Chapter 165. Home
"Gao Zhiming! Gao Zhiming! Move over, you are lying on my hair."
A familiar feminine voice traveled into Charles' ears. He opened his eyes and took in the familiar energy-saving white electronic light affixed to the ceiling.
It was the exact energy-saving light in his bedroom. There was no mistaking it. It was the same light he had for over a decade in this very room. He was absolutely certain of it.
"Why are you staring at the ceiling? I said you’re lying on my hair," the same voice called out again as a delicate hand reached out and lightly pinched Charles.
Charles turned to his side to see Anna lying next to him. Her face tinged with slight annoyance and impatience. Clad only in her underwear, she let out a yawn.
With a swish, Charles sprang out of bed and scanned his surroundings. He was back—back in his bedroom on the surface world. Every piece of furniture remained where it had been; nothing was changed.
"Why are you acting so crazy this early in the morning?" Anna mumbled as she got off the bed and started getting dressed.
Visibly agitated, Charles rushed to his study desk and randomly picked out a book. It was One Hundred Thousand Whys, a book that his father had bought for him. Flipping it open, he saw that the book had the same doodles he had drawn during his childhood days.
"Honey, we need to get a bigger bed. How can two of us sleep in a single bed? Seriously? Just wait until Elizabeth joins us; there won't even be any space to roll over," Anna lamented.
She then moved toward the desk and sat down on the chair before it. Picking up the lipstick next to the pencil holder, she uncapped it and began applying her makeup.
Charles slammed the book down in exasperation and dashed toward Anna.
Gripping her by her shoulders, he shook her vigorously.
"Anna, what the hell happened? I should be dead! Why am I here?"
Anna pursed her lips to even out her freshly applied lipstick before planting a firm kiss on Charles' lips as if she were marking her property.
Just then, the door creaked open, and a young girl with a ponytail and a golden crown stood in the doorway.
Witnessing Anna and Charles locked in a passionate kiss, she feigned a gag and turned around, wanting to leave.
"Gao Suling!" Charles called out as he spotted the girl out of the corner of his eyes. He sprinted toward her like a madman and pulled her into a suffocating embrace. His eyes instantly welled up, red and raw with surging emotion.
"Wh-What are you doing? Incest is a crime, you know," Suling struggled half-heartedly, as any sibling would.
Charles lifted his head and reached out a trembling hand to caress Suling's face. He couldn't control his emotions any longer, and tears started streaming down his cheeks.
Taken aback, the girl turned her gaze toward Anna and said, "Hey, your husband's gone mad."
Anna took off the men's slippers on her feet and changed into a pair of red heels. She walked over to take Charles by the arm and led him out of the room.
"Your head is in a mess again. Come. Let me show you something," Anna said.
Charles then followed Anna's lead into the living room, where he was pressed onto the sofa. As his eyes surveyed the room, which appeared untouched and precisely as he remembered it, confusion clouded his mind.
Anna switched on the wall-mounted LCD TV, and it instantly lit up with a news broadcast. The screen showed a massive black hole situated in a desert landscape and seven or eight helicopters circling above it. The area surrounding the black hole was filled with various pieces of equipment.
"With the assistance of our allies from the Subterranean Sea, our scientists have successfully reached their destination and acquired a primary understanding of much of the technologies found in the Foundation's ruins.
”This discovery will advance our nation's technology to a whole new level," the newscaster reported.
"Indeed. And all credit goes to an anonymous individual who refused to reveal his identity. He's a true benefactor to all humanity. Our dear viewers, please join us in extending our deepest gratitude to this enigmatic hero," the co-newscaster continued.
Anna leaned closer, her red lips barely touching Charles' ear and whispered, "Have you forgotten? Just when you plunged into the waters, the Sun God exploded and left a hole in its place. The hole in Newbound City leads right out to the surface world."
"After returning to the surface world, you came down again and brought me up with you. And then, here we are. It's that simple. And good news for you: I don't eat humans anymore. I can survive on the diet of a normal human as well," Anna continued.
Charles stared at the news on the screen in shock as his mind raced to absorb the flood of new information. He could only sit there stunned and lost for words.
Click.
The crimson front door swung open, and Elizabeth entered the living room. Her cheeks were flushed from the sweltering heat. Fanning her face with a hand, she grumbled, "My god, it's scorching hot outside. I think it's at least forty degrees Celsius."
When she turned and caught sight of Charles, her eyes twinkled. She immediately raced over to the other side of the couch and snuggled up to him.
"Charles, I'm so sorry. The Governor of the Land of Light kept requesting to see me, and I've been so tied up with all those meetings. I'm finally done with them now and finally have time to come and visit you. Did you miss me?" Elizabeth cooed.
However, Charles only stared blankly at her.
Confused, Elizabeth sent Anna an inquisitive glance.
"Nothing much. His mind's a little jumbled up right now. Probably because of what happened..." Anna explained with a sigh.
"I see... Then, I think it should be fine," Elizabeth responded. With a trace of excitement on her visage, she leaned closer to Charles.
Charles suddenly felt a wet sensation on his earlobe as Elizabeth's sultry voice echoed in his ear. "You're mine tonight. Why don't we try something different?"
"That won't do!" Anna interjected and placed a leg over Charles' lap. "We made an agreement when we just came up."
"Hold on for a moment. I-I'm really confused," Charles said, placing a hand on each woman to gently restrain them and prevent the situation from escalating.
Just then, a rhythmic clanking sounded from the kitchen.
Charles turned his gaze toward the kitchen to see his father tapping the spoon in his hand against a dish.
"Son, lunch is almost ready. Set the table."
Charles rose to his feet in a tremble. Just when he was about to sprint toward the middle-aged man, Anna and Elizabeth quickly restrained him.
"Calm down. You'll scare Father."
After another bout of confusion, Charles finally calmed down and sat at the dining table. His gaze darted around the room as he scrutinized his surroundings.
Unfazed by her brother's frenetic behavior, Gao Suling sat off to the side, engrossed in her mobile game. The same crown adorned her head, and she seemed completely indifferent to the commotion around her.
Soon, an array of dishes was brought out. There were sauteed intestines, sweet-and-sour fish, stir-fried spinach, and braised pork. They were simple home-cooked fare, but they looked scrumptious.
"Mom, let me help," Charles said as he stood up and reached for one of the dishes.
His mother shook her head; her expression was tinged with emotion as she said, "If it means having you back, don't even mention bringing out the dishes, I'd do anything just to have you back. Do you have any idea how much I missed you all these years? I thought you were gone forever."
"Mom, it must've been hard on you," Charles responded, sounding guilty.
"Let's not talk about unhappy things. Now that you are finally home, rest up. Take a seat. There's still soup, I'll bring it out now," his mother said as she gently pushed Charles back into his seat.
Just then, Elizabeth passed a full bowl of rice to Charles.
"Elizabeth, thank you," Charles said as he took the bowl.
"Don't mention it, I'm your lawful wife, after all."
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