Chapter 15 Fireworks

Chapter 15 Fireworks

Zhu Shinian was having trouble breathing until the next broadcast came on, when he finally managed to turn off the radio with a slightly trembling hand.

When he got home, the sensor lights at the entrance automatically lit up.

The air smelled of food, and the kitchen light was on.

It was as if the news he'd just heard was a figment of his imagination—Gu Zhen was in the kitchen cooking, waiting for him to come back for dinner together. If he asked Gu Zhen about that news, Gu Zhen would furrow his handsome brows and ask him what nonsense he was talking about, whether he wanted to write third-rate melodramatic novels after retiring.

Neither he nor Gu Zhen was particularly romantic. Going out to a nice restaurant and then strolling hand in hand down the shopping street, like any ordinary couple in the city, was something out of a fairy tale to them.

But without fail, every holiday—big, small, famous, obscure, meaningful or meaningless—they would both come home early, have dinner together, and then go to bed early and curl up under the covers. When watching TV, Gu Zhen would let Zhu Shinian rest his head on his arm.

Zhu Shinian walked over and opened the kitchen door.

There was only a chef in a neat uniform standing by the stove.

“Mr. Zhu,” the chef said, turning his head politely and greeting him.

Seeing the person his employer had spoken of had returned, the chef poured hot oil over the pre-prepared garlic vermicelli steamed scallops, then quickly plated all the dishes and set them on the table.

“You’re just in time—the food is ready. Enjoy your meal.”

The dining room had a soft yellow light. The door was gently closed, and the house fell quiet again.

Zhu Shinian stood still, momentarily unsure what to do first. He took off his military uniform jacket, hung it up, turned the lights back on, and then walked over to sit at the dining table.

The chef had prepared a meal for one. Gu Zhen had probably arranged it in advance, but Zhu Shinian hadn't anticipated being photographed while dining with Jiang Huaiyan.

Being photographed didn't really matter—they were about to announce their engagement anyway.

Or maybe… lovers.

Zhu Shinian took out his phone like a masochist. Without even having to type a search, the headline news was right in his face.

Zhu Shinian was learning not to be sad about the facts that just were. But why did everyone keep saying how perfect they were for each other?

Yet when he first got together with Gu Zhen, everyone said two alphas couldn't be together.

When he asked Gu Zhen about it, Gu Zhen was silent for a moment, then said only, “It doesn’t matter.”

It didn't matter that he was from District 26, because Gu Zhen liked him—so it didn't matter.

He was an alpha, but Gu Zhen liked him—so it didn't matter.

His flaws needed to be tolerated and forgiven. But why, when it came to Jiang Huaiyan, did they become a "power couple" and "a perfect match"?

He knew he couldn't compare to Jiang Huaiyan in any way. But they were the same sex—why was it still like this?

So unfair. So… mean.

Outside, the sound of fireworks and cheers rang out—someone was shooting off fireworks.

Gu Zhen never liked being part of such festivities, so Zhu Shinian always said he didn't like them either.

Now, would Gu Zhen watch fireworks with Jiang Huaiyan?

Or perhaps these fireworks were set off by one of them.

When Zhu Shinian went up to the rooftop, there were already many other people there watching the spectacular fireworks display.

The rooftop lights were off, leaving only the lights from the distant city. There was a breeze, colder than it had been during the daytime.

A muffled bang burst in the night sky, followed by fireworks soaring upward and bursting into brilliant, dazzling colors.

Red, gold, white—reflecting in Zhu Shinian’s eyes.

For a long time, to Zhu Shinian, such booming sounds didn't belong to beautiful, romantic fireworks.

District 26 was on the Empire's border. Although the Empire and the Federation had reached a ceasefire twenty years ago, skirmishes and firefights along the border had never truly ceased.

Border troops wouldn't bomb cities or civilian facilities, but the sound of artillery never seemed to go a month without echoing.

From the time they could remember, children of the border would hear such sounds and immediately follow their parents to find a bomb shelter.

As for fireworks—to the people of District 26, who barely scraped by, they had never seen anything like it.

So in his first year in the capital, when the New Year's fireworks sounded, he almost instinctively ran out of the dormitory, looking for a bomb shelter.

Zhu Shinian didn't know where the school's bomb shelters were; he could only hope to run into a classmate or teacher who would take him there.

But most students at Capital First Military Academy were locals and naturally went home for the New Year. The eight-story dormitory was empty and silent. As Zhu Shinian ran down the stairs, he didn't meet a single person.

“Excuse me,” he said, stopping an alpha officer who happened to be passing by. “Do you know where the school's shelter is? Are you going there? Can I go with you?”

The officer, stopped by Zhu Shinian, paused slightly at the question. “Shelter?”

“Didn't you hear the artillery? Shouldn't we… find a shelter to hide in?” The alpha's skeptical tone made Zhu Shinian hesitate. Did the capital have some other protective measures so that even if shells hit, they didn't need to hide?

He thought he remembered hearing something about anti-missile systems…

“You mean… the fireworks?”

The alpha officer stood still for a moment, finally understanding what Zhu Shinian was referring to.

“That's not artillery, it's someone setting off fireworks. Probably from the Capital University of the Arts next door—they love doing this sort of thing…”

Another bang sounded, and Zhu Shinian instinctively flinched, ready to crouch down. But if a shell really landed here, what good would crouching do?

He didn't want to die…

Even if he had to die, it shouldn't be here. If he died here, they probably wouldn't send his grandmother a pension, nor would they take care of her for him.

The alpha in front reached out and hugged him, stopping him from squatting down, and covered his ears.

“Don't be afraid, it's fireworks.”

The sound of shells—or fireworks—was blocked out by the man. He kept explaining that it wasn't artillery, just fireworks, gently patting Zhu Shinian's back, telling him not to be scared.

“Fireworks are made of gunpowder too, so the launch and explosion might sound a bit like real artillery. But they won't hurt anyone. They're just… a tradition, symbolizing driving away evil spirits and bringing good luck. Nowadays, they're just pretty to look at.”

“Look up, okay? Don't be afraid. I'm here.”

The man kept explaining for a long time. It seemed that when Zhu Shinian didn't respond, he grew a little impatient.

He let go of Zhu Shinian, then used his thumb to tilt Zhu Shinian's chin up, forcing him to look at the sky.

The cannon fire exploded right in Zhu Shinian's eardrums again. He instinctively felt scared and wanted to retreat to the spot that had felt safe just a moment ago.

But the man was much stronger than Zhu Shinian, who had only recently begun training. He forcibly turned Zhu Shinian's chin and made him look up.

Lights of many colors, cluster after cluster, were so bright that Zhu Shinian's eyes started to water.

Then those lights fell down, like countless colorful shooting stars, only to extinguish in midair.

"They won't hit you. A real missile would still be lit before it lands..."

Then the colorful lights formed a few fleeting words.

Happy New Year.

So beautiful.

Something so loud and frightening, just as the man said, was truly only meant to be beautiful.

The tears that the fireworks had brought to Zhu Shinian's eyes finally spilled over.

The man in front of him finally let go of his hands covering Zhu Shinian's ears, and the sound of fireworks ascending and exploding finally reached his ears clearly.

Because the man had been a bit forceful, Zhu Shinian's ears hurt a little, but his nose and face seemed equally sore from the cold wind, while his ears remained warm.

The sound of fireworks exploding seemed completely different from cannon fire, like the heavy beats in a piece of music, and then countless beautiful fireworks ascended, raining down stars like a shower.

Zhu Shinian was stunned, staring straight up into the cold wind for more than ten minutes without moving, watching the fireworks.

Only when the fireworks show finally ended did he snap out of it and meet the gaze of the alpha from earlier.

The alpha's expression was calm. He seemed accustomed to such magnificent and beautiful fireworks, showing no particular reaction.

It was a very handsome face. If someone who was seeing fireworks for the second time saw him, they would surely think he was even more beautiful than the fireworks and more worth looking at. Zhu Shinian thought.

Are the fireworks in the capital this beautiful, and are the people that beautiful too?

"Thank you... I'm sorry. I thought it was an air raid. I caused you... caused the teacher trouble."

The man wore a military uniform with a Lieutenant Colonel rank insignia. He must be a teacher at the school.

"I'm not a teacher," the man corrected coolly.

"Then I've troubled you, senior," Zhu Shinian quickly corrected. He secretly took another look at the man, who appeared young and handsome, perhaps not yet old enough to be a teacher. He had heard that some seniors were so outstanding that they could be granted military ranks for meritorious service while serving during their third year.

The man still didn't respond right away. He looked at Zhu Shinian and gave a faint smile. "It seems you don't remember me at all."

Author's Note: