Leader’s update 2/10
***
The temperature in Beijiang in late November is already very low.
At 10:50 at night, the cold wind swept the fallen leaves, making a rustling sound on the ground in the alley.
In a dark alley, a small and shabby storefront is as warm as spring.
The slightly old glass door is covered with layers of fog, indicating the indoor and outdoor temperatures.
Two figures, one large and one small, stood in front of the door, looking at the small shop without a sign.
"Here?" Jiang Xiao looked up at Erwei.
"Yes." Erwei stepped forward and pushed the door open.
Jiang Xiao followed and walked in. Compared to the shabby appearance outside, although the interior was simple and narrow, it was unusually clean and tidy.
Leaving aside the unseen kitchen, the place is only about 20 square meters, with six small tables set up. They are empty and must have been closed.
An old aunt who is over fifty years old, slightly fat, with short curly hair, is sitting behind the wooden bar, counting the day's income.
The little bell on the door made a clear sound as the store door opened. The aunt raised her head and showed a kind smile: "We are closed."
The aunt's face froze, and she looked at the tall figure. The smile on her face became more sincere, and her slightly cloudy eyes seemed to have some energy: "Child, are you on vacation?"
Erwei nodded slightly, with a smile on his stern face: "Aunt Yu."
That's a warm smile.
Jiang Xiao had long known that the woman next to him was moody, but he had never seen her smile so warmly.
It was as if her cold aura had been driven away by this old and warm shop.
Her temperament will make anyone shy away and will not let anyone equate her with ordinary people.
But here, Jiang Xiao saw an ordinary, humane young woman.
"Boss Lao Yu, work is done." Auntie hurriedly walked to the kitchen, mumbling, "Is there any cod at home? Hongying is here."
"Do you come here every time you have a holiday?" Jiang Xiao asked.
"Yeah." Erwei took off his dark red windbreaker and hung it on the hanger.
As soon as the simple action was completed, an uncle with slightly white hair came over with an induction cooker and a tripe-shabu pot, and placed them on the small table chosen by the two of them.
"Come on, come on." The uncle smiled naively and squatted down with the plug in his hand.
"I'll do it." Jiang Xiao took the plug and leaned down.
"It's pretty good." The uncle looked at Erwei and wiped his hands back and forth on the apron in front of him.
"Okay." Erwei raised his head slightly and smiled, his narrow red phoenix eyes curved into two crescents.
"That's good, that's good. Open it quickly. It'll be here in a moment." The uncle said hurriedly, turned and walked towards the kitchen.
Ten minutes later, the shabu-shabu pot was steaming with steam and making a gurgling sound.
A plate of salted peanuts, a plate of preserved eggs with vinegar, and a plate of spinach with nuts were placed on the table.
Erwei looked at Jiang Xiao and said, "Wine."
Jiang Xiao was holding peanuts in one hand, and seemed to be infected by her style, and replied: "Car."
Erwei nodded and did not respond. He just turned over the tripe in the pot.
Ever since he entered the old and warm hut, Jiang Xiao had no intention of starting a conversation. He didn't want to disturb Erwei's rare state.
"You have to go to the armory the day after tomorrow." Erwei said.
"Yes, the province seems to be dissatisfied with the students' results in the national league and has made their training more difficult." Jiang Xiao ate a peanut.
"Ha." Erwei smiled disdainfully, without comment.
"Come on, kid, what do you want to drink?" Auntie took two cups, one empty and one full of wine, placed them in front of Erwei, and said to Jiang Xiao, "Home-brewed Xiaoshao, you... Are you still young?"
Jiang Xiao waved his hands repeatedly and said, "Just plain water will do."
"Good boy, you have to drink less." Auntie babbled and turned to get the kettle.
Erwei picked up the glass in front of him and took a sip. The spicy liquid filled his lips and tongue, burning like fire, and went straight down his throat into his chest.
Erwei slowly put down the wine glass, feeling the fire in his chest, and slowly let out a cold breath: "The star skills carried by the extra-dimensional creatures in the arsenal are not suitable for you."
"It's not bad." Jiang Xiao said casually, "I analyzed it carefully and found that some star skills are quite interesting."
Erwei looked at Jiang Xiao silently and said, "You only have 9 star slots. You shouldn't waste your empty slots on those star skills."
"Are you here to give me advice? You don't care what I put in my star slot?" Jiang Xiao asked with a smile.
Erwei nodded and said, "Yes, I will be involved in every step of your future growth."
Jiang Xiao panicked and hurriedly changed the subject: "The 'hate' is pretty good."
Erwei: "Brass, useless."
Jiang Xiao picked up a tripe-shabu skewer and said, "The 'Nostalgia' is not bad either."
Erwei shook his head: "Shirogane, the range of the halo is too small and the effect is too low."
ah,
Jiang Xiao pursed his lips.
This is very uncomfortable, brother.
Looking at Jiang Xiao's appearance, Erwei said hoarsely: "Don't place your hopes on using high-level star beads to cover low-level star skills and improve quality in the future. No one in this world will love you like them, regardless of life and death."
Jiang Xiao was stunned for a moment, eh. It seems that she and Hai Tianqing have discussed it, and they have the same idea.
Erwei glanced at Jiang Xiao coldly, his voice still without any inflection: "You only have 6 star slots left. Your several transcendent star skills are enough for your early growth. After you reach the galaxy stage, you will go from gold to Choose from star skills.”
"You are too domineering." Jiang Xiao said helplessly.
Erwei picked up the wine glass, looked at Jiang Xiao, and took a sip.
"Sesame chops, mutton skewers, and your favorite grilled cod." The aunt came over with a plate and put the teapot in front of Jiang Xiao's table as she spoke.
When she didn't get a response from Erwei, the aunt said nothing more. She looked at Erwei who was drinking, and then at Jiang Xiao who was picking up peanuts, and then she left quietly.
The boiling shabu-shabu pot emits white mist.
Through the mist, Jiang Xiao looked at Erwei's pair of pink and phoenix eyes, made up his mind, mustered up his courage, and said: "I don't want to join the army, I want to go to school."
Erwei's eyes sharpened and he looked at Jiang Xiao in silence.
Jiang Xiao pulled down the collar of his hoodie. His body was hot and his heart was cold.
In this warm little shop, this more humane Erwei added a touch of courage to Jiang Xiao.
Jiang Xiaoqiang calmed himself: "I want to stay with my sister. Last time in the snowfield, I saw the real danger. I know what kind of battles she will participate in in the future as an excellent awakener. I will try my best to Possible protection is by her side.”
Erwei's eyes dimmed, he picked up the wine glass he had just put down, and slowly put it to his lips.
The closed shop was empty. Although the white lights were bright, there was only Jiang Xiao's table.
There was no noise, just the ticking of the clock on the wall.
There was no noise, just the boiling sound of the shabu-shabu pot.
Finally, Erwei broke the silence and said in a hoarse voice: "Then eat."
"Don't eat." Jiang Xiao stood up hurriedly and said, "There are classes tomorrow and she is waiting for me to go back. It's too late and she will be worried."
Erwei was silent, nodded slightly, raised his hand, took out a rolled up map from the pocket of the windbreaker hanging on the wall, and handed it to Jiang Xiao.
Jiang Xiao asked curiously: "What is this?"
Erwei's voice was hoarse and his movements were a little stiff: "Take it."
Jiang Xiao looked at the drawings in front of him and then at Erwei, only to find that she lowered her eyes and her eyes no longer showed any aggression.
Jiang Xiao was not confused by such a look. He saw her stiff movements. After thinking about it again and again, Jiang Xiao took the map and said softly: "Go home early."
With that said, Jiang Xiao turned around and walked out of the warm and bright shop. He pushed open the foggy glass door and felt a cold wind blowing at him. He lifted up his collar and turned to look inside the house.
Erwei sat alone behind the small table, the steaming mist in the small pot on the table covering her face.
You could just see her picking up the wine glass again, raising her head and taking a sip.
When I put the glass down again, there was only half a glass left.
Jiang Xiao shook his head and closed the door. The slightly dark alley was quiet.
Looking far into the distance, thousands of lights among the tall buildings are shining warmly.
He thought of Hai Tianqing's instructions. Maybe she was not as radical as Hai Tianqing said.
Or perhaps, this special environment increased Jiang Xiao's survival rate.
Jiang Xiao walked out of the dark alley and saw the dark car parked at the entrance of the alley.
He held his forehead helplessly and put one hand in his pocket. Sure enough, the car keys were still with him.
No matter what Erwei's character is, Jiang Xiao doesn't think that going back to give him the car keys is the right choice.
Not knowing what to do, Jiang Xiao sat down on the steps and put the key on the tire? Or go back and put it in front of the store? If you don't knock on the door, the store aunt will come out under normal circumstances, right
Jiang Xiao was sitting on the stone steps thinking, holding a map in his left hand and a key in his right hand. He was a little distracted. He opened the map under the dim street light.
This is
Topographic map of the armory
Hand Painted
There are various terrains, symbols, restricted areas, monster distribution, supply points, guards, and night watchmen.
Densely packed and extremely detailed.
The text marked above seems to be able to see the light and shadow of swords in each stroke.
The blade has a dovetail and an iron-painted silver hook.
Just like her, she is not good at talking and has sharp words; she is not good at caring and her movements are stiff.
What was originally a heart-warming gesture, full of care and love, turned into overbearing, tough, even clumsy.
Jiang Xiao looked at the detailed hand-drawn map in his hand, and in his mind, Erwei's stern look turned into silence and stubbornness.
Thinking of her dejected appearance after the mist, Jiang Xiao couldn't help but stand up.
"Hey" Jiang Xiao sighed deeply, turned around and walked back.
Ring ring ring.
The sound of the door was accompanied by the ringing of the bell.
An aunt's voice came from the bar inside the house: "We're closed."
The aunt's voice stopped suddenly, and Jiang Xiao stepped in and came to the small table.
She saw the untouched bowls, chopsticks and plates in front of her, and the empty wine glass.
"You're back."
In her hoarse voice,
Finally brought a hint of emotional ups and downs.
Through the steaming mist, Jiang Xiao seemed to see a hint of surprise on her stern face.
Maybe,
He must have seen it wrong.
(End of chapter)