The Unyielding Rivers and Mountains (6)

Chen Rui had the nose of a dog.

When he was recruited into the company, they knew his sense of smell was sharp. Identifying people by scent was his specialty; he could distinguish the unique fragrances of hundreds of things in the world one by one. He even had his own method for classifying people. Just like the few girls in the team, Yu Hao had a faint scent of jasmine and a hint of chocolatey sweetness. He thought Yu Hao carried chocolate with her and asked out of curiosity, but she said it was the scent of her lipstick.

Yu Hao was quite surprised at the time because the scent was very faint, something she could only smell when applying it in front of a mirror.

Chen Rui scratched the back of his head and said modestly that he was just born a bit more sensitive than others.

It was more than just sensitive; it was a rare gift.

But Chen Rui smiled bitterly, saying it wasn't a good thing.

The fragrant was fragrant, but the stinky was also truly stinky.

Initially, there was another person in the company with a special talent like him. That soldier had exceptionally keen hearing and was particularly sensitive to signals and numbers. He was also in the first team in his early years. While patrolling the border with Lu Huaizheng, he detected an interfering signal in the fighter jet's communication device with his sharp hearing.

That kind of nano-signal is easier to detect in the sea than in the air, because the ocean currents have sound waves that can be used for detection. During flight, detecting that faint electric current was almost like finding the rustling sound of a silkworm eating mulberry leaves amidst the bellowing of a hundred hippos, an extremely difficult task.

This group of men, they were, after all, different from ordinary people.

After getting off the plane, it was nearly six o'clock. Outside the cabin, dusk was settling in, pitch black, with only a few faint, powerless lights twinkling.

A car was waiting outside the airport. As Chen Rui walked out of the Terminal Building, a gust of cold wind hit his face, chilling him to the bone. He couldn't help but hunch his shoulders, arch his back, and lower his head. Looking back, he saw that the captain really wasn't afraid of the cold at all. No matter what the temperature was outside, he always wore a white t-shirt with a black jacket or a windbreaker.

Lu Huaizheng strode over, clapped Chen Rui on the shoulder, and got into the car, "What are you shrinking for!"

Chen Rui wrapped his overcoat tighter, got in as well, and couldn't help but shiver. "It's cold. Beijing is too cold."

The driver heard him and turned back, smiling, "The weather report just came in this afternoon, said a cold front is coming. It's even supposed to rain during the Qingming Festival, really fitting the occasion." After speaking, he sighed and started the car.

Lu Huaizheng looked out the window. The streetlights flashed by, casting a brilliant neon glow on his face.

The car stopped at the Military Region Gate. Lu Huaizheng and Chen Rui got out. He took off his hat, then took the bag off his back and handed both to Chen Rui. "You head back to the dorm first."

After taking two steps, he turned back and returned to Chen Rui:

"Give Instructor Tang a call later. The temperature is dropping these few days, have him get military overcoats for Dr. Yu and Dr. Zhao."

Chen Rui said, "Oh."

"Anything else you need to tell me?" he grinned. "Any private message for Dr. Yu? It's fine, you can just treat me and Instructor Tang as a mouthpiece..."

Lu Huaizheng's hands were in his pockets, his expression returning to its usual swagger. He looked at him transcendently, staring for a long while before pulling a hand from his pocket. He reached over, adjusted Chen Rui's collar, patting it into place, then rested his hand on his shoulder and smiled with exceptional gentleness, "No, my Dr. Yu is shy. Some things are better said to her in private."

At that moment, Chen Rui's inner thoughts were simply...

'I've seen it all. I've seen it all.'

...

When Lu Huaizheng walked into Li Hongwen's office, there was another person sitting in the room. It was Han Zhichen.

The two old men were playing a game of chess. A pot of tea was brewing on the brown padauk table, steam puffing from the purple clay teapot. White smoke billowed and swirled upwards, as if suspended in the mists of a mountain, like a paradise on earth. Li Hongwen's office had quite an artistic atmosphere. He could be considered an old artist. On the side wall hung a piece of calligraphy, vibrant with ink, titled Southern Kingdom Scroll. The scroll was old and peeling, its edges stained with black marks, showing the grandeur of its years. That was a gift from Lu Huaizheng's Grandfather to Li Hongwen. It read—Gentle, Kind, Respectful, Thrifty, and Yielding; Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parent, and Teacher.

The two were playing Army Chess, bickering every now and then. Both old men were stubborn, and neither would give in. After arguing, they would fall silent for a while and then be fine again.

Lu Huaizheng knocked on the door. When Li Hongwen saw him enter, he looked up, scraping his teacup with a rustling sound. "You're back?"

Han Zhichen also turned at the sound, sized Lu Huaizheng up, and turned back without a word.

Li Hongwen's eyes were fixed on the chessboard, afraid that Han Zhichen might cheat. "Wait a moment, I'll talk to you after this game."

Lu Huaizheng grunted in acknowledgment.

Without looking up, Li Hongwen gestured casually to the side. "Find a place to sit. It must've been a tiring journey, right?"

Unexpectedly, Han Zhichen snorted, "He's a big man, what's there to be tired of."

Lu Huaizheng felt that if he had just come back obediently before this trip, without that impulsive moment before leaving, perhaps his gaze towards Han Zhichen could be a bit more composed now. It wasn't that he wasn't composed now, just that he felt a head shorter in front of Han Zhichen. He even wondered, if Li Hongwen and Han Zhichen started arguing again, who he should help. It was all a damn problem.

One was his mentor.

The other was his potential girlfriend's mentor.

He turned his head and saw the words his grandfather had written on the wall: Gentle, Kind, Respectful, Thrifty, and Yielding; Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parent, and Teacher, which now seemed even more jarring.

It wasn't that he was afraid to see Han Zhichen. Even if Han Zhichen hadn't come tonight, he was also prepared to make a trip to the Research Institute before returning to Yunnan, to report that Yu Hao and Zhao Dailin were safe and sound, to put the old man's mind at ease.

With Han Zhichen's comment.

How could Lu Huaizheng dare to sit? He stood to the side watching them play chess. Han Zhichen asked, "How is Yu Hao over there?"

Lu Huaizheng: "She's doing well."

Han Zhichen squinted at him, hinting, "She hasn't been bullied by some bad boy, has she?"

"..."

Lu Huaizheng stood ramrod straight with his hands behind his back, his face not blushing, his heart not skipping a beat. "No."

Han Zhichen looked him up and down with narrowed eyes, raised an eyebrow, snorted, and said no more.

As the chess game came to an end, Han Zhichen asked a few more scattered questions about Yu Hao's affairs in Yunnan. Lu Huaizheng answered them one by one, in such detail that Han Zhichen became more and more astonished as he listened. He had figured out Yu Hao's daily routine completely.

Although Li Hongwen also hoped he could resolve his personal issues as soon as possible, he didn't want him to spend all his time on romance.

He casually picked up a chess piece and threw it at Lu Huaizheng unexpectedly:

"What do you do all day! Just stare at the girl?!"

Lu Huaizheng didn't dodge. It hit him squarely in the chest, the force not insignificant, leaving a crease on his white t-shirt. He didn't make a sound, his eyes still showing no servility or arrogance, carrying their own innate spirit.

"Her routine is simple; you can figure it out after observing for two days. Plus, to coordinate with the military unit's psychological training, we also had to align our schedules. Should we have just left her hanging and ignored everything?"

Li Hongwen gave him a chilly look and gritted his teeth, "Manage! I think it's time someone managed you!"

Han Zhichen pushed himself up with his legs, rubbing his sore and numb limbs, making way for the master and disciple. "Alright, you two talk. I'm heading back. Have that girl give me a call later. She goes over there and doesn't even know to call. What an ungrateful girl."

"The...signal isn't very good over there..." Lu Huaizheng scratched his nose and said with his head down.

Han Zhichen: "No need to make excuses. She's been with me for so long, you think I don't know what kind of person she is? She's never been one to initiate contact. If you don't look for her, she'll never contact you."

Lu Huaizheng chuckled, thinking that was indeed true.

Han Zhichen wobbled to a steady stance. Lu Huaizheng subconsciously reached out to support him, but was brushed away by a wave of his hand. "No need, I can still walk. Go help your leader."

The scorned Li Hongwen was like a lit firecracker, crackling with sparks and lightning. While clearing the chessboard, he retorted, not to be outdone, "Why don't we have a fight, Old Han? I'll even buy you a wheelchair, so you won't have to worry about the rest of your life."

These two were always at loggerheads when they met, tit for tat. They were bound to start arguing after just a few words. Lu Huaizheng thought it was a miracle their friendship had lasted for over thirty years.

Han Zhichen scoffed, "Fine. As a mere scholar, I'm naturally no match for you. But if you injure me, I don't think your Captain Lu will want to pursue my student anymore." After speaking, he pointed a finger at the calligraphy on the wall and read aloud, "Heaven, Earth, Sovereign, Parent, and Teacher. At least I'm a 'teacher'. As for whether your disciple is still 'close kin' to you, that's debatable—"

Lu Huaizheng was best at bantering with people. He had a way with elders, and an even better way with his girlfriend. But now he felt it was best to keep his mouth shut. Banter depended on the situation, and this situation was very unsuitable. He just lowered his head with a deferential smile, not expressing any opinion. Saying too much would only annoy Han Zhichen.

After Han Zhichen left, Li Hongwen's expression became more restrained. He was no longer in a joking mood. He pointed to a chair at the side and said without emotion, "Sit down and talk."

Lu Huaizheng didn't refuse this time. He pulled over a nearby armchair, placed it in front of Li Hongwen, and sat down. He studied the man's expression and noticed he was actually very tired, with deeply sunken eye sockets and droopy, listless eyelids.

"Didn't you rest well?" he asked.

Li Hongwen nodded, "After receiving the news, we had meetings for two consecutive days. Myanmar and Kashmir are at war again. I called Old Tang in the afternoon and told him to prepare for battle. Our bottom line is to protect every Chinese citizen."

"What about the Turkey side?"

"The embassy wasn't affected. It was a military uprising, so there's still some apprehension. The peacekeeping troops are helping them evacuate. We won't get involved in that." Li Hongwen shook his head, feeling a dull ache in his brain. "Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. This phrase is still a truth that will be passed down for generations."

"Yes."

"In times of chaos, people seek common ground, and some choose to protect themselves." Li Hongwen placed a hand on Lu Huaizheng's shoulder and said, "In another thousand, ten thousand years, the human heart won't change. Human ambition will only grow larger, and people will only become greedier. Do you expect those who are used to eating delicacies every day to switch to eating vegetables and tofu? To fall behind is to be beaten. Our national defense must become stronger and stronger. Otherwise, someone will always want to swallow up this big piece of fat meat that is China on the world map."

How could Lu Huaizheng not understand?

The strong prey on the weak, a principle unchanged for thousands of years.

Li Hongwen said, "Let's not talk about this. Talking too much about such things inevitably leads to sadness. It's the Qingming Festival, do you want to go see your father?"

"I'll go after I'm done with work."

Li Hongwen nodded in gratification. "He would understand. What about you and that girl? It can't be like Old Han said, that you can't win her over, right?"

But Lu Huaizheng leaned back lazily in his chair, his hands loosely clasped in front of him. The office light had been off the whole time, because a small stove was burning with a crimson fire, casting a radiant glow on his face, making him look like a fair-faced scholar. He just lowered his head and smiled, not answering.

Li Hongwen was also an old hand at this. He felt that something was different about this kid since he came back this time. He narrowed his eyes and carefully sized him up from head to toe.

"You can wait for her to come back and ask her yourself," Lu Huaizheng said, turning his head lazily, a smile playing on his lips.

Li Hongwen was furious and slapped him right on the thigh. "Still playing games with me, are you looking for death?!"

When Li Hongwen was a child, he did headstands and acrobatics. His palms were as hard as iron blocks; one slap could break six bricks in one go. Even in his middle age, his strength hadn't diminished. Lu Huaizheng felt like his bones were about to break. He winced in pain, rubbing his thigh with his hand and gritting his teeth, "You really hit me!!"

Li Hongwen snorted, "Now you know why Old Han is afraid of me. I broke his nose with one punch back in the day."

"You really are..." He was both angry and amused. He looked at Li Hongwen, sucking in a breath and glancing away.

Li Hongwen pressed him like a child, "Hurry up and tell me."

Lu Huaizheng turned back. "Tell you what?"

"About you and Yu Hao."

"Yes, yes, are you satisfied now?" Lu Huaizheng felt like his falling in love was like the sky falling down. He was being asked about it by almost everyone every day, and they hadn't even officially started dating yet. If they did, it would be even worse.

Li Hongwen was satisfied. He nodded and said, "That's good. I'll find Old Han after the meeting tomorrow to pick a date."

Lu Huaizheng turned his head slowly, feeling a chill, and asked, syllable by syllable, very slowly, "Pick...a...date...for...what?"

"For the wedding, of course. After getting this sorted for you, my job is done. If you two don't get married, the Political Commissar will nag me to death every day."

"..."

...

Yunnan Military Region.

Yu Hao rested her chin on her hand, staring at the calendar. Her gaze was so intense it could have burned a hole through it.

Time still passed like an old lady, slow and unhurried.

She had never felt time pass so slowly. Sometimes when she woke up from an afternoon nap, she would feel as if another day had passed, but when she looked at the calendar, it was still the same day.

When Zhao Dailin came in with a military overcoat, Yu Hao was still staring blankly at the calendar.

"Here, a letter from your lover has arrived—"

Yu Hao whipped her head around in an instant.

"He sent you an overcoat," Zhao Dailin added.

Yu Hao didn't react in time. Her vision went black as a thick, heavy military overcoat was thrown over her, completely covering her. She struggled to push the coat away, revealing her fluffy head. Her eyes, clear and dazed, looked at Zhao Dailin, who was leaning against the edge of the desk, hands propped on either side. She looked down, sizing her up with an extremely strange gaze. "Did you know—"

Yu Hao was stunned. "Know what?"

"When a woman falls in love with a man, she becomes idle. All day long, she just stares at her phone to see if he's replied—or she just hugs her phone, pitifully hoping for it to ring, and for the caller to be him. When she really has nothing to do, she can only stare at the clock all day long..." Zhao Dailin mimicked her tone of voice perfectly, adding a deliberately slick tone, "Aiya, why isn't he back yet—"

Yu Hao's reaction was extremely slow. Only now did she realize Zhao Dailin was teasing her. She put the coat aside, ruffled her hair haphazardly, and sat up straight. "Boring." She refused to acknowledge her.

Zhao Dailin reached out to hook a strand of her hair. "Aiyo, why are you getting angry all of a sudden—"

Yu Hao still ignored her, lowering her head to read a document.

"You're not talking to me?"

Yu Hao ignored her, flipping through the book seriously. There weren't many people in the office. The temperature had dropped in the morning, so Yu Hao had closed all the windows and doors. It was very quiet, with only the sound of her turning the pages.

"Then don't regret it."

"Senior Sister Zhao, are you really bored?" Yu Hao said seriously.

Zhao Dailin decided to stop teasing her. She propped her hands on the desk and got down to business:

"I'm swamped, okay? I spent all day yesterday sorting through materials and ended up finding a huge surprise. I guessed you'd definitely be interested, so didn't I hurry over to tell you?"

"What surprise?"

This time, Zhao Dailin didn't keep her in suspense.

"Lu Huaizheng's psychological report from two years ago, want to see it?"

Author's note:

Let Yu Hao feel some heartache for Lu Lu too. When Lu Lu comes back, she'll return the favor with a passionate French kiss and scare the daylights out of Lu Lu, hahahaha.