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On the way back, Gu Xiaoxi held the badge tightly in her hand.

…

The next day

Martyrs’ Park!

For the first time, Gu Xiaoxi saw the true face of Number Seventeen.

The color photo on the tombstone depicted a beautiful woman, at the age of twenty-eight, the most beautiful time for a woman.

She hadn’t even married before she bade farewell to her white-haired, elderly parents.

Standing in front of Number Seventeen’s parents, Gu Xiaoxi bowed deeply to them.

Both elderly people had been soldiers, and their daughter was their lifelong pride.

Though dead, her honor remained!

“Girl, you shouldn’t feel burdened.

On the battlefield, comrades trust each other, it’s a kind of trust, a kind of fellowship, so my daughter would definitely be proud!

We are proud of her too!” Number Seventeen’s old father patted Gu Xiaoxi on the shoulder.

Despite his grief at losing his child, he understood better than anyone that if there were no sacrifices, there would be no war.

Gu Xiaoxi just felt a heavy discomfort in her heart.

She didn’t say a word on the way back.

Quan Shaoqing personally escorted her to the gate of the new recruits camp.

Gu Xiaoxi, with her bag on her back, stood in front of Quan Shaoqing.

It seemed that she hadn’t yet moved on from the matter of leaving Number Seventeen.

“Xiao Xi, this is a quality that all soldiers must possess, taking a bullet for every comrade.

Your skills are not bad, but you must strengthen your training; your psychological and military qualities are still not up to the mark.

Gu Xiaoxi, can you become the next Number Seventeen?”

Gu Xiaoxi’s dark eyes shone with a hint of determination.

She raised her head, puffed out her chest, pulled in her stomach, and gave Quan Shaoqing a military salute.

Everything that needed to be said was conveyed without words.

She would not only become Number Seventeen, but she would also become stronger!

Quan Shaoqing reached out to pinch Gu Xiaoxi’s cheek, pulled her head into his embrace, and patted the back of her head, “Go!

You will be a good soldier!”

Gu Xiaoxi gave him a slight smile, held her chin high, and looked at Quan Shaoqing, “You don’t need to tell me that!”

With those words, she strode towards the military camp.

Watching her figure gradually recede into the distance, Quan Shaoqing felt a deep reluctance in his heart.

Even he didn’t know when he had started caring so much about her.

Not until Gu Xiaoxi’s figure had completely vanished from sight did Lin Mi, looking at the serious expression on Quan Shaoqing’s face, curiously remark, “Superior officer!

You really care a lot about Miss Gu!”

Quan Shaoqing turned his head and glanced at Lin Mi, “Do I?”

After thinking about it, he said in a low voice, “I think so too!”

Lin Mi almost choked on his own saliva, “Superior officer, you’d better leave quickly!

And on the way, stop by the family home to heed the old lady’s arrangement, go on a matchmaking visit.

Otherwise, in the future, you will definitely regret letting Gu Xiaoxi join the army!”

Do you wish for someone you love to take risks?

Lin Mi’s words carried an ulterior meaning.

Quan Shaoqing didn’t understand and glanced at Lin Mi, “What does whether I go matchmaking or not have to do with Gu Xiaoxi joining the army?”

“…” Lin Mi fell silent.

Quan Shaoqing’s affection for Gu Xiaoxi had already exceeded what was normal.

Usually, why would there be such a good relationship between two people with no blood ties?

Aside from kinship, there’s only love and friendship.

Can there be pure friendship between a man and a woman?

Especially for two people who are together morning and night, who share happiness, who share troubles, who share laughter…

He would bet that familiarity breeds affection, and it was just a matter of time.

It’s just a question of who falls for whom first!

“What are you daydreaming about?

Get moving!

We have an important seminar this afternoon,” Quan Shaoqing’s words brought Lin Mi back to reality.

Inside the luxurious military vehicle, Quan Shaoqing took out his laptop to work on the latest combat discussion materials.

He was instantly in work mode.

Lin Mi started the car, glanced through the rearview mirror at the gate of the new recruits camp, and couldn’t help worrying about Gu Xiaoxi!

The gap between her and Quan Shaoqing was more than just vast; even with outstanding abilities, the highest rank she could achieve within three years was Lieutenant.

A Lieutenant could barely qualify to guard the door at his command center.

To surpass Quan Shaoqing, she reckoned it would take another lifetime.

Gu Xiaoxi, with her backpack on, returned to the barracks of the new recruits.

By now, everyone had gone off to train, and to her surprise, it was already eleven o’clock.

She figured everyone would be back soon for lunch, so she didn’t hurry to join them.

Gu Xiaoxi tidied up the stuff in her bag and then, holding a very exquisite box, headed toward the kitchen staff.

She had gotten very familiar with the kitchen crew lately.

So before leaving, she casually took two bottles of red wine from Quan Shaoqing’s cellar.

There was no helping it.

His basement housed such a huge wine cellar, with more than a dozen racks taller than her, laden with red wine.

She almost thought it was a wine storage warehouse.

Of course, she didn’t know that she had the incredible luck of inadvertently picking a couple of bottles worth over a million from Quan Shaoqing’s collection.

Fearful of repeating the embarrassing incident from last time, Gu Xiaoxi removed the labels from the wine bottles before entering the kitchen area.

The kitchen was bustling, clearly in preparation for lunch.

As Gu Xiaoxi entered, Zhang Yi spotted her immediately, “I heard you hurt your foot, is it better now?”

Gu Xiaoxi greeted everyone with a beaming smile, and said to Zhang Yi, “It’s better.

I’ve brought back two bottles of wine for everyone.

Remember to hide them and enjoy!”

Seeing the kitchen staff busy, Gu Xiaoxi placed the box in a corner of the kitchen, flashed everyone a smile, “I’m off to training.

Keep up the good work!”

Zhang Yi, busy cooking, smiled to himself, not expecting this girl to be so considerate.

They hadn’t had the chance to visit her while she was recovering, and yet she had brought them a gift.

No sooner had Gu Xiaoxi stepped out of the kitchen, than Hu Yidao entered with a big sack of potatoes.

He glanced at the corner where the wine was and eyed Gu Xiaoxi suspiciously, “Don’t try to bribe me with those pricey items!”

Seeing that he had actually taken leave to return, Gu Xiaoxi assumed his mother must have gotten better, and hastily responded with a chuckle, “In our house, things like these are as common as market stalls, they’re not worth much.

Besides, we’re comrades, we’re close.”

At the same time, Gu Xiaoxi pulled out a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and tossed it to him, “Here!

They’re not as high-quality as last time.

Make do with these.”

With that said, Gu Xiaoxi had already left the kitchen.

By now, the training squad had returned.

Everyone gathered in the canteen for lunch, and since Gu Xiaoxi had already eaten, she went back to the dormitory and reported her return to duty to Yuan Shang!

Hu Yidao, holding the pack of cigarettes, chuckled to himself.

The girl had certainly not disappointed him!

It wasn’t anything fancy, but this bribe, he’d accept.

Just as Gu Xiaoxi had reported for duty, Yuan Shang informed Ning Jiu.

Afterward, Ning Jiu said he wanted to see her.

So, before training began.

She went to see her platoon leader.

Of course, as soon as she entered the office, she also spotted Shao Changfeng, Wu Yi, and others.

Several platoon leaders seemed to be huddled up discussing something.

Gu Xiaoxi saluted everyone!

Ning Jiu scanned her from head to toe, “At ease!

Have a seat!”

He gestured to a stool not far away.