174: Chapter 174: The news of the general's appointment silenced the entire internet.

When the business van entered the villa driveway, the back seat was already silent.

Song Yaoshan was curled up in his seatbelt, an oxygen mask still hanging around his neck, and two streaks of soot under his nose hadn't been wiped clean.

Li Li withdrew his hand from the armrest.

Jiang Rumu withdrew hers too, half a beat slower than him.

There was a ten-centimeter gap between them.

Very safe.

And very fake.

Cen Ye turned back from the passenger seat and yawned.

"We're here. Brother Li, is your hand okay?"

Li Li glanced at his left wrist.

The tape Jiang Rumu had temporarily wrapped around it was still there, strikingly white.

"I won't die."

"That's good then."

Cen Ye tilted his chin.

"What about the kid?"

Li Li turned his head and looked at Song Yaoshan for two seconds.

Li Li raised his hand and patted his head.

"Wake up."

Song Yaoshan bolted upright.

"Brother Li! My will."

"Wake up, we're home."

Song Yaoshan blinked twice before he realized what was happening.

"Oh."

The lights in the villa living room were on, and the red lights of the fixed cameras were also glowing.

The livestream was still ongoing.

As soon as Cen Ye entered, he sprawled onto the sofa and almost propped his legs up on the coffee table, but after a look from Fang Ruowei, he quietly put them down.

Han Xubai went to the fridge to get water and handed a bottle to Yin Ruoying.

Yin Ruoying took it and glanced at the bottle label.

"Nongfu Spring?"

Han Xubai unscrewed his own bottle.

"What, not legally binding enough?"

"I thought you'd hand me the Procedural Law."

"That stuff doesn't quench thirst."

Fang Ruowei sat down with her herbal tea and picked up the remote.

"Brave Blue Friends is still a while away, shall we watch the news first?"

Wen Tang sat in the corner, propped up her phone, and reopened the livestream room.

Li Li pressed Song Yaoshan to the dining table and pushed a glass of warm water toward him.

"Drink. Don't talk."

Song Yaoshan held the cup with both hands, looking uncharacteristically obedient.

The large screen switched to the CCTV news channel.

The anchor was broadcasting a notice from the Ministry of Culture.

Li Li didn't pay close attention and sat by the sofa when his phone buzzed.

It was Shen Yu.

Shen Yu: [Brother Li, that part with your fire axe today went viral again.]

Shen Yu: [My roommate watched it and cried.]

Li Li stared at the word "roommate."

Where would Shen Yu get a roommate?

They were all guests.

Fabricating a friend out of thin air.

It was obvious who had cried.

He didn't reply and turned his phone face down.

Yin Ruoying leaned against the sofa and suddenly spoke.

"The Brave Blue Friends side is off tomorrow, right?"

Li Li nodded.

"It's a rest day the Fire Station gave the Production Team, no duty."

"Then I have a suggestion."

Yin Ruoying brushed her hair, and her earrings swayed.

"Let's all go to Hong Kong for a trip tomorrow. We can call Shen Yu, Gu Zeyan, and Qi Wanyin too. It's a Dating Reality Show reunion; it'll be lively with more people, and the Production Team will have material."

"But I have a gala in Hong Kong tomorrow night, so we have to go to Hong Kong. I hope everyone understands."

Han Xubai took a sip of water.

"What gala?"

Yin Ruoying took out her phone and opened a photo of a gold-stamped invitation.

"Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Asian Financial Summit gala."

The living room went quiet for half a second.

Cen Ye looked at her.

"You're a short-drama actor, going to a financial summit?"

Yin Ruoying rolled her eyes at him.

"Company got the invitation, and President Zhou asked me to represent the Company."

She pushed the photo of the invitation forward a bit.

"Hosted by the Li family. Very high profile."

Fang Ruowei leaned in to take a look.

"This invitation is so formal."

Han Xubai had already started searching.

"There are several chairmen of listed companies on the attendee list; it's certainly not low profile."

Yin Ruoying took back her phone and leaned back on the sofa.

She had just built up that momentum.

Jiang Rumu spoke up.

"The one at the Mandarin Oriental?"

Yin Ruoying turned her head.

"Yes."

Jiang Rumu looked down and scrolled through her phone.

"Little Superman Li sent me an invitation too."

The living room fell silent.

The water bottle in Yin Ruoying's hand paused in mid-air.

Jiang Rumu kept scrolling.

"I wasn't going to go. Since you're going, I'll go and sit for a while too."

Yin Ruoying put the water bottle back on the coffee table.

Her voice was very soft.

She didn't say anything else.

Cen Ye lay on the sofa armrest, his brain whirring for a long time.

Little Superman Li.

The Li family.

Inviting Jiang Rumu directly.

Do they know each other from home?

He gave up.

This question was out of his league.

Han Xubai pushed up his glasses.

"Mumu, Little Superman Li and you..."

Jiang Rumu locked her screen.

"We know each other from home."

Four words.

Yin Ruoying's invitation, just moments ago, suddenly lost its weight.

Li Li picked up his phone and sent a message to Shen Yu.

Li Li: [Going to Hong Kong to hang out tomorrow. Tell Gu Zeyan and Qi Wanyin.]

Shen Yu replied instantly.

Shen Yu: [Received, Brother Li!]

Shen Yu: [Sister Qi Wanyin was just saying in the group chat that she wanted to grab a meal.]

Li Li put down his phone and looked at the TV.

The news channel switched to the next segment.

The scene changed.

Golden Hall.

Red background.

August 1st Army Emblem.

The anchor's voice was steady.

"This morning, the Central Military Commission held a ceremony in Beijing for the promotion of the rank of General."

Li Li hadn't paid much attention initially.

He had seen such news many times on the public TV at the orphanage when he was a child.

Usually, it would only be broadcast in its entirety when no one was fighting for the remote.

But the next second, the camera zoomed in.

Li Li froze completely.

Standing in front of the promotion platform was a soldier.

Broad shoulders and a straight back, with frost at his temples.

The rank was handed over.

Stand at attention.

Salute.

Two characters appeared at the bottom of the screen.

General Jiang Zhan.

Li Li's Adam's apple bobbed.

He didn't speak immediately.

His first reaction wasn't gossip.

It was that the livestream was still on.

A name like that shouldn't be discussed in a variety show livestream.

He slowly turned his head to look at Jiang Rumu.

Jiang Rumu was also watching the TV.

Her phone screen had already gone dark.

She wasn't shocked.

It was more like she had just found out too.

Their gazes met for a moment.

Jiang Rumu didn't speak.

Li Li didn't speak either.

But the livestream chat had already exploded.

[Wait, General Jiang Zhan? Jiang Rumu?]

[Both surnamed Jiang? It's not that Jiang I'm thinking of, right?]

[Li Li just looked at Jiang Rumu! I saw it!]

[Holy crap, is this background real or fake?]

[Dare not say, can anyone who knows explain?]

[Stop talking, stop talking, I'm afraid my account will be gone.]

The chat scrolled faster and faster.

Cen Ye was still discussing what to eat in Hong Kong tomorrow with Han Xubai and hadn't noticed at all.

Fang Ruowei looked down to drink tea, her cup covering half her face.

Wen Tang watched her own livestream, her finger hovering over the screen, not daring to click.

The next second.

The livestream screen went black.

A line of grey text popped up on the phone screen.

"The current livestream is temporarily interrupted, please try again later."

Three seconds later.

The picture returned.

The living room was still the same living room.

The people were still the same people.

But the chat had changed.

[? I just typed JZ, and it was swallowed.]

[Me too, I can't send it.]

[SJ plus Jiang doesn't work either.]

[Did the platform add sensitive words?]

[This reaction speed... those who know, know.]

Cen Ye finally saw the chat.

He sat up straight, looked at the TV, then at Jiang Rumu, and finally shut his mouth.

Han Xubai took off his glasses and wiped them.

Put them back on.

Took them off again.

Wiped them again.

There was nothing on the lenses.

The assistant director of the Production Team poked half his body out of the hallway, his face frighteningly pale, clutching a walkie-talkie in his hand.

He scanned the living room.

Then retreated back.

No one mentioned General Jiang Zhan again.

Even Cen Ye didn't have a loose tongue.

Eight o'clock sharp.

Brave Blue Friends started airing.

The large screen switched to TikTok.

As the opening theme played, the atmosphere in the living room eased up a little.

This episode happened to be broadcasting the Wutong Mountain wildfire.

On screen, Li Li was riding a fire motorcycle, rushing through the mountain road, leaning very low in the curves.

His left hand wrapped in gauze, he was still moving water pumps, carrying supplies, and pulling fire hoses.

His face was covered in soot, and sweat was dripping down his chin.

The chat went crazy again.

[He went up the mountain even with an injured hand?]

[This motorcycle riding is too wild.]

[He really doesn't treat himself like an injured person.]

[Just finished watching him save people and now watching him fight a wildfire, my heart can't take it.]

Cen Ye slapped the sofa armrest.

"Brother Li, this part is so cool! Did the Production Team buy you insurance?"

Li Li leaned against the sofa, watching himself on TV, soot-covered and carrying a water pump.

He was holding a glass of plain boiled water.

The fire was burning on TV.

In reality, his wrist still hurt.

Song Yaoshan sat by the dining table, watching without moving.

"Brother Li, you're so cool."

"Watch the TV."

"I am watching."

"Don't look at me."

Song Yaoshan obediently turned back.

Halfway through the program, the phone in Li Li's pocket buzzed.

He glanced at the caller ID.

The number wasn't saved.

But he recognized the first few digits.

General Office of the Central Military Commission.

Li Li stood up, carrying his glass, and walked out the door.

"Taking a call."

Jiang Rumu looked up, but didn't ask.

Li Li pushed open the villa door and walked into the courtyard.

Xiao Chai darted out of its kennel, with Xiao Qian following behind.

He crouched down, patted Xiao Chai's head, and answered the call.

"Is this Comrade Li Li?"

"Yes."

"Informing you. Please arrive in Beijing tomorrow evening. The day after tomorrow at 2:00 PM, a superior officer wishes to see you. Hotel check-in and vehicle arrangements will be sent to your personal phone in advance. Please keep your communication lines open."

Li Li's hand paused on Xiao Chai's back.

"Received."

The call ended.

Xiao Chai nudged his knee with its head.

Li Li stood for a while, then returned to the living room.

On TV, the wildfire was still burning.

He sat back down next to Jiang Rumu, leaned in, and lowered his voice.

"I have to go to Beijing tomorrow night. Someone is seeing me the day after tomorrow afternoon."

The audio recording couldn't pick it up.

Jiang Rumu didn't ask who it was.

Such calls didn't need asking.

She opened Ctrip directly.

"Flying from Hong Kong to Beijing tomorrow night..."

She scrolled a few times.

"6:00 PM, Cathay Pacific, 777."

After saying that, she clicked into First Class.

Li Li glanced at the price.

"Too expensive. Economy is fine."

Jiang Rumu stopped, turned her head, and rolled her eyes at him.

Very standard.

She entered Li Li's ID number—don't ask her how she knew it.

Then pressed pay.

Ticket purchased successfully.

Li Li opened his mouth.

Then closed it.

The livestream couldn't hear what they were saying, but the high-definition camera captured Jiang Rumu's eye roll.

[It's here! Queen Jiang's classic eye roll!]

[Li Li shut his mouth, hahahaha.]

[Even her eye roll is so sweet, I'm hopeless.]

[Li Li and Jiang Rumu are real!]

Song Yaoshan poked his head out from the dining table.

He hadn't heard anything.

But he saw Jiang Rumu pay and saw Li Li concede.

Song Yaoshan muttered softly.

"Brother Li is really kept on a tight leash."

He paused.

"I want to be kept on a leash like that too."

Cen Ye turned back.

"You pass your high school entrance exam first."

Song Yaoshan shrank back.

On TV, the Wutong Mountain fire line pressed over the ridge.

Li Li's phone screen dimmed.

The order lay quietly inside.

Cathay Pacific.

777.

First Class.

Destination: Beijing.

Jiang Rumu sat on the right, her shoulder less than ten centimeters from him.

She didn't look at him again, but her left hand rested back on the armrest.

This time, Li Li didn't reach out immediately.

He watched the wildfire on TV.

Two things weighed on his mind.

That message from Cheng Songyan.

There were abnormal traces on the chassis of the main combustion vehicle.

And that phone call just now.

The day after tomorrow afternoon.

A superior officer wants to see him.

A few seconds later, Li Li's right hand landed on the armrest.

Touching Jiang Rumu's little finger.

She didn't pull away.

On TV, the wildfire burned over the ridge line.