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Upon hearing Aunt Lin’s words, both of them fell into deep thought, and then emerged from the room together.

By then, it was already ten o’clock at night.

Gu Xiaoxi stood at the doorstep and saw Quan Shaoqing sitting in the garden smoking, the air pressure around him evidently becoming oppressive.

The tall figure bathed in moonlight appeared incredibly solitary, the cigarette’s sporadically bright embers, as if they could scorch her heart even across the distance.

Gu Xiaoxi walked slowly towards him, stopping about seven or eight meters away from Quan Shaoqing.

The evening breeze fluttered her skirt hem, flowers and grasses dancing behind her.

Quan Shaoqing looked up, his gaze deep as he stared at her, feeling as if the Gu Xiaoxi before him was a beautiful, static work of art.

The pitch-black sky twinkled with stars, and suddenly a meteor streaked behind her; the wind lifted her soft tendrils of hair, fluttering her thin silk dress painted in ink-danqing style. She stood in the little garden like a fairy descended to the mundane world.

Her facial features were exquisitely rare, with smooth lines as if refined by an artist’s meticulous strokes; the skin below her neck, as porcelain and flawless as jade, her arms gently crossed in front of her chest, possessing a breathtaking tranquility and purity.

He watched her, momentarily stunned.

The flame of the cigarette burned down to the filter, only jolting him back to reality when it singed his fingers. He quickly discarded the butt and snuffed it out in an ashtray.

He stood up and strode towards her.

"I’m sorry, I didn’t handle this matter well. My mother might still need an explanation..." Quan Shaoqing took her hand, his tone full of apologies. He didn’t know what had been said behind his back.

His mother not only knew about Gu Xiaoxi but also about their eight-year age difference.

His mother was strongly against their relationship, simply because she deemed Gu Xiaoxi too young and thought they were not suited for each other.

Later, his mother visited Sir General and then arranged for Zeng Yuying to come in.

There were still many questions in between that he needed time to clarify.

"I’m not angry, nor do I blame you. So, you have plenty of time to handle this affair." Gu Xiaoxi gripped his hand back, her usually warm palm surprisingly cool, even cooler than her own.

"Thank you for being so understanding. Xiao Xi, I love you! So, please trust me. If there ever comes a day when I can’t love you anymore, that will be the day I die!" Quan Shaoqing suddenly embraced her, holding her tightly in his arms as if she were a precious treasure.

She could sense his care and caution.

Gu Xiaoxi gently nestled her head in his embrace and smiled blissfully, "I want to tell you something."

"Speak! I’m listening!"

"I’m moving back to the dormitory tomorrow..."

"Don’t you trust me? Why are you moving back to the dormitory?" Quan Shaoqing supported her shoulders with his hands, lifting her chin to make her look at him, his voice tinged with nervousness.

"It’s because I trust you that I need to move back."

"I don’t understand!"

"I’m giving you space by leaving. Take your time to resolve this matter; you have two months.

The recent training is intensifying, and I need to work hard to become stronger.

The new instructor is very good; he can replace Aunt Lin and teach us much more.

" Gu Xiaoxi looked into his eyes, explaining sincerely.

"Why can’t you just stay? I could have her stay at the apartment." Quan Shaoqing said, slightly annoyed.

"Sir General’s orders, I’m afraid you can’t refuse, either. There’s no need for you to rush this matter; you have two months’ time." Gu Xiaoxi held his hand, her tone solemn.

Quan Shaoqing wanted to say something more.

But Gu Xiaoxi covered his lips with her hand.

"Don’t struggle anymore, Shaoqing, I trust you.

And I also need to train, to become stronger.

That’s settled then; after Yun Xiao and I leave, have Aunt Lin sleep in my room!

The warehouse is damp, and there are too many mosquitoes.

There are a lot of insects in these mountains, it’s hard to sleep well at night.

" Gu Xiaoxi said, letting go of Quan Shaoqing’s hand, smiling tenderly at him, taking a few steps back, and then looking deeply at him one last time before turning sharply and striding away.

He watched her retreating figure, his gaze turning complex and profound, staring at the swaying beautiful hemline growing farther from him.

Suddenly, Quan Shaoqing surged forward, wrapping his arms around her from behind.

Her frail back slammed into his chest, making Gu Xiaoxi’s heartbeat skip a beat.

"I know, you must be jealous." Quan Shaoqing rested his chin on her shoulder, his tone dark and deep.

Gu Xiaoxi felt the warmth on her ear and became flustered, retorting, "I am not!"

"You’ve never worn this dress before. Putting it on tonight all of a sudden, you wanted to outshine her, right?

You’re jealous of her beauty. But what I want to tell you is this: please rest assured, whether you are plain or beautiful, sick or healthy, you are my only one.

So, I allow you to be jealous, and it also makes me happy because it means you care a lot about me.

" Quan Shaoqing softly laughed, stepping in front of her, cradling her cheeks, and looking into her eyes tenderly.

"I..." Gu Xiaoxi rolled her eyes, at a loss for words. Perhaps, for a moment, she had indeed been jealous. Hence, she also hoped to dress more beautifully, not to lose her presence in front of that other woman.

If this was what being jealous meant, she admitted it.

When Quan Shaoqing saw that Gu Xiaoxi had acquiesced, his rosy cheeks revealed a hint of embarrassment, making him particularly adorable.

He leaned down to kiss her lips, wanting to leave his own flavor behind so that she would remember his scent at all times.

Yun Xiao smiled as he hid behind the curtains and peeked, not knowing what they had said, but seeing the shadows of the two embracing each other, he knew that this matter could probably be resolved harmoniously.

In the next room, Zeng Yuying watched the two with fury, stomping her feet. The future Young Master Quan’s Wife should have been her.

She and Quan Shaoqing were evenly matched, and with the support of the Quan Family’s dowager, she would certainly not let a little girl defeat her.

...

Early the next morning, Gu Xiaoxi and Yun Xiao packed up their belongings, locked them in a cabinet, and made room for Aunt Lin.

While everyone was still asleep, they led their dogs and stood outside the villa area, bidding farewell to this beautiful home.

On the road, Yun Xiao ran alongside Xiao Xi, baffled, "Xiao Xi, how can you leave at a time like this? What if Zeng Yuying uses some means to make the superior officer change his mind?"

Gu Xiaoxi adjusted her breathing, looking at the sunrise gradually rising in the distance, and smiled, "If that were the case, I’d have nothing to say. It would mean he never truly loved me."

Yun Xiao shook his head, not sure if Gu Xiaoxi was too rational or she trusted Quan Shaoqing too much.

Clearly, the situation had developed to a point beyond their control.

They could only let Quan Shaoqing resolve it himself, what they could do was to train hard and become stronger. They aimed to enter the world championship and win the title.

In the following training sessions, Gu Xiaoxi and Yun Xiao trained together in the morning and did physical exercises together at night, supplementing food for Xiao Xiao and Xiao Xiao.

At first, Xiao Xiao was not used to eating raw meat, but later, seeing Xiao Xiao enjoying it, he too started to hunt.

A month’s time passed in the blink of an eye.

By then, the twenty people training at the headquarters had become inseparable.

Friendship, forged in tough training, also gradually evolved.

"Gu Xiaoxi’s basic assessment performance qualified!"

"Yun Xiao’s basic assessment performance qualified!"

"Gu Yun’s basic assessment performance qualified!"

...

"Guo Qiwei’s basic assessment performance qualified!"

The basic training module had been completed, and all twenty were qualified.

As the instructor announced the last person’s results, everyone excitedly hugged their dogs and screamed together.

"How about we have a drink together tonight!" Song Xiahe shouted.

"Sure! Let’s do it at our canteen. Who wants to cook dinner with me tonight?" Hu Wei called out.

"I will!" Gu Xiaoxi raised her hand high, chuckled, "Xue Xiaoqi and Yun Xiao, you guys go hunting with the military dogs. Instructor Chen, you’re in charge of driving to pick up the liquor. I’ve already paid the bill, and tonight we won’t return until we’re drunk."

Chen Cheng narrowed his eyes and laughed, as the basic assessment was successfully passed by everyone.

It was not just an assessment for military dogs, but also the military quality and physical fitness of the soldiers.

He felt reassured that all twenty people had passed, and most of them performed excellently.

What harm was there in indulging them once?

"Great! Then I’ll have to taste Miss Gu’s cooking," Huang Xin said with a smile on the side.

The rest of you, don’t stand around idle either! Come to the kitchen and help with the washing!" Hu Wei called out.

Gu Xiaoxi chuckled, knowing that one would never feel lonely in the military. This comradery among comrades was already at a boiling point of enthusiasm, polished through tense and monotonous training.

Although they came from different units and had varied ranks, everyone shared the same dream.

Because of that one dream, they supported each other, took care of one another, worked hard together, and as a result, developed a deep friendship.