The warmth from another person transferred over, abruptly halting Shen Zhuofeng’s suppressed sobbing. Everything froze in his throat. The wounds all over his body burned fiercely, and the pain, along with the pounding of his heart, felt searing.
In reality, Shen Zhuofeng was just suppressing too hard, and letting it out with a burst of release would usually be enough. However, being embraced so gently now, it seemed a bit…
Tears welled up in his eyes, and the emotions he had been trying hard to contain instantly collapsed.
The commander came to console you, and you’re still crying here? Just because he saw you crying miserably so he came over to comfort you. Do you really think he wants to hear you cry and moan?
He never had much of a good image to begin with, and if this continues, it’s only going to get worse.
Shen Zhuofeng wanted to hold back his tears, but it seemed like reality was opposing him. The more he tried to stop, the more unstoppable it became. He was just too tired, especially with the pain from all the wounds all over his body. Despite being mentally prepared before coming, those extraterrestrials were truly terrifying.
Due to his carelessness, his assessment is pending, all previous efforts may be in vain, and he might have to leave in just a couple of days.
This is probably the last time he’ll be spending with this person intimately; there won’t be a chance for such close contact in the future.
The sadder he became, the more his months of suppression erupted at this moment, threatening to overwhelm him entirely.
Shen Zhuofeng forcefully suppressed the sound of his crying in his throat, but his body trembled gently. He shed tears silently.
“One minute, I’ll give you one minute.” Standing like a pillar in place, Chu Qianze not only showed no impatience but also gently patted the person in his arms. His tone was unusually calm, something Shen Zhuofeng had never heard before.
Shen Zhuofeng nodded firmly, burying his head in Chu Qianze’s embrace. Though the pain dulled his senses considerably, he still tried hard to remember the current feeling.
Perhaps, in the future, there might not be another chance like this.
Make sure to remember this well.
48… 47…
He silently counted down in his heart, closing his eyes and burying his head even tighter.
35…
Reluctant to let go.
28…
Why is time passing so quickly?
When the countdown reached zero, Shen Zhuofeng suppressed his emotions, took two steps back, and willingly separated himself from Chu Qianze’s embrace.
“Finished crying?” Chu Qianze spoke.
Shen Zhuofeng wiped his eyes, and his gaze fell on the part of Chu Qianze’s clothing that he had dirtied, feeling a bit embarrassed. “Report, all done.”
“Go wash your face, and then come back,” Chu Qianze unbuttoned the top two buttons of his jacket. This kid really knew how to cry.
“Yes, Commander.”
Shen Zhuofeng turned and walked in a certain direction, remembering correctly that there was a river over there.
Chu Qianze noticed the slow and somewhat unsteady movement of the other person, as if they could be blown down by the wind at any moment. He took a couple of steps forward.
When Shen Zhuofeng looked at him, seemingly puzzled as to why he came over, Chu Qianze clicked his tongue. “If we’re attacked by the extraterrestrials, at least I can help you with your remains.”
It turns out he was concerned about Shen Zhuofeng’s safety.
A smile filled Shen Zhuofeng’s eyes. “Thank you, Commander.”
Caught off guard by the expression of gratitude, Chu Qianze fell into silence, arms crossed. “It’s just a mission.”
As an assessment instructor, protecting the safety of the trainees was a mission—don’t overthink it; you’re not special.
Shen Zhuofeng reminded himself silently in his mind but was suddenly tripped by a tree trunk when he was distracted.
About to fall, he reached out to prepare to catch himself on the ground, but before his hand could touch the earth, his arm was grabbed.
Chu Qianze exerted some strength and pulled him back upright.
Realizing his elementary mistake, Shen Zhuofeng snapped into attention, standing in military posture with a serious expression, ready for reprimand.
“Report!” Chu Qianze glanced at him. “Watch the ground.”
“Yes, sir!” Shen Zhuofeng responded.
“Go wash your face.”
Huh?
Shen Zhuofeng hesitated for a moment. He didn’t say anything, but his expression betrayed him completely.
Are you waiting for me to scold you?
Chu Qianze couldn’t help but smile. “Hurry up.”
“Yes, sir!”
Casually gesturing, Chu Qianze walked to the riverbank, bent over to assess the water quality and the situation below, then squatted down to wash his hands.
Shen Zhuofeng also reached the riverside, hesitated, and chose a spot not too close to Chu Qianze. He lowered his head to wash his face, but caught a glimpse of his current state in the water’s reflection.
Originally, there was a bit of dust on Shen Zhuofeng’s face, and now, due to the tears, it had all mixed into mud, sticking to his face. His eyes and nose were all red, and there was even a cut on his cheekbone.
It was truly unattractive and somewhat comical.
Is this how I’m standing in front of that person?!
Chu Qianze stood up, took off his jacket, and draped it over his wrist. When he looked up, he saw Shen Zhuofeng with a serious expression, earnestly cleaning his face, trying to wash every part thoroughly.
As expected of the young master, such attention to detail.
“Finished?” Chu Qianze spoke.
Shen Zhuofeng stood up, shook the water off his wet hands, and reported, “Sir, all done!”
“Then let’s go back.”
Chu Qianze’s pace wasn’t slow, with each step of his long legs equivalent to one and a half steps for an ordinary person. Shen Zhuofeng, with injuries on his legs and feet, couldn’t walk fast, so keeping up was a bit challenging for him.
After a few quick steps, Shen Zhuofeng caught up and glanced at the jacket Chu Qianze was holding. “Commander Chu.”
“Hmm?”
“Shall I wash your clothes for you?”
“You wash them for me?” Chu Qianze glanced at him, slowing his pace.
“I’m sorry for messing up your clothes. I’ll take care of it.” Shen Zhuofeng was somewhat surprised that he suddenly caught up, but his attention remained on the jacket.
“No need to wash, just throw it away.” Chu Qianze couldn’t be bothered with washing such clothes; it was too much trouble.
“Then I’ll give you money for the clothes.” Shen Zhuofeng quickly said, genuinely wanting to find a way to compensate.
“Do you think I lack money for clothes?”
Shen Zhuofeng had nothing to say…
Chu Qianze glanced at him and handed over the jacket. Looking directly at Shen Zhuofeng, he said, “Weren’t you going to wash it for me? Wash it thoroughly.”
Shen Zhuofeng’s eyes brightened, he took the jacket and held it carefully in his hands.
When they returned to the previous spot, they found two cars parked there.
Chu Qianze’s expression became more subdued as he noticed a call coming in on the communicator. He clicked to answer, “What’s the matter?”
“Boss Chu, did you send the person back?” Hu Jia’s voice came through.
“Yes, just arrived at the car.”
“We got a sudden mission. There’s a large-scale presence of extraterrestrials in Zone 3. We’re heading over, and your car is already here to pick you up.” Hu Jia shrugged, placing the communicator between his shoulder and ear.
“Got it. I’ll be there right away.”
As he spoke, a soldier got out of the car.
“Reporting, Chief, I’m Zhang Jiang from the 14th Battalion, responsible for taking you to Zone 3.”
Chu Qianze nodded. “Okay.”
As they passed by Shen Zhuofeng, Chu Qianze caught a glimpse of his expression and smirked. “Kid, you’ve got a long way to go.”
So, buckle up and give it your best shot.
Watching the car drive away, Shen Zhuofeng tightened his grip on the jacket and turned back to the vehicle.
At this moment, the attention of the candidates was entirely focused on the issue of the sudden change in examiners.
“Instructor Wang, just tell us, what’s God Chu doing? Is he going on a mission?”
“God Chu?” Instructor Wang found the term amusing.
“Yeah, other titles just don’t express the admiration in my heart, so I call him God Chu. But wait, Instructor, you haven’t told us what God Chu is up to!”
As Shen Zhuofeng approached, Instructor Wang greeted him, “Everyone’s here, ready to go.”
“Hello, Instructor Wang.” Shen Zhuofeng didn’t say anything else, just took his seat.
“Don’t be like that, Instructor Wang. You’re so handsome; just tell us something!”
“Yeah, yeah! God Chu is really handsome. I want to be like him too.”
“Compliments make me happy, so I won’t hold it against you. Some things you shouldn’t know, and it’s better not to keep asking. When the time comes, you’ll understand naturally.”
Instructor Wang fastened his seatbelt. “Stay in your seats, we’re heading back!”
Realizing they wouldn’t get any more information, the candidates reluctantly returned to their seats. Since there was nothing else to do, they started discussing their experiences during the assessment.
“You guys don’t know, halfway through, I ran into an extraterrestrial. I couldn’t beat it, so I was ready to escape. Ended up running straight into its lair. I had goosebumps all over.”
“That’s still not bad. Think about me; I got surrounded and had to use the distress signal.”
“I ended up wandering around in circles. It was so tough.”
“I saw one with eyes covering its whole body. I think I’m developing a phobia.”
After everyone shared their experiences, the conversation turned to Shen Zhuofeng: “Team leader, how did it go? I won’t ask for the exact score, just give us an idea.”
Shen Zhuofeng didn’t say a word and simply opened his score.
“Wow, you’re amazing! I only got a tiny score compared to you!”
“Did you break the record?”
“Truly worthy of being the team leader!”
“It doesn’t really matter,” Shen Zhuofeng said, as his assessment outcome was still pending.
He put away the score, but his mind was still on the image of Chu Qianze leaving.
“Team leader, is that God Chu’s jacket?” Someone with sharp eyes noticed what Shen Zhuo was holding in his arms.
“Yes. Wake me up when we get there. I’m going to rest for a while.”
Seeing Shen Zhuofeng looking a bit tired, the others didn’t bother him further. “Don’t worry, we’ll wake you up when we arrive.”
With a sincere expression of gratitude, Shen Zhuofeng closed his eyes. However, he didn’t immediately fall asleep. The words Chu Qianze had said when leaving, a faint sense of dissatisfaction, lingered in his mind.
He wanted to become stronger, to show Chu Qianze that he was capable, to hear his praise instead of just acknowledging the gap between them.
Being on pending was not the end; there was still a chance.
Even if he got reassigned, he could come back.
Once he made up his mind, Shen Zhuofeng felt a lot more comfortable. He cleared his mind and allowed himself to drift into sleep. When he returned, he would immediately resume training, work hard, and harder still, until one day…
His thoughts gradually drifted, and he fell asleep holding the jacket.
Chu Qianze arrived at Zone 3, where Hu Jia had already arrived. “Boss, you finally came.”
“I’m here.” Chu Qianze looked ahead, where countless extraterrestrials were closing in.
“Seriously, no matter how much we kill, there’s no end to them.”
Tutting, Chu Qianze flicked his finger, bringing the throwing knife into his hand. “Let’s get going.”
Chu Qianze activated his thruster, leaped down, and the gleam of the knife flashed with a cold light, reflecting an icy chill like an Arctic glacier.
After three consecutive days without rest, they finally managed to control the extraterrestrial threat. The logistics team went into action, recovering the bodies of the extraterrestrials.
When Chu Qianze returned to the camp, everyone stopped what they were doing and greeted him, their eyes filled with respect.
Nodding, Chu Qianze went to his room, closing the door behind him. Leaning against the doorframe, he lowered his head, closed his eyes, and showed a rare sign of fatigue on his face. After about ten minutes, he rubbed his temples to wake himself up a bit. He washed his hands, went to the wardrobe, took out a set of clothes identical to the one he was wearing, and changed into them.
Chu Qianze applied fresh bandages to himself, changed into the new clothes, and then reopened the door to step out.
“How’s it going? Is everything sorted out?” Chu Qianze asked.
Hu Jia looked at the compiled data, a hint of bitterness on his face. “Ammunition is a bit tight.”
Ammunition was a scarce resource, and no matter how frugal they were, there was still a minimum requirement when it was needed.
Chu Qianze nodded. “What about personnel?”
Hu Jia straightened his expression and handed over the data.
168 wounded, 32 dead.
Chu Qianze’s gaze swept over the list of the deceased, their faces appearing in his mind.
“I’ll report the issue with weapons and try to get more,” Chu Qianze said, handing the list to Tiger. He pressed down the brim of his hat. “I’m going for a walk.”
As he left, Hu Jia looked in the direction Chu Qianze headed—it was towards the medical facility. He sighed but didn’t say anything more.
“Brother Chu.”
“Commander.”
“Boss Chu.”
Seeing Chu Qianze coming to the medical facility, a few people tried to sit up and salute.
“No need, just lie down,” Chu Qianze smiled and approached a wounded soldier, lowering his head to examine the wounds.
One leg was horizontally severed, just finished with the bandaging.
Chu Qianze’s eyelashes flickered, but his expression didn’t change much.
“Brother Chu, I killed twelve,” the person said. Seeing Chu Qianze looking at him, he tilted his head, grinned, and raised two fingers, a gesture that appeared a bit shaky due to the bandaged hand.
Nodding, Chu Qianze’s lips curled upward. “Impressive.”
“Of course! Haha, I can boast about this for a lifetime.”
Chu Qianze chuckled, wanting to pat the person’s shoulder, but he noticed the injury. The individual seemed to be battered all over, so instead, Chu Qianze adjusted the bedsheets for him. “Well done.”
The person didn’t say anything, just grinned widely.
“Boss Chu, I got fourteen!” another person shouted.
“Nineteen!”
“I got twenty-four!”
Watching the commotion, Chu Qianze sighed, “All of you did well.”
“Did you hear that? Boss Chu praised me!”
“You can roll, clearly, it’s me!”
“Get lost, get lost, you bunch of idiots, it’s obviously me!”
The nurse couldn’t take it anymore, hands on hips, she shouted, “Shut up, all of you! Can’t you be quiet? If any of your wounds burst open, I’ll sew your mouths shut!”
With that statement, the entire place fell silent.
Seeing everyone calm down, the nurse rolled her eyes, turned to Chu Qianze, and instantly changed her expression. She adopted a gentle and compassionate tone, “They need rest now, it’s not a good time for chatting. You don’t look too well. Probably haven’t been sleeping well lately. I’ll prescribe you something to help you sleep.”
“No need, I can sleep just fine,” Chu Qianze politely declined. Before he could say more, some of the wounded soldiers lying down spoke up.
“Boss Chu, you haven’t slept for several days! Go back and rest now!”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Auntie Jiang, prescribe some medicine for him!”
The nurse called Auntie Jiang also said, “There’s plenty of sleeping pills in stock. You can use them with confidence.”
With a hint of helplessness in his eyes, Chu Qianze said, “Fine, give me two then.”
“Rest here, I’ll go get it for you.” Auntie Jiang hurriedly walked out and returned after a short while.
Taking the paper bag, Chu Qianze didn’t linger. After exchanging a few words with them, he turned and left.
Leaving the medical facility, he walked along the road aimlessly, taking his time.
Looking up at the sky, somehow, he became a bit lost in thought.
At the camp entrance.
Chu Qianze stood at the front, holding a small box in his hands with a name written on it. Next to him, Hu Jia added also held a small box.
The comrades, who should have been recovering from injuries, were now either leaning on something or being supported to stand here. Despite the crowd, there was an unusual quietness as everyone’s eyes were fixed on the road ahead.
In the distance, black dots appeared, signifying the approach of a convoy. As it neared, the convoy came to a slow stop in front of the crowd. An older man, likely in his fifties, stepped out of the vehicle wearing a Zhongshan suit. His gaze lingered on Chu Qianze and the wooden box in his hands. Though his beard moved, suggesting he wanted to say something, he merely took off his hat, bowed to the crowd, and then opened the door to the convoy.
Chu Qianze walked to the front of the vehicle, looking down at the box in his hands before placing it inside a cabinet with a gentle touch. The box made a slight sound as it touched the cabinet. Chu Qianze closed the cabinet quietly, as if afraid of disturbing someone, and then returned to his position in silence.
One by one, thirty-two cabinets inside the compartment were filled. The man closed the car door, made sure there were no oversights, and spoke his first words since arriving here. “I will take them back.”
“Thank you,” Chu Qianze said.
The man nodded slightly, returned to the driver’s seat, and started the vehicle by turning the key. As the wheels rolled and raised some dust, in the moment when the convoy was leaving, Chu Qianze shouted the command, “Salute!”
The sleeves rubbed against the cuffs and hem, making a rustling sound. Everyone raised their hands in salute, with unified movements, angles, and heights. They stood silently in place, watching the convoy until it disappeared in the distance.
A white dove spread its wings and flew into the sky.
After a while, Chu Qianze lowered his hand, turned around, and surveyed the crowd. Each person had their head down, silent. The morale was too low; this wouldn’t do.
He controlled his facial expression to form a smile, raised his hand to clap, drawing everyone’s attention and adjusting his volume to shout, “Cheer up, pack up, and get ready to go back!!”
With these words, the crowd immediately responded.
“Oh right, going back today!”
“I haven’t grabbed my stuff yet.”
“Hurry up, hurry up. If you’re late, we won’t wait for you!”
…
In the car, Hu Jia was taking a call here, writing a document there, busy and overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, Chu Qianze was slouching in his chair, eyelids drooping, half-heartedly dealing with the documents.
“You know, shouldn’t these be tasks for the commander? Why do I have to do them?”
Hu Jia’s facial muscles twitched. Screw it, even stamping a document feels like a hassle? How about we switch roles for a change?
In order to prevent himself from losing control, Hu Jia changed the topic, “The timing of our return this time is fortunate. When we go back, we might even catch the welcome party.”
“Oh, have the assessment results come out? How did it go this time?” Chu Qianze stamped a document in his hand and casually threw it away.
“Shen Zhuofeng is the first, belonging to our team.”
After Hu Jia finished speaking, he remembered something and burst into laughter, “I heard that when you announced his status as ‘pending’ back then, he just stood there when the results were announced, couldn’t believe it for a long time, and even asked if it was the same name. Boss Chu, you really played a number on him. Aren’t you afraid he’ll turn from a fan to a hater?”
“Let him turn if he wants to. Do I lack a few haters?”
Chu Qianze chuckled and shook his head, bringing a stack of documents from the side, “That kid is young and arrogant, ignorant of the ways of the world. He needs a reality check.”
“That sounds familiar,” Hu Jia pondered for a moment, a light bulb moment, “Isn’t this what our instructor used to say to you?”
Seeing Chu Qianze pause his movements, he chuckled and imitated the instructor’s tone, “You little punk, so ignorant and arrogant. Give me three frog jumps!”
“Dare to talk back? Damn it, run thirty laps for me!”
“Dare to glare at me? You little turtle, double it!!!”
“Shut up!” Chu Qianze picked up a pen and threw it at Hu Jia, not in a good mood, “Mind your own work. Daring to provoke the boss, do you still want to get promoted, or do you want to get married?”
Hu Jia covered his mouth, signaling that he would keep quiet.
“Behave yourself.” Chu Qianze picked up the official seal and stamped it directly on the document.
After a while, Hu Jia spoke up, “Boss Chu, you’re not getting any younger. When are you going to bring someone around for us to see?”
He felt like he was playing the role of a worried mother.
“You, this old man, are saying I’m old?” Chu Qianze was utterly confused about where to begin with this comment.
When Hu Jia brought up the topic, he suddenly remembered that this guy was probably younger than him! Back when they enlisted, Chu Qianze was still a teenager, and he couldn’t believe how much time had passed.
“With so many admirers chasing after you, just pick one to keep you company,” Hu Jia suggested.
“I’m too lazy to bother. I’m more comfortable on my own. Always looking for trouble.” Chu Qianze dismissed the idea. He already found it hard to get enough sleep; he couldn’t fathom where these people found the time for romance.
“You just don’t understand. When you meet someone you like, all these things don’t matter,” Hu Jia leaned back on the sofa, letting out a sigh. “I miss my wife.”
“Miss her scolding you and pulling your ears?” Chu Qianze retorted.
“You’ve got quite the sharp tongue.”
Hu Jia suddenly sat up, “I should really show those people what kind of character the esteemed Commander Chu Qianze is in private. If you manage to get into a relationship, I’ll reverse-write my own name!”
“Am I telling lies?” Chu Qianze raised an eyebrow.
“Do you understand the concept of ‘love-hate relationship’?” Hu Jia sighed deeply, lying on the table and refusing to move. “If I could get a kiss now, I’d gladly endure being pinched.” He continued, “I should have gone to the neighboring city to find her back then. Now, I can’t even meet her face to face.”
Chu Qianze remained silent, simply handing him a glass of water.
By the time they returned to the military camp, it was already dusk.
Stepping out of the vehicle, Chu Qianze took a deep breath. “It’s refreshing to stay here. The air has become so clean.”
“If you think it’s no big deal, help me with these documents, big brother!” Hu Jia carried a pile of documents out of the car and closed the door.
“I have things to do. Aren’t we attending the welcome party tonight?” Chu Qianze lazily replied, hands behind his back.
Damn, how can someone be so infuriating!
Hu Jia was tempted to kick him a few times.
Chu Qianze walked towards the office building. Just as he reached the entrance, someone rushed out from inside.
Shen Zhuofeng stopped in front of Chu Qianze, slightly out of breath from running. “Commander Chu…”
He wanted to say something but noticed Hu Jia standing beside Chu Qianze. “Vice Commander Hu, hello.”
“Hey, greetings, little comrade. Welcome to our team.” Hu Jia freed up a hand and extended it in a friendly greeting.
“What’s going on here, Vice Commander Hu? Do you need help?” Shen Zhuofeng inquired, seeing the high stack of documents.
“Absolutely, hurry up and lend me a hand.” Feeling the sudden reduction in weight, Hu Jia relaxed and couldn’t resist teasing Chu Qianze. “Look at him, and then look at yourself…”
How could you bully such an adorable little brother? Condemnation, strong condemnation!
Chu Qianze glanced at Hu Jia with a hint of threat in his eyes.
Danger!
Hu Jia immediately fell silent.
Shen Zhuofeng followed the two, holding the documents in his arms, observing his surroundings. At the same time, he discreetly observed Chu Qianze. The commander’s complexion seemed a bit off. Was he too tired?
Hu Jia opened his own office, “Xiao Shen, you can just place the files on the desk.”
Shen Zhuofeng responded, placing the documents neatly on the desk and tidying them up.
Noticing this detail, Hu Jia couldn’t help but observe the other person. His clothes were well-organized, and he seemed meticulous. In the previous assessments, the assessors seemed to have given positive feedback.
“Commander Chu, may I speak with you for a moment?” Shen Zhuofeng asked.
Chu Qianze leaned against the bookshelf and, upon hearing this, looked up at Shen Zhuofeng. The latter instinctively stood straight, appearing somewhat nervous.
“I need to handle some documents!” Hu Jia coughed lightly, indicating that they should talk outside.
Rolling his eyes, Chu Qianze touched his neck, “Let’s go to my office.”
Shen Zhuofeng’s eyes brightened, “Yes!”
Following Chu Qianze to the other’s office, he tried to restrain himself from looking around too much. However, it was his first time here, and curiosity got the better of him.
Chu Qianze reclined on the sofa, placing his feet on the coffee table in front, “Speak, what’s the matter?”
“I passed the assessment, ranked first.”
After Shen Zhuofeng finished speaking, he bowed respectfully, “Thank you!”
Supporting his temples with his fingertips, Chu Qianze observed Shen Zhuofeng’s emotions. He suspected this kid might lack a bit of cunning. “Thank me for what? You earned this on your own.”
“Before, you mentioned that my performance was pending, but later you decided to give me a chance, so you withdrew your words,” Shen Zhuofeng explained his thoughts.
“You’re overthinking it. I’m not an assessor; I don’t have the authority to decide your grades.” Chu Qianze rested one hand behind his head, squinting slightly. Back in the familiar place and environment, as he relaxed, drowsiness crept in.
Shen Zhuofeng’s eyes widened slightly, and he had a faint guess but was unwilling to believe it. “So, the ‘pending’ you mentioned earlier…”
“Curious?” The current expression on Chu Qianze’s face was truly interesting, and he smirked, “Come a bit closer.”
Shen Zhuofeng hesitated for a moment and then walked closer to Chu Qianze.
“A bit closer.”
Making Shen Zhuo Zhuofeng over, Chu Qianze leaned in close to his ear, adopting a conspiratorial tone, and softly said, “That was a lie.”
The tone slowed down, with deliberate teasing.
Shen Zhuofeng clenched his fists tightly upon hearing this, staring intensely at Chu Qianze. “You’re not that kind of person.”
Hearing this, Chu Qianze couldn’t help but laugh. “What kind of person am I? Don’t act like you know me well. If you have nothing else, it’s time to leave. I won’t see you off.”
Shen Zhuofeng wanted to explain and retort, but his personality made it difficult for him to speak up. Seeing Chu Qianze rubbing his temples, looking tired, he remained silent. After giving a salute, he turned around and left.
The gentle sound of the closing door resonated, and the room returned to tranquility.
Chu Qianze leaned back on the sofa, silently gazing into the void. His eyes fell on a photo frame standing on the coffee table—it captured a moment with teammates from the past. In the picture, everyone gathered together, smiling brightly at the camera. But now…
Running his fingers through his hair, he adjusted himself, closing his eyes as he lay on the sofa. He raised his arm to shield his eyes, conveniently blocking out the annoying light.
In the quiet room, a sneer echoed, seeming to carry a sense of self-mockery, or perhaps it was just a meaningless onomatopoeia.
The welcome party in the evening was lively, and when Chu Qianze and the others arrived, the atmosphere reached its peak.
At this moment, there were only two empty seats at the table. Hu Jia added chose one directly, and the remaining empty seat was next to Shen Zhuofeng.
Approaching Shen Zhuofeng, Chu Qianze pointed to the seat, “Is anyone sitting here?”
“No one,” Shen Zhuofeng replied.
Chu Qianze pulled out the seat and sat directly there.
Shen Zhuofeng withdrew his gaze, focusing earnestly on the bowl in his hands.
“Today is a special day, and to welcome our new teammate, I brought something special for everyone!” Hu Jia added as he brought a box and took out several bottles from inside.
Upon seeing these bottles, the veteran team members immediately cheered, “Hu Jia, you really went all out for this!”
Seeing the new member looking a bit confused, someone explained, “This is Hu Jia’s homemade liquor, and it truly tastes amazing. Since today is a special occasion, everyone should give it a try.”
“Hahaha, it’s with my brewing skills that I managed to win over my wife!” Hu Jia added as he opened the bottle, sounding proud.
“Are you sure she’s your wife? Isn’t it a bit too early to say that?”
“Get lost, anyway, she’ll be my wife sooner or later. What’s wrong with calling her that now? You’re not allowed to drink this liquor!” Hu Jia exclaimed playfully.
“Come on, Hu Jia, I was just kidding. Spare me, please!”
As everyone continued to laugh and joke around, Chu Qianze chuckled softly, playing with the liquid in his cup with lowered eyes.
Shen Zhuofeng couldn’t help but steal a glance at the people around him. Whether it was an illusion or not, he felt that this person seemed a bit distracted.
No, this is not right. They are all having fun, why can’t you stop paying attention to him? Are you acting like a masochist? Shen Zhuofeng criticized himself inwardly.
“Brother Chu, this one’s for you!”
“Cheers!” Chu Qianze raised his cup and drank it all in one go.
“Boss Chu, this one’s for you too!”
“Cheers!” Chu Qianze downed another cup.
“Keep ’em coming!” He laughed heartily.
“Are you really going to drain all my liquor? Be a bit frugal, will you?” Hu Jia watched a few empty bottles with an unconcealed sense of distress.
The welcome event turned into a drinking party, with everyone casually chatting and singing a few songs when the mood struck.
“Boss Chu, Wang Gou also loves this wine. We even made a pact back then to drink a whole cask during the welcome event. Now I have to drink it all by myself.” Hu Jia chuckled, raising his cup in the air and downing it in one go.
“You’re drunk,” Chu Qianze remarked.
“I’m not!”
Hu Jia burped, “Remember the first mission? When we encountered those aliens, everyone was nearly scared stiff, but you remained the calmest, commanding us to complete the mission. Boss Chu, I truly envy you.” Always so composed.
After saying that, he slowly closed his eyes and lay down on the ground.
Chu Qianze’s drinking motion paused, but he continued to finish the remaining wine, giving Hu Jia a nudge. “Get up, how did you end up like this? You’re calling it quits already? Are you even a man?”
After a futile attempt at pushing, Chu Qianze gave up, placing the cup on the ground. “You’ve been staring at me since the beginning. Aren’t you tired?”
Shen Zhuofeng kept his gaze on the ground, silently sipping his drink, adopting an indifferent demeanor.
“What are you pretending for? I’m talking about you.” Chu Qianze waved his hand. “Is there still some wine left? Bring it over for me.”
Seeing no way to avoid it, Shen Zhuofeng stood up, walked to the table, and searched around. He picked up a bottle and brought it over. “There’s still more than half a bottle left.”
“Thanks.” Chu Qianze reached out to take it but was skillfully evaded.
“You’ve already had a lot to drink,” Shen Zhuofeng said. “Continuing like this might lead to alcohol poisoning.”
“Are you kidding me? This is nothing. Give it here.” Chu Qianze reached his hand into the air.
Shen Zhuofeng glanced at the bottle in his hand, moved it behind his back, looked at the outstretched hand in front of him, hesitated for a moment, and then placed his own hand on top.
“What are you doing with my hand? I can still drink. What about you?” Chu Qianze couldn’t help but chuckle, preparing to get up and fetch the bottle himself. However, everything went black in front of him, and he collapsed straight to the ground.
Shen Zhuofeng acted swiftly, catching him before he could hit the ground and avoiding a potential fall. Looking down, Chu Qianze’s head was tilted slightly, and his eyes were closed.
“He’s passed out,” Shen Zhuofeng realized.
After a moment of contemplation, he placed the bottle on the ground and, with both hands, attempted to carry Chu Qianze to the couch. However, he found the couch already occupied by others.
Seemingly every place suitable for lying down was already taken, but the couch was the most comfortable.
Shen Zhuofeng glanced at Chu Qianze, then at the few people on the couch, silently apologizing to them in his mind.
With one arm supporting Chu Qianze and the other clearing some space, he managed to make room on the couch.
After placing Chu Qianze on the couch, Shen Zhuofeng squatted down beside him, carefully observing him.
Even in sleep, Chu Qianze furrowed his brow, and surprisingly, there were no wrinkles. He seemed thinner than before, lacking much flesh to begin with. Perhaps he hasn’t been sleeping well lately; his dark circles were quite prominent.
“…Sorry.”
A soft murmur filled the air, and Shen Zhuofeng happened to catch it. He hesitated for a moment, then gently smoothed out the furrow on Chu Qianze’s brow.
“It’s okay.”
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![He Lived Like You [End of the World]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/HLLY.jpg "He Lived Like You [End of the World]")
