Chapter 271 A Look Back at Earth

January 29, 2040. 9:00 AM, Earth synchronous orbit, Space Station.

Zhang Pengfei had been floating alone in front of the observation window for a full hour.

Behind him, Engineer Li Wei and Medical Monitor Wang Yanan were organizing equipment in the living module, with occasional sounds of laughter. But he didn't move, just quietly looking out the window.

That planet was right there.

Blue oceans covered most of the surface, and white clouds floated like cotton wool. The outlines of the continents were clearly visible—Asia, Africa, Europe—slowly rotating in the sunlight. No borders, no conflicts, just a complete, beautiful, lonely blue sphere suspended in the endless darkness.

"Brother Zhang."

Medical Monitor Wang Yanan's voice came from behind. She floated over gently and stopped beside him.

"You've been watching for an hour," she said softly. "Haven't you seen enough?"

Zhang Pengfei shook his head. "I can't see enough."

Medical Monitor Wang Yanan followed his gaze to the window. The blue planet was rotating quietly, with a pale blue halo on the edge—that was the atmosphere, as thin as a piece of paper.

"It's so beautiful," she said.

Zhang Pengfei nodded. "Yes, it is."

The two looked out the window in silence.

Engineer Li Wei also floated over, holding three vacuum-sealed bags.

"Master Liu's braised pork." He handed the bags to them. "It's been heated, eat it while it's hot."

Zhang Pengfei took the bag but didn't open it. He just held it, continuing to look out the window.

Engineer Li Wei floated to his side, also looking at the planet.

"Brother Zhang," he said softly, "what are you thinking about?"

Zhang Pengfei was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Thinking about my daughter."

Engineer Li Wei nodded without speaking.

Zhang Pengfei continued, "She should be doing morning study right now. The college entrance exam is coming up soon; she gets up at 5:30 every day and doesn't sleep until 11:00 at night. Sometimes when we talk on the phone, she tells me she's tired, and I don't know how to comfort her."

He looked at the blue planet outside the window.

"But now I know."

Medical Monitor Wang Yanan looked at him. "Know what?"

Zhang Pengfei pointed to the window. "Looking from here, the Earth is just this big. All our problems, worries, and anxieties are on it. But it looks so small, so fragile."

He paused.

"I want to tell her not to be too tired. Compared to this planet, our little issues really don't count for much."

Medical Monitor Wang Yanan was silent for a while, then said softly, "She will understand."

Engineer Li Wei said from the side, "Brother Zhang, why don't you call her now? Although there's a time difference, she should be awake."

Zhang Pengfei thought for a moment and shook his head. "Forget it. Wait until tonight. She's in class right now."

He opened the bag, picked up a piece of braised pork, and put it in his mouth.

"Delicious," he said.

Two o'clock in the afternoon, the three gathered again in front of the observation window. This time, they started talking about other things.

Engineer Li Wei pointed to a spot on Earth. "Look, that's the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It's white, very easy to recognize."

Medical Monitor Wang Yanan followed his finger and looked over. "Is that green patch next to it India?"

Engineer Li Wei nodded. "Yes. Further to the right, that curved one is the Arabian Peninsula."

Zhang Pengfei pointed to the other side. "Look over there, Africa. The Sahara Desert, all yellow."

The three of them were like children, searching for familiar landmarks on the Earth. The Great Wall couldn't be seen, the Pyramids couldn't be seen, but the outlines of those continents, oceans, and mountain ranges were clearly visible in space.

"What do you think," Medical Monitor Wang Yanan suddenly asked, "can we see those things that look big on the ground from here?"

Engineer Li Wei shook his head. "No. The atmosphere is too thick, and the resolution isn't high enough. Let alone the Great Wall, such a narrow strip, it's simply impossible."

Medical Monitor Wang Yanan sighed. "A bit of a pity."

Zhang Pengfei laughed. "What's there to pity? What we are seeing is something that the entire human race cannot see."

Medical Monitor Wang Yanan was stunned for a moment, then laughed too. "That's true."

Four o'clock in the afternoon, a video request came from the ground. Lin Mo's face appeared on the screen.

"How is it? Are you getting used to being up there?" he asked.

Zhang Pengfei nodded. "Getting used to it. I've stayed here for half a year, I'm very familiar with it."

Lin Mo laughed. "That's good."

He paused, looking at the three people on the screen. "Were you standing at the observation window for a long time just now?"

Engineer Li Wei rushed to say, "Chief Designer Lin, we were looking at the Earth. It's too beautiful, we can't see enough."

Lin Mo nodded. "I understand."

He was silent for a few seconds, then said, "Academician Wang Zhenguo asked me to pass on a message to you."

The three became serious.

Lin Mo's voice was very soft. "He said, 'For this old man, take a good look.'"

Zhang Pengfei's throat moved. He turned around and aimed the camera at the blue planet outside the window.

"Academician Wang," he said, "we have looked for you."

On the screen, the Earth was rotating quietly, with a faint halo on the edge.

Lin Mo looked at the screen, silent for a long time. Then he said, "Thank you."

Seven o'clock in the evening, dinner time at the Space Station. Six astronauts sat together, eating food brought from Earth. There was braised pork, sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed fish, stir-fried vegetables, as well as rice and soup. Although they were all vacuum-packed, in space, it was already a rare feast.

Engineer Li Wei was eating with grease all over his mouth. "Master Liu's cooking is amazing!"

Medical Monitor Wang Yanan smiled and handed him a tissue. "Wipe your mouth."

Zhang Pengfei was eating slowly, his gaze drifting out the window again. The Earth had already turned to the night hemisphere. City lights dotted the surface like diamonds scattered on black velvet. Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo, New York... those places he had lived in, visited, and heard of, were all flickering with light in that darkness at this moment.

"Brother Zhang," the astronaut Old Ma next to him said, "guess how many people are watching us right now?"

Zhang Pengfei shook his head. "I don't know."

Old Ma pointed to the lights outside the window. "Those bright places must have people. Maybe someone is standing on the street right now, looking up at the sky, thinking of us."

Zhang Pengfei laughed. "Yes."

Eleven o'clock late at night, Zhang Pengfei was floating alone in front of the observation window. The others were all asleep. The Space Station was very quiet, with only the hum of equipment and occasional communication noise.

Outside the window, the Earth was still there. The side during the day had already turned away; now it was night. But the city lights made the whole planet still sparkle, like a huge, living gem.

Zhang Pengfei looked at those lights, suddenly remembering things from when his daughter was little. At that time, she was only five or six years old, unable to sleep at night, so he would hold her and stand on the balcony to look at the stars. She pointed to the stars in the sky and asked, "Dad, is there anyone up there?" He said, "I don't know. Wait for Dad to go up and see."

Now he had really come up. But there were still no people on those stars. Only this Earth had people.

He looked at the blue planet and said softly: "Looking from here, humanity is truly very insignificant."

A soft floating sound came from behind. It was Engineer Li Wei; he hadn't slept either. "Brother Zhang," he floated over and stopped beside him, "why haven't you slept yet?"

Zhang Pengfei shook his head. "Can't sleep."

Engineer Li Wei looked out the window, silent for a while, then said, "Yes. Looking at this, who could sleep?"

The two floated side by side, looking at the planet.

After a long time, Engineer Li Wei said, "Brother Zhang, do you think our life's work is worth it?"

Zhang Pengfei thought for a moment. "Worth it."

"Why?"

Zhang Pengfei pointed to the window. "Because we saw this for so many people."

Engineer Li Wei nodded and said no more.

Outside the window, the Earth was rotating quietly.

Thirty-six thousand kilometers away, countless people were living, working, loving, hating, laughing, and crying on that land. And they, were here, watching. Watching for everyone.