Is Unlocking the Stellaris Tech Tree in Star Rail Really Okay? [168]

“I’ve got some photos I want to show Chen Lin,” March 7th said as she walked across the soft carpet, fiddling with her camera. A bright and innocent smile adorned her face.

No matter the challenges or troubles they faced, she always made time to capture moments worth remembering. Memories might fade over time, but photos could bring back vivid images of the past, each one evoking the emotions of those moments. To March 7th, these were treasures far more valuable than gold or silver.

When taking a break in some quiet corner, she often scrolled through her collection. At first, it had just been her and Dan Heng. Later, Chen Lin and Stelle joined, their journey now documented in various snapshots. But one thing remained constant: the radiant smile of the girl at the center of it all.

She had no memories of her past, and sometimes she worried about forgetting her friends in the future. Yet, even if that happened, she was sure the photos would remind her that the people in them were cherished friends.

Stelle, still chewing on a bun, swallowed hard and leaned closer. “You took pictures?” she asked curiously.

She didn’t remember March 7th ever gathering everyone for photos and was eager to see what March 7th had captured on the Xianzhou.

“Lots!” March 7th said enthusiastically, holding up her camera and scrolling through the images. “Look, this is a flying wooden bird from the Xianzhou—they use it for deliveries. And this is the ship we came on... I think it’s called the Star Skiff. Cool, right?”

The camera screen displayed a vibrant series of snapshots, each one bursting with color and dynamic light. Out of every ten photos, at least five featured March 7th herself, occasionally with Welt in the background discussing their next steps.

After flipping through the last photo, March 7th beamed with excitement. “We should drag Chen Lin in for a group picture sometime. It’d make a great keepsake!”

Stelle, holding another bun, responded, “Didn’t we already take a lot? On the way here.”

“Stelle, you don’t get it!” March 7th said, suddenly serious. “We need to document the whole adventure—crossing mountains and solving challenges—and capture that triumphant moment at the end!”

“Well, uh...” Stelle hesitated.

“Just tell me: Do you want to see it or not?”

“Of course!” Stelle answered without hesitation. Any photo with Chen Lin in it was worth seeing.

As they talked, the two had already climbed the stairs and now stood before Chen Lin’s door. Stelle raised her hand and knocked a few times.

She remembered Chen Lin saying it was polite to knock before entering someone else’s room. He didn’t like rude people, so she made a point not to be one.

Unless it was an emergency, Stelle generally remembered her manners. After all, she had picked up a lot from Chen Lin’s lessons.

Knock, knock, knock.

Inside, Qingque was fidgeting nervously on the sofa.

What am I doing, being so clumsy today? she thought. Not only had she spilled soup earlier, but she’d also spaced out while loading her clothes into the washing machine, accidentally tossing in her undergarments as well.

Now, here she was, sitting in just a towel. While the towel was large enough to wrap around her securely, it still felt precarious. If she didn’t hold the edges tightly, it might drag along the carpet.

She curled up on the sofa, her thoughts spiraling. The situation felt oddly awkward yet exhilarating. She couldn’t help but wonder what Chen Lin, usually so covered up, actually looked like beneath his clothes.

Who picked those outdated clothes for him anyway? Qingque mused. There are so many stylish options, yet he’s wearing something that went out of fashion centuries ago. All you can really see are his hands and face.

Still, she figured his physique must be decent. After all, it wasn’t like his head and body were mismatched.

The sound of water stopped, signaling that Chen Lin had finished his shower. A moment later, he emerged, dressed in his usual short-sleeved hoodie and work pants, leisurely toweling off his damp hair.

Seeing him, Qingque’s eyes lit up.

Chen Lin had been slim when he first arrived, partly due to the pressures of his previous job and partly because of childhood anorexia that had left lingering effects.

However, after the transformative process of Origin Enhancement, those minor ailments vanished entirely. His neck and lower back no longer ached, and he no longer felt any aversion toward food.

Now, his physique was balanced and well-defined, the kind that would take an ordinary person years to develop through rigorous effort. Yet, in just a few short months, Chen Lin had reached this ideal state.

A corner of his hoodie wasn’t tucked in properly, leaving part of it folded awkwardly, exposing a glimpse of his toned abs. Qingque found herself unable to look away, an odd impulse to touch those well-defined muscles stirring in her mind.

It was akin to the surprise of seeing an ugly duckling transform overnight into a swan. But Chen Lin wasn’t ugly to begin with—anyone with a functioning pair of eyes would rate his looks no less than a 90 out of 100.

After a morning of work, some surface-level politicking with Kafka had left him covered in grime. A shower had restored his freshness, leaving him looking more relaxed and presentable.

Noticing Qingque’s gaze from the sofa, Chen Lin assumed she was reacting to how out-of-place his outfit looked on the Xianzhou. “This is traditional clothing from my homeland. You probably haven’t seen it much. Usually, when I go out, I wear clothes I bought here on the Xianzhou.”

“Wear this!” Qingque blurted out, startling even herself with her sudden declaration.

Realizing her tone was inappropriate, she quickly added, “I mean, the Xianzhou is very accepting of different cultures. There’s no need to limit yourself to local fashion... You look good in anything, Chen Lin.”

Honestly, compared to the junk you’ve been buying here...

Qingque couldn’t help but feel like a gem was being wasted. She resolved to take him shopping for proper outfits someday, preferably something more modern—and less stifling than those fully-covered robes.

Guys showing a little skin are way more pleasing to the eye...

“Thanks for the compliment,” Chen Lin said with a smile. Holding up a white robe embroidered with cloud motifs, he added, “Here, wear this. I found it in the wardrobe next to the bathroom. Moving around in just a towel can’t be comfortable.”

“Wardrobe? In the bathroom?”

“Yeah, see this wall here? I noticed the material was slightly different, so I pressed a button, and this hidden wardrobe popped open.” Chen Lin demonstrated by pressing a small button near the bathroom door, revealing the concealed compartment.

Inside was a neatly arranged collection of robes in various styles and colors. Chen Lin had chosen one at random for Qingque to use temporarily.

Qingque also noticed a small guidebook tucked beneath the coffee table. Opening it, she found a note:

"This space is designed for storing special clothing and items. To respect the privacy and unique needs of our guests, the wardrobe is intentionally discreet. Feel free to use it as needed."

Special clothing? Special items? Qingque wasn’t entirely sure what that meant but accepted the robe Chen Lin handed her.

“You’re pretty thoughtful, Chen Lin.”

“Go change in the room you used last time,” Chen Lin said, waving her off as he fiddled with the ordering terminal. “I’m going to order more food and prep some things to discuss with my friends later. I’d like to introduce you to them too.”

Qingque’s eyes widened. “You found your friends?”

Chen Lin nodded. “Yeah, I arranged for them to stay on the lower floor. It was a busy night, so I’m giving myself a day off. You should come meet them. They’re good people.”

“Of course! You guys must not have had much to do while traveling, right? All that empty space in the stars... it must get boring! I could introduce them to some Xianzhou traditions to make the journey more enjoyable.”

“?”

“Come on, Chen Lin, card games are tons of fun! Didn’t you enjoy playing with me before?”

“Fine, fine, whatever you say.”

Qingque grinned mischievously, picturing March 7th, Stelle, Himeko, and Welt huddled around a table on the Express, shouting “pong,” “chi,” and “hu” as they played. The thought was oddly amusing.

Taking the robe, she entered the room to change. A few moments later, the sound of footsteps and a door closing came from inside.

Chen Lin smirked, not needing to think too hard to guess what kind of silly mistake Qingque had made this time. Deciding not to call her out, he casually placed an order for dishes he hadn’t tried before and picked at some of the snacks Qingque had brought earlier.

Before long, a rhythmic knock sounded at the door.

The familiar cadence told Chen Lin it was Stelle, so he got up to answer.

As he opened the door, a loud cry echoed. Stelle stumbled forward, nearly falling straight into him.

Fortunately, Chen Lin’s reflexes, honed from his time on the Astral Express, kicked in. He stepped aside and grabbed her before she hit the ground.

“Oops! I tripped. I need a hug to get back up!”

“And a kiss?”

“Instant recovery!”

“Cut it out already...”

Chen Lin rolled his eyes as Stelle scrambled upright.

“Chen Lin, have you eaten yet?” Stelle asked. “If not, March 7th and I ordered food. You can join us!”

She looked at him with hopeful, almost childlike eyes, clearly eager for him to say yes.

March 7th, meanwhile, glanced over at the table and noticed some dishes already laid out. “What did you order, Chen Lin?”

“Not sure exactly. My friend from the Xianzhou was here earlier, and she ordered some things before heading to change. I’ll introduce her to you later,” Chen Lin explained.

March 7th and Stelle exchanged understanding looks.

“Oh, Chen Lin, you changed your clothes!” March 7th finally noticed. “That other outfit was too bulky. This one’s much better! Even the clothes Bronya picked for you looked good.”

Chen Lin simply smiled, not offering an explanation.

Stelle, however, seemed lost in thought, her gaze lingering on Chen Lin. Her mind drifted back to when she first woke up at Herta Space Station.

She remembered little from that time—her head filled with fog and occasional flashes of Kafka’s face. But when she had finally opened her eyes, it was Chen Lin sitting next to her.

He feels familiar, she thought, the feeling persisting even now.

“You look good,” Stelle said softly. “Do you like this kind of clothing, Chen Lin?”

Chen Lin ran a hand over the patch on his shirt. “I guess. This was one of the last things I had with me after losing my memory.”

The inconspicuous patch was stitched by Seele. During a mission with the Wildfire, Chen Lin had been struck by an energy blast, rendering his clothes unwearable.

Though Natasha had provided new ones, Chen Lin kept the damaged set out of sentiment. One day, Seele spotted the washed but worn-out outfit and insisted on mending it.

Even now, with the ability to restore the clothing using his psionic powers, Chen Lin chose not to. The memories associated with those repairs were too precious.

March 7th waved her hand. “Alright, Chen Lin, you enjoy your food. We’ll head back downstairs.”

“Eat well, Chen Lin,” Stelle added.

Before they could leave, a door opened, and Qingque’s voice called out.

“Chen Lin, can you check if I put this on right? It feels... weird.”

The two girls turned to see a petite figure emerge in a pink bathrobe.

As their eyes landed on her, the robe began to turn semi-transparent, the effect growing more pronounced with each second.

March 7th froze, then leapt onto Chen Lin’s back like a sloth, wrapping her legs around his waist and covering his eyes with her hands.

“Chen Lin! Don’t look! You’re not allowed to see this kind of thing!”

Qingque glanced down at herself, puzzled. From her perspective, the robe was perfectly intact.

What’s the big deal? Everything that should be covered is covered. Why are Chen Lin’s friends so dramatic?

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This is a fan translation of 在星穹铁道点群星科技树真的没问题吗? by 杏雨诗韵 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!