Chapter 215 - Sol Three Hundred and Twenty-Seven, Make Sure You Don’t Sleep (2/2)

“I have osteoporosis and a slipped disc. Will you believe me if I say that I could die right in front of you the moment I head out?”

Tomcat pushed the keyboard away and got up to head out. It took on the task of storing away the solar panels.

It entered the airlock, closed the hatch with a dull click. Tang Yue was the only one left in the Hab.

Tang Yue rubbed his stiff neck and exhaled lightly.

“Tang Yue,” Mai Dong suddenly called out.

“Yeah? Lass, you’re still there?”

“Of course. Can you tell me your childhood stories? I… I still want to know more about you.”

“Sure. I’ll definitely not hold back. I’ll tell you everything you’d like to know. After all, Tomcat wants us to know each other better.” Tang Yue yawned. “But I’m really too sleepy. Why don’t we chat tomorrow… There’s plenty of time tomorrow.”

Sleepiness was really something he couldn’t hold back when it hit him. He felt he could plunge head down on the desk even if there were nails on it.

“Are you really that tired?”

“Yes, I’m really tired.”

“Then… spend another ten minutes with me?” Mai Dong hesitated. “Five?”

Tang Yue smiled as he tried to pump himself up. “Tell me whatever you want to say. I’ll give up my life to spend all day with you until tomorrow morning. I’ll just not sleep tonight.”

“Okay. You promise me to stay with me until morning.”

“Yes.” Tang Yue yawned.

“Tell me more about your sister.”

“Her? She’s a really terrifying violent woman. She’s the kind of person who can punch through a door.”

Tang Yue sat on the chair, leaning his back against it with his legs bent to his chest. He looked up at the dim and gentle light. To him, it had only been a year or two since those matters happened, but his memories felt extremely distant.

For some reason, Mai Dong was suddenly very interested in his stories. Tang Yue began telling her about all the dumb antics he had done when he was young. For example, copying from the student sitting beside him during a primary school exam, only to realize that there were two sets of exam papers with a different ordering. In secondary school, he placed sodium in his pocket and ended up setting his clothes on fire. During an English listening comprehension exam, he finished all the questions while the instructions were still being played. Mai Dong kept laughing as a result.

“Tang Yue, I see the Sun. The space station is about to enter the no-signal zone.” Mai Dong restrained herself from laughing as her voice turned garbled. The signal was possibly getting unstable.

“I’ll wait for you to return.” Tang Yue rubbed his eyes.

“Tang Yue.”

“Yes?”

“Since we have already decided to get married, you haven’t expressed…” Mai Dong said, “It’s always me who mentions it first.”

Tang Yue was taken aback, feeling a little embarrassed.

Being silent and introverted were one of the excellent qualities as someone who was forever alone.

“Eh… You want to hear the three words? Four? Or is it five?”

“Is five the most you can do?” the girl narrowed her eyes and scoffed.

“No, the most is five hundred words. Let me prepare myself…” Tang Yue took a deep breath.

“Hold it. Not now. Say it when I’m back,” Mai Dong cut him off. “So… Don’t you sleep before I’m back.”

“Alright.” Tang Yue nodded.

“Don’t sleep.”

“I won’t.”

“Make sure you don’t sleep…” The girl’s voice was drowned by the static, and moments later, the comms were cut. The United Space Station had entered the no-signal zone.

After an unknown period of time, the comms fell silent. Tang Yue held his head looking at the digital clock in front of him.

It was already midnight. The red number was ticking away the seconds. How long does it take for the United Space Station to get out of the no-signal zone? Thirty minutes? Twenty minutes? I don’t remember… Tang Yue stared blankly at the time. His brain seemed to process his thoughts, but it was also seemingly mixing into mush.

He wanted to think of something to dispel his sleepiness, but he was just too sleepy and tired. The numbers in front of him gradually distorted as Tang Yue suddenly found himself unable to identify them. He stared at them intently but was unable to figure them out.

Tang Yue knew that his brain had gone on strike, and his recognition abilities were gone. The signals his eyes sent were rejected by the brain as his eyelids seemed to weigh a ton.

Don’t sleep.

Make sure you don’t sleep.

You agreed that you wouldn’t sleep.

Who can slap me?

Where’s Tomcat… Tomcat isn’t back yet.

Why isn’t it back…

Why would it take so long to move the solar panels…

As fatigue overwhelmed him, Tang Yue was certain that he had never been this exhausted before. As everything before him turned into a blur, the rest of his body began going on strike after his brain.

Vaguely, he seemed to hear someone calling his name.

Tang Yue…

Tang Yue!

Is that Mai Dong?

He didn’t know if it was an illusion or a dream.

Tang Yue began making his final struggle as he pinched his cheeks hard, hoping to keep himself awake.

But it was black the next moment. The world had plunged into pitch-black darkness.