Chapter 33: A $40 Billion Bachelor Pad

"Children, today's space class will introduce you to the working and living environment inside our space station's experimental module. 

The experimental module includes a sleeping area, a hygiene area, and an airlock chamber. 

Inside the module, there are several space science experiment cabinets, such as the two-phase system experiment cabinet, the ultra-cold atomic physics experiment cabinet, and the online maintenance and adjustment operation cabinet. 

The ultra-cold atomic physics experiment cabinet can create ultra-low temperatures close to absolute zero, revealing macroscopic quantum phenomena visible to the naked eye, helping us explore the strange world of quantum mechanics."

"Look at this!" 

Zhu Qing lit a prepared candle. 

"When a candle is lit on the ground, the flame is bright and cone-shaped. But in the space station, the flame is nearly spherical with a blue edge. 

This is because, in a microgravity environment, the gases produced by combustion move equally in all directions, almost eliminating buoyancy-driven convection. Additionally, due to the weak convection, oxygen replenishment is not as timely as on the ground, resulting in incomplete combustion and a lower flame temperature, which gives it a blue color."

Inside the experimental module, three astronauts were conducting a live online science class for teenagers. 

Outside the camera's view, the live broadcast was filled with a dense stream of comments.

"It's here! It's here!" 

"What is that thing?" 

"A UFO is coming!" 

"I knew they were hiding something from us..."

At the connection point between the experimental module and the main module, Song Han, who had just woken up and hadn't even washed up yet, was slowly crawling along the fixed handrails of the module like a crab, his hair disheveled. 

This was his daily routine after waking up and one of the few joys he had in the space station. 

For the payload specialists with their packed schedules of scientific tasks, the space station was just a unique workplace. 

But for Song Han, it was foreseeable that this would be his long-term home. 

Every day, he would patrol the modules like a mountain king, basking in the respectful greetings before leaving. These moments were among the few highlights of his day.

As he crawled into the Mengtian experimental module, the crew conducting the live class noticed his presence. 

"Hello, Leader!" 

Their straight postures, resolute expressions, and 45-degree salutes were impeccable. 

"Mhm." 

After crawling around the module and curiously glancing at Zhou Peng, who was holding the camera, Song Han acknowledged them with a light hum and crawled out amidst their flattering remarks.

On the ground, the live broadcast's comment section exploded like a flood. 

"Leader??" 

"What's going on?" 

"I remember astronauts hold high military ranks. If he's calling him 'Leader,' doesn't that mean he's at least a general?" 

"Is there a high-ranking officer on the space station? Feels like something big is happening." 

"Did you notice the medal chain around his neck? The design looks like the highest honor medal. 

Why haven't we seen this person in the news before?" 

"You guys are really reaching. You can recognize a medal just by its chain?" 

"I've seen it before! My grandfather has one!" 

"Stop exaggerating. Dare to tell us your grandfather's name?" 

"Can't say. I'd get banned..."

"Alright, children, let's move on to the next experiment." 

Zhu Qing and Yang Dahai each held a towel and began patting a water ball Zhu Qing had released. 

Zhou Peng, acting as the cameraman, explained: 

"This experiment demonstrates the surface tension of water and the properties of hydrophobic materials. 

The water ball utilizes its own surface tension, while the towel's surface is covered with hydrophobic microfibers, giving it excellent water-repellent properties. 

In daily life, towels can absorb water because they squeeze moisture into the gaps between the hydrophobic fibers when wiping sweat. Similar techniques are used to make fabrics for outdoor jackets and quick-drying clothes."

After the class ended, Zhou Peng turned off the camera. Zhu Qing and Yang Dahai crawled over. 

"Old Zhou, is this 'Leader' for real? He just wanders around the space station all day without handling any tasks." 

Zhu Qing complained: 

"Since when did the aerospace department have so much funding to spare? 

I've applied for a particle detector several times, and it still hasn't been approved."

The Tianhe Space Station orbits Earth at an altitude of 400 kilometers. 

Every personnel transfer and supply delivery requires a massive amount of funding. 

"Some things are better left unasked. The current particle detector is functioning fine. Why replace it?" 

"The precision isn't enough! If the aerospace department can afford to send someone up for a vacation, they should at least help improve our research tasks by increasing the payload capacity. 

That space shuttle from a few days ago was impressive. It delivered nearly a hundred tons of supplies and so many people in one go."

Zhou Peng looked at them helplessly: 

"This year's budget was approved long ago. There's no room for additional expenses. 

If you really need something urgently, you can try applying to the Leader. His annual approved budget is probably equivalent to your experimental module's entire research funding for a year." 

"Really?" 

Zhou Peng's words piqued their interest. 

"What's his name?" 

"Can't say. Just call him 'Leader.'"

...

Inside the Tianhe Space Station, in a recently activated module, Song Han stood mid-air, sweating profusely under the crisscrossed resistance bands while watching domestic news on a projector. 

As Zhu Qing and Yang Dahai crawled to the entrance of the newly activated module, they loudly announced their presence and entered after hearing a response from inside. 

However, upon entering the pristine module, they were stunned.

A space nearly as large as their Mengtian experimental module, approximately 110 cubic meters, was furnished with a luxurious mattress at the far end, near the window. 

To their left stood a two-meter-wide enclosed bathroom. 

In the middle of the module, a fixed wardrobe, a refrigerator, a sofa set with a coffee table, and a projector playing the news were separated from the bedroom by a drawn curtain. 

Who could have imagined that a 17-meter-long, 4.5-meter-diameter module would be completely transformed into a one-bedroom apartment? 

But where was this? 

400 kilometers above Earth, in a space station with a total cost of nearly $40 billion. 

Wasting 110 cubic meters of space to create a livable one-bedroom apartment? 

Whose idea was this? 

It was as absurd as converting an active aircraft carrier into a personal castle. 

Was this the same stingy aerospace department that used to pinch every penny?

Song Han watched the two of them frozen in place, untangled himself from the resistance bands, activated the electromagnetic device under his feet, and landed firmly on the module's floor with a soft thud. Only then did they notice the gleaming prosthetic limbs on Song Han's feet. Song Han grabbed a towel to wipe off his sweat, activated the module's water filtration system, and sat lazily on the sofa, securing himself with a seatbelt. "What's up?" "Leader, is that bed... legit?" "The bedding and mattress have corresponding magnetic devices. I don't know if it's 'legit,' but the magnetic intensity can be adjusted to simulate Earth's gravity. It's quite comfortable to lie on."