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When Shen Yihuan woke up in the morning, she was still a bit disoriented about where she was. She opened her eyes and saw Lu Zhou’s face so close, she froze for a full two minutes.
The room was dimly lit.
The curtains kept the sunlight out.
Shen Yihuan remembered that the curtains weren’t drawn when they went to sleep yesterday; Lu Zhou probably drew them in the middle of the night.
She couldn’t even recall when she had fallen asleep yesterday.
Shen Yihuan leaned in to look at Lu Zhou. He was still sleeping, with tiny wrinkles between his brows. His long, sparse dark eyelashes were straight. His lips were thin, his jawline sharp, and a pulsating blue vein was visible next to his Adam’s apple. Below that, his collarbones were clearly defined.
So handsome, she thought.
I need to take a picture.
Her phone was on the bedside table.
Shen Yihuan tried to pull her hand out, and just as she moved.
Suddenly, Lu Zhou opened his eyes. There was no sleepy haze in them, and his voice was low: “What’s wrong?”
“...”
Shen Yihuan asked, “Did you wake up early?”
“Been awake for a while.”
“Don’t you have to go to the training ground today?” Shen Yihuan blinked.
Lu Zhou raised his hand, brushing it across her back, then looked at his watch: “I need to go now.”
He got out of bed, walked to a cabinet, and took out a new towel and toothbrush: “I put them in the bathroom for you. You can use these later.”
For some reason, Shen Yihuan’s face felt a little warm.
Lu Zhou’s calm and natural demeanor made it seem as if they had been living together like this for a long time.
She stretched, slipped on her shoes, and followed Lu Zhou into the bathroom. The bathroom was very narrow; two people basically had to stand side by side, their shoulders touching.
He used Lu Zhou’s toothpaste. He squeezed it onto the toothbrush and handed it to Shen Yihuan.
“Lu Zhou,” Shen Yihuan called him, her mouth full of foam, indistinctly.
Actually, they hadn’t really clarified things last night. Shen Yihuan was sure yesterday that Lu Zhou had accepted her, but after waking up, she started to hesitate again.
Lu Zhou had even kissed her in Beijing before, so could one kiss really mean anything?
And that one “baby.”
That “baby,” tinged with desire and suppression, felt like it had been ground on a burning sand dune, crushing all the untamed, fervent affection within it.
Well... Lu Zhou had indeed called her that very few times.
Lu Zhou spit out the foam from his mouth, rinsed, and watched Shen Yihuan with the toothbrush in her mouth, a bulge on her cheek. He raised his hand, grabbed her wrist, and helped her brush a few times.
Shen Yihuan came back to her senses.
Lu Zhou looked at her through the mirror: “What’s wrong?”
“What did you mean yesterday...?”
They looked at each other through the mirror.
Shen Yihuan’s heart leaped into her throat, as if awaiting judgment. She felt like she waited for ten minutes, but in reality, it must have only been a few seconds, because Lu Zhou was almost late for the training ground.
Lu Zhou turned her shoulder, his gaze lowered.
First, it landed on her lips, covered in toothpaste foam.
“...”
A kiss landed on her forehead, slightly damp.
Lu Zhou quickly let go of her, then pushed open the door and left.
Following yesterday, when Shen Yihuan’s mind flashed with a thousand bullet comments, 999 of which were “Holy shit,” this time, 2000 bullet comments frantically scrolled, actually 1999 were “Holy shit,” and the remaining one was “Lu Zhou is too damn good!”
Lu Zhou appeared cold, yet his personality was stubborn, and his kisses were never gentle.
But this gentle, soft kiss on the forehead, with the fresh taste of just-brushed teeth, made all her senses of touch and smell sensitive, and her heart pounded in her throat.
After brushing her teeth, she splashed water on her face and went out without even using a towel.
Water droplets rolled down her jawline, dampening a patch of her shirt over her chest, and the hair on both sides of her face clumped together, wet.
The quilt on the bed was already folded into a perfectly square block, sharp-edged, like a mold.
...
Lu Zhou finished folding the quilt and went to the living room, where he heard a knock on the door. Immediately, the door opened from the outside, and He Min walked in.
“Captain Lu, do you need me to lead the training today?”
“No need.”
He Min raised an eyebrow: “Your fever’s gone?”
“Mm.”
He hadn’t actually taken his temperature, but he was very accurate about his body’s sensations. Generally, if he felt he had a fever, he did, and if he felt it was gone, it really was.
He Min was afraid he was pushing himself: “Really? If not, I...”
He hadn’t finished speaking when the bedroom door opened.
Shen Yihuan stood at the doorway, her hand still on the doorknob, staring blankly at He Min.
He Min: “...”
Alright.
This time, he truly believed Lu Zhou’s illness was completely cured.
He chuckled, giving Shen Yihuan an open smile, as if he hadn’t seen anything or misunderstood anything. He said to Lu Zhou, “Captain Lu, I’ll wait for you outside,” and swiftly exited.
Shen Yihuan held up a finger: “He...”
Lu Zhou was calm, showing no embarrassment at being caught.
Shen Yihuan closed her mouth.
Look!
This is the demeanor of a captain!
It’s just a man and a woman caught spending the night together!
It’s no big deal...
Shen Yihuan changed the subject: “Have you taken your temperature?”
“No, it should be gone.”
“Take it again.”
So Lu Zhou took out the thermometer and placed it under his tongue.
Five minutes passed. He took it out, and the temperature was consistent with the one after his injection last night. His fever had indeed subsided.
Yesterday, he had a fever of 39 degrees Celsius, but today he was completely fine. Shen Yihuan was a little surprised by his astonishing recovery ability.
Lu Zhou put on his camouflage jacket, buttoning it up one by one. His fingers were long and slender, his joints clearly defined. Only the top button was left undone, revealing a small section of his T-shirt underneath.
“I’m going to the training ground now.”
Shen Yihuan nodded.
As Lu Zhou walked out, he saw He Min leaning against the corridor wall, a look of amusement and gossip on his face. He raised an eyebrow at Lu Zhou: “What’s going on, Captain Lu? You’re quite fast.”
Lu Zhou turned around and closed the dorm room door.
“Let’s go,” he said calmly.
He Min: “Did Photographer Shen spend the night here yesterday?”
“He Min,” he warned.
The scene just now was truly shocking. He Min continued: “Hey, you finally got your goddess back, didn’t you?”
Lu Zhou stopped, looking directly at him: “How many laps do you want to run?”
“...” He Min shut up.
________________________________________
Shen Yihuan returned to her dorm to put on some makeup.
Qin Zheng was no longer in the dorm. Shen Yihuan, carrying the strip of painkillers she got from He Can yesterday, found her at the filming location.
“Sister Qin Zheng,” she handed over the painkillers, “Are you feeling better today?”
Qin Zheng turned to look at her, smiling: “I’m good today, it doesn’t hurt much.”
“Then don’t take it. It’s not good to take too often anyway.” She put the painkillers back into her pocket.
Qin Zheng turned back, looked at the display screen again, stood up and said a few words to the two people standing in front, then sat back down. Without looking at Shen Yihuan, she just smiled and said, “I thought you weren’t coming today.”
Shen Yihuan paused, scratched her brow, and explained in a low voice: “I had something to do yesterday, so I didn’t go back to the dorm.”
Qin Zheng: “Mm, Lu Zhou told me.”
“???”
Qin Zheng turned her head, seeing her surprised expression, and smiled: “Check your phone.”
She took out her phone and saw her chat with Qin Zheng at the top.
Qin Zheng: Yihuan, come back early, I left the door open for you.
This was the message Qin Zheng sent her last night. Looking at the timestamp, she must have already been asleep.
Below that was a voice message.
She tapped it, and Lu Zhou’s voice came out.
“Director Qin, she slept here tonight.”
Shen Yihuan: “...”
It wasn’t that she was afraid of others knowing she spent the night at Lu Zhou’s. It wasn’t an affair; they were properly in a relationship after all.
She was just worried about Lu Zhou’s identity, and the military being such a disciplined place. She was afraid of causing him unnecessary trouble.
But seeing Lu Zhou’s series of actions, it seemed he wasn’t afraid of anyone knowing at all.
So she stopped caring.
Qin Zheng asked, “Are you two back together?”
“Mm,” Shen Yihuan nodded, then smiled, revealing two shallow dimples.
Qin Zheng: “Someone like Captain Lu must be an ideal type for many women, right? He’s handsome, tough, has a good physique, and his current military rank definitely shows he’s accomplished at a young age, with strong self-discipline.”
Shen Yihuan squatted on the side, cupping her face in her hands, humming softly with a knowing smile, implying she had gotten a good deal and was showing off.
“What about the future? Have you thought about it?”
“Hmm?” Shen Yihuan tilted her head.
“Our filming here at the military camp is almost over. Then there’s filming in other Xinjiang regions, and after the filming is done.”
Qin Zheng’s eyes were on the screen as she spoke, as if this question was just casual small talk, yet it struck Shen Yihuan’s heart.
She had thought about this.
After a pause, Shen Yihuan swept her hair back, revealing her smooth forehead.
She looked ahead: “I really like this land.”
Qin Zheng’s fingers paused on the buttons, looking at Shen Yihuan with some surprise.
She hadn’t expected Shen Yihuan to say such a thing. She thought Shen Yihuan, like other young women from big cities, even if willing to come to such a place for work, it was only because she had a bit more adventurous courage than others. Deep down, she was still that delicate, conventional type.
Now, it seemed, she wasn’t.
________________________________________
Inside the Commander’s Office.
“You’re saying there’s a lead on the arms trafficker’s whereabouts?”
“We have a suspected target. I’ve already sent people to track and investigate,” Lu Zhou said.
Commander Feng rubbed his wrinkled brows with his thumb: “Alright, once confirmed, implement the operation immediately!”
“Yes!” Lu Zhou stood at attention, eyes forward, saluting.
“Wait a moment, there’s another thing,” Commander Feng took a sip of water and stood up, “If the TV station’s filming clashes with the arrest operation, just assign a reliable subordinate of yours to be responsible for them.”
Lu Zhou: “I can handle both.”
Commander Feng’s brow furrowed: “Can’t you tell priorities apart?! How risky is an arrest operation?! Just because of that female photographer, because of a romantic entanglement, human lives can be gambled away like this?”
Lu Zhou’s expression darkened slightly, his back straightened. After a moment of silence, he spoke.
“Commander Feng, the subject we currently suspect might be acquainted with Shen Yihuan. I need to understand both sides.”
“What?”
Commander Feng was stunned for a moment, “What’s this Shen Yihuan’s identity? And she knows an arms dealer?”
“It’s not yet confirmed that the target is Gu Minghui, and even if it is, Shen Yihuan has nothing to do with arms smuggling.”
“Lu Zhou, are you serious about this photographer?”
Lu Zhou pursed his lips, then said gravely and earnestly: “Yes.”
“She’s from a big city like that, and her temper and personality don’t seem good to me. Can Commander Lu accept her?” Commander Feng said, “Furthermore, if she’s really involved with arms smuggling, your marriage report won’t be approved by the higher-ups.”
Lu Zhou chuckled: “Don’t worry, I’ll invite you for drinks when we get married.”
________________________________________
Shen Yihuan came out of the cafeteria at noon. After staying there for so long, she still hadn’t gotten used to the cafeteria food, but she didn’t want to complain. Over time, eating so little each day, she didn’t feel hungry anymore.
She had just left the cafeteria when she ran into Lu Zhou at the entrance.
He was talking to someone, looking quite serious.
Shen Yihuan waited beside him for a while.
Zhao He caught sight of the young girl behind him: “Understood, Captain Lu. We’ll monitor during tonight’s patrol.”
He then raised his chin: “Captain Lu, is Photographer Shen waiting for you?”
Lu Zhou looked back, then turned again: “Go eat.”
With that, he walked towards Shen Yihuan.
It was a crisp autumn day, the sky high, with two narrow clouds and light piercing through them, shining brightly down.
Occasionally, a dry wind blew.
“Finished eating?” Lu Zhou asked.
“Mm,” Shen Yihuan nodded, “Have you eaten? Shall I go back in with you?”
Lu Zhou didn’t answer. He took her hand and walked towards another building.
“Do you have any missions recently?” Shen Yihuan asked. She had just heard words like “night patrol” and “monitoring” while standing there.
“Tracking a smuggler.”
“Smuggling what?”
“Firearms.”
Shen Yihuan paused, her mouth agape as she repeated: “Firearms?”
Lu Zhou lowered his gaze: “What’s wrong?”
“Then don’t they also have guns to use against you?” Shen Yihuan remembered his gunshot wound. “Was that scar of yours from when you were chasing a firearms smuggler?”
Actually, most of their enemies usually had guns, and in many cases, even advanced weaponry.
Lu Zhou: “No, that was an injury I sustained while apprehending a wanted criminal who had fled to Xinjiang.”
Shen Yihuan felt a chill run down her spine, and her heart clenched.
Lu Zhou didn’t think he had said anything concerning, only that the young girl beside him had become much quieter on the way.
When the door opened, Shen Yihuan realized she had been led into Lu Zhou’s dorm again.
Shen Yihuan: “...”
So efficient with time?
She remembered their lunch break was only one hour.
Just as her mind was filled with “lewd” thoughts flying everywhere, she saw Lu Zhou magically produce several dishes from somewhere, packed in plastic containers, clearly takeout, and a bottle of chili sauce.
Lu Zhou put the food in the microwave, then beckoned to her: “Come here.”
Shen Yihuan walked over.
Lu Zhou adjusted the water to lukewarm, pulled her hand under the running water, and looked down. His dark eyelashes shadowed the light from above, concealing his expression, only showing seriousness.
“There’s takeout here?” Shen Yihuan was a little surprised.
After washing her hands, Lu Zhou used a towel to dry them for her: “Not takeout. The innkeeper from last time, I asked him to bring it when he came to see me today.”
“Ding” went the microwave.
The food was served.
“But I’ve already eaten.”
Lu Zhou glanced at her: “Are you full?”
Shen Yihuan felt her stomach, then shook her head.
Lu Zhou watched her actions, a slight curve to his lips. He tore open the rice box lid and placed it in front of her: “Eat.”
She took a bite, and indeed, it tasted like the first meal she had in Xinjiang that day. Suddenly, her appetite opened up, and before she knew it, Shen Yihuan had eaten most of the rice in the box. She exhaled contentedly and put down her chopsticks.
The portion of rice in that box was enormous. Normally, Shen Yihuan’s appetite for one meal was only a quarter of that, plus she had already eaten a little in the cafeteria, so for her, it was a very large meal.
But then she suddenly remembered Lu Zhou telling her not to waste.
When she looked up, she happened to see Lu Zhou looking at her rice box.
Before Shen Yihuan could react, Lu Zhou had already calmly taken her rice box and poured the remaining rice into his own bowl.
He finished it quickly.
Lu Zhou cleared the table, then leaned back in his chair and pulled out a cigarette.
Just as he was about to light it, he heard Shen Yihuan’s voice: “You’re acting like smoking after a meal is better than being an immortal, huh?”
Her tone was quite sharp.
Lu Zhou’s hand paused on the lighter. He put the lighter back, his tone a little helpless: “I won’t smoke.”
“You just wanted to smoke!”
So Lu Zhou put the cigarette he was holding in his mouth back as well.
He didn’t speak, but his actions were decisive and obedient.
“This is for you,” Lu Zhou reached out his long arm, placing a bag on the table. It contained two bottles of chili sauce.
Shen Yihuan’s eyes lit up. She had been missing some flavor in the cafeteria food.
“Did the innkeeper send this too?”
“I bought it last time during a rescue mission,” Lu Zhou said.
“Then why didn’t you give it to me before...”
Mid-sentence, Shen Yihuan suddenly paused.
That was when Lu Zhou and Gu Minghui had a fight, and Lu Zhou was punished with a weighted run of several tens of kilometers because of it, wasn’t it?
Lu Zhou, thinking she wasn’t used to the food here, specially bought chili sauce for her. When he returned to the hotel to look for her, what he saw was her disappearing without a word. He then linked it to how she had abandoned him before.
Shen Yihuan suddenly clenched her fist, even her breathing was accompanied by a sour, stifling ache.
She stood up, leaned in to hug Lu Zhou, her palm rubbing his neck. His hair was shaved short, still a bit prickly to the touch.
She sighed softly: “Lu Zhou.”
“Trust me, Gu Minghui and I can’t possibly be together, but he really is a very good friend of mine. He and Ruru helped me a lot during the time my dad just passed away.”
Shen Yihuan was careful, her voice very soft, afraid of upsetting Lu Zhou.
She wrapped him in her arms, feeling Lu Zhou’s grip tighten in response to her words.
She tilted her head, rubbing against his shoulder: “But I only like you. I won’t leave.”
She repeated: “I’ll always be with you from now on, whether you believe it or never believe it.”
Lu Zhou took a deep breath, the curve of his neck relaxed. He blinked slowly.
He didn’t respond, only lowered his brows and eyes to look at Shen Yihuan’s profile, his fingers resting on her hand, slightly bent, then loosely closing his fingertips.
Shen Yihuan let go of him.
From the moment she mentioned Gu Minghui’s name, his expression had darkened, then returned from violent to normal.
But his actions were intertwined with hers.
...
What if he didn’t believe her? From their first meeting eight years ago, Lu Zhou’s proud spirit was destined to bow only to Shen Yihuan.
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