Chapter 62.2

As the two elders were still marveling at the place, Shen Qingyun, along with Qi Feng and Liu Chang, returned.

Wherever Liu Chang was, it was bound to be lively.

Before he even entered the door, Qiangzi and Huzi rushed over, each one hopping onto him, pulling at him and chattering non-stop.

They gestured and spoke, almost wishing they could tell him all about the day’s events.

Before, when Da Bao and Erniu left the base, the two kids were left feeling lonely.

Only Liu Chang, whenever he had time, was willing to play with the younger ones. Since he had left, the sense of loss Qiangzi and Huzi felt was beyond words.

So at this moment, when they met again, both the adults and the children were extremely happy.

Qi Feng, at this moment, was completely different from how he had looked when he got off the boat earlier that morning.

He had the relaxed air of someone who had just encountered a happy event, as if, after going around in circles, he had discarded all his burdens, and his energy had increased significantly.

Yin Xiaoman didn’t know if it was just her imagination, but she felt that Qi Feng’s posture had become more upright.

Because the place was spacious, she had prepared two tables of food for this meal, separating the adults and the children.

Dami took the group of little rascals to another room, where they ate, drank, talked, and played around.

Without the adults supervising them, and with all sorts of delicious food, they even had special drinks prepared for them—cool coconut water that had been sitting in cold water for the whole day. The little ones were all delighted, and none of them insisted on going over to join the adults.

With the kids entertained, the adults felt no need to hold back in their conversation.

Liu Chang even brought out a bottle of wine.

It was a bottle of Xifeng white wine, which he supposedly had stolen from his father.

Yin Xiaoman had never seen this kind of wine, but she had never seen the way the men looked at that bottle either.

How should she put it? Their eyes were practically green with envy.

It reminded her of wolves.

Xifeng white wine! In these times, when ordinary bulk white liquor was only available during the New Year, Liu Chang actually brought out a bottle of Xifeng!

Looking at the bright golden phoenix on the big red label, every man at the table gazed at the bottle with eyes burning so intensely it seemed like they could burn a hole right through the glass and crawl inside.

Especially Liu Chang and the other two; each of them was someone who could stand on their own at the base.

Who would have thought that in the end, the issue would come down to who would pour more, who would pour less, and nearly end up in a fight?

Seeing this, Engineer Ning and Elder Hua, despite their old age, were laughing so hard that they were bent over the table, unable to straighten their backs.

Cui Yan wore an expression of pure disdain, a look so hard to bear that it was almost impossible to look at.

Seeing their behavior, Yin Xiaoman silently stood up, went back to the kitchen, and fetched a plate of pickled vegetables along with a dish of fried little catfish as appetizers.

She was already starting to think—maybe she could cut back on a couple of the hot dishes and save them for tomorrow?

After all, by the time they drank enough, they probably couldn’t even taste the food anyway.

But later, she found out that she had been overthinking it.

Just that one bottle of wine—how could it possibly be enough for five grown men?

At most, it only served to satisfy the hunger pangs that had been dormant for so long, without affecting the eating and drinking that followed.

After a few glasses, the craving for alcohol wasn’t quite gone, but everyone’s spirits were lifted.

All the worries that everyone had been reluctant to talk about earlier, the ones that had weighed heavily on their minds, could now be spoken of openly. Various thoughts and wishes that had previously been held back were now expressed without hesitation.

Especially Liu Chang.

He was originally the kind of child from a good family, well protected by his parents from a young age, with no bad intentions, and a very pure heart.

His family had been involved in medicine for generations, and the first lesson his parents taught him as a child was to be kind and compassionate, to always have a heart of empathy towards others.

They said that only by keeping this mindset could one become a qualified doctor.

But in the past two years, the events happening in society had contradicted everything his parents had taught him. This caused a lot of internal conflict. For a long time, he was uneasy and even began to doubt himself and the firm beliefs he had held for so many years.

It was under these circumstances that his family sent him to this island. And it was here, after spending several months, that the anxiety in his heart slowly faded, and his mind gradually found peace.

Now, he felt as though he had come back to life.

And now that the two families he respected and loved the most from the old team had all come here, and they could work and gather together just like before, Liu Chang was so happy that he could hardly contain himself.

Fueled by the wine, he grabbed Qi Feng’s hand and said: “Brother Qi, Brother Qi, since you’ve come, don’t leave anymore, okay? From now on, the three of us will stay here, and we’ll work hard to protect Engineer Ning and Elder Hua. We’ll stay here for good, and never go back. Is that okay?”

Seeing that Liu Chang was truly sincere, Qi Feng couldn’t help but feel deeply touched.

He reached out and patted Liu Chang on the head, teasing him as though he were a child: “There’s no problem with me and and your Brother Shen staying here. We’ve even brought our wives and children, so we’re definitely here to stay. But you—”

“Why can’t I stay? I can totally do it!” Liu Chang exclaimed urgently.

Seeing his expression, Cui Yan laughed from the side: “You, who don’t even have a partner, plan to stay here forever? Does that mean you’re not getting married or having kids? If you actually do that, won’t your parents beat you to death?”

Upon hearing Cui Yan’s words, Liu Chang froze for a moment. Clearly, he hadn’t even considered that aspect.

He blinked and after a long pause, slowly said: “What marriage, what children? I just want to stay here. Staying here makes me feel at peace!”

Once he said that, everyone in the room fell silent.

What Liu Chang said was, in fact, the sentiment of everyone present.

No matter how tough the conditions on the island were, no matter what they had to give up, for all of them, this place felt like a paradise—a place where, despite the oppressive environment outside, they could still live freely and comfortably.

For this, they were willing to sacrifice many things.

Shen Qingyun’s family had arrived early. At first, they had been framed, but they had never truly experienced the national hysteria and the madness of the masses.

But Liu Chang, and especially Qi Feng’s family, had lived through it all. They had seen it with their own eyes and had personally experienced it.

That overwhelming, yet terrifying time had been a daily torment for them, it filled them with fear and anxiety.

So, coming to Zhongshan Island, and being able to stay here, felt like an incredibly fortunate and cherished opportunity.

At this point, Cui Yan finally couldn’t hold it in anymore.

She glanced at her husband first, then saw that his eyes seemed just as confused and anxious as hers. With a deep breath, she decided to voice their greatest concern.

She turned to Shen Qingyun and said: “Little Shen, can I ask you something?”

Suddenly being addressed, Shen Qingyun quickly turned his head. “Sister-in-law, go ahead.”

“It’s just.” Cui Yan bit her lower lip again: “how many years can we stay here?”

No one expected Cui Yan to ask such a question at this moment, and Shen Qingyun was momentarily at a loss for words.

He opened his mouth, but for a long time, no words came out.

To Cui Yan, his hesitation didn’t suggest that he didn’t know the answer. It made her feel that perhaps she had touched upon a subject that couldn’t be answered.

Flustered, she quickly waved her hands at him, repeatedly explaining: “Little Shen, don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean to pry into your internal matters. Before coming to the island, we were briefed on everything. I know what’s off-limits to ask, what’s inappropriate to know. I just want a rough idea, that’s all…”

As she spoke, her voice suddenly wavered, and her nose felt tight. She couldn’t hold back the tears, which began to fall as she continued: “I just… I just don’t want it to be that once we’ve finally settled in, your work ends, and then… then we have to go back. If we go back…”

As she spoke, she couldn’t control herself any longer, and tears streamed down her face.

Outside, the sports were booming with intense energy, and anyone could tell that this wasn’t something that would end in just a day or two, or even a year or two.

But no matter how passionate and inspiring the people caught up in it all spoke, Cui Yan felt she couldn’t truly empathize.

Especially after seeing Lin Hui, who had been so proud the day before, head held high and scheming behind people’s backs, only to be trampled into the mud the next day by those who had once followed her. Her dignity was completely lost…

The stark contrast and shock truly stirred a deep fear inside her.

Cui Yan didn’t pity Lin Hui, in fact, she hated her to the core.

But witnessing someone go through such a dramatic change in such a short time, it was impossible not to feel a sense of dread.

Not only that, but her own husband had also been inexplicably dragged into it, making life at home increasingly difficult. All these things piled together, and the feeling of helplessness was something Cui Yan, who had grown up in smooth and easy circumstances, had never experienced before.

She didn’t speak about it because she didn’t want to add any more burden to her husband, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t afraid.

Now that they had finally arrived here, now that she could finally put her heart at ease, she was genuinely afraid that before things outside had finished, they would be forced to go back to that harsh environment again.

“As long as you’re willing, you can stay here in peace.”

After the sound of Cui Yan’s muffled sobbing filled the room, Elder Hua, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke up.

He knew that in this room, no one but him could answer the question, so he didn’t dwell on whether his ideas were fully formed or whether they were even feasible.

He turned to Shen Qingyun and said: “I’ve been meaning to speak with you over the past few days. Since we’ve reached this point, why not take this opportunity to share the thoughts of us old men with you all?”

Upon hearing Elder Hua’s opening, the men all straightened up, their expressions turning serious.

Yin Xiaoman glanced at them, tugged at Cui Yan’s sleeve, and was about to leave, but Elder Hua stopped her.

He waved his hand at them both, saying: “It’s not something that needs to be kept confidential. You both should stay and listen.”

Hearing this, Yin Xiaoman nodded.

She still got up, went to the kitchen, and brewed lemon mint tea for everyone present.

The lemons had been pickled with white sugar she had exchanged for with her sugar coupons from last month, and the mint was freshly picked from the patch in front of the house, washed, and dried. Since they were about to discuss something serious, a cup of this tea would help clear their minds and refresh their thoughts.

She used a tea tray to bring the glasses of tea back into the room, just in time to hear Elder Hua speaking to everyone: “Our latest research project has made significant progress, and we should be able to move into the practical phase by early next year at the latest.”