Chapter 222: The Final Layout
After countless hardships, Ade finally returned to his daily life, filling his time with a few of the happiest things for him.
C.C.'s memory recovery was also progressing quite well, and she always unintentionally said things from the past these days. Although whenever this happened, C.C. always added with a bewildered expression, "Huh? Why would I say something like that?" But to Ade, this was a sign that her memory was gradually coming back.
Unfortunately, Lacus and he had a different view, and she had told Ade privately that by her reckoning, C.C.'s memory loss might last for a long time yet.
In any case, since there was no one at home to mess things up, Ade's stomach doesn't hurt anymore, and he thinks more coherently when dealing with things. A lot of academic problems that have been bothering him for a long time have been solved.
"Rei." He stretched and happily tapped the send button on the screen, "The details went to your email, so you can help me send it out as a whole paper. Same as the last one, write your name as the second author on it."
"Okay, Ade," the young girl draped in a white coat beside him nodded gently, "I'll get it done within the week."
"I've really been bothering you lately." Ade was a bit ashamed, "Is there anything you want? It's my compensation to you."
"No. I'm happy to learn a lot from Ade." Unfortunately, he couldn't see any happiness on Ayanami Rei's expressionless face, "If I have to say, I want Alice."
"… ha?" Ade thought he heard wrong, "What do you want?"
"I want Alice," Ayanami Rei calmly repeated, "If her precious physical properties could be used in research, our rate of progress could be dramatically increased. The ELS Renovation Project is expected to be completed in U.C. 0096, after the V program ends, we will enter a period of peaceful development. I am confident that I can use Alice to get the Degeneracy reactors ahead of schedule."
"Okay, it's a deal." Ade only hesitated for a few seconds before he simply agreed. Alice was idle anyway, so he might as well find something serious for her to do, and Ayanami Rei was one of the people he trusted most, "I'll convince her, just wait for my good news."
"Thanks, Ade," Ayanami Rei smiled brightly at him, "By the way, the latest news from the expedition is that the ELS satellite will be arriving in its designated orbit next month, do you need me for anything?"
"I will personally handle the satellite modification, you just take care of the lab." Ade was really worried that Ayanami Rei would die of overwork, "And besides the project itself, there are political implications to consider. …"
Ayanami Rei quietly watched Ade, who was deep in thought, didn't make a sound. After all, her persona was a kuudere girl.
"…" Ade muttered to himself, "Forget it, I'll talk to Lacus about it."
During the lunch break, Momoka brought him a freshly prepared lunch and went back, and the taste of the food was excellent as always. But due to the maid's overly aggressive performance, the lunch was too much for Ade to handle alone, and he couldn't bear to throw it away.
Just when he was wondering whether to go to Ayanami Rei and give her a little share of the meal, another unexpected character appeared and solved his problem.
"Shinn? You're working today, right? Why did you come from Anaheim?" Ade pushed the food in front of Shinn, "Have you had lunch yet? Shall I share some with you?"
"No, Mr. Adrien, I've already eaten." Shinn pushed the food back under Ade's regretful gaze and took out another delicately wrapped gift box and placed it on the table, "I just remembered last night that you happened to be out of town when Kamille came looking for you before Christmas, so he sent the gift he brought you to me."
"Hmm, not bad. He finally remembered who paid the tuition for him." Ade smiled and picked up the gift and weighed it, "Has that kid got a girlfriend yet?"
"It seems to be a girl called Yuiry, but he didn't tell me much about his girlfriend. Mr. Adrien, you better ask him personally." Shinn said, and the smile on his face dimmed down, "In fact, I came here today to talk to you, there is something I really don't know how to be, so …"
Ade hurriedly put down the box in his hand and put on a serious expression. He always tried his best to return Shinn's trust, "Just say it, we are friends, right?"
"That's true, I was the one who was too polite." Shinn scratched his cheek in embarrassment, "Actually, the thing is, you know Stella's health condition. Pregnancy is too dangerous for her. But recently, Stella suddenly proposed that she wanted a child, through IVF."
"Isn't that great?" Ade readily responded, "I'm familiar with the director of the lunar hospital, I'll ask him to recommend a reliable doctor later."
"The focus is on the choice of the surrogate mother." Shinn lowered his head, "Mayu heard my conversation with Stella and insisted that outsiders can't be trusted, so she might as well be the … surrogate mother."
Ade was speechless for a while.
"I know it's not right, and have politely refused her, but she is particularly stubborn in this matter for some reason, and even Stella was persuaded by her." Shinn looked up at Ade, "Mr. Adrien, what can I do?"
Ade pretended to be calm, "I remember Mayu doesn't have a boyfriend yet, right?"
"As far as I know, she hasn't had any boyfriend." Shinn whispered, "I know Mayu is determined to come up with this plan, but that's why I don't know how to get her to give up. If she did, even if Mayu did it of her own free will, the child would feel guilty when he grew up and understood it, right? How would the child face the mother who gave birth to him if he knew it?"
"…there is no way to face it, he can only escape." Ade tried to dispel the figure that reappeared in his mind, "No matter what, we have to stop Mayu's impulsive behavior, I will let C.C…. ah, she lost her memory."
"Yes, the trouble is here. Mayu originally listened to C.C.'s words most, but now she's …" Shinn sighed lightly, "So I can only discuss it with you, Mr. Adrien. "
"Shinn, I'll think of something." Ade looked away with a complicated expression, "I must not let Mayu do it, otherwise … otherwise, I …"
…
"Now Mayu's attitude is very firm, Shinn doesn't know how to convince her without hurting her feelings." After dinner, Ade briefly explained to Lacus what he heard during the day, "Do you have any good ideas?"
"Mayu has always been obedient to C.C., so I think it would be best if C.C. could persuade her." Lacus winked at C.C., who was hugging Ade's arm, "Which is more important, the momentary enjoyment or the lifelong happiness of a young girl who admires you? So C.C., does the name Mayu mean anything to you?"
"… Mayu? "C.C. showed a confused and bewildered expression, "Ade, I seem to have some impression of that name, I think … I want to go back to the room to think quietly, I always feel close to remembering something."
"Let her go." Lacus smiled and pressed Ade who wanted to follow C.C., "She has her own social circle, Mayu and she had a lot of common memories, for her, Mayu is by no means an insignificant role. So I think, she has a high probability of recovering her memory early this time."
Ange's ears twitched imperceptibly as she watched the cartoon with Mineva at the other end of the living room.
"I hope so." Ade once again dispersed the thin figure in his mind, but after several attempts to no avail, he could only divert himself by changing the subject, "Just in time to discuss it with you, I'm not familiar with the system over at P.L.A.N.T., I wonder if there is any way to extend the term?"
"Haman Karn will be in her final term after the change of term next year, and you want the situation on the P.L.A.N.T. side to remain stable?" Lacus responded almost immediately, "There is a way to temporarily extend a term, without changing the law, but only with the cooperation of Haman Karn."
"P.L.A.N.T. is in a good place right now, even if she wants to be re-elected indefinitely, let her be, I just need stability over everything." Ade mentally calculated the schedule, "I guess I'll have to—"
"— have to go there in person." Ange's voice sounded in Ade's ears, "Yes, yes, it's been a long time since you've seen her, it's necessary to see her in person. By the way, I remember that there is a pair of very sweet-looking twins, what are their names? Maybe you can also go to see them by the way? I will not go with you. It's not suitable to be the third wheel."
"I guess I'll have to go there in person." Ade said without moving, "Ange, you go with me. Lacus, please take care of C.C. at home."
"Really?" Ange excitedly gave Ade a vicious peck on the cheek, "Earl on you to have a conscience and know that someone can't get enough! Lacus, rest assured, I will be with him every minute!"
"Then the problem on the P.L.A.N.T. side is solved.& The rest is on the Federation side." Lacus smiled slightly and continued to talk eloquently, "Prime Minister Marcenas& is just a mascot, without military power, the council is just a decoration. As long as we can keep Commander Noa on our side, the Federation will not be a problem."
What Ade wants to do is to completely transform the ELS satellites that will be located in the Earth-Moon L4 in the future. Such a great project cannot be accomplished by the Moon government alone, but must be fully supported by all human regimes. Therefore, he needs the absolute stability of both sides.
Everything is for the sake of the race called human beings to be able to continue in this heartless universe. Since he had promised Lillith, he had no intention of breaking his word. Once things are beyond his control, he will not hesitate to use DX or TurnA to suppress anyone.
"After the contact in Kilimanjaro, I have a general understanding of Commander Noa." Lacus called out toward the young girl who was sitting on the sofa, watching cartoons, "Mineva, come here for a moment."
The little girl ran to the three.
"Ade, I have an idea that I need her to work with." Lacus leaned down and said to her pleasantly, "Mineva, why don't you ask Hathaway to come to our house for dinner this weekend when you go to school tomorrow?"
The little girl's eyes instantly became watery and she looked at Ade with tears.
"Uh …" Ange was a little confused, "Isn't it normal to ask your classmates to come over for dinner? Mineva, why do you put on that look?"
"What about the next step?" Mineva said sullenly, "Right now, it's inviting him to dinner, then it will be developed to invite him once a week, call him to study with me when we go to high school, encourage me to go out with him more in high school, and get married after college if it goes well. Sister Lacus, is that what you're planning?"
"It's just a casual dinner, what are you thinking?" Lacus waved her hand as if nothing was wrong, "It's also for—"
"— For the sake of the happiness of all mankind and Uncle Ade's great work, it's okay for me to sacrifice a little. Besides, it's just a meal, and it's not clear how it will develop in the future, so it's not much of a sacrifice." Mineva ground her teeth and stared straight at Ade, "Uncle Ade, as long as you nod, I will go to Hathaway tomorrow."
The young girl's determined eyes somehow reminded Ade again of the thin figure he had only just forgotten.
"I'll make a trip to Earth after I talk to Haman." Ade picked up Mineva and placed her on his lap, rubbing her soft cheek affectionately, "We don't need to play such tactics in our family, Mineva can make friends with whoever she wants."
"Uncle Ade is the best!" The little girl wrapped her arms around Ade's neck and gave him a bite on the cheek while raising her eyebrows covertly at Lacus, "Sister Lacus, what do you think?"
