Pushing open the small door to the recovery room, one was greeted by an equally dimly lit, long corridor. Every so often, a holographic projection would appear, floating in mid-air. These usually displayed a light blue "No Entry" sign, though others, like a green "Ready" or a yellow "Inspection," gave one a quick glimpse into the status of the room behind it.
After Jiang Ling walked out of the door, she looked back and found that the door she had just opened had disappeared at some point. If it weren't for the newly gathered holographic projection light spots, perhaps no one would have known that it had been opened.
She didn't know why the people who built this place hid the gap in the door so tightly, but it was obviously a manifestation of respect for privacy.
The two of them walked slowly along one side of the corridor, occasionally spotting other hibernators appearing at different points along the wall, or being passed by those who had recovered earlier. Their interactions were mostly smiles and nods—a kind of simplified space etiquette. Jiang Ling noticed their eyes were calm and confident, each possessing a clear goal and a hint of anticipation for the future. They were unlike the hibernators she had encountered before falling asleep, who seemed burdened by a heavy responsibility. This sense of lightness and cheerfulness brightened her mood. Perhaps the work she would be assigned would be easier, freeing her from the daily grind of worrying about her belt.
As they approached the corridor exit, the brightness of the corridor became brighter and brighter. The brightness change was not as drastic as groping for a chandelier switch in the dark, but a uniform curve that was easy for the human eye to adapt to. In short, it was quite humane.
At the end of the corridor is an isolation door similar to those in previous hospitals. There is a scanner in front of the door similar to that used in subways. Identity verification is required for entry and exit, so there is a not-too-long queue here.
After passing through the isolation gate, they arrived in a bright, open area. It somewhat resembled the physical function examination area at the astronaut training center, but there were hardly any researchers or officers grading people. Most of the people coming and going here were hibernators undergoing rehabilitation training, along with a few caregivers wearing special protective suits. Clearly, this area was designed specifically for those with a severe allergy to hibernation.
Jiang Ling didn't need to use the services here, so the two of them continued forward. They pushed open doors of different styles one after another, and witnessed all kinds of familiar yet different scenes. . . . .
Finally, as they pushed open an extremely ordinary double door again, the relatively noisy voices from outside finally reached their ears without any hindrance.
This is a hall, with all kinds of people handling business at the windows around the hall. In the middle of the hall are rows of waiting areas, where many people with appointments are waiting for their numbers to be called. Of course, some of them have obviously been waiting for a long time and look a little drowsy.
Lin Yi took Jiang Ling to a seat next to the aisle and whispered in her ear, "Boss, wait here for a while. I'll go and handle the immigration procedures for you."
"Immigration procedures? Okay, I understand." Although Jiang Ling was confused by this, she generously stated that she could take care of herself. She watched Lin Yi slowly walk away, then stroked the "ring" on her right middle finger and sat down casually, peering around openly.
The hall's overall color scheme was solemn. While lacking the grandeur of a government office building, it still felt quite serious. The people at the windows were orderly, each line neatly stacked according to the holographic partitions, with virtually no queue-jumping. The hall's floor was a warm-toned, porcelain-like flooring, a striking contrast to the surrounding dark-gray walls. Furthermore, potted plants were placed next to all the pillars. While they weren't conventional plants—at least Jiang Ling couldn't sense any vitality in them—they seemed to possess an effect far superior to that of real plants.
A few seats to Jiang Ling's left, a couple seemed to be chatting away. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop on their conversation; it was simply too loud.
Woman: "I've inquired about it. It's because the government is lowering the hibernation ratio again, so the contribution required to go to the future is increasing. The little we've saved is completely insufficient."
Man: "Ayun, there's really no need to go into the future! The future may not be as good as the present. As long as we're together, we can still enjoy our life now!"
Woman: "You don't understand! My brothers and sisters have all gone to the future. If I don't go, who will inherit our estate? Who will inherit the estate of our elders?"
Man: "Didn't we agree that we only wanted companionship and no offspring? It doesn't matter who gets that little inheritance."
Woman: "I don't care! I get mad at them for just picking up contribution points for free!"
. . . . . .
Jiang Ling listened to their argument in silence, quickly understanding their way of thinking. It was important to note that people hadn't changed at all. The economic base determined the superstructure, and family matters were always the root cause of family conflict. She hadn't wanted to get involved in this farce, but the woman clearly didn't want to let her, a bystander, go.
"Hey, you must be a hibernator who was awakened because of unpaid bills? You can definitely come and seek justice!" The woman stood up angrily, walked to the seat opposite Jiang Ling, and said to her resentfully.
"Me, me? But I just came to this era." Jiang Ling avoided the question. Speaking at this time would offend both sides.
The man couldn't bear it any longer, so he leaned over and apologized, "I'm so sorry, we're just here to get an understanding of the situation. You know, the relevant information from the mothership's LAN has always been delayed. We just found out..."
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