Chapter 30: Farewell

In the middle of the month, Qin Huai’s mother passed away. Although he was a young man of seventeen or eighteen, he suddenly appeared much older, carrying a kind of temperament that wavered between boyhood and adulthood.

When Su Nianmei found him, he was leaning against a large tree, a cigarette loosely held between his fingers. He took a drag, coughing and choking with every inhale.

Su Nianmei snatched the cigarette from his hand, saying, “If you can’t smoke, then don’t. It’s bad for your health.”

Qin Huai’s hand dropped to the ground as he grasped a small stone, holding it tightly in his palm.

She sat beside him and said, “When I was little, just after I was born, there was an earthquake. My parents died, and only my grandmother and I survived. Back then, I would see other kids with their moms and dads, but I had no one. Every night, I’d cry under my blankets until I was breathless just so I could fall asleep.”

“Adults always say that kids have poor memories and forget things easily.”

“But you can never forget some things, even for a lifetime.”

“And some things, even if you remember them forever, there’s no way to change them.”

These were experiences from her past life, still lingering vividly in her mind.

Su Nianmei patted Qin Huai on the shoulder. “This will pass, too. Don’t be too sad. Life is too short; you have to live for yourself.”

Qin Huai gave a bitter smile.

Sensing that the topic had become too heavy, Su Nianmei changed the subject, asking, “Qin Huai, what do you plan to do in the future?”

Qin Huai raised his eyelids, looking up at the sun in the sky, his voice low and muffled. “I think I’ll go to the capital. It’s the place my mother always wanted to visit.”

Su Nianmei thought going to the capital sounded like a good idea.

Qin Huai was a genius.

A star should never be buried in obscurity; it should shine brightly for all to see.

At the end of the month, Gu Xichao received orders for a transfer—to the capital.

Xiao Fang and his group organized a gathering at Gu Xichao’s place, keeping it a secret from him.

The moment Gu Xichao walked through the door, he found the room filled with people. They all wore the same olive-green uniform, standing at attention in perfect formation. Together, they saluted him.

“Greetings, Captain!”

Everyone present was a soldier Gu Xichao had once led.

Gu Xichao’s face grew stern as he said, “Instead of focusing on proper training, you’re all here doing things like this.”

Xiao Fang quickly chimed in, “Captain, aren’t you leaving soon? The brothers just wanted to give you a proper send-off.”

“A send-off?” Gu Xichao retorted, “As long as I’m here, you’re all still my soldiers! The motto of the Second Battalion is to train hard and protect the country! Improving your training records would be the best farewell you could give me.”

For a moment, everyone fell silent.

Su Nianmei discreetly tugged at the corner of his uniform.

Gu Xichao took off his hat and continued, “Last time in the battalion competition, the Second Battalion ranked second in the entire regiment, and here you all are, wasting time on other things!”

But as he spoke, Gu Xichao suddenly broke into a smile. “Well, since you’re all here, what are you standing around for? Waiting for me to punish you?” Then, after a pause, he added, “Only this once. Don’t make it a habit.”

Xiao Fang shouted, “Second Battalion, the strongest!”

The group echoed his cheer and took their seats, and the atmosphere immediately relaxed.

They began to toast each other, sharing heartfelt memories and stories.

Su Nianmei had never seen this side of Gu Xichao before. He was distant, serious, and earnest, as though he had transformed into someone else, someone carrying the weight of responsibility and duty on his shoulders.

She, too, drank a few glasses, and as the alcohol took effect, a blush crept up her cheeks.

Most of the guests had left by evening, though Xiao Fang still lingered in the room.

Xiao Fang was drunk, clinging tightly to Gu Xichao’s waist, laughing until his laughter turned into tears. His voice slurred as he muttered, “Captain.”

Before Gu Xichao could push him away, Xiao Fang’s mouth started firing off a rapid string of words like a machine gun, “No, wait, I should call you Battalion Commander now.”

“Commander Gu… no, I’d better just call you Brother Gu. Anyway, you’re about to leave.”

“You’ve been guiding me all this way. You helped me, saved me—I’ll never forget what you’ve done for me, Brother Gu. You’re more than a brother to me, even closer than family.”

“Brother Gu, I really envy you. I’ve never even seen the capital in my life, and I always dreamed that one day I’d be able to stand there, watching the flag rise. That must be so impressive.”

Gu Xichao clicked his tongue, “Have some ambition. The soldiers I trained are just as good as any of them.”

Xiao Fang chuckled, “Absolutely. But I don’t have big dreams. I just want to serve well, finish my time, maybe retire alive, marry a wife one day, have some kids, and keep a warm home.”

“My father died young, and my mother’s health has never been good. She sent me off to join the army early on, hoping I’d make something of myself and not follow my dad’s mistakes. Who’d have thought her son turned out to be so incapable? I didn’t make anything of myself and almost lost my life, too. Brother Gu, if it weren’t for you back then, I don’t think my mother would have ever seen me again.”

As Xiao Fang spoke, his eyes grew misty. He placed a hand on Gu Xichao’s shoulder, then raised another glass, downing it in one go. The burning liquor hurt not just his throat but something deeper.

Xiao Fang pressed his lips together, saying softly, “I miss my mother.”

The two clinked glasses again. Gu Xichao raised his own and said, “To our homeland, may the country be safe, and its people live in peace.”

Xiao Fang stood up, though he swayed a bit, his stance still soldier-straight. His uniform was neat as he raised a perfectly composed salute to Gu Xichao.

Gu Xichao returned the salute.

The two men stood there, each saluting the other—one sober, one drunk.

They shared a silent understanding, saying nothing more.

It took a lot of effort for Gu Xichao to finally get everyone to leave. His heart weighed down. But the moment he turned around, the little drunk clung to him all over again.

Su Nianmei, who had also been plied with plenty of drinks, sat slouched in a chair, her hazy gaze barely making out the figure of someone clinging to Gu Xichao’s waist.

“Huh!” she scoffed softly.

Despite her intoxicated state, a thread of clarity lingered in her mind; she knew this was an important occasion and did her best to keep herself composed.

Once everyone had finally left, she got to her feet, stumbling a few steps before collapsing right into someone’s arms.

She squinted up at the man and, without a second thought, raised his arm to her mouth and bit down hard.

Gu Xichao looked down, observing the neat set of teeth marks she left. He clicked his tongue; she hadn’t held back with that bite.

After the bite, she threw her arms around his waist, nuzzling her head into his chest, trying to transfer all the lingering smell of alcohol onto him.

Gu Xichao, unable to move, chuckled. “What’s this all about?”

Her head nestled against his chest, she leaned in, taking a small sniff before frowning, seemingly disappointed not to catch the scent she was searching for. She tugged at his jacket with one hand, bringing it up to her nose and sniffing it carefully.

Then she looked up, her gaze wide and expectant, muttering, “Smells… so good…”

Just as Gu Xichao was about to ask what she meant by “smells good,” Su Nianmei suddenly groaned, “I’m gonna be sick…”

And then she was. Everything came out, splattering onto Gu Xichao’s jacket.

Gu Xichao’s expression darkened.

After vomiting, Su Nianmei looked much more comfortable, though there was something she was still trying to remember, tapping her head as if to jog her memory.

When she saw Gu Xichao again, she threw herself at him once more, like a puppy spotting its favorite treat.

Before Su Nianmei could get any closer, Gu Xichao pressed a firm hand to her forehead, holding her at bay while he struggled to take off his soiled jacket with one hand.

After finally managing to slip it off, he relaxed his grip just a bit, only to have her instantly cling to his waist again, her arms wrapped around him tightly. She looked up at him with a pleading gaze. “I’m the puppy. You’re the meat. You have to let me eat, okay?”

Gu Xichao hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to respond.

Su Nianmei gestured for him to lower his head. The moment he did, she seized the chance, swiftly reaching up to grab his face, squishing his cheeks between her fingers in a playful squeeze.

“Woof!” she declared triumphantly.

Gu Xichao, mouth squished and expressionless, just looked at her. “…”

The little troublemaker in his arms tilted her head up, smirking with satisfaction. “Ha! Now you’re finally mine.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

She buried her face in his chest, murmuring, “I’m marking my territory. Can’t you see, you big piece of meat?”

With a quiet laugh, Gu Xichao wrapped his arms around her, guiding her a few steps away. Picking up a towel, he gently dabbed her face, trying to sober her up. “This meat is all yours—no one’s going to take it away.”

Su Nianmei tilted her face up again, pulling his arm closer for inspection. With a decisive little nod, she gave it another bite, swift and sharp.

Gu Xichao looked down and noticed that her memory was surprisingly sharp—the two faint rows of teeth marks from before had now deepened considerably.

The little troublemaker looked up at Gu Xichao with an aggrieved expression. “You’re lying! Someone else was hugging you just now.”

Realizing she was likely jealous, Gu Xichao chuckled inwardly.

Su Nianmei lifted her chin defiantly. “I have to taste-test first! No one else can touch you. If they do, I’ll… I’ll…”

Gu Xichao raised an eyebrow. “Oh? And what will you do?”

With a fierce expression, Su Nianmei declared, “This puppy can eat up its meat!”

Gu Xichao couldn’t help but smile.

“What are you laughing at?” she snapped.

He gently held her fingertips. “I know, I know… puppies do like to eat their meat.”

His deep voice sent a tickling sensation through her, a strange warmth stirring inside her that made her frown slightly. To vent her frustration, she pinched his arm.

“As long as you know! No one else is allowed to touch you!”

Gu Xichao patted her back as if soothing a child, praising her with a grin. “Claiming territory already? Smart girl.”

Su Nianmei wrinkled her nose, smacking her lips as if savoring the taste. “Hm. Not that tasty, though.”

Gu Xichao’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “There’s tastier meat. Do you want some?”

Though his expression remained unchanged, Su Nianmei suddenly felt a hint of danger and instinctively shook her head. Her body leaned back as if every part of her was trying to distance herself from him.

Despite being drunk, Su Nianmei’s timid nature still shone through.

Gu Xichao chuckled, pulling her back into his embrace and carefully drying her hands with a towel.

After he finished drying one hand, she presented him with the other.

But her free hand was restless, playfully pinching his earlobe.

“Mmm, I like it!” she murmured incoherently.

Gu Xichao turned to her in surprise. “Like what?”

Su Nianmei frowned, her eyes darting around as if deep in thought. “I like a lot of things, like Xiaobao…”

Suddenly, she fell silent mid-sentence.

Then, lifting her head, she added, “And Er Gouzi, Xiao Fang, and Qin Huai…”

She carefully counted on her fingers, determined not to forget anyone.

Gu Xichao’s gaze darkened as he carried her back to the room.

Su Nianmei flopped onto the bed, shutting her eyes. She kicked off her shoes and burrowed herself under the covers.

Gu Xichao reclined beside her and asked, “What about Gu Xichao?”

Su Nianmei, slightly irritated, replied, “Are you silly? He’s the meat.”

Gu Xichao continued to listen intently.

Meanwhile, Su Nianmei rolled over, burying her head into the pillow and muttering something softly.

Gu Xichao caught the words, his hands trembling slightly.

She said, “Puppies love meat.”

Hearing this, Gu Xichao’s heart lifted, the clouds of his earlier worries dispersing like the sun breaking through the gloom, bright and dazzling.

Author’s Note:

Su Nianmei: “I’m the puppy, and you’re the meat.”

Puppies love meat, and I love you. Gu Xichao: “My wife seems a bit silly, but she sure is endearing.”