Guan Hui’e had a way of speaking that easily convinced people.

With an elder handling the situation, Xiaolan wasn’t fighting this battle alone anymore, which somewhat eased her roommates’ concerns.

Guan Hui’e was generous and witty in conversation – getting along with a group of female students was no challenge for someone like her. By the end of the meal, everyone in Room 307 envied Xia Xiaolan for having such an easy-going future mother-in-law.

Xia Xiaolan herself felt that Aunt Guan had been extremely accommodating today.

When leaving, Guan Hui’e reminded Xia Xiaolan about coming over on Sunday. Su Jing was practically enchanted by Guan Hui’e.

“Little Six, how did you get so lucky?”

Even though Su Jing hadn’t personally experienced mother-in-law relationships, she’d heard enough about their difficulties. Someone as open-minded as Guan Hui’e completely changed Su Jing’s perception of what a mother-in-law could be.

Xia Xiaolan just smiled in response.

She wouldn’t contradict this impression – after all, why mention that Guan Hui’e had once asked her to break up with Zhou Cheng?

With Guan Hui’e helping her today, Xia Xiaolan had no intention of bringing up past grievances.

Back in the dorm room, beyond discussing Zhou Cheng, most of the conversation centered on Ji Jiangyuan. Handsome, academically excellent, and from a distinguished family – even at the prestigious Huaqing University, Ji Jiangyuan was a notable figure.

But heaven never makes anyone too perfect – while Ji Jiangyuan excelled in everything, he had a terrifying mother.

Ji Jiangyuan’s mother might have an excellent bearing, but her actions were completely unreliable.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t seen Ji Jiangyuan for two days?”

Ji Jiangyuan loved playing basketball, rain or shine, and could usually be found on the West Sports Field.

Xia Xiaolan thought Ji Jiangyuan might be under house arrest by the Ji family.

The Ji family was certainly capable of such actions.

With Tang Hongen opposing the Ji family, Ji Jiangyuan had become the target of both sides’ competition. The Ji family naturally wanted to keep him under close watch, fearing Tang Hongen might win him over – which was rather laughable, considering the Ji family had raised Ji Jiangyuan for over a decade yet feared Tang Hongen, who had only recently reconnected with him.

A person’s emotional balance can shift.

Ji Jiangyuan undoubtedly leaned completely toward the Ji family.

That is unless the Ji family messed things up and gradually removed their weights from the scale.

But it was hard to say for certain. Xia Xiaolan had encountered Ji Ya twice and knew she wasn’t just arrogant but also self-righteous. You can judge a family’s upbringing from one person’s behavior – without the Ji family’s indulgence, Ji Ya wouldn’t act so presumptuously.

This proved that the Ji family had quite a few flaws of their own.

In comparison, Ji Jiangyuan was truly a breath of fresh air.

The Ji family’s pride and self-perceived nobility meant they probably couldn’t win against Uncle Tang.

Today, Guan Hui’e’s support made Xia Xiaolan feel warm and grateful. Meanwhile, Zhou Cheng, despite being cut off from outside communication, still tried to contact his family after receiving her letter, worried she might be bullied. This made Xia Xiaolan feel sweet inside.

Xia Xiaolan had always believed that security comes from within – having the ability to establish and maintain oneself in the world, even being able to recover after falling. One shouldn’t count on others’ kindness, as those who can give kindness can also take it away.

She always tried to maintain clarity in relationships.

However, Zhou Cheng’s feelings were so intense that this “kindness” overflowed any container – from cup to basin, from basin to vat, to pool. Xia Xiaolan suspected even an inland lake couldn’t contain it all.

However much Xia Xiaolan could accept, Zhou Cheng would fill with even more “kindness.”

Faced with such intense emotions, Xia Xiaolan found it increasingly difficult to maintain her clarity.

She felt like she was about to catch fire.

When people talked about old houses catching fire, perhaps they meant her current state.

Initially, she just wanted to have a romantic relationship with a young man.

Later, she discovered this young man was thinking about marriage and family life, which scared her quite a bit.

She felt lost then but never considered breaking up with Zhou Cheng.

Now, somehow, she had inexplicably transitioned to planning to marry Zhou Cheng.

Without direct contact or communication with Zhou Cheng, she would think of him because of others. On this starlit night, Xia Xiaolan finally admitted she might not be able to maintain her clarity anymore – the sense of security Zhou Cheng provided, his solemn promise to become better, made Xia Xiaolan smile sweetly as she lay in bed.

Her longing seemed to traverse the distance between Beijing and Ji Bei Province, firmly binding Zhou Cheng at school.

Was Zhou Cheng asleep now?

Was he also lying in his dorm bed thinking of her?

Once the academy’s one-month restriction on new students was lifted, Xia Xiaolan vowed to appear before Zhou Cheng immediately!

…

In the swaying train compartment, with whistling wind outside and starlight overhead.

Xia Xiaolan wasn’t wrong – Zhou Cheng was indeed thinking of her.

The constant travel left his mind empty, swaying back and forth, unable to think about complex matters – it seemed he could only think about people.

Fortunately, missing his wife had become instinctive, requiring no extra effort, as natural as eating, breathing, or sleeping.

“Zhou Cheng, what do you think about our mission?”

“Don’t discuss it. When we reach our destination, headquarters will brief us.”

They had been traveling for two days, heading southeast from Ji Bei. Zhou Cheng had already vaguely guessed their destination.

But without explicit notification from above, Zhou Cheng couldn’t share his suspicions even if he had them.

They would arrive soon enough, and headquarters would reveal the mission details.

Their professional nature demanded obedience, and Zhou Cheng knew when to comply. Even if he had his thoughts, he could only keep them to himself!

His fellow students couldn’t understand this and kept trying to discuss it.

Zhou Cheng silently shook his head – this was typical of civilian staff who hadn’t weathered storms. If they were thrown directly onto a battlefield, and forget about strategic planning, they’d lose their composure first.

The vehicle drove for another hour, and as Zhou Cheng had said, they soon reached their destination.

Darkness surrounded them as they were left in the wilderness.

“Set up camp here!”

Everyone carried military packs, and upon hearing the order, the students began unpacking.

The incoming wind carried a salty sea breeze – they must be within 10 kilometers of the coastline.

Zhou Cheng knew they were somewhere along the Min Province coast.

During camp setup, they weren’t allowed to use flashlights or emergency lighting, relying only on the dim starlight overhead. The twinkling stars reminded him of his wife’s blinking eyes as he held his gun close.

This mission was nothing special – being on Min Province’s coast, they were probably here to deal with smuggling groups. Why not use local Min Province personnel? Perhaps they feared information leaks.

Someone had the idea to give this term’s students such a “practical course.”

Zhou Cheng sensed that his two years of “campus life” would surely be quite exciting!