Chapter 35: Let's Live Together

The first photo on the phone was of a man in a Huaxia military uniform, robust and imposing. A dark beret perched atop his head, his face streaked with camouflage paint so thick his features were nearly unrecognizable. Headphones dangled from his ears, connected to a small microphone. An automatic rifle rested in his hands, his waist encircled by a multitude of gear pouches, and wrist and knee guards strapped to his limbs. He crouched before the flag of Huaxia, foolishly forming a peace sign with his fingers, a naive grin plastered across his face.

"His name is Lin Luohua, nicknamed 'Bear.' He was my comrade, and he is Lin Lin's father," Hua Tianyu spoke slowly, his voice deep and resonant.

After he finished, he swiped the screen downward. The second photo was much simpler: a gravestone, with a bouquet of flowers laid before it.

On the gravestone, the words "Lin Luohua, Martyr's Tomb" were carved in bold strokes, piercing the soul and bringing tears to one’s eyes.

"There is no such thing as tranquil times; it’s only because someone else bears the burdens and marches forward for you. You can sit here quietly reading, those students can listen to your lectures in peace, and you think the world is only filled with harmony?" Hua Tianyu's voice etched each word into the depths of their souls.

"Huaxia's peace has been bought with the sacrifices of its soldiers. The nation may know no war, but in the military, sacrifice is inevitable!"

"Please don't say that Lin Lin has no one to care for her. You must understand, if her father hadn't abandoned his own small family, there would be countless children in Huaxia without anyone to care for them."

"Lin Lin's biological father can never return, but today I stand behind her—I am here! If Lin Lin is willing, I believe every soldier in Huaxia would stand behind her. Tell me, Teacher Zhong, may I stand here in her father's place?"

Though Hua Tianyu’s voice was not loud, each word was clear and penetrated Zhong Zhixing’s ears.

The tears that had gathered in Lin Lin’s eyes finally spilled over. She had suspected before, but hearing Hua Tianyu openly speak of Lin Luohua’s death, she could not hold back.

Previously, Hua Tianyu had kept silent, so she pretended not to know. She had grown accustomed to a life without her father’s presence.

She could always pretend her father was simply away, and imagine Lin Luohua would someday return. Now, Hua Tianyu had shattered that illusion with his own hands.

"Here," Zhong Zhixing silently handed Lin Lin a tissue from the desk, sighing inwardly.

"I apologize for what I said." He had not expected Lin Lin’s circumstances to be so grave; Huaxia’s soldiers were the most sacred in his heart. His earlier words had been harsh for Lin Lin, and as an upright man, he hurriedly offered his apology.

"Now can we talk? You won’t chase us out anymore?" Hearing Zhong Zhixing’s apology, Hua Tianyu’s smile returned.

"We can talk, of course. Let’s sit down and talk." Zhong Zhixing gladly agreed, pulling two chairs over for them. "About Lin Lin’s elective biology class, I see her main issue on the exam paper is…"

Half an hour later, Hua Tianyu and Lin Lin emerged from the yellow door of the office. Side by side, they walked slowly, neither speaking.

"Not blaming me anymore?" Hua Tianyu broke the silence first.

"I am blaming you! I want to beat you up." Lin Lin’s tone was remarkably calm.

"Why don’t you do it then?" Seeing her say so but not make a move, Hua Tianyu asked.

"I can’t win…" Lin Lin shot him a glance. "But my dad could have beaten you, right?"

"Your dad… He could take on ten like me!" Hua Tianyu laughed. At this moment, he wanted to preserve the heroic image of a father in his daughter’s heart.

"Weakling! How will you protect me in the future?"

Hua Tianyu: "…"

He’d just established a hierarchy of strength, yet it collapsed so quickly!

"Who did you get to pretend to be your guardian for Teacher Zhong?" Hua Tianyu shifted the topic, voicing a question that had been on his mind.

"I asked Xia Yang to pretend to be my dad…"

"The one at Xingyu Bar, with a big earring on his right ear, skinny?" Hua Tianyu was dumbfounded. Girl, couldn’t you pick a more convincing extra…

"Lin Lin," they happened to walk past the basketball court. Hua Tianyu pointed inside, "Anyone in there would have looked more like your dad than Xia Yang."

"But they’re my classmates…" Lin Lin’s face darkened, "How could I ever face my classmates again if I made them pretend to be my dad?"

Hua Tianyu followed the direction of his finger, seeing two basketball teams playing a match. The scoreboard nearby read in bold characters: Shangjiang Academy Sports Department vs. Shangjiang Jianhe University Sports Department.

Hua Tianyu: "…Such a coincidence?"

He hurried to smooth things over, and changed the subject: "But, to get back to it, aren’t you in the sports department? Why did you choose such a difficult biology elective?"

"Our school’s electives are snatched up in seconds. At first, I wanted to grab 'Reading and Appreciation of Genesis Literature,' but it was so popular I couldn’t get in. In the end, I could only pick biology, since it still had spots." Lin Lin looked helpless.

"Couldn’t get in? When you read Genesis novels, do you bookmark them? Do you vote for recommendations after you read the updates? Do you subscribe to the official version?" Hua Tianyu asked.

"…I don’t think I do any of that." Lin Lin broke out in a cold sweat.

"That explains it! Remember: bookmark, vote, subscribe legally. Then you’ll get whatever you want, and win every draw!" As he admonished Lin Lin, Hua Tianyu caught a basketball that rolled over to them, though the boy chasing it wasn’t so lucky—he crashed hard into the basketball hoop.

Lin Lin quickly supported him, and Hua Tianyu came over to take a look. It wasn’t serious, just the eye socket hitting the hoop, swelling so badly he couldn’t see out of that eye for the moment.

"Du Xinghao, you’re hurt like this, take a rest!" This boy was also one of Lin Lin’s classmates.

"No, no, before the game we agreed—the losing side has to dress up as women and sing ‘Conquer.’" Covering his eye, Du Xinghao insisted on going back in.

"Dressing up and singing ‘Conquer’? College students these days really know how to have fun?"

A bit surprised, Hua Tianyu glanced back at the scoreboard:

Shangjiang Academy Sports Department 50: Shangjiang Jianhe University Sports Department 68

With this score, it seemed the performers for ‘Conquer’ had already been decided!

"Du Xinghao, can you still play?"

"If you can, get back on the court!"

The players from both teams gathered noisily around, checking Du Xinghao’s injury.

Number 5 from Shangjiang Jianhe, Zuo Wenyi, pushed aside the two blocking his way and approached Du Xinghao, examining him closely. Suddenly, he grinned triumphantly, "Du Xinghao, you’re the shooting guard, right? You’re in this shape and still want to turn the score around? Ha!"

"Hey, look who this is?" Number 6, Bao Hongwen from Shangjiang Jianhe, bumped Zuo Wenyi with his shoulder and pointed at Lin Lin.