Chapter Fifty-Seven: Arrival at Kestar

The plane carrying Chen Hao and his two companions landed smoothly at the Kestarl airport right on schedule. Chen Hao looked around, somewhat surprised by this unfamiliar place. He had already sensed something odd while gazing out the window during the flight, but now, as the passengers disembarked and he set foot on solid ground, the feeling grew even stronger.

What struck Chen Hao as strange was the sheer size of the Kestarl airport. Nestled in a remote corner of the country’s southwest, the city itself was so small and isolated that, in Chen Hao’s opinion, it hardly warranted an airport at all. The area boasted beautiful scenery, but few tourists ever came, as most of the natural wonders were difficult for people to reach. No influx of travelers, no valuable resources to extract—what, then, was the purpose of building such a large airport in a city like this?

It wasn’t just the existence of the airport that puzzled him, but its scale. From his aerial view, Chen Hao estimated that the airport’s total area was easily comparable to any major airport in a first-tier city. Yet, unlike other large airports, where a significant portion of the space was devoted to terminals, waiting halls, and other buildings, here at Kestarl, these structures occupied less than a twentieth of the entire area. The effect was reminiscent of the flat deck of an aircraft carrier—vast, open, with just a small command tower off to one side.

Despite the oddity, Chen Hao didn’t dwell on it. After all, Kestarl was sparsely populated and received few visitors; there was no need for extravagant buildings, and open space seemed a more practical use of land. Gu Mengyan and Fan Yirou, on the other hand, paid no attention to such matters. Gu Mengyan, brimming with excitement, was busy taking in the surroundings while supporting Fan Yirou, who was struggling with nausea.

Fan Yirou had felt unwell from the moment she boarded the plane. Accustomed to larger aircraft, she found the small cabin’s turbulence hard to bear, and the cramped economy seating only made things worse. The bumpy flight had already left her retching once, and now, having just set foot on the ground, another wave of dizziness and nausea overtook her.

Sensing Fan Yirou’s discomfort, Gu Mengyan gently rubbed her back, soothing her, “There, there, it’s all right now. We’re off the plane. You’ll feel better soon. If you need to, I’ll take you to the restroom right away.”

Knowing Fan Yirou was unwell, the three wasted no time and quickly followed the crowd through security. Gu Mengyan immediately led Fan Yirou to the restroom, leaving Chen Hao in charge of collecting their luggage.

As he waited for the two women, Chen Hao made good use of the time by calling his mother to let her know he had arrived safely. He had already told her of his travel plans to Kestarl, and she had simply urged him to stay safe and look after both Fan Yirou and Gu Mengyan. She also took the opportunity to remind him about his future, hinting—rather pointedly—that he should consider choosing between Fan Yirou and Gu Mengyan.

Chen Hao could only respond with a bewildered sound, not quite understanding his mother’s meaning. He could see her point about Fan Yirou, but why bring up Gu Mengyan? After all, Gu Mengyan was his sister.

His mother sighed on the other end of the line. “Mengyan is a pitiful child. Though we took her in as our own from a young age, we are not her real parents. No matter how much we love her, I know she still carries a knot in her heart. Your father and I can’t untangle it—only you or Yirou can truly help her. But Yirou has her own troubles, so it’s really up to you. When a woman needs support the most, who can help her better than a man she loves? From what your father’s found out, Mengyan doesn’t have a boyfriend and seems uninterested in the men who pursue her. Doesn’t that just give you an opportunity?”

“Mom, what are you talking about? Mengyan is my sister!” Chen Hao protested with a wry smile.

“She’s not your blood sister, just in name. Morally and legally, there’s nothing stopping you from being together,” his mother replied, remarkably open-minded. “I think Mengyan is a wonderful girl—beautiful, too. She’s lived with us for years; we know her well. She’d make an excellent life partner. If you two got together, I’d support you with all my heart. Of course, I wouldn’t mind if you ended up with Yirou either. She might not be my top choice, but she’s still a good girl. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you two getting close when Mengyan wasn’t around. There’s definitely some mutual affection there. Why not use this trip as a chance to make it official? You’re not getting any younger, and you can’t spend your days lost in fantasies about anime girls who’ll never exist in real life. Besides… you can’t solve all your problems with your hand, can you?”

“Cough, cough!” Chen Hao almost choked on air at that, coughing furiously. “Mom, you’re too much! Is it really appropriate to talk about this with your son? Isn’t this a dad thing?”

“Don’t even mention your father! He’s never around, always off who-knows-where for weeks at a time, never showing any concern for his own children. He won’t even answer my calls, and when he does, it’s for a few minutes and he won’t tell me what he’s doing! Hmph! If I ever find out he’s fooling around out there, I’ll cut him to pieces!”

“Cough, cough! Mom, you don’t need to say that to me. I don’t think Dad would do that, even if he is a bit unreliable…”

“See? You think so too!” she replied, agreeing wholeheartedly. “Let’s not talk about him. Back to you—why on earth did you end up in Kestarl? Of all the places you could’ve gone, why pick that godforsaken backwater? What’s so special there?”

“Sigh… it wasn’t my choice,” Chen Hao replied helplessly. “Mengyan booked the tickets.”

There was a brief silence on the other end. “Kestarl… That place holds special meaning for Mengyan. Could it be that she…”

Chen Hao’s tone grew serious. “I understand what you’re getting at. When I first heard where she wanted to go, I asked her about it. She gave a reasonable explanation, but I can’t shake the feeling there’s more to it. Don’t worry, Mom—I’ll keep an eye on her. I won’t let her out of my sight, not for a second.”

“Oh? Not for a second? Will you sleep in the same bed? What about Yirou—will she join too? Did you book a king-size room?”

“Mom!” Chen Hao nearly shouted.

“Haha, all right, I’ll stop teasing you. But I meant what I said about Mengyan. Think it over carefully. Don’t hurt either of those girls—they’re both good, deserving kids. I won’t keep you any longer. Enjoy your trip! I’m off to my yoga class. Goodbye, son!”

“….” Chen Hao didn’t even have time to say goodbye before she hung up. He shook his head. “She’s as headstrong as ever… Does she think she’s Batman?”

Despite his words, Chen Hao could never hold a grudge against his mother. He’d grown up used to her ways, just as he was accustomed to Gu Mengyan and Fan Yirou’s antics.

After hanging up, Chen Hao dialed another number, this time to the hotel he had booked in advance. Unlike Gu Mengyan, who might have chosen some cheap chain inn, Chen Hao had settled for nothing less than a four-star hotel. For all that Kestarl lacked in tourism and population, its infrastructure was surprisingly complete, with all the amenities one would expect in a major provincial city.

He had picked a well-reviewed four-star hotel and booked ahead. Now, he called to confirm the pickup arrangements from the airport, verifying the car’s location and license plate before hanging up. He then wheeled the luggage toward the restroom to find the girls.

Fan Yirou, still looking pale but somewhat recovered, emerged from the restroom with Gu Mengyan. The three reunited and headed off to find their ride.

None of them noticed the tall, thin figure who had been watching them ever since they stepped off the plane, following them with unwavering attention until they got into the car and drove away…