Chapter 258

When Zhao Yang pushed open the Courtyard Gate, the sky was already completely dark. He didn't speak, but his steps were a little slower than usual. Zhao Xing walked in the middle, hands in his pockets, his knuckles occasionally touching a small part in his pocket. Zhao Chen came last, glanced back at the alley entrance, then gently closed the door.

The lights were on inside.

In the Main Hall, a round table was set in the center, with a cream cake on it, five candles stuck in it. The flames flickered, casting trembling shadows on the wall. Su Qing came out of the Kitchen wearing an apron, holding a plate of sweet and sour pork ribs. Seeing the three children enter, she immediately smiled: 'Back already? Perfect, I've been waiting for you.'

Zhao Jianguo sat at the table, turning a bubble gum box in his hand, making a click-clack sound. He glanced at the children, didn't ask about the workshop, only said: 'Wash up, the Meal Ticket's getting cold.'

The Triplets each went to the sink to wash their hands. Zhao Xing rubbed twice and shook his hands off; Zhao Chen rubbed a few seconds longer; Zhao Yang waited until the water turned cool before turning off the tap. They came back and sat down; Su Qing laid out all the dishes, then brought four small bowls and filled them with rice.

"Come, make a wish." Zhao Jianguo pushed the cake to the center.

Zhao Xing stared at the candles for two seconds, then suddenly said: 'Fire.'

Zhao Chen looked up at him.

Zhao Yang also stopped his motion.

Zhao Xing said again: 'Beijing Olympics.'

The air suddenly fell silent. Su Qing's hand froze mid-air, the Meal Ticket spoon not lowered. Zhao Jianguo turned his head to look at him, his gaze unmoving.

Zhao Chen suddenly said: 'Bird's Nest.'

Zhao Yang then said: 'Fuwa.'

The three voices came one after another, like they were strung together. The moment the words fell, the house rang with a sharp, urgent 'ding—' that seemed to come from inside the wall.

Zhao Jianguo frowned, stood up immediately. He patted his pocket, and the sign-in system interface popped up, red characters flashing: 'Historical event precognition detected, triggering cross-time alarm.'

Su Qing grabbed the Triplets and pulled them behind her, blocking the corner of the wall. She looked at Zhao Jianguo: 'What's going on?'

Zhao Jianguo didn't answer. He stared at the doorway, ears perked, listening to outside movements.

A few seconds later, the Courtyard Gate was slammed open with a bang.

A man in black combat gear rushed in, wearing a tactical earpiece, with a badge on his chest. Seeing the Triplets at a glance, he immediately raised his hand: 'According to Article 13 of the Cross-Time Management Regulations, the three target children must be isolated immediately!'

Zhao Jianguo did not move.

The man took a step forward, about to reach out, when his foot suddenly slipped. He looked down and found a strip of colored gelatinous substance on the ground, sticking to his sole like sugar threads. He pulled hard; he didn't fall, but his pant leg was caught and he couldn't move.

He lifted his head and glared: 'What are you doing?!'

Zhao Jianguo chuckled, took out a shiny candy from his pocket, and handed it over: 'Want to calm down?'

The man ignored him and struggled hard twice. The more he struggled, the more appeared—colorful bubble gum sprayed from the walls, doorframe, and pillars, like a spiderweb wrapping him up. His whole body was stuck in place; he couldn't lift his hands or move his feet.

"What the hell is this?!" he shouted.

"Bubble gum wall." Zhao Jianguo said, "I just made it yesterday, added an emotional stabilizer. The more agitated you are, the tighter it sticks."

The man shut his mouth, panting.

Su Qing stepped out from the wall corner, one hand protecting a child. Looking at the man stuck in the goo, her voice trembled a little: 'Who are you? Why are you taking the children?'

"I'm not capturing them." The man said, "I'm protecting them. The words they just said are keywords from the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Ordinary people couldn't possibly know them. This shows they've been exposed to future information and must be isolated for investigation."

Zhao Jianguo let out an 'oh', turned his head to the Triplets: 'How do you know about the Olympics?'

Zhao Xing shook his head: 'I don't know, I just saw it.'

"What did you see?"

"Firelight." Zhao Xing pointed at the candle, "When the flame flared, I saw a big bowl‑shaped building, lots of people running, and five little figures floating in the sky."

Zhao Chen added: 'The bowl is the Bird's Nest, the little figures are Fuwa.'

Zhao Yang whispered: 'They were wearing clothes of different colors—red, black, yellow, green, blue—standing together, smiling.'

After hearing this, Zhao Jianguo turned to the man and said: 'So you're from the future?'

"I'm the Special Forces Captain." The man said, "I'm responsible for monitoring abnormal spacetime fluctuations. Their recent behavior constitutes a first‑level precognition event and must be reported."

"Then you need to come down first." Zhao Jianguo waved the candy in his hand, "If you don't take it, I'll confiscate it."

The man gritted his teeth, finally reached out, took the candy, and stuffed it into his mouth. A few seconds later, his shoulders relaxed, his breathing steadied, and the anger on his face faded.

"This candy… actually works." He said softly.

"As long as it works." Zhao Jianguo turned, took a small dish from the table, placed a few pieces of candy in it, and handed it over: "Take it back for your teammates to try; next time don't be so rash."

The Special Forces Captain didn't take it, only saying: "This time I admit defeat. But the system has already recorded it; precognition ability is confirmed activated. The higher-ups won't let up."

"I know." Zhao Jianguo nodded, "But the kids are having a birthday at home; you breaking in like this still calls for some courtesy."

"I'm just following procedure."

"Procedure also depends on the timing." Zhao Jianguo pointed at the cake, "The candles aren't even blown out yet, and you burst in to grab people—does that make sense?"

The Special Forces Captain said nothing.

Zhao Jianguo placed the dish at his feet: "Next time you come, give a heads‑up first. I'll treat you to cake."

The man stared at the dish of candy for a long while before saying: "You… aren't afraid of us?"

"Afraid." Zhao Jianguo said, "But fear is useless. If you can come once, you can come ten times. Instead of hiding, let's open the door wider so you can see clearly—my children aren't lab specimens."

Su Qing walked over then, placed three damp towels on the table, and said softly: "Wipe your faces; you're all sweaty."

Zhao Jianguo glanced at her and smiled.

The Triplets sat at the table, unmoving. Zhao Xing stared at the Special Forces Captain's combat uniform and suddenly said: "Your uniform has a symbol that looks like an eye."

Zhao Chen looked up: "Below the eye there are numbers, 2025."

Zhao Yang added: "There's also small lettering, hard to read, but the first word is 'Traceback'."

The Special Forces Captain snapped his head up: "You can see that?"

Zhao Jianguo immediately turned: "Don't say any more."

But it was already too late.

The system interface popped up again, the red characters larger: "Spacetime marker precognition detected, precognition ability second activation!"

The Special Forces Captain's face changed: "They're not just precognizing the past; they can also see future surveillance system numbers… impossible! Ordinary precogs can only go back ten years at most—how can they read our internal identifiers?"

Zhao Jianguo ignored him. He walked over to the children, crouched down, and said: "What you just saw—don't say it again. Remember that?"

Triplets nod.

Su Qing hugged them tighter.

Zhao Jianguo stood up, and said to the Special Forces Captain: "You have two choices now. One is to keep standing here as a sugar person, waiting for your people to rescue you. Two is I'll help you get down, and you go back and send a message—let them come in a different way, stop always thinking about catching."

Special Forces Captain was silent for a few seconds, then said: "I choose the second."

Zhao Jianguo clapped his hands, took out a small remote from his pocket, and pressed it. The bubble gum on the wall began to slowly retract, as if alive, withdrawing into the seam. The Special Forces Captain moved his limbs, looked down at his combat uniform stuck and shiny, with a helpless expression.

"Can this gum... still be recovered?"

"Yes." Zhao Jianguo said, "It can be reused. Next time I come, I'll switch to strawberry flavor, stickier."

Special Forces Captain didn't smile. He adjusted his clothes, said something into his earpiece, then looked up: "I will report today's events. But I can't guarantee whether the higher-ups will send someone else."

"I don't expect you not to come." Zhao Jianguo said, "But next time, remember to pick a day when the kids are asleep. Don't come during mealtime."

Special Forces Captain glanced at the cake on the table, finally nodded: "Okay."

He turned and walked toward the door, just reached the courtyard gate, then stopped again.

"There's one more thing." He said with his back to them, "You need to prepare. Once precognition is activated, it won't stop. What they see will become more and more, and clearer. By then, it won't just be us who know; others will notice too."

Zhao Jianguo didn't respond.

Special Forces Captain left.

The courtyard gate closed.

The room suddenly fell silent.

Su Qing let out a breath, her hands still trembling. She looked at the three children: "You... really saw those?"

Zhao Xing nodded.

Zhao Chen said: "Very clear, like watching a movie."

Zhao Yang whispered: "There's also sound, someone shouting 'come on'."

Zhao Jianguo walked back to the table, pushed the cake to the center again: "Come, blow out the candles."

The triplets looked at him.

"It's all over." He said, "Now, make a wish."

Zhao Xing closed his eyes.

Zhao Chen lowered his head.

Zhao Yang placed his hand on the table, fingertips lightly touching the edge of the candle.

The flame flickered.

Zhao Jianguo suddenly said: "Don't wish for something too big."

The children opened their eyes.

He smiled: "Small ones are easier to come true."