Back then, Chen Yang had two close buddies: Wu Peng and Xia Chu. Their relationship was so close, they were just short of sharing the sa pair of pants.
"We used to squat right here under this big camphor tree to eat," Xia Chu said, holding her lunchbox and squatting beside Chen Yang. Despite her glamorous clothes and refined deanor, she didn't seem out of place at all. She smiled and continued, "Every ti we had at, you would always pick out the pieces for ."
"But you always complained the hair wasn't scraped off properly, so you'd only eat the lean at and give the fatty, hairy pieces back to ," Chen Yang replied with a laugh.
"Haha!" Xia Chu covered her mouth and laughed heartily.
In that mont, they both felt as if they had traveled back more than twenty years to their ti at the orphanage. The tree was the sa, and the place was the sa.
But ti had flown, and things were different. They were the sa people, and yet they weren't.
Take Xia Chu, for example. She had been adopted by a wealthy man, catapulting her into high society and changing her destiny forever. She beca the daughter of a rich family. After returning from her studies abroad, she founded an advertising company with an annual revenue of several million.
And then there was Chen Yang. After more than a decade of military service, a life of blood and sand, he beca the first War God of the State in history. His title was Carefree.
A silence fell between them.
Xia Chu poked the bottom of her lunchbox with her chopsticks. Without looking up, she asked casually, "The last ti we t was at that reunion ten years ago. You're not still single, are you?"
When she heard Chen Yang's reply, her expression flickered, and her jabbing chopsticks paused for a mont.
"Getting married is a good thing." Xia Chu looked up and cracked a smile. "Congratulations, Yang."
"What about you?" Chen Yang asked.
"I'm still on my own," Xia Chu shrugged nonchalantly. "My parents don't pressure . I'm just letting things happen naturally."
"Right." Not wanting to continue the topic, Xia Chu quickly changed the subject. "At our last eting, I heard you were with the Martial Guard. Have you retired now?"
"I have," Chen Yang said, his expression turning complex. "I just retired not long ago."
"Retiring is probably for the best, so your wife won't have to worry at ho. I heard that last national war was brutal. Hundreds of thousands of Martial Guards lost their lives. If it hadn't been for that Forr Chief Military Commander, things would have been a lot worse." Xia Chu patted her chest, the fear still palpable.
She didn't notice Chen Yang's expression freeze, a flash of pain in his eyes.
It wasn't just hundreds of thousands... Half of our n were wiped out! It was a mory Chen Yang never wanted to revisit in his life.
After the al, the two visited so of the old staff mbers at the orphanage and had a long chat with Granny Fu.
As they were leaving, Xia Chu invited Chen Yang to a party that evening. Chen Yang had intended to decline.
"Since we've already run into each other, you should just co! So many people are here this ti. If you miss this, who knows when you'll get another chance to see them?"
Unable to resist Xia Chu's insistence, Chen Yang could only nod in agreent.
At six in the evening, the setting sun still lingered in the sky. As they walked together, Chen Yang and Xia Chu maintained a certain distance. The silence wasn't awkward, as they would occasionally bring up an old mory, and both would burst into laughter.
As they approached the hotel entrance, a man stood at the door warmly greeting guests. After ushering in a group of alumni for the reunion, he turned and spotted Chen Yang. He looked uncertain at first, then strode over. "Chen... Chen Yang?"
"Ten years! And your phone's been unreachable this whole ti!" The man threw an arm around Chen Yang's shoulder. Perhaps out of habit, he glanced up and down at Chen Yang's clothes and checked his wrist for any accessories before continuing, "What, is our beautiful Xia Chu the only one with your contact info?"
"What are you talking about!" Xia Chu retorted, then briefly explained how she'd coincidentally run into Chen Yang at the orphanage.
"Wu Peng, long ti no see," Chen Yang replied with a smile. The main reason he'd co was to see this old best friend of his.
Just as they were about to catch up, a multimillion-dollar sports car pulled up to the hotel entrance. A man in his thirties stepped out, wearing a perfectly tailored suit and exuding a powerful aura. His appearance imdiately made him the center of attention.
"President Xie!" Wu Peng imdiately ran over, looking excited. He offered a cigarette and shook his hand, all while maintaining a humble posture.
Xie An? Chen Yang vaguely rembered him. Back at the orphanage, this Xie An often clashed with Wu Peng, even getting into fights several tis. And at the last reunion, Wu Peng couldn't stop complaining about him. He said Xie An was just lucky to be adopted by so nouveau riche foster father, yet he acted all high and mighty in front of old friends, as if anyone actually wanted to suck up to him. He'd even spat on the ground in disgust. His straightforward personality ant he couldn't stand injustice and always spoke his mind. But now... he was bowing and scraping, his face a mask of flattery.
Xie An leaned forward as Wu Peng offered a light, lighting his cigarette as if it were his due. He was about to toss his keys to a valet when Wu Peng snatched them. "How can you trust such an expensive car to a waiter? I'll park it for you."
"You know, you've got a point, haha!" Xie An patted Wu Peng's head. "You're a lot sharper than at the last reunion, Wu Peng. Not bad, not bad at all."
With that, Xie An strode into the hotel, one hand in his pocket.
Chen Yang, having witnessed the entire exchange, felt a knot in his stomach.
"You were right before. It's better not to attend these kinds of reunions," Xia Chu sighed, regretting her insistence. She never expected their once unyieldingly principled best friend to turn into this.
Chen Yang smiled without a word.
Everyone is a unique individual. Once they step into society, the grind of ti and reality sands down many of their sharp edges. Whether by choice or by force of circumstance, it's all for the sake of a better life. Who doesn't want to work hard to achieve the life of their dreams? Wu Peng is just one insignificant microcosm in this vast world. How many people are there like Xia Chu and Xie An, who can rely on their family's wealth and power? The vast majority of people must rely on themselves their whole lives.
After parking Xie An's car, Wu Peng ran back over. "So of our friends still haven't arrived," he said cheerfully. "You two head inside first. We can chat in there later." He didn't forget to add, "And our great beauty Xia Chu, I must properly toast you later!"
"Okay," Chen Yang nodded.
Xia Chu just responded with a smile.
The three of them, who once could talk about anything, now seed to live in different worlds.
CLICK.
Chen Yang lit a cigarette, his heart filled with mixed emotions as he watched the slick, worldly Wu Peng standing at the hotel entrance.
After Chen Yang and Xia Chu went into the hotel, Wu Peng stepped to the side and lit a cigarette, a bitter smile on his face.
Was he laughing at himself, or at Chen Yang for failing to make sothing of himself?
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