The horizon was getting closer and closer. Chen Hao's palms were pressed against the control stick, his knuckles turning slightly white. He didn't speak, but simply leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the altitude reading on the navigation screen.

Three hundred meters.

"Ignite the thrust reverser," Nana's voice rang out.

With a loud bang, the spaceship suddenly stopped, as if pulled back by something. The fuselage swayed for a moment, then stabilized.

"Landing gear pressure is normal." Karl stared at the instrument, his voice soft but clear enough to be heard.

Susan gripped the edge of her seat, watching the ground lights rushing past the porthole. "We're really about to land."

One hundred meters.

The sound of wind coming from outside was no longer the sharp whistling that tore through metal, but a low whistling, like the sound of an old-fashioned air conditioner turned up to its maximum.

Fifty meters.

Chen Hao slowly pulled back the control lever, raising the bow of the boat slightly. He knew he couldn't rush or go too slow at this moment; it was like riding a bicycle downhill as a child, where you had to apply the brakes little by little.

Thump—

With a muffled thud, the main wheels touched down. Immediately afterwards, the front wheels followed, and the entire spacecraft began to glide along the runway. The tires screeched against the ground, like someone crushing a pile of plastic bottles.

After gliding for about ten seconds, the speed gradually decreased.

"It's stopped." Chen Hao let go of his hand, leaned back in his chair, and said, "I stepped on the brake."

The cabin was silent. All the alarm lights were off, the red lights on the instrument panels turned green, and the beeping became slow and steady.

Nobody moved.

Two seconds later, Susan smiled. "I'm not dead."

Carl nodded. "I'm alive too."

Nana glanced down at the data stream: "Oxygen is stable, power is normal, and life support systems are functioning correctly."

"Should we go down and take a look?" Chen Hao stood up, leaning on the handrail. His legs felt a little weak, as if they had gone numb from sitting for too long. He shook his feet and took a few steps. "I don't want to be carried down this time."

The hatch unlocking procedure was initiated, and the outer gate slowly opened. A gust of wind blew in, carrying the scent of damp earth and grass.

“This air…” Susan took a deep breath, “Why does it smell like the dishcloths hanging out to dry on my mom’s balcony?”

"That pothos plant on your balcony died last week, didn't it?" Chen Hao said.

"So it's more like a rag now."

Carl helped her slowly walk towards the cabin door. The steps were a bit high, and Susan paused when one foot touched the ground, then lowered her center of gravity and regained her balance.

"I can feel it in the soles of my feet," she said. "It's not the floor shaking, it's the ground."

Four people stood beside the spaceship. The wind blew their clothes against their bodies and their hair into a whirlwind. Above them was a blue sky, in the distance lay the outline of a city, and nearby was a flat meadow.

Chen Hao looked up at the sky. "I used to always think about skipping school, but now I actually want to go back to class."

“You don’t even do your homework,” Susan said.

"But I can write now. I've grown potatoes on other planets and repaired reactors, so what's a final exam?"

Which university are you planning to apply to?

"I need to lose weight first before I register." He patted his stomach. "Otherwise, I won't pass the physical exam."

Carl crouched down and looked at the landing gear. "Half of it is charred."

"As long as it works, it's fine." Chen Hao kicked the wheel. "I'll take it to the scrap yard and sell it for money later."

“This is a spacecraft,” Nana said.

"It's just a pile of iron now."

"The registration number is still valid; it cannot be disposed of casually."

"Then donate it to a museum and put up a sign that says: 'This boat was piloted home by a slacker.'"

"I suggest adding: 'No failing grades throughout the entire process'," Nana said.

Susan, leaning against Carl, suddenly said, "I remember when we first set off, I thought I wouldn't live to see the next day."

“Me too,” Carl said, “especially the time you threw up all over me.”

"That's a reaction to weightlessness!"

"You still say it's because you ate too much for breakfast."

"That's how it is."

Chen Hao went around to the stern of the ship and looked at the charred heat shield. "Who would have thought that someone who usually gets caught by the teacher for copying homework could bring the spaceship back?"

“According to the records, you failed seventeen times in your first simulated landing,” Nana said.

"It's okay if it doesn't work on the last try."

"The success rate has increased from 3 percent to 89 percent."

"Look, there's a lot of room for improvement."

Carl patted the hull. "It's older than all of us."

“But it accomplished its mission,” Susan said.

No one spoke. The wind blew, making it hard to open their eyes. In the distance, birds were calling, and there were also the shadows of airplanes flying by.

"We're back," Chen Hao said.

“Yes.” Susan nodded.

"But this is not the end."

"What do you want to do?" Carl asked.

"We learned to grow vegetables, generate electricity, and repair machinery in the deserted areas. These things cannot just remain in our memories."

"You want to teach others?" Nana asked.

"Of course. It can save lives during famine years, and it can also be used in remote areas. We can't let the next generation not even know how to tighten a screw."

“I can organize the entire technical process,” Nana said, “including the planting cycle, energy allocation, and troubleshooting.”

“I’m in charge of teaching,” Carl said. “I’m good at hands-on work.”

"My job is to make sure you don't slack off," Susan smiled, "and take care of the kids while I'm at it."

"Won't that kid call us the 'Four Heavenly Kings' from now on?" Chen Hao said.

“At least it sounds better than ‘space refugee’,” Susan said.

“We are not refugees.” Chen Hao turned around to face them. “We’re back to hand in our homework.”

"Whose homework is this?"

"Of Earth."

The wind suddenly picked up, making a slight clicking sound on the spaceship's hull. The clouds in the distance moved, and the sunlight slanted down, casting long shadows of the four people.

Chen Hao pointed ahead, "There's an abandoned base over there, the equipment is still usable. We can set up a temporary workstation there."

"Is the power connected?" Carl asked.

"Nana said there is a backup route map."

"Where are the tools?"

"I once hid a wrench in the third compartment of the left cabin storage box."

"Do you still remember the location?"

"I remember all the places where I hid snacks."

Susan sighed. "That's about all the reliable memory you have."

"That's enough."

Nana suddenly spoke up: "We've detected fluctuations in the wireless signal nearby."

"Civilian frequency bands?" Carl asked.

"Unknown source, encrypted transmission, distance approximately five kilometers."

"Someone's there?" Susan frowned.

“It might be an automatic monitoring station,” Nana said.

"It could be something else." Chen Hao stared in that direction. "Should we go take a look?"

“We haven’t even changed our clothes yet,” Carl said.

"Then let's go dressed like this." Chen Hao flexed his wrists. "Anyway, I'm not afraid of embarrassing myself."

“You’re not afraid, but I am,” Susan said. “I need to take a shower first.”

"I'll wash it when I get back."

"I'm not going."

“You have to go, whether you want to or not,” Chen Hao said. “You are the pillar of the team’s spirit.”

"I am pregnant."

"Pregnant women are more intimidating; people won't dare to make a move when they see them."

Who do you think will make a move?

"What if we run into a hoarder who's obsessed with supplies?"

"Then you lead the charge."

"I am the commander, I must cover the rear."

"You just want me to take the bullet for you."

"How could that be?" Chen Hao grinned. "If I really let you block for me, that would be using my teammates as cannon fodder."

"You already said that."

I meant 'what if'.

"You always say that."

Carl interrupted them: "The signal source is stationary and there is no active probing behavior."

“That means it doesn’t know we’re here,” Chen Hao said. “Then let’s find out about it first.”

"Wouldn't it be better to go back to the city first?" Susan asked.

“Returning to the city requires registration, quarantine, and meetings.” Chen Hao shook his head. “Right now, I just want to do something practical.”

“You’re looking to cause trouble right now,” Susan said.

"Causing trouble is also a problem."

Nana looked in the direction of the signal and said, "I suggest a three-person team go to investigate, with one person staying behind on the spaceship."

"I'll go," Chen Hao said, raising his hand.

“I’ll go too,” Carl said.

“Then I’ll stay,” Susan said. “I can take a nap.”

"Aren't you tired?" Chen Hao asked.

"I'm tired, but I don't want to leave." She sat down against the spaceship. "You guys go ahead, but don't stay too long."

“Two hours,” Carl said.

Chen Hao turned and walked towards the hatch. "Let's go on an adventure."

“It’s not an expedition,” Carl followed up. “It’s reconnaissance.”

"Anyway, I'm going out."

Nana stood still. "I will monitor the communication channels."

"I'll call you if I need anything." Chen Hao waved his hand.

The two walked up the gangway one after the other. The metal steps made a soft rustling sound.

Susan looked up as they disappeared through the hatch and whispered, "Don't cause any deaths."

The cabin door wasn't closed properly, and the wind blew in, blowing her hair onto her face.

She reached out and parted the debris, gazing at the distant grove of trees.

The direction of the signal source.