It was Zhou Cheng who first suggested they start dating.

Xia Xiaolan was also immediately attracted to this young handsome man and didn’t reject Zhou Cheng’s pursuit and affection.

Throughout their relationship, Zhou Cheng maintained an unwavering attitude, presenting himself as someone who would marry no one but her. Xia Xiaolan’s feelings for Zhou Cheng also grew deeper over time. Their relationship evolved from casual romantic dating to courtship with marriage in mind, and Xia Xiaolan took each step with increasing seriousness.

She didn’t let Zhou Cheng make all the effort; as a girlfriend, Xia Xiaolan believed she had fulfilled her duties adequately.

If Zhou Cheng was determined to break up, Xia Xiaolan wouldn’t cling to him desperately.

But Xia Xiaolan needed to know the reason.

Even if Zhou Cheng said he had fallen for another girl, regardless of whether that girl was as beautiful or as accomplished as her, Xia Xiaolan could accept that reason—love isn’t always rational, after all. Her beauty had easily won Zhou Cheng’s affection initially, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t fall for other interesting souls.

Xia Xiaolan pulled her hand away and asked if he wanted to break up.

Zhou Cheng hesitated for three seconds, and his wife’s expression had already changed. At this moment, Zhou Cheng’s survival instinct kicked in strongly:

“No breakup!”

He grabbed Xia Xiaolan’s hand again. “Just consider me a selfish bastard. I know being a cadre’s wife is difficult, but I don’t want to let you go.”

Just moments ago, he had seemed ready to pour his heart out and deliver farewell words, but now his attitude had completely changed.

This was suspicious.

Xia Xiaolan didn’t want Zhou Cheng holding her hand and tried several times to break free, but this time Zhou Cheng knew he had to hold on tight.

“Zhou Cheng, what’s wrong with you? You’re being so erratic. What exactly happened? Tell me, I’m listening.”

With him saying such things out of nowhere, it was hard for Xia Xiaolan not to misunderstand.

Zhou Cheng had a stomach full of words to say; otherwise, he wouldn’t have come to find Xia Xiaolan right after settling the Shi family.

But upon seeing Xia Xiaolan, he didn’t know where to begin. His recent thoughts had been very negative, and when Xia Xiaolan asked if he wanted to break up, Zhou Cheng remembered Wei Juanhong’s heartbreaking sobs. For a moment, he considered going along with it… in his mind, this would be setting Xiaolan free.

If she wasn’t dating him, Xiaolan wouldn’t have to worry about so many things.

Her time was precious, and she was brilliant. Studying at Huaqing University was already a compromise for him. Xiaolan could continue her studies indefinitely; he couldn’t even estimate where her life’s peak might be.

For his sake, Xiaolan was compromising.

Not everyone in the Zhou family was easy to get along with. His mother had been so picky before, and her current approval of Xiaolan came at the cost of how much effort Xiaolan had invested!

From initially strongly opposing his marriage proposal to actively telling him she would marry him after completing her bachelor’s degree.

These compromises weren’t because Xiaolan feared him, but because she loved him.

Zhou Cheng wasn’t blind; how could he not see Xiaolan’s sacrifices?

It was precisely because he saw them that he hesitated for that moment—if she wasn’t dating him, Xiaolan wouldn’t need to make any of these ‘compromises.’

Zhou Cheng’s self-sacrificing mood only lasted those few seconds. He admitted he was a selfish bastard; just thinking about life without his wife made him feel he couldn’t survive even a day—it was different from being in a long-distance relationship. Even without communication or meetings, their hearts remained close.

Breaking up with Xiaolan meant that even if they met face to face, she wouldn’t be his wife anymore.

Zhou Cheng couldn’t accept that at all. When Xia Xiaolan said he had “issues,” Zhou Cheng agreed.

He felt like a clingy puppy at that moment, holding onto Xia Xiaolan and unable to let go. If he did let go, Xiaolan might just kick him to the curb.

“Xiaolan, during the last mission, a teammate died right in front of me from a smuggler’s grenade. He didn’t have to die—the smuggler was closest to me and was targeting me… but he pushed me away.”

Xia Xiaolan, who had been struggling, forgot to move upon hearing this.

Zhou Cheng held her tightly.

“Don’t move. Let me hold you for a while.”

Zhou Cheng held her without speaking for a long time until the restaurant staff knocked on the door to deliver the prepared dishes.

Xia Xiaolan patted Zhou Cheng’s back, “I’m here. Take your time.”

After all the dishes were served, Xia Xiaolan had no appetite, but seeing how thin Zhou Cheng had become and thinking about what he’d just told her, she understood why he looked so haggard.

What immense psychological pressure this must be!

If Xia Xiaolan had to watch someone die from an explosion right in front of her, she wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.

The victim was Zhou Cheng’s teammate who sacrificed himself to save Zhou Cheng. Zhou Cheng’s heart wasn’t made of stone; how could he not be affected?

“Zhou Cheng, I’m hungry. Can we eat first and then talk in detail?”

Zhou Cheng nodded.

Whatever dishes Xia Xiaolan picked for him, he ate.

Zhou Cheng couldn’t tell if the food was delicious or not, but he finished everything Xia Xiaolan served him.

Since Shi Kai’s death, this was the fullest meal Zhou Cheng had eaten. With Xia Xiaolan by his side, Zhou Cheng felt at peace.

Xia Xiaolan also ate a little, and after paying the bill, they walked together on Beijing’s streets. Xia Xiaolan held his hand naturally as Zhou Cheng told her about Shi Kai’s sacrifice, including how Shi Kai was honored as a martyr, and how he had taken Shi Kai’s ashes back to his hometown.

“The older child is only two years old, the younger one just a few months. When I saw Sister-in-law Wei crying, I was really afraid…”

He wasn’t afraid of going to the battlefield but feared that if something happened to him, Xia Xiaolan would end up like Wei Juanhong.

Zhou Cheng had been affected by these negative emotions for quite some time, which explained his strange attitude earlier.

“You’re worried that the local government won’t be able to arrange good jobs for Shi Kai’s family, afraid that the local hospital can’t properly treat Shi Kai’s mother’s eye condition, so you brought the Shi family to Beijing to settle them? Zhou Cheng, you’re feeling guilty and trying to compensate, aren’t you?”

Xia Xiaolan’s back was damp with cold sweat.

It had been so close—it could have been Zhou Cheng who died, and she couldn’t bear the thought of Zhou Cheng’s ashes being brought back to Beijing in an urn.

Whatever honor came with being a martyr, Xia Xiaolan didn’t want it, and the Zhou family wouldn’t care for it either.

Xia Xiaolan respected the deceased and was grateful to the martyr who saved Zhou Cheng, but she was also thankful that Zhou Cheng was still alive.

Being alive was better than anything else—without life, what was the point of talking about love or family affection?

Zhou Cheng felt guilty and wanted to compensate, and Xia Xiaolan didn’t object at all; she was incredibly grateful!

As long as Zhou Cheng was alive, wasn’t material compensation and care appropriate? When she heard that Zhou Cheng had brought the Shi family to Beijing, Xia Xiaolan didn’t find it troublesome at all. She was both frightened and grateful, “Which hospital did you arrange for Shi Kai’s mother? You should tell Auntie Guan about this when you go back, she must know good doctors. We’ll get the best doctors to treat her eye condition…”

“This is trouble I’ve brought you, sometimes when I think about it—”

Xia Xiaolan covered his mouth, “Don’t say it. This isn’t trouble. You don’t know how grateful I am to Brother Shi!”