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That night, Song Jiu and Wu Wentao's group were arranged to stay in the courtyard behind the Administrative Building, while Song Yao and Luci left the administrative area with Zeng Yadong, heading to Tan's residence. Although The Establishment was currently in chaos, life on Garrison Island would not be significantly affected for the time being. Zeng Yadong had already spoken with Yao Jinsong, so meeting an old friend would naturally not encounter any obstacles.
Originally, Song Jiu wanted to go along, but there wasn't much space at Tan's house. With so many men and women in their group, they would have nowhere to stay and would only add trouble for the young girl. Furthermore, Song Yao and her companions were sisters who had gone through life and death together; after a long separation, they would surely talk all night. The ladies would inevitably shed some tears together, and his presence as a nominal brother would only be a nuisance, especially since he would bring along a whole bunch of bright lights.
The night in the administrative area was no different from the day; the most immediate feeling was the quietness—a kind of deliberately solemn quiet.
During the day, they had been in the conference room without a chance to check their surroundings until afternoon when the representatives finally concluded their meeting. Chang Xiangrong, who had been absent for most of the day, reappeared in the conference room. This time, Big Hat skipped unnecessary pleasantries and appeared somewhat unnatural. After whispering a few words to Zeng Yadong, he instructed his staff to take them to their assigned accommodations. Moreover, Zeng Yadong made a quick exit without giving anyone time to ask questions.
"What does it mean that the village chief is not treated as an official?" Yang Xiaomeng stood in front of his room, looking at the bare walls with a wry smile. "Aren't we important guests? Is this how we are treated?"
"Stop complaining; having a place to stay is good enough," Cao Zheng patted him on the back and walked inside with his bedding, immediately claiming the upper bunk.
Yang Xiaomeng was taken aback and quickly grabbed his sleeve. "Hey, what are you doing?"
"Making my bed," Cao Zheng replied, surprised.
"This is my room; go find another place," Yang Xiaomeng protested. Even if he was pretending to be a woman, he still wanted to stay with Fang Fei and the others. He certainly didn't want to share a bunk with a rough man who snored loudly.
Cao Zheng grinned and jumped up onto the upper bunk. "Old Dai is sharing a room with Luo Yu. If you don't take me in, I'll have to sleep in the bathroom."
Yang Xiaomeng was speechless and turned to look outside; Fang Fei had already linked arms with Natalia and set up camp elsewhere.
Chef Jia and her group settled in as well. Song Jiu squatted at the door, smoking and lost in thought. He shared a room with Wu Wentao, who had already helped them get organized. Being the one in charge allowed him to slack off whenever he wanted; while others were busy working, he could relax.
Dai Wei went inside to make his bed while Luo Yu tied up her hair and slipped out quietly, calling Wu Wentao into the room and asking softly, "Did Yao Jie ask her friend to arrange for an examination?"
"I told her to wait until tomorrow," Wu Wentao said as he sat on the edge of the bed, carefully cleaning his gun. "I'll keep an eye on him tonight; there's no need to worry."
"It's because you two are staying together that I'm worried," Luo Yu said with a slight frown, hesitating before adding, "It seemed like he only had problems at night when we were on the yacht."
"That's why I need to watch him," Wu Wentao sighed. He didn't know much about post-traumatic stress disorder or its specific triggers; during those days, no one noticed anything unusual about Song Jiu, so he didn't know how to prevent it.
Although Luo Yu was concerned, she felt there was no better solution at hand. She simply advised Wu Wentao to be careful and told him that if there were any issues, he could always come find her since she and Dai Wei were staying next door.
Wu Wentao nodded but then remembered something. He reached into his pocket and fished out a Mahjong tile, staring blankly at Song Jiu by the door as he muttered, "He seems not to have noticed that this thing is missing."
"Mm."
"I know of a condition that's somewhat similar to Song Jiu's situation. It can be triggered by certain stimuli, and I think it might be related to this." Wu Wentao recalled the night he found Song Jiu, frowning as he said, "It's a serious case of emotional recall. In the first two days after we set sail, Jin Bo and the others were playing mahjong at the stern."
Luo Yu looked momentarily stunned, as if understanding something, murmuring, "Does the symptom you mentioned lead to temporary amnesia?"
"You ask me, and I can't really say." Wu Wentao shrugged his shoulders and smiled wryly. "Let's see what the doctor says."
"Alright." Luo Yu sighed softly, lowering his head as he returned the mahjong tiles to Wu Wentao.
Sunlight streamed down, accompanied by a gentle breeze.
The shade of the trees offered tranquility.
The cigarette between Song Jiu's fingers had burned out, its ash trailing off like snowflakes, drifting lightly as he shook his wrist.
It felt as if everything was different, yet somehow nothing had changed.
Song Jiu was lost in thought, gazing at the endless tree-lined path outside the door. Suddenly, his mind conjured up an image of the sun-drenched path of Saddle Vine, with a similarly long road ahead—one side lined with dark concrete buildings and the other with Lin Ye's swaying Stilt House. The former was cold as water; the latter burned with fierce flames.
Not long ago, they had yearned for the peace they now experienced, free from fear in a city filled with devastation, no longer accompanied by the constant howls of Zombie. However, when their desires became reality, the flavor had changed.
Song Jiu missed Zombie, craved the thrill of splitting a Zombie's skull with a Steel Saw Blade, and longed for the moments spent drinking and chatting with his companions after blood had splattered everywhere.
His thoughts drifted away, memories playing like silent films in his mind. The quiet around him transformed into chaos—Zombie howls, gunfire erupting, waves crashing, engines roaring.
Suddenly, Song Jiu snapped back to reality. The sounds invading his ears were not mere figments of imagination; at the end of the tree-lined road, a black sedan turned the corner and slowly approached.
"Mm." Song Jiu paused for a moment before recalling the vehicles parked at the Administrative Building compound.
"Someone's coming." Song Jiu stood up and called out to everyone in the yard.
The black sedan came to a leisurely stop beside the gate. The door opened, and Chang Xiangrong stepped out first. He opened the back door to let out a man and woman who were both Foreigners. The driver backed up a bit before shutting off the engine and stepping out—a familiar face; it was the woman who had come with Chang Xiangrong to pick up the ship.
Wu Wentao and Cao Zheng rushed over, surprised by the scene before them, casting questioning glances at Song Jiu.
Song Jiu shrugged, indicating that he knew nothing.
The woman from the boat leaned in close to the two Foreigners, whispering a few words. The Foreigner Man nodded as he listened, his robust frame tightly fitted in a suit, the buttons of his shirt nearly bursting open. He had a White complexion, slightly curly brown hair, deep-set eyes, and a straight nose. The Foreigner Woman was middle-aged yet still charming, dressed in a tailored professional outfit, holding a folder in her hands. The crow's feet at the corners of her eyes were pronounced, but her gaze was lively, and her vibrant lipstick highlighted the beauty of her fading youth.
"Call Fang Fei," Song Jiu said with a slight frown. Chang Xiangrong and the others ignored him, continuing to murmur among themselves. Song Jiu felt displeased; they were taking advantage of the fact that he couldn't understand.
Cao Zheng went back to find Fang Fei. Meanwhile, the murmuring from Chang Xiangrong's side seemed to be winding down. It appeared that the four of them had discussed something important; after receiving a nod of agreement from the Foreigner Woman, Chang Xiangrong finally put on a smiling face and approached Song Jiu enthusiastically.
"Are you getting used to living here?" Chang Xiangrong took Song Jiu's hand and smiled. "The conditions might be a bit lacking; please don't take offense."
"It's fine," Song Jiu replied, not accustomed to such polite small talk. He shrugged and turned his gaze toward the two Foreigners, asking directly, "What’s going on?"
Chang Xiangrong chuckled awkwardly and exchanged a glance with the Female Secretary before clearing his throat. "You speak plainly, little brother. I won't beat around the bush then. I noticed there was a foreign girl in your group during the day."
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