The day was warm and the breeze was gentle. The sun was golden and dazzling. Tender green blades of grass secretly poked their tips out of the soil, an emerald green that stood firm against the wind.

Through the thin light, Shen Xiyuan recognized Lu Huaizheng almost instantly.

He had seen Lu Huaizheng back in high school.

Back then, he was in his first year of university, nearing finals. Worried that the little girl wasn't adjusting to her new environment, he took a free afternoon to pick up Yu Hao from High School 18.

While waiting at the school gate, he saw a few boys returning to school, talking and laughing. Then, he heard Yu Hao's name from their conversation and subconsciously looked over.

A boy in the back reached out and put his arm around the tall, skinny boy in the front, who was carrying a basketball. He said, "Huaizheng, I heard you really beat up that gangster for Yu Hao?"

Shen Xiyuan couldn't help but take a longer look at the boy named Huaizheng.

The youth was wearing a basketball uniform, with loose, knee-length shorts that revealed a section of firm calf muscles. His Achilles tendons were long, slender, and straight, indicating excellent jumping ability. He wore blue Michael Jordan series basketball shoes and had an Adidas jacket on top. It was clear he came from a well-off family.

Aside from a faint bruise at the corner of his mouth, his features were rather handsome and refined.

He bounced the ball with his head down and grunted in acknowledgment.

The others' expressions turned mischievous. They exchanged glances, then saw the youth pick up the ball and hug it. His back swaying, he turned his head and added, "Don't you guys let Yu Hao know, or I'll get chewed out again."

After speaking, he heaved a heavy sigh, his voice filled with endless sorrow.

The guys behind him couldn't take it anymore and one kicked at him. "Damn, showing off your love? I think you're enjoying it."

He hugged the ball and smiled without saying a word.

Another boy slung an arm around his neck and asked in a low voice, "Are you two actually together or not?"

He shook his head. "No."

The boy was puzzled. "Why not?"

He tossed the ball forward with his head tilted up and said casually, "She said she doesn't want to date in high school, so we'll see." Then he ran on his toes to intercept the ball, turned back, and pointed his chin at the boy who had just asked. "Hey, can you stop being such a gossip all the time? Get a life. The city league is about to start. Can you focus on playing ball?!"

"Then you should have the guts not to go looking for Yu Hao!" the boy retorted, unconvinced.

Lu Huaizheng threw the ball back at him with a backhand, laughing and cursing, "If I don't look for her, should I look for you?!"

The boy grinned as he caught the ball. The group pushed and shoved each other as they entered the school gate, completely oblivious to Shen Xiyuan standing quietly to the side.

Even back then, Shen Xiyuan felt he seemed more mature than other boys his age. Looking at him now, he really hadn't changed much. The contours of his face were the same as before, only having shed the immaturity of youth and gained some maturity. Coupled with the steady confidence and pride in his brow, he was indeed more attractive than the kid he used to be. No wonder his junior was so nervous.

Just as the guard thought Shen Xiyuan was going to stop his car, Lu Huaizheng honked, signaling for him to raise the barrier gate. The guard hurried over and raised it.

Lu Huaizheng stuck a hand out the window and waved his thanks, then rolled it up and drove in. The guard stood ramrod straight and gave him a salute.

Shen Xiyuan didn't linger either. He shook his head with a smile and drove away.

'We'll probably meet again,' he thought.

...

Lu Huaizheng parked the car, grabbed his keys, and took the stairs to the second floor in a few strides. Before he even reached the activity center entrance, he heard Yu Hao's voice coming from the corridor. It was neither too loud nor too soft, but crisp and clear, like an oriole singing in a valley.

"When we feel stressed, we subconsciously rub our necks, like this..." she said while demonstrating, "it helps to improve blood circulation in the neck and relieve tension in the brain. This is actually a signal from the brain, indicating the body needs to relax—"

At this point, Yu Hao paused. A familiar figure had flashed past the back door. She thought she must be going crazy lately, always hallucinating. She quickly gathered her thoughts and continued, "Compared to a polygraph, comforting behaviors can actually reflect a person's brain more directly. For example, when a man lies, his brain feels stress, and he might subconsciously massage his neck to relieve the pressure and adjust his heart rate to calm down, or he might straighten his tie or shirt collar. These are all signs of the brain's discomfort."

Lu Huaizheng didn't go in. He leaned leisurely against the wall in the corridor, listening to the girl's fluid lecture inside, occasionally standing with his hands in his pockets in front of the display case to read the bulletin.

He was absorbed in the bulletin when someone called out to him.

"What are you doing here?"

Lu Huaizheng turned around, confused. He recognized the Old Squad Leader from his old unit. Years ago, he had lost a leg in a blast while peacekeeping in South Sudan. After being discharged, he was transferred to the Air Force Sanatorium.

Lu Huaizheng smiled and pointed a finger at the veterans' war history in the display case. "I was just reading about you and Instructor Liu."

The Old Squad Leader leaned on his cane and stood before the display case. Perhaps seeing Lu Huaizheng made him sentimental. His aged eyelids, with their overlapping folds, drooped down, twitching slightly. "What's there to see? It's all the same old stories written over and over. You must've heard them eight hundred times, if not a thousand, right?"

Lu Huaizheng smiled sheepishly. "I'd never get tired of hearing them, even ten thousand times. You are a hero."

The Old Squad Leader waved his hand dismissively. "Your dad is the real hero. Last year, Instructor Liu and I went to visit your dad's grave during the tomb-sweeping. The whole cemetery is full of martyrs. What do we count for? Your father always said, we can't slack off on the country our ancestors fought and died for. One family of martyrs, every family of martyrs."

Lu Huaizheng's smile faded. He nodded and said, "Indeed. Past experience, if not forgotten, is a guide for the future. To protect our home and country, we dare to be the first. Our generation must be strong."

The Old Squad Leader was gratified and put a hand on his shoulder. "How have you been lately? I heard from Instructor Liu that the organization wants to promote you this year. Don't you mess it up. Don't bring shame to our company."

"Okay."

Lu Huaizheng was particularly obedient.

The Old Squad Leader squeezed his shoulder hard. "Not bad. You're a lot sturdier than when you first arrived."

Lu Huaizheng smiled without speaking.

"When you first came, you looked like a pretty boy. I even told Instructor Liu that a kid like you would never be able to handle the hardship in the military. Who would have thought, you've got a good backbone. You really didn't bring shame to Old Lu."

"I didn't realize you judged people by their appearance."

The Old Squad Leader spilled it all out. "You don't know, there was this new recruit before, looked just like you. Before bed, he'd wash his face with some restricted product until it was all foamy, and he insisted on showering twice a day. His lifestyle was so particular. I took one look and thought you two looked alike. I told Instructor Liu, here comes another fastidious one. Instructor Liu was being all mysterious with me, saying you were Old Lu's kid. I was thinking, how could a rough guy like Old Lu have such a pretty-boy son? Instructor Liu and I were both having a headache over that kid back then, afraid we'd get another one. I never expected a kid like you would end up choosing the Airborne Troops...Never mind, my leg's asleep. I need to go downstairs for a walk."

"Shall I walk you down?"

"No need, you go about your business."

The Old Squad Leader was very proud. He became particularly sensitive after losing his leg and hated others' pity and charity even more. Lu Huaizheng was afraid that saying too much would upset him, so he didn't insist and watched him go downstairs.

For the last ten minutes, Lu Huaizheng entered through the back door, blended in with the last row, and pretended to listen to Yu Hao's lecture.

"When people are happy, they raise their arms. This is a subconscious reaction. When criminals are held at gunpoint, the police will ask them to raise their arms or put their hands on their heads and squat. This is also a form of subconscious psychological comfort...When you feel stressed, you can try raising your hands above your head to promote blood flow throughout your body. It's also a way to relieve tension..."

"That's about all the time we have. My phone number is on the blackboard. If you have any other questions, you're welcome to consult me."

In reality, most people weren't listening to this kind of lecture. The people below were chatting among themselves. As soon as Yu Hao announced the end of class, the veterans scattered like birds and beasts, swarming towards the door.

The activity room emptied in an instant, leaving only the dim afterglow of the setting sun.

Yu Hao kept her head down, tidying up her things on her own.

"Ahem."

A light cough sounded.

Yu Hao looked up.

Lu Huaizheng was sitting brazenly in the back row with his legs spread. He was dressed simply, looking neat and clean. He was practically leaning sideways in his chair, one elbow resting on the side panel, his hand propping up his chin and half-covering his mouth. He was looking at her with a beaming smile, one that was exceptionally bright and clear.

"Tell me you're not slacking off. How is this lecture any different from the one you gave at our Military Unit?"

Yu Hao's gaze dropped back down. While packing, she snapped, "If you want to hear something different, that's fine too. Sure, just pay up. My consultation fee is two thousand per hour."

Lu Huaizheng had already gotten up and walked over. He circled halfway around the lectern and came to a steady stop beside her. He picked up her notebook from the table and flipped through it casually. Yu Hao tried to snatch it back, but he was quicker, pulling it to his chest. He leaned against the table, lowered his head slightly to meet her eyes, and said, "Why don't you just go rob a bank instead?"

"If you can't afford it, give my things back. Don't waste my time."

Lu Huaizheng didn't move, just looked down at her with a smile. His eyes were deep, as if he were pondering some momentous matter.

After a long moment, he placed the notebook on the table and said, "Have dinner with me tonight. Two thousand. I'll give it to you later."

"What if it's over an hour?"

"Four thousand." He took a breath and turned to look elsewhere.

Yu Hao agreed happily. "Deal."

Lu Huaizheng looked at her in disbelief. "Are you really short on money recently?"

Yu Hao finished packing, ignored him, and walked straight out with her notebook in her arms and her head held high, leaving behind a single sentence. "You have fifty-five minutes left."

Her silhouette was slender yet straight, her ponytail swinging behind her. Lu Huaizheng was reminded of high school. She was just like this back then, ignoring people and walking ahead like a proud peacock, her ponytail so proud it could fly.

She was actually very prim, always wearing a high ponytail.

Unlike Hu Siqi and the others, who would sometimes wear their hair down and sometimes curl it, trying all sorts of styles, she always had a simple, neat ponytail.

He was extremely curious and wanted to see what she looked like with her hair down. One time, when she wasn't paying attention, he tried to sneakily undo her hair tie. Being inexperienced, he yanked it down, hurting her. Her eyes instantly welled up with tears, turning red. She looked at him pitifully, gathering her hair and asking, "What are you doing!"

The sight made his heart skip a beat. He quickly apologized in a soft, coaxing voice, "Hey, I was wrong. Don't cry."

Yu Hao didn't cry; her eyes were red from the pain. The boy had been a bit too rough, not knowing how much it hurt when a hair tie caught on hair and was pulled down sharply.

So Yu Hao hammered his shoulder a few times, hitting him hard. Lu Huaizheng grimaced and cried out in pain, then grabbed her hand with his backhand and pulled her into his arms. Having taken advantage, he still played innocent, "Hey, it hurts, it hurts. I won't do it again next time, I was really wrong."

These memories were like fragments, constantly resurfacing these past few days. Piecing them together, they were almost complete.

Lu Huaizheng caught up to her, took the laptop bag from her hand and tucked it under his arm, then took the bag and books from her other hand. He placed a hand on her back and pushed her forward.

Yu Hao looked up at him.

The man's presence was close, their chests and backs almost touching. He looked down at her from his superior height and said flatly in the dim light, "I'll carry them."

Yu Hao didn't stand on ceremony and obediently followed behind him.

Once in the car, Yu Hao fastened her seatbelt. Lu Huaizheng lowered the windows for ventilation. He only closed them as they drove out of the sanatorium. With one hand resting on the window frame and the other steering, he glanced away from the rearview mirror to shoot a quick look at Yu Hao and asked in a low voice, "What do you want to eat?"

Never mind now, he didn't even know what Yu Hao liked to eat back then. Yu Hao rarely ate in the cafeteria at noon, and he hardly ever saw her eating snacks.

With the blank twelve years added in between, they were complete strangers to each other's habits. It felt like he had once owned a book he loved, had looked at the cover a hundred times over, but lost it before ever opening it.

Finding it again twelve years later, the title was the same, but the cover was completely new, and he had no idea if the contents inside had changed.

Little did he know, Yu Hao was feeling the exact same way.

She'd heard that the human body's cells renew every seven years. They were almost on their second round. Facing this brand-new version of each other, she had wavered and tested the waters. But undeniably, she was still full of interest in him.

"Don't you have a blind date to go to today?"

Lu Huaizheng almost slammed on the brakes. He had thought of a thousand opening lines; he had even prepared an opening speech for himself back at the Veterans' Activity Center on how to explain the matter without being awkward or obvious.

Something like, he cleared his throat—

"Comrade Yu Hao, I'm actually here today to explain to you why I appeared in Li Yaoxin's WeChat Moments the other day—"

This opening was too formal, and not his style.

He tried another one, ahem.

"Little Dr. Yu, it was my fault on Saturday, I shouldn't have stood you up—"

Too flippant, not sincere enough.

"Yu Hao, there's something I need to tell you—"

Too casual.

He never expected Yu Hao to bring it up first. Lu Huaizheng, who had been driving lazily, leaning against the seat with one hand propping up his chin, suddenly sat bolt upright upon hearing her words. He gripped the steering wheel with both hands, stole a glance at Yu Hao, and cleared his throat. "Yu Hao, actually—"

Yu Hao looked at the scenery outside the window and cut him off. "No need to explain. I wasn't really that angry in the first place. I just thought you were pretty sharp when you were rebutting me and Professor Han at the dinner table that day. Now that the person changed, you seemed quite happy."

"That smile wasn't directed at Li Yaoxin. It was just a professional smile."

"You're in the Air Force, not flight attendants. You have professional smiles?"

Lu Huaizheng licked the corner of his mouth. "When did I rebut you and Professor Han at the dinner table?"

Yu Hao mimicked his tone coldly, "'Leader, please don't tease me. How can such a beautiful girl marry a soldier like me? Don't make things difficult for her. I'm full, I'll be heading back. You and Professor Han take your time.'"

Lu Huaizheng had almost forgotten his original words, but Yu Hao repeated them verbatim like a recording machine. This reminded him of the time on the training ground when she had imitated him scolding someone.

He suddenly gave her a meaningful look. "I've discovered—do you have a special fondness for imitating me?"

Yu Hao scoffed. Her gaze remained fixed on the window as she replied airily, "Ever since I was little, I've liked to imitate animals talking, like cats, dogs, pigs, that sort of thing. May I ask which one you are?"

Sharp-tongued and witty. That hadn't changed much.

Lu Huaizheng was rebuffed. He touched the tip of his nose and said in a low voice, "If I hadn't said that, were you really planning to marry me? Besides, on Saturday, Li Yaoxin is the daughter of Director Li from our Air Force Political Department. I can refuse my superior, but I can't refuse Director Li. I wanted to explain it to you that day, but I was afraid you'd overthink it. I didn't go there for a blind date, I just wanted to make it clear to Director Li that I'm not interested in his daughter."

After he finished speaking, there was a long silence.

Neither of them broke the silence. Even when it was time to order, Lu Huaizheng just tossed the menu to her and went outside for a smoke.

When he came back and pulled out a chair to sit down, Yu Hao had already finished ordering. "I don't know what you like to eat, so I just ordered a few things randomly."

Lu Huaizheng nodded. "Whatever."

Since their reunion, the two of them had never sat together as calmly as they were now. It was always her retorting and him trying to make up for it, or him retorting and her falling silent, constantly in a tense and smoldering atmosphere.

Through the dim light, she could see the man's somewhat sharp profile. The Lu Huaizheng in Yu Hao's memory wasn't a good student, but he was a spirited youth. Now, reunited, she couldn't find a trace of that old reckless energy in his eyes; all that remained was composure.

She had chosen the restaurant. Lu Huaizheng didn't eat out often and let her decide, so Yu Hao just picked a highly-rated place on Dianping.

But upon entering, she realized it wasn't what she expected.

The moment their eyes met, the small orange candle on the table flickered. The light and shadows swayed gently, and an ambiguous glow flowed around them. Yu Hao rubbed her forearm, looked around, and asked suspiciously:

"Why doesn't this place turn on the lights?"

Lu Huaizheng leaned forward across the table, whispering in her ear, the laughter he'd been holding back for a long time finally breaking free. "What, never been to a couple's restaurant before?"