silence and stars

12 Old Friends and Children

Leo was sitting in the media consultant's office, and under her aggressive gaze, he had the illusion of being tried.The old chief of staff Viking was also opposite, looking at him with a condemning expression.

"You have to be very careful with every word you say in public," the media consultant warned Leo very seriously.She used a wooden box to make a bonsai in the corner of the wall, which probably grew some kind of dwarf fern, and the half-meter-high edge of the wall was surrounded by water mist, Leo couldn't help but take a few more glances. "...if you're not sure whether to say something, it's better to keep silent."

Leo defended: "But I didn't say anything!"

"It's been three days in a row, and your speech at the business school has been replayed countless times by the major media, just look at these—" She waved and pushed several news aggregation pages on the projection to Leo, "still There are these!"

"I didn't mention him by name, and he couldn't refute it, hahahahaha!"

At this time, the old Viking who had been silent all this time said: "Your Highness, this is not a joke. Under no circumstances should you take the initiative to provoke conflicts. You must always remember your identity. In public, what you say Together with the consequences, it is impossible to reverse."

"Okay... I see, I must pay attention to it in the future." Leo admitted defeat to them while smiling.

Media Gu sighed, and warned again: "It's going to be the Landing Day commemorative event soon, everyone is watching, you must pay attention."

The D-Day commemoration ceremony was held at the Parliament House in Anson's Central District.The building follows the architectural style before the immigration period. It is square and symmetrical. There is a mirror-like man-made water area on the wide square, reflecting the dark sky.

Anson’s three major festivals are Landing Day, Independence Day and Poseidon’s Day. According to custom, the climax of Independence Day’s celebration is the military parade, and the scale depends on the year; Poseidon’s Day is a grand banquet; Just a string of dull speeches.

Leo and old Wiggin sat behind Ild, and to Ild's left there was a vacant seat, the prime minister who had a close relationship with Jonas Merman, who was on stage at the moment preparing to speak; profit.From the angle where Leo was sitting, half of Lin Elli's profile could just be seen.The soft light from above the seat casts a near-perfect outline on his cheeks.

Ild raised his hand to cover his mouth, turned his head to the right, and said something in a low voice.Ellie Lin nodded and laughed quietly.Are you talking about the face-to-face mocking of Jonas Merman a few days ago?It is impossible for him not to have seen the overwhelming reports, what would he think?

Lin Elli turned his head slightly, and met Leo's eyes.He was still laughing, Leo sat on the spot, but felt like he stepped on the ground, and he didn't adjust his breathing for a long time.

Ellie Lin was laughing, indicating that he didn't think the words were too much, and maybe a little appreciative.Leo's heart beat for joy.He will not hesitate to do anything that can make Lin Elli pay attention to him!

After the prime minister finished speaking, it was the defense secretary's turn, and then the home secretary, one after another, repeating those words.When this exhausting battle of speeches is over, Leo's task is over.He couldn't wait to say to Yild: "Then I'm going to the outfield!"

"Okay, you guys take Mia back. After a long time, she's probably bored too."

Ellie Lin turned her head and asked, "Mia is here too?"

Elder replied: "Mass took her out on the outfield and didn't let her come to the public filming area."

Ellie Lin said, "Can I go and see her?"

"Okay! Leo, you go with General Lin."

Leo got up quickly and took the lead towards the outfield.Ellie Lin followed him, and the two didn't speak until they left the public filming area.

"Your Highness, you'd better be cautious," Lin Elli said to Leo. "It's not worthwhile to attract Jonas Merman's attention. He is the kind of person who is particularly sensitive to public opinion, and he has Merman Media in his hand." resources. You have accumulated to a certain extent, and it will be difficult for him to treat you as a threat."

Ellie Lin saw it—saw his plan, and perhaps his ultimate purpose.

When Leo chose Lier Business School more than a year ago, he only vaguely felt the direction and didn't know what to do.But as the days went by and the path became clearer, he began to see how he could be of value in helping Elder and Linelly.

He's gotten a lot of attention in the Cubbs college league, which is a good start, but not enough.Publicity of all kinds was an opportunity, if used wisely, to draw attention to the fact that he was not a "Carrow" in the traditional sense.He wants to create another image for the Carlo family.People will know one day that being decisive and tough is not the only label of the Carlo family.

But Lin Elli is right to worry, if this continues, Jonas Merman will definitely notice him, it's just a matter of time.

Leo murmured, "I never told Ild, but you know."

Lin Elli kept walking, but his voice paused for a while, as if he was deliberating whether he should say the next thing or not. "Actually, you don't have to stand in the center of the vortex."

"You don't believe I can do that?"

"I believe so, but I'd rather you not go there," replied Ellie Lin.

Leo couldn't tell whether he was moved or sad—the words were neither polite nor perfunctory, but genuine concern, but the way of concern was not as he expected.Ellie Lin and Elder's communication mode is more like two comrades in arms fighting side by side. They are not procrastinating at all, and they are equally frank in expressing consensus or dissent.They didn't shy away from Leo when they talked about things, but he had the feeling that they both seemed inclined to let him be a spectator rather than a real participant.

Obviously still treat him like a child.

"I'll be careful," said Leo at last.He tried his best to use a brisk tone, carefully wrapping up the momentary loss.

In a box on the second floor of the outfield, Mia was proudly telling Captain Mas what happened to her at school, when Leo called her over: "Mia, come and say hello to General Lin."

Mia, who was talking and laughing a second ago, immediately calmed down, and obediently came over to say hello.Ellie Lin squatted down and asked, "Mia, are you in the third grade at Saint Laurent?"

"Yes." She looked a little scared, Leo walked to her side, and she quickly grabbed Leo's hand.

Lin Ellie smiled: "That's great, I can go to the fleet school in two years. How is grandma?"

"it is good."

"You really look like Ian." The words seemed to come out of my mouth, but also seemed to have been brewed for a long time before I said them.

"Grandma said you were good friends with my father. But I don't remember him."

Leo's eyes blurred unexpectedly.Mia was only a year old when Ian and Joe died, and she wouldn't feel sorry for the tragedy, but Leo couldn't even think about it.

Lin Elli also lowered his head and didn't speak for a while.When he raised his head again, he said softly: "When I was in school, Ian and I went to class, completed homework together, and played together every day. When we were on the simulator, we were always partners. When we were playing Kubus, we were friends." Teammate. After I entered the fleet, I met your mother because of work. Speaking of which, the first time they met was at my house..." He couldn't continue.

Mia said in time: "Uncle Leo is also teaching me to fight Kubus." She unconsciously clenched the hand holding Leo a little. "If only they were still around."

"Mia..." Lin Elli's voice seemed to be talking to himself, "People who grew up together will not really leave. A part of them has become us and will always be with us."

She nodded ignorantly.Leo's gaze met Ellie Lin's. Mia didn't understand the weight of the words, but he did.He saw the same deep pain in Lin Elli's eyes that he saw in his own.

That night, Leo was researching information in Yild's office, but his thoughts suddenly went in another direction.All kinds of Anson's traffic route maps were stacked on the projection in front of him, and there were more complicated operating data behind it, all pointing to the clueless track project.But a long-ago name skirted the pile, stubbornly creeping into the mind.

"Why did you separate from Lu Xin in the first place?"

Yard raised his head across from him, his expression was quite astonished: "What?"

"Your girlfriend when you were in college was called Lu Xin?"

"Yes." Yild put down what he was doing and stared at Leo with a frown, as if he was looking at someone he didn't know. "How do you know? How old were you then?"

"I vaguely remember such a person, and I still remember that you were depressed for a long time because of her. It took several years before I figured out what happened at that time." Leo said truthfully.This is actually a conclusion drawn from reasoning, after all, he didn't understand anything when it happened. "What is she doing now?"

"Being a lawyer."

"Are you still in touch?"

"Occasional, courtesy contact."

"Why did you separate in the first place?"

Elder replied: "She doesn't want to stand in the spotlight and be stared at every day. This kind of life situation - my daily situation, makes her feel too much pressure. If we continue, her life will change." became unbearable."

Now it was Leo's turn to be surprised: "Just because of this? I thought there was some serious contradiction. But there is a way to solve it, as long as you don't make it public, it's fine—"

"I don't want to," said Elder.He leaned back in the armchair, somewhat despondent. "At that time, I hoped that she would stand by my side and accompany me to face all kinds of things. After a long time of quarreling, no one could convince anyone, and finally we separated."

"..."

"Actually, now that I think about it, I don't have the right to ask her like that." Yild sighed. "Few people are willing to give up their privacy and be judged by Quan Anson. Looking at it this way, it makes sense that my mother liked my father back then, because only people like him don't care about the spotlight. He probably doesn't have 'other people's ideas' in his mind. The concept."

Leo nodded: "General Nasser also said the same, saying that he is very talented, no wonder he looks down on others."

As they chatted, they got up and left the office, walking across the West End corridor to the living quarters.Ansen Palace was empty and silent at night.Leo and Ild said good night to each other at the landing on the third floor, and then went back to their rooms.

Leo recalled what General Nasser had said to Lin Elli at the birthday party: "Have you seen that Alva's descendant is here?" Leo smiled unconsciously.I fell in love with the same person as my mother, is this reincarnation?