Translation by fingers_and_paws with edits by RosySpell
YangMeng and BaiLuoYin were happily chatting away when a policeman, who was a head taller than YangMeng, walked in front of the two. He threw a pile of documents down, "This is the report for the new week, bring it to the other branches as soon so possible."
YangMeng picked up the documents and bitterly sighed, "I can't even chat in peace!"
"I'll drive you. My car is just parked outside."
"Ok!" YangMeng cheerfully said, "I can experience sitting in a military car today."
While the car was on the road, YangMeng asked, "YinZi, do you know how to fly all types of aircrafts?"
BaiLuoYin was silent for a while before casually replying, "Almost every type."
"Then, why didn't you fly a helicopter here?"
"We only fly it during emergency operations. There's no need for it usually. It can't be landed anywhere so it's not as convenient as driving a car!"
YangMeng looked on with envious expression, "YinZi, you're so cool."
BaiLuoYin sneered, "If you could meet the requirements now and join the military to become an air force pilot, would you do it?"
YangMeng shook his head, "No, I won't."
"That's it then! I still envy the safe work environment of your job. Every day, one just needed to patrol based on shifts and write some reports; occasionally when an urgent case arises, the matter can be resolved by just dispatching several men."
"How could it be as easy as you've described?" YangMeng felt a bit intimidated before changing his expression, "However, compared to your job, mine is definitely safer."
BaiLuoYin kept silent.
YangMeng asked again, "YinZi, is it really hard being in the military?"
"It's not as harsh as you've said. It's alright. In the beginning, it was a little tough, but I've become numb to it."
"I still don't understand why you decided to join the military so suddenly back then. But, it's not easy to get into the air force. So many people wanted join but can't. Especially for people like you, who have connections in the military, your performance will easily be promoted. You have a very promising future! Brother, strive hard, the second half of my life is counting on you."
BaiLuoYin parked his car and followed YangMeng into the Public Security Bureau building. The two arrived at the entrance of the branch while chatting along the way.
"Walk this way." YangMeng looked at BaiLuoYin and said.
BaiLuoYin had wanted to turn a corner but was instantly shocked frozen by a pair of silhouette standing not far away.
"The deputy director isn't in?" YanYaJing looked at GuHai, "Didn't you call him beforehand?"
GuHai spoke while walking, "He went out for an urgent matter at the last minute, but he'll be back after an hour."
"Then, are you going to stay and wait for him?" YanYaJing followed closely behind GuHai.
"No, we'll just talk tomorrow."
GuHai's walking speed was very fast. YanYaJing basically had to jog behind him. However, GuHai suddenly braked, YanYaJing lost her balance and bumped into GuHai's body.
GuHai reached out his arm and steadied her shoulders to prevent her from falling down.
"Why did you stop so suddenly?" YanYaJing asked after she had regained her balance.
GuHai's eyes looked straight at BaiLuoYin, who was standing not far away. The surrounding air seemed to have frozen over the moment their gazes met. It was merely a distance of two meters, but neither of them stepped forward. They even forgot to greet each other.
YangMeng's fingers poked BaiLuoYin, "Isn't that GuHai?"
For BaiLuoYin, it was as if he had just awakened from a dream. When he focused his gaze back on GuHai, he suddenly felt as if it was a lifetime ago. Had it really been eight years already? It was as if he was still fooling around and bickering with this person in his dreams just yesterday. But seeing him again today, this person had suddenly become an unfamiliar face. The contours of his face were more charming, seeing him wearing a suit gave off faint traces of steadiness. His gazes were sharp as usual. However, BaiLuoYin could no longer interpret the underlying meaning beneath it.
In GuHai's eyes, the immature outer appearance of BaiLuoYin had faded. The pure sunshine smile in his memory was no longer on this face of his now. For some things, you have always assumed it was there, but in fact, it had already been gone long ago.
BaiLuoYin took the initiative and walked up to GuHai, reaching out his arm to give him a passionate hug.
When he let go, he heard GuHai's intentional ridicule.
"After staying overseas for a few years, as expected, you've changed. You're more polite than before."
BaiLuoYin's heart was as if it was stabbed by something, but the corners of his lips remain uplifted.
"You seem to have grown taller."
Hearing this, GuHai laughed coldly, "I broke my bones to grow taller."
Thinking about the car accident eight years ago, BaiLuoYin was still haunted with fear.
GuHai used his hand and gestured in front of BaiLuoYin's forehead, "You seem to have grown taller a bit as well."
"Maybe the soil and water overseas is more nutritious."
YangMeng was confused just by listening to their conversation on the side, what nonsense are these two talking about?
YanYaJing stared at BaiLuoYin for a long time. He looked more familiar the longer she stared at him. Suddenly, she remembered where she saw him and pulled GuHai's hand excitedly, "Umm, isn't he the boy on your laptop's......"
"He's my older brother!" GuHai interrupted YanYaJing's words.
Eight years ago, if he could force GuHai to call him older brother, BaiLuoYin would be ecstatic for three days. However, now that GuHai called him older brother willingly, BaiLuoYin's heart was feeling cold instead.
YangMeng stared at YanYaJing for a while, he couldn't resist asking, "Who's this?"
"Right, I forgot to introduce her." GuHai hugged YanYaJing over rigidly and looked at BaiLuoYin with a forced smile. "She's my fiancée, your future sister-in-law."
BaiLuoYin slightly glared in his heart. However, spending eight years in military isn't for nothing. The amount of stress his heart can endure could rival that of the shell of a fighter aircraft.
"She's quite nice. Don't forget to send me an invitation when you get married. How could you leave your brother out of such an important event?"
GuHai smiled faintly, "I wouldn't forget you out of anyone. Looking back, it was you who brought us together! Originally had you not smelled the perfume on my body, I wouldn't have known someone had fallen in love with me on the first sight."
BaiLuoYin casually replied, "Be careful when you're taking wedding pictures, don't drop my sister-in-law into the water."
"Don't worry, even if she fell into the water, I could still fish her out."
[Note: About GuHai and BaiLuoYin's 'inside joke', they were talking about events that happened while they were eloping from GuWeiTing eight years ago. Both of them witnessed a bride falling into the water while taking her wedding photo-shoot at the beach. It was GuHai who dived into the water to fish her out together with her heavy wedding dress. Later on GuWeiTing sent some men to go after GuHai while he went to meet GuYang. GuHai bumped into YanYaJing who later helped him to escape. When GuHai safely made it back to BaiLuoYin, BaiLuoYin smelled YanYaJing's perfume on GuHai and got jealous.]
The two stared at each other's eyes. Anyone could tell from their eyes that their real emotions weren't as friendly as the expressions shown on their face.
YangMeng couldn't stand seeing them like this and said cynically at the side, "You two should go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a wedding certificate. A couple just went there to file for divorce, you two are just in time to go there to 'dip in the lucky atmosphere' (increase one's luck)."
GuHai maintained his composure and glared at YangMeng, "A high altitude warfare is going on here, it's no use for you to join in."
At first YangMeng didn't understand, but after looking up at GuHai and seeing him looking down at him, he realized instantly. Fuck!...high altitude...high altitude...
"What about you? Are you still a bachelor," GuHai asked again.
BaiLuoYin admitted openly, "Yes."
"Nobody wants you?"
BaiLuoYin didn't say anything but YangMeng did, "How is it possible for nobody to want our YinZi? Now that he's a Maj... ......"
BaiLuoYin clutched YangMeng's arm forcefully, making the rest of YangMeng's words disappear.
"MengZi, why are you here?"
YangMeng's previous coworker was transferred to this branch. He was happy to see YangMeng since he hasn't seen him for a while, so he pulled YangMeng away without any explanation to laugh and joke at the side.
"May I ask what are your current job is?" GuHai purposely inquired.
BaiLuoYin paused and said calmly, "Chief Executive Officer (首席执行官)!"
"Wah..." YanYaJing was amazed, "You're a CEO of an overseas company already and you're still so young?"
BaiLuoYin smiled shamelessly and asked GuHai, "What about you? What are you doing now?"
"Nothing great, I am merely a President of a small company."
BaiLuoYin had never seen such humbleness on GuHai's face before. Although it was a bit fake, but seeing how a straight-forward person such as him had changed into someone who knows how to package himself, BaiLuoYin was already surprised with this.
YangMeng shouted from afar, "YinZi, are you leaving yet? I'm off work. I still need to get my things when I get back."
BaiLuoYin looked at GuHai again, "I'm leaving."
GuHai acknowledged it and nodded.
When their shoulders brushed past each other, their gazes met. Their hearts were in an overwhelming mess, but their faces showed no great changes.
BaiLuoYin and YangMeng walked out together. BaiLuoYin pulled him to the road and hailed a taxi.
"Didn't you drive here?" YangMeng was confused, "You don't want your car anymore?"
BaiLuoYin's face looked gloomy as he said, "I'll come back for it later."
YangMeng was even more confused, "Why?"
"Military car."
YangMeng looked back and happened to see GuHai walking out. He faintly understood BaiLuoYin's intent and obediently followed him into the taxi. In the taxi, BaiLuoYin kept looking out of the window. YangMeng couldn't see his expression clearly.
"YinZi."
"Yeah?"
"Why don't you want to let GuHai know that you've joined the military?"
BaiLuoYin turned his gaze back. His angular side face showed some traces of repressed emotions. Although he had tried very hard to conceal it, YangMeng could still feel the huge difference in emotions before and after.
"Are you afraid that he would go and find you?"
"No, stop asking, I'll tell you when I have the opportunity to in the future."
After GuHai got onto his car, he didn't start the car for a long time, drumming a beat with his fingers on the steering wheel, narrowing his eyes at some spot inside the car, not saying anything throughout.
"President Gu, what you just said now...what fiancée, what was that all about? I am so confused."
GuHai scowled abruptly and suddenly punched the steering wheel. The entire car shook.
YanYaJing had met GuHai again by chance when she was studying in the university. Since then, she had already stayed beside him for more than five years, but she had never seen such intense change of emotions on GuHai's face before.
"You...don't misunderstand..." YanYaJing was a little panic-stricken, "I know that you were just joking. I didn't take it to heart. I'm only asking casually."
GuHai had already started the car in between the conversation. After making a U-turn, he sped onto the road.
YanYaJing's heart raced as the speed of the car increased. GuHai kept speeding, braking, overtaking...... YanYaJing kept advising, "President Gu, don't drive the car like this, it's very dangerous......"
Just when she was talking, the roof of the car opened slowly, a gust of cold wind rushed in, making it hard for YanYaJing to breathe.
"Ahahah...... what are you doing? It's winter now!! President Gu...... GuHai!!......"
GuHai spat, "Only by doing this can I make you shut up."
End of the Chapter