Bu Ying actually called He Shi by her former name, proving they knew each other, and judging by Bu Ying's demeanor, their relationship was more than casual.
"Little Fatty? You're Little Fatty. Right, I always called you Little Fatty and forgot your real name. We haven't seen each other in over ten years. You're not fat at all, and I'm not the same as I was as a child. How did you recognize me?"
Hearing Bu Ying utter her childhood name and mention "Little Fatty" instantly unlocked He Shi's memories. Back then, her father, Tang Yong, was still alive and working at He Si's company. She would play downstairs with other children, but there was one little fatty who always hid aside and didn't join them. This piqued her curiosity. One day, she mustered the courage to approach the chubby little boy and ask him why he always sat alone. The boy was shy at first, but the childhood He Shi was a natural extrovert, and they soon became acquainted. He Shi learned the boy's nickname was Little Fatty. Because he was fat, other children shunned him and didn't want to play with him, so he would sit by himself, lost in thought. He Shi declared she didn't mind and was willing to be his friend and play with him. It was rare for a child to show him kindness and want to play with him, which Bu Ying, self-conscious about his weight, cherished deeply. He would save his best treats for He Shi and share them with her, and their relationship grew stronger. Back then, the chubby Bu Ying often told He Shi that when they grew up, he would make her his bride.
"Tang Shi, I've finally found you. Don't be afraid, I'll protect you. Because you gave me hope when I was most insecure. How is it, am I handsome now? But the promise from childhood still counts!"
Looking at He Shi's shocked expression, Bu Ying was still as glib as ever, but his eyes were serious. Memories flashed through his mind, the memories from over a decade ago, as vivid as if they happened yesterday. One day, he went to her house with a chicken leg he had saved specifically for He Shi. He saw He Shi being led by her mother into a man's car. He chased after them with the chicken leg, but couldn't catch up. Later, he heard that He Shi's father had died. Her mother remarried and took her away, and no one knew where they went. For over ten years, Bu Ying never forgot He Shi, his longing growing stronger with time, like fine wine. Only when he reached adulthood and understood romantic love did he realize that He Shi was his "white moonlight." He couldn't fall for any other woman because He Shi had always occupied his heart. He thought he would never see He Shi again, but unexpectedly, they met in Jincheng today.
Because the base needed a large amount of mechanical equipment, Bu Ying brought over twenty ability users from the base to Jincheng. To his surprise, in Jincheng, famous for its machinery manufacturing, all the factories were empty, not even a single screw could be found. Bu Ying found this strange and left the main group to search alone. Unexpectedly, he saw his cousin, Bu Shenghan, whom he hadn't seen in a long time. He disliked his cousin and turned to leave, but then he saw a woman in Bu Shenghan's car and stopped. It was He Shi's mother, Ren Youbei. Although they hadn't seen each other in over ten years, Bu Ying recognized her at a glance. When he heard the young woman beside Ren Youbei call her "Mom," Bu Ying almost fainted. He confirmed that the woman must be the grown-up Tang Shi, the person he had been longing to see every day. With the woman he loved right before him, Bu Ying felt a sudden shyness and dared not approach her. So, he quietly followed behind the Vermilion Bird Base's convoy, watching He Shi get out of the car with a gun along with Bu Shenghan and others. Ren Youbei, being older, stayed in the car to guard the supplies and did not get out. Bu Ying ignored her. He hid in the shadows, following the Vermilion Bird Base members, watching them clash with Qing Ying without revealing himself. It wasn't until Qi Wu's fire dragon surrounded He Shi and she was about to die that he immediately intervened, throwing a water ball. In fact, Bu Shenghan only survived a little longer because of He Shi's intervention; without He Shi, Bu Ying wouldn't have cared about his life.
"Bu Ying, it's really you. Do you know? I've dreamed of you every day all these years. Heaven has blessed me. It's wonderful to meet you again!" He Shi's specialty was latching onto powerful figures, and her acting skills were on par with an award-winning actress. She knew Bu Ying was the head of Yuncheng Base. She immediately formulated a plan, staging a dramatic reunion of two lovers separated by unfortunate circumstances. Her emotions, expressions, shy demeanor, and even the tears in her eyes were perfectly executed.
"Tang Shi, you've suffered. I blame myself for not finding you sooner. Don't worry, I won't let you endure any hardship from now on," Bu Ying said affectionately, pulling He Shi up from the ground and embracing her.
"Cough, cough, cough. Excuse me, the two of you. Have you forgotten we haven't finished our discussion yet? You'll have plenty of time for sweet nothings later. Let's talk business first, shall we?" Qing Ying glanced at He Shi. With her experience from two lifetimes, she judged He Shi to be a "green tea" (a manipulative woman). However, she wouldn't expose her. Since Bu Ying valued He Shi so much, the negotiation would be easier.
"As I said, I'll take responsibility for Tang Shi's actions. Tell me what you want, and I'll bear it all. Tang Shi shot you once. How about you shoot me once, and we'll call it even?" When it came to He Shi, Bu Ying was truly a man. He picked up the gun He Shi had dropped and threw it directly at Qing Ying, intending to take the punishment for her.
"Hahaha, Bu Ying, I admire your attitude. A man who can do this for his woman, I truly respect that. How about this, I won't pursue the matter of her shooting me, but you must promise me one thing." Qing Ying feigned admiration, showering Bu Ying with compliments before stating her condition magnanimously.
"I am eager to hear it!" Bu Ying was delighted that He Shi's issue could be resolved peacefully and was even more interested in Qing Ying's request.
"It's like this. Let me introduce you. This is the captain of our Blazing Fire team, Qi Wu. I won't introduce his abilities; you've already experienced them. Our Blazing Fire team wants to join Yuncheng Base. Furthermore, our captain should be part of the base's management, and our team will be responsible for the distribution of the base's supplies." Qing Ying no longer held back, stating her terms directly.
"As you wish. With Captain Qi's abilities, he would be a desirable asset to any base. It is our honor that you choose Yuncheng Base. Welcome to Yuncheng Base; from now on, we are family." As the head of a base, Bu Ying placed great importance on the development of the base and the recruitment of talent. Qi Wu's abilities would undoubtedly elevate the base's strength. He would never refuse such a good opportunity. Qing Ying also had her own plans. In her past life, Yin Qing and her people were responsible for the distribution of supplies at Yuncheng Base. Ostensibly, this was a tedious and complex task, but it was the most effective way to win people's hearts. Later, when Yin Qing usurped power, most of the base supported him precisely because of the goodwill he had accumulated through supply distribution. Qing Ying was paving the way to gain control of Yuncheng Base in the future. Both of them harbored their own agendas, reaching an agreement on the surface. However, Qi Wu and He Shi looked displeased. Qi Wu felt Bu Ying was cunning and overly flattering towards Qing Ying. He thought joining Yuncheng Base might not be worth it, but since Qing Ying had already reached an agreement with Bu Ying, he couldn't object further. He Shi was simply jealous of Qing Ying's beauty, fearing she posed a threat to her. But having just reunited with Bu Ying, she was unsure of his temperament and chose to remain silent despite her reluctance.
Since the matter was resolved, the next step was to collect the machinery from the northern district. However, they searched the entire northern district and found not a single screw. This perplexed Qing Ying. She hadn't had time to collect anything from the northern district yet; where had it all gone? They didn't know that shortly after they left the scene of the fight, a figure emerged from a nearby factory and smiled faintly.