Thursday, 29 August 2013, 10pm, Singapore Changi International Airport.

Zeng Hongyi and Xiao Ai, civil servants of a certain Chinese ministry, accompanied Director Ma and three other colleagues from the Foreign Affairs Department of the delegation were cordially shaking hands with the reception staff of the relevant departments in Singapore at the entrance of the government affairs channel.

“Wellcome！ Welcome! ”

“Thankyou!xiexie！” This kind of official contact in English and Chinese still makes Hongyi enjoy it very much, but recalling the history of Singapore at lightning speed, Hongyi still believes that there was once an opportunity to make Chinese the only official language in this land.

Formal negotiations began the next day. The focus of the negotiations was on the question of whether it was legal for our ocean-going crew to carry weapons and escort unidentified persons into Singapore's territorial waters. Of course, before coming, the top management had already set the tone, that is, the purpose was to let the crew return to China as soon as possible, to take equality and mutual benefit as the principle, and to give appropriate economic compensation to the Singapore side as the bottom line, which could not be broken. The main task of Hongyi is to make a good record, so as to facilitate a series of publicity reports after returning to China, and reflect the new achievements of the strategic partnership between China and Singapore. In this process, Xiao Ai is a backup translator, as a "private chat" translator between Director Ma and relevant officials in Singapore and "prominent", often completing a task, and even a brilliant language, she throws a smug look at Hongyi, although all she can get is a response with an indifferent look, but in Hongyi's heart, she gradually admires and affirms this "former dynasty Gege".

Originally, everything went smoothly, and the negotiations entered the final stage as scheduled according to the wishes of both sides, but unexpected events came unexpectedly. On the sixth day of routine negotiations, Yuan Jihua was just to confirm the results reached by the two sides again, and then officially signed them into effect. And this process was "deviated" by a "layman" in Singapore.

Hongyi impatiently threw the pen lightly on the table, and looked up at the East Asia Division of the "Singapore Immigration and Checkpoint (ICA)" across from him, Toma Zhao, a typical Chinese American, about the same age as Hongyi. At that time, he was talking eloquently, saying that one of our fishermen was suspected of smuggling and could not be released to return to China on time. Colleagues in Hony International's Department of Foreign Affairs are arguing with each other, but it seems that no reasonable reason can make the raised corners of the director's mouth on the other side give up resistance to the gravitational pull of the earth.

"Our laws are sacrosanct and inviolable, and I ask your country to fully respect them." Toma Zhao spread his hands.

"Please make it clear once again that the crew you are talking about, he has served in the military in our country, and it is normal for him to have some understanding of the use of standard light weapons!" Director Wang of the Department of Foreign Affairs said righteously.

"But the pirates also know all about the standard small arms you are talking about." Thoma held up his hands.

"You're arguing with reason!" Director Wang immediately countered his ridiculous logic.

"I don't agree with your understanding of this matter!" Thoma Toth didn't give an inch. As is customary, all that is needed at this time is a temporary adjournment of the meeting, and the two sides are in private contact. Director Wang was about to suggest adjourning the meeting, when Hongyi suddenly leaned forward and said in English, "Director Zhao, how long have you or your family been in Singapore?" Director Wang cast a strange look at Hongyi, and Director Ma next to him almost jumped up after hearing Xiao Ai's translation, this is not the division of responsibilities of the delegation, you Xiao Zeng don't mess around! But Xiao Ai threw it, but she was anxious, and the soles of her feet under the table gently slapped Hongyi's feet. Hongyi was unmoved by any of this, just stared calmly at Thomas Zhao opposite.

"Does this have anything to do with our negotiations?"

"If you are willing to answer my question, I will naturally give you a satisfactory answer." Hongyi smiled and motioned for our official translator to translate this sentence into Chinese.

"Oh, that's it...... I am an exchange student who came to Singapore from China more than 10 years ago and became a naturalized student after graduation. ”

"Congratulations, you must be one of the most outstanding college classmates in China!"

"Xiexie, your compliment, but allow me to ask you, what does this have to do with our talks?" Thoma Toll has a good memory.

"It matters," Hongyi smiled, "what year did you come to Singapore in your home country?" Hongyi lost no time in speaking a word in Chinese.

"Sophomore in college." Thomas Toll paused for a moment, and replied in English.

"When you entered the university as a freshman, did you first participate in a one-month military training for college students?"

"That's right, that's the case in China at the time." Thomas Toh seemed a little helpless, and even used the word "domestic" for the first time to refer to his original homeland, rather than his current master. Fortunately, the other party's translator changed it to the Chinese "China" and reminded Lao Zhao in a low voice.

"Then, according to your definition, can you be counted as a person who has received military training in China, and according to the immigration regulations of your country at that time, should your application for naturalization be approved?"

"No, no, no, I was just a college student, not a military officer."

"And that crew member of our country is already a retired citizen of the People's Republic of China, not a militant, am I right, Director Zhao?" Hongyi smiled and accentuated his tone, staring at his former compatriots opposite.

……

That night, in the restaurant of the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Singapore, Director Wang raised a toast:

"Comrades, we have successfully completed the confirmation of all the agreements today, and we will be able to sign them early tomorrow morning. We have successfully completed the tasks entrusted to us by the motherland and our superiors! Come, you can drink a little domestic Moutai tonight, haha, but no one is allowed to get drunk! Cheers! ”

"! Dry! And they drank it all.

…… After three rounds of drinking, Director Wang walked up to Director Ma and Hongyi, raised his glass and said:

"Xiao Zeng, I didn't expect it, you, a supernumerary, caught a weak link in the other party, I really didn't expect it! Yes, there is a future, I will give you credit when I return to China! ”

"Director, I'm a blind cat and a dead mouse, don't be angry, the incident happened suddenly, I didn't ask you in advance, this is a big taboo in foreign affairs work. Please criticize me, I am absolutely right about your criticism! Hongyi did not get carried away, but looked sincere.

"Okay, yes, I still know about foreign affairs discipline, but this time I think it's negligible, because you won it easily after all. Besides, you are not a foreign affairs cadre, so I don't blame you. But I think you're still worthy of your college major, and you haven't thrown all your English back yet! Come, cheers, and to all of you in the Publicity and Education Division! ”

"Respect to the king!" Ma Chu, Hongyi and Xiao Ai spoke in unison.

The next day, the memorandum of understanding on the working talks between the two sides was successfully signed, and the wine and conversation were joyful at noon. At the banquet, Thomas Zhao took the initiative to come over to talk, and in the Chinese used from beginning to end, Hongyi also generously called him a brother and brother, and he felt like he hated to see each other late. Finally, Xiao Ai intervened and sent away Lao Zhao, who had been pestering Hongyi to talk about the east and the west.

"Once, I was free to move for half a day in the afternoon, and I will return to China tomorrow, where can we go for a walk?" Xiao Ai looked expectant.

"Okay, where do you want to go? But don't buy clothes, look at me, a month's salary! "Hongyi pretended to be a poor sour image.

"Virtue! Do you know what you call raising the prestige of our country? Is this called pulling domestic demand? "Xiao Ai has been very good in front of Hongyi recently.

"Understood! Understand! So let's not go to stimulate Singapore's domestic demand in the afternoon, let's keep this travel expense to go back! In the afternoon, I went to a place where it didn't cost money, and the Lion City was not big. ”

"Okay, listen to you!" Xiao Ai smiled and walked away.

……

In the afternoon, in the Merlion Park, a famous attraction in Singapore, Hong Yi and Xiao Ai were dressed casually, sitting on the steps, comfortably admiring the merlion spraying water not far away. Hongyi still gave full play to his broken mouth specialty, from the history of Singapore to the origin of the Merlion, and even told the anecdote of the Merlion statue being struck by lightning, but he didn't notice that Xiao Ai's shoulder was getting closer and closer to him......

"Hongyi ......"

"How?" After subconsciously answering, followed by a spirit, this name is a bit intimate!

"Can we still see the scenery like this after we return home?"

"Hey, it's a bit difficult. You know, the PM2.5 in the imperial capital is dozens of times that of here, if we two sit on the steps, do we have to wear a big mask? Do you want to wear a dust jacket? Look at you, uncle and aunt will definitely treat the two of us as a discordant factor......" When Hongyi's eyebrows danced, the rib part was hit by an unknown object, and he almost lost his ambition and died overseas.

Xiao Ai did not withdraw his arm, but put it on Hongyi's arm, and asked with a red face: "How old are you, and you are still poor with us post-85s?" Seeing the "big man" next to him with a straight and stiff face, Xiao Ai smiled, but grabbed his hand generously, even though it was a man's hand that was sweating and trembling slightly.

"You should know, I don't care that you're ever divorced, and I don't care that you're ten years older than me, I just feel like you and want to be with you! Do you like me? "Xiao Ai is not only a beauty, but also definitely a typical post-80s beauty who dares to love and hate.

Yes, Hongyi had a seven-year marriage, but in exchange for a tearless ending. It is for this reason that he came to Beijing without looking back, and he also hoped to start a new life.

Hongyi had to admit that he had already begun to like the girl in front of him, but the huge gap between them made him hesitate and hesitate! Life experience, family status, age gap, regional differences...... All these gaps, for a 35-year-old man, are not easy to solve with a word of "like".

"It's better for us to be friends first, and then see how each other feels, and listen to your family's opinions...... Well...... Well...... ...... "Hongyi wanted to fight steadily, but he didn't think that Xiao Ai's red lips suddenly came to a bully and made a hard bow, and after a moment of gentleness, followed by a fierce bite, the older divorced young man Hongyi fell like this......

……

Half an hour later, a couple of new lovers walked hand in hand to the front of the National Museum of Singapore. This is Hongyi's idea, as a post-70s generation, this kind of cultured, tasteful, emotional, no consumption, low ticket "three have, one low and one nothing" place is an excellent place for early love. And our little Eggger, at this time, is a little bird by the side of people, and is also willing to play the role of "road blind" for a while.

"There is an exhibition of "Kangxi Shengshi"!" Looking at the English exhibition guide sign in front of the door, Hongyi was like a treasure. "Didn't you say two days ago that your Kangxi Ye had just been in power, let's go in and pay respects!"

"Quasi-playing, Zeng's forehead!" Xiao Ai waved his hand and waited for Xiao Zengzi to lead the way.

Sweat! It's so fast? Hongyi knows that the forehead of the Qing Dynasty, that is, the horse, is very sad to count one or the other, and the bridal grandmother who comes with it is the nightmare of all the foreheads. According to the "Qing Dynasty Wild History Grand View", after marriage, the princess and her husband lived separately, and they could not eat together, and there was basically no common daily life. If the husband thinks about his husband, he will ask his grandmother to summon him into his bedroom. And when there is no calling, the husband is not allowed to enter the princess's bedroom. Having said this, it can also be seen from the above that although Mama is an intermediate role, she dominates the princess's husband and wife life and has great power. The princess was also inconvenient to tell her father and mother in the palace because of her feelings, and she had to bribe her mother when she saw her husband. Hongyi looked at Xiao Ai next to him, which was called helpless.

The two walked hand in hand in the exhibition hall, sighing at Kangxi's grand cause, and Xiao Ai became more and more proud, often brainwashing the new forehead from the perspective of the Qing royal family on a certain thing, and Hongyi also accepted it with an open mind, and the monarch and ministers.

Suddenly, the two of them stopped in front of a display case.

"I'd love to see this thing somewhere!" Hongyi said.

"Me too." Little Ai Rourou agreed, but there was no hint of joking. The two of them bowed down together and looked carefully at the exhibit's explanation board, "Copperplatedinlayenamelfourtelescopes...... Copper-plated gold-inlaid enamel four-section telescope ......"

Hongyi turned his face to look and wanted to say something, but he just met Xiao Ai's same gaze, a little doubt, a little infatuation, and slowly swelled in the hearts of the two. After only ten days of getting along, is it going to condense a period of heart-wrenching aiqing? The disbelieving look in the eyes of the two of them couldn't stop the pair of hands that had been quietly held, the affection of the ten fingers clasped, and the true feelings of looking at each other, as if they were in another world, surging in wisps......