Book 1 Chapter 201 - The Lunar New Year's Eve of Two People
It's the Lunar New Year's Eve. But it's quiet everywhere in the barracks, entirely without the celebratory atmosphere typical of other places.
Jiang Yuan lightly sighs, "Last New Year, we still had a child around for good or for bad. This year there are only two of us. This New Year is sad."
Gu Weiting quietly takes a glance at Jiang Yuan, "I should leave you alone. Then next year when I'm with you for the New Year, you won't feel sad."
"You're bad!" Jiang Yuan sticks out her lips, "If even you are not here, I wouldn't know whom I'm living this life for."
"Children are not part of your body. Even if they don't leave, they don't belong to you. Aftet they form their own families, there is still just me to celebrate the Lunar New Year with you. If you feel lonely, you can bear another one."
"Do you think you can have a child whenever you like? How do I do it by myself?"
Gu Weiting grins lightly, "I can lend you my friendly support."
"You..." Jiang Yuan is provoked to laughter, "How come I didn't think you're such a smooth talker before?"
"I'm not so praise worthy. I still can't compare to Old Bai."
Jiang Yuan sticks out her mouth. Faint redness surfaces on her beautiful face. Her dark eyes has finally revealed some rays of light.
"Honestly, we really should consider having another child. Little Hai and Luoyin are only 18 years old. We are not that old and we have the ability to raise one. With one more child, wouldn't life be more fulfilling?"
"I don't have any opinion." Gu Weiting slightly raises his eyebrows, "After all, I no longer have any expectation on Gu Hai. If you bear me another child, I have more hope and purpose."
Jiang Yuan's eyes flicker, "Then...if we really have another child, are you going to dote on the child, or to discipline the child harshly?"
"Dote? How dare I dote on the child? Just look. How Gu Hai turns out to be after I doted on him?"
"Huhh...." Jiang Yuan loses her composure, "You call the way you treat Gu Hai doting? Then if you discipline, how hurt the child would be?"
"Without strong will, the child would not be able to survive my training."
"If you say so, how dare I want a child." Jiang Yuan's heart has gotten cold.
Gu Weiting laughs coldly, "If he can't even take my discipline, how can he be my son? Why would I want a son like that?"
"According to your logic, a child born with inherited disabilities should be killed? A child is not here to be used. A child is here to be loved. Now I just wish I have a little girl that sticks to me all day long all the while crying. That to me is happiness."
"When did you develop such motherly love?" Gu Weiting gives Jiang Yuan a glance.
Jiang Yuan sighs, "Ever since my son is gone, I've come to this realization. The things I used to pursue are too superficial. Without my child by my side, all of this is meaningless."
Gu Weiting quietly eats the meal.
"Am I talking too much? Are you a little tired of me like this?"
"Even if I get tired, I'm not going to change anymore. I don't want to be bothered with these things."
Jiang Yuan, "...!!"
At the end of the Lunar New Year's Eve dinner, Gu Weiting says to Jiang Yuan, "From tomorrow on, you come travel with me to my post."
"Travel?" Jiang Yuan's eyes show her surprise.
Gu Weiting nods, "Travel, and come with me to my military post."
Late at night, while every other home is still well lit in celebration of the New Year, Jiang Yuan is already sleeping in bed. Perhaps after putting down her burden, she suddenly felt tired and went to sleep upon lying down.
Gu Weiting, on the other hand, does not feel sleepy at all. Standing by the window, he is deep in thought. Why do I think so much about my useless son?
His useless son, and Old Bai's useless son, are standing in the middle of a public square playing with fire crackers. They are in a unusually happy mood.
Gu Hai takes out two steel pipe like fire crackers and light them while holding them on his hand. Bai Luoyin wants to stop him but is too late. The wicker has been lit. Bai Luoyin steps back and soon a loud explosive sound comes to his ears from the fire cracker.
After the explosion, the remains of the fire crackers are still in Gu Hai's hand. Bai Luoyin was terrified.
"You idiot? Who would light this kind of fire crackers while still holding them on the hands?"
Gu Hai looks proud of himself, "Dare you?"
Bai Luoyin responds coldly, "Do you think this is something to brag about? If you're good, light them while they're stuffed inside your crotch."
"You bastard..." Gu Hai laughs from being mad. "Believe it or not I'll light them while they're stuffed inside your asshole?"
Bai Luoyin gets mad and chases after Gu Hai.
"Don't hit me. It's bad luck to beat people up around New Year's Day." Gu Hai's arm encircles Bai Luoyin's neck. "We still have lots of fireworks. It's almost midnight. Let's hurry up!"
With this said, Bai Luoyin and Gu Hai each walk toward their own cars.
Gu Hai had placed all the fireworks in the trunk. Having opened the trunk, he is about to move the fireworks out. But he forgot he has a cigarette between his fingers. He discovers that some of the fireworks have been ignited. He cannot remain still anymore this time and runs away fast after grabbing Bai Luoyin.
Bai Luoyin still has not realized what has just happened when suddenly there is a loud explosion and ten or so fireworks shoot toward the sky. It's even more spectacular than if they were lit by ten people. It's as if flowers bloomed in the night sky. This is not yet the climax. Right after this, there are small explosions and sparks running everywhere. A few of them explode around Bai Luoyin's feet. When they get a chance to look at Gu Hai's car, it's already engulfed in a big fire. The flames go upward and a large part of the sky has been lit in red.
After a long while, Gu Hai mumbles: "Big fortune!"
"What big fortune?" Bai Luoyin yells. "Your car is ruined! Why you didn't watch out when you move the fireworks? Why are you still standing there? Go put out the fire!"
Gu Hai stops Bai Luoyin, "No need. It's useless even if we can put out the fire. The repair cost would be so much that it makes more sense to buy a new car!"
Bai Luoyin regrets so much that his face frowns. It is stash and stash of cash that is burning. Gu Hai sees it and tries to make a joke: "Nowadays in this society, you can't call yourself the child of a high government official if you haven't burnt a car."
Bai Luoyin hates it so much that he gnaws his teeth.
Because of the accident, the plan for them to play with fireworks got cut short. When the two of them drive back in the same car, the streets become very busy and a lot of fireworks light up outside the car in the night sky. Bai Luoyin laments that he might as well look more at the night sky a moment ago if he knew the car is all ruined. The sky then must be really beautiful!
There are things in life that you have to pay a destructively high price for. If you have already paid dearly for them, why not just enjoy the happiness they bring because they don't come by easily?
Bai Luoyin's eyesight turns back inside and notices the clock shows the time to be 11:59. Bai Luoyin stops his breath and right when the number jumps he suddenly turns his face to his side.
"Happy New Year!"
"Happy New Year!"
They said it almost at the same time. And they happily smile simultaneously. There is no need to pretend. Just the face alone can eliminate any regret in each other's heart.
We will never forget, the New Year's Eve that year we spent on the road.
In the middle of March, it gets warmer little by little. Bai Luoyin and Gu Hai plans to depart for Tibet.
While packing up, Gu Hai laments that he is going to miss this place, "The auntie at the vegetable stall in the street market recognizes my face and always gives me a small discount."
Bai Luoyin sneers, "I guess she gives everyone a discount."
"Says who?" Gu Hai argues. "Before the New Year, she didn't give me any discount. But she started to do that after the New Year. And sometimes she would give me a few scallions for free. After we're gone, who is going to give us discount?"
Bai Luoyin furtively takes a glance at Gu Hai, "One less car you burn, you would already have saved the money for your grandson to get groceries."
"Why are you so cold in heart, I've found?"
It's not that I'm cold. It's just that I'm not as excessive in my feelings as you are and you say everything on your mind out loud. How can I not be sad to leave this place? At least we've been here for three months. Everyday we see the sea as soon as we open our eyes and feel the sea breeze as soon as we push open windows. Where will we find again such cheap place with a sea view?
After they packed everything, they eat their last meal here.
At this time, they randomly talk about things at school. Bai Luoyin mentions by accident, "You Qi passed the second exam for Beijing Film School."
Gu Hai raises his head and looks at Bai Luoyin, "Why did you contact him?"
"I didn't. I saw it on the school forum online. Somebody posted the name list of the students eligible for the third round of exams for Beijing Film School. I saw You Qi on the list."
"Could it be someone else with the same name?"
Bai Luoyin sneers, "You can find someone else with such a lame name?"
"That's true." Gu Hai stops his chopsticks, and says intentionally, "You seem to care a lot about him."
"I didn't care that much about him at first. But ever since we fought about him some time ago, this person has made a lasting impression on me."
"You mean to provoke me, you bastard?" Gu Hai changes his face instantly.
Bai Luoyin is used to it and changes the topic naturally.
"Oh yes, I haven't asked you. Have you decided which college you want to go to?"
Gu Hai replies haphazardly, "Whatever."
"Whatever?" Bai Luoyin gets a little mad. "Can you get your act together for your future?"
"Who says I don't have my act together?" Gu Hai sweeps a glance at Bai Luoyin, "Even if I go to college, I'm not going to be passing my days patiently. I plan to start opening a company after two years. I'll be both an entrepreneur and a student at the same time. I'm the type who is more pragmatic. Theoretical knowledge doesn't interest me. I don't want to become a government official. Going into business is the best choice for me."
Bai Luoyin feels it's not practical, "Where is your capital?"
"Once I have my plans, I can surely secure funding. I can start small and grow the business gradually to become larger."
"I'm afraid once you get the money in your hands, you'd spend all of it in a couple of days."
"What you are trying to say! You make it sound like I don't have any self control."
"Have you ever had it?" Bai Luoyin seriously doubts.
Gu Hai raises his eyebrows slightly and his eyes are clearly hinting at something, "Which aspect of me do you mean?"
"Eat your meal!!"