Chapter 226

In the Daxingling region of Hei Province, several forest farms under the jurisdiction of four forestry bureaus—Xilinji, Tuqiang, Amuer, and Tahe—caught fire at the same time.

At the time, more than fifty thousand police, soldiers, and civilians were mobilized, and it took a full month before the fire was finally extinguished.

Two hundred and eleven people perished in the blaze.

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The date was May 6th of that year.

So it was also called the 5·6 Extraordinarily Major Forest Fire.

That fire at the time shocked both China and the world.

That drunkard's wife died in that very fire.

The couple had been married three years at the time, and together they had opened an underground dance hall in Mohe.

In those days, dance halls were very popular.

Young people used ballroom dancing to seek each other out.

The old drunkard's wife had loved dancing back then; he had met her through ballroom dancing and eventually married her, so after they wed, the couple opened that underground dance hall together.

After his wife died, he kept running that underground dance hall.

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Many years later, a new generation of young people led new fashions, and the dance hall sank into nothing more than a memory.

"It's still there in Mohecheng, that basement. It's just that, normally, not many people go anymore. On weekends there are a few more—mostly people of his generation, many already retired, going back in groups to that underground dance hall to dance."

"That old fellow just sits there, drinking his wine. Once everyone's gone, he drinks his way here, runs up to this observation deck, and dances by himself."

The security guard said.

Hao Ze Yan and Yang Xue both felt a deep ache in their hearts.

If only this were just a story—how wonderful that would be.

"The times have changed," the security guard sighed. "You two young people, you're kind kids. The fact that you're willing to patiently listen to his story shows how kind you are."

"These days, everywhere you look it's reeking of money. People's hearts have all rotted away, damn it. Young people nowadays, the moment they hear about the older generation's love, they think it's tacky."

"Right? Something like this—shouldn't it only show up in novels or on TV? But this is real, because I was a witness to the whole thing."

"Over these past thirty-plus years, I've lost count of how many nights he's gotten dead drunk—but strangely, he's actually still alive to this day. That's really a miracle!"

"Thirty years ago, people were still introducing partners to him."

"Twenty years ago, people were still introducing partners to him."

"Ten years ago, someone introduced a partner to him, but by then it should have been called an old companion—after all, you need someone to keep house with you, right? Growing old with no one to rely on, the ending would be miserable."

"But the old fellow is the old fellow—every time he got himself plastered drunk, and after that the whole thing just faded away."

The security guard laughed and shook his head.

Yang Xue listened, raised her hand, and wiped the tears sliding down her cheek.

Hao Ze Yan beside her raised a hand and drew her shoulder in.

And not far away.

Did Ning Chen still stand by the railing.

His back was to them, and under the night his silhouette looked very dark.

He never once turned his head.

In Brother Shiguang's livestream.

The story the security guard told.

Naturally, all the viewers heard it too.

In the livestream, the current online count was over four hundred thousand, but the bullet comments had fallen somewhat silent.

No one could hear a story like that and remain unmoved.

Many viewers simply felt sad.

Why, on a night like this, as the rime arrived, did they have to hear such a sorrowful story.

Later, bullet comments began to appear.

【In an age of fast food, the older generation's love moves us even more.】

【My parents' love back then was simple and plain. Once married, it was for life. Even if the road was bumpy, their lives had already become one.】

【My dad was sent down to the countryside back then. He was already seeing my mom, and he told her to wait for him. She waited seven years. When he finally came back, he married her. All these years, I've never seen him lose his temper in front of my mom, not even a tiny bit—even during the hardest stretch our family went through.】

【My dad passed away last year. Less than half a year after he left, my mom, who had been in pretty good health, also passed away that night. I have no reason to play on emotions here or exaggerate—this is real. It was just so sudden. I think she was heartless, leaving me behind like that. But tonight, I think I understand.】

For a moment.

Brother Shiguang's livestream had once again become a time-memory livestream.

Viewers one after another spoke of their own parents' stories, mostly about their parents' love.

That era was too far away from this generation.

So far that it made this generation feel it had never existed at all.

Aren't parents just part of the present?

Their era was too far away—let alone love.

Before, they would have all found it laughable.

Until tonight, in this livestream, hearing a security guard like that tell a story from thirty years ago.

At this moment.

The once-impassable generational gap between two generations was suddenly bridged.

Suddenly, a bullet comment popped up:

"Holy crap! What is that?!!"

"Look over there! That rime ice!! That rime ice!!"

The audience all turned their gaze to the distance in the live stream feed.

That was the position where the streamer Brother Shiguang stood.

His back was to the camera.

What the audience saw was his back view.

And looking forward along his back.

In the distance, that red pine forest covered in rime ice.

Originally, a white, misty expanse of crystal-clear red pine forest!

At this moment!

It was actually beginning to emit a dreamy blue glow!

That patch of dreamy blue began to spread over the endless red pine rime ice!

That entire stretch of night sky turned blue!

By the bonfire, the security uncle and Hao Zeyan, the two of them, had been casually chatting about something.

Suddenly, that uncle jumped to his feet!

His face filled with disbelief, he looked toward Ning Chen's direction.

Vast patches of blue had already shrouded the entire rime ice area!

That was the east; the entire eastern night sky was now filled with blue!

"W-what is this?!" the uncle shouted.

Hao Zeyan and Yang Xue also stood up.

Their eyes wide open.

By the fence in the distance, Ning Chen turned his head slightly.

The few people behind could only see his profile.

He spoke softly—"The aurora is coming."

"The aurora??" The uncle, Hao Zeyan, and Yang Xue behind him were all dumbfounded.

"There's going to be an aurora—here??"

Ning Chen's voice came from ahead.

His voice was very calm, yet very clear.

Only two words: "Yes, there is."

Hearing Ning Chen's words, that security uncle suddenly realized.