On the 25th of the Lunar month, Gu Hai's company has officially closed for the holiday. This flock of confined older yet successful career women[1] were now just like beautiful small birds as they freely flew out of their cage toward the scores of nests inhabited by powerful eagles, just to enjoy being surrounded by admirers for a few days.

With this vacation, Di Shuang also gained her freedom but unfortunately, Bai Luo Yin remained as busy as ever.

As for Gu Hai, he flew out to Qingdao to visit Mrs. Yan.

After a short while of conversations, Yan Ya Jing dragged Gu Hai out from Mrs. Yan's sick ward and looked over to him with a serious yet stately expression.

"Gu Hai, can you help me with something?"

Burrowing his brows, Gu Hai replied in a low voice, "Have you forgotten? I've said it before. Since the moment you saved me back then, I owe you a favor that I will definitely repay. Tell me, if I can do it, I won't refuse."

Yan Ya Jing smiled wistfully, "I know for sure that you'd be able to do it. The problem is whether or not you are willing to."

With a firm tone of voice, Gu Hai said, "If I can do it, I'll certainly be willing to."

Yan Ya Jing took a deep breath and let sight travel straight into Gu Hai's abstruse eyes.

"Let's get engaged."

With just that sentence alone, Gu Hai's complexion quickly took a turn for the worse.

"It's not too late for you to back out of your words now."

Controlled the astonishment that had settled in his gaze, Gu Hai sternly asked, "Tell me first, why do you suddenly want to get engaged with me?"

Yan Ya Jing turned around and quietly peered out the clear gla.s.s window.

"I just want my mom to leave with a peace of mind. Don't worry, it's only an engagement, not a marriage. Once my mom pa.s.ses away, we can break off the engagement and continue being friends."

This conversation caused the knots in Yan Ya Jing's heart to tighten as a sense of moroseness ate at her. The moment she saw Gu Hai's first reaction, she had immediately understood his feelings towards her. But even then, she still could not help but to dearly hold onto this fantasy……the fantasy that Gu Hai would take this turning point between them as an opportunity to say to her, 'we might as well get together right away……'

Maintaining his silence, Gu Hai quietly lit a stick of cigarette.

After a long time of not hearing any response, Yan Ya Jing suddenly let out a small laugh.

"It's okay if you're not willing to. I can just find another person. It's just……my mom has always thought that we were together. If you were to play this role, perhaps her heart can be more at ease."

Gu Hai's pupil sunk into the dark, "Let me think about it."

Even as the cigarette in his hand shortened, Gu Hai's heart remaining spiraling in an unknown corner seemingly without a path to escape.

"Gu Hai, can I ask you a question?" Yan Ya Jing abruptly spoke.

Gu Hai s.h.i.+fted his gaze toward her.

"Do you like Di Shuang?"

At those ridiculous words Gu Hai could not help but involuntarily burst into laughter, "Why is it that you also have this kind of idea? I've always thought you were smarter than all the other women in the company."

Yan Ya Jing suddenly spread her hand out, revealing the ring that was innocently resting on her palm.

"Don't tell me……when you gave me this ring the other day, you were deliberately trying to anger the person sitting at the table next to us, right? I'm not stupid enough to naively believe that this ring was actually meant for me."

 You've guessed correctly… unfortunately, the person that you have in mind and the person that I have in mind are two completely different people. You will never know, the lover buried deeply in my heart for the past eight years is actually a man.

Seeing that Gu Hai did not respond again, Yan Ya Jing continued to test the waters.

"On my way back yesterday, I caught a glimpse of them kissing inside the car."

His own vivid imagination and the statement that flew out of someone else's mouth wielded two completely different yet destructive powers capable of destroying his sullen heart. At this moment, even if Gu Hai wished to conceal his emotions, it was impossible. This kind of feeling was simply too painful, too unbearable, especially during the second the words charged into his ears.

The hope and delusion that lied silently in Yan Ya Jing's heart was utterly shattered.

She shoved the ring in Gu Hai's hand while a smile shaded the tears that threatened to rush out, "Why can't you just admit it now, I won't make it hard for you. Since you already have someone in your heart, I'll have to settle for the second best. Just pretend I've never said anything."

Just as Yan Ya Jing turned around and was about to leave, Gu Hai suddenly grabbed her arm.

Yan Ya Jing did not have the courage to turn around anymore since her eyes were already red and br.i.m.m.i.n.g with unshed tears. She did not want Gu Hai to see her in such a pitiful state.

"I'll help you," said Gu Hai spoke indifferently.

This time, Yan Ya Jing adamantly refused instead, "There's no need to. I don't want to be a sinner."

Gu Hai turned Yan Ya Jing around to face him which allowed her to look straight into his deep eyes before he spoke with a confident tone.

"I'm more than willing to help you. I don't have a lover right now so you don't need to worry about anything."

Yan Ya Jing stared at him in a daze.

Gu Hai waved the ring in his hand as a hint of complication tugged at the smile on his lips.

"The design of this ring is already outdated and it's also engraved with mine and someone else's logo so it's not very suitable for you to wear. I'll buy a new ring as an engagement gift for you. Even though we can't be husband and wife, at the very least, you can keep it as a memento."

After a hearty surge of cheers, several key engineers in the research facility leaped in front of the computer and incessantly hugged each other out of excitement.

"After finally overcoming the first round of technical difficulties, we can all go home to celebrate New Year's now."

Bai Luo Yin narrowed his eyes and smiled while at the same time gesturing everyone to quiet down.

"I'll treat everyone to a lunch today. We should definitely find a nice place to eat."

"Hahaha…then, we'll definitely take full advantage of you!"

"Yeah, that's right. You had us working overtime until midnight nearly every day."

In the evening, Bai Luo Yin cheerfully gave Bai Han Qi a call.

"Dad, I can celebrate New Year's at home this year."

Before Bai Han Qi even had a chance to open his mouth, Bai Luo Yin could already hear the undisguised enthusiasm radiating from the other side.

"Alright, your mom and I have been preparing several New Year's goods for the past two days. If you're coming back, we'll have to prepare a bit more."

"There's no need to," said Bai Luo Yin, "I'm only staying at home for a few days."

"Regardless of how many days you're staying, we still need to let you eat and drink your fill."

Soon after Bai Luo Yin hung up, his phone immediately buzzed with another call from the hospital.

"Major, I can leave the hospital now."

Bai Luo Yin's eyes lightened up, "That fast? Wait for a minute, I'll sent someone to pick you up."

"Please don't, Xiao Liang came to pick me up earlier. We're almost at the entrance of the military base."

Bai Luo Yin draped a layer of clothes over his shoulder and walked out. Not long after, he saw a car slowly approached.

"Why are you standing outside?" Liu Chong asked.

Bai Luo Yin did not say anything as he and another military officer simply helped Liu Chong out of the car and a.s.sisted him until they reached Bai Luo Yin's dorm.

"Don't stay at your dormitory for the time being. They will arrange a single dorm for you here so that you can peacefully recuperate without any disturbance. If you want to go home to celebrate the New Year, you can apply for an approval from your superior. However, I don't recommend you go home since the long distant journey will be really awful. You should try your best to have your parents come here instead. The army will definitely help them settle down properly."

Liu Chong repeatedly nodded his head, "Luckily, this wound doesn't affect my position as a pilot otherwise my mom and dad would suffer!……oh yeah… Major, does this time count as a meritorious service?"

The corner of Bai Luo Yin's lip rose into a smirk, "I'll definitely consider giving you one."

Liu Chong happily clapped his hands, "Then, there is hope that I might get a promotion?"

Hearing that, Bai Luo Yin firmly flick Liu Chong's head, "You obsessive political climber!"

Hearing that, Liu Chong laughed mischievously.

Noticing that Liu Chong was having difficulties sitting up and straightening his back and waist, Bai Luo Yin faced Liu Chong and said, "Lay down on my bed for a while first. Wait until they've finished tidying a room for you then I'll take you there."

Liu Chong was extremely modest, "That's not a good idea!"

When Bai Luo Yin's stern gaze swept toward him, Liu Chong obediently lied down at once. Then, Bai Luo Yin walked over to cover a blanket over him.

Since the engineering project has finally made some progress, he could return home and celebrate New Year's without any worries. Moreover, this kid Liu Chong, has also been discharged from the hospital……

The fog that has been shrouding his heart for the past few days finally dissipated today. Bai Luo Yin was still lost in his own thoughts when he abruptly heard a car honked. The moment he peered outside, an undercurrent of emotions that lied at the depths of his serene gaze began to surge violently.

Gu Hai opened his car door and stepped out. As soon as he reached the gate, he was met face to face with Bai Luo Yin.

"Making a Shouzhang like you personally come out to welcome a guest like me is slightly unsuitable!" Gu Hai seemed to be in a particularly good mood today.

"I'm not here to welcome you, I'm here to stop you."

"Stop me?" Gu Hai's gaze flickered, "What, you're hiding a mistress in there?"

The corner of Bai Luo Yin's lips slightly rose up, "Don't mention it, I'm really hiding one."

At those words, Gu Hai's complexion changed a few shades as he followed Bai Luo Yin into the room. Liu Chong was obediently lying on the bed but as soon as he saw a guest walked in, he wanted to get up but Bai Luo Yin stopped him.

"Behave and remain there, this is none of your business."

Witnessing this scene, there was naturally no need to explain Gu Hai's frame of mind, however, he did not think too much of it since after all, Bai Luo Yin already has a girlfriend. It's just that an exceptionally imposing discontentment was striking at his heartstrings…an exceptionally formidable one!

How can an amateur soldier lie on Bai Luo Yin's bed, whereas whether he was allowed to enter the room or not depended on someone's mood?!

Bai Luo Yin poured a gla.s.s of hot water and pa.s.sed it over to Gu Hai, "Why are you looking for me?"

Initially, he thought that Gu Hai would sprout a mult.i.tude of excuses for the purpose of this trip but contrariwise, Gu Hai did no such thing this time around. Instead, he calmly and frankly fished out an invitation card from his pocket.

The moment his eyes made contact with that red envelop, all the muscles on Bai Luo Yin's face immediately stiffened.

With that, Gu Hai announced in an even tone, "Your brother, I, will be engaged in three days from now. As my Ge, you should come to support me, right?"

Finally, Gu Hai has taken to revealing his last lethal move which proved to be the most effective. The military officer facing him was no longer able to put on a unshakable facade nor continue to put forth a indistinguishable air of indifference. He could no longer willfully use his strict and overbearing eyes as the means to employ his power and authorities. All he could use was a sunless and miserable appearance to vividly portray the pain that relentlessly struck his heart.

It took a long time before Bai Luo Yin's eyes finally moved. And when it did, he incredibly forced the corner of his mouth into a slight smile. This was the first time that his facade did not fully conceal his misery.

"Congratulations."

Now that Gu Hai has finally obtained the reaction that he had always longed for from Bai Luo Yin's face, he suddenly realized that there was simply no sense of accomplishment at all. However, the instant Bai Luo Yin's trembling hand took hold of the invitation card, an insufferable and unexpected pain pierced his heart instead. At first, he had also prepared a pile of taunts but now, he was unable to utter even a single word.

Gu Hai turned around and took his leave.

Liu Chong excitedly faced Bai Luo Yin and asked, "Major, is Gu Zong getting married?"

With his back facing him, Bai Luo Yin simply nodded.

"That means, today can be considered a really great day for you!"

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Translator's Note:

[1] Successful career woman (sheng nu) – 'leftover woman', mentioned in previous chapters

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