Chapter 33

  The policeman looked at a foot wrapped in bandages stretching out, bent down and opened his eyes wide to examine it carefully. Who knew that the foot stretched further and further away from himself, suddenly feeling the sky spinning around him, with a salty taste appearing in his mouth. Shao Hui kicked the opponent's chin with one foot and stood up using the momentum, with his toes barely touching the ground before quickly kicking out another leg. With a dull thud, Shao Hui's heel directly hit the back of the policeman's neck. The policeman's head swung back and forth like a balloon before his body fell straight into the snow, twitching a few times and spitting out blood that stained the ground, with two teeth mixed in. At this moment, Shao Hui's foot didn't hurt anymore, and he grabbed his shoes to put them on: "You two drag him away and hide him! Don't let anyone see!" Zuo Ming and Liu Junhao dragged the unconscious policeman into a thick snowbank, only exposing his nose so as not to suffocate him. After doing this, the three of them scattered and ran wildly, finishing their original 20-minute journey in just five minutes. They jumped onto their car, started the engine, shifted gears, and accelerated, with the car going even more wild than the three of them. Only after leaving the small town did Shao Hui pull down his scarf to catch his breath, taking a cigarette from Liu Junhao and lighting it: "After we get back, don't tell anyone about this. If Colonel Zhong finds out, we'll be in for it."

  Are we going to ruin the unity between police and civilians? Liu Junhao opened the window and asked while flicking cigarette ash.

  What nonsense is this? This is our internal conflict. Didn't you see that person is also a police officer? Zuo Ming glared at him.

  Then I can rest assured, I've never done anything to damage the relationship between the police and the people. Liu Junhao leaned back in his chair, relaxing.

  Shao Hui was driving when he heard Liu Junhao say that the words "an xin" sounded like "an xi", a surge of old resentment rose to his head, and he casually asked while steering: Xiao Hei.

  "Hmm, what's up Hui Ge? Liu Junhao leaned back in his chair with his eyes closed, a look of enjoyment on his face."

  How was your Chinese literature when you were in school, Xiao Hei?

  Liu Junhao suddenly opened his eyes and rubbed this familiar problem.

  "What's up, Xiao Hei?" Shao Hui asked nonchalantly as usual.

  Big brother, don't say anything else. After I get home, I'll definitely take the blame for you and slap my language teacher twice. You don't have to go yourself!

  ……

  Shao Hui looked at Zuo Ming with a bewildered expression, and Zuo Ming, who knew what was going on in his heart, suppressed a smile and turned to gaze out the window, like a passerby.

  Tonight's dinner is still very sumptuous, the director said that this group of young men came here for the first time to spend the New Year, and the 30th of the lunar year was extremely hard. He will spare no effort to hold a grand banquet for several days in a row, doing his best to compensate everyone. However, the team members didn't eat very well, firstly because the ingredients here are very poor, with only beef, mutton, potatoes and onions; secondly, people who are still alive can gather together in this dangerous foreign land, but the souls of those who have passed away are drifting alone in the wind and snow, searching for their way back home. Moreover, this person was also searching for a home during his lifetime.

  Come on, everyone eat! Don't put down your chopsticks! The old director found that the atmosphere on site was not very good, and he hastily stood up to enthusiastically adjust the atmosphere: Everyone has worked hard for the past two days, especially the three people who went out today, who were cold and hungry. When you get home, eat more!

  Liu Junhao was lowering his head and gnawing on a piece of mutton, after listening he raised his head, with a mouthful of greasiness: It's just that I'm a bit hungry, not cold, and sweating... The nearby Zuo Ming hastily stepped on his foot, Liu Junhao's train almost ran out of his mouth.

  Alas, if our factory hadn't been sabotaged last year, we would have had frozen cabbage to eat this winter. But don't worry, I've heard that a household in the south has stored quite a few cabbages, they shouldn't be locals, right? Director Lao asked one of his staff members beside him, and after getting an affirmative answer, he continued: Tomorrow, I'll go there and buy some back, we can also satisfy our cravings! The old man spoke to himself, unaware that the eleven pairs of eyes under the table had begun to emit a faint green glow, nor did he realize that some words should not be spoken carelessly in front of special forces.

  I propose a toast to our good brother! Zhao Zhenghao stood up with his cup and said loudly.

  Whoosh——a burst of chair scraping against the floor, the proposal was unanimously approved by everyone. Eleven team members stood up straight with their glasses in hand, Shao Hui held his glass to his chest and asked loudly: Do you still remember that poem we recited in the small black room before we set out?

  Remember! The sound of drums has stopped people from passing through...

  This poem was started by Zhao Zhenghao, and the entire banquet hall was suddenly filled with a thick and majestic voice, but in this masculine voice, there was a hint of helplessness and sorrow.

  The watch drum has stopped people from passing, a solitary wild goose cries out in the autumnal border region.

  The dew is white tonight, and the moon is bright in my hometown.

  All brothers scattered, no family to ask about life and death.

  The letter was not delivered for a long time, and now the troops have not been dismissed yet.

  This is an ancient poem, the harm of war to humanity has never changed from ancient times to the present. Soldiers embracing their fate of killing and being killed on the battlefield feel it more deeply.

  The tea in the cup was drunk up at one swallow.

  The old director let them vent their emotions, facing Su Yue's apologetic gaze, he smiled slightly: It's okay, soldiers must have this kind of blood and personality, sheep will never climb to the top of the food chain.

  At this time, in Jinan, Shandong, thousands of miles away, it was the dusk of a certain afternoon. The weak sunset was using its last strength to emit some residual heat. A county town, after washing off the leaden splendor of the day, put on a layer of dim yellow evening dress again. There were few pedestrians on the road, and the last long-distance bus had just arrived at the station. After the door opened, a girl wearing a white down jacket came out from inside.

  The girl looked up at the setting sun and a hint of anxiety appeared on her face. She held a piece of paper and asked passersby something, a kind-hearted person stopped to point out the direction for her. The girl's expression gradually relaxed, she tightened the small bag slung over her shoulder and walked in the direction indicated by the passerby.

  Ding dong... The doorbell rang several times, the gate was opened, and a kind middle-aged woman looked at this strange girl outside and asked: Child, who are you looking for?

  Auntie, hello! Excuse me, is this Shao Hui's home? The girl asked politely.

  Yes, come in, come in and sit down, warm up. The middle-aged woman warmly invited the guests to enter.

  The girl hesitated for a moment, but finally stepped into the house. The warm air inside was like spring, and in the living room, there was an enlarged family photo on display. At a glance, the girl recognized the little boy wearing shorts, who was the person she had been thinking about day and night.

  "Oh, thank you, Auntie." The girl replied with a slight smile and took a cup of hot tea from the middle-aged woman.

  "What's your name, kid? What brings you to see Shao Hui?" asked the middle-aged woman sitting on the sofa across from the girl with a kind expression.

  Auntie, is this Shao Hui when he was young? The girl asked, pointing to the child in the photo. Shao Hui's mother smiled slightly and stood up, saying: Follow me. She led the girl to another room, which was a bedroom with walls covered in photos of Shao Hui from childhood to now, especially those in military uniform, covering half the wall. On the table were several shiny medals, next to a carefully framed high school math exam paper with two red numbers written on it: 61.

  The girl curiously asked: Auntie, what's so special about this test paper? Why is it placed on the table with such solemnity? Oh, Shao Hui's mother smiled and replied that this test paper was the most precious to him because it was his first math exam in school where he passed. She paused for a moment before adding that it was also his only time passing, saying that this test paper was the most precious thing from his first half of life. Ah? The girl's eyes widened in incredulity and she let out an "ah" sound, then remembered the time when they first met and he mistakenly worshipped the God of Wealth, and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

  Shao Hui's mother also burst out laughing: Now looking back, it's just a joke, but at the time, because of his grades, we parents were worried sick. You say a child who doesn't study well will have no future, Shao Hui retorted that this world doesn't necessarily mean that good grades guarantee success, and even if I don't do well in my studies, I'll still be your pride. She glanced at Jin's military medal and sighed: He really did it, but we're even more worried now. The girl covered her water cup with both hands, listening intently to her words, Shao Hui's mother looked at her and smiled: Hey, why bother telling you our troubles? Come on, let's go sit outside.

  "Are you Yu Jia?" asked Shao Hui's mother, who was sitting on the sofa.

  "Yes, Auntie, has Shao Hui mentioned me to you?" The girl asked gently as she sat elegantly across from her.