A single simple sentence—
like a mountain being **"crack!"** split in half at its waist,
the upper half shoved into the sea with a **"boom!"** sending towering waves crashing into the sky,
before raining back down like a violent storm!
This was a sentence that could **shake the entire Xihe Astronomical Research Institute!**
A sentence that could **drive international astronomers mad!**
A sentence that could **leapfrog China's research on galactic motion and evolution forward by a huge step!!!**
This wasn't just a major leap for **Chinese astronomy**—it would be a **gigantic leap for the entire world!!!**
**"Village Barber Wang"** was so excited his blood rushed to his brain, his hands trembling as he gripped his pen.
Tonight was destined to be a **group chat frenzy**,
a night of **madness and screaming** among his peers!
He stared at his phone screen, full of anticipation.
**1 minute,**
**5 minutes…**
**10 minutes passed…**
The group was **dead silent.**
"Village Barber Wang" went from **eagerly waiting** to **confused**, then from **confused** to **furious!**
**"Are you all asleep?!"**
**"Where the hell is everyone?!"**
**"Damn it, wake the hell up!!! This is huge!!!"**
Seeing the time in the corner—**03:46 AM**—he **spammed the group with curses.**
...
That night,
"Village Barber Wang" stayed hyped until **past 6 AM** before exhaustion finally knocked him out on the couch.
While he slept, the group slowly woke up one by one.
**"HOLY SH*T!"**
**"If this is real, why the hell is such an important star map in a subway station?! It should be in MY HOUSE!"**
**"What are we waiting for?! Pack up, get the dean to approve our trip, and GO!"**
**"Forget the dean—even the director's coming with us this time!"**
**"Everyone, move your asses! Publish the paper first before other institutes find this place!"**
**"Yes, hurry!!"**
**"…Wait, where the hell is this place?!"**
**"Old Fan, stop playing dead! Tell us where this subway is!"**
**"Fan Hecha! FAN HECHA!!"**
**"Fan Hecha, you bastard, are you secretly writing a research paper by yourself?!"**
...
While the group chat was **exploding**,
Fan Hecha was **snuggled up with Tang Xiaofeng**, sleeping soundly.
By the time they woke up, it was almost **9 AM.**
Seeing **over a hundred messages** blowing up his phone,
Fan Hecha quickly sent the location of **Lion Castle Subway Station**,
then hesitated before privately messaging his director:
**"Boss, are you all really coming?"**
**Jade Void Palace Boss:** **"Flight this afternoon. We'll arrive around midnight."**
Fan Hecha: **"Where are you staying? Should I book hotels?"**
**Jade Void Palace Boss:** **"Where are YOU staying now?"**
Fan Hecha: **"Lion Castle Hotel. It's the closest to the subway… but it's way over the provincial travel budget."**
(*Reimbursement would be a nightmare!*)
**Jade Void Palace Boss:** **"How much per night?"**
Fan Hecha: **"…5,000+."**
**Jade Void Palace Boss:** **"Any budget hotels nearby?"**
Fan Hecha: **"No chain hotels, just distant homestays."**
**Jade Void Palace Boss:** **"Book Lion Castle first. I'll ask the dean to negotiate with the hotel owner."**
Fan Hecha: **"Got it. Also, the medieval star map was designed by this hotel's owner."**
**Jade Void Palace Boss:** **"Noted."**
Fan Hecha: **"Director, I'm technically on my honeymoon… but since I'm already here and discovered the star map, does this count as a business trip?"** **[Cute emoji]**
**Jade Void Palace Boss:** **"Approved."**
Fan Hecha: **[Sunglasses emoji]** **"Can my hotel and meals be reimbursed too?"**
**Jade Void Palace Boss:** **"Approved."**
Fan Hecha: **"Can I also apply for research funding?"** **[Puppy eyes]**
**Jade Void Palace Boss:** **"How about a first-class merit award too?"** **[Smiling emoji]**
Fan Hecha: **[Blushing emoji]** **"No need, Director. I'll excuse myself now."**
Putting his phone down,
Fan Hecha **pinched Tang Xiaofeng's cheeks** and shook her excitedly!
**"Sweetie, we just saved 10,000 yuan in hotel fees!!"**
**"Let's go eat meat!"**
He jumped out of bed, dragging a **very confused** Tang Xiaofeng downstairs.
They arrived at the **Knight's Crest Romantic Palace Restaurant** on the first floor.
Before they could admire the lavish decor,
their eyes locked onto the **massive dessert display** at the center.
**"Wow… chocolates and cakes!!"**
Tang Xiaofeng **squealed** and tiptoed toward a **chocolate sculpture** covered in rainbow sprinkles and letter-shaped cookies, shaped like a **black swan.**
Each tier held **dozens of different cakes—**
**Earl Grey Swiss rolls, tiramisu, mousse cakes, egg tarts, cream puffs, Napoleons, cheesecake brownies, beer chocolates, crispy cheese bread…**
Tang Xiaofeng **read every label**, growing more excited by the second!
**All her favorites!!!**
No wonder this hotel cost **5,000+ a night**—**this breakfast buffet alone was worth it!**
Meanwhile, Fan Hecha was **drowning in carbs**,
loading his plate with **fried rice, noodles, and pastries.**
They met back at the table, staring at each other's plates in **disbelief.**
**"You only got cakes?!"**
**"You only got fried rice?!"**
After a brief silence,
they decided **not to judge** and **dug in like starving wolves.**
One bite barely swallowed before shoveling in the next—
they ate like it was their **last meal.**
The restaurant staff were **unfazed.**
Honestly,
anyone who paid **5,000 for a room** would **go wild** at this buffet.
Hell, even the **employees** ate like every meal was their **final one.**
As the **"shadow boss"** of the Langai Hotel Group,
Xu Qiaoni didn't just spoil **guests**—he took care of his **staff's stomachs too.**
Weekly menu updates meant many employees had **gained weight** in just half a year.
Men could **loosen their belts**, but women had to **secretly alter their skirts.**
After **devouring** a plate of cakes and another of fried rice,
Fan Hecha and Tang Xiaofeng stared at the **golden, aromatic dishes** in the buffet, torn.
**"Hubby, if I eat more, I won't have room for ribs later…"**
**"But it's such a waste to skip this food!"**
Fan Hecha agonized before making the **riskiest decision of his life:**
**"Let's stop!"**
**"Save room for ribs!"**
**"If we're lucky, you might get to eat here every morning for a month!"**
...
After breakfast,
they **pretended to stroll around** the hotel to digest.
But secretly, Fan Hecha was **navigating toward the wishing pool.**
This was his **real mission**—
to see if he could **complete his skin fragments** in *Sorcery Wars* here!
He could **skip the leather jacket**,
but his **game character** had to wear the **best skins!**
As they walked,
the sound of **rushing water** grew louder.
In front of the wishing pool,
three people sat with **sketchbooks and iPads**, drawing the statues around it.
**"This harp is interesting… What's this round thing on it?"**
One man muttered as he sketched.
Curious, Fan Hecha peeked at his iPad—
a **harp** drawn in clean, elegant lines, radiating **holiness.**
But the **pencil sketch** beside it was **dark and eerie**, like a cursed relic.
**"That round thing is the Sun God's son's eye,"** Fan Hecha explained.
**"Eye?!"**
The three turned sharply.
**"It's Orpheus' eye,"** Fan Hecha said confidently.
**Men Youcai:** **"But isn't this the Lyra constellation? Wasn't Orpheus the guy who went to the underworld for his wife?"**
**Xiang Dianqian:** **"Right! He wasn't supposed to look back, but he did, and she turned to stone."**
Fan Hecha: **"You're not wrong."**
**"But Lyra has multiple myths. Different harp shapes mean different stories."**
**"This statue matches the version where Orpheus is the Sun God's son."**
**"He also went to the underworld for his wife, failed, and played mournful songs until some nymphs tried to seduce him."**
**"When he refused, they got drunk, killed him, chopped him up, and threw his head—and eyes—into the sea to mock him."**
**"Later, the Sun God tossed his harp and eyes into the sky, becoming Lyra's brightest stars."**
Though just myths,
astronomers studied these legends as part of their work.
And combining stars with tales made them even **more magical.**
Fan Hecha had **memorized** these stories like novels.
**Pang Xuehen:** **"So these are eyes…"**
Fan Hecha glanced at Pang Xuehen's sketch—
and **instantly regretted it.**
The man had **literally drawn eyeballs** on the harp—
**bloodshot, cursed, and full of malice.**
Fan Hecha **stepped back slowly.**
*Nope. Not getting involved.*
Turning, he saw Tang Xiaofeng **tossing a coin** into the pool, praying fervently.
**"What'd you wish for?"** he asked.
**"A baby,"** she grinned.
Fan Hecha smirked and whispered:
**"Wishing won't help with that~ You need me for that."**
Tang Xiaofeng punched him: **"Pervert!"**
Fan Hecha laughed, then peered into the pool.
Gold and silver coins glittered under the water,
but the pool was so **huge**, they barely covered the bottom.
*"Wonder how many of these were tossed by gamers…"*
He pulled out a coin and tossed it in:
**"Bless me with full skin fragments today!"**
...
While Fan Hecha was busy **gambling at the wishing pool**,
the **"Xihe Astronomy Squad"**—
led by **"Jade Void Palace Boss"**,
with **"Village Barber Wang"**, **"Scallion Tofu"**, **"Five-Flavor Hermit"**, and **"Square Moon"**—
marched through the airport in their **favorite hoodies**, dragging suitcases.
After **10 grueling hours** of flights, subways, and taxis,
they finally arrived at **Lion Castle Subway Station!**
Standing beneath the **medieval star map**,
they stared up in **awe.**
**"So beautiful…"**
**"I never imagined the stars could look like this from this angle!"**
**"So Polaris isn't Kochab here…"**