Chapter 1012
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Chapter 1012: New Year and Departure
Shao Pingge stared at Lin Qiye for a long time, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth as he looked behind Lin Qiye.
“They didn’t follow you, did they?”
“I didn’t tell them.”
“That’s good.”
Shao Pingge let out a relaxed breath, “If my departure ruins the atmosphere of our last reunion during New Year, that would be a great sin on my part.”
Shao Pingge listened to the laughter and chatter coming from behind the door, his eyes showing tenderness.
“Can’t you leave after the New Year?” Lin Qiye couldn’t help but ask.
“I’m going to the frontline so that everyone in Da Xia can celebrate the New Year without worries.” Shao Pingge smiled, turned around, and walked towards the distance, his steps slightly lighter than before.
He waved his hand and said:
“Next time we meet, it will probably be at the frontline. Anyway, thank you for your blessing, Qiye.
Happy New Year.”
Watching Shao Pingge leave, Lin Qiye sighed and turned back to enter the courtyard.
“Qiye, where did you go?” Baili Pangpang put a plate of braised fish head on the table, rubbing his hands as he looked at Lin Qiye walking back from the distance.
“Nothing much, just seeing off a friend.”
“A friend?” Baili Pangpang thought for a moment but didn’t ask further.
“By the way, where’s Lu Baozhu? Haven’t seen him around?”
“After I bandaged his wounds, he left on his own. He probably isn’t used to the atmosphere here.”
“Oh…”
“Qiye, call everyone over, it’s time for the New Year’s Eve dinner.”
“Alright.”
Amidst laughter, everyone took their seats. Chen Han sat close to Lin Qiye on the side, looking at the abundant dishes on the table, unable to help swallowing.
It had been a long time since he had such a feast.
Next to him were Baili Pangpang, who was happily giving Rolex watches as New Year gifts to the 006 Squad members, Cao Yuan quietly cracking sunflower seeds, Jiang Er floating in the air chatting with the female members of 006 Squad, and Shen Qingzhu gulping down a can of beer.
An Qingyu was crouching in the center of the courtyard, seriously fiddling with a black iron box, its contents unknown.
Across the table was the cheerful 006 Squad.
Li Zhenzhen held the white cat Fang Mo, absentmindedly looking at the empty seat in the center, worry appearing in her eyes.
“Zhenzhen, don’t worry, Captain Shao should be back soon.” Zhang Zhengting patted her shoulder, “Come on, eat!”
Dong—Dong—Dong!!
As the New Year’s bell rang, everyone stopped what they were doing and turned their heads toward the direction of the bell.
An Qingyu raised his eyebrows, lightly tapped the iron box in his hand, and amid sharp whistling sounds, dozens of fireworks simultaneously shot up from the box into the sky, disappearing into the dark night.
Boom—!!!
An earth-shattering explosion rang out, and brilliant seven-colored fireworks, like dancing meteor showers, rapidly spread out in all directions, covering the entire sky of Beijing City in an instant.
In that moment, the night sky was completely illuminated, dreamlike and gorgeous.
“Holy shit! These are fireworks?” Lu Hu widened his eyes, “If… if these were set off on the ground, they could level Beijing, right?”
“Don’t worry about such details.”
Yuan Gang stood up from the table with his wine glass, smiling as he looked around at everyone, raising his glass:
“To the new year, cheers!”
“Cheers!”
…
The brilliant fireworks bloomed in the sky.
The seven-colored lights and shadows interweaved, casting down onto a bridge underpass in the suburbs of Beijing, where a little beggar girl wrapped in a tattered blanket hugged her knees, watching the gorgeous fireworks above with fascination in her eyes.
Then, her gaze fell on the wild grass field in front of the underpass, where a bandaged figure was stumbling forward under the light of the fireworks.
It was a one-eyed black-haired youth.
The little beggar’s eyes lit up.
She quickly got up from the ground, watching Lu Baozhu walk into the underpass and slowly sit down against the opposite wall, and couldn’t help saying:
“I thought you wouldn’t come back.”
“I said I’d come back for dinner today.” Lu Baozhu said flatly.
The little beggar’s eyes fell on his blood-stained bandages, and she pressed her lips together.
“Your wounds…”
“Just minor injuries.” Lu Baozhu rubbed his rumbling stomach, and after a moment of silence, “Did you buy the instant noodles?”
“Yes!”
The little beggar took out two packs of instant noodles from under the blanket in the underpass, holding them like treasures as she gently placed them on the ground beside the bonfire.
Above the flickering bonfire was an abandoned old cadre’s tea mug, with a pot of hot water bubbling away. The little beggar wrapped her fingers in the blanket and carefully took it down, pouring it into the instant noodles.
Lu Baozhu sat by the wall, quietly watching this scene.
A few minutes later, the aroma of instant noodles spread through the underpass. Just as Lu Baozhu was about to reach for his pack of noodles, the little beggar suddenly spoke:
“Wait!”
“Hm?”
Lu Baozhu looked at her in confusion, only to see the little beggar run back to the blanket and carefully take out a packaged sausage, walking to Lu Baozhu with a bright smile.
She forcefully broke the sausage into two pieces, one larger and one smaller.
She handed the larger piece to Lu Baozhu.
“Here, for you.”
“I don’t remember asking you to buy sausage.”
“I bought it with my own money!”
Lu Baozhu took the sausage, hesitating for a moment, “If you bought it yourself, why give me the bigger piece?”
“You protect me, I take care of you, isn’t that fair?”
The little beggar smiled, and under the brilliant fireworks, her eyes shone like stars. She raised her instant noodles and gently clinked them against Lu Baozhu’s:
“Happy New Year, my hero.”
Lu Baozhu froze in place.
…
New Year’s Eve had passed, and a brand new year had arrived.
While most people were still immersed in the joy of the New Year, the busy new recruits had already started packing their bags, preparing to return to the training camp.
“Fang Mo, have you finished packing?”
“Yes, almost done, let’s go.”
Fang Mo, who had returned to human form, carried a tactical bag and black box, walking out of the courtyard house with Li Zhenzhen towards the gate.
“I’m leaving! I should be back in seven days!” Li Zhenzhen waved back at the 006 Squad members as she walked.
Zhang Zhengting and others smiled and waved goodbye.
“Tch, why do I suddenly feel like our daughter is being taken away by someone?” Lu Hu muttered beside them, “I’m starting to dislike that cat boy more and more…”
“I second that.” Zhang Zhengting silently raised his hand.
As soon as Fang Mo and Li Zhenzhen walked out of the courtyard gate, they froze in place.
By the snow-covered gate sat a figure they never expected to see.
“Lu Baozhu? Why are you here? Why didn’t you come in?” Li Zhenzhen asked in surprise.
Lu Baozhu looked up at them, stood up silently, and after struggling for a moment, gritted his teeth and reached out his hand to them…
“Lend… lend me some money.”
