Chapter 6#
Military Salute#
Returning to Beijing a day later, the plane slowly descended towards the Capital Airport. Outside the window were vast and brilliant lights like scattered stars, and the bustling scent in the air was filled with the sense of belonging of coming home.
The two were on the same plane, one at the front, one at the back; one in first class, one in economy.
It wasn’t that the state couldn’t afford two first-class tickets, but their identities were hidden and special, and they couldn’t easily be seen together.
Chu Xun wore tinted glasses, leaning back with his legs crossed, having changed fruit juice flavors three times. A lollipop in his mouth, the tip of his tongue swirling the minty sweetness, he admiringly appreciated the familiar night view outside the window. In the back cabin, somewhere near the aisle, sat Huo Chuanwu. The brim of his baseball cap was pulled extremely low. throughout the flight, he closed his eyes to rest, motionless, neither eating nor drinking. The only time this person lifted his eyelids was to watch through the gap in the first-class curtain as Chu Xun went to the restroom.
Inside the airport, people were bustling, footsteps hurried. Two slender figures in long trench coats brushed past each other, their gazes sweeping across each other’s faces with the warmth of peripheral vision, neither speaking to the other.
Chu Xun lazily put one hand in his pocket, carrying a small suitcase as he stepped onto the escalator, looking down at the hall from the second floor.
A man rushed up behind him, probably in a hurry to catch a taxi, pushing through the crowd to get behind Chu Xun, “Make way, make way…”
Chu Xun glanced out of the corner of his eye.
Before the man could finish his sentence, his voice cut off in his throat. His body suddenly leaned forward, feet almost leaving the ground, completely losing control, world spinning, held in the palm of a large hand. He was spun one hundred and eighty degrees from beside Chu Xun and quickly moved to a hidden corner on one side of the hall…
“Hey…”
“Ah—”
Suspended in the air, the man only had time to see a pair of black leather boots on the feet of the person behind him. The tall and stiff figure brought up the hem of a long trench coat, a flying iron-gray green.
Huo Chuanwu’s sharp gaze was hidden behind sunglasses. One hand patted down every key part of the other’s body with lightning speed, confirming “clean”.
“Mmph—”
The innocent unlucky guy plunged headfirst into a large trash can, feet pointing to the sky. The door to the utility room slammed shut, and the sound of leather boots quickly disappeared.
Chu Xun stood quietly on the escalator, expressionless, the corner of his tinted lenses flashing with the iron-gray figure behind him.
He stepped off the escalator and walked out, subconsciously looking back. The two looked at each other from a distance, separated by a sea of people, as if separated by thousands of mountains and rivers, thousands of words. Time flowed and stagnated. Their gazes “stuck” for half a second, then quickly parted ways. Outside the hall, someone else was specially assigned to pick Chu Xun up and take him home.
The two of them couldn’t know each other, couldn’t speak.
They belonged to different worlds and couldn’t have intersections in life.
The only chance for contact was every time they went out for a job, one like the other’s shadow, following melancholically.
Chu Xun returned home, and it was Third Master Shao who opened the door to welcome him.
Shao Jun was shuffling in velvet slippers with bare feet, wearing a tank top and bear pajama pants, hair messy, a cigarette in his mouth. That casual and comfortable feeling made it seem like this was his home.
“Mmph, Xun… you’re back…”
Shao Jun was sleepy-eyed, turning to turn off the noisy TV in the living room, wanting to go back to the room to sleep.
“Smells terrible, put out the cigarette, my eyes hurt.”
Chu Xun dragged his suitcase into the room, his long trench coat bringing in a wisp of cold air, dusty from the journey.
“Not even allowed to smoke, I won’t live with you in the future.”
Shao Jun pouted and mumbled. His pajama pants were worn loosely, revealing a small half of his very perky butt wrapped in striped underwear at the lower back.
“If you don’t live with me, who will you live with?!”
Chu Xun reached out from behind and pulled up the pajama pants for this brat. Shao Jun turned his head and grinned at him, mouth crooked, smiling quite happily.
Little Third Shao was simple, didn’t have those schemes, and was easy-going, making people feel very comfortable in contact. So Chu Xun liked Shao Jun the most. When he was free, he wanted to see this person and have Shao Jun keep him company.
Raising anything at home is raising. Raising a pet requires feeding and brushing every damn day, and it can’t use the toilet itself. Better to raise a Little Jun, who can eat and sleep. When free, bring him over for Second Master to stroke his fur.
Chu Xun brought back a few tasty Sichuan-style cold dishes for a late-night snack. Shao Jun opened a bottle of beer and drank by himself. Chu Xun didn’t drink. The two ate casually.
Shao Jun slept in the guest room at night, diving headfirst into the soft bed, face down, arms and legs comfortably spread out in a big character shape.
Chu Xun helped turn off the ceiling light for Shao Jun before sleeping. That child-like appearance of Shao Jun, always being a child to be pampered, as if living forever in the pure memories of childhood. So good, so happy…
Chu Xun lay alone on the big bed in the master bedroom, the room empty. Occasionally turning over, his arm hanging down, subconsciously touching the side of the bed—that spot was empty, no one there.
When a person quiets down, it’s extremely easy to let the imagination run wild, certain moods overflowing into a mess.
But every time he quieted down and his mood began to soften, that person couldn’t be by his side.
Back in Beijing, he met people everywhere, all sorts of fair-weather friends, delaying for some days. Several days later, Chu Xun quietly went to the Western Hills alone, climbing the mountain along the stone steps of the mountain path. In a small pavilion, he met with his superior to make a report.
In all of Beijing, only seven or eight people knew Second Young Master Chu’s true identity, including his own father. This couldn’t be hidden.
“Uncle He!”
Chu Xun’s pink shirt reflected the mountains and plains full of peach blossoms. His figure was slender and elegant, smiling with teeth showing, more or less revealing childishness in front of his elder.
“Little Xun… you’re back.”
Minister He Cheng extended his thick palm, pressed Chu Xun’s shoulder, squeezed hard, then patted Chu Xun’s back, rubbing left and right, as if reluctant to let go.
“Comrade Chu Xun, thank you for your hard work.”
Minister He changed his tone, serious and solemn.
Chu Xun smiled, shook his head, light and breezy: “Mission accomplished.”
The two conversed in low voices under the cover of lush trees and mountain flowers.
Minister He came to see Chu Xun in person. The one driving for him at the foot of the mountain was the Deputy Chief of General Staff, the second-in-command. The two came to see Little Xun, and according to the agreement, they couldn’t even bring a driver, extremely cautious.
News from the periphery said that these past few days, across the Pacific, the situation was turbulent and lively. The accident at the Grand Hyatt Chicago had long spread, known to everyone. Several groups were crusading against each other about who was right and who was wrong, about to start fighting. An auction was just a high-level cover. High-level figures from several sides hid their identities that day to meet secretly. With a CIA agent shot in the head on the hotel rooftop, and important documents and letters all leaked, the other side understood that their target was exposed. Allies constrained and suspected each other. In fact, no one trusted anyone, all feeling there was a mole. Could a bolt of lightning have blown up the venue’s chandelier and ignited a big fire?
Minister He patted Chu Xun, speaking earnestly: “Little Xun, I still have to say this to you. You took too much risk this time. I saw the beast head, very good, but you shouldn’t have risked taking it without asking for instructions beforehand.”
Chu Xun said: “I felt this thing was very important. Since I saw it, I wanted to bring it back.”
Minister He softened: “You, ah. Now that the dragon head is back in our hands, it can be considered returned to its original owner. We have absolutely no guilty conscience taking it! However, we also precisely cannot display this item openly, display it in the Forbidden City, display it in the Old Summer Palace. We cannot let the other side know, nor can we admit to the outside world that we snatched the thing back. No matter how exquisite the dragon head is, I’m afraid it can only lie in the underground warehouse forever, never seeing the light of day.”
Chu Xun bit his lip: “…Then put it in the warehouse. That’s still letting the dragon head come home.”
“I think it’s very important.”
Chu Xun’s tone was stubborn.
Minister He asked back: “A bronze ware is very important?”
“How important?”
“Can it be more important than you?!”
Chu Xun: “…”
Minister He reached out and touched Chu Xun’s head, watching this child grow up, just like a parent looking at their own child. Releasing the eagle but afraid it would fly too high and far, afraid it would get bumped and hurt, distressed and concerned. The old man squeezed Chu Xun’s shoulder, looking straight at him, word by word: “Little Xun, that bronze dragon head is worth at most ten million US dollars. Do you know how much you are worth?”
“You are priceless. You are our treasure. No amount of money can buy one of you. Even if someone offers hundreds of millions, we wouldn’t exchange. Do you understand, Little Xun?”
Chu Xun looked at his Uncle He in a daze.
He Cheng confirmed again: “Do you understand? …Remembered?”
A smile floated on the corner of Chu Xun’s mouth, his heart warm, nodding: “Understood.”
“Don’t worry.”
“Absolutely loyal.”
The atmosphere was too serious. Both sides were silent for a while. Chu Xun’s eyes flashed, quickly changing the subject.
“Uncle He, I made a contribution this time, is there a commendation?”
He Cheng nodded: “Definitely won’t shortchange you… still always thinking about these things.”
Chu Xun tilted his head: “The military region issued new spring and summer uniforms two days ago, you didn’t issue mine.”
He Cheng was puzzled: “Why do you ask me for a military uniform every time? Gave you two sets the year before last, and you don’t wear them.”
Chu Xun opened his eyes wide seriously: “Whether I wear them or not is my business. You can’t embezzle my military uniform.”
“I embezzle your military uniform?!”
He Cheng’s voice got louder, glaring at Chu Xun, then lowered it again, speaking earnestly: “Where would you put it if I issued it to you? You put the military uniform and cap at home, hang it on your wall, hang it in the wardrobe? …You’re just waiting to be exposed. No, won’t give it to you.”
Chu Xun sounded like a rascal: “Impossible—”
“I won’t hang it at home, I definitely won’t be exposed.”
“Uncle He, just issue me a set, plus the hat, epaulets, the full set.”
He Cheng shook his head, helpless.
Before parting, Minister He remembered something: “How is Little Huo?”
Chu Xun nodded casually: “Still the same, he’s quite good.”
He Cheng said: “That child Little Huo, sigh… his identity is also special, it hasn’t been easy these years. I’m not at ease putting him anywhere. Actually, I’m not at ease putting him by your side either, but you insisted on asking me for him.”
Chu Xun hummed: “I just want him, only he is suitable.”
He Cheng said: “Keep a close eye on him.”
Chu Xun nodded, thinking in his heart, does this person still need me to keep a close eye on him? It’s more like he stares at me all day. Anyway, we’re used to staring at each other. It’s him.
…Don’t worry, you guys.
Later, carrying a exquisite small leather suitcase, disguised and wearing sunglasses, Chu Xun went to the headquarters of a bank on Chang’an Avenue.
He was a top VIP of this bank. Someone specially received him at the door, respectfully inviting him into the VIP private room inside. Later, the manager came out, bringing security, leading him down the elevator to the basement, passing through a brightly lit corridor made entirely of marble, through three various iron doors, and finally into a small room with a safe deep underground.
Closing the door and locking it, he was the only one left in the room.
The safe had a triple password, each sixteen digits long, which he had memorized by heart. The safe was entirely embedded in rock, impossible to move. After the password opened it, it recognized the iris of the eye, and the exquisite cabinet door popped open gently.
There were no gold or jewelry in the safe, nor firearms, or messy passports with different names from various countries. Chu Xun used his real name wherever he went.
Inside the entire cabinet, a total of twelve sets of military uniforms were neatly stacked. Old and new, different versions and years, different seasons of spring/summer and autumn/winter, further divided into dress uniforms, service uniforms, and training uniforms, plus a pair of combat boots.
Chu Xun’s military uniforms.
Chu Xun carefully touched his collection of military uniforms layer by layer. Each layer seemed to feel different, recording the road he had walked these years, the loyalty and glory exclusive to him. The texture of the fabric melted into one with his fingerprints.
He took out the latest spring and summer service uniform from the leather suitcase, two bars and four stars on the shoulder, brand new and shiny, carrying the residual warmth of his palm, and stacked it flatly.
On the very top was a tough and handsome military cap, placed upright.
Chu Xun squatted in front of the safe, talking to himself for a while, laughing to himself, revealing a mouthful of white teeth.
He stood up slowly, heels of his leather shoes clicking lightly, standing at attention.
A low command sounded in his ear: Salute.
Facing his military uniform and cap, Chu Xun gave a very standard military salute. His whole face was calm and handsome, the luster incomparably beautiful.