Chapter 81

Before Zhou Yun came to Jianghai, she didn’t expect that this trip would change her previous, inherent impression towards soldiers.

Zhou Yun was the daughter of the director of the military affairs department of the 701 regiment headquarters. She came to visit her dad over break. It happened that the director had a mission out of town, so he asked a training staff officer to pick her up and accompany her in visiting Jianghai.

Zhou Yun used to look down on soldiers. It wasn’t for nothing that they were called foolish soldiers. But now, she thought that there were many kinds of soldiers. For example, Yang Lei, the training staff officer before her who was bringing her all around Jianghai to visit, was very different.

“Oh, ‘Thirteen Cents’ is the captain, right?”

Sitting in the café, Zhou Yun raised her chin towards Yang Lei’s epaulet, conversing playfully.

In less than a day, she already spoke to Yang Lei in a very familiar tone. This officer had attracted the attention of many girls along the way, which made Zhou Yun feel very satisfied.

“You soldiers are all a little rustic. …You’re different. You have an air about you.”

Zhou Yun looked at Yang Lei quite deeply.

Yang Lei only smiled. Zhou Yun was a little disappointed by Yang Lei’s cold response.

“Do you go online? Do you have a QQ account?”

“The troops are not allowed to access the internet.”

“Then, do you have a girlfriend?”

“No.”

“I don’t believe you. You’re so handsome. How could you not be dating?”

Zhou Yun smiled as she tested him out.

Yang Lei paused for a moment.

“I’ve dated.”

“And then?”

“Broke up.”

Zhou Yun didn’t know if it was her own illusion. She felt that, although the expression of the person before her didn’t change, he seemed to not want to talk about this topic at all.

The conversation of the people sitting next to them floated over. They were talking about the Millennium Bug.

“Oh, how did you spend Millennium Night?”

Zhou Yun changed the conversation, asking excitedly.

Yang Lei raised his eyes, looking at Zhou Yun.

How did he spend Millennium Night?

A very long time ago, someone also asked him a similar question.

The surging crowd at midnight and the fireworks scattered all over the sky. The gorgeous explosions from the sky lit up the ebullient crowd. The ring of the bell at midnight, the shouts and cheers surging in the streets and alleys, and the happiness, anticipation, and satisfaction on everyone’s faces…

Brilliant fireworks lit up a face in the crowd. Pairs of lovers brushed past his shoulder. The scattered fireworks disappeared along the trajectory, and the light hid from the side of his face into the darkness…

“Bang!!”

A loud noise burst in the sky.

“Bang bang!! …”

The continuous firecrackers mixed with the noise.

Several young men placed a ring of firecrackers on the ground one by one. They competed and quickly lit them up with their cigarette butts. They looked up and watched them rush up to the skies and explode, laughing with crinkled eyes.

“Shit, there are still two more boxes! Are you going to let out 110?”

“Let them out! When the police come, you stop them!”

“Fuck off!” …

The laughing voices, the carefree and smiling faces, were in the cold winter night, in the messy snow.

Millennium Night of 1999. The first snow of the new millennium fell in Jianghai.

When the crowd dispersed, the streets were deserted again. The falling snow quietly covered the open terrace of a residential building, falling on the shoulders of a figure.

In the entertainment city not far away, the stereo was still playing endlessly. An outdated old song passed through the gradually lonely street, coming over…

… And every day that passes, every day, this drunkard

Will love you more and even more, until it overflows

I’ve realized that I most love the late nights of

Composing tomorrow with you…

…And every day that passes, every day, this drunkard

Will love you more and even more, until it overflows

I most love you and I being together in this lifetime

Even if tomorrow’s winds are strong and roads are inclined…

Zhou Yun waited for a very long time without receiving Yang Lei’s response. Zhou Yun looked at Yang Lei in puzzlement.

“Just like everyone else. Looking at the fireworks,” Yang Lei said, after a long time.

“Did you make a wish? I’ve heard that if you make a wish on the fireworks for love on Millennium Night, it is particularly effective.”

Zhou Yun thought of her own happy Millennium Night. That time, she was still with her last boyfriend, and the streets were full of sweet couples.

“You don’t believe it?”

Zhou Yun stared at Yang Lei’s expression.

“You seem to be… someone who doesn’t believe in love?”

Zhou Yun believed in her own intuition. Women have good intuition.

“Let’s go. I’ll take you to the regiment headquarters hostel.”

Yang Lei didn’t respond to her question. He called for the waiter and paid.

Zhou Yun was disappointed. She thought that Yang Lei would be willing to spend more time with her.

“Look, is that Yang Lei?”

There were a few people at a nearby table not far away, looking in Yang Lei’s direction.

“…That’s right. It’s him!”

“Who?”

“Fuck, you don’t even know him? He was a boss in the past! Gold medal! When he became famous, who knows where you were!”

“He’s that amazing? Can the Army accept him?”

“What is his background? Have you heard of ‘Young Master Yang?’ Military academy, undergraduate! Do you see? One bar and three stars. I’ve heard that when he just graduated, there was a quarrel. He was nearly fired from the army! Later, didn’t he still get third-class merits and directly become captain?! Next year, he may become a major!”

“Fuck! He’s Young Master Yang?!”

“What was it like in ’95? How many people went in that year? If nothing else, just his brother Fang Yu stayed in jail for four years!”

“Fang Yu is an incredible person! When he came out, he was even stronger! Alas, if Fang Yu were still in Jianghai, could Scar Head and those XX become boss right now? Fuck… There’s no one left in Jianghai!!” …

Yang Lei sent Zhou Yun away and drove the car into the military field region in the suburbs. The guard at the door saluted him. Yang Lei returned the military salute and drove straight into the headquarters.

“Report!”

The guarding soldiers were outside.

“Come in!”

Yang Lei untied his Sam Browne belt and threw it aside.

“Reporting to Staff Officer Yang. There were several civilians who wanted to come into San Lian to find someone. They didn’t bring identification. The sentry stopped them from entering. They were making trouble at the entrance and were detained by the guard.”

“Take the people to the duty room.”

“Yes!”

Yang Lei walked into the duty room. Inside, there were several young men being watched by several guard soldiers. They were all well-behaved.

Yang Lei went in, and the guard stood at attention and saluted him. The young man thought that this was the son of an official and said: “I’m here to find my brother. He’s a soldier in San Lian. Why can’t I see him?”

“What is your name?”

“My name is Chen Chen. My brother is Liu Daming.”

“Do you have any identification?”

“I didn’t bring my identification. I am from Jianghai Bright Billiards Room!”

“…”

Yang Lei raised his eyes and looked at him.

“Report!” A soldier was at the door. “Staff Officer Yang, someone brought the certificate to get him.”

A man came in after the soldier with a smiling face.

“Officer, these are their IDs. These children are not sensible, breaking into the military camp. I’ll go back and teach them a lesson! Come, come, have a cigarette…”

The man took out Chunghwa cigarettes with familiarity and was about to hand it to Yang Lei.

Yang Lei didn’t take it. The eyes under his cap looked at the man. The man raised his eyes and also saw Yang Lei’s face.

“…Fuck…”

The man was stunned.

“…Lei-zi?”