Area Eastwood, the capital of Hexi Province, had a street named Bell Tower Street, although it didn't actually have a bell tower. The reason for such a name, filled with a nostalgic flavor, stemmed from a heart-wrenching mistake made by the federal military when they first entered Eastwood Star. The miscalculation in gravity resulted in a battleship crashing at this location. The fireworks from the explosion reflected on the faces of countless soldiers, filled with gloom and uncertainty. The senior official from the fourth military region sighed, "Father's mood this time is lonelier than the fireworks."
The retro-style bell carried by this senior official fell alongside the beautiful fireworks from the shattered battleship, ruthlessly hitting the ground. While the battleship was destroyed, the Big Ben bell remained intact and functioning. This was undoubtedly a brutal mockery of the federal government and military's capabilities.
The facts revealed that the sigh of the senior official from the fourth military region was not just a poetic expression. The federal administration committee was exceptionally angry about the accident, conducting a rectification movement in the army and dismissing many military personnel. They also strictly ordered the Big Ben to be placed back in its original position, serving as a constant reminder to all government workers. However, the senior official from the fourth military region was reassigned to a lonely life on the border region defense area of Area Westwood.
Many years passed, and the Big Ben bell had corroded into fragments due to acid precipitation. It was now buried in a garbage dump on Eastwood Star. However, the name Bell Tower Street remained.
Today, Bell Tower Street was not filled with fireworks, nor was it lonely. Instead, it was different from the ordinary past. It was now brimming with the protest expressions of the frustrated residents of Eastwood. Tattered slogans appeared and disappeared in the crowd, and both coffee drinkers and intoxicated individuals joined the excited Eastwood residents. This chaotic scene presented an incredibly unexpected experimental play.
Bao Longtao, with a cold expression, stood behind the barricade line, not worried that these Eastwood residents would dare to clash. Although the people of Eastwood were truly bored for a long time and had finally found a way to vent their frustrations, they seemed stimulated. The barricade line consisted only of thin, yellow adhesive tape. However, this was a society of law and order, and everyone knew what could be challenged and what couldn't.
Deputy Director Bao couldn't help feeling a bit sorrowful. His previous speculation about these damn orphans was proven too accurate. The reason they chose to cause trouble seemed adorable, and once the news media got involved, the governor's office couldn't handle these orphans without appearing chaotic. This made him somewhat wary of the order hidden in the chaos.
"Jian Shui'er!"
"We want to watch Jian Shui'er!"
The sound of the demonstration continued, with clear and tender voices growing hoarse. However, it couldn't conceal their self-satisfaction and excitement.
Bao Longtao quickly made a decision. He informed the governor's office and requested the intervention of professional negotiators from the higher authorities in the federal department. However, he didn't choose to strongly resist. On one hand, there were reporters present, and on the other hand, this time the state authorities were somewhat at fault. Finally, his cautious instinct started to kick in.
Before long, officials from the governor's office, the federal radio spectrum management committee, and the police headquarters' public relations department rushed to the central zone of Bell Tower Street for a parade. They began their attempts to convince the residents of Eastwood, but no matter the excuse, they couldn't explain the fact that the light purple-haired figure was absent from the television screen.
Although the officials didn't acknowledge it, the Hexi Province Television Station's manufacturing section was responsible for the stupid decision. They attributed the issue to technical reasons. The negotiations continued, but the damn orphans disappeared quietly from the crowd under Bao Longtao's gloomy gaze.
Shortly after the orphans led by Elder Brother Wei entered the crowd, an incredibly joyful cheer erupted throughout Bell Tower Street. The negotiation was over. The ultra-thin scroll television in the coffee shop was turned on, showing a peaceful Bell Tower Street. Countless police officers wiped the sweat from their foreheads, while the press women happily smiled, and the officials in their hearts scolded the boneheaded governor.
At exactly 8:00 PM, all 23 channels broadcasted the moving face of Jian Shui'er as she returned to the capital of Hexi Province. It was truly a day of celebration worldwide.
The nighttime sky in Eastwood always seemed peculiar. A faint reddish glow spread across the black salt vault of heaven, resembling scenes from hell that some cultivators might recall. However, for the people living on this star, they had seen this scene countless times and had long grown accustomed to it. They wouldn't pay much attention to a few flickering stars that stubbornly sprinkled their light onto the land, like stones neglected by the people of Eastwood.
Two figures, big and small, sneaked beneath the shadow of a streetlight, skillfully avoiding surveillance signals. They passed through an alley on Bell Tower Street and arrived under a green tree.
The green tree stood on a small mound, with no light around it. Against the backdrop of the dark night sky, it resembled a finely-cut paper silhouette.
Under the central green tree in the picture, a person sat. Judging from the silhouette, it appeared to be a young man. He sat cross-legged, and the faint light shining from something on his knee outlined his lonely figure.
"Why is Elder Brother Le always so solitary?" asked the smaller figure, opening their mouth slowly. Their voice was somewhat hoarse, most likely from shouting slogans throughout the afternoon, repeating Jian Shui'er's name over a thousand times.
The other person was naturally the leader, Elder Brother Wei. He looked at the lonely back of the young man under the green tree and couldn't help but sigh with admiration, "He truly is lonelier than the fireworks..."
This sigh, uttered by the senior official from the fourth military region countless years ago, had become a famous saying that no resident of Eastwood would ever forget. It was unexpected that someone like Elder Brother Wei, who lacked both knowledge and talent, would use it to describe a person.
Elder Brother Wei and the small companion ran towards the green mound. As they arrived behind the lonely figure, called Xu Le by them, they noticed his shoulders trembling, as if silently sobbing.
Elder Brother Wei's expression darkened as he approached Xu Le's side and asked, "Xu Le, what's wrong?"
Without raising his head, the lonely young man looked at the ultra-thin television screen on his knee. Tears streamed down the face of the purple-haired female student on the screen, illuminated by the light rays.
After a long time, the ending theme melody played. Xu Le, raising his head, narrowed his sincere and honest eyes. He wiped away the tears and saliva from his face with a determined look, and with an exceptionally earnest tone, he said, "Jian Shui'er... she's really... so attractive! I... I want... to marry her and become her husband in the future!"