SFFCK (Complete)

Chapter 44

Xu Lian quietly sat on the bar for a while. Then, she suddenly reached out and grabbed the alcohol Wei YiChen was holding.

However, Wei YiChen's reaction was quick. He immediately moved his hand and hid the bottle behind the bad. Xu Lian stared at him. Wei YiChen looked back with a smile. "I've met Xiang ChangKong before. He told me he was preparing for the postgraduate entrance exams."

He knew about Xiang ChangKong's situation because he got Ah Mao to investigate. And now, Xu Lian suddenly talked about dreams. It was obvious to Wei YiChen that something had happened with Xiang ChangKong's studies.

Xu Lian picked up her orange juice and gulped it down like a vodka shot. She didn't stop until the glass was totally empty. "He might not take the exam."

Wei YiChen leaned and put his elbows on top of the bar. "Why?"

According to Ah Mao's report, Xiang ChangKong had initially given up the chance to study abroad because his father passed away, and his mother became ill. At the time, his younger sister was in her third year of middle school. In a situation like that, it would be impossible for anyone to just happily hop on a plane abroad. Xiang ChangKong had been forced to give up on his studies. But now, he had a chance to continue his studies. Why give up?

"Do you know the current situation with China's aerospace industry?" Xu Lian asked.

"...." Wei YiChen was silent for a while, then asked: "Do you think I'd know anything about that particular subject?"

Xu Lian handed him her empty glass and said: "Pour me another one."

Wei YiChen obediently poured her another glass of orange juice and placed it in front of her. Xu Lian took a huge gulp, and when she was finished, there was only a third of juice left. "Xiang ChangKong said that they work on a 611 system. Do you know what 611 means? That's six days a week, eleven hours a day. And that doesn't count the overtime they have to do. The stronger your ability is, the more intense your workload. The higher the welfare benefits, the more likely you are of premature death. They lose young people more and more as the industry develops."

Wei YiChen was shocked. He asked: "Xiang ChangKong's father was..." Wei YiChen didn't go on.

"Un, something like that." Xu Lian took another gulp. It was like she was an alcoholic. "They've made great contributions to the country, but their families...probably thought that the price wasn't worth it."

She didn't know the feelings of other families, but Auntie Weng...she would probably prefer if Xiang ChangKong delivered takeout for the rest of his life. She most likely didn't want him to have anything to do with planes.

Xu Lian looked at Wei YiChen. "If you were a family member, would you support them or not?"

Wei YiChen was silent. He couldn't help but bring out the alcohol and drink a glass. Xu Lian didn't reach for the bottle and patiently waited for his reply.

Wei YiChen finished his drink and asked: "Xiang ChangKong's mother doesn't approve?"

"Un."

"And you?"

"Me?" Xu Lian smiled. She had seen Wei YiChen's depressed appearance before and had seen the same sadness in the depths of Xiang ChangKong's melancholic eyes. They were both brilliant rays of starlight that were gradually fading away, struggling to shine as they were being overtaken by the dark of the night. Xu Lian could understand Weng ShuLi's thoughts, but she could never agree with her actions. There are people in this world who were willing to be plain their whole lives, but there were also people who would rather burn as a brief but dazzling existence.