The planet TO1700d that Raj is looking for was discovered in 2020. It is located a hundred light-years away in the constellation Doradus, near the Magellanic Cloud, orbiting a red dwarf star named TO1700. The scientific community is remarkably excited about its discovery for several compelling reasons. First, it is only 20% larger than Earth, making it similar in size to our own planet. Second, it is located in the habitable zone of its star, where conditions are neither too hot nor too cold. And third, it has a suitable temperature range and may contain liquid water on its surface. These three advantages combined make it highly likely to become a potentially livable planet for human colonization.
Mankind has discovered countless planets so far, yet there are only about fifty that qualify as potentially habitable. Every discovery of one more habitable world represents a huge breakthrough in astronomy and astrophysics, significant enough to be listed among the top ten breakthroughs in physics of the year. For example, in 2016, "Physics World," sponsored by the British Institute of Physics, listed the discovery of Proxima Centauri b among the top ten breakthroughs of the year. Therefore, once Raj is certified as the discoverer of TO1700d, he will surely receive great recognition and glory within the scientific community.
Because he knew the precise coordinates of TO1700d from his future knowledge, Raj quickly locked onto it with the observatory's telescope and captured photographic evidence of it. Then he composed an email to the International Astronomical Union, attaching his own observations and speculations about the planet's significance. Now the waiting begins for the IAU's verification and response.
After finishing his important work, Raj breathed a sigh of relief and allowed himself to relax. Then he heard a "click" sound, and when he turned his head to look, he saw Howard performing magic tricks for Penny. Howard has learned various magic tricks specifically to impress women, and he always carries small props with him wherever he goes, though his success rate remains disappointingly low. Now, seeing Penny with an embarrassed, forced smile on her face, Raj knew immediately that Howard's trick hadn't worked its intended charm.
"I'm all done here," Raj announced, stretching his arms above his head. "Penny, would you like to look at the stars? Please, come over here."
"God bless, yes!" Upon hearing the offer, Penny's voice was filled with relief as she immediately left Howard's side and walked over to Raj's station. Staying with Howard any longer, she felt like she was going to lose her mind. She had never encountered a suitor who pursued someone so relentlessly and blindly with such ineffective methods.
"Come on, please take a seat," Raj said graciously, giving up his chair to Penny. He then clicked on a recorded planetary video file on his computer. "Look, this is the sky above our heads right now..."
"Wow, so beautiful," Penny exclaimed in genuine surprise and wonder. The stars displayed on the screen were densely packed across the field of view, creating a spectacle that was far more detailed and shocking than what could be seen with the naked eye alone.
"Yes," Raj said with a smile. "Whenever I see these stars, I think of a poem by the Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore: 'I believe that among the stars, there is always a star that leads my soul through unknown darkness.'"
"Oh, what a beautiful poem," Penny said with emotion, her voice softening as she gazed upward at the glittering sky.
"Indeed," Raj laughed warmly. "There is another poem by Tagore which I think is also very moving.
'The fish said to the water, you can't see my tears, because I'm in the water.
Water said to the fish, I can feel your tears, because you are in my heart...'"
"Oh~" Penny couldn't help being quite emotional when she heard such a touching love poem, and looked at Raj with watery eyes, clearly moved by the romantic sentiment.
"Guo Shuo, it's almost cooked, and there's so much nonsense!" Raj changed his tone immediately, mimicking someone from his past.
Penny was taken aback for a moment, then burst out laughing at the unexpected shift in mood.
While laughing, she poked Raj's chest playfully. "Haha, you are so annoying! I can hardly breathe from laughing."
Howard, standing off to the side, was both surprised and envious as he watched their easy rapport.
He didn't expect that after Raj's selective mutism healed without medical intervention, he would suddenly become such a natural charmer with women. It was really impressive to witness.
After staying in the astronomy room for an hour, the three of them left together and climbed into the car. "Howie, your house is relatively close—let me take you home first," Raj said while settling into the driver's seat.
"Let's send Penny off first. I'm not in a hurry," Howard said quickly, rolling his eyes and waving his hands in protest.
He was worried about leaving Raj and Penny alone together, knowing what might develop between them.
"No, let's send him first," Penny insisted with a knowing smile.
Raj nodded in agreement and first sent Howard back to his home in Altadena.
"Do you want to come in and sit down?" Howard asked, lingering in the car, really unwilling to get out and end the evening.
At that moment, the lights on the second floor of his house suddenly turned on, and a hoarse, loud voice shouted, "Who is outside? Are they thugs?"
"Who is that, your father?" Penny asked in surprise, her eyes widening.
Howard looked embarrassed, his face flushing. "It's almost like that."
"Who the hell is it? I'm calling the police!" the voice continued to roar from inside the house.
Howard had no choice but to get out of the car and said loudly, "Okay, Mom, it's me!"
"Wow!" Penny's eyes widened even further in surprise.
She didn't expect Howard's mother to sound so fierce, and she certainly didn't expect that he was such an adult yet still lived with his mother.
"Bye, Howie," Raj said, not wanting to embarrass his friend any further. He immediately started the car and drove away with Penny.
Soon they arrived downstairs at Penny's apartment building.
"Would you like to come up for a drink?" Penny invited with a warm smile, her eyes meeting his.
Raj hesitated for a moment, his mind racing.
He could guess what might happen after going up, and in principle he didn't want to betray Leonard or damage their friendship.
However, he had never been in a romantic relationship despite being already so old, and he had failed dozens of blind dates over the years.
Now here was this beautiful blonde with a sweet smile and an attractive figure inviting him to her home. Raj really couldn't refuse, no matter how he tried to reason with himself.
Soon, his desire overcame his reason. "Okay," he said quietly.
Afterwards, he went upstairs with Penny to her apartment.
What followed was drinking, talking, kissing, embracing...
This was the first time for Raj to experience any of this. It felt like a dream—so psychedelic, so surreal and unreal.
It wasn't until he woke up early the next morning and saw Penny lying peacefully beside him that Raj truly regained full consciousness and clarity.
"Thirty-two years of being single..." he thought with infinite emotion welling up in his heart.
Unable to fall back asleep, Raj glanced at his watch, then got up quietly, careful not to disturb Penny, and went to the kitchen to make breakfast.
Rajesh was a person who knew how to enjoy life very much. He had always claimed to be a brown version of Martha Stewart—the Queen of Housekeeping in America—and possessed genuinely good cooking skills.
After Kai Jun became Raj in this new life, he had also inherited these culinary abilities.
Working efficiently, he cooked a rich and appetizing breakfast in no time.
Penny woke up from her sleep when she smelled the delicious fragrance wafting into the bedroom. She put on her nightgown and walked out to investigate.
"Good morning, beauty! Breakfast is ready. Go wash your face and brush your teeth, and then you can eat," Raj said with a cheerful smile.
"Wow, your cooking skills are way better than mine," Penny said admiringly. Seeing that he had made fried eggs, toast, sausages, and even arranged everything nicely on plates, she couldn't help but be impressed.
"Thank you for the compliment," Raj said, smiling and nodding appreciatively.
After washing up, the two sat down and had breakfast together at the small kitchen table.
"Mmm, it tastes really good," Penny praised enthusiastically while eating.
"Thank you," Raj nodded graciously. "By the way, Penny, do you have time today? I want to buy some new clothes, and I could really use your opinion and fashion sense. Can you give me some guidance?"
"Okay!" Penny immediately agreed when she heard the magic words about going shopping, her face lighting up with excitement.
After finishing breakfast and cleaning up, the two spent some time relaxing together, and then drove to Macy's department store in the city center.
When they arrived at the clothing area on the second floor, the two began to browse through the racks together, one section at a time.
Penny's aesthetic vision was still very good, honed from years of studying fashion magazines and window shopping. Especially from a woman's point of view, she knew instinctively what kind of dress and style women appreciated on men, so she was able to help Raj choose several handsome, flattering outfits that transformed his appearance.
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