Goodbye means drawing your sword.

There's a flower bed below the window, making it easy to climb out. With Yu Zhongjian's skills, he wouldn't die from a second-floor fall. I guess the reason he didn't want to jump out the window was because he wanted to eavesdrop on Gao Chen and my late-night whispers.

In desperation, there was nothing they could do about him.

Ever since the base commander was kidnapped, I haven't had a single moment alone with Gao Chen. Either I'm surrounded by my teammates, or he's with Xiao Qing.

Speaking of Xiao Qing, I suddenly felt a bit conflicted about Gao Chen's visit. Unlike Yu Zhongjian, who was elusive and unpredictable, Gao Chen was always a proper, upright, and honest person. Why did he come to see me in the middle of the night? Why couldn't they have said what they wanted to say during the day? I've been waiting for over a week. Has he become this busy after just returning from the front lines?

“I can’t go back to Huaicheng for the time being. Once the situation on the front lines stabilizes, I will apply for leave to visit you at Rongjun’s place.”

He was explaining why he stayed, something like he'd met a commander from his old unit who wanted him to return, and since he still held a military post, it was his responsibility, and so on. I listened intently for a while, then drifted off, and only caught the gist of what he said.

"Oh, okay, I got it." What could I say? Tell him he had to retire and come back to Huaicheng with me? That didn't make sense.

Perhaps it was because my expression wasn't serious enough, I kept avoiding eye contact with him, and my replies were somewhat perfunctory. He stared at me for a while before saying again, "Aifeng, I know you're unhappy, but soldiers are duty-bound to obey orders."

I immediately said, "I'm not upset. You've misunderstood. After all, zombies are the biggest threat to humanity right now. Only by defeating them can the survivors live a peaceful life. Your continued service in the army, using your skills and bravely going to the front lines, is serving the people. I'm proud of you. This is a noble, glorious, and great cause. The people of Huaicheng will always support you! Keep it up!"

Gao Chen: "..."

This was my first time being a conversation killer, so I wasn't very skilled, but judging from his helpless and speechless expression, I was quite successful.

A sudden chuckle came from the direction of the cabinet. Gao Chen looked over alertly: "What was that sound?"

"Cough cough cough cough!" I coughed violently, pounding my chest exaggeratedly with my left hand, and bobbing back and forth: "Cough cough cough cough!"

Gao Chen quickly helped me up: "What's wrong? Do you want some water?"

I pretended to cough so hard I couldn't breathe, waving my hands repeatedly: "No...no, I'm choking on my saliva."

He helped me sit on the edge of the bed, but still glanced at the corner of the wall with a puzzled look. I quickly coughed a few times and said, "Hey, it's nothing. Ever since we moved the grain up the mountain, there have been more rats. I can often hear them making noise when I sleep at night."

"Oh." Gao Chen didn't say anything more, but I felt that he didn't quite believe it. Special forces soldiers are perceptive, and it's not easy to hide anything from them if something is amiss.

I couldn't imagine what would happen if Gao Chen became suspicious of the wardrobe, went to check it, and found a man hiding inside. So I decided to further divert attention. I was ready to risk it all; if that pervert wanted to hear it, let him hear it to his heart's content!

So I pulled Gao Chen's arm and made him sit down next to me. "Did you come here today just to tell me this? I'm leaving at dawn. Don't you have anything else to say?"

He did indeed regain his composure, looked at me with a hint of unease, and fidgeted with his trousers: "Before you entered Zhangcheng, I said I had something to tell you, but I wasn't sure if you wanted to hear it."

"Tell me, I want to hear it, I want to hear whatever you say."

I'm going all in. That pervert was laughing just now, he should be stunned now, right? I'm going to confess my feelings to Gao Chen in front of him, reveal my true feelings, and steer the conversation in an uncontrollable direction. They'll both be staying in the capital from now on, they'll be colleagues, seeing each other all the time. I don't believe he'll have the nerve to cause trouble now. In the dead of night, in a woman's room, Commander Yu crawling out of the closet, is he really willing to be the male lead in a erotic thriller to satisfy the capital's morbid curiosity? He wouldn't be that shameless.

"The first person I saw after I woke up from my injury was you. You told me then that you were my savior, do you remember?"

I remember asking him if he had a girlfriend. I laughed when he said that, even though he never mentioned it, it turned out he did remember.

“At first, I always called you by the wrong last name, which made you unhappy, but you never got angry with me. You always patiently corrected me again and again.”

Patience? You call everyone else wrong, but you call me wrong, calling me Miss Wu or Miss Xie. If it weren't for your good looks, I would have kicked you long ago.

"During the time I had amnesia, you were the person who helped me the most and comforted me the most. You supported me in returning to Tongcheng to find my memories, and you gave me confidence when I was feeling down. I remember every word you said to me, and I often wondered why you were so good to me, whether it was because you also..."

Yes, to be honest, it's because you're polite, have good character, are capable, and most importantly, are handsome.

He pursed his lips shyly: "I think you're exceptionally good—smart, brave, and warm-hearted. You seem carefree, but you're actually very understanding. Although you'll be returning to Huaicheng after tomorrow while I stay in the capital, it won't affect our future communication. I'll teach you how to use the radio; we can stay in touch on a fixed shortwave frequency. If there are transport vehicles traveling between the capital and Huaicheng, I'll write to you. When the battle lines extend to the south, I can also visit you. Distance won't be an obstacle, so I love you, Feng..."

Gao Chen's voice was low and hoarse. He lowered his eyes as he spoke, and his speech was fluent, clearly indicating that he had been preparing for a long time.

"Would you like to be with me?"

I had no time to pay attention to the person in the closet; I was completely captivated by Gao Chen's words, feeling utterly blissful. I guessed he would confess. Although we hadn't interacted frequently before, and there were always various people or events interfering, I always felt that we had a certain connection. He liked me; even though he had regained his memories, the feelings had seeped into his heart, and he couldn't deceive himself.

This is the first direct confession I've received in several years since Wu Baian. And it's not one of those Tom, Dick, or Harry trying to conquer a woman; it's an outstanding, exceptional man whom I've secretly admired for a long time.

He finally spoke! He didn't make me lose face and pursue him relentlessly, and he even considered the details of our future relationship so thoughtfully. I was so touched that I almost cried.

Moved, my voice changed, revealing a rare touch of girlishness, soft and gentle: "Gao Chen, I..."

"She doesn't want to!"

A sudden clap of thunder abruptly interrupted my answer. I was stunned. Gao Chen stood up and drew his gun with astonishing speed: "Who goes there!"

The wardrobe door opened, and Yu Zhongjian, without shrinking back or bending over, strolled out leisurely, like a middleman who had just completed an international transaction and was in a good mood. His hands were still in his pockets, and he had an unlit cigarette in his mouth. He greeted Gao Chen with a half-smile: "Company Commander Gao."

Gao Chen was stunned, frozen in his gun-drawing stance for a long time, unable to move, his words tumbling out: "Captain Yu... Senior... how could you..."

My mind went blank. Oh no! Gao Chen watched helplessly as he walked out of the closet. There was no way to cover this up! When he confessed to me, there was this "wild man" eavesdropping the whole time. The key point is that he wasn't a stranger, but an acquaintance. He and I knew each other like the back of our hand. How could I not know he was hiding in the room? I had distracted myself from that snicker earlier, but now, with a little thought, I knew I had deliberately concealed his presence.

What will Gao Chen think of me? What will he think of my relationship with Yu, and what will he think of himself? This is the greatest humiliation for a man! The ultimate hurt! It's over, everything is over!

Yu, Zhong, Jian! I gritted my teeth. I only knew he was a pervert, but I never imagined he would be so shameless as to cause destruction!

Explaining is just covering up, explaining is a sign of guilt. I can't speak; anything I say will be wrong. So I shut my mouth, turned my head, and pretended to be an ostrich, out of sight, out of mind. Anyway, the situation is already incredibly awkward; let him smooth things over. I don't care anymore, whatever happens, happens!

The room didn't remain silent for long. Yu Zhongjian lit a cigarette, the metal lighter clicking shut with a crisp sound. After a drag and exhale, he spoke slowly: "I could have kept quiet and let you two finish talking, but I couldn't listen anymore. Company Commander Gao, Qi Aifeng isn't good at handling relationships. If you want to take things further with her, shouldn't you first cut off your own loose ends? Otherwise, with this loose end dragging you down and clinging to her, how will you get along in the future? Or are you aiming for a long-distance relationship, having someone on both sides, with unclear relationships on both sides, trying to have your cake and eat it too?"

He didn't mention why he was in my room in the middle of the night, and went straight to Gao Chen. I didn't turn around, but quietly tucked my ear behind me.

Gao Chen took a short breath: "Captain Yu, what do you mean by this!"

"Xiao Qing," Yu Zhongjian said bluntly, "Do I need to make myself clearer?"

Gao Chen was silent for a moment, then said, "Xiao Qing and I broke up more than a year ago and have no romantic relationship anymore."

"Really? I heard that Xiao Qing's sister asked you to take care of her from now on, and you agreed?"

I couldn't keep up the ostrich act anymore. I turned sharply to look at Gao Chen. Was it true? He promised to take care of Xiao Qing in the future? Then why did he confess to me?

Gao Chen didn't immediately refute, and fell silent again. As time went by, my heart sank lower and lower. He wouldn't lie; it was true. He really made that promise.

After a long while, he spoke with difficulty: "Xiao Qing was disfigured during the earthquake. I failed to protect her. I promised Xiao Lu that I would treat her as my younger sister from now on."

This is outrageous! No wonder Xiao Qing was fully armed with a mask and hat both times I saw her; it turns out her face was the one that was injured.

I was speechless, a scene from an old idol drama playing out in my mind. Xiao Qing was disfigured, wailing and threatening suicide. Xiao Lu, heartbroken for her sister, sought help from Gao Chen, her beloved. Gao Chen felt guilty for not protecting Xiao Qing's beautiful face during the earthquake, and out of a sense of responsibility, he promised to take care of her for the rest of his life, even though he already had someone else in his heart.

Naively, I accepted Gao Chen's confession, and Xiao Qing, acting as his younger sister, naturally appeared in our lives, constantly making sarcastic remarks and veiled insults. I got angry, and Gao Chen advised me not to take it to heart, because, well, she's his sister!

Before I could even respond, Yu Zhongjian sneered, "Sister? Qi Aifeng keeps crying and begging to be my sister. I'm considering whether to accept her. After all, the idea of ​​a sister without blood ties has another layer of meaning in my understanding."

The air seemed to freeze; there were clearly three people in the room, yet not a single breath could be heard. Gao Chen stood frozen in place, Yu Zhongjian's clear and unambiguous provocation piercing my heart like a thorn.

"Get out!" Ignoring the dead of night, I roared with all my might, "Get the hell out of here! I never want to see either of you again, or I'll draw my sword! Get out!"

Gao Chen didn't say another word, gave me a deep look, and quickly left. Yu Zhongjian, however, stayed a little longer, until both doors were flung open and my mother was calling my name, but he still hadn't left. And ignoring my furious glare, he patted my head with lightning speed.

I quickly dodged: "Get lost!"

He smiled, took an orange out of his pocket and threw it into my arms: "Don't get angry over people who aren't worth it. Eat some fruit and get some sleep."

A second before my mom opened the door, he opened the window and jumped from the second floor. I threw the orange hard in the direction his figure disappeared.

What do I think? I have no thoughts, I'm too busy.

Six months ago, a total of 220 of us arrived in the capital, and 188 of us remained on the return journey. There were no casualties; some people simply stayed behind.

Besides Uncle Binbin and those two guys, Zhang Yanhuang and Liu Sicheng also stayed at the base to follow Gao Chen, which was perfectly reasonable and beyond reproach.

Meanwhile, Captain Yan from Yucheng found a relative at a small base in the capital. After hearing about our history of feuds with the three major bases, the relative warmly invited him and his team to stay. Knowing full well that his relative was subtly trying to curry favor with a major base, the people of Yucheng, after careful consideration, agreed. Their reason was bizarre yet undeniably logical—what's the point of twenty-two bachelors going home and staring at each other? They'd rather find wives in the capital first before talking about rebuilding their homes.

In addition, my dad, Zhao Zhuobao, Wu Bainian, and Yuan Xikun had already escorted the supply trucks back to Huaicheng in batches, so when we set off, there were dozens less people, and the trucks were not crowded.

The last supply convoy from the capital followed us, carrying the professional construction team that General Shen had assigned to me. He said that equipment like cranes, excavators, and gantry cranes couldn't be transported to Huaicheng for me, and that I should find a way myself. So after returning home, the field team still had to get to work and continue scavenging for supplies in the surrounding cities that hadn't been bombed.

There were still many zombies on the road, but for a battle-hardened team, they were nothing more than easy prey. I led the way, Han Bo drove, and I led the way. When we stopped to rest or spend the night, we split up to arrange food and lodging for the crew. We didn't talk much, perhaps because we were all in a bad mood.

We arrived as slowly as a tortoise and left as swiftly as a rabbit. Within a month, we passed through Baicheng, Fengcheng, Yangcheng, and Huaicheng were already in sight.

Only Lao Lin and Peng Di remained of Fengcheng. When they passed by their hometown, they didn't even dare to look up for a second. It was a land soaked in blood and tears; seeing it would only add to their sorrow. Neither of them mentioned returning home, and I assumed they were now Huaicheng residents.

The survivors from Baiyang want to return to Huaicheng with us first, distribute the supplies, and then go back to their hometown. The cities along the southern route are both abandoned and desolate, making reconstruction extremely difficult. I sincerely hope that they can also settle down in Huaicheng, where we can be one family, regardless of the geographical boundaries.

Captain Fu Hua said to me, "You're in Huaicheng, I'm in Yangcheng, and Lao Qian is in Baicheng. We'll each establish our own bases so that survivors from other places can find refuge and a place to settle down when they enter this area. Although there are few people, there is life and hope. One day, we will join hands again and rebuild this land in northern A province just like before!"

Tears welled up in my eyes as I grasped his hand and exclaimed excitedly, "You're absolutely right! Will I even live to see this day?"

Fu Hua: "...Try to matchmake a few more couples, get married and have children soon. You can't see that you still have your son."

My son? On the way home, a line of poetry would pop into my head from time to time, such as "Since ancient times, those who are affectionate are left with only regret, and this regret will last forever"; or "This love can only be recalled in memory, but at that time it was already a regret"; or "It is better not to meet than to meet, and it is better to be indifferent than to be affectionate".

These verses are completely at odds with my personal temperament. I was quite surprised when they appeared to me. I struggled to memorize them during exams in school, but now they come to me unexpectedly. After so many spontaneous lines, I can even compose one myself, they come off my tongue: "The word 'love' makes one bald; my son, where are you!"

Upon entering Huaicheng, my mood was forcibly brightened by the violent impact of two pieces of great news.

First, my dad, along with Zhao Zhuobao and Wu Bainian, greeted us on Jiangshan Avenue. As soon as my mom and I got out of the car, he ran over like a madman, shouting, "Xiuzhen! Dafeng! The Qi family is alright! The Qi family wasn't destroyed! You have to go back and check! Everything around here is wrecked, but our house is still intact!"

My mother rushed forward with overwhelming joy, exclaiming repeatedly, "Really? Really? Oh my God! Our family is so blessed! May the gods and Buddhas protect us!"

My initial surprise upon hearing the news was, of course, overwhelming. My second reaction, however, was a guilty conscience; I glanced furtively at the rear of the convoy from the capital. My compensation claim included the illegally constructed kitchen in Old Qi's yard, the solar-powered TV dish on the roof, and all the broken tools in the yard—and now they're telling me it wasn't destroyed? What if the people in the capital report this to us? What if the base takes back this portion of the compensation? Then we won't be able to replace our old sofa and coffee table that's been with us for over a decade?

What's certain is that my dad doesn't want to move to a new house. He has a deep affection for every brick, tile, and stitch in the house. The demolition office didn't demolish his house, zombies didn't attack it, and even bombers seemed to be possessed by a ghost, circling around the Qi family's house to bomb it. Such a blessed mansion, anything that touches it would ruin the feng shui. He probably won't move to a new one for another twenty years.

The second piece of good news came from Liu Meili. As soon as she got out of the car, she ran to the roadside and vomited violently. She vomited food, then yellow bile, then bile—it terrified us all. We'd never seen her get carsick before, after months of traveling and working so hard. What happened?

In a panic, Xiao Hei found Grandpa Tang, took her pulse, and then announced: She's pregnant!

No one knew how Grandpa Tang had gone from a proctologist to a traditional Chinese medicine gynecologist, but no one doubted his words; the whole room erupted in excitement. The men were both envious and jealous, offering their congratulations while also teasing Xiao Hei; the women cheered and laughed, rushing to help Liu Meili up, several wiping away tears of emotion.

After my mom excitedly shouted for a while, she glared at me fiercely. I stood there dumbfounded, like I'd been struck by lightning. Liu Meili was pregnant? She's only a year older than me, and she's already left me utterly heartbroken in the dating world. I can't even find a partner, and she's pregnant!