Chapter 129 - 129 125 Zeng Jingwei

129: Chapter 125 Zeng Jingwei 129: Chapter 125 Zeng Jingwei Three days later, Ye Fan piloted the long-haul fighter jet back to Hua Hai Military Region from Africa. On board the jet, covered with the national flag, was the body of Zeng Zi. Also on board, a severely wounded comrade, Lu Chengqiang. The fighter jet landed at the military airport where Hua Hai Military Region had already prepared for the reception. The cabin door opened, and the solemn sound of military mourning music began as Ye Fan, with a face full of grief, carried Zeng Zi’s body out. “Attention!” “Salute!” Below the plane, the military honor guard split into two rows, saluting Zeng Zi’s body with somber expressions. “Zeng Zi, we’re home now.” Ye Fan stood at the cabin door, looking down at Zeng Zi’s body. Although he had flown to Africa as fast as he could, Zeng Zi had still breathed his last two hours before his arrival. A seething Ye Fan first gave the leopard a beating and then personally led the Dragon Group commando team to thoroughly root out the forces that had killed Zeng Zi, leaving none alive. Thus, in a day and a half, a mid-sized force that had been entrenched on the African continent for twenty or thirty years was uprooted, shaking the entire African continent with fear as the cold-blooded monarch—the Black Dragon—returned to Africa! Holding the body of his comrade, Ye Fan walked step by step down the plane, through the military honor guard, to an open coffin. Lu Chengqiang, heavily bandaged in white, was also helped down from the fighter jet by a soldier and followed behind Ye Fan. “In life, wear the uniform; in death, be draped in the flag! Zeng Zi, well done!” Ye Fan suddenly roared skyward. “In life, wear the uniform; in death, be draped in the flag!” Chen Chengqiang and all the soldiers present shouted with emotion. Placing Zeng Zi’s body into the coffin and covering it with the lid, they finally draped a bright red national flag over it. Touching the coffin, Ye Fan whispered to it, “Zeng Zi, rest in peace. I will take care of your sister as my own and ensure she suffers no hardships!” A middle-aged man in a colonel’s uniform approached Ye Fan, offering consoling words, “Major General Ye, please accept my condolences.” Ye Fan stood erect with a solemn expression, stepping back and standing at attention to salute. Four members of the military funeral honor guard came forward to carry the coffin away. As he watched the coffin being carried off, Ye Fan turned to the middle-aged colonel and said, “Please arrange a vehicle to take my comrade to the hospital immediately.” “The car has already been arranged,” the middle-aged colonel replied. Ye Fan turned to Lu Chengqiang and said, “Qiangzi, you go to the hospital first for treatment. Once things are settled for Zeng Zi, I will come to visit you.” “Okay, boss,” Lu Chengqiang nodded and replied, “It’s just a shame that my broken body can’t personally attend Zeng Zi’s funeral.” Lu Chengqiang had joined the Dragon Group three years ago and, before joining, had once won the title of champion among the Huaxia special forces. After sending Lu Chengqiang off to the hospital, Ye Fan left the military region and drove to pick up Zeng Zi’s sister, Zeng Jingwei. Although their hometown was in the northeast, Zeng Jingwei had not gone back home during summer vacation but had stayed in Hua Hai City to work. Nearly an hour later, Ye Fan drove to the entrance of Hua Hai University. By then, it was three in the morning. The main gate of Hua Hai University was brightly lit, but there were no pedestrians, except for a lone figure standing beside the security room. As soon as Ye Fan’s car stopped, the lonely figure immediately ran over. “Excuse me, are you Big Brother Ye Fan?” the nineteen-year-old girl asked with a look of utter misery. Ye Fan stood in front of the car door, sizing up Zeng Zi’s little sister. At about 1.7 meters tall, she nonetheless appeared so alone, helpless, and pitiable. “I am, I am Zeng Zi’s comrade-in-arms,” Ye Fan said. “Wuwuwu…” The girl couldn’t hold it in anymore and started to cry. “My brother, he…” Ye Fan took a deep breath and said, “Get in the car. Let’s go see your brother for the last time.” “…Okay,” the girl said, her pretty face tear-streaked, looking pitiful. … … The next morning, Zeng Zi’s body was cremated. That afternoon, Ye Fan took Zeng Jingwei back to her hometown and buried Zeng Zi’s ashes in the rural village of her family. “Jingwei, with your brother gone, I’ll be your real brother from now on.” That afternoon, after Zeng Zi’s burial, in Zeng Zi’s living room, Ye Fan earnestly told Zeng Jingwei, “You can come to me for anything in the future.” “Thank you, Brother Ye,” Zeng Jingwei said with a face still marked by sadness. Before Zeng Zi’s death, he had made a final call to her, instructing her expressly on this matter. Ye Fan forced a smile and said, “Call me brother, not Brother Ye.” “…” Zeng Jingwei gazed at Ye Fan but didn’t utter the word. Ye Fan waited for a long while and then eased the situation by saying, “Haha, you’ve only known me for a few days; it must be hard for you to call me brother directly.” After a pause, he asked, “Jingwei, what’s your dream?” “Dream?…” Zeng Jingwei’s face showed a flash of fear for the future. Having relied on each other for so many years, with her only relative and support, her brother gone, she dared not think about what to do with her life in the days to come. Could this man before her, her brother’s superior officer, truly become her support? She had absolutely no idea in her heart. Seeing her reaction, Ye Fan immediately encouraged her, “Jingwei, please believe that I can definitely become your support, just like your brother. Tell me about your dream.” “I… I want to become a singer, a vocalist known throughout the country and even the whole world,” Zeng Jingwei said softly. Ye Fan nodded and said, “That’s a great dream. It’s definitely achievable. Are you studying music?” As he spoke, he couldn’t help but give Zeng Jingwei a serious look, seeing that she was tall and slender, with snow-white skin, a pretty face, and a quiet demeanor. Merely judging from her appearance, she already met many of the conditions to become a singer, and even her speaking voice was clear and pleasing. “No,” Zeng Jingwei shook her head, “I’m studying electronic science and technology. I’ve enjoyed singing since I was little, but I couldn’t afford to go to a music college, and singing alone can’t guarantee a living after graduation, so I chose to study science and engineering instead.” Ye Fan nodded again, feeling that Zeng Jingwei was very sensible and didn’t blindly pursue music without considering her family’s situation. “I can provide you with all the great conditions to pursue a music career,” Ye Fan said. “However, whether you can become a true international singer depends on your own effort.” “Really?” Zeng Jingwei asked in disbelief. Ye Fan nodded solemnly and said, “Of course it’s true! If you’re willing, at the end of this summer vacation, you can transfer to either Huahai Music College or Central Music College for further study, or you could even go abroad to the United States’ Berkeley College of Music, or the Vienna Music Academy.” “This…” Zeng Jingwei’s eyes widened in disbelief. Putting aside the globally renowned top music institutions like Vienna Music Academy and Berkeley College of Music, even Central Music College and Huahai Music College were among the two best music colleges in the country. Transferring to these bastions of music mid-way was something she couldn’t even begin to imagine. Ye Fan continued, “The condition is that you must move beyond your grief quickly and face future life with an optimistic and proactive attitude.” “Okay!” Zeng Jingwei nodded vigorously in agreement.