Pitying the Widow

"Hello, Mr. Xu."

"Passing the written exam shows that you truly possess exceptional experience in Communicator Repair. I have reviewed your academic credentials, and they generally meet our standards. Next, for the technical interview, I will ask you some professional questions."

The next day.

Nine-thirty in the morning.

Walking out of the base's military maintenance department, Xu Feng glanced at the two colleagues who had come with him and greeted them with a smile.

"Here to try your luck too?"

"Yeah, I heard the benefits are pretty good."

"It was quite difficult, though. Base station antennas and vehicle-mounted antennas are completely different from the ones on mobile communication watches."

"They said we'd get the results this afternoon. I wonder if I passed."

"Just wait for the news."

Listening to their conversation, Xu Feng raised an eyebrow slightly.

If those two felt it was difficult, why did he feel it was just average? Could it be that he had completely misunderstood the meaning of the questions?

Damn.

The three chatted for a while before returning to the maintenance room together.

The manager of the Individual Communication Maintenance Department merely nodded at the three of them upon their return and didn't say anything else.

Xu Feng sat back at his desk, heavy with worry. Recalling what the interviewer had said before leaving, his anxiety deepened.

"The engineer accompanying the exploration team is dead, and the entire team has lost contact. The base has currently dispatched a large number of drones to search for traces of the team everywhere. I hope Lu Fei is alright."

He took a deep breath and stared at the communicator on his desk, beginning to slack off and cultivate.

The progress of the Mind Movement secret technique was very slow, with a maximum of five repetitions per day. Afterward, he had to "exhaust" his mental energy by focusing intently on practicing blade techniques and movement arts. Only then, once his mental energy was depleted again, could he continue the cultivation. However, every time he completed a session, he could feel a slight mental invigoration.

Xu Feng believed that small amounts would add up to a significant total. Even if he lacked talent for mental energy, he could still achieve something through sheer persistence.

The morning passed in a flash.

Aside from cultivation, Xu Feng also calculated his current savings. He planned to use all of it to purchase supplies needed for cultivation, converting it into his own combat power.

After arranging his cultivation schedule for the next month, Xu Feng stood up and headed toward the cafeteria.

Passing by the First Affiliated Hospital, Xu Feng sighed again. He felt speechless when he recalled going to the hospital to inquire about Lu Fei before work that morning.

He hadn't rushed to eat or go to work when he woke up. Instead, he bought some fruit and made a trip to the First Affiliated Hospital.

He was lucky enough to see Director Liu, who had treated him previously, and asked about Lu Fei's situation. As for Director Liu's surprised look, Xu Feng ignored it entirely. As long as he could get news of Lu Fei, he didn't care what others thought.

However, Director Liu, who had been very polite during their last meeting, acted like a stranger this time and didn't say much to Xu Feng. He only stated that Lu Fei's current situation was unclear, but there was a high probability she was safe. Still, he warned that this was military intelligence and told Xu Feng not to pry blindly.

At the same time, his words implied a warning to Xu Feng: Lu Fei was a martial arts genius, and he, a forty-year-old "old cucumber" with a dependent, shouldn't try to get close to her.

To this, Xu Feng could only offer a bitter smile. He clearly stated that they were just friends and that this was out of concern for a friend. But Director Liu clearly didn't believe him.

"Sigh, what's wrong with being forty? It's the prime age for striving; I'm very motivated, alright?"

Xu Feng did not wallow in self-pity; he cast these thoughts to the back of his mind and prepared to grab a meal.

But to Xu Feng's surprise.

While eating, he unexpectedly ran into an acquaintance.

Liu Mengyao, the wife of his deceased former colleague, Bai He.

"Sister-in-law, long time no see."

Seeing her, Xu Feng hurriedly greeted her.

"Xu Feng, long time no see." Liu Mengyao still looked listless.

Upon seeing Xu Feng, she walked over on her own initiative, her expression looking rather grim.

She looked to have aged significantly; her eyes were dull, and she appeared utterly exhausted.

"How have you been lately? Is Yuanyuan doing alright?"

Although Xu Feng was not close with Liu Mengyao, he asked out of concern due to his friendship with Lao Bai.

After all, Lao Bai had been a decent person back when they worked together.

"Sigh, don't even mention it. I've been saving up money to buy plane tickets to send the child back, and I haven't had a good night's sleep in a long time."

Liu Mengyao shook her head with a bitter smile.

Hearing this, Xu Feng sighed inwardly and then asked, "How much are you still short?"

"I'm still short fifty thousand, Old Xu." Liu Mengyao hesitated for a moment, then looked at Xu Feng and pleaded, "Could you... could you lend me some money? I will later..."

Xu Feng was stunned by her words. He opened his mouth, wanting to lend her the money, but then remembered the debts he was carrying himself.

"I'm sorry, I currently have over a million in loans on my back. I really don't have any spare cash."

Xu Feng hardened his heart and shook his head.

Liu Mengyao lowered her head, then offered a strained smile: "It's fine, it's fine. I'll go ask someone else.

Everyone has it tough; I know, I know."

Xu Feng fell silent for a moment.

In his mind, he suddenly recalled the time when he was a porter and Lao Bai, thinking he was short on cash, had offered him his own secret stash of savings.

After a brief moment of contemplation.

Xu Feng spoke up again: "However, I can lend you five thousand—no, ten thousand.

You don't have to pay this money back for now; we can talk about it whenever you're better off.

This is just a small gesture from me, a gesture for Lao Bai."

Liu Mengyao's delicate body trembled violently, and she looked up at Xu Feng in pleasant surprise, her eyes brimming with tears.

She excitedly grabbed Xu Feng's hand: "Xu—Brother Xu, thank you! Thank you so much! I thank you on behalf of Xiaoyuan!"

Xu Feng hurriedly offered a few words of comfort, which finally prompted Liu Mengyao to let go of his hand.

After Liu Mengyao left, full of gratitude, Xu Feng was just reflecting on the hardships of ordinary people.

When he heard someone behind him suddenly sneer: "Heh, you're quite leisurely, aren't you? You even have spare cash to lend to others?

What, did you take a fancy to her? Feeling sorry for this widow?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Feng immediately wore a look of pleasant surprise.

He turned his head to look behind him.

He saw a beautiful woman with a slightly pale complexion leaning against a pillar in the dining hall, watching him while holding a food tray.

Who else could it be but Lu Fei?

"You're back?!" Xu Feng stood up abruptly.

But once he was on his feet, he didn't know what he should do.

He could only grin foolishly at Lu Fei: "It's good that you're okay, it's good that you're okay."

Watching Xu Feng's surprised and flustered state.

Lu Fei chuckled, sat down beside him, and placed her tray on the table: "Nonsense, of course I'm okay. I am—"

However, before Lu Fei could finish her sentence, Xu Feng returned to his normal self and replied with a light laugh: "A dignified Battle General-level expert, how could anything happen to you?"

Lu Fei let out a huff and didn't say anything.

Xu Feng curled his lips, then turned serious: "It must have been very dangerous this time, right? What exactly happened?"

Lu Fei sighed: "Sigh, this time I really owe it to the watch you gave me; otherwise, I wouldn't have made it back."

Lu Fei seemed to have opened the floodgates, spilling everything about the mission that she could talk about to Xu Feng like beans pouring from a jar.

This was the first time Lu Fei had spoken to Xu Feng like this.

The two of them chatted just like friends.

It was the first time he saw her show an expression other than a cold sneer.

Some expressions were filled with disdain, others with disgust, triumph, or even sorrow.

Every frown and every twitch of her brow was brimming with vivid vitality.

Only then did Xu Feng realize.

The woman before him was truly a figure favored by the heavens.

He recalled the words Director Liu had spoken.

Seeking votes at the third watch~~

(End of chapter)