The sunlight was warm and gentle, streaming through the sparse and dense gaps between the trees, scattering down like dazzling golden beans on the ground. Lu Huaizheng leaned against the wall, his undershirt soaked through with sweat. With his hands tucked into his pants pockets and one foot slightly bent against the wall, he scrutinized her for a while.

Then he tossed out a sentence: “Go ahead.”

As if she had received his permission.

Yu Hao ignored him and turned to leave.

Once the stubborn girl’s figure had disappeared into the distance, Zhao Dailin turned and nudged Lu Huaizheng’s shoulder. “You’re really letting her go?”

Lu Huaizheng watched fixedly as she reached the door, his eyes narrowing slightly, and suddenly asked: “What’s going on between her and that Shen guy?”

Zhao Dailin also leaned against the wall, foot propped up, mirroring his posture, but with an expression of someone enjoying the show.

“Not too sure, but before you showed up, all the young girls in the compound were quite supportive of her and Shen Xiyuan. Yu Hao seemed quite happy when she was with him.” At this point, Zhao Dailin crossed her arms and lifted her chin slightly, teasing him: “Just look at what she’s been through in this month-plus with you! How many times has she cried? Why don’t you just let go and give your blessing to her and Shen Xiyuan?”

Every word jabbed at Lu Huaizheng’s heart.

The fact was undeniable. He was a dangerous man.

Yet it was precisely this danger that made people unable to resist. Everything experienced with him, no matter how dangerous, was acknowledged.

But this kind of thrill was addictive.

Zhao Dailin firmly believed this.

Lu Huaizheng put on his military cap, pulling the brim low, his voice somewhat mocking:

“Give my blessing? Would he dare take someone I’ve let go?”

Zhao Dailin froze, but the person beside her had already gotten up and left.

Perhaps because she had seen too much of his gentleness when he was with Yu Hao, she had almost forgotten the wildness in this man’s bones. After all, he was a man who had fought in battles, and the domineering attitude in his words truly shocked her.

Like a sleeping lion, usually very docile, but once provoked, probably not one to be easily dealt with.

Zhao Dailin silently lit a candle in her heart for Yu Hao.

When Yu Hao reached the door, she realized she had no vehicle to get to town. After inquiring with the sentry, she learned that to get a vehicle, she would need to apply through either of the two captains or Instructor Tang.

Yu Hao wrung her hands and thought to herself that Sun Kai should be back in the dormitory by now, so she asked the sentry: “Where is Instructor Tang?”

The sentry shook his head.

Yu Hao felt disappointed. As she turned around, she vaguely saw Lu Huaizheng coming toward her wearing his cap, which shadowed half his face, revealing a clean, smooth jawline. He wore only a short-sleeved shirt, with sweat dampening his chest.

The wind pressed his pant legs against his skin, outlining his strong, slender legs.

Yu Hao turned away.

Zhao Dailin had said that women are all “crotch-watchers” – they look at a man’s face first, then his lower body.

Lu Huaizheng didn’t stop, but walked straight past her.

Yu Hao was preparing to find Instructor Tang.

But then she saw a car slowly driving out from the nearby garage, stopping in front of her. The man in the car had one hand resting on the window sill, the other on the steering wheel, as he lowered his head to fiddle with the sunglasses in the center console. He spoke casually: “Get in.”

Yu Hao didn’t hesitate, straightforwardly opening the door and sitting down.

Lu Huaizheng put on his sunglasses, waited for her to fasten her seatbelt, then lifted his chin slightly to signal the gatekeepers to let them pass.

The weather in late April alternated between hot and cold, with large temperature differences between morning and evening. At noon, the sun shone abundantly, beating down hot and strong. Even the roadside dogs were panting with tongues hanging out, sprawling flat against the ground in a posture of seeking relief from the heat.

The mountain path was dappled with tree shadows, passing from shaded areas into stretches of direct sunlight.

Lu Huaizheng took a jacket from the back and tossed it to Yu Hao. It was the black jacket he often wore.

Eyes fixed on the road ahead, he turned the steering wheel and said casually, “Cover yourself with it, don’t get your skin scorched.”

Yu Hao frowned in distaste, “How long has it been since you washed this jacket? Since the first time I met you, you seem to have been wearing just this one.” Yet she didn’t remove it, letting it remain draped over her.

He gave her a sidelong glance, “Why wash a jacket so often? I hardly wear it when I’m at the base anyway.”

“I remember when you were in school, you used to change your clothes every day.”

Still holding the steering wheel, he joked, “I had money back then.”

“Where did you get money when you were in school? You’re working now and still don’t have money? Is the country treating you poorly?”

Lu Huaizheng had never been extravagant since childhood; his grandfather’s teachings were still vivid in his mind, so he wouldn’t dare to be lavish. His aunt had always doted on him, often buying him clothes. After she married his current uncle, she was even more willing to spend money on him, sending boxes upon boxes of clothes to his home.

He remembered that by the time he graduated from high school, there was still a pile of unopened clothes at home.

After entering university, Lu Huaizheng stopped letting them buy things for him. Later, when he joined the army, everything – food, clothing, daily necessities – was provided by the military. There wasn’t much to be particular about. In the past, even if he didn’t shower, he would still change into a new set of clothes the next morning.

Now he showered every day but still wore the same military uniform. As for money, he had plenty. These fighter pilots were all carefully selected; how could the country treat them poorly? Between his basic salary and his annual flight allowance, his annual income was around 300,000 yuan.

However, he hadn’t touched a cent of it in these past few years.

Originally, he had planned to give some to his aunt as a thank you for raising him all these years. The rest of the money could be invested, used to buy a house, whatever was best. He hadn’t planned on getting married. Now he did have marriage plans, but they would have to wait until after this period.

Lu Huaizheng smiled but didn’t respond.

Yu Hao glanced at him secretly, “Have you been taking your medicine on time these days?”

As the car entered a shaded area, he removed his sunglasses and placed them on the dashboard. “Yes.”

“Have you been feeling uncomfortable anywhere recently?”

Lu Huaizheng slowed down the car, suddenly turning his head to look at her. Sitting with his legs spread, he controlled the steering wheel with one hand while reaching out to touch her head with the other, gently stroking the back of her head a couple of times. “Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

Actually, he had just been thinking that if he pretended to have a headache, Yu Hao might not be angry with him anymore.

In the past, he might have done this, but now he didn’t want to deceive her anymore. He also didn’t want to make her worry about him. Zhao Dailin was right – in just over a month since their reunion, she had cried for him twice.

He thought to himself.

They had finally reached this point with such difficulty; he couldn’t make her sad again.

Going around the mountain road.

The car broke down halfway. By the time Lu Huaizheng realized it, the entire car body shuddered. Looking down, he saw the idle speed gauge suddenly start to fluctuate rapidly up and down, then the car gradually slowed. No matter how hard Lu Huaizheng stepped on the accelerator, the engine made a loud roaring sound, but it was all noise with little effect. Using the momentum, they went down the slope, but halfway down, the engine died completely and couldn’t be restarted.

Lu Huaizheng pulled the handbrake and said to Yu Hao: “Wait for me in the car, don’t open the door casually.”

Yu Hao was sensible in this regard. In critical moments, she didn’t cause trouble and obediently nodded.

He stroked her head before getting out of the car.

Yu Hao leaned back in her seat, looking out through the windshield. Lu Huaizheng opened the hood of the car, propping it up with both hands as he examined it. After a while, she saw him remove something and was studying it in his hand. At this moment, a woman walked over from the side, and through the window glass, Yu Hao heard her calling Lu Huaizheng’s name, the sound muffled.

They were still a few kilometers from town, with a few households scattered nearby, so she was probably a local villager.

The woman was very beautiful, with long date-colored hair and delicate skin that glowed white in the sunlight. Her features were clear and stunning, with thick eyelashes like black feathers covering her eyelids, fluttering. Her figure was well-proportioned, with slender arms crossed over her chest, accentuating the roundness of her chest.

Yu Hao couldn’t help but look down at her own chest.

There was nothing to see.

The two talked for a few sentences. Yu Hao didn’t know what they said, but Lu Huaizheng was smiling carelessly, still propping himself up with both hands, head lowered as he searched around before pulling out a coil and holding it in his hand. The woman leaned closer to his ear again. Lu Huaizheng listened, then raised his head to look at Yu Hao inside the car.

Yu Hao lowered the window a crack.

The wind howled, and the woman’s voice gradually became clear: “It’s been a long time since you came to see me…”

Yu Hao quickly closed the window, until she couldn’t hear any sound from outside.

Ten minutes later, Lu Huaizheng got back in the car, tried the ignition again, and it started.

This man could really fix anything, truly a jack-of-all-trades. “Is there anything you don’t know how to do?”

The car drove back onto the road, with the woman standing by the window saying goodbye to Lu Huaizheng.

Lu Huaizheng gave a slight nod, turning his head while holding the steering wheel, quite modestly: “There are many things I don’t know.”

“Like what?” Yu Hao asked him to give an example.

“Like,” he paused, using one hand to control the steering wheel, while resting his other arm on the window sill, rubbing his chin. The car took a turn, and he looked in the rearview mirror, pretending to sigh, “How to stop you from being angry with me.”

“…”

He continued: “How to keep you from associating with that Shen guy.”

“…”

By the time they reached town, it was already one o’clock in the afternoon. Small stalls had been set up along both sides of the street, with calls and hawking sounds echoing continuously… the usual bustle had returned.

Lu Huaizheng parked the car outside the station.

Shen Xiyuan had been waiting for half an hour at the entrance. When Yu Hao got out of the car, she hurried over, sincerely apologizing, “I’m sorry, Senior, for keeping you waiting.”

Shen Xiyuan was dressed in a formal suit, wearing black-framed glasses, with a refined appearance. His shirt collar stood stiffly at his neck, with an exquisite custom-made leather belt at his waist. His slacks accentuated his long legs, and his pointed leather shoes gleamed in the sunlight.

This attire seemed a bit out of place in this small town, too formal, attracting many sideways glances from passersby.

In comparison, Lu Huaizheng.

He wore camouflage clothes, a short T-shirt, and loose pants, casually leaning against the car. Fortunately, his face didn’t let him down.

One was cultured and polite, the other wild and unruly.

A few years ago, he might have made an effort to dress up.

Now he truly couldn’t be bothered.

Lu Huaizheng leaned against the car door, extremely disdainful. Dressed up so prim and proper – how insecure must this person be about himself?

The two exchanged some words.

Suddenly, Yu Hao turned and came back.

That’s it for the conversation?

Yu Hao walked up to him, looking at him hesitantly.

Lu Huaizheng leaned against the car door, turning his head impatiently: “Speak.”

Yu Hao thought for a moment and said: “Senior Shen couldn’t book a hotel, and it’s quite tiring to travel back and forth in one day. The materials are all from Professor Han for me, so it’s sort of official business, right?”

Lu Huaizheng remained unmoved, raising an eyebrow: “So?”

“Could he come back to the base with us?”

Lu Huaizheng was quite puzzled at the time, wondering how Yu Hao dared to make such a suggestion to him.

“Do you think I’ve been too agreeable lately?” he sneered.