Chapter 121

·

·

·

Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

"Li Liang was originally better than Qu Peng."

Guben understood: "She's just blind in her own eyes, unable to judge people clearly."

"She's just stupid."

Wang Fan sneered disdainfully: "If anyone else treats her a little better, she stupidly throws herself in headfirst without thinking—with her pitiful IQ, how can she fight a cunning fox? It's a miracle she isn't played to death!"

"I have a question..."

Lin Xiyu spoke up for her best friend: "You all clearly saw that Qu Peng doesn't like her, so why didn't anyone remind her?"

"Would reminding her have helped?"

Wang Fan answered with a question: "Why do you think Li Liang agreed to the engagement? He had long seen that Qu Peng didn't like her, and felt some sympathy for her in his heart; he had helped her many times, openly or secretly, before. But she's just a blockhead, slow-witted, unable to tell who is truly good to her."

"Li Liang has liked her for a long time, how did I not know?"

With gossip to hear, Lin Xiyu also became spirited, her little eyes bright and bright, taking the opportunity to relieve the fatigue of cycling.

"You're just like her, also a blockhead."

Guben found it amusing and gave her a rap on the head.

"What did I do?"

Lin Xiyu, bewildered: "We were talking about Wu Meng, why did you suddenly drag me into it?"

"Your emotional intelligence is truly unmatched."

Guben smiled helplessly: "Until now you still don't know—in those three years of high school, the person I truly liked—was you."

"Wow, what's with this sudden explosion of happiness?"

Lin Xiyu blinked playfully, deliberately misinterpreting his meaning: "So this is what it feels like to be favored by a study god."

"Being mischievous again."

Guben's eyes and brows full of pampering: "Pretending not to understand on purpose, right?"

"No."

Lin Xiyu laughed charmingly: "The study god's words must be understood—it's just that happiness came too suddenly, I can't believe it, a pie falling from the sky, such good luck really landed on my own head."

"Damn, Guben, you're too much of a show-off."

Wang Fan felt sour hearing it and couldn't help but indulge in jealousy again: "Back in high school you had your eye on the Study Committee Member, hiding it so deeply that not even us brothers knew?"

"Can I be as much of a show-off as you?"

Guben didn't indulge him, bluntly exposing his sore spot: "Always showing off to us, women are like clothes, changing girlfriends faster than changing clothes."

"That's not showing off, that's fact."

Wang Fan, unwilling to accept defeat, felt it necessary to save face in front of the beauty, to make people think he was also popular, with many pursuing him: "It's just that our school is strict and doesn't allow early romance; otherwise, with Brother's looks, handsome and rich, there would be plenty of girls throwing themselves at me like moths to a flame."

"You yourself said moths to a flame—who's still stupid enough to throw themselves at you?"

Lin Xiyu found it unpleasant to hear and gave him a white eye.

"There definitely are stupid ones."

Wang Fan, not angry but pleased, used the opening to banter with her: "Isn't your good best friend just one? Brother just doesn't want to meddle in his and Qu Peng's little mess; otherwise, with Brother's charm, if I put in a little effort, she'd fall for me, crazy about me, pretty much like moths to a flame."

"Pah!"

Lin Xiyu spat at him unhappily: "Just keep showing off, so flirtatious, not taking feelings seriously—you'll end up tripped up by a woman sooner or later."

"Die under the peony flower, and even as a ghost be romantic."

Wang Fan, thinking himself suave and debonair, raised his eyebrows, gave an evil charming smile: "Brother has no other hobbies, just likes beauties; earning so much money is for what? Not for enjoyment? Money and beauties are the standard equipment of successful people; Brother's ultimate pursuit in this life is to be like the Gambling King—earn the most money, date the most beautiful girls, the ultimate pleasure in life, nothing more."

"Your life goal is truly, not ordinary weird."

Lin Xiyu couldn't stand his showing-off look, her white eyes almost rolling to the sky.

"Who is the Gambling King?"

Xu Yi pricked up his little ears listening to the older siblings talk; hearing about the Gambling King, he became spirited, his little eyes shining.

"The Gambling King is Macau's God of Gambling, rich and handsome."

Wang Fan was very pleased to have the little one's support: "He married many wives in his life, and mistresses were even a large group, each more beautiful than the last, even Hong Kong stars had scandals with him; a man living like him counts as truly successful."

"Are you done?"

Lin Xiyu glared at him displeased: "Say less, don't corrupt the child."

"What I said are all facts."

Wang Fan enjoyed bantering with her: "Even if he doesn't know now, he'll know when he grows up."

"Xiao Yi, don't listen to him."

Lin Xiyu was both angry and annoyed.

"Ignore him, he's just deliberately trying to anger you."

Guben saw through someone's petty little thoughts and deliberately pointed out to her: "The more you argue with him, the more he gets worked up; the best way to deal with this kind of person is to turn a deaf ear and treat him as if he doesn't exist."

"Hey, Guben, that's just too boring."

Wang Fan turned his spear toward him again: "I just don't believe there's a man in this world who doesn't envy the Gambling King."

Lin Xiyu's eyes flickered slightly, and she subconsciously looked toward Guben.

Guben's scalp tightened, and he decisively replied with three words: "Don't envy."

"Li Liang, you say..."

Wang Fan was unwilling to give up. He stopped the car, turned back, and shouted at Li Liang: "Aren't you envious of the Gambling King? Don't you want to live like him? Wealth, career, power, status—all in one hand, reaching the highest peak of life's climb, enjoying the feeling of being the center of attention, standing atop the summit looking down on the world, making all other mountains seem small."

"No."

Although Li Liang didn't know what nerve had suddenly struck him, he figured it couldn't be anything good, and very ungraciously retorted: "What you're describing isn't the Gambling King, it's Dongfang Bubai, right?"

"Pfft."

Wu Meng spat out a mouthful of water.

"Hahaha."

Guben and Lin Xiyu were also amused by his rare humor.

The joyful laughter of the young men and women continued for a long time, and the rest of the journey became even more pleasant because of their deliberate clowning and banter.

An hour passed unconsciously, and at exactly 9:00 AM, the group arrived at their destination on time.

—

Outside the apron of Zhangzhuang Airport, large fields of wheat were planted. August was the season when the wheat ripened; as far as the eye could see, the wheat ears swaying in the wind looked like a golden ocean.

"So much wheat."

Xu Yi happily jumped off his bicycle and rushed toward the wheat field, wanting to grab a handful of wheat ears.

"Watch out for snakes."

Guben was quick-eyed and quick-handed, pulling him back.

"Are there snakes in the wheat field?"

Lin Xiyu's face changed color, and she subconsciously moved closer to him.

"Yes."

Guben nodded: "There are small snakes in the grass near the apron, and sometimes they rush into the wheat field. I encountered one when I was young and almost stepped on a snake."

"Tsk, so scary."

Wu Meng listened with her heart pounding, rubbing her arms and shaking goosebumps all over the ground.

"You played in the wheat field when you were young?"

After being frightened, Lin Xiyu was very curious and couldn't imagine that a good student like Guben had such mischievous times.

"Not just me; among the children in the courtyard, few hadn't drilled through the wheat field..."

Guben saw through her thoughts and smiled teasingly: "My brother was even more mischievous than me. He rolled around in the wheat field, got green juice all over him, turned his whole white shirt into a mess, and my grandfather chased him around the yard with a stick, furious."

"Hahaha, Brother Zheng was that mischievous too?"

The young men and women were all amused by his humorous tone, laughing until they couldn't close their mouths.

—

A fighter jet roared across the sky above the wheat field, its huge engine noise attracting everyone's attention.

"Plane, look, it's a plane."

Xu Yi excitedly tilted his head to look at the sky.

"It's so fast."

Lin Xiyu used her hand to shield her eyes from the dazzling sunlight, following the plane as it turned halfway around.

"It's my first time seeing a fighter jet."

Wu Meng looked envious: "Being able to fly into the sky sitting in a plane is truly too happy."

"What's so hard about that?"

Guben said with a smile: "Today I'll fulfill your wishes and let you sit in a plane and fly a circle in the sky."

"Really?"

Lin Xiyu was pleasantly surprised: "We can also sit in a fighter jet?"

"Fighter jets definitely won't do."

Guben changed the subject, pointing to the few training planes parked on the airfield, and said with a smile: "Those few planes are fine."

"What kind of plane is that?"

Lin Xiyu looked in the direction of his finger, very curious.

"Y-5."

Guben explained patiently: "The Y-5 aircraft is the first transport aircraft manufactured by our country itself. Its prototype is the An-2 designed by the Soviet Union in the 1940s. Although this plane doesn't fly high, with a flight altitude of only 170 meters, its performance is very stable, and it is mainly used for transporting supplies and agricultural operations."

"Flying low is also its advantage."

Li Liang spoke up rarely: "Spraying pesticides is more effective the lower you fly."

"Does Brother Zheng also spray pesticides?"

Lin Xiyu looked at the endless wheat field and imagined in her mind the scene of Fu Zheng piloting a plane to spray pesticides.

"My brother and them are not responsible for spraying pesticides; these few planes are for training."

Guben patted her head, interrupting her imagination.

"Oh."

Lin Xiyu felt a bit regretful; she still wanted to witness the spectacular sight of a plane spraying pesticides.

"When are we going to find Brother Zheng?"

Xu Yi couldn't wait; he wanted to ride a plane.

"Not in the morning."

Guben was considerate: "You need to apply in advance to fly a plane. Let's go to the courtyard first. After my brother arranges it, we'll go to the Flight Brigade in the afternoon."

"Sigh, still have to wait until the afternoon."

Xu Yi's small face fell, and he lost his spirit.

"Don't be discouraged. I'll take you to target practice in the morning."

Guben patted his little head, amused.

"Target practice?"

Xu Yi's face changed faster than flipping a book; his little eyes lit up, and he was instantly energized again.

"Live-fire shooting?"

Li Liang was also a bit excited.

"Yes."

Guben did not disappoint them, smiling and nodding.

"Damn, this trip was really worth it."

Wang Fan rubbed his hands, inexplicably excited: "I've never touched a real gun before, pistol or rifle?"

"You can try both."

Guben gave them enough surprises: "Eldest Brother has already arranged it; he's waiting for us at the Shooting Range."

Wang Fan had a lovesick smile: "Brother Zheng is so handsome, I love him to death."

"Come on, stop disgusting people."

Li Liang couldn't bear to watch, and got on his bicycle first.

"I'm going to the Military Camp, I'm going to target practice."

Xu Yi hurriedly urged: "Brother Fan, let's hurry up too."

"Go, go, go, we're leaving now."

Wang Fan was even more impatient than him in his heart, riding his bicycle and rushing toward the Military District Compound like a gust of wind.

"Hey, hey, slow down, there are guards at the Doorway; without Guben's Invitation they won't let you in."

Li Liang shook his head and gave him a look of an Idiot from behind.

——

Shooting Range.

Fu Zheng wore a military uniform, heroic and handsome.

A land soldier officer familiar with him, Yang Yong, stood at the edge of the Shooting Range joking and chatting with him.

"You're quite something, kid, capable; you've even charmed the Young Lady of the Squad Leader's family, I heard that Miss is threatening to die at home unless she marries you."

"Who told you that? How would I know?"

Fu Zheng raised his eyebrows and glared at him displeasedly.

"Stop pretending, everyone's chasing her to the Airfield..."

Yang Yong poked him with his elbow, smiling ambiguously: "Everyone in the whole Compound knows she likes you."

"Don't talk nonsense, I have a Girlfriend."

Fu Zheng rubbed his brow with a Headache, decisively cutting ties.

"Cut it out."

Yang Yong didn't believe him, looking him up and down very doubtfully: "You train all day, pure and ascetic like a Monk, when did you get a Girlfriend?"

"If I have one, I have one."

Fu Zheng explained impatiently: "Why ask so many questions? Like a woman, nagging..."

"Tsk!"

Yang Yong laughed angrily: "If I weren't concerned about you, who would care to ask about this?"

"Your focus is a bit off."

Fu Zheng teased him with a Smile: "You like her yourself, go chase her yourself, no need to waste time here."

"How dare I like her?"

Yang Yong wiped his tanned face from the sun, smiling self-deprecatingly: "She's a Young Lady, I can't afford to aspire to her."

"A fierce woman fears a persistent man."

Fu Zheng patted his Shoulder, giving encouragement: "Bring out that ruthlessness you have on the Training ground, keep it up, I'm optimistic about you."

"What does this have to do with that?"

Yang Yong was extremely Speechless: "I'm saying she likes you, and you have to drag me into it."

"You also find it very annoying, right?"

Fu Zheng smiled Black-bellied: "Now you know how I feel? Being inexplicably entangled with others, I'm also helpless."

"You really don't like her?"

Yang Yong suddenly looked behind him, his expression changing slightly.

"Don't like her."

Fu Zheng denied it without thinking.

"If you don't like her, say it clearly yourself."

Li Yong patted his Shoulder from the opposite side, looking at him with Sympathy: "She's already here, right behind you."

"Who?"

Fu Zheng frowned his Sword brows, turning back impatiently.

"It's me."

A Female Soldier in military uniform walked toward the direction where the two stood.

"Zhu Li?"

Fu Zheng asked impolitely: "What are you doing here?"

"This is the Shooting Range."

Zhu Li raised her eyebrow, looking at him provocatively: "A dedicated place for shooting practice—why can you come but I can't?"

"Your shooting range..."

Fu Zheng glared at Yang Yong, displeased: "Since when has management become so lax? Anyone can just come in?"

"Cough, cough."

Yang Yong took an innocent hit, his face dark as he defended himself: "Why do you blame me for everything? The Squad Leader's daughter wants to practice shooting—how dare I stop her? Not only do I not dare stop her, I have to accompany her the whole way."