Chapter 121

Yueming secretly complained in his heart: "If you heard my father singing that part of 'Dragon and Phoenix', your teeth would ache." But he asked seriously, "Why did you come to my house? Didn't we see all the wounded yesterday? Is the situation getting worse? Let Doctor He take care of it. I'm busy!"

Captain Du glanced at her sideways and said with a slow smile, "The lady selling beef soup pot at the corner of the street is open today. I wanted to invite you to eat there. But it seems you're busy entertaining your ex-fiancé, so you probably don't have the time to entertain me. So... I'm leaving?"

During these chaotic times, businesses were in a state of panic, closing their doors at the slightest sign of trouble. Yesterday, when they heard the bridge had been bombed and the Japanese couldn't get through, they immediately opened their doors and raised banners.

When Yueming heard there was beef soup available, she quickly grabbed the man who was about to leave and said, "No matter how busy I am, I can still find time to drink a bowl of soup. Wait for me!"

As he spoke, he ran to the kitchen, distributed the melon seeds to Ai Ye and Ye Hu, and instructed them: "If the master and the mistress come downstairs, tell them that Chief Du and I are out. Remember to ask the master to go and see the second young master's injury."

After instructing the two maids, she ran back to the yard and urged Captain Du: "Let's go, let's go. If you go too late, you won't even have beef bones to chew. Is your car parked in front of my house?" Before she finished speaking, she had already walked out the door, as fast as if a dog was chasing her.

Captain Du walked slowly, holding a cigarette in one hand and the other in his trouser pocket. Seeing Yueming had climbed into the jeep and sat in the passenger seat, he snapped his fingers and the cigarette shot out like a bullet. The scarlet cigarette butt fell all over the place and slowly dimmed.

He looked at Yueming in the car and laughed, "You've become so spoiled since your ex-fiancé came here. It's only a few steps to the corner to have a bowl of beef soup, but you still have to drive there."

Yueming hated his ex-fiancé and said, "Forget it. I'm going to see if my ex-fiancé has finished his meal."

"Alright, alright, can't I drive?" Captain Du got in the car and, starting the engine, sighed, half-truthfully, "Ah! My brothers and I eat and drink at your father and daughter's expense, so being your driver...it's only natural."

Yueming snorted and ignored him.

When they arrived at the restaurant, they each ordered a bowl of beef offal soup and a few white pancakes to go with the soup.

The soup was thick and the pancakes were fragrant, and Yueming was sweating while eating.

Lieutenant Du tore up a piece of white bread and threw it into the soup, pretending to be casual and asking, "Your birthday is coming soon. Do you want any gift?"

Yueming wiped the sweat from his forehead with his fingers, thought for a moment and said seriously, "I want peace and prosperity for the country and the people."

Captain Du raised an eyebrow. "This is usually the emperor's wish. You don't need to be so ambitious. Think of something more approachable and practical."

Is there anything more practical than filling your stomach? Yueming glanced at the white cake in his hand, sighed and said, "I want to eat the Huibing from Hexianglou."

They say we should be practical, so why is she still raising such an unattainable wish? The Huibing would have grown mold if it were shipped here from Kunming in such hot weather. He rolled his eyes at Yueming and said, "I still want to eat the Siliangtuo from Hexianglou!"

Siliangtuo is a plate-sized Yunnan tiao mooncake with ham filling. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, people in Kunming buy one to worship the moon.

His mention of this aroused Yueming's cravings, and she said with longing on her face, "I also want to try the Vietnamese bread from Nanlaisheng Coffee Shop."

Captain Du scoffed. "What good is that bread so hard it could kill you? Of course, the coffee at the cafe is the best. They have a gasoline barrel outside their house, and they have their staff roast beans there every day. The aroma is simply amazing. After school, I always ride my bike around to their house for a cup of coffee."

Reminiscing about the past always brings warmth and tenderness to one's heart. Yueming smiled and said, "You loved going to Nanlaisheng after school! I loved going to Dahua Jiaoyishe. They have great dim sum and a wide selection of records. Zhaoqing and I go there every day to listen to records while doing homework."

The more I talked, the more I felt that the white bread in my hand was tasteless. The beef offal soup was fragrant, but it could not compare to the tender and juicy steak in the Western restaurant, or the rich and refreshing coffee in the cafe.

Captain Du looked at her with a complicated expression: "How about we talk about peace and prosperity for the country and the people?"

Moonlight…………

Captain Du was amused by her dead fish eyes and begged for mercy, "Alright, alright, when we get back to Kunming, I'll treat you to a meal from Xiaoximen to Xiaodong Street, okay?"

Yueming scooped up some beef soup with a spoon and sighed, "I really miss Zhaoqing. I wonder how she's doing in France."

While she was sighing, Second Lieutenant Du had already finished the broth in just a few gulps. He leaned his hands on the bench, spread his long legs wrapped in military pants and riding boots, and started smoking in a leisurely posture.

"Why? Are you unhappy without her in cahoots with you? I really underestimated you two little girls hanging out in the teahouse every day, how come they're so pretty?"

Yueming waved her hand: "You don't understand what goes on between girls."

The girls at school were also divided into gangs: the children of politicians were one gang, the children of businessmen like them were another, and the children from ordinary families were another. Although the boundaries were not so clear, those who often played together were generally from similar families.

The Dahua Social Club was her and Zhaoqing's secret little world. The bustling teahouse was bustling with people every day. After finishing their homework, the two girls would sit together, listening to the pop records playing in the teahouse and chatting about random things.

Which boy in school is the most handsome, which senior at the boys' school next door is the most charming, which classmate is the most annoying. In the end, the conversation always ends with what they want to do after graduation and what kind of boyfriend they want to find in the future.

Yueming sighed, then automatically pulled a cigarette from Captain Du's cigarette case and lit it with his lighter. After puffing out a puff of smoke, he said to Captain Du with a gloomy face, "Senior, I'm afraid I'm getting old and nostalgic for the past!"

Captain Du's eyes flickered as he watched her light her cigarette with the lighter he had given her. Suddenly, he heard her lamenting her old age and was instantly amused. "Your ex-fiancé was truly remarkable. His presence brought out your melancholy nature!"

Yueming glared at him irritably: "What does this have to do with him? Why do you always mention him?"

"People have already moved into your house, and you still won't let me mention it?"

"He's already my ex-fiancé, what's there to bring up?"

Lieutenant Du shook his head. "You're truly heartless. Yesterday, he cried so heartbreakingly by the Broken Bridge, and you weren't moved at all?"

He was half-conscious and kept mumbling his own name.

"We can't blow it up. Yueming is still on the other side."

"Yueming, don't be afraid, I'm with you."

"Yueming, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

I wasn't moved, but I was quite shocked. But what's the point? The regret after a breakup, the concern after the severance, are both useless and annoying.

The more he acted as if he was regretful and in love, the more Yueming felt like she had a resentment in her heart that she couldn't get rid of.