books44 Chapter 1231: Some People Are Meant to Drink for a Lifetime, Some Are Meant to Be Entangled in Love and Hate Forever
Chapter 1231: Some People Are Meant to Drink for a Lifetime, Some Are Meant to Be Entangled in Love and Hate Forever
The handsome and stern man lowered his eyes, looking at the WeChat message, the corners of his lips unconsciously lifting, and a hint of peace emerged in his expression.
Richard Shaw sent an "Oh" in response, then raised his eyes to look at Shuangzi and spoke in a low, indifferent voice, "What’s the matter?"
"Just the usual, nothing particularly important." Shuangzi, seeing that the Major General hadn’t smiled in a long time, quickly suppressed all those trivial matters, fearing to disturb his good mood.
Richard Shaw was in an excellent mood, and his patience was more abundant than usual. He said lightly, "It’s fine, bring the documents over, I’ll take a look. There’s nothing major these days, you should take leave and have a good rest at home, after all, you’re about to get married, spend more time with your wife."
"Ah, okay." Shuangzi grinned, a bit embarrassed and scratched his head, saying, "The Major General still remembers, I was originally planning to take three days off for the wedding and just go back to the Military District."
Last year, Shuangzi met a local girl during a matchmaking meeting. The young lady was very well-mannered, and her family’s background was well-off. Seeing the young man honest and sincere, even though his military rank wasn’t high, he had been staying by Richard Shaw’s side, where the core of the Central Military Region’s power lay. Her family was very satisfied and urged them to marry this year.
Shuangzi submitted a marriage report, and Richard Shaw approved it, then a date was chosen for the wedding banquet.
"Send me an invitation for the wedding day, I’ll bring Casimir Shaw along," Richard Shaw said in a low voice.
"Just next week at night, thank you, Major General." Shuangzi was so overjoyed he nearly flew to the sky, nodding happily in agreement. Families as prestigious as the Shaw Family, with Richard Shaw attending a wedding banquet with his son, are few and far in the Imperial City.
Shuangzi didn’t plan to make a big deal of the wedding. The bride’s family wanted a lively event, otherwise, he might have only planned a few tables of wine, a small feast, and wouldn’t have thought of bothering the leadership of the Central Military Region. Unexpectedly, the Major General remembered this matter himself, clearly going to support him, and Shuangzi’s eyes were red with happiness.
Seeing his joy, Richard Shaw also nodded with a smile, remembering how over a dozen years ago, he selected this young soldier in the Southwest Military Zone. In the blink of an eye, Shuangzi was getting married. When he got married, he was very young, and his wedding and honeymoon held regrets.
The man glanced at his phone, seeing the "Goodnight" message from Leah, then nothing more. It must have been late at night over there, and she’d already gone to sleep, so he did not reply.
Leah slept very restlessly at night, unexpectedly dreaming about the time she had just married into the Shaw Family. She was only just in college, full of youthful purity and coquettishness, often acting spoiled towards Richard Shaw. Though he was a bit wooden, he usually complied with her every whim.
Such a life sweet as honey was so short it could almost be overlooked. They had indeed once been sweet, stumbling through the marriage, moving forward with bumps and bruises.
Both married with the intent to spend a lifetime together, but in the chaos and war, they lost each other.
The next day, members of the Noyce Family started to return successively, even Hawk Howard’s stepfather came back visiting friends, and the whole family was busy preparing for the evening banquet.
Hawk Howard was dragged off to help, and Leah followed Hawk’s mother, along with the Noyce family ladies she had met in recent days, busying themselves with the evening’s meal preparations.
The men set up the banquet tables in the villa’s courtyard, stacking barrels of beer, and setting up barbecues, with boxes of meat skewers and seafood, thawing them. By evening, the invited guests from the small town arrived by boat one after another, bringing gifts, dressed in relatively formal evening wear for the year, to attend the banquet.
"This year’s banquet invited friends and neighbors from the town," Hawk’s mother explained with a smile, "Tonight, these people will perform their special acts, making it livelier than previous years. You should enjoy yourself with the young people and not be restrained."
Leah recognized many familiar faces, recalling yesterday’s trip out with Hawk’s mother around the town, the restaurant they ate at, the dance they attended, and the souvenirs they bought. Having clearly met everyone, she was infected by this cheerful atmosphere and nodded.
At the country banquet, the food was abundant, various grilled desserts, Western steaks, and barbecue were provided continuously. People toasted one another, chatting joyfully and harmoniously.
Midway through the meal, the neighbors began to let loose and urged the start of the evening’s performances. Leah saw Hawk Howard being pulled onstage as an accompanying dancer, looking woeful, and couldn’t help but laugh.
The revelry went on until late at night, and the guests gradually dispersed.
Leah had drunk quite a bit and, seeing that everyone had left and the Noyce family had also gone to rest, finally sat in the courtyard, continuing to sip a low-alcohol beer.
Hawk Howard returned from a shower, found her sitting in the dark, her black evening dress blending into the night, her skin radiating a subtle pearly glow.
"Tonight, no fewer than five young men came to ask me about you," Hawk Howard said, sitting across from her with a smile, "asking if you are single."
Leah raised her head, drinking beer, her swan-like neck elegant and seductive.
"You can tell them I have a child," Leah said with a smile, "and I’ve seen no fewer than ten young ladies throwing flirtatious glances at you."
Hawk Howard chuckled, saying lightly, "Maybe in a couple of years, I really ought to marry and have children. Humans are social creatures, and one person alone is too lonely."
Leah nodded, patting his shoulder, saying, "It’s time for a kid, a child represents hope."
Saying this, Leah took out her phone, flipping through various selfies of Casimir Shaw, her eyes crinkling in a smile, "Look, my Thomas is obedient and adorable, able to play innocent while secretly a little tiger, truly cute."
Seeing her slightly tipsy, Hawk Howard steadied her swaying body, his large, slender hand gently smoothing her head, sighing softly, "Leah, go back to him."
Leah froze for a moment, then smiled gently, raising her beer glass to clink with his, saying, "Cheers."
"We used to drink all the time at Clear Creek Bay, and in the United States we still drink. Some people are meant to spend a lifetime drinking, while others are meant for a lifetime of love-hate entanglement," Hawk Howard said softly, emptying his glass.
He was the one who could only accompany Leah for drinks, and Richard Shaw was the one who could accompany her through passionate entanglements.
"There’s no going back," Leah lifted her eyes to the moonlit lake, resting her chin in her hand, speaking quietly, "Not every story is about restoring broken bonds, not everyone waits at the same place, he and I have no way back."
"Why?" Hawk Howard asked, turning aside. Richard Shaw’s feelings for Leah were palpable, and as long as Leah nodded, everything would be fine.
Leah smiled, saying nothing. The wounds were too deep; regardless of the truth back then, they both lost their closest kin. How could they possibly be together again?