Chapter 283: Space Planting Cabin – Space Agency Invitation

That metal pipe still lay in the gap between the floor tiles, ten centimeters above the ground, unmoving and not retracting. No one dared to touch it, and no one dared to walk away. Zhao Jianguo stood in the middle of the forecourt, his hand never lowered. The new team leader gripped the stabilizer, his knuckles whitening slightly.

That metal pipe lay in the gap between the floor tiles, like something that had grown up from the ground. No one dared to move, and no one spoke.

Zhao Xing suddenly stepped forward.

He didn't look at the pipe, but turned his head toward his own balcony. The planting cabin sat on a rack against the wall, and the sprout inside the glass cover trembled slightly, as if blown by wind, though there was no wind at all today.

"It wasn't aimed at us." Zhao Xing said.

Zhao Jianguo frowned: "How do you know?"

"I can feel it." Zhao Xing pointed at the planting cabin. "It's been moving; it started shaking just now. That was when the vehicle entered the alley."

Everyone followed his gaze. The Space Agency's vehicle had already stopped at the courtyard gate, painted deep blue, with a white emblem on its body: a circle encircling three diagonal lines.

The car door opened, and a man in uniform stepped out. He wore a national emblem badge on his chest and held a sealed bag. He stood straight and walked toward them.

The new team leader stood beside Zhao Jianguo, hand on the stabilizer, eyes fixed on the man's every step. Only when the man stopped five meters away did he whisper: "Signal normal, no interference."

Zhao Jianguo didn't move, only asking: "Who are you?"

"Lin Zhenbang, Space Engineering Office." The man produced his credentials, offering them with both hands. "I've come especially to find Student Zhao Xing."

Zhao Jianguo took it, glanced twice. The anti‑forgery pattern was clear, the number verifiable. He returned the credentials and nodded.

Lin Zhenbang turned to Zhao Xing: "Your miniature ecological circulation system successfully sprouted and achieved a 100% survival rate within seventy‑two hours under simulated vacuum, zero gravity, and strong radiation. The data are genuine and have been reviewed by the National Space Station Project Group."

He raised the sealed bag a little: "We formally invite you to join the China Space Station Supporting Construction Team to participate in the development of the next‑generation space planting module. The contract is here."

Those around began to murmur.

"He's growing vegetables and can still go to space?"

"He's doing science; you don't even know what an ecological cycle is."

"Oh wow, our courtyard is going to produce a space kid!"

Zhao Xing ignored them. He stared at the bag, then glanced at the planting cabin on the balcony. The sprout trembled again.

"Can you wait a moment?" he said.

Having said that, he turned and walked away, a few steps up the stairs into the house. Less than a minute later he came out, holding a palm‑sized metal sheet. He opened it and plugged it into the small port on the side of the terminal.

This was the lie‑detector connector left by Zhao Yang.

He pointed the terminal at Lin Zhenbang: "Are you telling the truth?"

Lin Zhenbang froze for a moment, then nodded: "I swear by my identity as a national space engineering professional that this invitation is genuine and valid, with no strings attached, involving no secret surveillance or personal control."

The green light came on.

Zhao Xing let out a breath of relief.

At that moment, a flash of light suddenly passed through his mind—not something he actually saw, but a sensation, like a surge of heat rushing from the back of his head upward, instantly coursing through his whole body.

【Obtained national‑level space cooperation, reward 【Space Technology Specialization】】

He knew this was the system prompt.

Zhao Jianguo also saw it, the corner of his eye twitching imperceptibly. He knew his son was no longer just a kid who tinkered with little gadgets—he had truly attracted the nation's attention.

Seeing his silence, Lin Zhenbang added: "You can think about it for seven days. Leave the contract; contact us anytime."

He placed the bag on the nearby stone table, gave a salute, and turned to walk back toward the car.

Zhao Xing didn't stop him. He walked to the planting cabin, fingertips touching the glass. Inside, the sprout calmed down and stopped trembling.

"Were you scared just now?" he asked softly.

Of course, no one answered.

But he felt it had heard.

From the alley mouth came the sound of the vehicle starting up, slowly driving away.

The new team leader lowered his hand and reported quietly: "The vehicle's trajectory has been recorded; satellite confirmation shows it heading toward Space City, with no detours or stops."

Zhao Jianguo nodded, then finally took two steps forward.

"Do you think he's genuine or fake?" he asked his son.

"Real." Zhao Xing said, "but someone is watching."

"Who?"

"I don't know. But since just now, the planting cabin's data has been transmitting outward. It wasn't us sending it; someone has taken it."

Zhao Jianguo lifted his head.

There was nothing in the sky.

But he knew there was a problem.

Zhao Xing crouched, opened the terminal, pulled up the backend log. An abnormal connection record popped up—source: a low‑orbit satellite, serial ending in 739, not in the public orbital database.

"This satellite shouldn't be here." he said. "It was still in the southern hemisphere yesterday, now it's shifted fifteen degrees and is pointing straight at our home."

Zhao Jianguo said nothing.

He knew what that meant.

Once technology shows its head, it can't be stopped. Whether you're a child or an expert, as soon as you create something, someone will reach out.

He patted his son's shoulder: "What do we do next?"

"Don't move for now." Zhao Xing closed the terminal. "Let them look if they want. But I need to change something."

"Change what?"

"Make the seeds we plant grow something they can't imagine."

Zhao Jianguo glanced at him, then asked no further.

He knew the boy had already understood one thing: being watched isn't scary; what's scary is not knowing how to stare back.

The people in the courtyard gradually dispersed.

Someone said: "Zhao Xing will go to heaven someday!"

Someone said, "Our Siheyuan is going to produce an academician too?"

Someone else laughed, "When he appears on TV, I'll definitely record it and show it to my grandson!"

Zhao Xing ignored the remarks. He returned to the planting chamber, opened the base, and took out a circuit board. Several solder points were the wrong color; he had secretly added them last night.

He picked up the soldering iron and gently touched the third point.

With a sizzle, a puff of white smoke rose.

The solder point changed color.

He reassembled it and covered it with a glass dome.

"It's safe now," he said.

Zhao Jianguo stood at the side, watching the sprout.

It moved again, a bit faster than before, as if responding.

In the sky, that satellite continued to hover, unmoving.

Zhao Xing looked up briefly, his mouth corner twitching.

He didn't smile, but his gaze changed.

As if he had finally found an opponent.

The new Team Leader walked over and whispered, "Should we report this satellite?"

Zhao Jianguo shook his head, "No need. Let it watch. We'll do our own thing."

"But what if…?"

"There's no 'what if.'" Zhao Jianguo said, "What we're doing now has never been done before. Being watched is the normal state."

The new Team Leader fell silent.

He knew that this master never spoke superfluous words.

Zhao Xing suddenly said, "Dad."

"Mm."

"I want to move the planting chamber into the house."

"Why?"

"It's too noisy outside; it can't sleep well."

Zhao Jianguo gave him a glance, nodded, "Alright, move it."

Zhao Xing began dismantling the mounting frame. As soon as two screws were unscrewed, the Terminal trembled briefly.

He looked down.

A new entry appeared in the backend: data upload request denied, the counterpart attempted to establish a secondary connection.

He neither deleted the record nor blocked it.

He only typed a few words on the Terminal:

"If you want to steal, you must first learn to cultivate."

Destination: unknown IP.

After that, he continued unscrewing.

When the planting chamber was lifted, the sprout suddenly jolted violently.

Everyone saw it.

Zhao Xing stopped, pressing his hand back against the glass.

"It's fine," he said, "I'm here."

The sprout gradually calmed.

He carried the planting chamber into the house; his silhouette was a bit small but steady.

Zhao Jianguo stood where he was, not following inside.

He looked up at the sky.

The clouds were thick; no stars could be seen.

But he knew some things had already changed.

That satellite was still there.

The metal pipe in the floor‑tile seam had not been retracted.

Yet it never moved, like a piece of wire simply growing there.

Zhao Xing placed the planting chamber on the desk and connected the power.

The Screen lit up, showing internal temperature and humidity normal.

He sat down and opened the blueprint.

The new module was still unnamed; the sketch depicted a circular structure with a hollow shaft in the center.

He stared at it for a long time.

Then he wrote three characters in the remarks column:

"Plant it."

Footsteps came from outside the door.

It was Zhao Jianguo.

He stood at the doorway and said, "The space agency left a phone number. Reply within seven days."

Zhao Xing nodded, "I know."

"Do you plan to go?"

"Not sure yet."

But they will come again.

Because what I have to do is not just planting vegetables.

Zhao Jianguo didn't respond.

He knew what his son was thinking now, and it had already surpassed his understanding.

He only said: "Take care of yourself."

Zhao Xing smiled slightly: "I will."

Zhao Jianguo turned and left.

Only Zhao Xing and the planting cabin remained in the room.

He turned off the main light, leaving only the desk lamp.

Light shone on the glass, the shadow of the sprouts cast on the wall, a thin line, slightly askew.

He stared at that shadow, his finger tapping once on the keyboard.

The design diagram enlarged.

The ring structure rotated, revealing internal details.

There were three hidden slots, asymmetrically placed, like some kind of code.

He entered a string of numbers.

The drawing was automatically saved, and the file name became: Project_07.

He exited the program and closed the computer.

The planting cabin's light was still on.

Green light reflected on his face.

He didn't move, just kept sitting.

Until a faint click came from outside the window.

It was as if something had completed a docking.