CH 69.1

Chapter 69.1 – Old Debts

Cai Deyuan helped, and Lu Tinghan carried four cardboard boxes downstairs.

“These have to be shipped back to Fengyang City?” Cai Deyuan asked, “Are you planning to live there for a long time?”

Before packing, he glanced at the box. Most of them were interesting gadgets, which were worthless. He didn’t know why Lu Tinghan wanted to take them away.

“Hmm.” Lu Tinghan said, “I mainly want to give these things to one person.” He paused for a few seconds, “Maybe.”

“Oh, ohh—” Cai Deyuan immediately understood, “It’s for your partner, right?”

Only a very few people knew that General Lu was in love. One was because of Lu Tinghan’s character, it was impossible for him to publicize it, and the other was to protect Shi Yuan.

Cai Deyuan was one of the insiders.

It would take more than ten minutes for the transport truck to come. They went upstairs and checked what they were going to bring again.

When it was over, Cai Deyuan looked at Lu Tinghan a little embarrassed: “That… General…” He smiled dryly.

Lu Tinghan understood his nature, took out two packs of unopened cigarettes, handed them to Cai Deyuan, and said, “This trip has been hard on Uncle Cai.”

“Aiya, thank you so much—it’s not hard work, it’s not hard work, I just opened the door, it’s rare to have the opportunity for us to meet and catch up. Hahaha.”

Cai Deyuan couldn’t help his smoking addiction, so he went to the balcony to light a cigarette and puffed out a cloud of smoke.

Lu Tinghan stood beside him.

Cai Deyuan narrowed his eyes with a smile: “It’s really suffocating me. I haven’t smoked in almost two years. It’s still the top product in your hand.” He remembered something. “But why do you carry cigarettes with you, didn’t you stop smoking?”

“Specially brought to you,” Lu Tinghan said.

This time, Cai Deyuan’s eyes were almost gone with a smile, and he even said ‘you still understand me’.

As soon as this good cigarette was smoked, although it was not stronger than alcohol, the chatterbox opened all at once.

The two hadn’t seen each other for a long time. Standing on the balcony so leisurely like this, it was as if they were back more than 20 years ago.

Cai Deyuan asked, “I thought at the time that you would never find someone in your life.”

Lu Tinghan: “Why?”

Cai Deyuan took a deep breath: “The simulated combat optical brain is the first wife, the gun is the second wife, the military uniform and gloves are the third wife, and there are a bunch of concubines called military books.”

“I didn’t think so much at the time, I just thought about fighting.”

“That’s right, fortunately, it’s not too late.” Cai Deyuan sighed. “It’s rare to meet the right person. If I have the chance, I would like to meet that girl very much. Let me see who is the fairy who can fascinate our General Lu.”

Lu Tinghan: “It’s a man.”

Cai Deyuan: “…” A piece of soot fell, he was stunned and murmured, “I never saw it…”

Lu Tinghan smiled: “There is no difference.”

“…that, I see.” Cai Deyuan recovered from the shock. “There are no rules and regulations in front of true love. But-what kind of person is he?”

Lu Tinghan asked back: “What do you think?”

“I’ve guessed before that the person you’re looking for should be very talented. He can discuss military and strategy with you, and give you advice. Such an outstanding talent can catch your eyes. Let me guess again, he has at least a master’s degree, right? Or maybe an officer or a soldier?”

Lu Tinghan smiled deeper: “If he heard you say that, he wouldn’t even believe it himself.”

“Really?” Cai Deyuan was taken aback, “I thought, I thought…“ He paused for two seconds and smiled, “Forget it, forget it, no matter what kind of person it is, I will know from your smile, you must be really in love. I’m an old man with a stupid mouth and don’t know what to say, so I wish you a long and happy relationship for a hundred years!”

Cai Deyuan continued to smoke.

The nicotine was pleasant, and after half of the smoke was burned, he realized that Lu Tinghan hadn’t answered.

Turning his head, he saw Lu Tinghan holding a piece of sketch paper, lowering his eyes thoughtfully. The sky was bright and beautiful at noon, but his deep facial features seemed to have shadows that could not be melted away.

“What’s wrong?” Cai Deyuan asked subconsciously, “Do you want me to urge the car?”

“No need.” Lu Tinghan said, “Uncle Cai, have you ever had a dream?”

“Dream? Who hasn’t had a dream?”

“I’m talking about sweet dreams, the kind that you feel regretful when you wake up.”

Cai Deyuan hesitated: “Yes, I dreamed that I became the richest man in the world, and hundreds of younger brothers rushed to help me carry my shoes.”

Lu Tinghan: “I have also had such a dream. I dreamed that the abyss disappeared, and we returned to the wilderness and to the city that we had left so long ago.  Children were running in the wheat fields, windmills and solar panels were everywhere, some were acting in plays and some were playing music. We also saw the sea again and sailed away on a ship to the other side of the world.”

Cai Deyuan sighed: “That’s really a beautiful dream.”

“That’s right,” Lu Tinghan said, “I slept for a while longer, thinking that maybe I could continue to dream. But no, once I wake up from the dream, it doesn’t feel right to go back. Waking up is waking up, and a dream is a dream after all.”

Cai Deyuan was a little confused.

He felt that Lu Tinghan was talking about something else, but he didn’t know for sure, and asked, “What happened? Is it something about the… military department?”

“No, not this time.” Lu Tinghan still looked at the sketch. “I searched for so long, but I couldn’t find any evidence to wake me up, so I have been dreaming for so long.” On the sketch paper, the boy and the flowers in the twilight are brilliant and beautiful. “…now I’m awake.”

Cai Deyuan was even more confused: “What’s the matter with this drawing?”

“Nothing.” Lu Tinghan folded the sketch and put it away. “You continue to smoke, I have something to do.”

Lu Tinghan went back to the living room.

On the phone was a message from Shi Yuan.

Long-tailed Purring Monster: [When will you be back? The big white bird is scolding me again]

Long-tailed Purring Monster: [I ate canned creamy mushroom soup for the first time at noon, and it cost 32 yuan a can, but Wang Yu found a way to get the special price, I only paid 20 yuan]

Long-tailed Purring Monster: [Hurry up and come back and touch my head]

Lu Tinghan looked expressionlessly.

He typed a few lines with his slender fingers, deleted them, typed a few more lines, and deleted them. Going back and forth several times, the cursor flickered, and the dialog box was empty.

He finally said: [Shi Yuan, can I call now?]

He waited for a few minutes, and when the screen was about to darken, a new message popped up: [Okay!]

The phone was connected.

Shi Yuan said, “How come you have time to call me?”

It was hard to hide the joy in the tone.

Hearing this voice, Lu Tinghan’s expression couldn’t help but soften.

It was like this every time, as long as he saw Shi Yuan and heard his voice, all his worries would disappear. It was like the beautiful dream he had. By Shi Yuan’s side, the war was gone, the darkness subsided, and at the end of thousands of regrets, helplessness and despair, there was only a purring and coquettish sound.

Lu Tinghan said, “I’m packing up, the car hasn’t arrived yet. I want to ask if you have anything you want. Do you want to see the full volume of “History of the Alliance”?”

“Yeah.”

“And a couple of science fiction magazines about spaceships and space stations.”

“Yeah, I like this one.”

Lu Tinghan looked at the bookshelf: “There is also a Sudoku.”

Shi Yuan was alert: “This one is not allowed.”

“It’s a beginner version, suitable for beginners.”

“No way.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really, I will never do sudoku anymore.”

It seemed that after the painful baptism of high-difficulty sudoku, Shi Yuan no longer wanted to touch puzzle games.