Orange Storm chapter 70
Act of Valor
“…No need,” Jiang Zhijin glanced at Gu Wenyao and said, “It’s quite cold outside.”
That day was overcast, and the sun didn’t show up, making it quite chilly in the middle of winter. Gu Wenyao just checked his watch.
“It’s okay, they should be here soon.”
Seeing that, Jiang Zhijin didn’t persuade further. The two stood together at the entrance of the restaurant until the arrival of the others. They didn’t exchange words during this time. However, some latecomers noticed them and joked, “The captain and the deputy captain are welcoming people at the door.”
Another person laughed and said, “Well, they had the best relationship back then.”
Jiang Zhijin didn’t say much, just patted the other guy on the back and said, “Let’s go inside.”
The gathering of comrades who hadn’t seen each other in years became lively. People filled a large table, drinking and chatting. They reminisced about their time in the military, talked about the past few years, and shared stories about their families. Many of them were already married, with kids, and started showing off their children one by one.
Chen Bo sat next to Jiang Zhijin and, after showcasing his baby daughter, turned to him.
“Captain, didn’t you say we could bring family members?”
“Let me off the hook,” Jiang Zhijin laughed. “He’s really busy.”
At this time, the kids should still be attending evening self-study.
After some teasing, they finally began discussing other topics. Jiang Zhijin took out his phone and checked the time: 10:35 PM.
He excused himself, pulled out a chair, left the private room, and went to the entrance. He made a call to Fang Xing and, once connected, said, “School’s over?”
“Yeah,” Fang Xing’s voice came through with the wind. “Waiting for the bus.”
“Let me know when you get home. After finishing your revision, get some rest.”
“Got it,” Fang Xing replied and asked, “Had quite a bit to drink, huh?”
The tone was quite certain. Jiang Zhijin chuckled, “How did you know?”
“I can tell,” Fang Xing said.
“Quite impressive,” Jiang Zhijin laughed.
“Have the waiter pour you a cup of hot tea. Quietly drink it while no one’s paying attention. Call me when you take a cab back, and I’ll pick you up at the entrance of the community.” Fang Xing continued.
Jiang Zhijin was probably just a bit tipsy from drinking too much, far from needing someone to pick him up. But Fang Xing spoke this much without interruption, and Jiang Zhijin didn’t interrupt, smiling all the while.
At times like this, Jiang Zhijin would feel that Fang Xing was an adult similar to himself—too serious and meticulous, considering every aspect, especially about him.
After a pause, Fang Xing continued, “Pay attention to keeping your distance from your ex-boyfriend. Your current boyfriend is waiting for you at home.”
…Sometimes, he could be so cute with his jealousy.
Jiang Zhijin chuckled, “Got it.”
As he said that, he casually raised his head to look across the street.
Across the road was a KTV with a large crowd. Many fashionable and attractive young men and women were going in and out.
Just as he was about to retract his gaze, he saw a girl coming out of there. She sat on the edge of a flower bed, appearing to be drunk and making a phone call.
“Hang up, and wait for the bus,” Jiang Zhijin advised when he glanced over.
After he hung up, Jiang Zhijin didn’t rush back to the private room. He walked a few steps to the smoking area, pulled out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and looked at the girl across the street. He then reached out for the lighter.
After two attempts without success, someone handed it over. Jiang Zhijin turned to look, and it was Gu Wenyao.
Jiang Zhijin glanced at him with some surprise, “Why are you out here?”
Gu Wenyao gestured to the cigarette in his hand, “Smoking. Saw you making a call just now, so I didn’t come over.”
Meaning he didn’t hear the content of Jiang Zhijin’s call.
Jiang Zhijin hesitated for a few seconds, took the lighter, and said, “Thanks.”
While lighting the cigarette, Jiang Zhijin handed the lighter back to Gu Wenyao, who took it and put it back in his bag. Then, he turned to look at Jiang Zhijin.
“How have you been these years?”
“Pretty good,” Jiang Zhijin replied, “Did you become an instructor as planned?”
“Just completed one year,” Gu Wenyao said.
Jiang Zhijin wasn’t particularly surprised, “That’s good. When you first arrived in the army, you were quite ambitious.”
Gu Wenyao was the kind of person who wanted to excel in everything. Jiang Zhijin remembered when he first entered the army, failing the initial weight-bearing run assessment. He practiced alone for over a month. At that time, the leaders in the army jokingly called him the “Iron Man.”
Some even said that the second Jiang Zhijin had arrived.
“You worked harder than me. If things hadn’t happened back then, and you stayed in the army—”
Speaking halfway, Gu Wenyao paused and didn’t continue. Jiang Zhijin just smiled, “It’s all in the past.”
Jiang Zhijin didn’t look at the person while speaking, but rather across the street.
The girl made a few calls, seemingly not getting through. She threw her phone down and turned to vomit into the flower bed.
On such a cold day, she was wearing a dress, only covering herself with a coat outside. She looked extremely cold. After vomiting, she leaned against the flower bed and fell
After a brief pause, Gu Wenyao continued, “When you came out, you were calling—”
“Family,” Jiang Zhijin glanced at him and said.
Gu Wenyao’s words stopped there.
He looked at Jiang Zhijin for a moment, nodded to indicate he understood, and smiled, “Quite straightforward.”
Jiang Zhijin also smiled and glanced across the street again.
The girl was still lying there, and occasional passersby paid no attention. Jiang Zhijin swept his gaze to the side of the girl; a few men had been standing not far away for quite some time, gradually moving closer to the girl.
Jiang Zhijin’s smile faded, he frowned, and then turned to Gu Wenyao, “Wait for me a moment.”
After saying that, he walked quickly across the road. Gu Wenyao was caught off guard, standing still and watching him cross the street.
The three men had reached the girl’s side, bending down and reaching out to pull her up. Jiang Zhijin quickened his pace in the last few steps, almost running. He rushed over and grabbed the girl’s other hand.
After grabbing her, he looked up at the three men and asked the one holding the girl’s other hand, “What are you doing?”
The girl mumbled something incoherent, still appearing half-awake. The guy holding her other hand probably didn’t expect someone to rush out suddenly. After a moment of bewilderment, he angrily retorted, “I’m picking up my girlfriend. What the hell are you doing?”
The three men in front looked no older than 25, with fierce faces and exaggerated dyed hair. Jiang Zhijin quickly glanced at them; the person talking to him had a slightly bulging pocket on his pants, probably carrying a dagger or something.
“Your girlfriend?” Jiang Zhijin withdrew his gaze. “What’s her name? How old is she? Do you have any contact information?”
Gu Wenyao, on the other hand, had also realized the situation and extinguished his cigarette, striding towards Jiang Zhijin.
The leader of the young men, being questioned so directly, grew a bit embarrassed and then stared at Jiang Zhijin, “Who are you? It’s none of your damn business.”
“Don’t play this game.” Jiang Zhijin spoke expressionlessly. “Either let go quickly, or I’ll call the police.”
The three men burst into laughter, and one of them, looking defiant, said, “I haven’t done anything. What can the police do?”
Jiang Zhijin turned to glance at him; the guy wore a carefree smile. Jiang Zhijin smiled back at him.
“There’s another way,” Jiang Zhijin spoke at a moderate pace. “I can make you lie down here right now.”
“Fuck you—”
The guy got furious, dropped the girl, and charged at Jiang Zhijin. Jiang Zhijin was faster, landing a firm kick in the guy’s stomach!
The one who had cursed at Jiang Zhijin earlier saw this and, cursing again, pulled out a dagger from his bag. At this point, Gu Wenyao had arrived, kicked the guy’s hand, sent the knife flying, and then grabbed the guy, throwing him to the ground.
One retired soldier, one currently serving, dealing with three street thugs, it was effortless. In just a couple of moves, all three were lying down. A group of onlookers kept their distance.
Jiang Zhijin quickly called the police, then went to check on the intoxicated girl.
She probably hadn’t fully recovered; she was shivering, either from the cold or fear, crouching on the side. Jiang Zhijin took off his coat and handed it to her. Glancing at Gu Wenyao, he shook his head, “No need.”
Gu Wenyao’s coat hung in the air for a few seconds before he finally put it back on.
The police arrived promptly. Street brawling required everyone to go to the police station for recording statements, and the gathering was disrupted. Jiang Zhijin felt a bit of a headache. He turned to Gu Wenyao, “Could you inform them?”
Gu Wenyao nodded, showed his military officer’s ID, and explained a few words to the police. Afterward, he returned to the restaurant. When they came out again, they got into the police car together.
The police car’s roof lights flickered, casting changing shadows on the window. It was quite surreal tonight. Gu Wenyao looked at Jiang Zhijin with a bit of helplessness and amusement.
“They are really anxious. It’s just a gathering of comrades, and in the time it takes to smoke a cigarette, two people end up being taken away by the police. They almost rushed out together. I told them we’d come back after making a statement.”
The police in front glanced at them and joked, “Defending justice at a comrades’ gathering, isn’t that nice?”
Jiang Zhijin couldn’t help but laugh. Before he could say anything, his phone in the bag rang. He took it out and glanced at the screen.
Fang Xing: “Still not done?”
Well, there’s someone even more anxious.