Chapter 10: The Interstellar World (Part II)

Having her worldview thoroughly reshaped by the interstellar people and their technology, Jiang Hui found herself at a loss for words and unsure to whom she should speak. So, she could only swallow the shock settling deep within her heart.

“All right, there are no further issues on your side. You should be able to complete the discharge procedures by this afternoon. If it’s inconvenient for you to leave today, you may stay another night, but I recommend going home since this portion exceeds what your full medical insurance covers.”

“Starting today, you can resume a normal diet, beginning with lunch. You may dine at the cafeteria, which is included in today’s fees. After lunch, a specialist will deliver your mood stabilizers, and then you can prepare to leave the hospital.”

The hospitalization process in this interstellar era sounded remarkably efficient and swift. No queues for treatment, immediate diagnosis and remedy, and no rest period before discharge—it was clear they had no intention of keeping patients longer than necessary.

Jiang Hui felt this pace might be a bit too quick, but since she was more concerned about her original body's condition, she had no objections. She complied readily with whatever Carlette said, showing great cooperation.

Seeing that Jiang Hui was attentive, the doctor concluded the consultation with satisfaction, politely bidding farewell and shaking her hand before leaving.

Once the doctor had completely left the ward, Jiang Hui’s shoulders sagged instantly. Although the hospital gown was thin and light, she felt as if a heavy weight pressed upon her shoulders, rendering her almost immobile.

“Sigh... What am I supposed to do with this mess?” she murmured, reclining on the bed and staring blankly at the ceiling.

After a long while, she sighed deeply in the profound silence of the room, then suddenly called out, “Jiang Hui.”

“Jiang Hui—are you still inside your body?”

But no one answered for a long time.

—————————————

It was only after stepping outside and seeing the world beyond that Jiang Hui truly grasped what the interstellar realm meant.

Back on Blue Star, she had been an ordinary person, her academic performance average at best. She had chosen the humanities, thus completely cutting ties with the sciences. After graduating from university, she never had a chance to delve into such fields again.

Yet, humanity’s instinctive curiosity about astronomy and the unknown universe had always fascinated her.

For some time, she enjoyed watching various space exploration programs or uncovering the mysteries of the cosmos.

She once pondered that the sky they saw on Blue Star was shaped by the solar system’s configuration. But if humanoid life existed on other planets or star systems, what would their skies look like?

Of course, given her limited knowledge back then, it was all mere imagination—she lacked the framework to envision a concrete scene.

Now, she no longer needed to imagine; she could experience this difference firsthand.

Standing on the ground, she tilted her head upward and saw a colossal planet "suspended" in midair, seemingly very close to the surface. Its smooth surface emitted a soft, radiant glow—not too bright but illuminating enough to feel remarkably bright.

Around her, the ambient light sources shared a strikingly similar quality, leading her to suspect that the entire planet beneath her feet was lit by this nearby celestial body.

Several other planets, each with distinct three-dimensional presence, were also visible—though none as large as the first. From her vantage point, they appeared about the size of plates, each with unique landscapes.

Beyond these visible planets, countless stars studded the sky, stretching far into the distance—too numerous to count.

Jiang Hui, a “country bumpkin” who had never seen such a sight, felt her legs nearly give way from shock at a single glance.

What was this? It looked like a scene from a movie where a planet was falling... Didn’t the people living on this planet ever feel fear toward such immense objects?

Then again, they were born here and had grown up accustomed to this view. To them, these planetary vistas were as familiar as the sun, moon, and stars had been to humanity.

And this was just the scene of one mysterious-grade planet. What about heavenly-grade or earthly-grade planets? Or the main planets of the inner star systems measured by the sixty tiers of the heavenly stems and earthly branches? Or even the central star region beyond that? It was impossible to imagine how vast the sky must appear to the interstellar beings.

Alas, the vast universe once pursued by Blue Star humans was probably no more than this. She never expected that, despite her lack of scientific curiosity, she would one day have the chance to witness it—life’s unpredictability indeed.

Yet, having gazed upon this otherworldly sky, was there still any hope of returning to the land that once nurtured her? Probably, the chances were vanishingly slim.

Gathering her profoundly wistful mood, Jiang Hui composed herself and headed toward the cafeteria.

The district-level hospital was a fully integrated facility, with all departments housed within a single tall building, including greenery and recreation areas in the open upper floors. The underground levels were used for parking hover vehicles and other transportation, perfectly embodying the future’s efficient use of land resources—one skyscraper consolidating what might have once required many acres.

Certain specialized departments even had dedicated elevators to ensure absolute quiet and security for patients. However, Jiang Hui’s ward was in the minor injuries section, separate from those, so she had no occasion to experience that—and hoped never to.

The minor injuries ward’s cafeteria was located around the twentieth floor. A simple elevator ride up, no different from Blue Star’s hospitals in that regard.

But there were still differences—

The elevator was large and cylindrical, its structure heavy with metallic elements. Through layers of transparent glass, she could see the planets rotating in the sky, imparting a strange and mystical sensation to her modern eyes.

And it wasn’t just the scenery that differed; the people did as well.

The humans of the interstellar world bore a strong resemblance to those of Blue Star—similar facial features and forms. There were tall, deep-eyed, narrow-nosed types resembling Caucasians, classic and gentle-looking Mongoloid types, and dark-skinned Negro types... Yet each appeared taller and more handsome than Blue Star humans, as if genetically optimized.

Perhaps because she knew they were interstellar beings while she was but a fleeting spirit drifting from a Blue Star many tens of thousands of light-years away, she felt a subtle but persistent unease.

Their clothing also differed from Blue Star’s, feeling more diverse, sophisticated, and futuristic—though not the tight, exotic garments once imagined by Blue Star people, but rather quite Blue Star-like.

As these towering figures moved forward, Jiang Hui had no choice but to step back and make way.