April had bid farewell to winter’s cold. The night breeze had regained its warmth, brushing against faces with a hint of restraint, yet leaving people clearheaded.

After Lu Huaizheng finished speaking, the two seemed to fall into a long silence, until the clouds and moon merged at the horizon, gradually darkening. The corridor lights became more dazzling. Zhao Dailin also turned and leaned back against the railing nearby, her hands lazily draped over the horizontal bar. She glanced at the man beside her and said, “Fine.”

Then, withdrawing her gaze, she added very quickly, “But you have to promise me something.”

He lowered his eyebrows and looked over, turning sideways to rest his hand on the railing. “What?”

Zhao Dailin said, “Until you’ve figured things out, don’t seek her out, don’t talk to her, and don’t give her hope. Yu Hao isn’t as rational as you. Once she falls, I’m truly afraid she won’t be able to think clearly.”

Lu Huaizheng kept his head down, his toe tracing patterns on the ground, completely silent, the contours of his profile indistinct.

“I heard Captain Sun say that when you’re ruthless, you show no mercy to anyone. If you’re truly that ruthless, then show your resolve. If you think that way, being ruthless to her is what’s best for her. Keeping her hanging like this, half-committed—in the end, the only one who’ll get hurt is her. Do you understand?”

Lu Huaizheng still said nothing. The spring breeze, not understanding his thoughts, continued to fearlessly caress his handsome, lean face.

In the quiet night, the rustling trees stood for him.

Zhao Dailin didn’t look at him again. Turning her head to the side and lowering her voice, she casually dropped a bombshell: “Before coming here, she called me and said she wanted to marry you.”

This bolt from the blue completely woke him up, and he finally showed some reaction.

Lu Huaizheng had been keeping his head down, his long eyelashes drooping with his eyelids. At her words, his eyes suddenly opened wide. Those eyes, usually indifferent, now held unnamed emotions. He stood there stunned as if struck by lightning. Even his hand, which had been resting loosely on the railing, was pulled back, nervously finding nowhere to place it, until finally returning to the railing.

The moonlight was boundless, the human heart unfathomable.

Lu Huaizheng remembered that time when he confronted someone in the air. After reporting all his work to his superiors over the radio and surveying the terrain, he led the enemy aircraft to the airspace and issued the final English expulsion warning. If the other side didn’t leave, he was prepared to directly ram his plane into them.

At that moment, his heart was extraordinarily calm. He had even joked with the recruit beside him, saying, “Take a few more looks at our great motherland. You won’t have the chance later. Don’t have a girlfriend yet? No worries, neither do I.”

Not a drop of sweat had formed.

But now, Zhao Dailin’s words had stirred up a tempest in his heart, like a small boat that had been drifting through storms on the vast sea for years, suddenly catching sight of a mirage-like island. The dream was real, yet it was beyond reach, leaving him flustered.

Zhao Dailin said, “Yu Hao is twenty-eight this year, but her emotional intelligence might be lower than that of an ordinary child. Even children know how to please adults, but she doesn’t. She speaks directly. Professor Han said it’s related to her childhood experiences. This is Yu Hao’s privacy, so it’s not convenient for me to tell you. If there’s a chance in the future, let her tell you herself. Because of this, there are certain flaws in the formation of her personality. If you’re just a little nice to her, she can easily fall for you. If you truly can’t give her what she wants, then I hope that before you make a decision, don’t disturb her.”

After speaking, Zhao Dailin left. She felt a bit uncertain inside. She had encountered many men of this age. It was the age when they struggled for their livelihoods. Their eyes were usually quite defeated, lacking luster and showed the weariness of the world. Yet their work was just ordinary, muddling through each day without knowing what they were busy with while complaining that their families put too much pressure on them.

After all, being a man who walked the line between life and death, his presence was so powerful that even she, an old smooth-talker, couldn’t straighten her back in front of him.

But she truly couldn’t bear to see a girl like Yu Hao being lured in like this.

Lu Huaizheng called after her: “What did Yu Hao want to buy at the supermarket? I’ll go out and buy it and hand it to you. Don’t let her go out tomorrow.”

Zhao Dailin turned her head and said three words softly: “Sanitary napkins.”

For a man who had been single since birth, these three words were somewhat unfamiliar. Lu Huaizheng was stunned for a good while before realizing what they were. For some reason, his first reaction was to think of Shao Feng. “Does the military doctor have any?”

Zhao Dailin rolled her eyes. “In the future, are you going to ask Shao Feng when you need to buy condoms too?”

Lu Huaizheng awkwardly turned his face away, his hand rubbing the tip of his nose as he straightened up from the railing. “I’ll go out and buy them.”

Lu Huaizheng borrowed a car from Old Tang. Old Tang was worried and wanted to send someone with him, but Lu Huaizheng didn’t even look back. He took the car keys and walked out. By the time his car reached the town, the supermarket owner was preparing to close. Seeing someone in a military uniform, she smiled and made an exception. She put down the post she was using to pull down the shutter and walked inside, asking him what he wanted to buy.

Lu Huaizheng first said, “A pack of cigarettes for me.”

The shop owner responded with a sound of acknowledgment, bending down to reach into the cabinet below, asking, “Which brand?”

Lu Huaizheng casually mentioned the one he smoked most often. The shop owner took it out and handed it to him. “Anything else?”

“Sanitary napkins.” His expression remained normal.

The shop owner smiled, coming out from behind the counter. The small store was cramped, with all sorts of things piled on the floor. She kicked some aside with her foot and led Lu Huaizheng to the furthest shelf, pointing and asking, “Which kind does your girlfriend usually use?”

Lu Huaizheng didn’t bother explaining to the shop owner, automatically accepting the “girlfriend” in her words. His gaze scanned the dazzling array of products on the shelf. He had no idea which kind Yu Hao usually used.

He had forgotten to ask when he left.

He had always thought of himself as meticulous, but when it came to women’s issues, he was still somewhat careless.

…

When it was time to pay, the shop owner looked at all the items on the counter, glancing up at Lu Huaizheng after scanning each package, unable to close her mouth from smiling. When Lu Huaizheng left carrying the large bag of items, she finally closed the store curtain with satisfaction, humming a little tune, thinking to herself: There are so many love-struck fools these days.

Lu Huaizheng returned and handed the items to Zhao Dailin.

Zhao Dailin squatted down and counted each package as she took them out, looking up incredulously at the man leaning against the corridor railing. “Why did you buy so many? How long will these last?”

Lu Huaizheng had no idea women’s things were so complicated. When the shop owner asked him what brand, he couldn’t answer. Then she asked if he wanted cotton or dry-feel ones. He asked what the difference was. The shop owner explained it had to do with skin type—cotton for dry skin, dry-feel for normal skin. Using the wrong one could cause allergies. He didn’t know what kind of skin Yu Hao had, so he simply had her put them all in. Then she asked him if he wanted thick or thin ones, with wings or without wings, medium length or extra-long…

He was completely confused by all the questions and just told her to take them all.

Before leaving, she also suggested he take a package of brown sugar, saying it would help with stomach pain and replenish blood. Since he had noticed her complexion wasn’t good that afternoon, he took it.

Zhao Dailin thought that even the smartest men have moments of foolishness, though this foolishness was somewhat endearing. She picked up the items and patted Lu Huaizheng’s shoulder to show her gratitude.

Lu Huaizheng leaned against the railing and said, “If she needs anything else, have someone tell me. I’ll go out and buy it. Don’t let her go out alone.”

Zhao Dailin didn’t look back, just gave an OK gesture with her hand.

The next day when Yu Hao woke up, she saw the table full of sanitary napkins, as if by magic.

Zhao Dailin was standing with her foot propped up, reporting the situation to Professor Han over the phone. Yu Hao gestured with her eyes, asking what all this was. Zhao Dailin ended the call, walked over, leaned on the table, and smiled at her: “If I said I bought them, would you be disappointed?”

Yu Hao lowered her head. “No.”

“Alright.” Seeing no expression on her face, Zhao Dailin felt dismissed and told the truth: “Lu Huaizheng bought them. This guy was probably fooled by the shop owner and brought back a mess of things. None of them are the kind you use. He didn’t even call to ask. What a fool.”

Yu Hao said, “He doesn’t have a phone. His phone is with his leader.”

Zhao Dailin put her hands on the edge of the table and leaned down to see Yu Hao’s expression. “Tsk tsk, you’ve switched sides so quickly? He hasn’t even done anything for you yet, and you’re already so devoted? Come on, tell me, what happened yesterday?”

Yu Hao had slept on it and felt she had been too petty. She thought she should be more generous, but when she recalled his expression while talking to Sui Sitian yesterday, she couldn’t be generous. If she told Zhao Dailin about this, she would probably be made fun of, so she pressed her lips together, unwilling to speak.

Zhao Dailin understood her and didn’t press further. She ran her hand through Yu Hao’s hair and said earnestly, “Yu Hao, do you know why, among all of Professor Han’s students, I like you the most?”

Yu Hao looked up, her bright eyes exceptionally clear. Zhao Dailin suddenly recalled that Lu Huaizheng had looked at her the same way yesterday. These two people inexplicably had some spousal resemblance.

She spoke again, her gaze particularly serious: “Because you have a sincere, bold, and pure heart. You’re not hypocritical or sycophantic. You don’t have Song Xiaotao’s scheming nature or Yuan Jing’s roundabout ways. You’re especially sincere and straightforward. You have a girl’s delicacy without being spoiled. Among all those graduate students, everyone complains about their advisors, but you’re willing to follow Professor Han steadfastly. You might have aspects that aren’t likable, but believe me, you’re a very likable girl. That’s why I especially hope that when you like someone, you don’t lose yourself. Even if you end up falling in love with him, don’t change yourself for him, don’t doubt yourself. Understand?”

“Senior sister…”

Zhao Dailin interrupted her, “There’s one more thing. I hope you can forgive me.”

Yu Hao’s heart tensed. Zhao Dailin had always been both a mentor and a friend to her. Many times when she felt confused, she would call Zhao Dailin. Zhao Dailin had said many things, but the one that left the deepest impression was, “No matter what, you must believe that you are the best in the world.”

“What is it?”

Zhao Dailin said, “Last night I told Lu Huaizheng not to seek you out anymore. I hope he can seriously think through the relationship between you two, whether to reconcile or end it completely. I can see that he cares about you deeply. He told me that it’s precisely because of you that he’s hesitant to take this step. He’s afraid of hurting you and afraid he can’t give you the future you want. I could see the hesitation in his eyes. I don’t know what you two have experienced in the past, but I feel there’s something that has been bothering him all along.”

Yu Hao knew that Zhao Dailin had always maintained an attitude of keeping her distance from others’ affairs and rarely meddled in other people’s business. She had always been particularly attentive to her matters. She knew Zhao Dailin cared for her, so how could she blame her?

“Thank you, senior sister.”

It was genuine gratitude—like the rare meeting of kindred spirits, blessed with profound love.

It seemed that heaven had truly heard her wish.

When she was little, Shen Xiyuan told her that only children from the stars could make wishes for the moon. Earth children’s words couldn’t be heard by Grandmother Moon. Yu Hao had stubbornly tried a few times, but after discovering the moon really couldn’t hear her, she stopped believing in making wishes. That was until high school when she met Lu Huaizheng.

The first time he celebrated her birthday, he let her make a wish.

She said no since wishes never came true anyway.

But that young man smiled and told her, “They do come true. Just try.”

She casually made a wish on the spot: “I hope it rains tomorrow, so we don’t have to do morning exercises.”

Surprisingly, they didn’t have to do morning exercises the next day. Not because it rained, but because some mischievous person had put a lock on the field’s fence. Jinggang spent the whole morning looking for someone to pry the lock open without success, which delayed the exercise time.

It was much later that Yu Hao discovered Lu Huaizheng was behind it. Later, on the rooftop, Yu Hao asked him why he did it. Lu Huaizheng, with his hands folded behind his head in an extremely stylish posture, leaned on the rooftop and gazed at her for a moment. Then he bent down, held her shoulders, and lowered his head to meet her eyes: “I just wanted to tell you that even children who aren’t from the stars can make wishes. No matter what wish you make, there will always be someone who will do everything possible to make it come true for you.”

…

After that day, Lu Huaizheng truly never sought her out again.

Occasionally when they met in the cafeteria, both would keep their heads down, each focusing on their bowls. Military discipline was different from ordinary workplace cafeterias where people could chat noisily. They didn’t speak, just kept their heads down, finished their meals, and waited for everyone at the table to finish before picking up their trays and leaving.

Yu Hao and Zhao Dailin were always arranged at Lu Huaizheng and Instructor Tang’s table.

Lu Huaizheng ate quickly and wasn’t particular. He would finish the food on his plate in no time, then lean back in his chair and quietly wait for her and Zhao Dailin to finish.

The two women naturally ate slowly. Sometimes Yu Hao felt embarrassed making them wait and would eat hastily, even choking herself. As a result, the next day, the overall eating speed of the soldiers at that table slowed down. Zhao Dailin also noticed this. After finishing her meal and going to wash her hands, she heard several soldiers whispering: “Chewing this food makes my teeth ache. It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten so slowly and meticulously.”

A dark-faced soldier next to them chimed in: “Why do you think Captain Lu is so attentive to Dr. Yu?”

The other two were clueless and shook their heads.

Suddenly, a ghostly voice interjected.

“Can’t you all sense your captain’s budding feelings of spring?”

Hearing this, the three soldiers with their short-cropped hair crouched on the ground turned their heads in unison.

They saw Zhao Dailin leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, looking down at them with a smile, from a mysterious angle.

The feeling was like when, as a student, you’re writing in your notebook with your head down, and suddenly look up to see your homeroom teacher’s unpredictable face pressed against the window.

The three soldiers were so frightened they jumped up from the ground, stuttered a greeting, and fled in panic.

Zhao Dailin leaned against the wall and shrugged. They were too easily frightened, tsk tsk.

On her way back to the clinic, Yu Hao encountered Lu Huaizheng and Instructor Tang coming down from the administrative building.

He was wearing ordinary training clothes, no hat, with a clean-shaven head and distinct facial features. His face wasn’t thin and pointed, but rather every line seemed to be in perfect proportion. Standing in the sunlight with his hands in his pockets, talking to Instructor Tang, his straight eyebrows slightly furrowed. He inadvertently turned his head and saw her, but didn’t linger, quickly turning back.

Yu Hao felt he had always been a very self-aware person. He always knew clearly what he wanted to do, with clear goals, was not afraid of losing, and never admitted defeat.

Yu Hao reached the clinic door. He was still standing there talking to Instructor Tang. From beginning to end, his eyes never looked in her direction again.

Yu Hao closed the door.

The moment the door closed, a gaze from that direction discreetly slid over, quietly watching for a while.

Instructor Tang noticed something and followed his line of sight. “You and Little Yu?”

Lu Huaizheng continued looking in that direction and interrupted him, “I remember there were many snakes around here in previous years?”

Instructor Tang was taken aback and nodded somewhat confusedly, explaining to him: “The year you all came wasn’t so bad. Last year was when it was really bad. We caught hundreds of snakes, which were all taken away by the villagers who raised snakes. Why are you suddenly concerned about this?”

“This afternoon, have someone sprinkle some sulfur and lime in Dr. Yu’s office, and find a few people to seal the windows. Don’t let snakes get in.” Lu Huaizheng finally turned his head back, as if he had lost his soul, and said in a low voice: “She’s timid and can’t stand those things.”