Airdrop sugar-coated bullets

People can't be idle. If they are idle, they will overthink, feel sorry for themselves, and let their imaginations run wild, which will inevitably lead to trouble.

As a teenager, I was a troublemaker. I'd settle scores on the spot, and even if there was no real grudge, I'd still stage an accident to make an enemy of someone I didn't like. Later, as I grew older, the criminal law taught me to be a more obedient person. Aside from Wu Bainian's cheating partner, I haven't actively caused trouble for a long time. If someone provokes me, I'll try to reason with them, and if that fails, I'll take action. Even then, I won't beat them to death; if it gets to the police station, the most I'll get is a reprimand.

Lately, I've found myself having the urge to cause trouble again, often when I'm alone late at night. Even if it's just twenty minutes before bed, I really want to find someone to fight with, fight until I'm exhausted and fall asleep, to drive away all those chaotic thoughts from my mind.

In truth, life had already been utterly exhausting. It had been over a month since we returned to Huaicheng, and everything was in disarray, with countless tasks to be done. Currently, the entire team was divided into four groups: one group had set up tents near the veterans' quarters as temporary accommodations, working regular hours and going to the construction site; the second group was sourcing heavy equipment from un-bombed cities and transporting it back to Huaicheng; the third group was cooking at Lao Qi's house, providing logistical support for everyone; and the fourth group was clearing the city's ruins and restoring road accessibility.

I'm working in four shifts. Today I lead people to dig stones and level the foundation, tomorrow I'm cleaning up construction debris on the streets, the day after tomorrow I'm helping with housework, cleaning, washing rice, and cooking, and the day after that I'm going to Tongcheng to dismantle and transport equipment. I'm keeping myself as busy as a spinning top. I haven't gained any weight back, and it looks like I'm going to keep losing it.

Even being busy and tired couldn't stop my restless mind. Uncontrollable thoughts would always pop up unexpectedly, making me irritable and restless.

When cleaning a street, I suddenly remember arguing with Yu Zhongjian about killing zombies there; when passing by Xiaojiangshan, I can't help but recall the scene of catching live animals with Gao Chen on the mountain; when standing on the roof of my house and sighing at the collapse of the wall, I can't help but think of the guy surnamed Yu who once performed his light-footed skills on the wall; when I go to Tongcheng, I remember the exhilarating feeling of robbing Lao Lin and breaking through the zombies with them.

After thinking it over, I started to comfort myself. I'm someone who values ​​brotherhood so much. Even if I encounter two such heartless bastards, I still think about their good deeds and the contributions they made to the team. I then tried to justify their heartless and ungrateful behavior: people always strive for better things, and staying in a small place won't lead to anything.

But no matter what excuses I make, I can't stop being annoyed. If I don't speak or do anything for a moment, the anger inside me just starts to rise. I want to find someone strong to fight, preferably someone who can knock me out with one punch, so I won't have time to overthink.

There's someone like that right now. But I'm hesitant. What if he punches me and kills me instead of knocking me out? So I'm controlling my temper and not provoking him.

He was Li Tonggu, who had been inseparable from me ever since we returned to Huaicheng. At first, I didn't notice, but later I realized that whenever he was working, as soon as he heard me say where I was going, he would immediately drop what he was doing and follow me. He didn't even react when other team leaders criticized him for giving up halfway. I cleaned the streets, he cleaned the streets; I ate, he ate; I carried bricks, he carried bricks; I went to other places, he went to other places too—in short, he had to be with me.

To be honest, seeing him silently following me with a blank expression made me quite sad. Little Li was like a fledgling eagle abandoned by its mother; his "mother" had heartlessly abandoned him, leaving him bewildered and utterly alone. Seeing me, this familiar magpie, he immediately nestled into my nest. Although, in terms of size and fighting ability, I'm unworthy to be his mother—and he probably thinks so too—what could I do? A child without a mother is like a blade of grass. At least I've known his "mother" for a long time, been close to her, and fought alongside her; I can offer him some emotional comfort.

I never dared to ask him if he missed that person, because I was afraid that Leonardo DiCaprio would have a relapse if he was too stimulated.

After driving a bulldozer on the road all day, I took him back to the Qi family home in the evening. I saw Liu Meili leaning against the gate eating a sugar pancake, one hand supporting her waist, trying to push forward her belly, which was not visible at all.

"Xiao Qi, is the baby's father off work yet?"

I rolled my eyes: "There's a roadblock today, so he can't come over after get off work. If you want, just go to the construction site and bring him food."

With brown sugar strands on her lips, Liu Meili ate like a carefree child: "I'm not going. The first three months are the most important. I'm not going anywhere."

I walked into the house and said, "You keep talking nonsense. You don't even go, yet you keep nagging about him."

"I'm just annoyed. I haven't yelled at him for two days, and I'm getting anxious."

"......"

Pregnancy is wonderful. My partner never talks back or fights back when he scolds or hits me; he's always there for me, and I even have to put on a smiling face for him. Everyone in my family treats me like a panda; she's waited on hand and foot, and someone even helps her walk. Most of the boxes of thick-skinned fruit I brought back from the capital ended up in her stomach. Since there are more women and children staying at Lao Qi's house, there's not enough room in the house, so she has my bed all to herself. Chen Ruonan and Qin Yun still sleep on their cots, while I've been reduced to sleeping on a makeshift bed on the floor in the downstairs living room with Ma Li.

Only in the apocalypse could she receive such treatment; everyone loved her belly and the little life growing inside her during this special time.

My mother cleared a patch of land behind the house, filled it with soil dug from the Rongjun basement, set up a greenhouse, installed a heater, and planted several rows of vegetable seeds, hoping to add fresh vegetables to Liu Meili's pregnant menu in a month or two. Sometimes I would go in to water the plants, turn over the soil, and squat by the ridges where tender shoots were emerging, lost in thought for a while.

Li Tonggu squatted down next to me, poking holes in the ground with his fingers.

As soon as the environment quieted down, my thoughts started to run wild again. I couldn't shake the feeling of suffocation in my chest. Looking at the person next to me, who had been holding back, I finally couldn't resist: "Hey Li, it's been a while since we've had a fight. How about we go outside and spar?"

"Who are you going to hit?"

"We're not going to fight anyone, just the two of us spar. I learned a few grappling techniques from Zhou Yi, let's see how they work."

"I won't fight you, and he won't let me fight you."

My heart skipped a beat: "Who?"

"Mr. Yu."

I get annoyed just hearing those two words. I said irritably, "He's not family with us anymore. What he said before doesn't count. You don't need to listen to him anymore. Do whatever you want."

Li Tonggu was very stubborn: "That won't do. He told me when we went down the mountain that I would protect you and not hit you when we came back."

I paused, then said, "You mean... when we came back from the capital, he contacted you and asked you to protect me?"

"Um."

Just as I was about to ask a few more questions, I suddenly heard a buzzing sound coming from afar. It was a very familiar sound; I had heard it in Huaicheng and on the western front. It was a sound etched in my mind that I would never forget.

She lifted the curtain and stepped out, looking up at the northeast sky. Ma Li, who was cooking in the kitchen, also ran out into the yard: "Oh dear, look, strong winds! Another bomber?"

The women inside came out one after another. Most of them hadn't been on the western front, but they had been traumatized by the bombers in Huaicheng. As soon as they saw the bombers approaching in the distance, they huddled together nervously. Although they knew the possibility of another bombing was slim, they couldn't shake off their fear.

After we returned, planes frequently flew overhead, mostly disappearing in a flash. I figured it was because the northern front campaign was about to begin, and the capital was sending out reconnaissance aircraft. But several times I also noticed the AW139 rescue helicopter acting suspiciously. It would linger over Huaicheng for a long time, sometimes flying over the veterans' construction site, sometimes circling over Lao Qi's house, doing nothing, as if it was just taking a stroll and looking at the ruins.

A bluish-gray bomber flew overhead, reaching the edge of the city before turning back and circling a few times, seemingly searching for a target. Then I saw the fuselage open, and several dark objects dropped out.

The women screamed, and I quickly reassured them, "Don't be afraid, it's not a bomb, it's an airdrop."

The airdrop crate deployed its small parachute in mid-air and wobbled down. The bomber completed its mission and quickly flew away. I estimated the landing point; it was at least two kilometers away from Old Qi's house. The accuracy was incredibly unreliable.

I drove Li Tonggu to bring the airdrop crates home. They were three large, square plastic crates, probably made of carbon fiber. They were very sturdy and took up a lot of space. As soon as we dragged them into the yard, they blocked the way.

My mom circled the box, asking, "What's this? Who sent it?"

"It can't be anyone else who was airdropped from the plane, it must be either General Yu or Company Commander Gao." Liu Meili and Xiao Meng each held a large bowl and stood under the eaves eating popcorn. Sister Wei had just fried a batch, and apart from her godson Xiao Meng, only Liu Meili was entitled to a full bowl. We could only grab a handful to sip.

The lock on the box was opened, the lid was lifted, and a gasp of surprise erupted around us—it was a box full of fresh vegetables. Eggplants, tomatoes, green peppers, lettuce, and a row of cucumbers at the bottom. Each one was carefully wrapped in plastic wrap, as if they had just been picked, with moisture still clinging to the film.

The women watching cheered and smiled broadly. My mother was heartbroken: "Oh my, who is this? Is it Dandan? She still remembers us. What a good child!"

Liu Meili arrogantly ordered Xiao Meng, "Go get your sister a cucumber to eat, I'll share half with you."

I didn't say anything, and then opened the second box, unsurprisingly receiving another burst of excited screams. This box contained fruit: apples, oranges, pears, and bananas—all common fruits with short shelf lives, needing to be eaten as soon as possible.

Liu Meili then instructed Xiao Meng: "Go get a banana for your sister, we can't leave this thing here."

Little Meng ran back and forth twice, looking at her with longing eyes: "Auntie, won't you share half of the banana with me?"

After I opened the third box, my mother didn't know what other words of praise she could say, she just kept repeating: "So thoughtful, such a thoughtful child."

Liu Meili stopped giving orders, so I raised an eyebrow at her and said, "How about another piece of raw pork? Or a steak? Or a frozen raw chicken breast?"

She turned her head and vomited twice in disgust. My mom came up and punched me: "Don't mess with Meili!"

After vomiting, Liu Meili said, "Don't complain about how much I eat. As long as you're here, there will be plenty of these things in the future. People will be throwing money here. I'll just cling to your leg. How about letting the child find a godmother? You can't just watch your godson go hungry, can you?"

I'm speechless at her shamelessness. Where did the careful and cautious Liu Meili go? Why did she suddenly become a middle-aged woman after getting pregnant, so brazen and shameless!

My mom went up to help her: "Are these things for Dafeng? Who, who gave them to her?"

My murderous glare had no effect on her. She smiled without any restraint: "Auntie, who else could it be? Mr. Yu! He's had his eye on Xiao Qi for a long time, didn't you know?"

My mom was stunned for a moment, then slapped her thigh in frustration: "I almost forgot, Dandan gave Dafeng a pair of pliers or something last time. I knew he was hiding something! And sure enough!"

"Of course. When Xiao Qi was injured and unconscious, he was so worried. Every time I went into the tent, I would see him holding Xiao Qi's hand by the bedside and muttering something. He was definitely praying for her recovery. He was so devoted."

My mother seemed to think about it seriously for a while, then looked a little troubled: "I don't have any problem with Dandan. He's a capable and sensible child, handsome, and healthy. But doesn't he have some mental issues?"

Liu Meili's expression was converging with that of an older woman, adopting the gossipy look of a busybody: "Oh, that's true. He had a relapse last time. Mental illnesses are hard to cure, and they can be hereditary."

Upon hearing this, my mother immediately made a decision: "Then I'm sorry, no matter how much she likes Dafeng, it's no use. Her father and I will not agree."

Xiao Meng climbed around the box, curiously touching this and that, and after fiddling with the inside of the lid for a while, she suddenly pulled out a piece of paper, held it in her hand, and deciphered the handwriting: "I...miss...you..."

My heart skipped a beat, and I snatched it away with lightning speed.

My mom was a step behind, looking at me suspiciously: "Did she write you a love letter? Are you and Dandan already together? Dafeng, you can't just think about the future without considering the consequences!"

Liu Meili clicked her tongue calmly: "He even wrote a love letter. I never expected Mr. Yu to be this kind of man."

"Liu Meili, shut up!" I was furious. These two were going back and forth, making the story more and more bizarre, as if Yu Zhongjian and I had secretly done something wrong. No one gave me a chance to make a statement!

My desire to fight is growing stronger, but I can't find anyone. Everyone's busy with their work; who would want to fight me for no reason?

A panda and its mother—all I could do was rage helplessly, clutch the piece of paper, and storm out of the house. Li Tonggu followed closely behind, and together we squatted back into the vegetable shed.

After reading the so-called love letter, I was so angry I wanted to grab Xiao Meng and give her a good beating. This semi-literate elementary school student had taken three familiar words out of context: "I miss you so much." It was actually just an ordinary, mundane message.

"Qi Aifeng, seeing your beautiful handwriting, I imagine the new veterans' construction has already begun. I'm sending you vegetables, fruits, and meat to improve your meals. Best wishes, please pass this on. Yu Zhongjian."

As I looked at it, my nose started to sting. What's the point of sending these things when they don't want us anymore? Can such small favors really make up for the hurt he caused me, Han Bo, Li Tonggu, and all the team members who wholeheartedly believed in and supported him?

What are these worthless vegetables and fruits? We have seeds, and we can grow them! What are these worthless pork and beef? The capital has compensated us! Our chicks, rabbits, and piglets will grow up one day and breed many more livestock, producing plenty of meat, so everyone can eat to their heart's content!

I don't want your lousy stuff! I won't eat it, and Han Bo won't eat it either. A person with backbone would never eat it!

I squatted in the vegetable shed for more than an hour, venting all my anger on the soil, and Li Tonggu and I kept poking holes until our fingers hurt.

Then Li Tonggu suddenly straightened his back and sniffed: "Meat."

Dinner was a big pot of braised eggplant with pork. Ma Li and Sister Lin brought the food back and said that everyone enjoyed it very much.

I was very skeptical: "Was there any mention that this was sent by Yu Zhongjian?"

"I told them, and they all said thank you, Mr. Yu."

"Han Bo, have you eaten?"

"have eaten."

"Has Zhou Yi eaten?"

"He's the one who gets to snatch it the most."

As I held my bowl of white rice, looking at the steaming, fragrant bowl of eggplant and pork and a bowl of pickled vegetables on the table, my chopsticks were wavering back and forth, undecided. My mother picked up a piece of meat with alternating layers of fat and lean meat and stuffed it into my mouth, whispering, "Hurry up and eat two pieces, or Meili will come down soon."

My mom still considers me her own daughter. No matter how much Liu Meili is favored, she still ranks after me in her eyes. I felt a little better and, to my dismay, I chewed on it. Mmm, it's delicious!

From that day on, bombers became frequent visitors to Qijia's airspace, coming every few days and never empty-handed. They threw vegetables, meat, water, saplings, grass seeds, entertainment items, hardware parts, and boxes of books. There was nothing they wouldn't throw. Sometimes they'd slip in a note, sometimes not; the messages were always very brief and official, revealing nothing of the person leaving the message's mood.

Holding a copy of "Fat Pigs in March, Produce Them in April—The Pig-Raising Secret" in my hand, I looked up at the sky and thought, "What's the point of just throwing sugar-coated bullets? If you're so capable, throw someone down here and let them fight me. You need to quell my anger at its core. Hiding and concealing like this is not manly at all!"

As the number of airdrops increased, the crowd's curiosity and gratitude gradually diminished. If the bombers didn't come for three days, they would still wonder why they weren't coming. The fennel seeds I gave them last time were gone; they'd be essential for braised dishes. But whenever they saw me, they would always remember to say, "Mr. Yu is so good to you."

My mother, overwhelmed by this windfall, couldn't contain herself and looked at me several times, hesitant to speak. At night, I would occasionally hear her and my father whispering in the living room, the two words that appeared most often in their conversation being: "Dandan."

At times like this, I would secretly sneer. What am I thinking? Whether he was good to me or bad, we were destined to be on different paths. I would never forgive him for abandoning me... and abandoning the team. If we met again, I could at least give him a smile, which would be enough for us to have known each other.

Until one day, my dad had a very serious talk with me: "Dafeng, come here, I want to talk to you."

"What are we talking about?"

"About you and Xiao Yu."