Mecha and Sword

"Hello" and "How do you do" did not seem like the exchange between a grandfather and grandchild meeting for the first time. They sounded more like a conversation between two unrelated adults.

As a matter of fact, if the little girl's mother hadn't unexpectedly been diagnosed with late-stage cancer, Ji Xinghe might have gone his whole life without ever meeting this little girl, or even knowing he had a granddaughter.

Before Ji Chenxing's sacrifice, the girl's mother kept silent due to her concern for Ji Chenxing's future. After his sacrifice, she kept silent because she was concerned about his honor. The little girl should have been relying solely on her mother. But when her mother passed away prematurely, leaving her all alone, she consequently became Ji Xinghe's responsibility.

You know what? If you hadn't appeared, I would have still come to this planet, but I would have definitely died here. Now, I don't want to die. I'm very scared of death, because I'm worried that there will be no one to take care of you after I'm gone.

Ji Xinghe couldn't say these words out loud. He thought the little girl wouldn't understand, and he didn't want her to bear the kind of burden that was inappropriate for her age. Six years old? No, she was actually just five years old. Born on the thirteenth of the twelfth lunar month, she was already two years old even before the full moon. Her sixth birthday was still eight months and three days away.

What he didn't know was that the little girl could actually understand, and she also had some things she couldn't voice.

Do you know? I'm actually really scared. I nearly forgot to address you properly earlier, but mom said adults don't like impolite children. If you don't like me, you will abandon me, and I'm really afraid of being abandoned. Because mom told me that without your care, I won't be able to grow up. I want to grow up so that I can avenge my dad on the battlefield and save many people just like mom.

Today was the first time the little girl met Ji Xinghe. She wanted to make a good impression on him. Her mother had told her to be sensible but not to act too mature, otherwise it would alarm the adults. She didn't realize that her thoughts were far from mature. Had Nurse Wang heard her, she would have informed the girl that no one could become both a Special Level Mecha warrior, and an exceptional physician capable of curing all sorts of incurable diseases – human time and energy are limited, and it would be impossible to reach the top in two fields that would individually demand half or even all of a person's lifetime.

After greeting each other came a silence. Nurse Wang, who had escorted the little girl, walked to stand behind her, gently patting her tiny back.

"Xinxin, didn't you have a lot of questions you want to ask your grandpa? Now is the time to ask. Whatever you want to say, you can speak up, right, Old Mr. Ji?"

Ji Xinghe nodded absently, his gaze tenderly on Xinxin: "Yes, say what you want to say. You can say anything at all. Grandpa isn't going to leave."

The being just a little girl, Xinxin stared wide-eyed at Ji Xinghe, the reflection in her pupils clear and vivid.

"Will grandpa really not leave me?" There was still a hint of tremor in Xinxin's voice. "You won't leave me like my daddy or my mommy, will you?"

Ji Xinghe wanted to cry, but he held back his tears. Extending his right hand to Xinxin, he replied softly, "No, grandpa won't leave you. Grandpa will always be by your side as you grow up."

You are five, and I am sixty-five. When you turn twenty, I only need to live fifteen more years. I'm in good health, I can live till eighty, and I will live till eighty.

In his whole life, Ji Xinghe never wished to live as long as he did at this very moment. He didn't ask much, he didn't need to live to a hundred, just to be alive at eighty was enough.

Xinxin tentatively placed her small hand in Ji Xinghe's right hand, feeling the warmth and solidness of his calloused hand. Initially, with just her right hand placed on top of his, she hesitantly added her left hand too.

Her hands were so small. With both her hands placed in Ji Xinghe's they barely covered the palm. As she placed her left hand, she watched Ji Xinghe's eyes attentively, as though prepared to withdraw both her hands should she spot any hint of displeasure.

But she saw no dissatisfaction in Ji Xinghe's eyes, just the gentleness, sadness, and affection that she had seen in her mother's eyes...

Yes, grandpa's gaze was just like mom's, and grandpa's hand was as warm as mom's used to be. Not like mom's hands of recent months, but just like they were before. Recently, mom's hands had always been cold because they said she was on an IV drip every day, and the fluid always looked cold.

Ji Xinghe watched Xinxin's expressions and movements, unable to prevent the slight trembles overtaking his body. He hadn't trembled when he'd sneaked into the police station in New Phoenix City to steal the Single Soldier Starship. He hadn't trembled when facing Major General Tu Yuan. He hadn't trembled when he'd run ten kilometers in thirty-five minutes, nor when he'd confronted Special Level Mecha warrior, Han Li. But now, he found it hard to control himself.

Nurse Wang, who had been observing Xinxin, wiped a tear from her eye. This was her second time crying today, but this time was a silent cry, as she didn't want to disturb the grandparent and grandchild.

Xinxin didn't cry, she only felt that Ji Xinghe's hand was very warm and real, which made her want to talk, but she didn't know where to start. The verbal skills of a child were weak and their linguistic abilities could sometimes be disorganized.

Ji Xinghe silently breathed deeply, squatting down even lower. He was afraid his breath would blow onto Xinxin's face. How could he, who wished to shelter Xinxin from the wind and rain, bring her stormy weather?

"Xinxin, are you hungry?"

"Xinxin isn't hungry, Xinxin just had a meal. Grandpa, are you hungry? Xinxin has two boxes of chocolate biscuits. I can give them all to grandpa."

While biscuits were not uncommon on the alien planet, chocolates were rare. With limited arable land, crops wouldn't be dedicated to growing cocoa trees, coffee trees, tea trees, or any other non-essential agricultural products.

So, these two boxes of chocolate biscuits were quite precious to Xinxin, as they would be to many people on the alien planet.

"Grandpa isn't hungry. Does Xinxin like chocolate? I will buy some for you."

Ji Xinghe posed a question and began speaking following Xinxin's words. Once he had started, the rest came out much more easily.

Nurse Wang, standing by, wanted to broach a matter, but hesitated. She wanted to say that the chocolates from Base 6 were very, very expensive; she knew Ji Xinghe didn't have much money and had lost the ability to earn more. It was already admirable that he could travel from Azure Star to this alien planet.

However, she felt embarrassed to express this outright. So she gritted her teeth internally, resolving to buy a few chocolates secretly and give them to Ji Xinghe as gifts for his first encounter with his granddaughter.

"Xinxin won't eat, mom said eating chocolate will cause tooth decay."

The little girl verbally rejected the offer and provided a reason, but her eyes were filled with desire, something she couldn't control at her age. How could a child resist the lure of candies and chocolates?

Ji Xinghe laughed happily, his gratitude towards Han Li growing in his heart. He squatted at the entrance and opened his mobile smart terminal. He found the online mall of Base 6, searched for chocolates and then he was stunned.

A 300-point contribution for a piece of chocolate of three centimeters diameter, wouldn't that be more than ten times the price? But everybody on this alien planet would accept this kind of premium, as they were not on the alien planet to enjoy life. They were there to survive and to ensure that more people can live peacefully on Azure Star.

"I have some, I have some, Old Mr. Ji, I..."

Nurse Wang swiftly turned on her own mobile smart terminal. Every adult on the alien planet had such a mobile smart terminal, except, the over hundred children who had been born and remained on this alien planet over the years - including Xinxin, who didn't have one.

Ding.

An alert sound emanated from Ji Xinghe's smart terminal. Because of the holographic projection screen, Nurse Wang clearly saw Ji Xinghe buying ten pieces all at once, spending 3,000 contribution points – equivalent to her basic salary for a month.

This old man, does he have a lot of money?

No, it wasn't that the old man had a lot of money, it was just that he was very generous and willing to indulge his granddaughter.

Just as Nurse Wang's feelings of touch sprang up, Xinxin's crying became audible.

"Xinxin doesn't want chocolates, wuwuwu... Grandpa don't buy chocolates for Xinxin, Xinxin doesn't want Grandpa to not want Xinxin."

Ji Xinghe panicked.

"Grandpa needs Xinxin, Grandpa said, he won't leave Xinxin before she grows up."

"But mom said, if Xinxin squanders money, wuwuwu... Grandpa won't want Xinxin anymore, because Grandpa has no money, Grandpa is old, he can't earn money."

"Mom was wrong, Grandpa does have money, Grandpa can still earn money, Grandpa can earn a lot, a lot of money. Look, Grandpa still has a lot of money."

Ji Xinghe displayed his account balance, worried that Xinxin wouldn't understand.

Xinxin understood, her crying stopped, but the tears did not, her large tear-streaked eyes focused on the screen in front of her, still choked up.

"Can it be saved? Sell the chocolates and keep the money."

"No need to sell the chocolates, Grandpa bought them for Xinxin to eat. Grandpa can still earn and save money. What does Xinxin want to buy? Tell Grandpa, Grandpa will buy it for you."

The topic had been diverted, but Xinxin hesitated to answer.

Ji Xinghe cautiously wiped away Xinxin's tears with his left hand, fearing his calloused hands would scratch her fair, blushing skin.

The warmth of his hand gave Xinxin courage.

"Xinxin wants to buy a Mecha, Xinxin wants to avenge dad."

Ji Xinghe's movements halted, even his breathing paused, just like when he had received the news of Ji Chenxing's sacrifice.