Xu Le's hand that was holding the phone froze for a moment, then he simply said, "Okay." He put the phone away and came back to his senses. It had been more than 20 days since the ball, and he hadn't seen Zhang Xiaomeng for more than 20 days.
He looked at his class schedule and realized that the next day was the last day of December. Of course, there were no classes. He realized that the peace and solitude had lasted for so long, so long that he had forgotten about the arrival of the new year.
At this time, Zhang Xiaomeng was in a daze in her single apartment. She glanced at the black-rimmed glasses by her hand, and her delicate face showed a trace of distress and struggle. After the Double Moon Festival ball, Tai Zhiyuan disappeared again, and she couldn't find any opportunity to get close to that person …
The failure of this mission didn't make Senator Macklin unhappy. On the contrary, the fatherly elder comforted her and told her to be careful and hide her identity. At the same time, he secretly pointed out that since the male student named Xu Le met Tai Zhiyuan by chance, perhaps there would be a good result if she set out from there.
Should she use Xu Le to get close to that person? Zhang Xiaomeng's long eyelashes fluttered twice, and she immediately rejected this idea. She didn't want to hurt that man again after hurting him.
…
…
On the last day of the 66th year of the 37th Constitution, the Federation was immersed in the atmosphere of celebrating the new year. Although the Empire, which was light years away and across the galaxy from the West Woods, was still a shadow in the hearts of the Federation citizens, the frontlines were too far away, and everyone subconsciously didn't think about that problem.
The people of the Federation cast their anxious gazes toward the S2 region. After the election in the S2 region surrounded by the mountains, the Federation government's accusations against the opposition members intensified, accusing them of not really laying down their weapons. The Federal military also began to step up its preparations for war. The outbreak of the civil war once again seemed to be inevitable.
Senator Medellin, who was born in the anti-government army, had successfully been elected as a member of the new Federation Management Committee. He had truly entered the core political area of the Federation. However, no matter how loudly he shouted in various meetings in the capital special district, he could not really eliminate the danger of civil war. This was because everyone knew that Senator Macklin could influence the people in the four states, but he could not influence the anti-government armed forces in the mountains.
After years of embargoes and economic sanctions by the Federation, the anti-government forces in the mountains were on the brink of collapse. They could not just wait to be suppressed by the Federal Army. They would definitely choose some kind of counterattack.
Although there were so many worries, for the ordinary citizens of the Federation, life had to go on. These questions about politics and life and death could only make them sigh and lament when they read the electronic newspaper.
On New Year's Eve, all the famous restaurants were fully booked, and the neon lights of the amusement park began to shine in the daytime, creating a peaceful and happy scene. Family members and lovers who had holidays occupied the large Ferris wheel and the special restaurants in the world of ice and snow.
Compared to the liveliness, the towering iron tower in Linhai had lost its charm as a tourist attraction and became incomparably quiet. This was because not many people were willing to run to the top of the iron tower in such a cold winter.
Xu Le didn't take the elevator. Instead, he carried his backpack and climbed up the iron tower step by step. His face was slightly red, and beads of sweat seeped out from his hair. However, his breathing was still steady, and he didn't feel tired at all. Today, he could already train his nerves and muscles in his daily life, making the mysterious power in his body more and more peaceful, and also more and more powerful.
The cold wind whistled on the sightseeing floor of the iron tower. The orange colored lights were pulled into lonely lines, nestled on the cold metal body. There was no one, only a girl in a dark brown windbreaker by the railing in the distance. She was holding her chin and looking at the city scenery of Linhai in a daze.
She wore a cute velvet hat and pink gloves. Her long eyelashes blinked in the cold wind, but as if she did not feel the cold, she just quietly looked outside the railing.
Xu Le was a dozen meters behind her, quietly looking at her, somewhat lost in thought. They had not seen each other for a few days, but when they met again, his state of mind returned to the original situation, incomparably calm and happy.
"You're here." Zhang Xiaomeng turned around and smiled at him.
Xu Le walked up and gently smiled. He took off the backpack on his back and threw it at her feet. Standing beside her, he followed her gaze and looked outside the railing. He saw a few clouds floating in the snowless sky, and on the roofs of the buildings in Linhai, there were traces of ice and snow left from this winter. The whole city was in a New Year's atmosphere, but he still felt a little lonely.
"The scenery here is not very good." Xu Le imagined the girl's mood when she looked here and said, "Why did you want to meet here?"
"When I was young, my parents were very busy with work, and I didn't want to sit in those small rooms on the Ferris wheel, so I like to come here to see the scenery by myself." Zhang Xiaomeng exhaled a mouthful of fog and stared blankly at the shadow of the Ferris wheel in the distance. She said, "That day at the ball, I refused to dance with you. I hope you don't mind."
"I said that day, I don't know how to dance." Xu Le still narrowed his eyes and looked at the gray sky. He said, "If you still want to say sorry today, I think it's meaningless. Although I have never been in love, I know there is no right or wrong in this kind of thing. "
"You've changed a bit." Zhang Xiaomeng suddenly turned her head to look at him and laughed. "That time in front of the teaching building, you were much more eloquent than you are now."
Xu Le also thought of that conversation and said with a smile, "Back then, I saw things too simply."
He turned his head and quietly looked at the light flowing in Zhang Xiaomeng's eyes. He noticed that she was not wearing her black-rimmed glasses today. He said softly, "Until today, I still think things are very simple. It's just that, other than me, people in this world always have a habit of making simple things very complicated."
Zhang Xiaomeng did not expect to hear this. She lowered her eyes and fell into deep thought. After a long time, she said softly, "Maybe it's because I am a very complicated person, and you are a very simple person."
"No, you are a very simple person, but you want to do very complicated things." Xu Le's hand was holding the railing, and he felt that the railing was as cold as ice. He withdrew his hand and exhaled. He asked, "What is your secret?"
Zhang Xiaomeng was silent for a long time. She said, "A year ago, I was doing voluntary support work in the office of Senator Medellin in S2."
"I know that. There are many young people in the Federation who go to the four states to do this kind of work." Xu Le said, "You are back, and the government has determined that you are a returnee. This shouldn't be a problem."
"The problem is, until today, I am still working for Senator Medellin." Zhang Xiaomeng suddenly smiled, but her smile was cold.
After hearing Zhang Xiaomeng's true identity, Xu Le fell silent. After a long time, he said softly, "And then?"
"Although I have not received professional espionage training, what I do is actually not much different from a spy." Zhang Xiaomeng lowered her head and looked at the heavy backpack by her feet. She said, "I came back to Ewha University for only one purpose, and that is to get close to Tai Zhiyuan and help the senator establish some kind of direct connection with him."
"And then?"
Zhang Xiaomeng looked at him with slight surprise. She continued, "Other than the Double Moon Festival ball, I have no other way to get close to the mysterious heir of the Tai family … Oh, right, you might not know his true identity yet."
Xu Le shook his head and stopped this question. He asked calmly, "And then?"
…
…
No matter what Zhang Xiaomeng said, Xu Le only replied with three words, "And then?" Zhang Xiaomeng looked at him quietly. She took off a pink cotton glove from her hand and put it on his hand. She lowered her head and said softly, "You don't seem surprised at all, and you don't seem angry."
"Actually … the number of strange things I've encountered in my life is more than you can imagine." Xu Le put on the glove on his left hand, and his right hand naturally held her hand. He looked at her and said seriously, "I just don't understand what these things have to do with what happened between us."
"I am a spy." Zhang Xiaomeng looked at him seriously. She didn't understand and said, "Are you not afraid at all?"
Xu Le muttered a few words in annoyance. He thought to himself, I'm still a fugitive. He sighed and shook his head. He gently parted Zhang Xiaomeng's hair under her cap. He looked at her smooth forehead and said with pity, "If this is your secret … I guessed it a long time ago, but I didn't think that the truth I guessed was the truth."
Zhang Xiaomeng laughed bitterly. She turned her head and looked at the sky outside the railings. She said, "I know I hurt you, and I shouldn't have said these things. But if I don't explain it to you, I will feel very bad."
"You wanted to get close to Tai Zhiyuan, so you left me …" Xu Le helped her organize the messy information. After a moment of silence, he said, "And now you realize that I know Tai Zhiyuan. If you wanted to get close to him, it would have been more convenient for you to stay by my side … You didn't look for me for so many days. It is clear that you don't want to look back."
"If I were to return to you under these circumstances, it would be an insult to both of us." Zhang Xiaomeng let go of his hand and held her face. Her face was full of relief and determination. "I won't let myself do such a thing."
Xu Le's mood was slightly better. "You once asked me what I thought of George Carlin's theory and the people in S2. I once said that I sympathized with them and was willing to support them, but I don't understand … Is it because you are willing to sacrifice something, you can sacrifice the love between us? "
Zhang Xiaomeng's nose wrinkled in distress. She sighed and said, "Maybe you think it is funny, but it is my belief … And I will definitely return to S2 in the future. Your dream is to be the chief engineer of the Shell Motor Company. The two of us don't have a future to begin with."
"Let's not talk about the future. Let's talk about the present. You are here today. It seems that the people you serve have new requirements for you. " Xu Le's eyes narrowed. He said mockingly, "I respect any belief, but a belief that requires one to sacrifice one's feelings and betray one's feelings … In my opinion, it is a disgusting thing."
Zhang Xiaomeng felt his anger. She silently changed the topic. "The pressure on S2 is too great. The soldiers and workers living in the mountains are about to be attacked by the Federal military … And the only ones who can change the will of the Federation government are those big families. Tai Zhiyuan is the heir of the Tai family, one of the seven big families. If Senator Macklin can gain his trust, he will be able to help the people in the mountains get through these difficult times."
"In your opinion, I betrayed the feelings between us for some illusory belief. But in reality, I am doing this for the sake of those fresh lives."
After a long silence, Xu Le said, "I haven't seen Tai Zhiyuan for many days. I may not be able to help you on your side."
"I just want to confess everything to you." Zhang Xiaomeng looked at him. Her eyes were filled with tears.
Xu Le took her into his arms. His hands slipped into her brown windbreaker. Sticking close to her soft and warm body, he hugged her tightly and refused to let go. He sniffed the faint fragrance around her neck and said, "You are my first woman."
Zhang Xiaomeng leaned into his arms and said, "You are my first man."
"I like you."
"I like you too."
"Are you really going to leave me?"
"Yes."
"Then what is it between us? What was that night? Was it charity for a poor man like me before he died? "Xu Le's voice suddenly became angry.
Zhang Xiaomeng lowered her head and held his chin like a kitten. She said faintly, "Just think of it as charity for me. Maybe then you won't be so unhappy."
"Have you ever thought that those big shots who play politics are just using you … Have you ever thought that you're just a girl who doesn't know anything? You're very childish …" Xu Le stood up straight, forgetting that she was still a young girl who wasn't even twenty yet. She looked into Zhang Xiaomeng's eyes with melancholy.
Zhang Xiaomeng smiled, but tears began to flash in her eyes. Her nasal voice was very strong. She said with a sniffling voice, "I am still young. I have to be childish while I can."
At this moment, Xu Le knew that he couldn't persuade her to leave that strange world. He vaguely understood the philosophy and thoughts of some people in this world. At this moment, he began to understand this girl's stubbornness and began to feel the sadness that came early.
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