Mina Hadley felt sad. “Why don’t we do it this way, if the Chief asks us to continue our mission, I will request that you stay our commander.”
“I will be a burden as a commander. Jasper can lead you more confidently, plus he has wide connections. The key is that he is in a high position and has great power, so your tasks will be more easily initiated.
That’s all for this matter. Let’s have dinner together tonight.” Stella turned and walked toward the Inspection Institute.
She ran into Jasper Milton at the entrance.
She lowered her head and stood aside.
Jasper left flanked by a group of soldiers. He didn’t even look at her, just as she didn’t look at him. She turned around and returned to her office.
The evening had arrived.
Mina called everyone back, and they gathered for dinner in their secret place.
Stella and Mina were the chefs.
It was a rare opportunity for the others to relax as well. They brought beer, peanuts, meat, chicken wings and other dishes.
They started to drink and chat.
Having been left alone together, the bond between them was very strong.
Stella served them various kinds of hot dishes.
“Inspector Grace, you are so good at cooking. It will be a blessing for whoever marries you in the future,” some soldiers teased.
She smiled faintly. “This kind of thing depends on fate. If it is fated, there is nothing to stop you from meeting the right person.”
“Hehehe, that’s because of your high expectations for your partner, isn’t it? Actually, I think it’s best to get someone you adore and can stay by your side. If you have high expectations, you won’t be able to find your Mr. Right,” the other man said.
“You’re right,” Stella agreed.
“What are you talking about? Stella is pretty and smart, surely she needs a perfect guy to match her,” Mina scolded.
“Haha, I just want to know if I have a chance?” the man laughed.
“In your dreams,” Mina teased.
“Then, Mina, do you think we can be together?”
“Ewww.”
“Hahahaha.” The man laughed.
Stella’s gaze were gentle as she looked at them.
The light above her shone on her beauty.
She found that if one desired less things, it was easier to be happy.
In fact, she did not ask for anything more than a family, just a loving husband and their child. She didn’t need a wealthy life. She just wanted a simple and cozy life.
However, even that seemed unrealistic now.
It was not that she was not satisfied, but she didn’t know what she wanted. Having no desires made her miserable.
It was about halfway through the meal when
Mina’s cell phone rang. She saw that it was a call from a stranger and she answered it.
Stella looked at her.
Mina’s face was full of excitement, but there were tears in her eyes. “Yes, I am the head of the operation. Yes, they are all with me. Okay, I will come back tomorrow. Thank you for the appreciation. I will do my best.”
Everyone waited silently.
After hanging up the phone, Mina was a little enlivened. She told her comrades, “They found our information and restored our files. We can return to the team tomorrow!”
“Whoa, that’s great.”
“I’m finally back. Finally, I can do something great again!” someone cried.
“I miss my bed in the military area. I miss the training grounds in the military area. I miss my leader,” another man said wistfully.
Stella watched them dancing and singing military songs with a small smile.
The next day, Mina left in the early morning. When Stella heard the sound of athe door closing, she opened her eyes and stared blankly at the ceiling.
She had lost another part of her heart.
She felt lonelier than ever.
As soon as Mina left, Stella headed to the Inspection Institute to request for leave. Then she headed back home.
She went home by train rather than by flight. She couldn’t get a ticket for sleeping accommodations or a seat. She could only stand on the train.
The New Year was coming soon.
The train was crowded.
People of all ages and luggage of all sizes were squeezed into the same small space.
Some of them looked out of the window in a daze, some had buns and snacks for a quick meal, and some closed their eyes to rest.
Some people looked happy, some were talking endlessly, some looked worried, some played with their mobile phones, and some didn’t express any emotion on their faces.
Stella was bored. She found herself wondering what everyone was thinking.
What was the reason for people to be happy? What was the reason for people to be sad?
She remained unchanged.
She was single, had a job, had a friend like Eli Wayne, and had a mother that she needed to take care of.
The only difference was that she had lost her heart.
A man in a suit stood up. “Sit down for a while. You’ve been standing there for a long time,” he offered.
She gave him a faint smile. “I’m not tired. Thank you.”
“Where are you going? You are not carrying a lot of things. Are you still a student?” the man asked politely.
A student?
Stella was reminded of her student life.
At that time, she was a hard-working, busy and poor student.
She studied hard and earned a living for herself back then, in order to get a better job in the future.
She couldn’t rely on anyone, she could only rely on herself.
Her life was difficult back then but it was also full of hope. She was determined to work hard for her future.
She shook her head. “I’m not a student.”
“Oh, you must be working in Sun City. Heading home now?” the man guessed.
She didn’t say anything more and picked up her cell phone.
The man saw that Stella had no intention of sitting down, so he sat down again.
Stella played with her mobile phone and looked through all her contacts. She did not know who she should text.
She thought about it and sent a text to Eli.
“Eli, I’m on a train. Heading back home now. I will reach around 6. 45 pm. Let’s meet up later, I’ll treat you to a meal.”
Eli immediately agreed. “Okay, call me when you arrive. I’ll pick you up at the entrance of the train station. Love you.”
Reading Eli’s text, Stella smiled.
Eli was still a passionate and optimistic girl.
However, Stella didn’t know what to reply, so she closed her phone.
“I learnt about fortune-telling. How about I tell you your fortune?” the man offered.
Stella looked at the man.
Fortune-telling was just psychological trick.
She majored in psychology.
Anyway, they were strangers. After getting off the train, they would never meet again.
“Well, go ahead,” she agreed softly.
The man looked into her eyes. “You are lovelorn.”
“Sort of,” she laughed. “You guessed it right. Why did you guess that I was a student before?”
“I asked if you are a student to show you that you look young. Being a student is the best time of one’s life. Many girls like to think of themselves as students,” the man explained.
Stella scrutinized this man. She inspected his clothes. She also noticed the way he talked. She said softly, “You have a job, are divorced, and you don’t have any children.”
The man was very surprised. “Wow, you’ll do well at fortune-telling too.”