Chapter Forty-six

  The night sky is gloomy, and the moon is sometimes bright and sometimes dim, probably wandering in the clouds.

  Gong Xi's hand rested on his waist, the warmth of his palm seeping through the quilt and onto his body. Fortunately, he had just calmed down from being puffed up like a balloon filled with air.

  Lucky is now more afraid of himself, his personality has become stranger and stranger, no longer taking things lightly, and being surprised by everything.

  He is now often inexplicably irritable, prone to anger, and even unreasonable at times.

  Good fortune leaned against Gong Xi, who had walked for a day and was certainly exhausted, now snoring loudly. Good fortune quietly closed his eyes, with only this person by his side, able to bring him peace.

  Early in the morning, magpies were chirping non-stop in front of the window.

  In front of the window, there is a very tall pagoda tree that has been growing for many years. Its branches and leaves are lush and luxuriant. A nest of magpies with four or five young ones, possibly practicing flying, chirping excitedly and joyfully.

  Jiaying lightly got out of bed, quietly washed and dressed, went out of the big yard, walked three or four blocks to a bakery that sold rice cakes, since she had promised last night, so she went to buy some early this morning, lest he get unhappy.

  Jiayu thought to herself, her mouth curled up, and now she's quite cute. A bit willful, a bit spoiled, sometimes like a little kid, one moment worried, the next laughing.

  He was never like this before, always with a faint expression, and even he couldn't guess what he was thinking in his heart. That disaster changed him completely, and thinking of it now makes my heart feel melancholic again.

  Jiayu finished washing up in the bathroom and walked quietly back to the bedroom. As soon as she entered, she let out a startled cry.

  Lucky was sitting on the bed with one hand, his face pale, his hair messy from sleep, and most importantly, his eyes were dull and his spirit was weak, which made Gong Xi a little scared.

  Gong Xi quickly walked over, sat down on the edge of the bed, and grasped one of Xing Yun's hands that were propping him up on the bed. He had just woken up, but his fingers were already icy cold.

  "What's wrong? Luckily." Qīng Xǐ asked softly.

  I want to eat egg tarts.

  Jiayu's worried heart was slightly relieved, and he happily said: "Great, I'll go buy some at the cafeteria later." Nai Huang Bao is much more convenient than Hei Sen Lin, Jiayu thought to himself with a hint of joy.

  "I don't want to eat at the cafeteria, I want to eat what Liu Baozi made."

  Jiade's chin almost fell off, Liu Baozi was a cook on the South China Sea warship. Because he was white and fat, round like a steamed bun, everyone called him Liu Baozi, also known as Liu Mantou.

  He is from Suzhou, and his family originally ran a pastry shop, so he made a good pastry. His dad had planned to send him to the army for training, since he didn't study well, he would be a soldier, do a good job, achieve some merit, and then stay in the army, which would also bring honor to their ancestors.

  Unexpectedly, Liu Pangzi still did odd jobs in the army, which made his father angry. He said: "Doing odd jobs is like a bird pooping everywhere, not even a girl can be found to do this kind of thing? Get him transferred out immediately and let him go home to inherit the family business."

  Liu Pangzi didn't listen to that and continued to stay in the South China Sea, fortunately saying that he had been there for almost five years and still didn't plan to return home.

  Liu Pangzi, a man of 1.8 meters tall and weighing 234 kilograms, spoke in a soft and gentle voice with a Wu dialect accent, so Gong Xi remembered him after just two meetings.

  Do you want to eat the egg yolk buns made by Liu Pangzi?!!

  "Where did you go and buy it?!" Gong Xi said with a scowl.

  Xingyun let out a sigh of relief and fell backwards, thudding onto his pillow once again.

  Gong Xi also leaned over and said: "Let's eat at the cafeteria today, tomorrow I'll call Lao Wu to ask him to find someone to mail some back, okay?"

  Xingyun shook his head, "No need, I was just saying."

  Then blinked and said: "Let's have milk and fried eggs for breakfast."

  Lucky's eyes gazed up at the ceiling, and Gong Xi knew he was thinking of Nanyang again, a place where he had fought before, leaving behind many memories and sorrows.

  Lucky was in a bad mood all day, and on the plane, Gong Xi kept telling jokes to Lucky. Just looking at Lucky's small mouth, it was difficult for him to fake a smile.

  "Take a nap for now, it'll be more than an hour before we arrive." said Guan Xi in a soft voice.

  The dark circles under Lucky's eyes were a dead giveaway that he hadn't slept well the night before. Ever since Gong Xi resigned and came back, Lucky's sleep quality had improved significantly, but yesterday, he might have thought about the South China Sea again, and those past events still lingered in his mind like a ghost, haunting him relentlessly. Gong Xi wanted to sigh; he could take care of Lucky's eating, drinking, dressing, and sleeping habits, but when it came to what was going on inside that little brain of his, he was at a loss. He had no idea how to heal this emotional trauma or when it would get better.

  All of this seems to be just watching helplessly, watching him being tormented endlessly in the fierce flames of memories.

  "This coffee is not as good as the one I made in Nansha, thinking back to that time when fresh water was so scarce, but the coffee turned out to be extremely delicious."

  Lucky also mentioned the South China Sea.

  Gong Xi could only force a smile and respond: "Is that so? It's probably also related to memories, generally we all miss those things from the past, especially the ones we can't get now."

  "Fortunately thought for a moment and smiled: "It's not that, at that time it was also considered very ordinary. It's just that now when thinking back, I feel like there is an unparalleled aftertaste."

  Lucky eyes looked out the window to the sky, planes shuttled through the clouds, everything on the ground was so tiny, the sky was no longer blue, and the clouds were no longer cotton candy.

  The South China Sea, that place which was once as dull and monotonous as a blue cardboard sheet, has now become a pearl in my memories.

  Those ordinary things in the past now have a special color or taste in memory, and sometimes they linger in my mind. And that battle, blood splashing, fire, smoke, and those friends floating in the sky.

  "Yu Su!" Lucky suddenly woke up with a start, his forehead covered in sweat.

  Gong Xi hastily went to hold his hand, continuously whispering softly to comfort him, "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, we're no longer in the South China Sea. I'm here with you."

  Luckily, he caught his breath, but his eyes became incredibly dull.

  Got off the plane and took a taxi, rushed back to the small town all the way.

  The small town is still so leisurely and quiet. People's pace of walking is much more relaxed than those in big cities.

  As soon as I entered the gate of the community, I met my old neighbor, Qi Dama, who was taking her little grandson out. She greeted me from a distance.

  "What luck! Oh dear! It's been a long time since you've come!"

  The old lady's kindly smile was like a big sun, so warm and cordial.

  "Yes, Aunt Qi, are you taking your grandson out for a stroll?" replied Wenhe with a warm smile.

  "Really? Really? When are you getting married? Aunt Qi is waiting to drink at your wedding."

  "Lucky" felt a bit awkward and dryly said: "Ah, it's still early, it's still early. You go ahead and busy yourself, we'll leave first."

  Xingyun and Gongxi walked shoulder to shoulder into the courtyard, just as they heard Qi Dama say to Xiao Sunzi behind them: "From now on, you must study well and can't do those embarrassing things."

  Every word is like a sharp knife piercing the heart, each cut bringing blood and flesh.

  The lucky face suddenly turned pale, but the pace under his feet didn't stop, and his waist straightened a bit more.

  Jianguo secretly looked at him, his heart aching beyond measure.

  "Lucky, don't mind those people's nonsense, our days are our own, we can't live in other people's eyes."

  "Lucky gaze fixed forward, mouth corners pursed into a line, calm yet firm tone: 'I know, don't worry.'"

  As soon as he entered the house, Lucky immediately put on a happy face. His family members, who hadn't seen him for a year, were overjoyed to see him.

  As soon as he entered the door, he was eager to see his little nephew. Looking at that chubby little guy, he immediately hugged him in his arms: "Big brother, big brother, look at the kid, likes me."

  The little kid's chubby hands were touching the lucky face, from the face to the nose, scratching on the nose and then going to touch the lucky mouth.

  Just as his fingers were about to reach Lucky's mouth, they were caught by Lucky with her lips.

  The sweet and enticing aroma of milk on little hands.

  Lucky was overjoyed and rushed towards the child, laughing: "Uncle, eat baby's hand, eat it."

  The little treasure laughed as if he understood his joke, and burst out laughing.

  Then he suddenly straightened up and pecked a kiss on Lucky's mouth with a "smack".

  Then blinked eyes staring at good fortune, saliva drew out a long silver thread.

  Everyone looked at Gong Xi's suddenly changed face and still dazed Xiang Yun, and burst out laughing.

  Dinner was a sumptuous feast prepared by Aunt Xing, with all the dishes that Lucky loved to eat. It had been a year since they last saw each other, and as parents, they were worried sick.

  It's time to sleep, arrange accommodation, it's hard.

  Xing's mom is worried, the room is limited, now Xing Hai's children are small, and the two of them also live there, so only one room is left for Wang Xi to live with them, but Xing's mom is unwilling in her heart.

  Can't let them live together, can't let guests sleep on the living room sofa? Let her son sleep on the sofa? She's still worried.

  Xing's father walked into the bedroom, saw his wife holding a quilt with a frown on her face, and asked with a smile: "What are you thinking about? Why don't you go deliver the quilt?"

  Xing's mother hesitantly discussed her worries with the old man.

  Xing's father heard this and looked at his old partner with a smile, saying: "You silly old wife."

  After laughing, he sighed, "When the two of them were not at our house, I guess they did all sorts of things. What's the use of you managing these now? Go ahead and send it over."

  The old couple was delighted for their son's return, but also felt sad that he had finally followed Gong Xi.

  The neighbors' gossip they are not unaware of, and it's not easy to hear, but this is the child's own choice, what can parents do?

  They can now only grit their teeth and bear it for the sake of their son's happiness.