weighed on the hearts of those in the know, like Evelyn, like an unspeakable secret. Whenever she saw Excellence running carefree in the sun or focused on tinkering with his little inventions, a complex emotion would well up—both a determination to protect him and a faint worry for the future. She had to carefully balance the current protection with long-term responsibility.

On a night with sparse starlight, Evelyn and Su Mu stood on the small balcony of the living area, enjoying a rare moment of quiet. A light evening breeze blew, bringing the fragrance of distant vegetation. Below the balcony, Excellence was leaning over an astronomical telescope, working hard to find a distant constellation.

Leaning against the railing, Su Mu followed Excellence's figure with a gentle gaze and sighed softly, her voice carrying a trace of imperceptible melancholy: "Sometimes, I really wish time would just stop at this moment. Seeing him so happy, so simple, knowing nothing—it's so good."

Evelyn remained silent for a moment. Her gaze also fell on Excellence, but her eyes held more rational prudence and long-term consideration. She picked up her teacup, took a sip of the now-cool tea, and spoke calmly yet firmly: "But time won't stop. Morpheus won't stop, and 'echo' won't either. What we can do is not to hide him in the Greenhouse forever, but to make him strong enough—not just in ability, but in mind—so that no matter what storms he faces in the future, he will have his own judgment and his own strength to cope."

Su Mu turned her head to look at Evelyn's profile, which appeared exceptionally clear in the night. She saw that unquestionable firmness and deep-seated sense of responsibility. She understood what Evelyn meant. Overprotection could be a form of spoiling; true love is helping him grow wings to fly and the resilience to withstand storms. She nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with the same determination: "Mhm! Together, we'll help him become stronger."

Just then, Excellence below suddenly jumped up excitedly, waving vigorously toward the balcony and shouting loudly: "Class Monitor! Sister Evelyn! I found Cassiopeia! It looks like a big 'W'! Come and see!"

His voice sounded exceptionally crisp and bright in the silent night, his face overflowing with the pure joy of discovering a new continent. That smile was like the brightest star in the dark night, piercing through all worries and gloom, clearly reflected in the eyes of Su Mu and Evelyn.

At that moment, all the hesitation and heaviness in their hearts seemed to be illuminated and dispelled by this beam of light. This was the light they had to protect—not just a child with special abilities, but this innocence, this curiosity, and this desire to explore the world with kindness. This light was also their core source of courage and foundation of strength when facing all unknown challenges and difficult choices.

A Long Road Ahead, Walking Together

The warm daily life continued, and under the irrigation of love and knowledge, Excellence grew robustly like a seedling. But all the guardians knew clearly that beyond this peaceful harbor lay a turbulent sea full of unknowns. No one could predict when or in what way the next storm would strike.

But they were prepared—not passively waiting for the storm to arrive, but actively forging themselves, reinforcing the defenses of "Homeland," and guiding Excellence to accumulate strength. They would support each other and move forward together, using wisdom, courage, and deep bonds to meet all the trials destined to come on the path of growth. The scroll of the future was unfolding step by step beneath their feet.