Lin Qiye frowned. "What do you mean by this?"
Zhao Kongcheng smiled slightly, unhurriedly took out a cigarette from his pocket. "Do you mind?"
"Yes, I do."
Zhao Kongcheng: ...
Zhao Kongcheng helplessly put the cigarette away again, leaned back in the chair, and a look of reminiscence appeared in his eyes.
"When I was young, I was just like you."
"To be honest, this opening is a bit clichéd."
"…"
"It's okay, go on."
"When I was six years old, my father died of illness. My mother worked two jobs just to barely raise me." Zhao Kongcheng rubbed the cigarette case with his hand, his voice very calm.
"The pace of life was slow in those days. At that time, my mother's expectation for me was to finish junior high school well, then come back and be a village cadre, marry a girl, have a few children, and live a happy life as a family.
You know, teenagers always go through a rebellious period.
I had good grades when I graduated from junior high school. It wouldn't have been difficult for me to go back and be a village cadre. But I defied her opposition and resolutely joined the army.
Actually, she didn't really oppose it, but she just seemed a bit unhappy. On the day I left home, she stood at the door and just silently watched me. When I walked on the road behind the house, she was watching me. When I reached the entrance of the village, she was still watching me...
Later, when I got to the bus station in the city, I was worried and secretly sneaked back to take a look... and found that she was still standing there, looking in the direction I had gone, in a daze.
To be honest, at that time, I really thought about staying and not leaving. But in the end, I steeled my heart and joined the army."
Zhao Kongcheng let out a long sigh and continued, "Later, my military rank kept rising. I entered the special forces, and because I was good at close combat, I was transferred and arranged to join the Night Watchers.
After that, I also went home during the holidays to visit my mother, and I found out..."
Zhao Kongcheng suddenly paused at this point.
Lin Qiye asked carefully, "Your mother... passed away?"
"No, she remarried."
Lin Qiye: ...
"My mother worked too hard when she was young and ruined her health. Originally, she wanted me to go back to the village and be a cadre so that I could take care of her. But at that time, I didn't think of this and chose to join the army.
Later, she really couldn't hold on by herself, so she got married. At least she would have someone to take care of her when she was old.
Unfortunately, I had already joined the Night Watchers at that time and couldn't stay by her side for a long time to support her in her old age. To be honest, when I heard the news that she got married, I really felt relieved."
Lin Qiye pondered for a moment. "So, what's the purpose of you telling me this?"
Zhao Kongcheng slowly stood up and looked into Lin Qiye's eyes. "We've all had things we cherished. But as we grow up, we will subconsciously ignore their existence out of habit and be attracted by other things instead...
I was like that back then, but you're different, Lin Qiye.
You're smarter and more sensible than I was back then. You have your own thoughts, and you want to stay by your family's side and accompany them.
That's really good.
Since you've chosen this path, then walk it well.
Leave the business of protecting the world to people like us."
He turned around, picked up the kraft paper on the table, and handed it to Lin Qiye.
"I just met your aunt. In this era, there aren't many people as good as her. I know the situation of your family. Take this money."
Lin Qiye didn't hesitate at all. "I won't take it."
"I'm a Night Watcher. I'm not short of money."
"Then I still won't take it."
"This is for your aunt. You have to take it!"
"My aunt won't take it either."
The corner of Zhao Kongcheng's mouth twitched slightly. He stared at Lin Qiye for a long time, and neither of them backed down.
After a while, Zhao Kongcheng spoke again. "Lin Qiye... I'm old. I can't bear to see the regrets that happened to me happen again right in front of my eyes, even if it's to someone else."
"Then you can close your eyes and don't look." Lin Qiye's attitude was firm. "Although our family is poor, we have our own bottom line. I won't take the money of a soldier.
What's more, my eyes are better now. I have the ability, and I won't let any regrets happen."
Zhao Kongcheng opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn't say anything and just gave a bitter smile.
"Don't you think it's better to take this money and use it for your wife and children?" Lin Qiye spoke again.
"I told you, the welfare system of the Night Watchers is very good. Even if I die on the battlefield, my wife and children won't have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of their lives, and they can also go to a good university in the future and have a bright future." Since Zhao Kongcheng really couldn't persuade Lin Qiye, he could only put the kraft paper bag back in his pocket.
"Then don't you have any dreams of your own?"
"My dream?" Zhao Kongcheng sat back in the chair, raising his eyebrows. "I do have a dream, and I've had it since I was a child."
"What is it?"
"To become a general in the army! Then wear a chest full of medals, put on my military uniform, and go back to the village in style, so that those who looked down on my mother would know that my mother's son... is a general!" A dazzling light appeared in Zhao Kongcheng's eyes.
Lin Qiye was taken aback. For some reason, looking at Zhao Kongcheng in front of him, he seemed to think of Li Yifei again...
They seemed to be of the same kind of people.
"Have you become a general now?"
"No, I'm still far from it." Zhao Kongcheng smiled bitterly. "And as a Night Watcher, I can't swagger around with medals. This dream... can only be a dream after all."
Lin Qiye fell silent.
"Okay, since that's the case, I should be leaving now." Zhao Kongcheng stood up, walked in front of Lin Qiye, and stretched out his right hand.
"I wish you a bright future, Lin Qiye."
Lin Qiye stared blankly at Zhao Kongcheng's face, and it seemed that he wasn't so greasy anymore...
He reached out and firmly shook his hand. "I wish you to be covered in medals one day, General Zhao."
Zhao Kongcheng smiled and turned to walk outside.
"Wait, your badge." Lin Qiye called out to him, picked up the badge on the table, and waved it.
Zhao Kongcheng slapped his head. "Look at my memory. I almost forgot! This is my life!"
Zhao Kongcheng took the badge, flipped through it, and seemed to think of something. "By the way, did you see those words on the back?"
"Yes, I did."
"How is it? Isn't it cool?"
"It's very cool. Did you write it?"
"No, this is the oath we took when we joined the Night Watchers." Zhao Kongcheng tossed the badge like a coin, caught it steadily, and put it in his pocket. "However... I like it very much."
"Wait."
"What's wrong again?"
"It's raining heavily outside. Take this umbrella."
"Thanks. I won't return this umbrella."
"Just take it. Consider it... the reward for protecting the Earth."
"Interesting. Okay, I'm really leaving now."
"Goodbye."
Zhao Kongcheng held the black umbrella, opened the door, and walked out. Lin Qiye stood by the window and silently watched him leave.
In the rain, he rubbed the badge in his pocket with his fingers and softly recited:
"If the dark night finally arrives,
I will surely stand in front of thousands of people,
Draw my sword towards the abyss,
Let my blood stain the sky..."
...
The rain was getting heavier and heavier.
Zhao Kongcheng unhurriedly got into the black van with an umbrella, took out the cigarette case from his pocket, and was about to enjoy a moment of tranquility.
Just then, his earpiece suddenly rang!
A man's voice came from it.
His hand holding the cigarette trembled violently, and his pupils suddenly contracted!