Yu Nong watched them, feeling sullen and unhappy, but said nothing.
Yu Nong was too well-behaved, like a larger version of Shu Shu, obedient and endearing. Lu Wanqing's palms itched, she really wanted to reach out and pat his head to comfort him, but her fingers only twitched slightly before her reason quickly reminded her of the height difference between them.
Yu Nong was a head taller than her. To pat his head, she would have to tiptoe, wouldn't she?
One shouldn't bring humiliation upon oneself.
"I'll go look at the notes. Tomorrow, I'll take a cutting from the mutated honeysuckle for an experiment," Lu Wanqing said a moment later.
Yu Nong nodded. "Mm."
"Shu Shu, do you want to read for a while?" Lu Wanqing lowered her gaze to look at little Shu Shu.
Little Yu Shu immediately nodded. "Yes."
Little Yu Shu also wanted to learn. She recognized many characters now and could understand more and more things. She also wanted to learn about more plants, and ideally, learn how to cultivate ancient Earth plants as soon as possible. Then she could learn to cultivate honeysuckle, and perhaps, cure Grandma.
However, to learn, just reading records wouldn't suffice. Yu Nong needed to go to the ancient Earth plant cultivation room to check the information of various plants. Lu Wanqing thought that it would be best if she, along with little Yu Shu, went along.
Lu Wanqing had been seeing these plants almost every day recently, as Yu Nong visited them several times a day. She would also come to see them when she had time. However, Yu Nong and the others treated these plants as treasures, as they were the last few remaining in the entire interstellar era. With the help of the Federation's advanced technology, they were desperately protected to maintain their original appearance and survive without mutation. But when she looked at these plants, her feelings were different.
Although her rational mind knew that these plants were very important now, treasures of the interstellar era, much like the status of giant pandas in ancient Earth times, as someone who had seen so many of these plants in the ancient Earth era, especially wild grass by the roadside, she felt a pang of melancholy and deep emotion.
After checking the plants, it was getting late. Lu Wanqing remembered that Yu Nong had many mutated honeysuckle plants in his greenhouse and couldn't help but ask, "Yu Nong, can you dig up one of those mutated honeysuckle plants from your greenhouse for me? I want to take it back and plant some at home."
Although she came to the Academy of Sciences to work every day, occasionally, when she had free time, Lu Wanqing felt she could do some research at home. Anyway, there was no shortage of mutated honeysuckle here, so taking a bit back shouldn't be a big problem, right?
"Plant it in the yard?" Yu Nong asked softly.
Lu Wanqing nodded. "Mm."
"Yes, you can," Yu Nong replied gently.
So, before leaving work, Yu Nong personally led Lu Wanqing to the greenhouse and dug up a mutated honeysuckle plant. Little Yu Shu was also extremely happy. These mutated honeysuckle plants were now their hope for cultivating ancient Earth honeysuckle. With Mommy taking this pot of mutated honeysuckle home, they would be able to see honeysuckle at home too. She was happy!
As they walked out of the Academy of Sciences, Lu Wanqing looked up at the sky and found the sunset unusually beautiful, which made her mood lift a little.
Little Yu Shu looked at her mother. Mommy looked so beautiful when she looked at the sky. She loved Mommy so much.
Yu Nong, holding a pot of flowers, stood beside them. Only after Lu Wanqing and Shu Shu got into the hovercar did he follow them in.
The journey from the Academy of Sciences to Lu Wanqing's home was a bit further, but not too far, taking about ten minutes by hovercar. As soon as they arrived home, Yu Nong took a hoe and shovel from his spatial button, found a spot in the garden, and planted the honeysuckle.
Lu Wanqing also helped, as did little Yu Shu. The family of three busied themselves. After planting, little Yu Shu's face got smudged with dirt. The once pretty little girl suddenly looked like a little calico cat. Lu Wanqing looked up and couldn't help but smile.
"It will get better," Lu Wanqing suddenly said after watering the honeysuckle thoroughly.
Beside her, little Yu Shu and Yu Nong heard her words.
Little Yu Shu paused slightly, and after a moment, nodded heavily. Her clear voice echoed, "Yes, it will get better!!!"
Yu Nong was not as optimistic as they were. He remained silent.
"Let's go inside and rest," Lu Wanqing said to Yu Nong.
Yu Nong did not agree. He turned to look at Lu Wanqing and said sullenly, "Mother is going for a medical check-up today. I need to go back early."
Medical check-up?
Lu Wanqing was surprised.
"Alright," she responded as she realized, agreeing. A medical check-up was important and could not be neglected.
"Is it convenient to have a medical check-up so late?" Lu Wanqing couldn't help but ask, thinking.
Yu Nong shook his head. "It's not troublesome. There are special testing instruments. You just need to lie down, and it'll be done in a moment."
Lu Wanqing thought that was true. With such advanced technology in the interstellar era, the testing methods should be even more sophisticated.
"Mm, then go back early. Rest well after you're done. Don't stay up too late. Take care of your health," Lu Wanqing added.
Yu Nong looked at Lu Wanqing and nodded. "Mm."
Yu Nong left. Lu Wanqing and little Yu Shu stood at the doorstep, watching him drive away in his hovercar. After he left, Lu Wanqing's previously relaxed mood inexplicably became heavy again.
Honeysuckle was too important. They had to work hard to cultivate it. Only then could Madam Yu, Yu Nong, and little Yu Shu be happier than before, right?
However...
Yu Nong was using mutated honeysuckle to cultivate ancient Earth honeysuckle through gene editing. If she remembered correctly, wasn't the Wei family in charge of genes?
"Shu Shu, let's go inside," Lu Wanqing thought, unable to resist. Perhaps she could ask Wei Xingzhou about this. Maybe Wei Xingzhou could help?
Little Yu Shu looked up at her mother, then nodded. "Okay."
Lu Wanqing entered the house and opened her optical computer, found Wei Xingzhou's contact information, and initiated a communication.
The communication connected, and Wei Xingzhou's projection appeared before her. It wasn't just Wei Xingzhou; Little Cui Cui was also there.
Lu Wanqing's eyes lit up. Then, looking at Cui Cui, she said happily, "Cui Cui, you're here too! Mommy loves you~"
Little Cui Cui pursed her lips, looked at Lu Wanqing, and then lowered her gaze to little Yu Shu, who was standing beside Lu Wanqing.
Yu Shu was small, not as tall as her, nor as beautiful. But her features were delicate, her skin fair and tender. She was beautiful in a different way than Cui Cui, but still very beautiful.
"Mm," Little Cui Cui replied with a slight nod as her mother initiated contact. Her expression and demeanor remained aloof, as if she didn't care about her mother.
"Why did you call me proactively? We were just playing a game together, Cui Cui and I, and we hadn't finished yet when you called," Wei Xingzhou said with a grin, his eyes sparkling as he looked happily at Lu Wanqing.
She was even with the child. The matter of gene editing was on the tip of her tongue, but Lu Wanqing suddenly didn't know how to start.
However, thinking of little Yu Shu and the pitiful Yu Nong, she finally took a deep breath and decided to ask. What if the Wei family had something unique that could successfully gene-edit the honeysuckle and cultivate ancient Earth honeysuckle?