Chapter 22

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Chapter 22: General Zhao

Lin Qiye frowned, “What do you mean by this?”
​Zhao Kongcheng smiled and calmly took out a cigarette from his pocket, “Do you mind?”
​”Mind.”
​Mr. Zhao:…
​Zhao Kongcheng helplessly put away the cigarette, leaning against the back of the chair, his eyes emerge a touch of memory.
​”When I was young, I was just like you.”
​”To be honest, this opening is a little cliched.”
​”…”
​”It’s okay. Go on.”
​”My father died of an illness when I was six, and my mother worked two jobs to raise me.” Zhao Kongcheng’s hand rubbed against the cigarette box, and his voice was very calm.
​”The pace of that era was very slow, at that time my mother’s expectation of me was to finish junior high school, and then come back as a village cadre, marry a young daughter-in-law, give birth to a few children, and live a happy life together.
​You know, teenagers, they always have a rebellious phase.
​When I graduated from junior high school, my grades were good, if I went back to be a village cadre, it was not difficult, but I ignored her opposition and resolutely went to be a soldier.
​In fact, she did not object, but seemed a little unhappy. The day I left home she stood at the door, just silently looking at me, I walked to the back of the house on the road, she was looking at me, I walked to the village gate, she was still looking at me…
​Then I walked to the station in the city, couldn’t let go, sneaked back to have a look… Found her still standing there, looking at the direction I went, in a daze.
​To tell you the truth, at that time I really thought about staying and not going, but in the end, I was cruel and became a soldier.”
​Zhao Kongcheng sighed and continued: “Later, my rank rose higher and higher, and I entered the special forces, and because I was good at close combat, I was transferred to the Night watch.
​After that, I also went home during the holidays to visit my mother, only to find that…”
​Zhao Kongcheng said this, suddenly stopped.
​Lin Qiye opened his mouth carefully: “Your mother… Passed away?”
​”No, she remarried.”
​Lin Qiye:……
​”When my mother was young, she was too tired to work, and she was tired, and she wanted me to go back to the village as a cadre, so as to take care of her, but at that time, I did not think of this layer and chose to be a soldier.”
​Later, she could not survive alone, so she married, at least there was someone to take care of her when she was old.
​Unfortunately, I was already in the night’s watch and could not stay with her long enough to support her. To be honest, I was really relieved to hear that she had married.”
​Lin Qiye thought for a moment, “So, what is the purpose of you telling me this?”
​Zhao Kongcheng slowly stood up and looked into Lin Qiye’s eyes, “We all have cherished things, but as we grow up, we will subconsciously ignore their existence because of habits, and turn to other things to attract all the attention…
​I was like that, but you are different, Lin Qiye.
​You’re smarter than me, you know better than me, you have your own ideas, you want to stay with your family and be there for them.
​That’s really good.
​Now that you’ve chosen this path, follow it.
​Just leave it to us people to guard the world.”
​He turned to pick up the kraft paper on the table and passed it to the front of Lin seven nights.
​”I just met your aunt, in this era, there are really not many people like this, I know the situation of your family now, you can take this money.”
​Lin Qiye without the slightest hesitation, “I don’t want.”
​”I’m a watchman, and I don’t want money.”
​”Then neither do I.”
​”I gave it to your aunt, you must have it!”
​”My aunt wouldn’t want it either.”
​Zhao Kongcheng mouth slightly twitching, and Lin seven nights look at each other for a long time, who will not give in.
​After a while, Zhao Kongcheng spoke again, “Lin Qiye… I am too old to see what happened to me happen again before my eyes, even to someone else.”
​”Then you can close your eyes and not look.” Lin Qiye’s attitude is very determined, “Although our family is poor, but also has its own bottom line, military money, I will not want.”
​Besides, my eyes are fine, I have the ability, I will not let regret happen.”
​Zhao Kongcheng opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing, only a bitter smile.
​”Won’t it smell good if you take this money back to your wife and children?” Lin seven nights open again.
​”As I said, the Night’s Watch welfare system is very good, and even if I die on the battlefield, my wife and children will have enough food and clothing for the rest of their lives, and they will go to a good university and have a bright future.” Zhao Kongcheng see really can not convince Lin seven nights, can only put the cowhide bag back.
​”Don’t you have any dreams of your own?”
​”My dream?” Zhao Kongcheng sat back in his chair, eyebrows raised, “My dream, indeed, I have had since childhood.”
​”What is it?”
​”Be a general in the army! And then hanging on the chest of the dazzling medal, wearing military uniforms, back to the village, so that those who look down on my mother know that my mother’s son… A general!” Zhao Kongcheng’s eyes appeared dazzling brilliance.
​Lin seven nights one startled, I do not know why, looking at the Zhao Kongcheng in front of him, he seemed to think of Li Yifei…
​They… seem to be the same people.
​”And are you now?”
​”No, not even close.” Zhao Kongcheng said with a bitter smile, “And as a night watchman, it is impossible to go out with a medal of merit, this dream… It can only be a dream after all.”
​Lin seven nights silent.
​”Well, in that case, I’d better go.” Zhao Kongcheng stood up, walked to Lin Qiye and held out his right hand.
​”I wish you a bright future, Lin Qiya.”
​Lin Qiye stared at Zhao Kongcheng’s face, which seemed not so greasy anymore…
​He stretched out his hands and clasped them together. “May you be full of merit someday, General Zhao.”
​Zhao Kongcheng smiled and turned to walk out of the house.
​”Wait, your coat of arms.” Lin seven nights stopped him, picked up the coat of arms on the table, and waved.
​Zhao Kongcheng patted his head, “Look at my memory, I almost forgot! This is my life!”
​Zhao Kongcheng took the coat of arms, looked at it, and seemed to think of something, “By the way, did you see the last few words?”
​”I see.”
​”Well? Isn’t he handsome?”
​”Very handsome. Did you write it?”
​”No, it was an oath we took when we entered the Night’s Watch.” Zhao Kongcheng tossed the coat of arms like a coin, caught it firmly, and put it in his pocket, “But… I love it.”
​”Wait a minute.”
​”What’s wrong now?”
​”It’s raining hard outside. Take your umbrella.”
​”Thanks, I won’t return the umbrella.”
​”Just take it, as if it were… A reward for protecting the earth.”
​”Interesting, yes, I’m really going.”
​”Goodbye.”
​Zhao Kongcheng with a black umbrella, open the door and go out, Lin Qiya is standing by the window, silently watching him leave.
​In the rain, rubbing the coat of arms between his fingers in his pocket, he whispered:
​”If the dark night comes,
​I shall stand before ten thousand,
​Cross the knife to the deep,
​Blood stains the sky…”
​…
​The rain, more and more heavy.
​Zhao Kongcheng holding an umbrella calmly sat into the black car, took out a cigarette box from his pocket, ready to enjoy a brief quiet.
​Just then, his headset began to ring!
​A man’s voice came out of it.
​His hand with the cigarette gave a jerk and his pupils constricted!