Chapter 226: Puzzle_1

The service robot delivered three dishes and several bottles of beer, and Jiang Yu opened a bottle of beer for Burton as well as one for himself.

As he poured the beer for himself, he asked, "What do you think about my conversation with Gu Liang yesterday?"

Burton held his beer somewhat absentmindedly; he had thought they would be dining in a hotel private room, not the dining room of the accommodations.

The three dishes, though comprising fish and meat, were still quite modest.

Jiang Yu looked at the dazed Burton, "Don't you like beer?"

At yesterday's gathering, he had seen Burton drinking it.

"Not at all," Burton said, smiling as he poured the beer, "Just now I was reflecting that, as a Wallfacer, and moreover one not constrained by PDC, you're the most powerful person in the human world.

"Yet none of these honors and titles can shake your heart."

Jiang Yu caught the implication in Burton's words and laughed, "What about shaking one's heart? It's just that I don't want to waste anything, I hope the entire Solar System State, starting with myself, would embrace a spirit of frugality."

Burton nodded, "I will do my best to promote a culture of thrift."

He paused, then added, "Gu Liang reported to me about your conversation yesterday. I think we could increase the subsidies for the initial residents of the new colonial cities.

"If they want to improve their lives, they should move to the new colonies. That should be able to motivate people.

"Generally speaking, once they are in a new environment, they should feel some drive to progress."

Jiang Yu hummed in agreement, "That's indeed a solution. Since we've discovered the problem before it erupted, it's like we have the upper hand now.

"Try different approaches in the future, sum up the experiences, and perhaps we'll find the right path."

He drank a toast with Burton, "You know about me leaving early yesterday, right?"

"Yes, many people noticed Wallfacer was in a bad mood. Did someone speak out of turn and upset you?" Burton ventured to ask:

"Or were you dissatisfied with the personnel arrangement yesterday?"

"No," Jiang Yu sighed, "Do you remember the warning I gave you last time I came to Guanghan City?"

"I've never dared forget!" Burton replied earnestly, "All these years, everything I've done was to carry out your Wallfacer plan more efficiently."

He paused, then continued, "But the young people who are the backbone of various departments yesterday... their fathers and grandfathers were your old subordinates. Growing up with their influence, these young people also strongly support your Wallfacer plan!"

Jiang Yu took a deep breath, "The current situation is different from yours.

"I asked my nephew to go back and think things over. These children..."

Jiang Yu smiled, "It might not be quite appropriate for me to call them that, but to me, they are indeed just kids from friends' families.

"I can't be too biased. When you go back, let them think for themselves too, to see if they might be missing something important."

Burton nodded, "I understand."

As usual, whoever figured out Jiang Yu's "riddle" first would be heavily relied upon by the Wallfacer.

Having finished this topic, the two no longer discussed work.

Jiang Yu listened to Burton recount thrilling tales from his battles with PDC in the past, and Jiang Yu told Burton about amusing incidents from his time at the Star Defense Department.

Chatting and laughing, it wasn't until 4 p.m. that Burton left.

After sending Burton off, Jiang Yu began to publicly claim that he needed to rest for a while.

He did not care about the urgency of the PDC's negotiation delegates nor the young people who hoped to confirm their speculations after receiving hints from Burton.

Jiang Yu's break lasted for a month and a half.

...

Somewhat timidly, Bai Tianyue stepped off the shuttle and was at a loss in front of the steel room.

About fifty years in age, she looked as old as sixty or seventy due to her years of hard work.

Her hair was grizzled and unkempt, her face lined with wrinkles, her hands dry and rough, with thick calluses filling her palms.

Her clothes, provided by the staff of Guanghan City before, had no patches—a change from over twenty years ago.

Behind Bai Tianyue, her son urged, "Why are you blocking the door? Let's go!"

"Ah," Bai Tianyue responded and hurriedly stepped forward.

Because her grandfather, Bai Xiao, was a key figure in the ETO's "crimes," from her grandmother to her father and aunt, as well as herself—who was born during the Crisis 38 years ago and had only met her grandfather once—were all considered "sinners" by humanity.

At home, she was the scapegoat; her husband could never become a workshop team leader due to his background, her son couldn't become a soldier because of hers, and her daughter couldn't marry well, also thanks to her lineage.

In short, all the family's misfortunes were because of her.

A staff member nearby couldn't stand it and scolded Bai Tianyue's son, Zhang Shuo, "How can you speak to your mother like that?"

Zhang Shuo didn't dare retort—who would dare talk back to someone sent by the Wallfacers?

Under the staff's guidance, they boarded a car that, to Bai Tianyue's eyes, didn't seem to need a driver, and took a tour around a city filled with trees and flowers.

Compared to the dusty, dirty and chaotically Earth cities, this place was like paradise!

Zhang Shuo still couldn't believe it, "Can we really live in Guanghan City?"

The staff member said annoyedly, "Not you, your mother has that right!"

Zhang Shuo smacked his lips, "If the old lady can come, why can't I? I was almost recruited into the Star Defense Department armed forces, if it weren't for the political vetting..."

The staff member sneered, "I had your record checked from the moment we left Yellow River Station. You didn't even pass the physical exam back then, you were far from the political vetting!"

Zhang Shuo's face turned red, and he didn't dare to speak further.

Bai Tianyue asked with little confidence, "My grandfather, he… he really was a good person?"

The staff member immediately became enthusiastic, "Auntie, not only a good person, he was a hero of humanity!

"The Wallfacer is waiting for you at the monument. Let the Wallfacer tell you. You'll believe what the Wallfacer says, right?"

If these words had been spoken eighty years ago, people would have taken it as a joke: Who could believe what a Wallfacer said?

But after the Trisolarans' Genetic Modification and Brain Implant Technology messed things up, Wallfacer Jiang Yu actually became an authority figure in the eyes of people worldwide, his every word unquestionable.

Still somewhat skeptical, Zhang Shuo couldn't believe that someone as important as a Wallfacer would meet with the old lady.

But once they arrived at Pioneer Park, Zhang Shuo was stunned to see Jiang Yu, a regular feature in the recent news, and he recognized him.

However, Zhang Shuo was not the main character in this scene; Jiang Yu approached Bai Tianyue and said, "I'm sorry for your suffering."

"My grandfather..." Bai Tianyue could no longer hold back her tears, "Was my grandfather really a good person?"

Jiang Yu replied, "Yes, I have restored your grandfather's reputation. They were good people who infiltrated the ETO, saved Earth twice, and provided us with much critical intelligence."

Finally feeling relieved, Bai Tianyue, while wiping her tears, said, "My grandmother and my father always told me, even on their deathbeds, that my grandfather was a good person.

"I knew they wouldn't lie to me.

"After my grandfather was arrested, my father took me to see him one last time. I knew my grandfather, who had such a kind smile, couldn't be wrong!"

Jiang Yu immediately offered a few comforting words. At that moment, a group of elementary students with drawing boards passed by.

They were art special class students, out for a plein-air painting session in the square today.

Seeing the scene by the monument, their teacher told the students behind them, "Class, salute to the descendants of the hero."

The children immediately saluted Bai Tianyue in unison.

Moved to tears by the scene, Bai Tianyue sobbed uncontrollably. Throughout her life, children had always avoided her, spitting and throwing stones countless times.

She cried as if she was trying to release years of pent-up grievances.

Seeing Bai Tianyue crying so intensely, the children hurried over, offering tissues and asking where she felt unwell.

Jiang Yu too had tears streaming down his face. He asked Number Three, "How can we ever make up for the injustice they've suffered over these years?"