After becoming a widow, I became the apple of a rough man's eye.

When Lin Qingqing woke up, she tried to turn over, but found herself tightly gripped by two iron-like arms.

Li Dongye is still asleep.

This man went completely mad last night. He usually seems carefree and irresponsible, but in bed he seemed to be using up all the energy he had accumulated over the past twenty years.

He was behaving himself now, his chin resting on the top of her head, his breathing heavy and long. His face, which always carried a hint of roguishness, showed a childlike obedience when he was asleep.

Lin Qingqing didn't dare to move too much, afraid of waking him, and could only keep her eyes open to look at the morning light coming in through the window.

Not long after, Li Dongye woke up.

It's as if these men in sports cars have a timer wound up inside them; as soon as it gets light, they automatically open their eyes.

He instinctively tightened his arms, pressing the person in his arms hard against his chest to make sure they were still there, before groggily opening his eyes.

"Why didn't you sleep a little longer?"

Li Dongye lowered his head, sniffed the side of her neck, and finally bit the red mark left from last night lightly.

"Hiss..." Lin Qingqing shrank her neck and pushed him away. "Stop fooling around, we still have a long way to go."

"Let me hold you a little longer." Li Dongye didn't let go; instead, he put one leg on her leg and leaned half his body weight on her. "Once we get to J City, I'm afraid I won't have the chance to hold you like this anymore."

That sounded a bit sour.

Lin Qingqing's heart softened. She placed her palm on his stubble-covered chin and gently rubbed it. "No matter where we go, you'll always be Fourth Brother."

Li Dongye rubbed against that soft, boneless hand a couple of times, then sat up and quickly put on his clothes.

"Come on, I'll show you the world."

……

The further north you go, the smoother the road becomes.

From a bumpy dirt road, it became a highway paved with gravel, and finally a wide and smooth asphalt road.

As dusk fell, the outline of J City finally came into view.

Lin Qingqing peered out the car window, her mouth slightly open, unable to close it for a long time.

This is what big cities are like.

One street lamp after another, forming two endless fiery dragons.

The road is wide enough for four large trucks to drive side by side. The roadside is no longer lined with low mud-brick houses, but with neat rows of small buildings, some even five or six stories high, with bright electric lights shining from the windows.

The pedestrians on the street weren't all dusty and grimy.

The men wore crisp Zhongshan suits or fashionable jackets, while the women wore floral dresses, their hair styled in chic curls, and small leather shoes that clicked as they walked.

You can even see black sedans, gliding across the street like black beetles.

Li Dongye tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

He was a big shot in the county town, driving a big truck, always carrying a pack of Daqianmen cigarettes in his pocket, and always holding his head high wherever he went.

But when he arrived here, looking at the bustling street and the well-dressed city people, he suddenly felt that his old companion, which had traveled with him all over the country, seemed so shabby, clumsy, and even a little dirty.

Even his prized leather jacket looked worn and greasy under the neon lights of the street.

The atmosphere in the carriage became somewhat awkward.

Li Dongye didn't say anything, but silently ejected the Teresa Teng cassette tape and turned off the radio.

He stopped at a guesthouse that looked fairly impressive by the roadside.

"State-run Red Star Guesthouse".

This name sounds powerful.

Several jeeps and two gleaming black sedans were parked at the entrance. Li Dongye turned off the truck and turned to look at Lin Qingqing.

"Get off the bus."

He tried to make his voice sound as casual as usual, but Lin Qingqing still keenly caught that hint of tension.

Upon entering the hall, the floor was paved with marble, so shiny it reflected one's image. Large chandeliers with glass tassels hung overhead, their light almost blinding.

The receptionist was a young woman in a neat uniform, who was knitting a sweater with her head down.

"Get a room." Li Dongye walked over and slapped the letter of introduction on the table.

The girl didn't even lift her eyelids, her bamboo needles flying through the air as she said, "Five yuan."

Li Dongye paused for a moment as he reached for his money.

Although he brought a lot of money with him when he left, in Qingshan Village, five yuan was enough for a family to eat oil and salt for half a month. A large part of the money he had was given to him by his older brother, and the money his brother had was the family's savings.

Although he felt a little heartbroken, he didn't hesitate and handed over the money along with the letter of introduction.

I took the keys and went upstairs.

The room was indeed nice.

The floor was covered with wooden flooring, the bed had a soft mattress, and the duvet cover was made of satin and smelled of soap. The most unusual thing was that there was a bathroom in the room, with real tiled walls, a shiny white toilet, and a large full-length mirror that reflected your entire body.

Li Dongye threw his bag onto the bed and walked to the mirror.

The person in the mirror had a stubble beard, a frayed leather jacket collar, and mud splattered on his trousers.

He felt out of place in this room and in this city.

He raised his hand to scratch his hair, then tugged at the unruly collar, making it even more tangled, until finally he let his hand fall down in frustration.

"Isn't it pretty outdated?"

Li Dongye looked at Lin Qingqing in the mirror and gave a self-deprecating smile, "She looks like a vagrant."

Lin Qingqing walked over, tilted her head back, and blinked her eyes: "Fourth Brother, you're not rustic at all."

Her almond-shaped eyes reflected Li Dongye's image, clear and without a trace of impurity. "You're the most capable man in our village. You can drive, you can fix cars, you're quick-witted, and you're daring. How many people in suits and ties on the street can drive thousands of miles alone like you?"

She reached out and gently smoothed down his upturned collar.

"No matter whose young master you are, or Li Dongye from Qingshan Village, you are the man who dares to fight for his brothers."

Li Dongye looked at her.

Looking at her earnest eyes and her small mouth opening and closing.

The restlessness and unease in my heart miraculously subsided.

He took Lin Qingqing's hand in his own, wrapped her soft little hand in his palm, and squeezed it hard.

"Qingqing".

His Adam's apple bobbed. "Once this is all done, we'll go home."

Lin Qingqing smiled, her eyes crinkling, "Okay, let's go home."

Li Dongye took a deep breath, as if he had made up his mind.

He took a piece of paper out of his inner pocket.

That was the phone number left by the armed forces department.

The note was soaked with sweat and had become somewhat soft, but the writing on it was still clear.

"I'm going to make a phone call."

Li Dongye released his grip, turned and walked out, but stopped after a couple of steps. He turned back and glanced at Lin Qingqing. "You stay inside and wait. Don't go anywhere."

"Go ahead." Lin Qingqing sat on the edge of the bed and nodded to him. "I'll wait for you."

……