Chapter 67 Preparing to Say Goodbye (Revised)
The next morning, He Changyi arrived in Mosk in Andrei's car.
The car stopped outside Dmitrov Street. He Changyi got out and knocked on the driver's side window.
The window was slowly rolled down, revealing Andrei's face. Although he had no expression, it was clear that he was unhappy.
He remembered it clearly; that damned mixed-race mafia member lived on this street.
Andrei glanced at He Changyi.
Are you getting in the car and leaving here?
He Changyi almost sighed.
"Don't do this, I'll come find you later."
Andrei immediately pressed, "When?"
“I’ll go when I have time,” she joked. “After all, you’re a shareholder in the company.”
Andrei glanced at her, said nothing, turned the steering wheel, and drove away.
He Changyi's farewell hand awkwardly froze in mid-air.
Sigh, this guy's temper seems to be getting worse. I really miss that easy-going little policeman in front of the train station.
He Changyi arrived at Grandma Vitalie's house. Without knocking, she skillfully took out the key from under the doormat, unlocked the door, and entered. She ran into Alexei, who looked somewhat tired.
Upon seeing He Changyi, he looked surprised and asked in a low voice, "Is the problem solved?"
He Changyi said in a low voice, "Don't worry, it's just a small matter. How is Grandma Vitalie?"
Alexei pursed his lips.
"She's not bad."
He Changyi didn't believe it, so he tiptoed to the master bedroom, quietly pushed open a crack in the door, and saw Grandma Vitalie lying on the bed.
She looks like she's asleep.
But she looked terrible; even in her dream, she was still frowning in discomfort.
He Changyi closed the door and pulled Alexei to the kitchen, which was furthest from the master bedroom.
"Tell me, what exactly is wrong with Grandma Vitalie? What did the doctor say?"
Alexei didn't look at her; his gaze fell on the newly sprouting green trees outside the window.
"She's just too old."
Birth, aging, sickness, and death.
He Changyi was silent for a moment, then asked softly, "Is there anything I can do?"
Before Alexei could speak, she added, "Let me do something."
Alexei laughed.
"Don't say that. This isn't a death sentence, nor is it a final farewell ceremony. It's just that we need to get used to Grandma getting older. She's an elderly person who needs care now. Look, I've been learning to make pies these past few days. Maybe I'll be able to learn Grandma's family recipe soon."
He spoke of it so casually, but He Changyi knew that the reality was not so simple.
This is a bad sign, meaning the countdown to farewell has begun.
As Alexei was unusually rambling on about what dishes he had learned to cook during this time, He Changyi stepped forward and hugged him.
Alexei's voice abruptly stopped.
After a long while, he finally spoke again, his voice a little hoarse.
"don’t worry."
He Changyi's muffled voice came from his chest.
"I'm here. I'll always be here."
Alexei finally raised his hand and hugged He Changyi in return.
"It's fine."
He didn't know whether he was comforting himself or He Changyi.
Everything will be alright.
On a rare sunny day, the leaves outside the window are newly green, sunlight filters through the branches, and newborn birds are chirping.
When Grandma Vitalie woke up, she looked exactly the same as before, still cheerful and talkative. When she saw He Changyi, she reached out her hand affectionately from the bed and hugged her tightly.
"That rascal Alyosha, he must have exaggerated the facts and tricked you into coming from Vladimir. I'm perfectly fine, I just tripped and fell, all because of that damn floor!"
Alexei stood by the bedside, offering no rebuttal, like a silent sculpture.
He Changyi said, "It has nothing to do with Alexei. It's just that I can't stand the terrible weather in the industrial city. My nose is full of dust."
Grandma Vitalie didn't know whether she believed it or not, she just said, "Well, at least Mosk is less polluted."
Then, the old lady pretended to be serious and said to He Changyi:
“My dear He, my biggest piece of advice to you is not to wear short skirts in the winter of Oros, or you will end up like me, with damn arthritis that forces you to stay in bed when it flares up.”
He Changyi said, "Shall we go see a doctor?"
Grandma Vitalie refused.
"Oh, I've had enough of Mosk's doctors. They must have graduated from veterinary school. Look at those needles. Even a farm wouldn't give pigs needles as thick as water pipes."
He Changyi then suggested, "Let me take you to Zhongguo. There is an island at the southernmost part of our country that is very warm, with summer all year round. Your arthritis will not flare up again."
Grandma Vitalie touched her face affectionately.
"Oh, my little girl, don't be like this. You know it's not because of the weather. You have to learn to accept all of this. Someone always has to say goodbye first."
He Changyi almost burst into tears.
She buried her face in Grandma Vitalie's chest and tried to speak calmly:
"But I don't want to say goodbye."
Grandma Vitalie sighed sadly, but tried her best to crack a joke:
"Don't say that. I'm still alive, and I might live a long time, all the way into the next century. I've decided that the kitchen will be yours from now on. I'm going to start enjoying my retirement life, just like the Tsars and nobles. I'll eat in bed too."
He Changyi raised her head, her eyes a little red, and gave a big smile.
"It's not just about eating in bed; I'll take you to the Sailors' Club to drink, dance, and watch rock singers tear off their clothes while singing, showing off their beautiful muscles."
Grandma Vitalie's eyes widened.
"This is really too exciting for an old man! But when should we go? It would be best if they could also dance the Gopak dance. I can't wait!"
He Changyi said with a smile, "Anytime! You can even stuff the money into their thigh-high socks and pants."
Alexei: ?
What exactly was she saying to her grandmother?!
Grandma Vitalie said tactfully, "That's too capitalist—how much cash is appropriate? A thousand rubles?"
He Changyi said, "That's enough, but a few more would allow them to dance in your wheelchair."
Grandma Vitalie exclaimed again, "Oh, so this is capitalism..."
Alexei had no choice but to speak: "Ahem."
He Changyi and Grandma Vitalie were having a heated discussion about the male dancer's beautiful muscles, so Alexei had to raise his voice.
"Cough cough!"
The old man and the young man turned to look at him at the same time.
"Alexei, do you want to go too?"
Before Alexei could speak, He Changyi said seriously, "But homosexuality is illegal in Oros, and you can't stuff money into their underwear."
Grandma Vitalie patted the bed and laughed.
Alexei: ...
Why did he stop that young man who was trying to rob someone at the train station?!
He Changyi hired a caregiver for Grandma Vitalie, who was very skilled at taking care of bedridden elderly people, freeing Alexei from the caregiving work that he was not good at.
However, even with a nanny, He Changyi and Alexei still stayed by Grandma Vitalie's side, ensuring she was never alone as long as she was awake.
That evening, after Grandma Vitalie had gone to bed early, the two young men came out of the house and sat on the steps by the door.
Summer evenings, with their gentle breezes, are among the most comfortable times of the year.
"Thank you, Grandma has been very happy these past few days."
Alexei habitually lit a cigarette, but then remembered something and stubbed it out on the steps.
He Changyi reached out and asked him for a cigarette.
Alexei hesitated for a moment before handing her the cigarette and lighting it by cupping the lighter in his hand.
He Changyi awkwardly held the cigarette between his thumb and forefinger, took a puff, and was choked, coughing as he exhaled the smoke.
Alexei couldn't stand it and reached for the cigarette, but He Changyi avoided him.
She bit down hard on the cigarette holder, her eyes reddening from the choking, but she refused to let go, as if she were torturing herself, trying to vent all the negative emotions she had been feeling lately.
"I will try to stay in Mosk during this period."
Aging is a sudden thing, without warning, without any preparation, it comes abruptly.
Alexei, however, was much calmer. In the time before He Changyi arrived, he had already learned to accept it.
"Grandma is very happy."
He couldn't help but laugh.
"You actually took her to see a rock singer perform."
He Changyi said with some regret, "It's a pity that the singers are a bit far away, so Grandma Vitalie couldn't personally throw the money onto the stage. Maybe next time we can ask for a VIP box."
Alexei glanced at her: "My grandmother was once an outstanding member of the corps."
He Changyi said confidently, "What's wrong with being a member of the Youth League? Can't members have emotions and desires? Besides, we were just looking, we didn't even have a chance to touch them!"
Alexei retorted, "You still want to try it yourself?"
He Changyi became even more self-righteous.
"I paid for it!"
He was almost laughing in anger.
"I never knew you could be infatuated with male prostitutes who dance."
He Changyi said solemnly, "It's not because of dancing, it's mainly because their muscles are just too beautiful."
Wearing a suit without a shirt underneath, his beautiful muscle lines were partially hidden by the clothes, and sweat rolled down his Adam's apple until it disappeared into the shadows.
That day, Grandma Vitalie clutched her chest, her face beaming with smiles; she even put on her reading glasses!
Alexei's gentle voice brought He Changyi back to reality from her reverie.
"Beautiful muscles?"
He Changyi replied subconsciously, "Yes, I'll never see chest, abs, and biceps muscles more well-defined than these again..."
She was about to list more muscle names when suddenly, Alexei grabbed her wrist with the hand that wasn't holding the cigarette and roughly shoved it under his clothes.
He Changyi: !!!
When her fingers touched the surface of her bare skin, it felt even a little hot, the temperature of another person higher than her body temperature.
Alexei stared at He Changyi.
Are you referring to muscles like these?
He Changyi said tactfully, "Oh? That's not a good idea..."
While performing "This won't do, this won't do!", she brazenly groped inside her clothes under the guise of pulling her hand out.
That bear has a really good physique!
However, he wasn't as dedicated as the strippers. He was quite hairy, which is why he's called "Old Russian"—no misname.
Have you touched enough?
Alexei's voice sounded extremely mocking, and the hand that had been gripping He Changyi's wrist had somehow loosened its hold.
He Changyi casually withdrew his hand.
“Alexei, you know I’m a decent man.”
Alexei repeated it strangely.
"A respectable person?"
"Would a respectable person take their grandmother to a strip club?"
He Changyi said sincerely, "I swear, I just wanted to make Grandma Vitalie happier."
Alexei took the cigarette from her hand and, unnoticed, let it burn down more than half of its original size in solitude.
He took a deep drag, then casually tossed the cigarette to the ground and stubbed it out.
Don't smoke.
He Changyi accused, "But you're smoking."
Alexei stood up and said condescendingly, "So my advice is, it's best not to smoke."
He Changyi also stood up.
"My suggestion is that you should set an example by quitting smoking."
Alexei actually thought about it seriously.
"good."
He Changyi asked him uncertainly, "What's good about it?"
Alexei turned and walked towards the door, leaving behind the words:
"If I quit smoking, you can't smoke either."
He Changyi chased after him.
"I'll be watching you, so you better keep your word!"
Alexei held the door open until He Changyi walked in front of him and tiptoed into the master bedroom to check on Grandma Vitalie.
He stood at the doorway and muttered to himself:
"And how long will you supervise?"
There was no answer, nor did he need one.
He Changyi began commuting across cities every other day.
After obtaining her Oros driver's license, she bought a military jeep from Major Yuri, a comrade of Alexei. It had a high chassis and thick tires, making it quite durable and easy to drive on, even on dilapidated roads that had been neglected for years.
However, this car also has significant drawbacks.
Not to mention the high fuel consumption, the exterior is dilapidated, as if it has just come from a battlefield, and the shock absorption system is terrible. If there are a few potholes on the road, your hands holding the steering wheel will go numb from the vibration.
Every time Zheng Xiaowei saw He Changyi jump out of the jeep dressed up in a glamorous way, he thought, "Maybe we should be a little vain. What rich boss drives such a beat-up car?"
But Zheng Xiaowei dared not say it, fearing that if he did, the boss might think back and realize that he had misappropriated his salary for vanity expenses, and then he would be in big trouble.
Geng Zhi didn't have as many ulterior motives as him. He picked up a bucket and a rag and was about to go out to wash the car when He Changyi stopped him.
"Don't wash it, just leave it dirty like this."
Geng Zhi quickly replied, "Boss, I'm not afraid of getting dirty or tired!"
Look at how dirty that car is. The mud on it is so thick it could be used as bulletproof. Except for a small section in front of the driver's seat, the windows are so dirty they look like they've been covered with a film. You can't even see inside the car from the outside.
Geng Zhi was determined to wash the car with great force, and even changed into old clothes he had brought from China so he could throw them away after washing the car.
He Changyi patted the silly boy on the shoulder and said, "It's safer to be dirty."
upright:?
Could the mud coating on the car really be bulletproof?
Seeing that Geng Zhi still didn't understand, He Changyi gave him a hint:
"If you encountered this car on the road, would you be willing to rob it?"
Geng Zhi immediately realized what was going on.
They definitely wouldn't be happy about it. Driving such a dilapidated vehicle, a military jeep at that, the owner looks both poor and arrogant. It's not only hard to take advantage of, but also offers little reward. It's just a pain in the neck. Even if the bandits were desperate for money, they wouldn't do it.
Zheng Xiaowei understood.
In present-day Oros, a pretty girl driving a nice car is like having a giant billboard on the roof, constantly displaying "Rich people, cheap robbery," as if she's afraid that highway robbers from all around won't have a target.
When He Changyi drove the jeep onto the road, passing vehicles treated it as if a grumpy military officer had arrived, and wished they could drive around her.
Forget about robberies and staged accidents, I've never even seen anyone cut me off. The right-of-way I enjoy is on par with that of a large truck. Honestly, it's just too awesome.
He Changyi drove a beat-up jeep, shuttling between Moscow and Vladimir.
The new Zhongguo Department Store is under construction, and the scrap steel purchase is proceeding in an orderly manner. Her business in Vladimir City is running smoothly, with all aspects receiving the green light, and its development is on the fast track.
At the same time, the problem of renting a house is also easily solved.
A detached house in the city center "just happens" to be available for rent. It is luxuriously decorated, fully equipped with appliances, and has six bedrooms upstairs and downstairs. The rent is half the market price.
He Changyi accepted the small gift with a smile, and continued to pay the rent at the market price.
At the same time, Alexei contacted several retired comrades who were willing to serve as bodyguards.
Due to the ruble's collapse and soaring prices, their post-military wages were not enough to support themselves or their families. Before receiving Alexei's call, some of them had even packed their bags, intending to fight for Chechen oil companies and seize oil wells by force.
When Alexei's comrades learned that a Chinese businessman was hiring bodyguards at a high salary, and that the work location was in Russia, they readily agreed and couldn't help but burst into laughter over the phone.
"Aleushnika, you capable fellow! I knew your call would bring good news! Mosk, is it? I can't wait!"
Alexei cautioned, "This job isn't as safe as you think."
The comrade on the other end of the phone said, "Nothing is more dangerous than the battlefield! At least in the city I won't be shelled or step on landmines! Even if I die, my family will still have time to see my still-intact body, instead of just receiving a dog tag and a pension that can't even buy bread!"
Dog tags are military identification tags used on the battlefield to identify soldiers. After all, after a round of artillery fire or a tank raid, the ground is covered with soldiers' debris, making it impossible to even shovel up the bodies, let alone identify them.
Dog tags are the only proof that a fallen soldier ever existed in the world.
Alexei paused for a moment, then said:
"Don't worry, I will definitely order the most expensive ice coffin for you, and there will also be the highest amount of compensation."
The other person cursed, "Damn Alyoshnika, do you expect me to say thank you?! Fine, I'd be more grateful if you'd put a bottle of vodka on my grave!"
Alexei could almost picture the guy opposite him angrily waving his fist, just like back in the military camp.
After hanging up the phone, he couldn't help but smile and said to He Changyi beside him:
"Alright, this is the last one. You'll see these guys in about three days."
He Changyi couldn't help but laugh; she finally had her own "armed force."
Although keeping these bodyguards is quite expensive, at least she won't have to rush in with a gun when she encounters thieves or robbers again.
Meanwhile, Chen Yue and Zhang Jin finally finished handing over their tasks to Xie Xun's newly recruited staff and returned from Eastern Europe.
He Changyi was very happy and prepared a lavish welcome banquet for the two of them.
Having experienced the Eastern European market, Chen Yue and Zhang Jin were noticeably more experienced, speaking and acting with considerable professionalism.
Compared to them, Geng Zhi and Zheng Xiaowei, standing next to them, appeared rather green and immature.
However, Geng Zhi and Zheng Xiaowei are more familiar with He Changyi and are less awkward around her.
Chen Yue joked, "It's a good thing I came back. If I hadn't come back, there would have been almost no room for me to stand next to Sister He."
Zhang Jin said disdainfully, "Go away. How old are you to still act like a child? Are you here to work or to compete for favor?"
He then turned to He Changyi to boast: "Sister He, although we have withdrawn from the Eastern European market, I am familiar with the business there. With just one word from you, we can make a comeback. We won't include Xie Xun, that ingrate, and we'll start our own business on our own."
Chen Yue yelled, "You dare say I'm vying for favor? How dare you say that! Sister He, don't listen to him, I have a better idea..."
The two teenagers standing nearby were trembling.
This is terrifying. Is this what the adult world is like?
He Changyi couldn't help but laugh.
That's great, everyone is still the same.
She had already prepared herself for Chen Yue and Zhang Jin to go their own way after they returned, but she didn't expect that they didn't have that intention and still wanted to work with her.
Chen Yue spoke frankly: "I've worked independently before, but I didn't make much money. I was always on edge, and I almost lost my life. Rather than taking risks again, it's better to work steadily with you. I earn a decent amount of money every month, and it's much more comfortable than working independently."
Zhang Jin said, "If I were to work alone, I would only be doing small-scale business, earning at most a few hundred thousand yuan. But by working with you, I handle big deals worth millions every day. Not only am I respected, but I also earn more. I've made up my mind: if you ever quit, Sister He, I'll go back to my hometown, buy a shop, and open a restaurant. I won't come to this Russian territory to cause trouble anymore."
He Changyi said very seriously, "Don't worry, you won't regret it."
Chen Yue hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
He Changyi asked him if he had anything to say, and Chen Yue said, "Sigh, Sister He, everything here is great, except for one thing..."
He Changyi asked, "What's wrong with it?"
Zhang Jin had a bad feeling and stared intently at Chen Yue.
Chen Yue pretended not to see it, grinned at He Changyi, and said with a hint of embarrassment:
"It's nothing serious, just... well, why don't you send Zhang Jin abroad? I'm really fed up with his snoring and smelly feet while I'm sharing a room with him in Eastern Europe..."
"Slander! Utter slander!"
Zhang Jin cursed loudly, "Chen Yue, I knew it! You haven't been keeping a good mouth since you came back from Eastern Europe!"
He Changyi: ...
Ah, how lively! It's so lively!
-----------------------
Author's Note: I feel I need to explain that the romance in this story is just for fun, the male supporting characters are like desserts, and the female lead is the only protagonist.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com