Love? The Reborn Me Just Wants to Obtain Rewards
Chapter 287 - 137: Gu Jiuyue, I Don’t Want to Be Friends with You Anymore..._3

Chapter 287: Chapter 137: Gu Jiuyue, I Don’t Want to Be Friends with You Anymore..._3

The national flag rose steadily; a gentle breeze blew through the sky, making the bright red flag flutter in the wind like a flame.

Su Huai couldn’t help but think of Huaxia’s glorious five thousand years of civilization, the humiliating recent history, the rapid ascension since the reform and opening a few decades ago, the increasingly popular patriotic documentaries on Bilibili, and those chaotic years ahead for the Western world...

In the era when Su Huai was born, the intellectuals and public figures took pleasure in criticizing their homeland.

As Su Huai entered middle school and gradually learned to discern right from wrong, beginning to form his values, it coincided with the period when China’s national pride was steadily rising.

Technological progress, industrial development, bit by bit catching up with Europe and America, achieving one after another world-shaking feats.

Seeing this, he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed.

In his youth, Su Huai had a vague concept of the nation, and he didn’t have a strong sense of collective honor; he believed in self-interest, but when it came to his motherland, he had a prideful sense of honor.

With knowledge becoming widespread, the new generation of children wasn’t afflicted by the poison of "China-Japan Summer Camp" and other harmful messages and naturally developed a strong national mentality, more confidence, self-esteem, openness, and inclusiveness.

And all this was thanks to our great motherland.

Su Huai was clear that he wasn’t a pure patriot, but at the moment of looking up to see the flag being hoisted, his heart was pure.

My blood is from this soil, so here lies my heart.

...

After the ceremony, Su Huai and Gu Jiuyue exchanged smiles, feeling an unspoken understanding between them.

In the square, the crowd gradually dispersed, some invigorated, while others seemed only to have watched the excitement.

Some things can’t be forced.

Checking in for work, taking a tour here, going back with more to talk about, that’s also a pleasure.

Gu Jiuyue clenched her little fist, quietly sighing, "Hoo, I’m so happy!"

"Yeah, watching the flag-raising up close really moves you in an indescribable way..."

Su Huai spread his arms, looking around at his classmates behind him, almost all still buzzing with excitement.

"The flag squad is so cool!"

"After university, I really want to join the military..."

"Our country is getting stronger and stronger, feels good!"

The younger generation isn’t necessarily more patriotic than their elders, but they are indeed more confident and more willing to express it.

Su Huai couldn’t help teasing Gu Jiuyue, "I didn’t expect you to be quite patriotic~"

"Hmph!"

Gu Jiuyue snorted, proudly tilting her chin, "I’ve been to many more places than you have!"

"That’s not right!"

Su Huai continued to tease her, "But isn’t it freer abroad with your family’s wealth?"

Gu Jiuyue did not avoid the topic but answered candidly, "My dad did say: it’s more comfortable to be a capitalist abroad.

But he also quickly added another sentence: Being born with yellow skin means you must stand with your people, money is money, roots are roots, nowhere feels as peaceful as home."

Hearing this, Su Huai immediately had a rough understanding of Gu.

He’s a shrewd, self-interested patriot, with some nationalistic sentiment.

Well, he’s quite like me...

Su Huai is also the rational type, a patriot based on national spirit and cultural identity.

Although his past life was battered by life’s hardships, often cursing this damned society, he also saw the chaos in places like the Middle East, South America, and even the beacon through the internet, deeply understanding the difficulty of maintaining a stable life these days.

When he was young and impetuous, he occasionally doubted: Is it the environment that’s limiting me?

Later on, he came to realize: If I’m a mess in such a stable place that doesn’t discriminate against me, could I really thrive in the beacon country? That would be delusional!

When he finally understood the nature of different races, Su Huai firmly established his patriotism.

It might sound convoluted, but actually, it is just about maturing values and a second shaping, something everyone goes through.

Su Huai was a late bloomer, limited by vision and understanding, slowly realising the importance of national self-respect and cultural identification.

In comparison, Gu Jiuyue was really impressive—her next words delivered a solid punch right in Su Huai’s face.

"Actually, I haven’t had much time to receive patriotic education, but having seen many different regional street views, I genuinely feel that the old streets and alleys of Jinling are more beautiful.

There’s a ginkgo tree in our courtyard, and sitting on the swing under it, listening to the local dialect through the walls, that is my most peaceful childhood memory.

So if you ask me why I love my country, I don’t know, I just do.

I love everything that has shaped me: my parents, my grandparents, the old courthouse in Jinling, the faculty district of Capital Normal University, the beautiful Hanfu and Mamian skirts, the nice-sounding Nanjing dialect and the retroflex final in Beijing accent, and then it expands to this land, and to the countless martyrs and compatriots who sacrificed for the present prosperity.

Perhaps, this is what lineage is...

If one day I suddenly fall ill never to recover, I would donate all my personal wealth, then just lie on my bed, watching the ginkgo leaves falling one by one, withering away with the last leaf, and finally be buried with my mother..."

As she spoke, there was no sadness in her eyes; in fact, there was a hint of longing.

But Su Huai couldn’t contain himself.

Agitated, he turned his head away, fighting the sourness in his eyes and the sting in his heart, breathing heavily like a defeated dog.

Damn!

I transferred to the Big Data class just to skim some Gold Coin from you, not to be eviscerated by you!

Gu Jiuyue, I don’t want to be your friend anymore...

******