Chapter 283

Chapter 283

Under the sunlight, Richard picked up another bellflower stem, his profile focused yet carrying an awkwardness that clashed with his usual commanding presence.

The assistant suddenly understood—these seemingly frivolous arrangements, like those vinyl records sent to Margaret New Energy Group, were all clumsy keys to another world.

He wasn't putting on airs. He was learning a language he'd once scoffed at.

Early winter brought the field survey phase for an energy base station project in the southwestern mountains.

With Margaret New Energy Group leading and Neville Construction handling the build, both companies' top executives needed to be present.

The atmosphere in the private jet cabin was quiet.

Margaret finished handling her emails, and the fatigue from days of constant travel finally caught up with her. She closed her laptop and leaned against the window, eyes shut, trying to rest.

The cabin's heating was turned up high, the engines humming steadily. Her consciousness gradually blurred as her head unconsciously slid toward the window glass.

Just before her forehead would have hit the window, a warm, dry hand reached over from beside her, steadily supporting the back of her head.

Margaret didn't wake, only frowning slightly in her sleep.

Richard's movement froze mid-air. After a few seconds, he slowly withdrew his hand. Then he subtly adjusted his position, shifting his body a few inches closer to her direction.

He didn't touch her again, only positioned his shoulder near where she might lean.

Sure enough, minutes later, Margaret's head slid again. This time, soft strands of hair lightly brushed his shoulder.

Finally, her face came to rest peacefully against his broad shoulder.

Richard's entire body went rigid.

He could smell the faint scent of shampoo in her hair, could feel her even, shallow breathing. The warm breath brushed against the skin of his neck with each exhale, sending shivers through him.

He looked down, able to see only the top of her head.

This position made every muscle in his body unconsciously tense. He didn't even dare breathe too heavily, afraid the slightest movement might disturb this hard-won closeness.

A flight attendant approached with a blanket, wanting to cover Margaret.

Richard looked up and, with just one glance, stopped the attendant's action. There was no command in that look, only an almost pleading quiet.

The attendant understood and silently retreated.

More than two hours remained in the flight.

Richard maintained that position without moving. From the initial stiffness to his arm gradually going numb, then to the clear ache spreading through his neck—he seemed oblivious to it all.

All his senses were concentrated on that small patch of warm contact on his shoulder.

The surging regret, unwillingness, and desperate possessiveness that had once consumed him were replaced in this moment by an unprecedented peace and reverence.

Like a boat that had drifted too long, finally finding harbor.

He wanted nothing, dared ask for nothing. Just having her sleep peacefully beside him like this was enough.

When the plane landed, the slight turbulence finally woke Margaret.

She drowsily opened her eyes, first seeing the texture of dark gray cashmere. She paused, then realized she was leaning on Richard's shoulder and quickly sat up straight.

"Sorry." Her voice still carried the roughness of just waking, a flash of discomfort crossing her face.

"It's fine." Richard moved his already stiff neck, his voice calm and steady. "You were exhausted."

Stepping off the plane, a wave of damp, cold air hit them.

The project site in the southwestern mountains was even more basic than the photos had suggested. A few rows of prefab buildings, a dirt road freshly flattened by steamrollers, and in the distance, rolling dark mountains shrouded in mist.

The project manager was a dark-skinned middle-aged man.

"Ms. Kennedy, Mr. Neville, conditions are rough—please bear with us."

Margaret showed no pickiness about the environment. She took the hard hat Manager Zhang handed her, put it on, and asked directly, "How's the data collection preparation?"

"Everything's ready, just waiting for your final orders."

She nodded and headed straight toward the core experimental area.

Richard followed behind her. He'd also changed into appropriate gear, though his expensive outdoor jacket looked out of place against the surroundings.

He watched that slender figure ahead of him, steady-footed, treating the uneven muddy road as if it didn't exist.

When she spoke with the technical staff, she used purely professional terminology—logical, clear, decisive in her instructions.

Here, she was the absolute core of this project, the queen giving orders.

That focus held a startling magnetism.

The "Starlink Energy" project was Margaret New Energy Group's highest classified secret.

As the construction contractor, Richard only had access to the base station building aspects. Regarding the core technology—global seamless energy transmission based on "Dawn" and "Kennedy Crystal"—he'd only seen a few brief descriptions in concept proposals.

He'd always thought it might just be a beautiful vision, a gimmick to attract investors.

Until he walked into the central control room.

The control room wasn't large, but the walls were lined with screens displaying countless streams of complex data and 3D models.

At the center was a crystal suspended in a special container.

It was completely transparent, with what looked like flowing light slowly rotating inside.

That was the legendary "Kennedy Crystal."

Margaret sat at the main console, her expression turning serious.

In the entire control room, aside from the humming of machinery, only the crisp sound of her typing remained.

"Initiate energy resonance test," she commanded.

"Target: unmanned zone receiving station number three, distance 1,200 miles."

"Energy output power: seventy percent."

As she issued each command, the crystal in the container blazed with light. A visible blue energy beam shot from the crystal's apex into a complex device in the ceiling.

On one of the main screens, values representing energy began climbing wildly.

Everyone held their breath.

Richard stood not far behind Margaret.

He couldn't understand those complex data streams, but he could read the world map in one corner of the screen.

A light dot appeared in the southwestern mountains, and a thin blue line instantly crossed more than half the country, precisely connecting to another light dot in the northwestern wasteland.

Almost the moment the connection completed, another screen displayed real-time footage from receiving station number three.

In the wasteland, a row of previously dark floodlights instantly blazed to life, their beams cutting through the desolate twilight.

Success.

Wireless energy transmission across 1,200 miles, with virtually zero loss.

The control room fell into deathly silence first, then erupted in thunderous cheers and applause seconds later.

Technicians embraced each other excitedly, some even shedding tears.

This was a moment that could rewrite human energy history.

Margaret leaned back in her chair and let out a long breath.