The Banquet Ends, and Its Echoes Linger

The clamor in the banquet hall, like the tide at its highest point, reached its climax with the final group photo and the shower of confetti and gold dust, before slowly receding.

The champagne tower was nearly empty, and most of the exquisite dishes were barely touched. The air was still filled with the mingled aromas of food, wine, and flowers, but the tense, festive, and celebratory atmosphere of the "ceremony" was quietly dissipating. Guests rose one after another, with satisfied or slightly tipsy smiles, to bid farewell to the newlyweds, saying auspicious words such as "May you have a son soon" and "May you have a safe journey," before dispersing in twos and threes.

Feng Ya's face always wore a bright smile, a smile that showed no trace of forced effort, but rather a clear radiance that shone from the depths of her eyes, washed clean by tears. She and Chen Hao stood at the entrance of the banquet hall, like a truly perfect couple surrounded by all blessings, shaking hands, hugging, and thanking each departing guest.

Last to leave were the special "guests" from the bride's family banquet.

The white-haired old man walked at the front, followed by the others. They did not linger, but bid farewell to Feng Ya and Chen Hao one by one.

The old man patted Chen Hao's shoulder lightly, but with a hint of entrustment. "Xiao Chen, I'm entrusting Xiaoya to you. When you get there, take care of each other and live a peaceful life." His gaze held both the kindness of an elder and a subtle, unspoken scrutiny.

Chen Hao straightened his back and solemnly replied, "Don't worry, Uncle Zhou, I definitely will."

The old man then turned to Feng Ya, his gaze softening further. He took out a thin red envelope (different from the previous large gifts) that he had prepared beforehand from his pocket and placed it in her hand. "Take this, it's a gift for changing your address. Although it's a bit late, the proper etiquette must be observed. Take good care of yourself in United States, and keep in touch. Your father is watching from heaven; he'll surely be happy."

Feng Ya almost burst into tears again. She nodded vigorously, her voice choked with emotion, "Yes! Thank you, Uncle Zhou! Thank you, everyone! I'll be alright!"

Others followed suit, saying similar things. "You're an adult now, so discuss things with others." "There are many opportunities in United States, but please be careful." "Send us photos when you have time, so we can see them too." "If your father knew how beautiful and happy you looked today, he would be so proud."

Every word was like a warm charcoal, baking Feng Ya's heart and completely dispelling all her previous grievances and loneliness. She responded, embraced, and felt her heart filled to the brim, warm and swollen.

Finally, this special group of "family members" turned and left. Their figures were calm and composed, quickly blending into the light and shadow of the hotel corridor and disappearing from sight. But Feng Ya knew that the profound affection and support they brought would always remain in her heart, accompanying her across the ocean.

The banquet hall was completely empty, with only staff busily cleaning up the mess. The lights were dimmed, and the previous splendor and liveliness had now settled into scattered confetti and a faint sense of loneliness.

Feng Ya clutched the brown paper bag containing the property documents tightly, her other hand intertwined with Chen Hao's. She looked at the empty family banquet table, then glanced at the doorway, and let out a long, relieved breath, as if exhaling all the heaviness of the past.

"Are you tired?" Chen Hao asked in a low voice, tucking her slightly disheveled hair, which was weighed down by the wedding dress, behind her ear.

"Not tired." Feng Ya shook her head, leaning on his shoulder, a tired yet incredibly satisfied smile on her face. "I've never felt so... at ease before."

A black Audi A8L smoothly drove out of the hotel's underground parking lot. Lü Yi was driving, and Lin Feng was sitting in the back seat. The city night view outside the car window flowed along the wet streets, and the glow of the neon lights was diffused by the moisture, like a flowing impressionist oil painting.

The car was quiet, save for the low rumble of the engine and the soft hum of the air conditioning vents. Lü Yi seemed still immersed in the "spectacle" of the moment, excitedly chattering as she drove. "Boss, you didn't see it! The way those in-laws looked at Sister Feng afterwards—tsk tsk, they were so polite! That gossipy third auntie was terrified, her face turned pale, and she avoided our table altogether! And when they delivered the house, the whole place went silent! It was so exhilarating!"

Lin Feng remained silent, simply watching the lights fade into the distance outside the window. Behind the dazzling neon lights lay countless windows, some bright, some dim, each telling its own story of joy and sorrow. Feng Ya's wedding was just one scene in it all. He had mobilized the power of his "death squad" network to deliver a proper account of Feng Jianguo, a key figure from the past, and to warm the heart of a deceased friend. For him, the significance of this event outweighed its formality.

"Were Director Wei and Lawyer Zhou safely escorted away?" Lin Feng asked calmly.

"Don't worry, boss, everything's arranged. Everyone has their own car, so we didn't leave together and won't attract attention," Lü Yi replied immediately. "Before Director Wei left, he said that Feng Jianguo's matter was considered settled. Lawyer Zhou also said that the paperwork for the properties in the United States is absolutely clean and can withstand scrutiny."

"Hmm." Lin Feng responded, then fell silent. He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Yet, the damp chill of Seattle rainy night seemed to linger in his mind, along with the blurry figures of children in the rain and mist, their eyes filled with longing for food. That was Kong Xiang's world, another kind of reality.

Just then, from the depths of my consciousness, that familiar, slightly jarring connection request came through.

Lin Feng didn't open his eyes, but with a slight thought, he connected the call.

"Hey, boss? Calling the boss! Wedding all set? A perfect ending?" Kong Xiang's voice immediately popped out, brimming with his unique, seemingly ever-energized energy, along with a hint of barely suppressed curiosity and amusement. "I just browsed a gossip section on our local Chinese forum, and someone posted that they saw a super luxurious wedding convoy at a certain hotel, and a mysterious big shot showed up too—it was quite a spectacle! Was it you guys? It's a pity I wasn't there, otherwise my gift would definitely be the most 'unique'—a detailed research report on the health and living conditions of homeless people in downtown Seattle, complete with sample analysis. How about that? Absolutely one-of-a-kind, full of humanistic care!"

Even across the vast Pacific Ocean and through their shared consciousness, Lin Feng seemed to see him winking and making faces. His lips twitched almost imperceptibly as he replied, "No need. Keep your 'unique' things for your own research. How's Seattle tonight? Has the rain stopped?"

"It just stopped, but it's even fucking colder now." Kong Xiang's tone shifted instantly, the joking tone gone, replaced by a cold, calm tone, like the air after Seattle rain. "The dampness seeps into your bones. That Auntie Rose is probably driving her beat-up car right now, with those few bowls of soup and bread that's long since gone cold, back to her apartment, which probably isn't much warmer either. Maybe she'll heat up the soup, eat it silently while watching a boring late-night program on TV, and then calculate how much closer she is to her son's bail today. Hunger, poverty, an endless struggle... won't disappear for even a second because of a lively wedding on the other side of the world."

He paused, his voice carrying a bewilderment beyond his years, almost nihilistic. "Boss, tell me, what do all this stuff we do—cleaning up messes like Xie Yunchuan's, helping one or two people like Sister Feng —actually mean to this... this messed-up world, filled with Seattle rainy nights and countless Auntie Rose? Is it just a drop in the ocean? Or just self-pity?"

Inside the car, only the hum of the engine could be heard. Outside the window, the city was still brightly lit, concealing countless corners like those described by Kong Xiang.

Lin Feng remained silent for a moment. He could sense the subtle confusion and heaviness beneath Kong Xiang's calm tone. This young assassin, after witnessing too much death and the struggles of the lower classes, had begun to ponder the meaning of his actions.

"It's nothing," Lin Feng finally spoke, his voice clear and steady even in the quiet carriage and the connection between their thoughts. "To the world you described, to countless Auntie Rose, to those hungry eyes in the Seattle rainy nights, what we did was probably nothing more than a speck of dust."

Kong Xiang remained silent, seemingly waiting.

"But," Lin Feng continued, his voice flat yet carrying a strange, unwavering strength, "for those we know, for those whose fates intersect with ours, for those we've made promises to, or for those we feel we should intervene in—"

He paused slightly, as if examining the unwavering principle within himself.

"--Perhaps, even if everything..."

"Do what you're supposed to do, and protect yourself. That's all you can and should do right now."

On the other end of the line, Kong Xiang seemed to be silent for a few seconds. Then, a very soft laugh, the emotion of which was hard to discern, came through, as if he had let go of something, or as if he had accepted a certain reality.

"Understood, boss." His voice regained some of its usual liveliness, but the underlying coldness seemed to remain. "Good night, sweet dreams, dreams without the damp chill of Seattle, and without those hungry eyes."

The connection was abruptly broken.

Lin Feng slowly opened his eyes. Outside the car window, the city lights still shone brightly like a galaxy, silently illuminating this complex and vast world. It simultaneously contained the warm blessings at Feng Ya's wedding, the cold hunger in the Seattle night, Kong Xiang's calm observation in the gray area, and his own moves in this intricate game of chess.

The car smoothly drove into the depths of the night, merging into the city's never-ending traffic.

In the distance, on a cold, rainy night in Seattle, a young China student might be staring at a computer screen, organizing some cold, hard "sample" data, or simply gazing out the window, pondering the meaning of life.

Further afield, across the ocean, a newlywed couple, having just received a tremendous surprise and comfort, embraced each other, looking forward to the new life that was about to begin on the other side of the ocean.

Beneath the city's shimmering neon lights, countless tragedies and joys continue to unfold silently.

Lin Feng leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

There's only so much he can do.

But at least tonight, he made what should have been perfect come to fruition.

It also prompted those who needed to think to begin thinking.

That might be enough.

The car, carrying silent passengers, headed towards its own equally silent destination.

Night gently enveloped everything.