Chapter 98

“…Still Zhang Xueyou?” Fang Yu picked up a tape.

“Still Zhang Xueyou.” Yang Lei smiled.

It was a very old tape. Love Sparks.

“What about you?”

“I’m also listening to old songs. The Grasshopper.”

“Fuck, that’s even more old-fashioned than me,” Yang Lei said. Fang Yu also smiled.

Yang Lei was silent for a while. He opened the drawer, took out something from the drawer, and handed it to Fang Yu.

“I can’t take the memento that Jiu Ge gave you. Don’t say anything. Take it back.”

Yang Lei kept it in the depths of the drawer. He knew the value of this thing to Fang Yu.

Fang Yu looked at the box in his hand.

“I gave it to you two. It doesn’t make sense to take it back.”

“I appreciate it. Then treat it as me giving it back to you. You said that it’s effective, so I’ll ask it to fulfill a wish. Whether it’s the opening of your car shop or whatever problems exist between you and Ying-zi, may they go well.”

When Er Hei called Yang Lei before, he said that he had asked Fang Yu whether or not he divorced Ying-zi. Er Hei saw that Fang Yu was alone in Jianghai and thought that something was off, so he asked Fang Yu. Fang Yu said, “No, don’t worry about it.” Since he hadn’t divorced, it was a household issue between husband and wife, and these brothers didn’t ask further. On the issue of Ying-zi, unless Ying-zi was determined not to live with Fang Yu, otherwise with Fang Yu’s personality, if he really accepted Ying-zi, then he would definitely be responsible for her all his life. Fang Yu was such a person. Without needing to say these things, Er Hei, Yang Lei, and Yang-zi, these brothers through life and death, and all the brothers who knew a little about Fang Yu believed this.

Yang Lei asked Er Hei what Ying-zi’s full name was. Er Hei really didn’t know. They always called her Ying-zi. Few people really knew her full name. Er Hei asked Yang Lei, Why do you ask? Yang Lei said, Nothing much, I’m just asking.”

Yang Lei wanted to find her. There were some things that he wanted to ask her.

“Take it back. Don’t hurt Jiu Ge’s heart.”

Yang Lei had finally said.

Fang Yu heard these words and was silent.

“If you want to stay, don’t look for another place. Just live in the original house. The demolition has not yet been fully-funded, and the government is changing the plan. That area will not be demolished. It will be rebuilt into a food street.”

Yang Lei already heard from Yang Dahai.

“I’d better find another place,” Fang Yu said.

“No need. The old place is familiar and convenient. Da Hu’s mother is still there. You can’t leave it. Besides, places are dead, but people are alive. You can’t make it difficult just because of a place.”

Hearing these words, Fang Yu didn’t say anything. After a long time, he looked at Yang Lei.

“…Boy, you’ve really matured.”

In Fang Yu’s memory, Yang Lei was still that eighteen- or nineteen-year-old boy.

“Still a boy? I’m already 27.”

Yang Lei smiled, with self-mockery.

Time always forced people to mature, whether they were willing or unwilling.

“…”

Both were silent.

“Sleep some more. I’ll listen to the songs.”

Fang Yu took the Walkman.

Yang Lei lay down.

Fang Yu watched him get in bed and put in the earphones.

He didn’t change the tape inside and pressed the play button.

From the earphones, a gentle prelude sounded softly. An old song flowed slowly through the earphones…

… And every day that passes, every day, this drunkard

Will love you more and even more, until it overflows

I’ve realized that I most love the late nights of composing tomorrow with you…

When Yang Lei woke up again, he turned his head.

Under the lamp, Fang Yu was lying on the table, having fallen asleep at an unknown time.

Yang Lei watched for a while. He gently lifted the blanket and got out of bed. He walked to Fang Yu’s side and squatted down slowly.

He squatted there, looking quietly at Fang Yu.

After a long time, he reached out and gently pushed him awake.

“…Go to bed.”

Yang Lei looked at him.

“If you sleep like this, you’ll get a cold.”

“…No. I should go back.” Fang Yu was awake.

“It’s 11 o’clock. There are no cars. This bed is empty.”

The comrade who shared a room with Yang Lei just got married and was no longer living in the dormitory.

The lamp turned off. Yang Lei listened to the sound of Fang Yu taking off his jacket and sweater. In the darkness, the two of them laid on their own bed, with a desk between them.

The light of the night outside the window came in. The room was very quiet. They could only hear each other’s breathing.

Yang Lei looked at the ceiling. Listening to the same wakeful, restrained breathing opposite him, his chest rose and fell…

The next morning, Yang Lei’s fever had completely subsided. After all, he was young and strong, and he recovered quickly. Fang Yu had to go back. Seeing that it was a rest day, Yang Lei took him around the military camp.

Yang Lei had washed. He put on his training uniform in front of the mirror, buckled his army belt, outlining his upright waist.

Fang Yu also got up. He handed the military cap to Yang Lei. Yang Lei put it on and adjusted it before the mirror. In the mirror, there was a valiant soldier, no longer the reckless youth he once was.

“Not bad. You look like a leader.”

Fang Yu looked in the mirror, smiling at him.

“If you mention that word again, I’ll get annoyed at you, huh?”

When they were going to go out, Yang Lei’s buckle loosened. The buckle of this army belt had problems long ago. Yang Lei was always lazy and hadn’t switched it out. He had to find a tool to fix it. Fang Yu came over and looked. Without using a tool, he used his hands to tighten it. He put the army belt around Yang Lei’s waist, lowering his head to try to button it for him.

The two stood opposite each other. Yang Lei lowered his head, watching Fang Yu carefully fixing it for him. Fang Yu’s breathing was very close. Yang Lei didn’t speak, and Fang Yu also didn’t make a sound…

“Yang Lei, you were sick yesterday…”

Someone pushed the door open and entered. It was a young cadre. Seeing this scene, he was taken aback.

Yang Lei raised his head.

“Oh, Cadre Qin. I’m fine. It was a small issue.”

“Lei-zi, this handsome guy is…” Cadre Qin sized up Fang Yu.

“My friend. He brought me back yesterday. It was late, so he rested here.”

“Oh…”

Cadre Qin sized up Fang Yu, said a few polite words, Yang Lei made a few casual responses and sent him away.

“My comrade. He’s from the same military academy as me.”

Yang Lei didn’t say more about this person. This person had some thoughts, and Yang Lei knew. He was annoyed by this person.

Yang Lei drove an off-road vehicle used by battlefield troops, taking Fang Yu to look around the military camp.

The 701 regiment headquarters was a field operations military district, covering a large area and with great equipment. Other than the classified equipment, Yang Lei brought Fang Yu to look at everything that could be seen. Tanks, military cars, sniper rifles, combat shooting screens, and land-air control. Yang Lei saw that Fang Yu was interested, and he seriously introduced and demonstrated them for Fang Yu. Having worn a military uniform for a few years, Yang Lei truly had completely different feelings for the military camp. He came to love the military uniform, and he loved what he was doing. Once in his dreams, this place wasn’t there at all. Moreover, because of his relationship with Yang Dahai, he strongly disliked it. But ever since he had been in the army, he understood the significance of a soldier, and he had different feelings.

When Fang Yu watched Yang Lei introduce these things, he was full of energy, and there was light in his eyes. That was a different Yang Lei. He had the high spirits of youth, and he also had the firmness and confidence of a steady grasp of the future. He clearly knew what he was doing, and he was progressing towards a goal. Even the eyes of such a person were different.

Because of the preparation for inspection, the training was not relaxed even on a rest day. The two of them passed the shooting range. The soldiers of a company were shooting. The leader of the company saw Yang Lei’s movements and tossed over a sniper rifle. Yang Lei caught it and reflexively set it on his shoulder, pulled the bolt, and aimed. His movements were clean and beautiful, all in one breath. Yang Lei tossed the gun to Fang Yu behind him. Fang Yu was also someone who played with guns early on. All of those who played with guns liked guns. This kind of sniper rifle was still new equipment for the blade unit. Typical infantry still had old-fashioned snipers. They couldn’t touch it even if they wanted to. Fang Yu caught it in his hands, and he also couldn’t bear to put it down. Seeing that Fang Yu liked it, Yang Lei was happy. Unfortunately, there were regulations in the army. They would definitely not allow outsiders to come here and shoot.

“I know a shooting range place, and the guns are good. Next time, let’s go together and have fun,” Yang Lei said.

They bumped into several cadres, who greeted Yang Lei. Knowing that Yang Lei brought a friend to observe, they also exchanged a few greetings.

“Lei-zi, I’ve heard that there’s movement again in the cadre section. Did you know?”

When cadres gathered together, they loved talking about these things.

“I’ve heard the news. You have a chance, Major! You’re pretty good, boy!”

“No such thing.”

Yang Lei didn’t like talking about these things.

“Why not? Major Yang, when you get promoted, don’t forget to take care of your old comrades!”

In the army, there was a clear hierarchy. Each promotion meant a different class of treatment. There were too many who wanted to climb up.

Yang Lei had no patience to talk about this with these people, and he definitely didn’t want to talk about these things in front of Fang Yu. He greeted them and left.

On the training field, a group of soldiers were having a wrestling match. They were all soldiers that Yang Lei had trained, divided into various companies, and they were all top fighters.

“Yu Qiang! Hook and swing!”

Yang Lei shouted. The soldier who was called Yu Qiang was locked in a fight with his opponent. Hearing this sound, he hooked his left and right fits in a row, followed by a right fist to his opponent’s jaw. As expected, he knocked the other person to the ground.

“Doesn’t count, doesn’t count! Officer Yang, you’re biased!”

“What bias? Can’t you use a side-kick and hook to fight back?”

Yang Lei liked these soldiers. All of them were willing to bear hardships and had good skills.

“Officer Yang, why don’t you come down and compete?”

The soldier called Yu Qiang was number one in this group of grappling and capturing, and he respected Yang Lei a lot. Yang Lei had gotten number one in individual combat in the big military district competition. He had stunned the entire military district. Yu Qiang always saw Yang Lei as his goal, and he liked challenging him.

The soldiers all started cheering. Yang Lei’s interest also rose. He turned his head and looked at Fang Yu. Fang Yu lifted his chin at him. Yang Lei’s hands itched, and he readily said: “Okay! Then let’s compete!”

Yang Lei got onto the field, and Yu Qiang rushed forward. The two of them quickly started fighting. Yu Qiang pulled his elbow, pinned his arm, lifted his arm, and pressed down on his neck. They were all fierce moves of capturing and grappling, all of them vigorous and imposing, but no matter what, he couldn’t hold onto Yang Lei. Yang Lei’s movements were too fast. The people watching only saw his hand, elbow, and legs quickly blocking and counter attacking. Before he had a chance to react, Yang Lei suddenly crossed his hands and abruptly grabbed Yu Qiang’s wrist. He dragged him up and grabbed his arms, throwing him. He suddenly flipped him onto the ground, brought up his knee and locked around his throat. From the beginning of the fight, the entire process hadn’t even taken 10 seconds.

“…”

Yu Qiang was stunned. The soldiers were dumbfounded.

Yang Lei let go of Yu Qiang. The soldiers excitedly clapped and cheered. Yang Lei looked at Fang Yu, and Fang Yu gave him a thumbs up.

Yu Qiang got up from the ground. He was always ranked first in capturing and grappling, but he just couldn’t win against Yang Lei.

“Officer Yang, it’s not an embarrassment to lose to you! After all, no one can win against you!” Yu Qiang said with admiration.

“Who said no one can win against me?”

Yang Lei looked at Fang Yu beside him.

“This is my brother. I can’t beat him,” Yang Lei said.

“…Really?”

The soldiers sized up Fang Yu in amazement.

“I’ve been beaten up by him. I lay in the hospital for days.”

“…Impossible!”

Yu Qiang widened his eyes, looking at Fang Yu in disbelief.

“Don’t listen to him.”

Fang Yu smiled faintly.

But the eyes of the soldiers started to become skeptical. The air of Jianghu on the people in the streets could not be hidden. Fang Yu clearly looked like he had been a gangster, and moreover, he wasn’t an ordinary gangster.

“I don’t believe it. Why don’t you two practice once and show us!” Yu Qiang demanded.

“Yes! Practice once! Practice once!”

The soldiers were excited and demanded strongly.

“…”

Yang Lei was taken aback. He looked at Fang Yu.