In the blazing afternoon sun, Li Haojun held Maria's hand as they walked under the shade of trees on the sidewalk. The exhibition was closed off, and so were the hotels, but he didn't care anyway.
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"Where do we go?" Li Haojun asked her, not because he couldn't make decisions, but because he enjoyed interacting with her.
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Maria checked her watch as she spoke,
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"Currently, the wind is from the south, but tonight it might be from the north. We're currently northeast of the accident site. If we move a few miles east, we can sleep peacefully tonight regardless of the wind direction."
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"Okay,"
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"The bad news is there are no taxis; they've all been requisitioned. We'll have to walk."
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"That's fine too," Li Haojun replied in the same tone.
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Maria didn't understand at first, looking at him questioningly. Li Haojun had already taken her hand again.
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"Let's go," he said, pulling her forward, as if the terrifying moment she had just experienced had brought him closer to Mariaa, admiring the rhythm of her steps and the swaying of her hips as he pulled her along. Maria had grown taller and a bit heavier than before. While still slender, the lines of her waist, hips, thighs, and calves were more alluring, though she had lost some of her former girlish lightness.
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“Why did you choose field training? Do you like adventure?” Li Haojun asked curiously.
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“Because the pay is higher,” Maria replied. Hearing this answer, Li Haojun was somewhat surprised, and a wave of shame and regret washed over him. He hadn't cared about her financial situation when they first met. She was also a younger sister who had grown up without parents, and he should have given her more care, but he had been distracted by his romantic relationship with her older sister and neglected her.
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What had caused him to fail to show her more care? Li Haojun reviewed their acquaintance. Was it because she was smarter and more capable than her sister, causing him to overlook the affection she deserved? Or was it her sister's proactive approach that made him ignore this somewhat withdrawn and eccentric child? Was it his own hypocritical morality that prevented him from getting close to her when she was young, or was it his ethical relationship with his sister that prevented him from lusting after this younger sister?
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Lost in self-reproach and introspection, Li Haojun ignored everything around him, completely immersed in his own world.
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"What's wrong? Depressed?" Maria tugged at his arm.
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Li Haojun snapped out of his reverie, turning to see Maria with her lips tightly pressed together, suppressing a laugh.
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Then she suddenly burst out laughing,
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"Haha, I was just kidding, you took it seriously again."
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However, Li Haojun hadn't shaken off his earlier emotions. He knew Maria could sense what she was thinking. His genuine concern and remorse this time were a small compensation for what he had wronged her for so long, and he hoped she could feel more warmth from humanity.
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“Actually, I was just curious,” Maria continued, seeing Li Haojun's still serious expression, as she shared her experiences.
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“My internship involved arranging your schedule, so my career path could be as a secretary or a field agent. But after field training and certification, I could personally pilot vehicles. Isn't flying exciting?”
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“Yes,” seeing Maria’s enthusiastic expression, Li Haojun naturally wanted to encourage the young woman, setting aside his own concerns about the dangers. He then asked her,
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“Yes, piloting a jet is indeed exciting. You’re very good at it, aren’t you?”
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“Yes, I passed the test on my first try,” Maria’s excitement was palpable as she recounted her triumphant experience. Li Haojun seemed to see that same spirited young girl again in her eyes.
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"You're very good at piloting aircraft. Tell me more about it, and how it feels?"
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"Yes, I have a great feel for space and speed. I don't get dizzy even with all the flips. It feels like controlling the plane is an extension of my own limbs,"
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"You feel like you're soaring through the sky like a bird, not a plane, right?"
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"Yes, that's the feeling,"
Li Haojun looked at her happy expression and secretly understood that this was perhaps a difference in risk tolerance leading to different understandings of life. He was extremely risk-averse, while she was risk-seeking. Perhaps it was due to age or personal experiences? Both of them were living out their own philosophies of life, experiencing their own peaceful, repetitive happiness and the excitement of exploring the unknown. It's just that he truly couldn't bear to see the people he cared about taking risks.
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"What else did you learn?" Li Haojun asked with a smile, wanting to continue her happy memories.
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"And driving, not just normal driving, but high-speed handling,"
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Hearing this, Li Haojun thought of Lily's vintage Jaguar.
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"I only drive electric cars, haha, I haven't tried a traditional gasoline-powered one yet. They're rare these days, you hardly ever see them on the street,"
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Clearly, Maria knew what she was thinking, and Li Haojun quickly added,
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"I do have a gasoline-powered sports car. You can try it out when we get back to Kalispel," she said, sending Maria a picture of the car.
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"Ah, it's beautiful,"
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"Do you like it? Your sister already rode in it before you came back. Now you're living with her, so you can drive it whenever you feel like it."
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"Really?" Maria excitedly gave Li Haojun a hug.
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"Yes, what's mine is yours."
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"Oh? I can't accept that," Maria said, squinting at Li Haojun and drawing out her words. Then, she deliberately pulled his hand, slowing him down, and walked away awkwardly, her hair undone and cascading over her shoulders, changing the subject.
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"Ouch, it's so hot," she said, fanning her flushed cheeks with her hand. Li Haojun chuckled, seemingly infected by her playful and youthful charm.
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"It's hot, no problem, let's order some cold drinks," he said, wanting some too.
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Although the drone carrying passengers had been requisitioned, delivery services were still operating.
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Malaya chose iced mint lemonade. Li Haojun thought for a moment and chose no ice, but being practical, he also ordered two bottles of purified water and put them in his pockets.
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The long, slanted shadows of the palm trees were cast on the sidewalk from behind. The two of them had already strolled leisurely through the afternoon, their shadows, hand in hand, growing longer and longer.
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Their work instructions were to continue waiting for further arrangements locally, so Malaaya had booked another hotel. However, this was a slum area, so the hotel was old and shabby; there was no other choice.
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Entering the reception area on the first floor, they found a large lobby with numerous interactive game machines for real players. It seemed the accommodation business in this area was lacking, forcing them to diversify their revenue streams. However, these gaming machines appeared to be idle, perhaps outdated. Curious, Li Haojun asked the receptionist,
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"I saw the local game winners being awarded prizes at noon today. Was it one of these interactive machines?" He pointed to the unused machines.
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"Oh? What game?" The receptionist was quite old and seemed a bit slow-witted. Li Haojun suspected he might be the owner, as he seemed very familiar with the room keys in his hand.
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"It's called Johnny the Thug,"
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"Ah, this game has had many versions. Lots of kids used to play here, but now it's only old people here, haha, like me." Li Haojun hadn't realized he'd touched a nerve with the locals, so he tried to downplay it, saying,
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"It'll be alright, it'll be alright," before taking the keys and going upstairs.
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and then Add to home screen.