From humble beginnings to the pinnacle of life

Upon hearing Su Qing's words, Luo Peng burst into laughter, waved his hand, and said:

"Sister Qing, don't worry. I've known Brother Ye for years, and I know his alcohol tolerance. This is nothing."

Su Qing rolled her eyes at him: "Even if you have a high alcohol tolerance, you can't keep up with drinking like this. Everyone should eat something to fill their stomachs first, instead of just focusing on drinking."

I turned my head and joked with Su Qing in a low voice, "It's okay, I'm happy today. Even if I get really drunk, I'll trouble you to carry me home."

"I'm not afraid you'll get drunk, I'm afraid your stomach won't be able to handle it." Su Qing frowned slightly, her concern evident.

"It's okay, I can handle it."

No sooner had I finished speaking than Luo Peng clicked his tongue and teased, his face full of mockery:

"Oh my, it feels so different to be in a relationship and have someone care about you."

"Go away, go somewhere cool and stay somewhere else." Su Qing rolled her eyes at him again.

I raised my glass and clinked it against Wang Ge's.

"Brother Wang, this is a toast to you. Although you didn't finish the journey with us, the help you gave us along the way was invaluable. I, Lin Ye, will remember this kindness."

I shook my head and said seriously, "That's definitely not just simple information. Without your real-time updated satellite maps, we wouldn't have been able to successfully penetrate deep into the glacier."

Having said that, I drank the wine in my cup in one gulp.

After a few rounds of drinks, everyone gradually relaxed, and the atmosphere in the private room became increasingly relaxed and harmonious.

The sounds of clinking glasses, clattering bowls and chopsticks, and laughter mingled together.

It was so lively and bustling, it almost felt like Chinese New Year.

But for me, even during the Lunar New Year, I have never felt so relaxed and happy.

At this moment, there is no scheming, no class barriers, no need to carefully guess people's hearts, and no need to guard against conspiracies and tricks in the dark.

Only a group of partners who have overcome life-or-death situations together can let go of all burdens and enjoy this simple, lively celebration.

Luo Peng took a couple of sips of wine, then suddenly frowned and gasped:

"I felt something was off just now. By the way, where's Su Wan? Brother Lin, didn't you call her over?"

I smiled and said to him, "I've already informed her. She's at the airport, going to a meeting out of town. She said we can get together another time."

Luo Peng curled his lip, with a hint of mockery: "That's a real pity. But President Su is a very busy person. Even if he's not on a business trip, he might not be willing to come to our kind of down-to-earth dinner party."

I chuckled awkwardly and said, "Don't say that. After all, we survived together in the no-man's land. You know what kind of person she is."

Luo Peng chuckled: "Just kidding. Speaking of which, I'm still really curious why she came with us into the no-man's-land in the first place?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty curious too," Su Qing chimed in.

I have never mentioned this to anyone.

Su Wan's willingness to confide her deepest secrets to me shows her trust in me. I cannot take someone else's private affairs and spread them around as casual conversation at a dinner table.

Faced with everyone's curiosity, I firmly shook my head and said:

"Please don't press me about this matter. It's her private affair, and I can't say much more. All I can say is that she had her own reasons for going to the no-man's-land."

Luo Peng, sensing the situation, waved his hand and said, "Fine, I won't ask."

I refilled my glass, straightened up, and, glancing at everyone present, said in a loud voice:

"Come on, everyone, raise your glasses. To all of us, may we all survive this ordeal safely."

"Well said!" Luo Peng immediately echoed loudly.

Everyone stood up and raised their glasses in unison.

The six glasses collided heavily together, making a crisp, loud clanging sound.

Everyone tilted their heads back and drank the wine in their glasses in one gulp.

All that pent-up fatigue and grievances, and all the frustration I've endured along the way.

It all seemed to melt away with this glass of strong liquor amidst the sizzling smoke filling the room.

The subsequent dinner party became entirely Luo Peng's show.

He was a natural chatterbox, always full of jokes and a loose tongue, and his butt seemed to have nails stuck to it and he couldn't sit still.

One minute she'd stretch out her arm to snatch the perfectly cooked tripe from the pot, the next she'd tease me and Su Qing.

He praised Su Qing as becoming more and more beautiful, as if he had honey on his lips, then turned around and slapped the table to praise me, saying that I had a broad vision and a quick mind, and that I was a person who could do great things.

The warmth of the room, combined with his booming voice, made everyone's ears feel warm.

Amidst the commotion, Brother Wang suddenly put down his chopsticks, turned to me, and asked in a deep voice:

"By the way, Lin Ye, I heard from people in the industry that your batch of videos about the no-man's-land were forcibly taken down from all online platforms?"

My hand, which was picking up food, paused for half a second before I nodded and said, "Yes, something like that happened, but it's all resolved now, and we've moved on."

"Which bastard did this?!"

Luo Peng slapped his thigh, his eyes wide with surprise.

"Damn it! If I catch him, I'm going to make him pay!"

Su Qing picked up her plum juice, took a sip, and said casually, "Fang Heng, the eldest son of the Fang Group, you can go."

"Who...who?!"

Luo Peng's anger froze instantly, and his voice trailed off as if someone had suddenly grabbed his neck.

Even the usually composed Wang Ge frowned upon hearing the name and asked nervously, "How could it be him? How did you two end up estranged?"

I sighed and gently shook my head.

There are so many grudges and entanglements, from food delivery stations to express delivery points, and now to the outdoor community, that it's impossible to explain in just a few words.

Seeing that the atmosphere that had just warmed up was about to sink, I quickly raised my glass and steered the conversation back on track:

"It's all in the past, let's not talk about it. The videos that were taken down will be back online in the next couple of days, it's not a big deal. Compared to when we were eating ice shards in the no-man's-land, this is nothing."

"Really settled?" Wang Ge's eyes still held a hint of disbelief.

I nodded emphatically and said with a smile, "It's settled."

As soon as I finished speaking, Luo Peng immediately came to his senses again, slammed his hand on the table, and burst into laughter:

"I knew it! Forget about principles like 'square' and 'round'; these guys who rely on their family's wealth and resort to underhanded tactics can't possibly beat Brother Ye!"

"They just rely on their family background and connections to bully others. If it really comes down to brains and guts, ten of them tied together wouldn't be enough to match Brother Ye!"

Su Qing laughed at his words: "Luo Peng, you're so mean, changing someone's name to Yuanheng."

Luo Peng, on the contrary, became serious and puffed out his chest, saying, "Well, isn't the antonym of 'square' round? I think 'round' sounds better than 'square'."

No one brought up those unpleasant grudges anymore; they all went along with his jokes.

Laughter echoed through the private room, the warm, lively atmosphere enveloping everyone.

It seems that all the storms have truly passed.

Thankfully, my brothers who have faced life and death with me are by my side, and the person I hold dear in my heart is sitting right next to me.