Lin Qiyue's brow furrowed. "What do you mean by this?"
General Zhao Kongcheng smiled faintly, calmly pulling out a cigarette from his pocket. "Mind if I smoke?"
"I do."
General Zhao Kongcheng: ...
Helplessly, General Zhao put the cigarette back into its case, leaning back in his chair with a hint of reminiscence in his eyes.
"When I was young, I was just like you."
"To be honest, this opening is a bit cliché."
"...Never mind, you go on."
"When I was six, my father passed away due to illness. My mother worked two jobs just to barely raise me." General Zhao Kongcheng rubbed the cigarette case, speaking in a calm tone.
The pace of that era was slow. At that time, my mother's expectation for me was simple: finish junior high school, return to the village, become a village official, marry a wife, have children, and live happily together.
You know, teenagers always go through a rebellious phase.
When I graduated from junior high with good grades, it wouldn't have been difficult to become a village official if I had gone back. But I disregarded her objections and decided to join the army.
She didn't really oppose it; it just seemed like she wasn't pleased. The day I left home, she stood at the door, silently watching me. As I walked to the back of the house, she kept watching. When I reached the village gate, she was still there, gazing in the direction I left.
Honestly, at that time, I really considered staying, not leaving. But in the end, I hardened my heart and became a soldier."
General Zhao Kongcheng sighed deeply, continuing, "Later, as my rank rose, I joined the special forces and, due to my proficiency in close combat, was transferred to the Night Guardians.
Afterward, during holidays, I would go back to see my mother. The result was that..."
General Zhao Kongcheng paused abruptly.
Lin Qiyue cautiously asked, "Your mother... passed away?"
"No, she remarried."
Lin Qiyue: ...
"My mother worked too hard when she was young, ruining her health. Originally, she wanted me to return to the village and become a village official to take care of her. But at that time, I didn't think about it deeply and chose to become a soldier.
Later, she couldn't endure it alone, so she remarried. At least, in her old age, she had someone to take care of her.
Unfortunately, by then, I had already joined the Night Guardians and couldn't stay with her for long to support her in her old age. Honestly, when I heard the news of her remarrying, I was relieved."
After a moment of contemplation, Lin Qiyue asked, "So, what is the purpose of telling me this?"
General Zhao Kongcheng slowly stood up, locking eyes with Lin Qiyue. "We all had something precious, but as we grew, we unconsciously neglected them due to habit, and our attention shifted to other things...
I was like that in the past, but you are different, Lin Qiyue.
You are smarter than I was back then, more sensible, with your own thoughts. You want to stay with your family and accompany them.
That's really good.
If you choose this path, then walk it well.
Leave guarding the world to people like us."
He turned and picked up a leather bag from the table, handing it to Lin Qiyue.
"I met your aunt just now. In this era, good people like her are rare. I know your family's current situation. Take this money."
Lin Qiyue didn't hesitate. "I don't want it."
"I am a Night Guardian; I don't lack money."
"Then I still don't want it."
"This is for your aunt. You must take it!"
"My aunt won't take it either."
General Zhao Kongcheng's mouth twitched slightly. After a prolonged gaze with Lin Qiyue, neither of them backed down.
After a while, General Zhao Kongcheng spoke again. "Lin Qiyue... I'm getting old. I can't stand seeing the regrets of my past happening again, even if it's in someone else's life."
"Then you can close your eyes and not watch," Lin Qiyue's attitude was resolute. "Although my family is poor, we have our principles. I won't accept money from a soldier."
General Zhao Kongcheng opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end, he said nothing, just smiling bitterly.
"Take this money back for your wife and children. Isn't that good?" Lin Qiyue spoke again.
"I said, the Night Guardians' welfare system is excellent. Even if I die in battle, my wife and children will never worry about food and clothing for their entire lives. Moreover, they can go to good universities in the future, with a bright future ahead." Unable to persuade Lin Qiyue, General Zhao Kongcheng had to put the leather bag back in his pocket.
"Do you have no dreams for yourself?"
"My dream?" General Zhao Kongcheng sat back in his chair, eyebrows raised. "Yes, I have had a dream since I was a child."
"What is it?"
"To become a general in the army! Then, with a chest full of dazzling medals, wearing a military uniform, return to the village in glory, letting those who looked down on my mother know that my mother's son... is a general!" A dazzling light appeared in General Zhao Kongcheng's eyes.
Lin Qiyue was stunned. For some reason, looking at General Zhao Kongcheng, he seemed to think of Li Yifei...
They seemed to be a similar type of person.
"Have you achieved that dream now?"
"No, it's still far away," General Zhao Kongcheng sighed. "And as a Night Guardian, I can't proudly parade around with a chest full of medals. This dream... is just a dream after all."
Lin Qiyue fell silent.
"Alright, since it's like this, I should go." General Zhao Kongcheng stood up, walked to Lin Qiyue, and extended his right hand.
"Wish you a bright future, Lin Qiyue."
Lin Qiyue stared at General Zhao's face dumbfoundedly, as if he was no longer as greasy as before...
He reached out, tightly shaking hands. "Wish you to be covered in honors one day, General Zhao."
General Zhao Kongcheng smiled, turned, and walked outside.
"Wait, your emblem." Lin Qiyue stopped him, picked up the emblem on the table, and waved it.
General Zhao Kongcheng slapped his forehead. "Look at my memory. Almost forgot! This is my life!"
He took the emblem, glanced at it, seemed to recall something, "By the way, did you see the words behind?"
"I did."
"How is it? Isn't it handsome?"
"Very handsome. Did you write it?"
"No, this is the oath we made when entering the Night Guardians." General Zhao Kongcheng tossed the emblem like a coin, catching it steadily and putting it in his pocket. "But... I really like it."
"Wait."
"What now?"
"It's raining heavily outside. Take the umbrella."
"Thanks, I won't return it."
"You can take it, consider it... a
reward for protecting the Earth."
"Interesting, okay, I'm really leaving."
"Goodbye."
With a black umbrella, General Zhao Kongcheng sat calmly in the black sedan. He took out a cigarette box from his pocket, preparing to enjoy a moment of quiet.
At that moment, his earpiece suddenly rang!
A man's voice came from it.
His hand holding the cigarette trembled violently, and his pupils suddenly contracted!
Lin Qiyue's brow furrowed. "What do you mean by this?"
General Zhao Kongcheng smiled faintly, calmly pulling out a cigarette from his pocket. "Mind if I smoke?"
"I do."
General Zhao Kongcheng: ...
Helplessly, General Zhao put the cigarette back into its case, leaning back in his chair with a hint of reminiscence in his eyes.
"When I was young, I was just like you."
"To be honest, this opening is a bit cliché."
"...Never mind, you go on."
"When I was six, my father passed away due to illness. My mother worked two jobs just to barely raise me." General Zhao Kongcheng rubbed the cigarette case, speaking in a calm tone.
The pace of that era was slow. At that time, my mother's expectation for me was simple: finish junior high school, return to the village, become a village official, marry a wife, have children, and live happily together.
You know, teenagers always go through a rebellious phase.
When I graduated from junior high with good grades, it wouldn't have been difficult to become a village official if I had gone back. But I disregarded her objections and decided to join the army.
She didn't really oppose it; it just seemed like she wasn't pleased. The day I left home, she stood at the door, silently watching me. As I walked to the back of the house, she kept watching. When I reached the village gate, she was still there, gazing in the direction I left.
Honestly, at that time, I really considered staying, not leaving. But in the end, I hardened my heart and became a soldier."
General Zhao Kongcheng sighed deeply, continuing, "Later, as my rank rose, I joined the special forces and, due to my proficiency in close combat, was transferred to the Night Guardians.
Afterward, during holidays, I would go back to see my mother. The result was that..."
General Zhao Kongcheng paused abruptly.
Lin Qiyue cautiously asked, "Your mother... passed away?"
"No, she remarried."
Lin Qiyue: ...
"My mother worked too hard when she was young, ruining her health. Originally, she wanted me to return to the village and become a village official to take care of her. But at that time, I didn't think about it deeply and chose to become a soldier.
Later, she couldn't endure it alone, so she remarried. At least, in her old age, she had someone to take care of her.
Unfortunately, by then, I had already joined the Night Guardians and couldn't stay with her for long to support her in her old age. Honestly, when I heard the news of her remarrying, I was relieved."
After a moment of contemplation, Lin Qiyue asked, "So, what is the purpose of telling me this?"
General Zhao Kongcheng slowly stood up, locking eyes with Lin Qiyue. "We all had something precious, but as we grew, we unconsciously neglected them due to habit, and our attention shifted to other things...
I was like that in the past, but you are different, Lin Qiyue.
You are smarter than I was back then, more sensible, with your own thoughts. You want to stay with your family and accompany them.
That's really good.
If you choose this path, then walk it well.
Leave guarding the world to people like us."
He turned and picked up a leather bag from the table, handing it to Lin Qiyue.
"I met your aunt just now. In this era, good people like her are rare. I know your family's current situation. Take this money."
Lin Qiyue didn't hesitate. "I don't want it."
"I am a Night Guardian; I don't lack money."
"Then I still don't want it."
"This is for your aunt. You must take it!"
"My aunt won't take it either."
General Zhao Kongcheng's mouth twitched slightly. After a prolonged gaze with Lin Qiyue, neither of them backed down.
After a while, General Zhao Kongcheng spoke again. "Lin Qiyue... I'm getting old. I can't stand seeing the regrets of my past happening again, even if it's in someone else's life."
"Then you can close your eyes and not watch," Lin Qiyue's attitude was resolute. "Although my family is poor, we have our principles. I won't accept money from a soldier."
General Zhao Kongcheng opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but in the end, he said nothing, just smiling bitterly.
"Take this money back for your wife and children. Isn't that good?" Lin Qiyue spoke again.
"I said, the Night Guardians' welfare system is excellent. Even if I die in battle, my wife and children will never worry about food and clothing for their entire lives. Moreover, they can go to good universities in the future, with a bright future ahead." Unable to persuade Lin Qiyue, General Zhao Kongcheng had to put the leather bag back in his pocket.
"Do you have no dreams for yourself?"
"My dream?" General Zhao Kongcheng sat back in his chair, eyebrows raised. "Yes, I have had a dream since I was a child."
"What is it?"
"To become a general in the army! Then, with a chest full of dazzling medals, wearing a military uniform, return to the village in glory, letting those who looked down on my mother know that my mother's son... is a general!" A dazzling light appeared in General Zhao Kongcheng's eyes.
Lin Qiyue was stunned. For some reason, looking at General Zhao Kongcheng, he seemed to think of Li Yifei...
They seemed to be a similar type of person.
"Have you achieved that dream now?"
"No, it's still far away," General Zhao Kongcheng sighed. "And as a Night Guardian, I can't proudly parade around with a chest full of medals. This dream... is just a dream after all."
Lin Qiyue fell silent.
"Alright, since it's like this, I should go." General Zhao Kongcheng stood up, walked to Lin Qiyue, and extended his right hand.
"Wish you a bright future, Lin Qiyue."
Lin Qiyue stared at General Zhao's face dumbfoundedly, as if he was no longer as greasy as before...
He reached out, tightly shaking hands. "Wish you to be covered in honors one day, General Zhao."
General Zhao Kongcheng smiled, turned, and walked outside.
"Wait, your emblem." Lin Qiyue stopped him, picked up the emblem on the table, and waved it.
General Zhao Kongcheng slapped his forehead. "Look at my memory. Almost forgot! This is my life!"
He took the emblem, glanced at it, seemed to recall something, "By the way, did you see the words behind?"
"I did."
"How is it? Isn't it handsome?"
"Very handsome. Did you write it?"
"No, this is the oath we made when entering the Night Guardians." General Zhao Kongcheng tossed the emblem like a coin, catching it steadily and putting it in his pocket. "But... I really like it."
"Wait."
"What now?"
"It's raining heavily outside. Take the umbrella."
"Thanks, I won't return it."
"You can take it, consider it... a
reward for protecting the Earth."
"Interesting, okay, I'm really leaving."
"Goodbye."
With a black umbrella, General Zhao Kongcheng sat calmly in the black sedan. He took out a cigarette box from his pocket, preparing to enjoy a moment of quiet.
At that moment, his earpiece suddenly rang!
A man's voice came from it.
His hand holding the cigarette trembled violently, and his pupils suddenly contracted!
