Chapter 91

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Protagonist:

Lin Xiyu

Yuhuang Peak.

At the solitary summit before dawn, cold wind howled, thick mist pervaded, and layer upon layer of white clouds enveloped the entire peak like fog.

The crowd was deathly silent, their mood sinking to the valley bottom with each passing minute and second.

"Why hasn't the sun come out yet?"

"Could it be overcast, and we won't see the sunrise?"

"No way, we climbed all the way up here with such difficulty, it'd be too miserable if we can't see the sunrise, right?"

"I want to cry, can I cry?"

The clock gradually pointed to 6 a. m.; people who had suffered for an hour finally couldn't hold their composure, someone unable to suppress a belly full of resentment grumbled discontentedly.

"The sun's out!"

Suddenly, a red sun miraculously broke through the cloud layer, appearing before everyone's eyes.

A huge red disk, seemingly within arm's reach, touchable.

Cloud and mist dissipated in an instant; dazzling red, with intense visual impact, shook the heart.

"So beautiful!"

"Too beautiful."

The crowd instantly grew excited, cheering and waving arms like they'd been injected with chicken blood, the sound waves rising higher and higher.

Lin Xiyu mixed among them, jumping up and down, very happy.

"Beauty, want a photo?"

A small vendor who made a living taking photos, holding several already-taken photographs, squeezed up to her: "Five yuan for a snapshot, keep a memento."

"Five yuan, so expensive."

Lin Xiyu felt the pinch of money, a bit hesitant.

"Like this, palms cupping the red sun."

The vendor continued to persuade: "Little miss is so pretty, the photo will definitely look like a fairy......"

"Let's take two."

Guben heard this and felt happy inside, agreed for her: "I still don't have a photo of you, rare to come here once, would be too much of a pity not to take one."

"So many people."

Lin Xiyu looked around in a circle, very helpless: "How to take it, won't they all come out as group shots."

"That rock is empty, I'll carry you up."

Guben's boyfriend power exploded, while speaking his arms exerted force and lifted her up.

"Ah......"

Lin Xiyu had no time to cry out before she was already lifted onto a rock as tall as an adult.

"Young man's not bad......"

The vendor looked at his arms full of vigorous muscle, smacked his lips a few times enviously: "Over a hundred jin of person, just lifted like that, looking at your tall healthy build, are you a sports student?"

"Hurry up and take it."

Guben didn't want to hear his nonsense: "Wind's strong up there, not suitable to stay long."

"Deal, taking it now."

The vendor had money to earn, didn't mind his coldness at all, raised his own hand to demonstrate to Lin Xiyu: "Little miss, take off the military coat, right palm facing up, face the sun, make a lifting gesture......"

"Achoo."

Lin Xiyu had just taken off the military coat when the cold wind blew and she sneezed.

"Faster."

Guben displeased with the vendor's verbosity, hurriedly urged.

"Taking it now.

The vendor grinned shamelessly, raised the camera: "Little miss, smile, listen to my command, eggplant......"

"Click."

Lin Xiyu followed the Instruction and smiled, the vendor pressed the shutter, time frozen at this moment.

——

"Perfect, too perfect."

"Thirty-six degrees no dead angle, little miss is too beautiful."

"Another one, another one......"

The photograph auto-printed out, the effect surprisingly good, attracting quite a few people to gather and watch.

The vendor keenly caught the business opportunity, again shamelessly pestered Lin Xiyu to take a few more, planning to secretly keep one for himself to attract business.

How could Guben not see through his petty thoughts, impolitely took all the photographs, settled the fee.

The vendor was full of unwillingness, but fortunately the beauty's eye-catching effect was good, people successively imitated Lin Xiyu's pose, stood on the rock to take photos.

Money to be made, he also gave up the thought of stealing the photo, wholeheartedly took photos for customers.

"Xiyu, your photos came out really beautiful."

Wu Meng looked with red-hot eyes, also wanted to mooch a photo: "Give me one, I also want to keep a memento."

"No."

Guben didn't wait for Lin Xiyu to answer; he stuffed the photograph into his pants pocket, his rejection crisp and decisive.

"Xiyu, isn't he being too overbearing?"

Wu Meng complained indignantly: "He won't give me even one photo. I'm your best friend after all, three years of being deskmates — does that friendship not even warrant a single photo?"

"How about giving her one?"

Lin Xiyu didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and tried to negotiate with Guben.

"No."

Guben still answered with absolute finality.

"On what grounds....."

Wu Meng stomped her foot in anger: "I'm Xiyu's proper, legitimate friend; you don't even have a legitimate status yet — on what grounds do you fight with me over this?"

"Pfft."

Qu Peng was enjoying the show immensely; hearing this, he couldn't hold back and sprayed a mouthful of saliva.

Li Liang smiled awkwardly, his shoulders shaking one after another, holding back laughter with great difficulty.

"Hahaha."

Wang Fan had no reservations, slapping his thigh and laughing until he bent backward and forward.

"How do you know I don't have legitimate status?"

Gu Binjun's face darkened, seemingly interrogating Wu Meng, but his cool gaze looked toward Lin Xiyu: "Who told you that?"

"Wasn't me."

Lin Xiyu's heart skipped a beat; she decisively cleared herself: "I never said that......"

"Does she even need to say it?"

Wu Meng spoke with righteous confidence: "No need to guess, I can know. If you already had legitimate status, how could Xu Yi not know? He's always called you Brother Bin — that's ironclad proof."

"What's wrong with calling you Brother Bin?"

Wang Fan listened with amusement, deliberately leading her on.

"That's definitely wrong......."

Wu Meng proudly raised her eyebrow and dropped a bombshell: "Brother Bin is an outsider; brother-in-law is family. Calling you 'Brother' means no legitimate status."

"Pfft."

Qu Peng couldn't hold back and sprayed laughter again.

"Impressive, Wu Meng......."

Wang Fan felt pleased inside, giving a thumbs-up to express admiration: "We underestimated you before; turns out you're the smartest one in our class."

"Where's Xiao Yi?"

Guben's face completely darkened; he scanned the surroundings, searching for Xu Yi's figure.

"Don't bother arguing with a child."

Lin Xiyu smiled and chided: "He's only eight years old; what does he understand?"

"If he doesn't understand, teach him until he does."

Guben's sword-like brows furrowed tightly; after searching around and not finding Xu Yi's figure, a bad premonition surged up.

"Hiss, where's Xiao Yi?"

Wang Fan had been focused on watching the show; only now did he discover Xu Yi was nowhere to be seen.

"He was just here a moment ago? Where did he run off to?"

Qu Peng realized something was wrong and broke out in a cold sweat from fright.

"Xiao Yi, Xiao Yi, don't scare Sister, come back quickly......."

Lin Xiyu never expected that in just the time it took to take a few photos, her younger brother would disappear; she was so anxious her voice changed.

"Everyone split up and search."

Guben had no time to think further; he was the first to squeeze out of the crowd.

Qu Peng and the others also scattered in all directions to help search.

"Xiao Yi, where are you?"

"Excuse me, have you seen an eight-year-old boy, not tall, big eyes, pointed chin, looks quite clever......"

Lin Xiyu was frantic with worry; she had practically run the entire mountain peak but still couldn't find her younger brother's figure.

"How can there be no one?"

"Where did Xiao Yi go?"

"Could something have happened?"

"Such a high mountain — what if he fell down......"

"What are you saying, crow's mouth......"

"How is that a crow's mouth? We've searched this long and found nothing; anything is possible......"

"Stop searching blindly; better to call the police, or find scenic area staff."

"I think so too; if he was kidnapped, it'll be even more trouble......"

Time passed minute by second; an hour later, still no clues found, everyone's mood sank to the bottom of the valley.

"No, Xiao Yi will be fine. I'm going down the mountain to find him; maybe he couldn't find us and already went down on his own."

Lin Xiyu's emotions were on the verge of collapse; she rushed down the steps heedless of everything.

"Men follow me down the mountain; women take the cable car. Meet at Hongmen after descending."

Guben had no time for more words; he led the group of boys in pursuit.

"Ah, they just left like that."

"They don't care about us anymore?"

The boys were fast; the girls chased a few steps unwillingly but couldn't catch up, watching helplessly as they ran farther and farther away, gradually disappearing from sight.

——

Near noon, a group of people who had rushed down from the summit in one go, exhausted, finally heard good news.

From the loudspeaker hanging at the visitor center, Zhongtian Gate broadcast a surprising missing-person announcement: "Xu Yi's family, your child is waiting for you at the Visitor Service Center. Please come to the Visitor Center to claim him after hearing the broadcast......."

"It's Xiao Yi, Xiao Yi is at the Visitor Center!"

Lin Xiyu heard the broadcast and was both shocked and delighted; her taut heart relaxed, her whole person went limp as if deflated, her legs gave way, and she fell down from the steps.

"Xiyu......."

Guben failed to catch her in time, feeling both heartache and self-reproach.

"Sister, Sister......."

Xu Yi saw this scene from inside the visitor center gate and came running out, wailing.

"Xiao Yi."

Lin Xiyu ignored the pain from her wound, propped herself up with effort, and embraced her younger brother.

"Xiao Yi, you child, why did you run off blindly?"

"You scared us to death."

"Brother has lived eighteen years, and the fright I've received this one morning surpasses all of it combined."

"How did you get down from the summit all by yourself?"

"It's a miracle you weren't abducted."

Qu Peng and the other boys crowded around, talking over each other, expressing indescribable shock.

"You're Xu Yi's sister?"

Two officers wearing summer military uniforms then walked out from the visitor center.

"Yes."

Lin Xiyu saw the two clearly, and astonishment flashed in her eyes.

"This little friend is quite interesting; he quietly followed behind the group all by himself, tailing us down the mountain."

One officer explained with a smile: "If our soldiers hadn't noticed something was off and taken the initiative to ask about his situation, we wouldn't have known he'd gotten separated from his family either."

"Xiao Yi......."

Lin Xiyu found it even more inconceivable: "Why did you follow them down the mountain?"

"I, I, I just thought their military uniforms looked really cool......"

Xiao Yi's small face flushed red, and he mumbled softly in embarrassment: "I got absorbed watching them without realizing it, and followed them."

"Damn, it can even be like this?"

"Couldn't have guessed this reason even if we racked our brains?"

"The little guy is so obsessed with military uniforms; he should join the army when he grows up."

"I think so too; this kid is bold as brass, energetic, he's exactly the material for a soldier."

Qu Peng and the other boys were all stunned by the truth, followed by another round of exclamations.

"May I ask which unit you're from?"

Guben was meticulous in thought and wanted to thank the soldiers for their help.

"Twelfth Division."

The leading officer didn't think much of it and answered truthfully.

"You're from the Twelfth Division?"

Guben was pleasantly surprised: "What a coincidence, my Eldest Brother is in the Thirteenth Flight Squadron, very close to you guys, also at Zhangzhuang Airport in the West Suburbs."

"Who is your Eldest Brother?"

The officer's eyes lit up: "What's his name? We might know him."

"Fu Zheng."

Guben thought for a moment, then added: "He's not old, still a trainee Pilot."

"Fu Zheng?!"

Hearing this, the officer's face changed drastically: "Your Eldest Brother is Fu Zheng? Grandpa Fu's grandson?"

"Yes."

Guben didn't hide it, admitting frankly.

"Grandpa is my Old Leader."

The officer grew more and more excited, his gaze toward Guben very eager: "I've met your Eldest Brother a few times too; he's a fine figure of a man, very much like Grandpa when he was young."

"Is that so, this really is too coincidental."

Guben didn't want to attract attention, made a signal with his eyes, and went with them to a less crowded spot to chat privately.

——

"Guben's grandpa is that awesome?"

"Seems like it; heard Qu Peng and them mention it before."

"His maternal grandpa is a leader, his paternal grandpa is too, both that impressive?"

"His family's background runs truly deep; you'd never guess — the most awesome one, heard is in Jingcheng......."

"Holy crap, what kind of family is this? Say it out loud and it'd scare a batch of people to death."

"With this, the gap between Lin Xiyu and him isn't even bigger? A daughter from a small household wanting to marry into a prestigious family — not even possible if you think with your toes."

"Dating is all about fate, isn't it? Our Study Committee Member is pretty, does well in her studies, and getting into a prestigious university is like a sparrow turning into a phoenix — who wouldn't like a daughter-in-law like that?"

"A prestigious university student — your family might treasure that, but the other side might not. Didn't you see the Mayor's daughter waiting eagerly? There are plenty of noble ladies wanting to marry into their family."

As soon as the three left, the boys in the class started a new round of gossip.

They had no reservations, deliberately controlling their volume so it reached Lin Xiyu's ears; her movement of holding her younger brother stiffened, and her cheeks lost their color bit by bit.

"What nonsense are you few spouting?"

Qu Peng, sharp-eyed, saw her expression change and rebuked sternly: "Not tired from running down from the mountain, huh? Still got the energy to stand here wagging your tongues?"

"Scram quick, don't be an eyesore here."

Although Wang Fan shared their mindset, seeing Lin Xiyu's face turn deathly pale, he still couldn't bear it and kept signaling them with his eyes.

"Hehehe, Class Monitor, don't get angry."

"Isn't it because Xiao Yi was found, so we're happy?"

"We're scraming, we're scraming......."

Meeting the Class Monitor's death stare, the bunch of boys finally came to their senses, and true enough, they thick-skinnedly scurried off.

"Everyone who helped find someone today gets a reward, thanks everyone, two bottles of drinks per person to drink for now, after we get down the mountain we'll have a proper meal to treat everyone properly."

After Guben finished chatting with the two officers, on the way back he happened to intercept the bunch of boys; he took out a hundred-yuan bill from his backpack and handed it to one of them, signaling them to take it and buy drinks.

"Hooray!"

"Thanks, Brother Bin."

The boys were all very happy, took the money and swarmed into the tourist service center.

——

"Goodbye, Uncle PLA soldiers!"

Xu Yi, seeing them lined up going down the mountain, waved his little hand reluctantly, bidding them farewell.