“Maybe I should apologize…”

Gao Fei felt wronged.

But there was nothing she could do about it.

When Zhou Cheng and Fang Shizhong were both squad leaders, why should she apologize to Xia Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng? She had been quite proud then, forcing Zhou Cheng to take advanced studies to avoid the situation.

But then Zhou Cheng became deputy battalion commander.

Gao Fei started to panic, wondering if her previous actions would lead to Zhou Cheng’s retaliation.

How could Zhou Cheng focus on Gao Fei and Fang Shizhong? They didn’t even live next door, and he couldn’t be bothered to pay attention – Zhou Cheng had too many other things to handle!

When Gao Fei and Fang Shizhong went to find their original matchmakers, they had heard some rumors but weren’t certain, so they told the couple to wait for news, saying the situation would change in a few months.

Gao Fei and Fang Shizhong believed it!

They thought this was Uncle giving them inside information, a hint.

After enduring a few more months, Fang Shizhong would probably be promoted to one rank, returning to equal footing with Zhou Cheng.

Reality proved they were overthinking.

After waiting those few months until today, Zhou Cheng jumped another rank while Fang Shizhong remained stationary… The situation had truly changed – Zhou Cheng, now two ranks higher, had definitively become Fang Shizhong’s superior, and everything was settled.

When Gao Fei suggested apologizing, Fang Shizhong’s silence was consent.

After this, there were position changes in the unit – the original battalion commander moved up, transferring to lead a neighboring unit.

The current Leader Li remained unchanged; the biggest change was Zhou Cheng, moving from deputy to full battalion commander, and formed a team with Leader Li. If a deputy commander couldn’t control Old Fang, what about a full commander? Unless Fang Shizhong could work elsewhere, he had to obey Zhou Cheng.

He acquiesced to Gao Fei’s apology, and bitterness welled up from the root of her tongue, instantly filling her entire mouth.

“If only we had known…”

Gao Fei didn’t finish.

She didn’t want to bow her head to Xia Xiaolan, who must be so smug now.

But Gao Fei herself had changed from before.

Two years had made her less proud, more mature.

She didn’t want her husband to be affected – having a child really was a watershed moment for women. If not for Fang Shizhong, she had to think about their child.

She hoped Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t be too hard on her!

Gao Fei bit her lip.

“Oh? They moved you?”

When Xia Xiaolan came this time, she found Zhou Cheng no longer lived in his original single dormitory. The unit’s logistics department had moved him to a place below Leader Li’s apartment.

Single battalion commanders were rare, but no matter how young Commander Zhou was, he was still a full commander.

Commander Zhou had a stable partner, and though unmarried, he was waiting for his partner to graduate college. It seemed quite soon, so they might as well settle Commander Zhou’s living arrangements now.

“Yes, it’ll be much more convenient when you visit in the future, you can stay as long as you like.”

Zhou Cheng’s new place was simply decorated but kept spotlessly clean, even the windows were crystal clear, giving it a fresh feel.

No separate kitchen, but it had a bathroom.

Two rooms and a small living room.

The key point was those two rooms – Zhou Cheng meant that when Xia Xiaolan came to visit, staying overnight would be convenient. With two rooms, they could sleep separately, and Zhou Cheng wouldn’t need to squeeze in with others…

Xia Xiaolan blushed slightly: “But how would others know we’re sleeping separately?”

What difference did the two rooms make? Behind closed doors, they could still sleep in one room.

Xia Xiaolan felt like crying.

She truly believed in Zhou Cheng’s character, and his self-control, and believed he would never cross boundaries – but would others believe it?

If she slept in the same room with Zhou Cheng, outsiders would think all sorts of things.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t care what others said about her.

What she cared about was being misunderstood as having nightly pleasures when she hadn’t even “eaten the meat”!

This was such a losing deal, that Xia Xiaolan refused to accept it.

Zhou Cheng teased her deliberately:

“Then what do you suggest? Should you apply to your school to see if we can marry early?”

Though meant as a joke, Zhou Cheng got lost in thought.

Truthfully, 24-year-old Commander Zhou was excellent in every way, but his young age and rapid rise not only drew others’ envy and jealousy but also came with the label of being “in his prime”! After holding back for so long, he might suffer.

Just thinking about Xia Xiaolan staying overnight at the unit, sleeping in the same room, made his nose itch, with something sliding down from his nostrils.

“Zhou Cheng, your nose is bleeding!”

Xia Xiaolan stood up to find tissues for Zhou Cheng.

Zhou Cheng touched his nose and realized it was bleeding.

“Don’t panic, I’ll pat some cold water on my neck.”

Reminded by him, Xia Xiaolan quickly pulled him to the bathroom. Zhou Cheng lowered his head, and when Xia Xiaolan turned on the cold water, she shivered: “It’s so cold, bear with it.”

After the frantic effort to stop Zhou Cheng’s nosebleed, the previous ambiguous atmosphere completely vanished. Xia Xiaolan pointed at Zhou Cheng’s nose and laughed, having figured out why he got the nosebleed.

“If I stay over at the unit several times, what will you do?”

What’s good for blood replenishment – eat lots of pig liver?

“Zhou Cheng, are you in?”

Someone knocked at the door.

It was Leader Li’s wife’s voice. Xia Xiaolan composed herself before opening the door, and Zhou Cheng, seeing his nosebleed had stopped, threw away the tissue.

It was indeed Leader Li’s wife, with Gao Fei behind her.

“Zhou Cheng, what happened?”

Leader Li’s wife saw the bloodied tissue. Zhou Cheng pointed at his nose, “Sister-in-law, I just moved in and haven’t adjusted to the building’s heating yet, it’s too dry.”

Zhou Cheng’s new place was in a building for officers of certain rank, with central heating.

Leader Li’s wife didn’t think much of it: “That’s right, the heating makes it dry after a while, remember to keep some bowls of water in the room.”

It was dry indeed, but in deep winter, living in a building with heating was better than anything else, wasn’t it?

Winter clothes never dried completely, but they could be hung on the radiators.

You could even warm things on the radiators – soy milk, and porridge in ceramic cups placed on the radiator would stay warm when you wanted to drink them.

The topic quickly shifted, and Xia Xiaolan’s gaze fell on Gao Fei, who flinched as if pricked by a needle.

Leader Li’s wife also felt awkward.

During New Year’s, Zhou Cheng’s appointment hadn’t come through yet, and she had good intentions in trying to resolve the conflict between the two families. Who knew that although Xia Xiaolan had agreed, she would then avoid meeting Gao Fei?

Leader Li’s wife couldn’t tell her not to leave and wait for Gao Fei at the unit.

Shortly after New Year’s, Zhou Cheng’s position changed.

This caught Leader Li’s wife off guard, making her good intentions backfire.

Today Gao Fei had asked for her help, saying she wanted to apologize to Zhou Cheng and Xia Xiaolan. Leader Li’s wife brought her here but felt awkward – she hoped Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t be too harsh and would leave Gao Fei some face.

She swore she wasn’t taking sides – if she was favoring anyone, it was Zhou Cheng, hoping for a harmonious atmosphere in the unit!

“Commander Zhou, Comrade Xiaolan, I… I want to apologize to you!”

Better to take the hit sooner than later, Gao Fei finally brought herself to do it.