Zhao Dailin had erected a chastity monument for herself: if she dared look at Sun Kai one more time, she would gouge out her own eyes.

To divert her attention, she shifted her gaze and focus to several single young men in the second team, carefully and attentively researching a few “target candidates to replace Sun Kai’s position.”

He Lang, from Shandong province, was average-looking but not unattractive, his standard Mandarin wasn’t perfect and he spoke with an accent, which was quite adorable, making him seem simple and honest.

Jiang Weiping, from Shanghai, with delicate features, is a bit young at only twenty-two years old. He was rather aloof, which matched Zhao Dailin’s initial aesthetic preference. However, he was a Taurus, which supposedly made him a mortal enemy to Zhao Dailin’s Scorpio sign. No matter what, compatibility was most important.

These two were the most satisfactory candidates Zhao Dailin had filtered out over so many days.

There was one more.

A Beijing native who grew up in the same compound as Sun Kai, named Hou Taitai.

He looked good and his personality also perfectly matched Zhao Dailin’s aesthetic standards, but being Sun Kai’s childhood friend—on this condition alone, Zhao Dailin had mentally rejected him ten thousand times.

So she focused her attention on He Lang and Jiang Weiping.

He Lang wasn’t that old either, only twenty-five. The better-looking ones in this team were all in their early twenties, but Zhao Dailin didn’t mind the age difference at all. In the end, she locked her target on He Lang.

Why?

Because Jiang Weiping was too cold.

He perfectly matched her preference for gloomy men, but Hu Yuchen was the gloomy, possessive type—soft and fragile, inspiring a strong protective instinct. Jiang Weiping, however, was completely cold without being possessive, the kind who seemed ready to pull out a gun at any moment.

Concerned for her life and safety, looking around, Zhao Dailin still found He Lang the most adorable. When she teased him a little, the boy’s ears would redden, and he’d lower his head, scratching the back of his head, appearing somewhat flustered.

Afraid of taking things too far, Zhao Dailin exercised great restraint. Diverting her attention was enough; she absolutely couldn’t go too far.

Having no integrity was fine, but there was no need for daily psychological preparations about not crossing lines. Flags like these were more likely to fall the more you raised them.

That day, they were training as usual.

He Lang had just come off the field, sweaty all over, his shirt soaked through front and back. Zhao Dailin, carrying some documents, passed by and casually handed He Lang a tissue. “Wipe yourself.” He Lang accepted it with a reddened face, softly saying, “Thank you, Dr. Zhao.”

Zhao Dailin walked briskly, without pausing, quickly passing him. Before he could finish saying “You’re welcome,” she was already gone.

He Lang stood there in a daze.

Lately, Dr. Zhao seemed quite attentive to him and liked to tease him. Thinking of this, seeing Zhao Dailin’s water-like eyes and smooth, fair neck, his heart inexplicably quickened. Gradually feeling short of breath, a strange thought popped into his mind. He took a deep breath, gave himself a few seconds of mental preparation, then summoned the courage to call out to her.

“Dr. Zhao!”

Zhao Dailin stopped and turned to look at him.

“What is it?”

He Lang hesitated for two seconds before saying, “Tonight it’s our team’s turn to show an outdoor movie. Would you like to come watch?”

Zhao Dailin looked at him intently for a moment. “The second team? Or the entire assault team?”

“Just the second team. The first and third teams are on duty.”

“Alright, do I need to bring my stool?”

Only then did He Lang smile, revealing his white teeth. Zhao Dailin noticed for the first time that he even had a small canine tooth on the side—truly adorable. She heard him say, “No need, we have folding stools. I’ll get one for you.”

Zhao Dailin replied politely, “Good, thank you.”

The border defense team showed military movies or documentaries every Wednesday, outdoors.

By the time Sun Kai arrived, Zhao Dailin was already sitting beside He Lang. The two were chatting intermittently, with He Lang patiently explaining the military weapons appearing in the documentary, speaking quite engagingly. Sun Kai pushed He Lang’s head, “You think you know so much? Why are you lecturing during a documentary? Can you keep quiet? Have you got any sense of organization and discipline?” After speaking, Sun Kai leaned over to look at Zhao Dailin beside them, “And you, if you want to watch a documentary, just sit there properly. If you keep asking questions, go back to the dormitory.”

Zhao Dailin very obediently left.

After the film ended, He Lang came to find her at the dormitory. Zhao Dailin first saw a blurry figure through the frosted glass, thinking it was Sun Kai, and opened the door. He Lang smiled sheepishly at her: “I’m sorry, Dr. Zhao. Sun Captain is just like that—a bit of a dog temperament. Please don’t take it to heart.”

At that moment, in the bathroom behind He Lang, someone stopped. He had just used the bathroom and, hearing the noise, paused. The man put his hands in his pockets, and leaned against the corridor railing, thinking: Let me hear what you’re saying.

He Lang was completely unaware, scratching his head as he looked at Zhao Dailin, stammering: “Dr. Zhao…”

Zhao Dailin leaned against the doorframe, her arms crossed gracefully across her chest, her gaze sweeping over the person behind He Lang, then calmly returning, silently waiting for what he would say next.

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

Zhao Dailin: “No.”

He Lang’s heart leaped with joy, thinking: That’s great! Dr. Zhao must like him, otherwise, why would she keep flirting with him for no reason? Thinking this, his heart began to surge with excitement. Perhaps he should just confess his feelings. He foolishly scratched the back of his head, both thinking and grinning. Before he could say “What do you think of me,” a pain shot through the back of his head. Someone had hit him. He turned around.

Good heavens.

He was so frightened he stared with wide eyes, his tongue tied in knots: “Cap-cap-cap-cap-cap…”

Sun Kai hit him hard on the head again, causing He Lang to bow his head heavily from the impact. Then he heard Sun Kai cut him off: “What are you saying!”

“You-you-you-you…”

Sun Kai understood immediately and beat him to it again: “When did I arrive?”

He Lang: “Exactly!”

Sun Kai sneered: “Let me think.” After a pause, he said: “Probably when I heard you say I had a dog temper?”

He Lang’s face changed dramatically, “I-I-I-I…”

Sun Kai knew him too well and preempted him again, “You didn’t mean it?”

He Lang nodded shamefully.

Sun Kai didn’t dwell on it. After all, when he was an instructor before, students had often talked behind his back. When he overheard them, he just laughed it off, not taking it to heart. He and Lu Huaizheng were two extremes in the unit—the latter was serious on the training field but like a big brother in private, getting along with everyone. Sun Kai wasn’t like that; he was the same all the time, fierce to all students, always projecting a fearless demeanor, known as “Iron Face.” He only occasionally joked with Lu Huaizheng.

He kicked and drove He Lang away.

He Lang looked reluctantly at Zhao Dailin, turning his head three times with each step, finally stumbling away under Sun Kai’s explosive shout.

The footsteps on the stairs gradually faded away. Only after hearing the door slam shut upstairs did Sun Kai look at Zhao Dailin, raising his chin, more serious than before, “Do you mind if I come in and sit for a while?”

Yu Hao hadn’t returned yet, leaving Zhao Dailin alone in the dormitory. She thought for a moment, then moved aside to make way for him, meaning—please come in.

After Sun Kai entered, he grabbed a folding stool from behind the door, opened it, and placed it on the ground. He sat down with legs apart, in the typical military posture. Zhao Dailin thought then: How unrefined. The men she liked were supposed to wear high-end custom suits, sit in skyscrapers twenty-some floors up, cross their legs, and hold a glass of red wine, gently swirling it, with clear eyes that concealed countless indescribable experiences of bright lights and fine wine.

A stark contrast to the man in military uniform, roughly sitting on a folding stool in front of her.

Sun Kai gestured with his chin for her to sit on the bed, appearing ready for a long talk.

After Zhao Dailin sat down steadily.

Sun Kai slightly tilted his head, gathering his thoughts. He cleared his throat and said to her: “You studied psychology, have you heard of the suspension bridge effect?”

“Of course,” Zhao Dailin said, “Are you questioning my professionalism?”

Sun Kai shook his head, “If I remember correctly, the suspension bridge effect states that when a woman is tied to a bridge pillar, in this crisis, the body naturally reacts with an increased heart rate, rapid breathing, and other natural responses. If at this time a person of the opposite sex passes by on the bridge and rescues you, you might mistakenly believe you have feelings for this person, or develop feelings for them. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Sun Kai spoke extremely euphemistically since Zhao Dailin wasn’t from the unit and was a doctor here. If not for the leadership’s sake, then at least for Professor Han’s sake.

Zhao Dailin folded her arms and sneered: “In the auditorium that day, the one who saved me wasn’t you, it was Captain Lu next door, right? You just shot that person.”

“But in the end, you fell into my arms. The person who had physical contact with you was me. I’ll temporarily understand this as the first contact person. I completely understand, because I’ve encountered such situations before.”

“So, what are you trying to say?” Zhao Dailin couldn’t speak, she smiled wryly, “Am I clinging to you? Or crying and making a scene about marrying you? Or am I disrupting your relationship with your fiancée? You’ve got it backward, Captain Sun. Right now, you’re the one approaching me.”

None of those things happened. She had killed those feelings in time and had promptly drawn a clear boundary with him.

Sun Kai changed his posture, placing both hands on his knees, very earnestly saying: “Hmm, you haven’t clung to me, nor disrupted me and my fiancée. He Lang is young, not suitable for you. Don’t go tempting him, including other members of our team, please leave them alone too.”

The way he put it, Zhao Dailin almost felt like she was a seductress—as if with just a casual wave of her hand, countless men would fall at her feet. Speechless, she laughed, “What right do you have to prevent me from dating other men?”

Sun Kai corrected her: “Once you’re out of this unit, I can’t and won’t control who you date. But for people in my team, don’t set your sights on them. They train daily, busy with matters of national defense, and they’re not as casual about relationships as you are. If you just want to find someone to date, it’s not appropriate.”

Zhao Dailin somewhat got the meaning. In Sun Kai’s eyes, she was an emotional con artist, insincere. She needed to deeply reflect on herself—was her behavior so flirtatious that it offended him? She suddenly sat up straight, her water-like eyes flashing with a strange light, staring intently at the man on the stool, asking: “What if I have marriage plans?”

Sun Kai was stunned, turning his head to look at her, “Marriage? With whom? He Lang?”

Zhao Dailin wanted to say she was just making a hypothetical comparison. Just as she was about to explain, Sun Kai’s next sentence made her completely freeze, the smile at the corners of her mouth gradually solidifying.

Sun Kai looked at her mockingly, “Are you sure you have marriage plans? With your flighty attitude, are you suitable for a military man? Military marriages are no joking matter.”

The implication was that Zhao Dailin was flirtatious, seemingly suspected of infidelity.

Seeing her expression grow cold.

Sun Kai, always direct, had no awareness he’d said something wrong and continued: “Because you seem—very dishonest, I’m sorry, but I have to consider my team members.”

Zhao Dailin sat there ice-cold, the tip of her tongue lightly touching the roof of her mouth, smiling and nodding slightly, then suddenly looking over. By now, her gaze had become sharp, as if all her hair was standing on end. She sneered: “Oh, and your fiancée seems honest? Drinking with a man late at night outside?”

Sun Kai hadn’t expected her to suddenly bring this up.

Zhao Dailin looked at him and added: “I heard you two on the phone that day. She wasn’t home, and a man answered, seemingly her ex-boyfriend?”

Sun Kai awkwardly rubbed his nose, “She explained to me, that it was a class reunion that day, just a coincidence.”

“Oh.”

Zhao Dailin didn’t want to hear more, “If you’re happy with that, that’s fine. Do you have anything else?”

Sun Kai thought for a moment, “No.”

Zhao Dailin struggled to control her trembling hands, her voice hoarse: “Then please leave.”

After he left.

She suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon, falling back completely onto the bed. All the muscles in her body relaxed in an instant, but her heart strangely ached with each throb.

At that moment, it felt as if the last trace of her soul had been sucked out from the top of her head. She stared blankly at the ceiling, sinking into deep thought, her mind slowly replaying scenes like a movie, frame by frame.

After Hu Yuchen left, Zhao Dailin was admitted to Beijing Normal University’s psychology department, staying in Beijing to study.

However, in her junior year, Hu Yuchen returned.

Hu Yuchen didn’t actively seek her out.

It was on a Friday evening when Zhao Dailin’s roommate suddenly said she wanted to treat everyone to dinner. As soon as the roommate proposed this, the other girls exchanged knowing glances, nudging the roommate’s shoulder with a suggestive look: “Got a new boyfriend again?”

The roommate smiled coyly, “No, not yet.”

“Is he pursuing you?”

The roommate nodded ambiguously: “Sort of.”

Zhao Dailin didn’t get along well with that roommate and didn’t want to go, but the dormitory relationships had just improved recently, and another roommate persuaded her not to spoil the mood. She pleaded with Zhao Dailin to attend.

Finally, unable to refuse, Zhao Dailin grudgingly agreed.

The private room was booked at Yuyuan, a five-star hotel opposite the school. A meal there would cost at least three to four thousand yuan. Even Zhao Dailin had only been there when her brothers came to visit her. When the other girls heard this, they all looked envious.

“Wow, this guy is generous? Is he very rich?”

The roommate said: “Not sure, but the car he drives seems quite nice. I heard from my friend it costs several million.”

“Damn, where did you hook such a golden bachelor?”

The roommate smiled, acting coy and refusing to say more: “You can ask him yourself later!”

“Incredible, it seems our Qianqian is going to marry into wealth and become a rich wife.”

The group arrived at the private room door, chatting and laughing.

Before pushing the door open, Qianqian lowered her voice, telling them to be quiet. She straightened her clothes and fixed her hair in the reflection of the marble, making sure her makeup was perfect before leading them in.

The others teased her, “Qianqian has fallen hard this time.”

Qianqian ignored them, took a deep breath, and gently pushed open the door. Zhao Dailin was the last to enter.

Two men sat in the private room smoking and chatting. Hearing the noise, they turned to look.

Zhao Dailin immediately saw Hu Yuchen. Her mind went blank with a loud boom. His handsome face had become more rugged than before, his features even more profound than previously. The whole person appeared full of vigor. His hair was shorter than before, with light bangs hanging over his forehead. His gaze lingered on Zhao Dailin for a moment before quickly shifting away, smiling at Qianqian beside her.

Qianqian tugged at her skirt, naturally sitting down beside him, complaining: “How is a five-star hotel so hard to find? We walked in circles.”

Hu Yuchen put out his cigarette, smiling and saying: “Didn’t I send someone to pick you up?”

Qianqian’s face reddened, “Your car is too conspicuous.”

Hu Yuchen smiled without speaking. The bespectacled man in a suit next to him picked up the conversation: “Qianqian, are these all your roommates?”

Qianqian nodded, “Ah, yes.” She introduced them one by one, “Jiang Yiyi, Qin Qin, Zhao Dailin.”

The bespectacled man scanned the group, praising them, and half-jokingly said to Hu Yuchen: “There’s a saying, don’t rush to pursue a girl when you meet her, her roommate might be prettier. Yuchen, do you regret it a little now?”

Hu Yuchen smiled without speaking.

Qianqian was displeased, glaring at the bespectacled man: “What do you mean by that?”

The bespectacled man laughed: “Just joking, our Qianqian is the most beautiful.” After speaking, he eagerly pulled out a chair for Zhao Dailin.

Zhao Dailin didn’t move.

The bespectacled man made another gesture of invitation, “This young lady is hard to please.”

Jiang Yiyi pushed Zhao Dailin, who then came to her senses, stiffly sitting down.

After Jiang Yiyi and Qin Qin were seated, the bespectacled man pulled up a chair next to Zhao Dailin and sat down. His ulterior motive was already very obvious.

However, Zhao Dailin couldn’t eat that meal.

Halfway through, she stood up and left, despite Jiang Yiyi’s persuasion. Qianqian’s face hardened as she put down her chopsticks: “Let her go, Miss Important.”

The bespectacled man clicked his tongue upon hearing this, “Come on, you’ve already come, stay a bit longer. What urgent business could there be at school that you have to leave now?”

“She has plenty of dinner invitations. The boys inviting her to dinner are too many to count. Don’t try to persuade her, it’s spoiling the mood.”

After Zhao Dailin left.

The dinner returned to its lively atmosphere. Jiang Yiyi, who had a good relationship with Zhao Dailin, couldn’t help but say to Qianqian, “Qianqian, stop bringing up the past about Dailin. You know her personality. You two have finally made up…”

Hu Yuchen, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly took a sip of wine and asked Qianqian: “What’s this? You two had a falling out?”

Hu Yuchen rarely took the initiative to ask about her matters. Qianqian, holding her chopsticks and pouting, couldn’t help but complain: “She stole my boyfriend.”

“And you two could still make up? Your heart is really big enough.”

“I’m just not as calculating as she is.”

Jiang Yiyi couldn’t bear it and defended Zhao Dailin: “Qianqian, you need to be careful about what you say. How can that be considered stealing? You and Hua Feng weren’t even together then, and Hua Feng kept pursuing Dailin. Did you ever see Dailin pay him any attention?”

Qianqian got angry, “Jiang Yiyi, you!”

Jiang Yiyi pressed her lips together and said no more.

The two men exchanged glances. Being men, they understood perfectly well—Hua Feng had just been keeping Qianqian as a backup.

The dinner ended somewhat unpleasantly.

After that, Hu Yuchen occasionally appeared at Beijing Normal University, maintaining a lukewarm relationship with Qianqian. However, Qianqian was head over heels in love, always eager to share details of their dates after returning.

Zhao Dailin wore headphones and listened to music, not paying much attention.

Occasionally, during breaks between songs, she would hear fragments of Qianqian’s excited voice: “I went to his apartment today.”

A roommate directly asked, “Did you two, hmm…?”

Qianqian: “No, he seems physically unwell, always saying he’s weak.”

The roommate snorted, “First time I’ve heard a man admit he’s inadequate.”

“As long as he’s handsome, it’s fine.”

…

Such discussions would continue for half an hour after each of Qianqian’s dates.

One night, Qianqian called Jiang Yiyi, saying she had accidentally taken her boyfriend’s files back with her and asked Jiang Yiyi to help deliver them. However, Jiang Yiyi was attending a club activity at the time, and only Zhao Dailin was in the dormitory.

So Jiang Yiyi called Zhao Dailin.

Zhao Dailin refused without thinking, but couldn’t withstand Jiang Yiyi’s relentless phone calls and desperate threats: “I can’t get away! If I could, I absolutely wouldn’t trouble you. You know this is the only club activity I’ve attended this semester. The club president is going to skin me alive. Are you prepared to collect my corpse?”

Zhao Dailin found Hu Yuchen’s apartment according to the address.

It was magnificent and grand, with lush greenery in the compound. After getting out of the car, she realized this was a wealthy area.

Hu Yuchen opened the door with his hair still wet, seemingly not surprised. He smiled, “You’re here.”

Zhao Dailin handed him the items and turned to leave.

But Hu Yuchen grabbed his keys and followed her out.

Zhao Dailin looked at him venomously: “Don’t follow me.”

“I’ll drive you back. You can’t get a taxi around here.”

“No need, I’ll walk back myself.”

“It’s a five-hour walk back to the city.”

“How do you know?”

Hu Yuchen smiled: “Because I’ve walked it.” He didn’t continue but instead asked with a smile: “But I have a bit of a stomachache right now. Would you allow me to go in and eat something before sending you back?”

That meal lasted the entire evening.

Hu Yuchen had never intended to let her leave.

Zhao Dailin sat on the sofa waiting while Hu Yuchen ate his noodles at a leisurely pace, one strand at a time, glancing at her after each bite.

Zhao Dailin couldn’t wait any longer. When she tried to open the door, she found he had locked it.

It was a password lock.

Just as she was about to turn around, a tall male presence enveloped her from behind, firmly pinning her against the door. He placed both hands against the door, lowered himself to meet her gaze, and said, “Zhao Dailin, I am Hu Yuchen.”

His breath was scorching. Zhao Dailin felt her whole body heating up, unbearably uncomfortable.

He kissed her intensely.

Knowing her sensitive spots, he focused his attention there, doing his utmost to please her. All she could hear was his heavy breathing.

Zhao Dailin’s whole body trembled. The familiar scent returned, making her heart quiver violently. She slowly closed her eyes.

He kissed her, kissed her intimately, not giving her a chance to catch her breath, repeatedly asking in her ear, “Don’t you miss me?”

Zhao Dailin was confused at that moment.

She said she missed him.

Hu Yuchen seemed stimulated by this, his actions becoming increasingly forceful until Zhao Dailin regained her senses and suddenly became clear-headed. She raised her hand and slapped him, tears falling like a spring, dropping one after another. She screamed hysterically:

“Get out, get out, get out!!!”

Hu Yuchen carried her to the bed, pressing her down and kissing her, “Where should I go? In the past, when I told you to leave, you wouldn’t. Why should I leave now?”

Zhao Dailin twisted her body, struggling, kicking him with all her might.

“What about your Qianqian?”

“I haven’t touched her, nor mistreated her. I’ve spent a lot of money on her these past few months without getting any benefits. What more do you want?”

…

The most dissolute period of Zhao Dailin’s life was probably that one month in her junior year, the days spent with Hu Yuchen in his apartment. The two didn’t say much, day and night, sweating profusely, exerting themselves for primal desires.

She discovered she was a woman with strong physical needs.

So when Sun Kai spoke to her that way, she wasn’t angry at all in her heart.