The Mushroom Effect - ZhanYi

Chapter 15

"You'll be resilient after receiving setbacks. You don't understand a thing. I went through the same process when I was in the military" Xiao Zhan said, looking at him.

Wang Yibo listened to their conversation and felt an inexplicable sense of discomfort, especially when they discussed work. Flying was a routine for them, just like discussing today's flight route or what to have for dinner. But for Wang Yibo, flying was a dream that had already died. He hadn't learned the relevant knowledge, never sat in the pilot's seat, and only had theoretical concepts in his mind. He couldn't even participate in the discussion.

Wang Yibo glanced at the rising floor numbers and suddenly felt that the elevator was too slow, making his heart restless and filled with resentment. He began to dwell on it.

Song Li had only been assigned to Xiao Zhan this spring, and they hadn't flown together since the Lunar New Year. They only bumped into each other during commuting, and the last time he found out about Xiao Zhan's relationship with Song Li was during their hot pot dinner. But today, maybe because there were fewer people and the environment was more familiar, they seemed more relaxed and their conversation was less formal.

Perhaps it was because of the scarcity of such moments that Wang Yibo preferred this side of Xiao Zhan, with a touch of liveliness. Or maybe he was simply dissatisfied that Xiao Zhan didn't show this side to him but did so with Song Li. It seemed like Song Li was the one who stood out for Xiao Zhan.

"Wang Yibo" Xiao Zhan patted him and said, "It's your stop."

Wang Yibo snapped back to reality and saw the elevator doors opening. Xiao Zhan's reminder irritated him, as if he was being treated as unnecessary.

"Go ahead, let's meet at the restaurant later..."

"Why go to the restaurant if we've already eaten? Let's meet at the boarding gate instead" Wang Yibo interrupted Xiao Zhan before he could finish and walked away, dragging his suitcase without even looking at him.

Xiao Zhan was instantly stunned, not knowing what had happened in that short minute. They were fine when they entered the elevator, but suddenly he was angry. He stood there in a daze until the elevator doors closed again. Song Li was also puzzled and cautiously approached him, asking, "What's wrong? Did you two have a fight today?"

"No, we were fine before getting on the elevator" Xiao Zhan thought and thought, but couldn't figure it out. He shook his head and said, "It's nothing. It's a special period for him these days, and his mood is up and down. It'll be fine later."

"Oh, I see. That explains why you two are flying together all of a sudden for the next few days" Song Li said, with a mischievous smile. "Looks like the teacher will have a vacation in a few days. Will three days be enough?"

Xiao Zhan clicked his tongue and said, "Get lost. Mind your own business. Do you need to interfere?"

"No, no, I won't interfere. I'm just curious because it's been a while since I've seen you two fly together" Song Li said, jokingly. "By the way, did you give him the gift? Is Yibo ge deeply moved? It's quite coincidental, his birthday just passed, and now it's his heat period. By the way, my dad recently built a vacation resort near Dujiangyan. How about I reserve a suite for you next week?"

"Thanks, but no need. Can you stop acting like you're familiar?" Xiao Zhan's temples throbbed, and he stopped walking, speaking seriously. "xiao-Song, let me tell you, it's fine for you to say these things to me because I know you're joking, but don't mention the heat period or anything like that in front of Yibo."

"Huh?" Song Li didn't understand, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "Isn't that a bit too much, Xiao laoshi? Yibo ge is not a child anymore. Nowadays, which young person avoids talking about such matters? Are you overthinking it?"

"It's not about avoiding or not avoiding the topic" Xiao Zhan shook his head. "Yibo's personality is completely different from yours. You can't use your own dating experiences to compare with ours. This issue is complicated, just remember not to bring it up."

Song Li didn't fully understand, but he also knew when to stop asking.

Xiao Zhan walked through the ultra-modern corridor, looking down at his reflection on the mirrored floor, silent and sighing.

He sighed more and more frequently.

In the past, there was no marriage certificate between them.

Xiao Zhan only had a secret crush on Wang Yibo. Every time he saw him, he felt a little closer to him, and there was anticipation in his days. But since they got married, it was like he had activated a cheat code and rushed straight to the finish line, only to slowly piece together the path to the destination.

Making even a single mistake would mean losing everything. It was too difficult and too long. "Victory" seemed to exist only in fantasies, elusive and intangible. He couldn't find new motivation, and his anticipation was slowly eroded by time.

For safety reasons, high-altitude flights always employed a dual captain model. After completing the checks, Xiao Zhan returned to the rest area, where the other captain was already sitting at the table. He walked over and greeted, "Good morning, Captain Yu."

Captain Yu looked up and smiled, shaking hands with Xiao Zhan. "Good morning, Captain Xiao. I've heard a lot about you, and finally, it's our turn to fly together."

"No, no, there's no need for such flattery. I feel embarrassed when you say that" Xiao Zhan replied modestly. He turned and called Song Li, then put down his tablet and sat opposite Captain Yu. Captain Yu opened his thermos and took a sip of water, saying, "Don't be so humble. Flying fighter jets and civilian aviation are not on the same level. As pilots, we understand that best. Former military pilots who transition to civilian aviation are so rare in the company, even more precious than pandas. By the way, Captain Xiao, I'm actually quite curious. After flying fighter jets, do you feel any difference now that you're in civilian aviation?"

"It's actually not much different" Xiao Zhan pondered for a moment before answering, "Maybe I just prefer a more ordinary life, and besides, I'm married now. Engaging in a relatively safer job is also a responsibility to my family."

Captain Yu praised him for being a good man, taking care of his family at such a young age. Xiao Zhan exchanged a few pleasantries but didn't engage in further small talk. Once Song Li joined them, they discussed the flight arrangements for the outbound journey.