The First Order

1209 To win a person’s heart and never part

Ren Xiaosu found it a little strange. Ever since Yang Xiaojin arrived in Stronghold 88, she did not even pay a proper visit to the Yang Consortium’s manor. Instead, she just kept bringing him to small stores like the tailor to meet some of her former acquaintances.

“Xiaojin, wait here a moment.” The middle-aged woman in the tailor store wiped her hands and removed her detachable sleeves. Then she walked to the main door and turned the wooden “Open for Business” sign hanging outside to show “Closed.”

It was only 9 AM, but she was already closed for business. It looked like she did not want anyone to disturb her from catching up with Yang Xiaojin.

The tailor store was pretty small, and there were all kinds of fabric hanging from the walls. There was even a pleasant leather aroma in the shop, and it was not musty at all.

The display window was very clean, and so was the floor. Ren Xiaosu could tell that the owner led a very meticulous and fastidious life.

The middle-aged woman looked at Ren Xiaosu with a smile. “I’ll introduce myself. I’m the tailor who’s been making Xiaojin’s clothes since she was young. My name is Lan Jingchu. How about you call just me Auntie Lan? The future commander of the Northwest is indeed different. Just as the legends say, you’re so full of vigor. You look like you can carry off any form of clothing.”

Ren Xiaosu was a little embarrassed by this. When others praised him behind his back for being really strong and remarked that his combat power was off the charts, he could listen to them with delight and even join in on their discussions as though it were nothing.

But the moment he got praised to his face, he even revealed a rare tinge of shyness.

Not many people got to witness this side of him.

However, what Ren Xiaosu was most worried about at this moment was that Yang Xiaojin would suddenly tell him not to address her as Auntie Lan. That was because Auntie Lan was even younger than Grandma Lin.

Fortunately, Yang Xiaojin did not add anything further to the conversation.

“Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll go prepare some tea for you two,” Auntie Lan said as she went into the back room.

There were brown wooden chairs and tables in the shop, with candies and snacks laid out on top of them, which were probably prepared for guests.

Yang Xiaojin picked up a piece of candy and peeled off the wrapper. Then she handed it to Ren Xiaosu. “Try it. This is the taste of my childhood.”

When Ren Xiaosu put the candy into his mouth, a strong, sour plum flavor mixed with his saliva and filled his mouth. For some reason, Ren Xiaosu suddenly felt much more relaxed the moment he placed the candy in his mouth.

Auntie Lan walked out holding a tea tray and looked at Yang Xiaojin. “Did something bring you back to Stronghold 88 this time? Is there anything Auntie Lan can help you with?” With that, she placed two cups of black tea in front of Ren Xiaosu and Yang Xiaojin.

Yang Xiaojin shook her head. She pointed at Ren Xiaosu and said, “It’s nothing serious. Can you make four suits for him so he’ll have spares to wear?”

“I see.” Auntie Lan’s smile widened. “Then I’ll have to make them well. But if it’s four suits, I might have to engage the help of other tailors. Otherwise, it’ll take me a long time to finish them by myself.”

“Mhm, that’s okay.” Yang Xiaojin looked at Ren Xiaosu and asked, “How much will it cost?”

“There’s no need to pay.” Auntie Lan shook her head and said with a smile, “The money the Yang Consortium left in my trust is still untouched. There’s still a lot left. I’ll go get the ledger to show you. There’s even enough to make another 20 sets of suits with the remaining sum.”

Ren Xiaosu secretly clicked his tongue. Were consortiums that generous with their money?

Yang Xiaojin said, “I don’t need to look at the accounts. Auntie Lan, can you help me contact a shoemaker you trust? I want to give Xiaosu here another 12 pairs of shoes.”

When Ren Xiaosu heard this, he was stunned. Even Auntie Lan was in disbelief. “Is there a need for so many?”

“Mhm.” Yang Xiaojin said, “I want the most durable ones.”

At this moment, even Auntie Lan felt that something was not right. Would a normal person want to have so many shoes made all at once?

Meanwhile, Ren Xiaosu felt a little uneasy. This feeling was really like a precursor to separation. It was just like how a wife would prepare a lot of food for her husband before going away, afraid he would go hungry at home if left alone.

If the husband were going away on a long journey, the wife would find ten pairs of shoes at home for him to bring along.

These were parting gifts.

Yes, Yang Xiaojin was acting like she was about to go away on a long trip.

At this moment, Yang Xiaojin only cared about stating the requirements to Auntie Lan. “The suits should be looser at the waistline, under the armpits, and around the shoulders. That’s because he’s really active. Sometimes, a battle will break out all of a sudden. If the suits are too tight, it’ll affect his mobility. On top of that, the shoes have to be very durable too. He’s already worn out several pairs.”

When the strength of a superhuman erupted, the soles of their feet and shoes had to bear a great deal of pressure. Actually, many superhumans had trouble cycling through their footwear. Within just two battles, their shoes would already be split at the seams.

After Yang Xiaojin stated her requirements, Auntie Lan immediately called a shoemaker over. The shoemaker was very professional. He even used clay to make a mold of Ren Xiaosu’s feet and said this was the best method to make the most well-fitting shoes.

Honestly, this was the first time in his life Ren Xiaosu had enjoyed such treatment.

After the mold of his feet was completed, Yang Xiaojin continued inquiring how long the job would take, and if she could pay more to get it done faster.

Then she asked if she could add shoe padding into the requirements and whatnot. She only wanted the best features to be added.

At this moment, Yang Xiaojin no longer looked like she was someone who fought in battle. Instead, she had a more gentle appearance.

After the shoemaker left, Yang Xiaojin suddenly asked Auntie Lan, “Where’s Uncle Li? Why haven’t I seen him around? Is he off today?”

Auntie Lan, who was choosing the fabric for the suits, paused for a moment before slowly saying, “On the night Stronghold 88 was attacked, he was knocked down by someone in a car who was trying to escape. After that, he never regained consciousness.”

That night, Ren Xiaosu had led Yan Liuyuan and the others to leave first. But before they left, the Li Consortium’s nanosoldiers had already arrived at the stronghold and started attacking wantonly.

That war did not have much to do with Ren Xiaosu. However, the reason why the Li Consortium’s nanosoldiers were able to break through the Qing Consortium’s defensive line and reach the Yang Consortium was because of Qing Zhen’s intention.

That was why some people said that no snowflake in an avalanche was innocent.

But from Ren Xiaosu’s point of view, he could not say that Qing Zhen’s choice was wrong.

In such a sorrowful era, everyone was like a drowning person. If they wanted to swim out of the water to breathe, the only people they could rely on and trust were themselves.

‘If you’re not strong enough, don’t even think about saving other victims. Because you will end up getting grabbed by the neck and sink to the bottom of the sea together with them.’

Auntie Lan said softly, “It was his birthday that day. I closed the shop early and went home to make dinner. He said he wanted to take a customer’s measurements before heading back. In the end, I found out later he actually went to the flower market to buy a bouquet of roses for me. When I found him, the roses were scattered around his body and soaked in his blood.”

Yang Xiaojin was stunned and did not say anything. But Auntie Lan did not look too sad. In this era, who wasn’t used to seeing people die?

According to the Qing Consortium’s statistics, the average lifespan of the Qing Consortium’s residents for the past ten years was only 51. On one hand, it was due to a lack of basic supplies. On the other hand, their medical standards were much worse when compared to the Pre-Cataclysm times.

Ren Xiaosu remembered that before The Cataclysm, the average lifespan in many cities had already exceeded 70 years. There were even first-tier cities where residents had an average lifespan of over 83. This was the change brought about by improving medical standards.

Therefore, this was an era where everyone was used to bidding farewell.

It was not that people wanted to be good at it, but that life forced them to get used to all of it.

When they stepped out of the tailor store, Yang Xiaojin took a deep breath and said, “Xiaosu, when the clothes are ready, leave two gold bars for Auntie Lan as payment in case she has any emergencies.”

“Mhm, I will.” Ren Xiaosu nodded.

“Let’s go. It’s already noon, so I’ll treat you to some beef pie. When I was young, beef pie was my favorite snack. It smells even better than the food at home,” Yang Xiaojin said. She thought for a moment and said, “I’ll take you to shop for other things in the afternoon.”

Ren Xiaosu fell silent. He did not know what other things she was referring to.

While walking the streets, he could feel Yang Xiaojin’s deep longing for this stronghold. Even though she did not have much feelings for the Yang Consortium, this place still held happy memories of her childhood.

In the afternoon, Yang Xiaojin bought him three brand-new jackets, the best quality ones.

In these times, people who could afford jackets were basically those who were wealthy and respectable. After all, there were too few who could afford to leave the strongholds and had a use for them.

At the outdoor supply store, Yang Xiaojin even bought the best shovels, tents, thermal blankets, and even oxygen tanks for emergency use.

Yang Xiaojin was so generous with her purchases it dumbfounded Ren Xiaosu.

In the evening, this girl in the cap even went off to buy a lot of fresh seasonings for Ren Xiaosu. She bought every type of seasoning by the jar.

Salt, pepper, chili powder, bean sauce, fresh soy sauce, oyster sauce, MSG…

There was everything.

This feeling was as though Yang Xiaojin were afraid Ren Xiaosu would not have everything at his convenience when living alone.

Finally, Yang Xiaojin even bought the most expensive Ginkgo-branded waterproof watch in Stronghold 88 for Ren Xiaosu.

The owner said the watch was extremely sturdy. A friend of his had accidentally fallen down the stairs while wearing one, but it remained undamaged.

The only pity was that while the watch was not broken, his friend had fallen to his death.

As someone with memories of both the Pre-Cataclysm and Post-Cataclysm civilizations, Ren Xiaosu felt a little emotional when shopping for the watch.

Before The Cataclysm, some watches could easily fetch hundreds of thousands to even millions of yuan, and it might not even be possible to buy them.

If one wanted to purchase a highly sought-after timepiece over the counter, they would have to get two cheaper watches with it as a bundle. The cost of such a purchase was almost the price of a best-selling car model.

But it was all good now. Shopping for the most expensive watch, the owner of the shop even served him happily like some sort of VIP.

After stepping out of the watch store, Ren Xiaosu looked at the gradually darkening sky and could not help but say, “Xiaojin, if you have anything to tell me, you can just speak bluntly….”

Yang Xiaojin glanced at him. “We’ll have that talk sooner or later, so don’t get too anxious.”

She then found an office supply store and bought a fountain pen and a small notebook.

When Ren Xiaosu saw her buying those items, his heart skipped a beat. Was she going to write to him? The kind where she would leave a letter behind without bidding farewell?

After returning to the hotel that night, Yang Xiaojin locked herself in her room and told Ren Xiaosu not to go to bed yet. Yang Xiaojin said that no matter what doubts Ren Xiaosu had, he would get an answer tonight.

It was summer. The night breeze started blowing.

Ren Xiaosu climbed to the top of the hotel alone through the window. He quietly watched the myriad of twinkling lights in the city and suddenly felt a little lonely.

It was an unprecedented sense of loneliness.

Actually, Ren Xiaosu had never mentioned his problems to anyone before. Even Yan Liuyuan had not heard him sharing them before.

Sometimes, Ren Xiaosu felt like he did not deserve to have a family.

It wasn’t easy for him to finally take in a disciple, but that disciple had become petrified in stone. It wasn’t easy to gather a group of bandits who wanted to rebuild their homes, but those bandits had all perished. It wasn’t easy for him to have a younger brother, but that brother went to reside in the Northern Plains. It wasn’t easy for him to have an elder like Jiang Xu to look up to, but in the end, Jiang Xu was assassinated.

Ren Xiaosu felt like he was walking alone on a long and dark boulevard. When he turned around, he realized no one was waiting for him under that dim yellow street light.

Under the glow of the light, only farewells were waiting.

“Master, I’ll be leaving now.”

“Bro, I can’t go back anymore.”

“Xiaosu, take care.”

The warm summer night breeze caressed his face gently and died down. The humid air in the south was like a hot and wet breath, and the occasional coolness in the wind was like a singer’s humming after the guitar was strummed.

Ren Xiaosu looked back within his memories and realized it was still only him on this long journey thus far.

There were only muddy footprints and messy brambles on the surface of that road.

Other than that, nothing lingered.

“I’m such a jinx.” Ren Xiaosu laughed bitterly. “I can’t even keep my family intact.”

So it turned out he would be the only one left in that house on Stronghold 144’s Anning East Road in the end. Yang Xiaojin did not actually want to go back there.

A young man’s thoughts were complicated, fragile, and sensitive. Ren Xiaosu, who was experiencing love for the first time, was just as worried as every other young man.

But at this moment, a window below him opened. Yang Xiaojin poked her head out and waved at Ren Xiaosu who was on the roof.

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. He thought she was going to leave behind a letter for him, but in the end… it turned out a little different from what he had imagined.

He climbed down along the exterior wall. When he went into Yang Xiaojin’s room through the window, he saw her hand the small notebook to him.

“This?” Ren Xiaosu hesitated. He was a little afraid to open it.

However, Yang Xiaojin’s silence and calm over the past two days had changed. She smiled and said, “Open it and you’ll know.”

Ren Xiaosu flipped to the first page. In the center of the notebook was written: “Cool Down Coupon.”

Flipping over from the first page, there was an explanation on the back: “Use this coupon and I won’t stay angry at you. I’ll even give you a big hug.”

On the second page was written in the center of the notebook: “Leave Anytime Coupon.”

Turning over the page, the explanation was written on the back: “When you use this coupon, I’ll accompany you even to the ends of the world.”

The third page was the “Gentle and Caring Coupon.” “When you use this coupon, I’ll turn into the gentlest angel for a day.”

The fourth page was labeled “Massage Coupon.” “Use this coupon to get a 120-minute massage from me, your top masseuse specializing in chiropracty.”

The fifth page was “Luxury Breakfast Coupon.” “Use this coupon to…”

Ren Xiaosu flipped through the pages one by one. The “Privilege Coupons” were like warm red charcoal delivered on a snowy day, washing away his bad mood.

There were a total of 99 pages of privilege coupons. On the last page was written: “Validity: Forever.”

“With love, Yang Xiaojin.”

Ren Xiaosu looked up at her in silence. He wanted to say something, but he could not come up with any words at all.

Yang Xiaojin smiled and said, “It’s my gift to you. Do you like it?”

“Yes, I do.” Ren Xiaosu took a deep breath and said, “But these past two days, you’ve been…”

“You mean I’ve been ignoring you, right? I was just trying to spite you.” Yang Xiaojin said with a laugh, “The next time you run off to such a faraway place without saying a word to me, there’ll be even more cruel punishments waiting for you. Ren Xiaosu, remember this. If you embark on another risky adventure alone, I’ll beat you up.”

Ren Xiaosu was speechless.

“Anything else you’d like to know?”

“Why are you so insistent on risking your life with me?” Ren Xiaosu asked softly.

Yang Xiaojin answered in seriousness, “I’ve lost you once before, so I swore I’ll never lose you again in this lifetime.”

Ren Xiaosu asked again, “Then why did you suddenly give me so many gifts? Those clothes, those shoes, and…”

“When I found out that you were 240 years old, I was actually quite disappointed.” Yang Xiaojin said, “It turned out I’ve missed out on over 200 years of your life.”

At that moment in the Kingdom of Sorcerers, Yang Xiaojin suddenly felt like she was watching Ren Xiaosu from across the long river of time. Yang Xiaojin felt even more alone than Ren Xiaosu. It was as though there were a hand in the river of time pulling Ren Xiaosu away from her.

However, Yang Xiaojin was an extremely forthright person. Since distance had opened up between them, she would just have to close it again.

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. Just as he was about to say something, Yang Xiaojin cut him off and said, “Don’t speak yet. Let me speak.”

“These past two days, I’ve brought you to my favorite bun restaurant and also my favorite tailor store, including the place where I used to shop for outdoor necessities.” Yang Xiaojin said, “Actually, I just wanted to show you how I led my life in the past so you can understand the current me standing in front of you. It would be just like you had been living by my side all this time.

“The reason for my gifts to you is because I wanted to make up for the fact that I’ve missed out on your life. Every time I think about how you didn’t have me for 221 years of your life, I can’t help but feel disappointed. So I wanted to make up for 240 of your birthdays so I won’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything. In the future, since you’ve already accepted my gifts, you’ll have to treat it as though I’ve always been by your side for the past 240 years.”

She hugged Ren Xiaosu gently and placed her face between his shoulder and neck. “Xiaosu, this is the first time we’ve been in love. I don’t know how to maintain this relationship, nor do I know how to express my feelings. All I can do is not hold myself back from loving you.”

Ren Xiaosu stared blankly at the girl in the cap in front of him. That was right. This was the first time in their lives that they were in love, and neither of them was prepared for it. This was a passionate relationship that had arrived without any warning.

Their love seemed to be more intense than other people’s. They had fought side by side, gone through life and death together, been separated, and then reunited again.

The other party did not have any dating experience, but she treated him with the most sincere feelings.

People always said that companionship was the most endearing form of farewell.

Yang Xiaojin wanted to be with him for his entire life, regardless of whether it was the past or the future.

Ren Xiaosu suddenly asked, “Why didn’t your Enchanted Doorway open to our home in Stronghold 144? The sorcerers said that the enchanted doorway opens to where you’d want to go most….”

But this time, Yang Xiaojin was clearly taken aback. “That’s my home. I can go back at any time, so why would I open the enchanted doorway there?”

When she said that, Ren Xiaosu was stunned.

The destination the enchanted doorway opened to was actually what the heart desired most. Everyone’s psychological needs were different at each stage. Children desired to go to the candy store, while Chen Jiu desired to escape to the beach to avoid the secular world. These were all places they could not reach on their own.

But based on Yang Xiaojin’s logic, the way the enchanted doorway worked was that it could bring the user to a place they were unable to reach.

Ren Xiaosu had never had a home all this while, so even though he had a “home” now, he still felt a little worried.

Moreover, he was in the Kingdom of Sorcerers at the time his Enchanted Doorway was activated. He was thousands of kilometers away from home without Yang Xiaojin by his side.

But Yang Xiaojin was different. She had subconsciously regarded that place as her home, so her inner desire to see that place had lowered. After all, she could head back there any time she wanted.

Ren Xiaosu somehow felt that something was off. “Aren’t you afraid of losing that home?”

“Afraid to lose it?” Yang Xiaojin asked curiously, “How? Are you going to abandon me? Do you dare?”

“Ahem.” Ren Xiaosu hurriedly said, “I wouldn’t dare….”

“There’s your answer!” Yang Xiaojin said.

In fact, it was Yang Xiaojin who reached a state of emotional stability first. She already felt secure, but Ren Xiaosu still didn’t.

Ren Xiaosu sighed. “For the past few days, I thought you were bothered by my age and wanted to leave without saying goodbye.”

Yang Xiaojin’s lips curved up. “If I didn’t teach you a lesson, what would I do if you ran away without informing me again in the future?”

“I won’t do that again,” Ren Xiaosu hurriedly promised.

“That’s more like it.” Yang Xiaojin said proudly, “But it’ll just be a little troublesome to celebrate your birthday in the future. We’ll have to put 240 candles on your cake. Just the thought of that is terrifying. Do you know how scared your friends will be when they celebrate your birthday?”

Ren Xiaosu was speechless. Why did she have to say such a thing at a time like this?!

“By the way,” Ren Xiaosu asked, “were you counting my age when you bought those gifts for me? You’ve given me 240 presents already?”

Yang Xiaojin shook her head and said, “No, it’s at 239 right now. Including the 99 privileged coupons, you’ve only received 239 presents.”

Ren Xiaosu was stunned. “Then what’s the last one that’s missing?”

Yang Xiaojin suddenly took off her cap and said softly, “I’m the 240th present.”

Ren Xiaosu shuddered. “Please don’t objectify women—”

But before he could finish speaking, he saw Yang Xiaojin throwing her cap aside to cover the light in the room. “Let’s see how much longer you’re gonna cower!”

The triumphant soldier had returned, and his beloved no longer needed to wait in worry.

Ren Xiaosu suddenly remembered what his father had said to him in that letter. “Xiaosu, have you already found someone you love?

“Love is when you suddenly feel like you don’t have to conquer the world, that you don’t have to make a name for yourself, that you don’t have to be successful, that you don’t have to be rich, and still feel a sense of bliss.

“You might even feel like you’ve lost a little of that ambition and still think it’s not a bad thing.

“It’s when you grow conscientious of everything yet are able to reach a compromise on all of them.”

Love was about being a nervous wreck. Some people would grow old in loneliness, while others would finally get to know that all of this nervousness and waiting was worth it.

Love was about meeting someone at the right moment who could make a lifetime commitment.

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