Before the morning light could seep through the gaps in the curtains, Chen Chen lay in bed, his eyelids heavy as if filled with lead—but sleep eluded him entirely.
The thrill of discovering he had a job in another dimension still pulsed within him from the night before. He tossed and turned, his gaze vacant, staring at the ceiling, completely unaware that Ji Yunli had quietly left for work in the early hours. His mind was crowded with impossible words: "garbage processing center," "20,000 per month," "time-space travel."
Just as drowsiness began to creep in, a mechanical "beep-beep-beep" suddenly sounded in his ear, sharp and cold:"The first batch of garbage is about to arrive. Employee Chen Chen, please report to your workstation immediately."
Chen Chen snapped awake, his heart pounding like a drum.
He didn't even bother putting on shoes, sprinting barefoot to the bathroom. After quickly taking care of his morning routine, he scooped a handful of cold water and splashed it over his face—the icy shock fully waking him. Bloodshot eyes from the sleepless night stared back at him in the mirror, but they could not hide his excitement.
"Time to work," he whispered, taking a deep breath and recalling the events of yesterday.
This time, the first jump through space-time didn't bring the nauseating dizziness he had feared. The scene in front of him flickered only slightly, and in the next moment, the familiar gray space stretched out before him.
Beneath his feet was a flat metal floor. In the distance, a massive conveyor belt slowly roared to life. Above, the endless gray sky split open into a black void, countless objects tumbling from it. They were too far away to distinguish clearly, appearing only as rolling, gray silhouettes, like clouds in motion.
Chen Chen immediately pulled out his work ID from the wrist-mounted space console—a pale blue card floated in his palm, glowing faintly with his name, Chen Chen, and his title, Junior Cleaner. He clipped the card to his collar and muttered, "Get the tools."
With a soft hum, a silver mechanical vehicle appeared before him. It resembled an oversized forklift but more refined than the most advanced engineering vehicles on Blue Star. Its body was sleek, with no unnecessary parts. The front scoop was two meters wide and one meter high, edges gleaming with cold metallic light. A line of unfamiliar text was etched onto the body—most likely the Garbage Processing Company emblem.
He circled the vehicle, noting its controls were surprisingly simple. The driver's seat was central, with only three physical buttons: Start, Stop, and Emergency Brake. All other functions relied entirely on voice commands.
Chen Chen climbed into the seat, which automatically adjusted to fit his body. A holographic display lit up in front of him, showing a 3D map of the Areas to Clean, Disposal Area, and Temporary Storage. Red dots flickered constantly, marking where garbage had fallen.
"Proceed to the cleaning area," he commanded.
The vehicle moved smoothly, without a single jolt. Its pace wasn't fast, but it was precise, quickly arriving at the trash pile.
Chen Chen froze as he took in the scene—this wasn't scrap metal or broken machinery as he had imagined. These were enormous carcasses of livestock, stripped of fur, piled high like a small hill.
"Are these… pigs?" he frowned, hitting the stop button, opening the door, and stepping out.
As he approached, he realized these pigs were far larger than any domesticated pig on Blue Star. A grown man standing next to them barely reached their backs. Each animal must weigh over 500 pounds.
Their skin was smooth, their bellies only marked by a single incision. They looked like normal pigs—except they didn't move, utterly lifeless.
"Did they die from disease… or poison?" Chen Chen crouched to touch the skin—cold and stiff, without the slightest warmth. Indeed, these were dead pigs.
Yet the sheer number of pigs, seemingly fallen from another dimension, treated as mere trash, was troubling.
An idea flashed through his mind: if these pigs weren't diseased or toxic, how much would this endless herd be worth back on Blue Star?
He immediately glanced at the wrist console and spoke aloud, "Xiaobu?"
"I'm here. How may I assist you?" came the familiar electronic voice.
"Can I… place these pigs—this garbage—into the space console? Temporarily, without disposing of them?" Chen Chen's voice carried a hint of hope.
"Yes, Employee Chen Chen. However, please note: the cleaning area is protected by a spatial isolation barrier. You must first use the tools to move the trash to the temporary storage. Once the barrier is removed, you can place the garbage into the space console." Xiaobu's answer was a relief.
"Got it, thanks, little buddy."
"It is Xiaobu's honor."
Over the next stretch of time, Chen Chen focused entirely on maneuvering the vehicle. He sorted the pigs by area, carefully scooping them up, mindful not to damage the "cargo," and steadily transporting them to temporary storage.
The holographic display automatically counted; each pig added one to the tally. At first, he monitored the numbers closely, but over time, the repetitive work dulled his sensitivity. All he knew was: scoop—transport—place—store in the space console.
The space console's capacity far exceeded his expectations. After storing over five thousand pigs, the display showed less than a tenth of the space occupied.
But the prolonged focus was exhausting. Even worse, hunger gnawed at him—he had been there since morning, nearly a full day and a half. The Blue Star circadian rhythm made his stomach growl, leaving him almost too weak to speak.
"I wonder if Yunli is worried…" he touched his pocket. No signal on the phone. She must be frantic after noticing his sudden "disappearance." Guilt surged.
"Time to clock out," he commanded without hesitation.
The gray space vanished in an instant, replaced by the familiar warm yellow light of his living room.
Chen Chen had just steadied himself when he heard suppressed sobbing—Ji Yunli sat on the sofa, clutching her phone, tears streaming uncontrollably. Her eyes were swollen and red, like walnuts.
Hearing the noise, Yunli lifted her head and froze at the sight of Chen Chen, lips quivering: "You… you…" Tears still clung to her cheeks, yet she forgot to let them fall.
"Don't be scared, honey. Let me explain." Chen Chen rushed over, crouching to hold her cold hands. He told her everything—how he discovered the garbage company, got the job, traveled through space-time to clean the garbage, down to the 20,000 per month salary and the pigs in the space console. Nothing was left out.
Yunli's sobbing gradually ceased, her eyes shining. When she heard about the other dimension, she covered her mouth in astonishment, occasionally tapping Chen Chen's arm: "Chen Ge, you're incredible! This is like a story from a novel!" Her tone brimmed with pride, her previous worry replaced with excitement, giving Chen Chen immense moral support.
A warm wave surged through him. He gripped her hands firmly, looking earnestly into her eyes: "Yunli, this secret is just between us. You cannot let anyone else know. You understand the principle: 'innocents suffer when treasures are exposed'? If others find out, I could be captured and experimented on. You… won't betray me, right?"
Yunli nodded firmly, her fingertips whitening with tension: "Chen Ge, don't worry. You know I always keep my word! Even when classmates and colleagues confide in me, I never tell anyone. If anyone dares threaten you, I'll be the first to stand against it! I won't even tell my parents—they don't need to worry."
Seeing her sincere gaze, Chen Chen felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Yunli had always been steady and trustworthy, which was why he could share everything without reservation.
Then, playfully, Yunli winked at him: "Now that you've found such a great opportunity, do you think you'll forget me someday and marry some rich, beautiful girl?"
Chen Chen smiled, pressing a finger gently against her lips, speaking seriously: "Don't be ridiculous. I met this opportunity to give you a better life, to make you rich and beautiful. If I ever change my mind, you can tell this secret and have me investigated, deal?"
Yunli laughed, brushing his hand away: "Who would want you investigated! I'm waiting to get rich with you!"
Their eyes met, and they laughed. All the tension and worry caused by his "disappearance" dissipated in their laughter.
But the laughter hadn't faded before the phone rang, shattering the cozy moment.
Yunli glanced at the caller ID, her expression tightening slightly: "It's Pangzi."
She hurriedly answered. Before she could speak, Pangzi's anxious voice came through: "Yunli! Did you find Chen Chen? I went to all his usual internet cafes and pool halls, even checked his childhood friends' homes—no one has seen him! Do you have any news?!"
Yunli suddenly remembered—Chen Chen had been "missing" for a day and a half.
Yesterday, she realized he hadn't returned home, his phone off. Panicked, she had taken the day off to search for him. Pangzi and Deng Lijun had come to help, searching all day.
By morning, 24 hours had passed. She even reported him missing to the police, though the case wasn't resolved.
She cast Chen Chen a glance, eyes filled with "you caused trouble" exasperation.
Chen Chen realized his mistake, rubbed his nose, and awkwardly smiled as he took the call: "Pangzi, it's me."
"Chen Chen?! Where did you go?!" Pangzi's voice sharpened, filled with anger. "Do you know your girlfriend almost cried herself to death? We searched for a day and a half, even reported it! What were you doing?"
Chen Chen quickly apologized: "I'm sorry! I found a job. Yesterday was my first day. The company had an urgent task, so I had to work overtime. My phone died, I couldn't call you—sorry for worrying you." He didn't dare tell the truth, making up an excuse instead.
"Overtime? What kind of job needs a day and a half of overtime? Your phone died, couldn't you borrow someone else's?" Pangzi's anger eased slightly. "Fine, as long as you're okay. Next time, tell Yunli first, so we don't worry. We didn't even tell your parents—we were afraid they'd worry."
"Got it, got it. I'll be careful next time," Chen Chen promised, also pledging a meal for Pangzi and Deng Lijun. He hung up.
Afterwards, Yunli quickly called Deng Lijun to reassure him, apologizing and explaining. They hurried to the police station to retract the missing person report and accept a verbal warning.
Walking out, the officer's reminder—"Always contact your family in time"—still rang in their ears. They smiled at each other. From "missing person" to "all a misunderstanding," the day-and-a-half ordeal was stranger than any TV drama.
Back home, Chen Chen remembered the pigs in the space console. His eyes lit up: "Right! I haven't shown you today's cleaned 'garbage' yet!"
He and Yunli moved the furniture to the walls, clearing space in the center of the living room. Then, using a giant discarded advertisement banner from the company, he muttered to the console: "Retrieve a pig."
A silver flash, and a massive pig, over 500 pounds, appeared in the room, occupying most of the open space.
Yunli approached, eyes wide: "Such a huge pig! And no fishy smell—just a faint scent of grass! It looks so clean!" She reached out, feeling its skin—smooth as if it had never died.
"If this pig is edible, it must taste amazing! Braised pork, steamed rice noodles, soybeans with trotters…" Her mouth watered, anticipation shining in her eyes.
"I don't know if it's edible," Chen Chen frowned. "The manual says this is 'used garbage' from Tata Corp's production. I can't tell what's 'used' about it."
"Let me see!" Yunli got excited. She found a pair of dishwashing gloves in the kitchen, put them on, and squatted down to inspect the pig.
She checked the limbs and back—nothing abnormal. Then she moved to the belly and tried to open it—surprisingly, it was soft and opened easily.
"Huh?" Yunli said in confusion. "No ribs! No tail either!"
Chen Chen hurried over—indeed, the rib area was empty. Only the internal organs remained—heart, liver, intestines, stomach—all intact and spotless. It seemed someone had deliberately removed the ribs and tail, discarding the rest as garbage.
Yunli's face fell. Pouting, she said, "Why remove the ribs… ribs are my favorite."
"It's okay," Chen Chen ruffled her hair. "Tomorrow I'll get some ribs at the market—the best kind—and make braised ribs for you."
"No need," Yunli shook her head, then perked up, pointing to the pig's hind legs: "These legs are thick—perfect for soy-braised trotters! And the intestines—cleaned and stir-fried, they'll be delicious!"
"But we still can't be sure if this pig is edible," Chen Chen cautioned, splashing cold water on her enthusiasm. "Tomorrow I'll bring one to a college friend of mine. He works in food testing. I'll have him check for toxins or strange bacteria."
"Okay." Yunli's eyes dimmed again, feeling pity for the pig. "Such a good pig… it'd be a shame if we couldn't eat it."
Seeing her disappointed expression, Chen Chen couldn't help but smile, teasing her: "If the test comes back fine, do you know how many pigs are in my space console?"
Yunli looked up, curiosity sparking: "How many?"
"Over five thousand," Chen Chen said, deliberately slow.
"Over five thousand?!" Yunli's eyes widened instantly, her voice rising an octave. "If all of these are edible, we'll get rich!" She grabbed Chen Chen's arm, bouncing with excitement. Her greedy expression made him laugh heartily.
"Whether we get rich depends on tomorrow's test," Chen Chen said with a smile, though he too felt a flicker of hope—if these pigs were good, it could be the first step toward changing his life.
As night deepened, they returned the pigs to the space console, tidied the living room, and prepared to rest.
In bed, Yunli continued excitedly planning: "If raising pigs makes money, we should move to a bigger house first." Listening to her, Chen Chen smiled and drifted into sleep.