Those who face the wall, but are in the Nascent Soul stage.

Chapter 16 Father and Son

"How is your father's health? I haven't seen him on TV much lately."

"It's relatively stable, but I'm getting on in years; it's a matter of who can outlast the cancer cells."

"It would be better to retire and take good care of yourself."

"He himself can't stay idle, and besides, if he doesn't show his face, there's no need to produce those shows."

"Too."

Wu Yue sighed softly. He looked at Zhang Beihai's profile. This former colleague and comrade-in-arms was now a backbone of the Space Force, while he himself had long since retired and was living a muddled life until now.

Do you hate me?

“No.” Wu Yue shook his head without hesitation: “With my mindset and beliefs, I am indeed not suitable to serve in the Space Force.”

He added, "I'm a traditional, technically-minded officer. Compared to you, I'm an old fogey who can't adapt to the new era, and I really should retire."

Six years ago, in the third year of the Crisis Era, Zhang Beihai, at the first political work meeting of the new Space Force, bluntly pointed out Wu Yue's defeatist mentality and, in front of Chang Weisi and cadres at all levels, bluntly suggested that Wu Yue withdraw from the Space Force. This betrayal of his old partner and comrade-in-arms in front of his superiors caused a great stir at the time.

Wu Yue said with a smile, "Now I'm free of all worries. I didn't accept the invitations from local departments to sit in their offices. There's really no point in rotting in that kind of position. I guess I'm living a retired life ahead of schedule."

"You don't look as relaxed as you say."

Wu Yue fell silent immediately. He looked up at Zhang Beihai, who always managed to so accurately expose his inner thoughts, leaving him no room for pretense.

"What can I do then?" Wu Yue shook his head: "Not everyone has your unwavering belief in victory."

"Let's talk about something else."

Wu Yue also didn't want to delve deeper into this topic. This was his first reunion with Beihai since his retirement, and he felt he should talk about life. But just as he was about to speak, he suddenly realized that he no longer had any life to discuss. A walking shell has no desire to share. He hesitated for a moment, and the topic circled back to the army.

Have you ever been to space?

“I’ve been on a spaceplane a few times, and there will be more opportunities in the future,” Zhang Beihai said.

"That's enviable. How's it like in space?"

"It was cold and dark, but it was warm enough on the plane, like a baby incubator."

Wu Yue couldn't help but ask, "I heard that the High Frontier spaceplane used some materials salvaged from the Tang aircraft carrier?"

Zhang Beihai gave him a strange look: "How did this rumor spread? And how could you believe it? Do ocean navigation and space navigation materials have anything in common? Or do you think the skin of the spaceplane is made from steel plates salvaged from the Tang?"

Wu Yue said awkwardly, "I'm just thinking this myself. If a few of the steel plates removed from the Tang can actually be used in aerospace or other space fields, it would be a comfort to me."

Zhang Beihai shook his head: "You're always like this, full of gentle imagination about everything."

Wu Yue fell silent.

Zhang Beihai felt that continuing the conversation might further dampen Wu Yue's spirits, so he had no choice but to change the subject.

"My proposal to 'support the future' for political work cadres was approved by the higher authorities, thanks to the insistence of Chief Chang Weisi."

“Oh…I see.” Wu Yue thought to himself, his tone suddenly tinged with envy: “If one could be involved in the decisive battle 400 years from now, that would be a great comfort to the vast majority of soldiers.”

“‘Reinforcing the future’ is not about sending current cadres to make pointless sacrifices,” Zhang Beihai shook his head regretfully. “In the end, you still have defeatist thinking. That’s your most stubborn part, not anything else.”

"I'm sorry," the latter said, his voice growing increasingly somber.

Unable to bear seeing Wu Yue sink into such a spiritual apathy, he pointed him in the right direction: "The Sky Ladder No. 1 elevator is currently under construction. You are a technical officer, so perhaps there is a place where you can be of use. If you feel that you still want to find the meaning of your life, you might as well try working on the Sky Ladder No. 1 elevator. After all, it is the cornerstone for mankind to enter space and resist alien invasion."

"You want me to be paralyzed by work?" Wu Yue naturally knew about 'Sky Ladder-1'. Both 'Sky Ladder-1' and 'Sky Ladder-2' were large-scale space projects that the Chinese government began building in 2013, the seventh year of the Crisis Era. In fact, there were more than five Wallfacers causing trouble around the world. Governments and scientists from various countries were also pooling their resources and working hard to develop space technology. The rise of nanomaterials 'flying blades' and the construction of space elevators are typical examples.

"It's just a suggestion," Zhang Beihai replied cautiously. "I understand," Wu Yue nodded in return.

Seeing that it was getting late, Zhang Beihai knew he had to end this brief reunion. He said to Wu Yue, "I'm going back now. You have my phone number, you can call me, or I'll contact you after my vacation if I have time."

The sea breeze in the harbor was salty and murky. By the time Wu Yue snapped out of his reverie about the bizarre future, Bei Hai had already gone quite far. He was in a daze for a moment, recalling when he, as the captain, first welcomed a new political commissar. Zhang Bei Hai had walked towards him in the sunlight, his face covered by shadows. But now he was walking towards the setting sun.

“I really should seek some changes.”

Wu Yue thought to himself.

...

During this short vacation, Zhang Beihai had many things to do, such as visiting his father.

Zhang Beihai pushed open the creaking iron gate.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw the lively old man jumping and skipping.

Zhang Beihai hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"Dad, I'm back."

"Beihai, it's good that you're back. Go peel two apples for me, peel an orange, cook two dishes, and change my gas cylinder. Remember to buy a dozen beers when you come back, and slip me two thousand yuan before you leave. My retirement pension isn't enough."

"Don't you get invitations to several shows? Like that show 'Earth Defense War' and 'The Director Has Something to Say', my colleagues love watching you ramble on TV."

“What can a few melons and dates do? I’ll be gone after one round of chemotherapy. I can’t keep taking up people’s medical insurance resources, can I? I feel more at ease paying for my own treatment. I won’t cause trouble for the country when it’s in trouble. There has been severe deflation in the past two years, and people are having a hard time.”

As he said this, the old man was still jumping around energetically, mimicking the movements on the television.

On the right side of this health program, there is a long title: "Qi Cultivation Exercises - Performed Personally by Luo Qing, the Wall-Facing Monk".

On the television, Luo Qing, dressed in a white robe, meticulously performed the actions and chanted slogans in front of the camera: "Come and do it with me—head to the blue sky, feet to the yellow springs, holding a baby in your arms, hands supporting Mount Tai. Focus your mind on your dantian, breathe deeply and evenly, circulate your qi and blood, and you will be immune to all diseases..."

Zhang Beihai shook his head, walked into the house, casually placed his bundle containing his military uniform on the sofa, and obediently washed the apples as his father had asked.

Outside the door, the father's voice still came through with great vigor: "Beihai, you know what, this Wallfacer is really something. Otherwise, how could he be a Wallfacer? He's much better than those Wallfacers who only know how to play with nuclear bombs and their brains. The movies he acts in are also very good, like an old immortal from Journey to the West."

'The Wallfacer with maximum entertainment value'

As Zhang Beihai was thinking to himself, he had already washed two apples. He went to the courtyard and sat on the stool opposite his father, intently peeling them with a fruit knife.

The old man had finished his finishing touches and let out a long sigh of relief.

“Beihai, the tasks in the army are heavy and harmful to your health. Listen to me, when you have nothing to do, you should do it a couple of times.”

Seeing that his son didn't speak, the old man muttered to himself, "If it weren't for doing this exercise twice a day and going to the vicinity of the Mianbizhe Courtyard in the northern suburbs to breathe some fresh oxygen on weekends, I estimate I would have been buried a few years ago."

"I have terminal cancer, and I should have died five years ago. I've actually lived for six years. Who would have believed that before? Every extra day is a bonus. Beihai, even though the quality of life isn't as good as it used to be, the average life expectancy across the country has increased a lot, all thanks to my exercise."

As the old man spoke, he gave Luo Qing on the television a thumbs up: "Just based on this Qi-cultivation exercise, his job as a wall-faced practitioner was worthwhile. A wall-faced practitioner who serves the people is a good wall-faced practitioner; the rest are just grotesque and deformed individuals."

“They have their own strategic plans,” Zhang Beihai said.

"What a load of bull! They've practically plastered the answers on their foreheads. If I were a wallbreaker, I'd break through three walls a day."

"Good, good, good, you're amazing, you're so shrewd, you're the Wallfacer, and you even managed to trick the ancestors of the Trisolarans into coming over to kick around like a ball."

"That's right," the old man hummed childishly.

(End of this chapter)