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Gu Xiaoxi finished her training and directly left the Military Dog Base with Xiao Xiao.

From a distance, she saw Quan Shaoqing’s car parked not too far away.

With a smile, she walked merrily towards it, then leaned on the car window, squinted her eyes at the man inside, and chuckled, "Handsome, are you up for a date tonight?"

"It just so happens I’m free today, let’s date tonight!" Quan Shaoqing’s lips curved up into a radiant smile. Then he reached out and gently pinched Gu Xiaoxi’s cheek. The soft, smooth touch felt like that of a ripe egg, irresistible to the touch.

Gu Xiaoxi pushed away his large palm, gave him a scornful look, and then opened the car door and got in.

Xiao Xiao quickly followed, leaving the two soldiers on gate duty completely baffled.

The scene they just witnessed looked to them very much like Gu Xiaoxi hitting on a handsome guy.

And she even made an evening date with him...

Sheesh!

Such an open-minded girl, is she going off with someone else?

The two soldiers suddenly felt unsettled.

Just yesterday, a handsome guy from the neighboring dorm was nervously preparing to collect 9,999 foxtail grasses to confess his feelings to Gu Xiaoxi.

Rumor has it, some men at the training base with substantial backgrounds and good personal circumstances have been preparing to make a move on Gu Xiaoxi.

As for Gu Xiaoxi casually making a date with a strange man today, they felt it was necessary to spread the word, to expose Gu Xiaoxi’s true nature to everyone.

On the wide road, the car was driving smoothly.

From where Gu Xiaoxi sat, all she could see was Quan Shaoqing’s handsome profile. His skin was as fair and delicate as exquisite porcelain, a rarity for men to have such good skin, without a single pore visible on his face.

No matter how you looked at his side profile, he was 360 degrees of impeccable handsomeness. Even the way he focused on driving was enchanting, making it hard to take your eyes off him.

This was their first encounter since his confession, and it felt as if an entire cycle of spring, summer, autumn, and winter had passed between them.

Gu Xiaoxi crossed her arms over her chest. In truth, she couldn’t see through his thoughts at all.

She even began to suspect that perhaps she had posed a problem that had stumped him, causing him to shrink back in her presence.

Lowering the car window, Gu Xiaoxi leaned on the frame, feeling the breeze on her face, the setting sun no longer blinding.

She stared at the round sun, closed her eyes, and breathed in the fragrance of the trees and flowers along the road. Suddenly, her heart felt incredibly peaceful, as if there was a melody inside her cleansing her spirit like music.

In a flash, she felt as if she could sense the grass growing taller, the flowers blooming, and the insects in the leaves searching for their little nests.

What was that sensation?

An indescribable state of the Ethereal Realm, as if transcending the shackles of reality, she had become the master of this world.

But it was fleeting!

When Gu Xiaoxi opened her eyes again, the mountain was still the same mountain, the grass was still lush in the breeze, swaying its fine branches, and the path bathed in sunset light had only one speeding car on it!

Gu Xiaoxi shook her head; that momentary sensation from before had disappeared.

It was as if her heart couldn’t reach that ethereal state of emptiness.

"Sigh!"

The faint sigh from Gu Xiaoxi caught Quan Shaoqing’s attention.

He continued to drive seriously, but asked in confusion, "Why the sigh?"

"It’s nothing! I just feel like I’ve lost something very important," Gu Xiaoxi said lightly. Her long lashes drooped down, her eyes revealing an unfathomable darkness. Like the deep abyss of the ocean, it seemed to hide secrets too deep to explore.

Quan Shaoqing peered at her fair profile through the rearview mirror. Each time they parted and met again, she seemed a bit more mature.

Her flawless face remained unchanged, both in contour and dress, but her temperament was different.

It seemed to have changed rapidly!

A quiet maturity was slowly becoming apparent in her. And he was gradually finding her harder to read.

Quan Shaoqing gripped the steering wheel tighter, his chest aching slightly.

Fate never favors anyone; a smooth road can have its muddy patches and dangerous lakes.

He had carried a mission on his shoulders since childhood, bearing a burden of responsibility, taking each step to his current position, enduring life-and-death experiences, and understanding the hardships of the mortal world.

He also had laughed so indulgently, been carefree and happy without any reservations.

But as one matures, that carefree happiness, laughter, and willfulness are no longer there.

Before confessing to Gu Xiaoxi, he had asked Ai Xiang.

Similarly, that afternoon was also the most unforgettable one for him.

There was no setting sun, no rosy clouds, just oppressive dark clouds, and little raindrops splashing on the fresh soil, blooming into tiny flowers.

In a villa nestled against the mountain by the water, the stove was lit with tea tree incense, and the rustic carved wooden furniture was both luxurious and exquisite.

He sat by the window, and sat there all afternoon.

He personally witnessed the dark clouds covering the sun, followed by the light rain that turned into a downpour. He watched the flowers being ravaged by the fierce wind, indifferent, just sitting by the window, for an entire afternoon.

Suddenly, the door made of huanghuali wood was pushed open, and a handsome man in a white suit strode in, bringing a hint of dampness into the room.

The man held an old, worn book in his hands, its sheepskin paper already frayed but still neatly organized by him.

Ai Xiang gently placed the book on the table, then poured a hot cup of tea and sat down opposite Quan Shaoqing.

Then, she sipped the tea while looking outside at the rain that was getting heavier.

At this time, a small yellow flower near the eaves had already been washed into the soil by the rain, its leaves all shed, leaving only the flower buds exposed.

"I’ve looked through many ancient books. There are some records about spells in the West. But your Chain Curse is rather special; there are no written records. I’ve only heard some legends," Ai Xiang said with a serious tone. The rain, brought by the wind, drifted into the room through the window.

Quan Shaoqing lowered his gaze, patted the water stains on his clothes, and said indifferently, "You’ve been searching for many months; you won’t just tell me this result, will you?"

His gentle voice was soft, much milder compared to the pitter-patter of the rain. Standing in Ai Xiang’s position, one could hear every word clearly.

"Do you still remember that time you were injured?

Everyone thought you were dead, but you woke up once again as if nothing had happened.

The solution to the Life and Death Curse is to die once more and then survive against the odds.

But once the Love-Forbidding Curse is triggered, it is certain death," Ai Xiang said as she casually closed the window, cutting off the sound of rain from outside.

Therefore, Quan Shaoqing could hear every word loud and clear.

He turned his head and looked at Ai Xiang for a long time before frowning and asking, "Are you saying my death is certain?"

"Cough!" Ai Xiang coughed, turned her head aside with a laugh, "It can’t be said like that. If you can break a powerful Life and Death Curse, maybe there’s a way to break the Love-Forbidding Curse as well."

Quan Shaoqing nodded in understanding, meaning that life and death were fated, and even without a way to break the curse, one could still find a way to survive against the odds.

The pouring rain outside continued, the water level in the creek in front of the door suddenly surged, and Quan Shaoqing stood by the window, lighting a cigarette that burned quietly.

Ai Xiang sat beside him, adeptly making tea, with wisps of smoke curling above the teapot, making the man seem as if he were in an Immortal Realm.

He looked up at Quan Shaoqing and sighed, "If you like her, just love her well, with no regrets in life or death."

Quan Shaoqing stubbed out the cigarette butt, pushed open the window, and the cold damp wind blew into the cabin.

He then turned and took a seat next to Ai Xiang, taking a cup of tea to savor. The hot tea was bittersweet with a hint of sweetness, and its fragrance filled the room.

Quan Shaoqing suddenly laughed, his cold face no longer so intimidating, but instead glowing with a gentle warmth, handsome enough to intoxicate, "Hmm! You’re right."

Hence, life and death were within one’s heart; if fate couldn’t be controlled, why bother dwelling on it so much.

What will be, will be!

The rain stopped, and Quan Shaoqing stood by the window and smiled at Ai Xiang, "I should go now!"

As he turned, his gaze fell on the small flower below the windowsill. Although the rainstorm had washed away its leaves and destroyed its beauty, after the storm, its stem and buds straightened up from the soil once again, standing gracefully in the breeze.

Quan Shaoqing left.

Ai Xiang watched his retreating figure, her heart filled with curiosity.

What kind of woman was able to touch the spell in his heart?

Indeed, love is very frightening.

*

Quan Shaoqing drove seriously, the car sped along the road, and finally stopped in front of a beautifully situated villa. From the parking area, one could see the entire command center.

Gu Xiaoxi opened the car door, led Xiao Xiao out of the car, and looked around the unfamiliar environment with curiosity, "What are you doing here?"

"A new home!" Quan Shaoqing walked to Gu Xiaoxi’s side, gently wrapped his arm around her shoulder, and explained, "This place has always been here. I thought it was too much trouble to live here alone, so I lived in an apartment with everyone else. Now, I’m bringing you here to take a look. If you like it, we’ll live here from now on! "

Gu Xiaoxi looked up and could take in the entire command center at a glance. The location here was excellent, and the villa was built in the mountains, very secluded and secure!