Chapter 220: Stone Stele

On Wednesday, Bai Zimu received a call from the “training camp group”, saying everything was prepared and ready, and to prepare to set off.

Lei Dongchuan sent him to the school to gather, a small car was already waiting there, the same as usual, a black half-old sedan, an ordinary license plate, looking no different from the vehicles driving on the road.

Bai Zimu put on his backpack, and right before leaving turned his head and said to him:

“Brother, that time I mentioned to you before, the box we buried in the old residence when we were little, do you still remember?”

Lei Dongchuan nodded:

“I remember, what’s wrong?”

“I want you to go take a look, after you finish looking, we will talk about other matters.”

“What matters?”

Bai Zimu smiled and said:

“Just that time in junior high, when I said I had someone I liked, wait until you find the box, we will sit down and have a good chat.”

Lei Dongchuan suffered consecutive blows within a single day, these words were simply harder for him to accept than Bai Zimu personally saying “going on a business trip for a week”, his face instantly smelling terribly foul.

Bai Zimu stepped forward and gave him a hug, saying generously:

“It’s settled then, you definitely have to go find it.”

Lei Dongchuan reluctantly nodded:

“Got it.”

It wasn’t until after the black car left that Lei Dongchuan’s brows un-furrowed.

Lei Dongchuan got in his own car, after Fang Qi waited for him to sit down, he started the car while asking:

“Boss, are we going back today, or tomorrow?”

Lei Dongchuan was baffled:

“Go where?”

Fang Qi said:

“Zimu said he was afraid you would forget to go back to the old residence to get the thing, and told me to remind you, seems to be a box.”

Lei Dongchuan: “…”

Lei Dongchuan didn’t want to go back to find it at all, and had even just wrapped up the words from just now and the previously unpleasant memories together to forget them, obviously Bai Zimu also understood his personality, and even specially found a person to remind him.

Lei Dongchuan furrowed his brows and said:

“Let’s talk about it another day, it’s also not any important thing, how did he tell you?”

Fang Qi honestly repeated the original words:

“Zimu said you definitely wouldn’t be willing to make the trip, and told me to remind you every few days, if he comes back and doesn’t see the box, he will go back and live by himself, wait until you get the box before looking for him.”

Lei Dongchuan looked at him sideways, Fang Qi didn’t dare to meet his eyes, looking at the road ahead and lowering his voice slightly to suggest:

“Boss, if it’s inconvenient for you, how about I go back to help find it once, or let Sun Xiaojiu and the rest help bring it back—”

Lei Dongchuan didn’t wait for him to finish, waving his hand to interrupt saying:

“Forget it, you guys won’t be able to find that thing, wait two days I’ll go back myself once and that will do.”

It was like he had downed a jar of vinegar, the sourness surging up, unable to resist licking his teeth.

This period of time his days had passed too well, he was somewhat light-headed, only remembering now, it seemed something wasn’t quite right; when he and Bai Zimu were together, it was truly too smooth, like dreaming, without any obstacles.

A jar of old aged vinegar separated by many years opened again, truly making him feel a bad taste in his heart.

Fang Qi saw his expression was heavy, not daring to speak, driving on the road for a stretch of time before asking:

“Boss, the construction site side is done busying for a while today, we don’t need to go over, where are we going?”

Lei Dongchuan after a moment, said:

“Go to Auntie Dong’s side, I ordered two suits, I’ll follow over to change clothes for a bit, going to attend an auction tonight.”

Fang Qi agreed with a sound, asking again:

“Do we need to buy some jewelry or paintings, should I go prepare some money?”

Lei Dongchuan said:

“No need, just inquiring about some news.”

******

Under the arrangement of the Eleventh Bureau, Bai Zimu transferred trains in Jin City, following a team of engineering troops building the railway to set off together, accompanying him was also a person specifically responsible for his safety.

Bai Zimu’s new identity was a top student from Jingda, accompanying together to survey measurement data, he reported himself two years older, only saying he was graduating and interning. He grew up beautiful, and also looked young, quite a few people in the team after inquiring about his family, learned that his father was also an old employee who participated in this work, and all teased him saying:

“Then speaking of which, our unit previously was from the railway corps background, same as your dad, all are comrades-in-arms, although right now we’ve already transferred to an enterprise, but our comradeship is still there, in the future we will exactly be your uncles and uncles, Little Lei, if you have any matters in the future feel free to come find us!”

Bai Zimu sat there smilingly nodding and saying okay.

On the work ID card on his chest, the pasted picture was his own photo, but the name written on the side was exactly the three words “Lei Xiaochuan”, a seal stamped between the two, seamlessly authenticating his new identity.

The man sitting diagonally across reading the newspaper couldn’t resist raising his head to take a glance at Bai Zimu, he came out from the Eleventh Bureau, this time the higher-ups specially instructed him to take good care of this little friend, at crucial moments to help him smooth things over.

But right now looking at it, this “Lei Xiaochuan” identified with his new name, new identity, especially quickly, when others called him a sound he also naturally raised his head, simply like he had used it for over ten years.

If he didn’t know this was a scientific researcher the higher-ups heavily protected, the man would simply think this little friend was his own peer.

Acting as if it were real, those who didn’t know would even think he truly had the surname Lei.

The first two days on the train, Bai Zimu could still chime in and chat a few sentences with everyone, starting from the third day he looked at the scenery outside the train window, looking for a whole journey, very silent.

He was walking his father’s path.

What he saw, was very likely also the scenery his father saw back in the year.

After getting off the train, then transferring to a car to continue driving towards the northwest direction, during which a newly joined young team member was somewhat unaccustomed, stopping to rest and inhale oxygen, this kind of matter seemed very common, the old team members in the team all stepped forward to help one after another.

The accompanying man leaned closer a bit, asking Bai Zimu in a low voice:

“How is it, still accustomed?”

Bai Zimu’s lips were somewhat pale, but his spirit was still fine, he shook his head and said:

“I’m fine, how much longer to walk?”

The man said in a low voice:

“Still three or four hours, can arrive when it gets dark, it gets dark late here, once we arrive I’ll find a doctor to check you over…”

Bai Zimu said:

“No need to give me special treatment, it’s fine for me to be the same as everyone.”

The other party smiled a bit, saying in a low voice:

“The team is just like this, newly arrived people need to adapt for a few days, you don’t need to worry, wait until you rest for two days and adapt, I will take you over.”

Bai Zimu’s lowered eyelashes trembled for a bit, saying in a low voice:

“Thank you.”

The convoy drove all the way, after a few hours arriving at the station.

The camp here was relatively large, about several hundred people, Bai Zimu had mild altitude sickness, his chest constantly stuffy, head hurting.

After the team doctor examined him, only saying it was a common reaction, letting him rest in bed.

Bai Zimu was assigned to a small single room, his head hurt intensely, instead unable to sleep, all the way until midnight before barely falling asleep.

Not knowing if it was because he came here, he dreamt of matters from when he was little.

He remembered things very early, still remembering his own dad’s appearance wearing a military uniform, their family of three went out to take photos, he was carried by his dad, probably because of a cold, his nose was stuffed, somewhat unhappy, constantly lowering his eyes and using his fingers to pick at the silver stars on the military uniform.

Dong Yuxiu was much younger in the dream, looking young and romantic in her twenties, clapping her hands and coaxing him softly:

“Naughty again, Zimu look at Mama, raise your head alright? [Read on RanaTranslations🌸] We’ll just take one picture, after taking it we’ll buy candy for you to eat, you like eating sour sour candy the most right?”

Bai Zimu shook his head, back-handedly hugging his dad, burying his head to hide.

The person carrying him let out a low muffled laugh, raising his hand to gently stroke his small curly hair, coaxing:

“It’s fine, let’s let other people take photos first, going to the back and queuing again will do.”

Their family sat on the continuous row of long benches waiting, after Bai Zimu was carried by him for a while, he again felt somewhat uncomfortable, the two of them seemed extremely unfamiliar, regardless of whether it was the one carrying, or the one trying to find a position to be carried, both were exceptionally awkward, after trying several times still not matching well.

Bai Zimu turned his head to look towards Dong Yuxiu, stretching out his hand and saying:

“Mama—”

The man was somewhat embarrassed, but still said gently:

“I’ll try again.”

He carefully carried Bai Zimu, patiently waiting the whole time for the child to adapt, then smiled and said:

“When you grow up, you have to help me take good care of home, take good care of your mama, don’t let her cry again.”

Before Bai Zimu could react, the man handed him back to Dong Yuxiu, when raising his hand to stroke his head carrying a few fractions of reluctance:

“So obedient; Yuxiu, the team is gathering, I should leave.”

Bai Zimu subconsciously went to grab his sleeve, but grabbed empty air.

Dong Yuxiu received him, hugging him in her embrace and teasing him saying:

“What’s wrong, just leaving for such a little while, already missing Mama, dropping golden beans?”

Bai Zimu’s eyelashes were wet, he also didn’t know what was wrong, his heart inexplicably feeling a burst of grievance.

“This is Papa.”

“Zimu look, you’ve always missed him very much, he is right by your side.”

Bai Zimu shook his head, he wanted to say “No”, but his throat was like having a ball of cotton, blocking him so he couldn’t speak.

He grew up by Dong Yuxiu’s side, mother’s embrace was familiar and warm, he buried his head in the crook of her arm trying hard to endure not crying, the tip of his nose red all over, the accumulated tears after a moment rolled down in large drops, completely unable to be controlled.

……

Waking up from the dream, for a moment unable to tell real from fake.

Bai Zimu’s throat was choked up, slightly raising his hand to cover his eyes, the back of his hand feeling moist.

The cavity of his chest throbbed with a stifling pain wave after wave, not the same as when sitting in the car coming over during the day, like a piece was hollowed out, hurting terribly.

Two days later.

After Bai Zimu rested his body, he recovered somewhat.

The person who came together with him found him, asking:

“These two days I again inquired with the old employees who previously worked over here, and asked about a shortcut, can save some time compared to anticipated, if your body is not feeling well, you can consider whether or not to wait until tomorrow before going, the time on the road is sufficient.”

Bai Zimu was silent for a moment, saying:

“No need, let it be today.”

The other party took a glance at him, hesitating to speak, but still brought him to a jeep, took some food and water and placed it in the trunk, accompanying him to hit the road together.

The car drove for a stretch of time, because the surrounding scenery was roughly the same, instead making it look like they hadn’t moved much, Bai Zimu looked outside the window, not speaking the whole way, conversely making the person driving somewhat unable to bear it in his heart, asking in a low voice:

“The person you are looking for, I’ve already asked, over there said because too many years have passed the specific records are already hard to verify, but there are also some clues, just following that to search, the place finally found is a martyrs’ cemetery…”

Bai Zimu said:

“Uncle, no matter what, I still want to go take a look.”

The other party sighed a sound, driving the car and no longer speaking.

The car drove all the way until the afternoon, before arriving at the martyrs’ cemetery.

After getting off the car Bai Zimu went to buy a bouquet of flowers, recognizing all the way, pulling out flower branches all the way, placing them in front of the tombs.

Some only had names, some had photos pasted on, and there were also some nameless tombstones.

Bai Zimu looked seriously, and did not find the person he was looking for.

His heart was somewhat disappointed, but very quickly again grew a bit of hope, he found the old man guarding the cemetery here, inquiring with him about the matters of back in the year.

The old man was old in age, his speech was also somewhat unfluent, gesturing and speaking with him for a while:

“Matters from over ten years ago, back in the year there were people from the armed police force stationed nearby, rushing over to help at the first moment, indeed saving a few people, but there was a vehicle that fell off the mountain cliff while transporting the wounded, below is river water, and it was also winter…”

The old man shook his head and let out a sigh, saying with some regret,

“The vehicle was salvaged up, the people were all gone.”

“Those severely wounded on the vehicle… is there a roster?”

The old man shook his head, raising his hand and pointing at the central stone stele saying:

“There is no roster, everyone who perished in the disaster is all here, not only the people from the railway bureau, here there are also some armed police officers and soldiers, the family members come every year.”

Bai Zimu still wanted to ask again, the accompanying man said in a low voice:

“I have already checked, although the wounded at that time had a few people saved, but the majority could already not be identified, could only build the martyrs’ cemetery, to jointly offer sacrifices and worship.”

Bai Zimu’s voice choked up,

“I will go over to the stone stele to take a look.”