Special forces soldier demobilization: Starting from the county government compound, a meteoric rise

The study was dimly lit.

Only the old-fashioned green eye-protecting lamp on the desk cast a dim yellow halo. Liu Ming, wearing reading glasses, leaned back in the old rattan chair, holding a thick, worn-out old photo album in his hands.

He found this a few days ago when he was sorting through his father's belongings, and it was found at the very bottom of a camphor wood box.

It was supposed to be sorting out his belongings. But really, it was also about reflecting on the path he had walked through most of his life.

The album is opened, and the first page is a group photo taken at the entrance of the Qingyun County Party Committee compound.

The photo is a bit yellowed; he was wearing a faded short-sleeved shirt. His eyes were sharp, like a newly sharpened knife, carrying an arrogant air of looking down on everyone else.

Standing next to him was Xi Wanqing.

Back then, she was still that aloof county magistrate, as cold as an iceberg. She tilted her head slightly, seemingly looking at the camera, but her peripheral vision was entirely focused on Liu Ming. The emotions in her eyes, even after decades and through the yellowed photograph, were still so clear they were heart-wrenching.

Liu Ming gently stroked the photo with her fingers, a gentle smile appearing on her lips.

"Old woman, you were quite the actor back then."

He murmured to himself. It was as if his icy female boss, who always used discipline to pressure him, would push open the study door the next second, walk in with a cup of warmed milk, and scold him impatiently for not going to sleep yet.

Flipping through the album further, you see Ningzhou, Jiangnan Province, and the capital city.

They are vivid faces.

These are also periods of glorious years that can never be revisited.

Liu Ming's gaze lingered on a newspaper clipping.

The clipping's headline was large and eye-catching: "[Nangong Group Global Charitable Foundation Officially Established, 10 Billion Yuan Injected into Education and Healthcare!]"

The woman in the photo is wearing a smart burgundy business suit. She stands on the United Nations podium, facing representatives from hundreds of countries, her smile bright and confident, exuding a queen-like aura.

That's Nangong Yao.

The woman who once pointed to a row of George Patton watches in the underground parking garage of Ningzhou and said, "I'm here to back you up." The business tycoon who, in the midst of a financial battle, unhesitatingly risked her entire fortune just to make him smile.

"This girl is still so high-profile."

Looking at the photo, Liu Ming's eyes flashed with a complex mix of emotions: gratitude, admiration, and also a hint of...deep sense of indebtedness.

After that "martial arts contest to find a husband" in the Lin family courtyard back then.

His relationship with Xi Wanqing was made public.

Nangong Yao didn't make a scene or cry. She simply drank two bottles of red wine by herself that night. Then, early the next morning, she placed a share transfer agreement for the Nangong Group and a one-way ticket to New York on Liu Ming's desk.

"Liu Ming, I, Nangong Yao, have never fought with anyone for anything in my life."

When she left, she left behind only this sentence, and that free-spirited yet resolute silhouette that Liu Ming will never forget.

From then on, Nangong Yao moved the headquarters of the Nangong Group entirely overseas. Like a tireless business machine, she frantically conquered territory on Wall Street, in the City of London, and in Silicon Valley.

She transformed the Nangong Group into a true global business empire. And she herself became the "Queen of the East," feared by countless international financial giants.

But she never married.

Countless heirs to multinational conglomerates, and even members of royal families from some countries, have pursued her relentlessly. But she remained like a true iceberg, rejecting all attempts to get close.

She devoted all her energy and wealth to philanthropy.

"I heard that she donated to build a hundred schools in Africa. Every single one of them is named 'Dragon Abyss'."

Outside the door, Xi Wanqing walked in carrying a cup of hot milk. She placed the milk on the desk, her gaze falling on the newspaper clipping, her tone carrying a hint of relief and admiration.

Liu Ming raised his head and looked at his wife, with whom he had spent his entire life.

"You knew all along?"

"Of course." Xi Wanqing smiled. Although fine crow's feet appeared at the corners of her eyes, her composure and elegance were all the more captivating. "She was a great woman. And also... a true rival. If she hadn't left back then, I might not have been able to defeat her."

There are no "ifs".

Liu Ming held Xi Wanqing's hand and patted it gently. "The luckiest thing in my life is meeting you. And her..."

Liu Ming looked at Nangong Yao in the photo.

"She belongs to a wider world."

Continue flipping through the album.

Besides Nangong Yao, this photo album also contains many other women who appeared in his life but were quickly missed.

There was Lu Xiao Kui, the intern in the Municipal Youth League Committee office, who was terrified when he "pulled the internet cable."

This young woman didn't stay in the system. Influenced by him, she resigned and started her own e-commerce company specializing in live-streaming to support farmers. Now, she is a well-known "Ambassador for Supporting Farmers" in China, leading her team to travel all over the country, selling countless agricultural products from remote mountainous areas to all parts of the nation.

In the photo, Lu Xiao Kui stands in a golden wheat field, laughing like a silly idiot. Gone is the naivety of the past; replaced by a down-to-earth competence.

"This girl has finally found the path she wants to take." Liu Ming smiled and shook her head.

And then there was Lin Miaomiao, the female reporter in the provincial party committee compound who always looked at him with a gaze full of inquiry and admiration.

She was the one who planned the live debate on the "New Policies of Jiangnan" that caused a sensation throughout the province back then.

She later became a leading actress on the provincial television station, and even one of the top investigative journalists in the country. She went deep into illegal mining areas and conducted undercover investigations of underground casinos, using her pen and camera to expose countless dark sides of society.

She never married and dedicated all her passion to journalism.

In an interview, when asked why she chose such a dangerous profession, she looked at the camera with bright eyes and said:

"Because I once saw a ray of light. I hope to bring that light into more dark corners."

……

Liu Ming looked at the photos quietly.

The women in the photo are all shining brightly in their respective fields. Unlike characters in traditional romance novels, they don't die for a man or grow old alone.

They transformed their admiration and regret into motivation, living out their own unique lives.

This, perhaps, is the best ending.

"They're all here."

Liu Ming closed the photo album and carefully placed it back deep in the drawer.

He picked up the hot milk on the table, took a sip, and the warm liquid flowed down his esophagus, warming his stomach and his heart that had experienced many hardships.

"Old man, what are you thinking about?" Xi Wanqing walked behind him and gently massaged his shoulders.

"I wasn't thinking about anything."

Liu Ming closed her eyes, feeling the pressure on her shoulder, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.

"I just feel that my life has been worthwhile."

In his youth, he believed that conquering the world meant possessing everything. Like a tireless wolf, he fought fiercely in the officialdom and the business world, trying to use power to protect everyone he cared about.

But it wasn't until he reached this age that he understood.

Some missed opportunities are destined, while letting go of some things is also a form of fulfillment.

"It's good to forget each other in the vast world."

Liu Ming muttered to herself.

He opened his eyes and looked at the bright moon outside the window.

The moonlight shines on the blue bricks of the courtyard houses, on the red walls of Chang'an Avenue, and also on distant foreign lands.

He wished them well wherever they were.

May you have peace and safety every year.