Chapter 78

"Hello, Sister-in-law." After school in the afternoon, Wang Fusheng bought some things and came to Wang Meng's house with a handbag.

This area was a welfare housing complex, built by some large enterprises for charitable purposes and by the city to renovate shantytowns. Although each apartment was not large, with the bedroom, living room, and kitchen combined totaling about 30 square meters, it was already quite good for a family with Wang Meng's income.

"Ge... General." Seeing Wang Fusheng walk in, Wang Meng was surprised and stood up. After lunch, Wang Meng had given Wang Fusheng his address, but he did not expect Wang Fusheng to come over in the evening.

"Le... Leader, hello." The one who opened the door was a woman in her mid-twenties, with a very serene appearance, but her brows were furrowed with worry. She held a two-year-old child who looked somewhat listless and unhealthy. Upon hearing her husband call the young man "General," the woman was also surprised and began to stutter.

"Hehe, don't listen to Wang Meng's nonsense. My name is Wang Fusheng. Sister-in-law, you can just call me Fusheng. This is DuoDuo, right? Come over and let Uncle give you a hug." Wang Fusheng smiled warmly, glanced at Wang Meng, and Wang Meng, who was about to say something, scratched his head and smiled foolishly. He put down the things he had bought, and Wang Fusheng reached out to hug the little girl in Wang Meng's wife's arms.

Although Wang Meng did not say it at noon, Wang Fusheng could tell that the little girl, despite treatment, was still not in good health. The little girl's illness was congenital, caused by the mother's emotional disturbance during pregnancy, which left lingering effects due to improper handling.

Such a congenital disease was difficult to cure even with modern medicine, unless expensive treatments and surgeries were performed. However, this cost was clearly unaffordable for a family like Wang Meng's.

The little girl was a bit shy, but it seemed that guests rarely came to their home, so she was curious about Wang Fusheng. Despite her listlessness, she occasionally peeked at Wang Fusheng with her clear big eyes, then hid in her mother's arms, as if afraid of being discovered.

"How much does it cost to treat DuoDuo?" Wang Fusheng poured himself a cup of tea before Wang Meng's wife could, and gestured for her to go about her business. Wang Meng's wife glanced at Wang Meng, then took the little girl into the inner room, which was actually a small bedroom separated from the living room by a curtain.

"General, this..." Wang Meng looked at Wang Fusheng, unsure of what to say. With Qi Tianyang present at noon, the two had not talked much. Wang Meng did not expect Wang Fusheng to personally visit and ask about these matters. Since Wang Fusheng had asked, Wang Meng knew what he was planning, but he was hesitant.

"Stop stammering. Just answer my question." Wang Fusheng glared at Wang Meng, almost making him instinctively stand at attention. However, seeing Wang Fusheng's displeasure, Wang Meng stammered out his answer.

"3... 30 million. It requires gene development and nurturing to supplement the congenital deficiencies. Only then can DuoDuo develop normally." Speaking of his daughter, Wang Meng couldn't help but look back at the curtain, his face filled with the glow of a loving father. Although his daughter's birth had brought him a lot of pressure, he was genuinely happy every time he saw her.

"Your current job doesn't earn much, right?" Wang Fusheng took a sip of tea and continued.

"This welfare housing was built by the Ouyang Group. Living here doesn't require much in terms of expenses. My job was also arranged by the Ouyang Group, so although the pay isn't much, it's enough... enough to get by." Wang Meng answered somewhat evasively, avoiding Wang Fusheng's gaze.

"Don't worry, I'm not giving you money directly. Even if I wanted to, I don't have that much. I'll give you some in the future, but it will be a loan that needs to be repaid." Seeing Wang Meng's expression, Wang Fusheng sighed. For the sake of his self-respect, Wang Meng could refuse his superior's arrangements. But for his daughter, he had to accept a businessman's gift. This made Wang Fusheng feel a bit stifled, but he couldn't blame Wang Meng, as what he was doing was for his daughter and was worth it.

"My salary, my salary..." Although Wang Fusheng said it was a loan, Wang Meng knew he might never be able to repay it in his lifetime. Wang Meng wanted to say something, but seeing Wang Fusheng's gaze, he held back, his eyes welling up with tears.

"What do you think of the game 'Fate'?" Wang Fusheng changed the subject.

"It's a great game, but I haven't played in a long time." Wang Fusheng's words made Wang Meng nostalgic. After all, everyone has a youthful and reckless past, but that past was now far from Wang Meng.

"Come and play this. It's quite profitable. The game has a correction mode that can make it easier for you to move around in the game. Although it will have some impact, with your military skills, it won't be a big issue. This should earn you more than your current job, and I'm in it too."

"This..." Wang Meng had heard of the military game 'Fate.' When it was first developed, he had wanted to try it. But with a wife and child, his life was no longer as free as before. He had heard that some people had made money from the game, but with a family, Wang Meng couldn't easily take the risk. Not only did the game helmet require a significant investment, but doing this might also cost him his current job. If he failed, the consequences would be unbearable for Wang Meng.

"This is the game helmet. You're my soldier, and I say you can do it. You can't be a delivery driver all your life, can you? Even if not for yourself, think about DuoDuo. Even after the surgery, the costs for her daily life, education, and other expenses will still be high."

Wang Fusheng took out a bag containing the game helmet. After thinking all afternoon, Wang Fusheng, who had no money, didn't know how to help Wang Meng. Even if he hadn't reinvested the 600,000 yuan in the game a few days ago, it was still far from what Wang Meng needed. Besides DuoDuo, Wang Meng's leg also needed treatment; he couldn't limp for the rest of his life.

So, after much thought, Wang Fusheng, who had never considered the economic aspects of 'Fate,' suddenly felt that making money from the game was feasible. Wang Fusheng had never thought he would have such a strong desire for money. After much consideration, he decided to have Wang Meng join the game.

Although Wang Meng joining now meant he wouldn't get the initial benefits, those benefits weren't just Wang Fusheng's. Even if Wang Fusheng wanted to give his share to Wang Meng, Wang Meng wouldn't accept it. Wang Fusheng could lend Wang Meng money to buy the game helmet, but he had to be careful about the extent of his help.

If Wang Meng knew that Wang Fusheng was sacrificing his own interests to help him, even if he reluctantly accepted it for his daughter's sake, he wouldn't feel good about it. So, Wang Fusheng hoped that Wang Meng would join him in the game. With Wang Meng's military skills, he would definitely make money and help Wang Fusheng. This way, Wang Meng would feel better about accepting the loan from Wang Fusheng.

By the time Wang Fusheng left Wang Meng's house, it was already completely dark. The dim yellow streetlights and the cold evening breeze made Wang Fusheng's gaze gradually become determined. After retiring, Wang Fusheng had been very lost, unsure of what he wanted to do or could do. Now, it seemed he had found his direction.

"Little Fusheng, it's been a long time." Just as Wang Fusheng clenched his fist and was about to leave, an unremarkable black car stopped in front of him. The window rolled down, revealing a kind old man with silver hair.

"Com... Commissar." Seeing the old man, Wang Fusheng instinctively stood at attention and saluted.

"Can you keep me company for a while, old man that I am?"

Wang Fusheng didn't hesitate and got into the car. The driver didn't drive far, just parking in the neighborhood's parking lot and then getting out.

"This is for you, Little Fusheng. I'm sorry for the inconvenience." The old man took out a small box from his pocket and handed it to Wang Fusheng, then patted his shoulder with a sigh.

"This..." Wang Fusheng took the box, opened it, and saw the medal inside. Although the car's lighting was dim, the medal shone brightly. Wang Fusheng's eyes welled up with tears. A mix of emotions welled up in his chest, making him want to cry and laugh at the same time. He didn't know what to do.

"You deserve it, it's just a bit late. You're not angry with me, are you?" The old man looked at Wang Fusheng with the kindness of an elder.

"No, I'm not." Wang Fusheng shook his head.

"Does Little Fusheng have any difficulties that the state can help with?" The old man looked back at the neighborhood and asked.

"No."

"Do you have any resentment?" The old man looked at Wang Fusheng, his kind expression tinged with seriousness.

Seeing the old man's expression, Wang Fusheng quickly calmed down. He didn't immediately answer but instead had a nostalgic look on his face.

"I spent five years in the African star domain. What I saw most often wasn't the life and death of soldiers, but the famine in local tribes and villages. I often thought, if I hadn't been born in China but in one of those places, would I, an orphan, still be alive today?" Wang Fusheng's tone was calm, but the old man looked thoughtful.

"So, every time I went on a mission, I was particularly serious, constantly pushing myself to become stronger so I could do more for the country. I didn't have any noble ideals, just the thought that since I was taken care of by the country from a young age, I should know how to be grateful."

The car fell into a long silence. Finally, the old man sighed and patted Wang Fusheng's shoulder. Looking at Wang Fusheng's calm face, the old man opened his mouth to say something but didn't.

"Does Little Fusheng have any requests?" After a while, the old man looked at Wang Fusheng very seriously, his tone indicating that he was making a promise.

"My life is stable now, and I have no requests. If I really have to say something, I just want to live a bit more freely. I can support myself now and have gradually adapted to this society. In the past, I had no ties because I was an orphan, but now I do." Wang Fusheng couldn't help but look back at the neighborhood.

Although he didn't say it outright, Wang Fusheng's meaning was clear. In the past, because he was an orphan, even though they knew he wouldn't betray the country, he still needed to be monitored because he had no ties. But after meeting Wang Meng, he had ties. Given Wang Fusheng's character, if he wanted to help Wang Meng, he wouldn't cause any trouble for him. This way, the country could trust him and not need to monitor him.

"Come and have tea with me when you have time." The old man patted Wang Fusheng's shoulder and sighed.

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