Chapter 93: 第 93 章

On the fourth day of the new year, Xu Ze packed his things simply, and Chi Jiahán drove him to the Airport.

Huang Liling did not come to see him off. Xu Ze was going this time with his project; in a few days Huang Liling would arrive at the Research Institute as well.

"Is He Wei all right?"

"What could possibly be wrong with him." Chi Jiahán's face was expressionless. "That mouth of his will get sewn shut one day."

"He likes you a lot." Xu Ze said.

Even though he had misunderstood that Chi Jiahán and he were getting married, he still wanted him to be the first to hear the news of Tang Feiyi's death after waking from surgery — Xu Ze felt he ought to do something for He Wei too, such as sounding Chi Jiahán out obliquely.

Chi Jiahán was silent for a few seconds, then said: "If I got together with him, who do you think would be happiest?"

Before Xu Ze could answer, Chi Jiahán said: "My father and my stepmother."

"Do you know what position He Wei's father has reached now." Chi Jiahán said coolly. "There couldn't be a more satisfactory in-law for my father than him. To my father, this would be a perfect marriage alliance."

"That's the reason. As long as I am his son for one day, I cannot escape being treated as a bargaining chip for even one day. Not just He Wei — any Alpha with money or power, I wouldn't consider."

Though the suggestion was absurd, Xu Ze still tried: "What if you don't get married?"

"He Wei is his parents' only son — would they possibly allow him not to marry?"

"All right." Xu Ze nodded. "It's your decision."

Actually, in recent days Chi Jiahán had noticed something different about Xu Ze, though he couldn't pin it down specifically. He supposed it must have something to do with Lu Heyang. So he asked deliberately: "Then does what you said about getting a marriage certificate with me still count?"

Sure enough, Xu Ze hesitated, and only after a moment said: "Probably not."

"Why?" Chi Jiahán pretended not to understand. "You clearly said you would help me."

"Anything else is fine." Xu Ze was troubled but firm. "This one I can't."

"Then tell me why." Chi Jiahán turned his head to look at him. "Why? Why?"

Xu Ze was forced to find an excuse: "Getting a marriage certificate — it can't be that rash."

Chi Jiahán laughed. "So you see, someone like you who writes 'I'm lying' all over his face — probably the moment Lu Heyang first saw you, he already noticed something was off. Were you still thinking you were hiding it especially well?"

Looking back, whether in high school or now, it did seem to be the case. Xu Ze said nothing.

When they reached the Airport, Xu Ze sent his luggage to be checked. Before security, Chi Jiahán gave him a hug: "Come back when you have time, don't vanish without a word the moment you leave the country. Take care of yourself."

"Mm." Xu Ze said. "You too."

Chi Jiahán watched Xu Ze pass through security. At the very end Xu Ze turned back and waved at him, and Chi Jiahán smiled and raised his hand in return. Throughout their undergraduate years it had always been Xu Ze sending him off to study abroad; this time the two had switched places. Watching Xu Ze's back, Chi Jiahán suddenly thought that Xu Ze always seemed to be the one seeing people off.

It was a relief that even though Xu Ze now seemed to come and go with nothing weighing him down, there must still be something he held onto in his heart.

Having something to hold onto was a good thing; otherwise a person would be blown away by the wind, no longer longing to possess a resting place of their own.

He landed in the evening. Among the colleagues who met him at the airport, one was Xu Ze's classmate from his undergraduate years, another an old acquaintance who had shared life and death with him on the battlefield for nearly a month. The strangeness was quickly dispelled, and they all went together to a restaurant to welcome Xu Ze.

The doctoral apartment was two rooms and a living room per unit — one bedroom, one study. After finishing dinner and returning to his dorm, Xu Ze did not immediately unpack. He sat on the sofa, holding his Mobile Phone, lost in thought — thinking about an opening line.

He had wanted to contact Lu Heyang for the past couple of days, but after carefully recalling, Xu Ze realized he had told Lu Heyang something like staying in touch after going abroad, so he waited until today.

He tried, but still could not think of a perfect opening. Xu Ze counted the time — it was already very late. If he didn't send it today, it would count as an absence. He tapped into his chat with Lu Heyang, and with great seriousness typed a few words: Colonel, are you asleep?

He pressed send. Knowing full well the other side could not reply instantly, Xu Ze still stared at the message interface without moving. To his surprise, in barely ten seconds a reply came: Who is this?

Xu Ze paused, thinking Lu Heyang had accidentally cleared his contacts. He replied: It's Xu Ze.

Lu Heyang: Is this the Doctor Xu who said he'd stay in touch but vanished for four days?

Asked a question he already knew the answer to, Xu Ze explained: I only arrived at the Research Institute today.

Lu Heyang: I know.

Lu Heyang: Is it convenient for a call?

With that question, Xu Ze did not waste time replying with a text, and dialed directly.

"Colonel."

"Mm." Lu Heyang asked, "Are you at the dorm?"

"Just arrived." Xu Ze, keeping his promise to find topics, went on to ask, "Have you rested?"

"Just came out of the command room."

After saying this, Lu Heyang did not continue. Only the sound of footsteps came through the phone, which left Xu Ze — still immersed in the question-and-answer mode — stuck as well. After a few seconds he uttered an "oh" on his own, and said, not very smoothly: "So late, you must be tired."

Lu Heyang seemed to laugh once — Xu Ze wasn't sure — and then he heard Lu Heyang ask: "Do you live alone in the dorm, or do you have a roommate?"

"I live alone." Xu Ze looked around the unfamiliar scene. "Much bigger than before."

"How much bigger?"

"There's an extra study, the bedroom is separate." Xu Ze described in detail to Lu Heyang just how big it was. "The balcony is much wider too."

"What about the sofa?"

Xu Ze, not understanding, looked down at the sofa and answered: "Also very big, you can lie down on it."

"Next month I'm coming to City S for a meeting. Could I borrow your dorm and sleep on the sofa?"

Lu Heyang coming to City S, Lu Heyang coming to his home to sleep on the sofa — both things left Xu Ze unable to process. He sat up straighter and asked: "When?"

"Probably early next month, the Lianmeng Government has a meeting. The exact date hasn't been set."

Xu Ze thought quickly and said: "Today is only the sixth."

Which meant more than a month to go.

"Why do you sound so disappointed." Lu Heyang called him. "Doctor Xu."

Even if his face now read 'I'm lying,' as long as he wasn't face to face with Lu Heyang, he wouldn't notice. Xu Ze said: "No, I won't."

"That's good. Flying must be tiring, get some rest early."

"Mm." Xu Ze nodded through the phone, hesitated, then asked, "Today, was it all right?"

"What do you mean?"

"Chatting like this, was it all right?"

"Ninety points for Doctor Xu." There seemed to be laughter in Lu Heyang's voice. "It would be even better if you could be a little more honest."

Still caught lying, but ninety points was already enough to make Xu Ze happy. He said: "I'll call you tomorrow too."

"Good."

After hanging up, Xu Ze dragged his suitcase to the bedroom, opened it, and took out a small yellowed notebook from an inner pocket. He flipped to one page — twelve somewhat faded circles on it — and on the next page, half a page of the character zhèng. Xu Ze crouched on the ground looking at it for a while, then turned another page, picked up a pen, and on the first line wrote today's date, followed by a check mark.

As agreed, Xu Ze called Lu Heyang the next day, and the day after, every single day. Before each call, Xu Ze would send Lu Heyang a text to confirm, and would always receive a reply quickly. There were also times when he had to work very late, and Xu Ze would find time in the middle to go to the corridor and get that day's call done first.

Every time Xu Ze spoke in a very quiet voice in the corridor, Lu Heyang would ask him: "Are you sneaking in another call to me today?"

The check marks in the small notebook had already filled several pages, not a single day missed. It was the first time Xu Ze had maintained contact with Lu Heyang for so long — it seemed more than all the calls they had made during their high school years combined.

But because there was now an approximate date, the wait for Lu Heyang to come to City S seemed especially long — especially after Xu Ze learned the meeting had been finally set for the 10th.

So "early in the month" meant the last day of the early part of the month.

"I originally wanted to come a night earlier, but things at the Base won't let me go." Lu Heyang said. "After the meeting on the 10th I have to go to the League General Headquarters."

Saying he wasn't disappointed would be a lie, but Xu Ze expressed understanding: "It's all right, we'll meet next time when you have time."

"This time we'll meet too." Lu Heyang told Xu Ze. "Between the end of the meeting and going to the General Headquarters there should be about two or three hours free. If it's convenient for you then, I'll come find you."

Xu Ze, as if dizzy, answered without thinking: "It's convenient."

Thirty-five check marks in total, and the 10th arrived. Xu Ze had asked Huang Liling for leave in advance. He planned to go to the area near the Lianmeng Government in the afternoon to wait for Lu Heyang to finish the meeting, in order to save Lu Heyang the time of coming to the Research Institute to pick him up.

At nine in the morning, the first half of the meeting began on time. This time, departing from the Capital City with Lu Heyang were also Gu Yunchi and a Navy colonel.

On the main platform sat the heads of the Lianmeng Government and the commanders-in-chief of the various Military Districts. Lu Chengyu sat in the center, watching Lu Heyang salute the commanders beside him before taking his seat.

The meeting ran until half past eleven. After a one-hour lunch break, the second half began, and around three o'clock the meeting was declared over. Attendees gradually dispersed. Luojun called Lu Heyang aside, his face unusually hesitant, and finally just patted Lu Heyang's shoulder: "I trust you know your limits. Be careful in everything. I don't want the person who sits in my position in the future to be anyone but you. Did you hear me?"

Lu Heyang smiled: "I've made you worry."

Luojun directed his gaze behind Lu Heyang and tilted his chin: "Someone's looking for you."

Turning around, Lu Heyang saw a government staff member standing not far away, smiling professionally: "Sorry to interrupt, the Chairman invites Colonel Lu to sit in his office for a while."

"You go ahead, I'll head to the Military District first." Luojun said.

"Mm."

At the door of Lu Chengyu's office, the secretary opened the door for Lu Heyang and invited him in.

There was a chair in front of the desk, but Lu Heyang did not intend to sit. He only asked: "What does the Chairman want with me?"

He had not called Lu Chengyu 'father' for many years — not since Lin Yumian's divorce from Lu Chengyu.

That year, after the amnesia caused by the kidnapping, Lin Yumian hired a professional psychological counseling team to treat Lu Heyang. But during the process Lu Heyang vaguely sensed something was wrong — he found that rather than memory recovery, the psychological suggestion and memory interference he was receiving was actually stronger. These doctors seemed to be trying to alter his memories.

When Lin Yumian learned of this fact he was almost trembling with anger. He immediately stopped all psychological treatment for Lu Heyang and flew to City S to confront Lu Chengyu.

Three months after returning from City S, Lin Yumian completed the divorce procedures, completely shedding the title of 'Chairman's spouse.' As for why Lu Chengyu had actually agreed to the divorce, Lin Yumian did not say, and Lu Heyang and Lu Qingmo did not ask.

Lu Heyang's attitude was direct, and Lu Chengyu was equally straightforward: "I hear you're undergoing psychological treatment."

"Does the Chairman have any concerns?"

"Did you report it to the Military Headquarters?" Lu Chengyu looked up at him.

Lu Heyang looked at him calmly and directly: "That question should be asked by the Military Headquarters."

"Undergoing psychological treatment privately is a violation of military regulations. As a colonel, surely you know this."

"If the Chairman can immediately find a suitable person to take over the Capital Air Base, I'd be very willing to step aside. But the Lianmeng Government doesn't seem to have the authority to interfere with Military Forces personnel transfers." Lu Heyang said. "Or you could discuss it with Commander Luojun."

This sentence indicated that Luojun already knew about this and tacitly approved. Lu Chengyu said nothing more, and Lu Heyang nodded to him: "I have other matters, I'll be going first."

In the elevator, Lu Heyang opened his Mobile Phone and saw a message from Xu Ze sent ten minutes ago: I'm at the fountain in Central Park.

Lu Heyang replied: Good, I'll be there soon.

The official military vehicle was parked downstairs. In the passenger seat was a captain from the General Headquarters; in the back sat only Gu Yunchi, as the Navy colonel had already gone to the Military District in another car.

"Colonel Lu." The captain greeted Lu Heyang with a smile.

"It's been a while." Lu Heyang smiled too, then said to the driver, "To the fountain at Central Park."

"Understood. And you, Colonel Gu?"

Gu Yunchi looked at his phone: "One moment."

After a few seconds, having apparently received a message, he read out a shop name from the screen and said: "Here."

"Sounds like a Cafe." Lu Heyang said.

"Says he wants to eat this shop's Bun." Gu Yunchi said coldly. "Wonder if he's never had bread in his life."

Central Park was very close to the Lianmeng Government, and they arrived in just a few minutes. From a distance one could see a tall Alpha standing on the busy street in just a black hoodie. The sunlight was indeed very good today, and City S was, as always, a little warmer than the Capital City.

"Oh?" the captain said in surprise, "that — is that Doctor Xu?"

Lu Heyang, who was just removing his military cap, looked at him at this: "You know him?"

"Sort of. Two years ago I ran into him at the front line of the Western Theater Command — the time you went to provide support. Doctor Xu asked me where your unit was specifically, so I looked it up for him, and found out you'd just led your team off to another sector about ten minutes before. Just missed by that much." The captain said. "I thought Doctor Xu was looking for someone in the Air Force unit, turns out he was looking for you."

Gu Yunchi glanced at the silent Lu Heyang and said quietly: "When you get married, seat me at the main table."

The car stopped at the roadside. Lu Heyang opened the door and got out. Xu Ze saw him, froze for a moment, and was just pressing his lips together to smile when he suddenly noticed Gu Yunchi was still in the car behind Lu Heyang, and the passenger-side window had also been rolled down. The captain he had met a few times waved at him: "Doctor Xu, do you remember me?"

Xu Ze quickly recalled: "I do, Captain Yu."

He felt regret — he should have stood somewhere more out of sight. Though it was only an ordinary meeting, Lu Heyang's position was special, and he should still try to avoid unnecessary entanglements. Just as when he had originally asked Captain Yu where that Air Force unit was, he would not have said outright that the person he was looking for was Lu Heyang.

While Xu Ze was thinking this, Lu Heyang's hand had already settled on his back, guiding him forward while saying goodbye to Gu Yunchi and the others.

The car started moving again. Captain Yu was still a little amazed: "Colonel Lu and Doctor Xu seem to have a very good relationship."

"Not bad." Gu Yunchi replied, then opened his phone and briskly sent Lu Heyang a physical examination report from eight years ago.