Two seconds later.

Lu Huaizheng probably felt he had lost his composure. He lowered his head, feigning a cough, averted his eyes, and tossed out a light, perfunctory remark: "Is that so? Impressive."

Yu Hao didn't notice and nodded quite earnestly, "Yes."

Lu Huaizheng's lips curled up. He decided not to chat nonsense with her anymore. "You should get some sleep. The second half of the journey is steeper."

Yu Hao wanted to chat with him a little longer, but noticing his somewhat cold attitude, she didn't dare to speak again. She obediently said, "Oh," and closed her eyes to rest.

"If you're not feeling well, say so early. Don't try to tough it out," he reminded her again before she closed her eyes.

Yu Hao hummed in acknowledgment.

The warm sunlight streamed in through the window, filling the bus with a warm, hazy glow that made one drowsy. The girl beside him fell asleep in no time.

Lu Huaizheng didn't sleep at all. Usually, at times like this, he and Sun Kai were responsible for the safety of everyone on the bus and would be more vigilant than usual. With this extra person beside him, he was extremely cautious. He rested with his eyes half-closed, occasionally opening them to check on Yu Hao's condition.

The bus wound its way up along the steep mountain range. On one side was the towering, dark green mountain, and on the other, a cliff face that looked as if it had been carved by knives and axes. The winding, narrow mountain road was rugged and treacherous, just a mottled dirt track. Deep in these old mountains, it was perennially damp and muddy. The wheels jolted and bounced as they rolled over it, shaking the bus violently.

The driver was an old veteran from the Military Unit. He drove fast, but even with a steady foot, he couldn't overcome the steepness of the mountain road.

Lu Huaizheng glanced down at Yu Hao, whose head was bobbing from the shaking. He went over, patted the driver's shoulder, and said in a low voice, "No need to go so fast. We're not in a hurry."

The old driver acknowledged with a sound.

Lu Huaizheng's hand was resting on the driver's seat. Just as he finished speaking while leaning over, the bus emerged from the mountain pass. The scenery suddenly opened up. Under the bright, direct sunlight, they drove onto a smooth road. Ahead, the antenna of the Border Defense Radar Station was faintly visible.

The driver asked, "Captain Lu, we're almost at the Radar Station. Do you need to get off and say hello?"

Lu Huaizheng thought for a moment. After the bus had rolled forward a few dozen meters, he narrowed his eyes and said, "You can start braking now. Stop slowly over there. Sun Kai and I will get off to say hello. Don't wake Dr. Yu and the others."

The old driver complied, applying the brakes as gently as if stepping on cotton.

Once the bus stopped, Lu Huaizheng turned to call Sun Kai. As he grabbed his hat and prepared to get off, he noticed that the window curtain at Yu Hao's seat was open. Previously, the mountain had blocked the sun, so there wasn't much light. But now that they were on a flat road, Yu Hao was completely exposed to the sun, her face flushed red from the heat.

Without hesitation, Lu Huaizheng reached out and yanked the curtain that was tightly drawn behind a soldier, pulling it over to cover Yu Hao's window, not letting even a sliver of light through.

The sudden glare in the back row startled the soldier awake. He looked bewildered.

Yu Hao woke up at this moment. Seeing him put on his hat, she thought they had arrived. She quickly sat up, rubbed her eyes, and asked, "Are we here?"

Sun Kai got off first. Lu Huaizheng tilted his head back to fasten the chinstrap of his hat, the lines of his neck smooth and clean. He said, "Not yet. You can sleep a little more. I'll wake you when we arrive."

He got off the bus after saying that.

Yu Hao pulled the curtain open a crack and peeked outside.

He and Sun Kai walked towards the Radar Station. Before they even entered the gate, someone came out to greet them, saluted them both, and they chatted for a bit at the entrance. A short while later, an older veteran came out. After saying something, Lu Huaizheng and Sun Kai exchanged a smile and walked inside.

Yu Hao was watching intently, not realizing when a head popped up beside her ear. Zhao Dailin stared at her sinisterly, "Peeping? I didn't know you had this hobby."

Yu Hao ignored her, let the curtain fall, and leaned back in her seat, feigning sleep.

Zhao Dailin laughed again, "Hey, I asked around for you. Lu Huaizheng hasn't had a serious girlfriend in years. And, a while ago, his superior tried to introduce him to a director's daughter, but he turned her down."

Yu Hao's eyes were still closed. "I know."

Zhao Dailin let out a "yo." "Looks like you two are progressing faster than I imagined. I was just telling Captain Sun that with you two being so reserved, it would probably take half a year to get anywhere." She sighed. "Their line of work isn't easy. I heard from Captain Sun that Lu Huaizheng was specially recruited by their Chief of Staff Li. They knew each other back in the Military Academy. He had very high expectations for him and was also extremely strict. When others ran laps during training, it was ten or twenty laps, but for him, it was always fifty. Besides, when Lu Huaizheng first arrived, he was a real troublemaker, very difficult to handle, with a huge temper. He was always at odds with the instructors and liked to take unconventional approaches. Later, something happened during a mission, and he had to undergo psychological treatment for a period. His personality has calmed down a lot since then."

"What happened?"

Zhao Dailin shook her head. "Captain Sun said it involves military secrets, so he couldn't say more."

At this point, Zhao Dailin saw Lu Huaizheng and Sun Kai coming out of the Radar Station. "We'll talk later. I'll make room for your Captain Lu."

Hearing the words "your," Yu Hao's heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

Nothing had even started between them yet.

Lu Huaizheng and Sun Kai jumped onto the bus. Lu Huaizheng told the driver to go, then handed a pack of compressed biscuits each to Yu Hao and Zhao Dailin. Yu Hao took hers. Lu Huaizheng took off his hat and sat down beside her. "The comrades at the Radar Station heard we had female comrades in our team, so they gave these specially. Have something to eat first, we'll be there soon."

"Thank you."

From the moment she got on the bus until now, Yu Hao didn't know how many times she had said "thank you." Thank you for saving a seat, thank you for a bottle of water, thank you for a biscuit.

When Yu Hao finished eating, Lu Huaizheng casually took the wrapper from her, threw it into a nearby trash can, and said lightly, "You don't have to be so polite with me in the future."

Yu Hao looked over.

Lu Huaizheng twisted open a bottle of water and chugged a couple of mouthfuls, then added, "Reasonably and emotionally, I should be taking care of you."

"Okay." She smiled and said sincerely, "You're much more mature than before."

Lu Huaizheng lowered his head and smiled.

It was nearly five o'clock now. The sun was setting, and amidst a colorful afterglow, Yu Hao looked at his well-defined side profile, which was clear yet held a hint of unfamiliarity.

A fortune teller had once said he had the features of a swallow's jaw and a tiger's neck—a noble appearance fit for a prince or general in ancient times. Later, Yu Hao came across a line in the Biography of Ban Chao: "Born with a swallow's jaw and a tiger's neck, destined to fly and eat meat, this is the look of a marquis who will travel ten thousand li." She couldn't help but think of him.

She had even asked him if he might have been a great general fighting on battlefields in a past life.

Back then, the boy had said, "No, no, no, I must have been an idle prince in my past life, and you were definitely a little maid in my mansion."

Thinking of this, Yu Hao smiled again. She suddenly looked up and asked him, "Do you still remember what that fortune teller said back then?"

He couldn't remember the fortune teller's words clearly, but he did remember that day when he accompanied her to a bookstore to buy a book. In the end, for whatever reason, the girl came out empty-handed. She hadn't brought her wallet, and back then, there was no Alipay. He ended up paying. Actually, even if she had brought money, he wouldn't have let her pay.

On the way back to school, the girl insisted on giving him the money, but he refused to take it. They even had a fight over it. In the end, he had to shamelessly go and make peace, shamelessly joking with her, "Forget the money, how about you let me have a kiss instead?" Yu Hao's face immediately darkened, and she didn't speak to him for days.

Thinking back on it now, he was really a scoundrel back then, daring to say anything that came to mind.

Yu Hao's sudden question left him a bit baffled. He turned his head suspiciously, "What's wrong?"

Before he could finish his question, the bus suddenly screeched to a halt, throwing everyone forward. Lu Huaizheng reached out to steady Yu Hao, his long arm pressing her firmly against the seat.

The next second, he and Sun Kai exchanged a look.

The driver looked back at Lu Huaizheng. "I think we have a flat tire."

Lu Huaizheng said, "I'll go down and check."

Just as he stood up,

"Bang!"

A loud explosion erupted up ahead. In an instant, water and mud splattered everywhere, and the surrounding trees danced wildly amidst the deafening roar!

The bus shook violently, as if it would be shattered in the twilight glow.

Lu Huaizheng lunged forward, turning to shield Yu Hao. He braced himself with one hand on the seat, his entire body hunched over in front of her, his other hand hovering protectively over the top of her head.

Before Yu Hao could react, her vision went dark. Someone lunged towards her. She subconsciously closed her eyes. When she opened them again, the sensation was clear. Lu Huaizheng's chest was pressed in front of her. He had unbuttoned a few buttons of his camouflage uniform when he got off the bus earlier, and the warmth of his chest was within reach.

His resolute command came from above her head, his chest vibrating slightly.

"Everyone stay put. Captain Sun and I will go down first."

After speaking, Lu Huaizheng looked down at Yu Hao. Seeing the worried and dazed look on her face, he managed a smile and gently cupped the back of her head. "It's fine, don't worry."

Then he exchanged a glance with Sun Kai, and the two of them got off the bus, one after the other.

The moment his foot touched the ground, a colorfully painted hand suddenly shot out from under the bus, aiming straight for Lu Huaizheng's ankle. Lu Huaizheng reacted extremely fast, shifting his footing and using his other foot to drag the person out from under the bus in a tumble. With the speed of a gust of wind, the person, agile and well-trained, instantly jumped up from the ground.

At that moment, three more people emerged from behind, draped in something that looked like patches of turf, and surrounded Lu Huaizheng and Sun Kai.

Yu Hao watched, clutching the curtain.

Lu Huaizheng and Sun Kai stood back-to-back. Lu Huaizheng's gaze swept over the four people, their faces all painted in vibrant colors, making them hard to recognize.

Sun Kai asked, "Who are they? Can you tell?"

After a long moment, Lu Huaizheng replied unhurriedly, "Our own people. Probably sent by Old Tang."

Sun Kai let out a sound. "Damn, that Old Tang really has more free time every year. And his welcome ceremonies get more boring every year."

Lu Huaizheng patted his shoulder. "I'll leave them to you. I'm going to check the tire."

Sun Kai cursed again. 'You're still worried about the tire at a time like this.'

The four people opposite them were also a bit stunned. 'We've been seen through? Are we still fighting or not?'

Someone got anxious and blurted out, "Captain Lu."

Lu Huaizheng turned back and smiled. "Where's your instructor?"

The four looked at each other, then finally smiled. The one in the middle took off his turf-like covering, revealing a camouflage shirt, and chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. "As expected, we can't hide anything from you."

Lu Huaizheng smiled. "You guys didn't cause the flat tire, did you?"

Zhong Lei quickly said, "Actually, no. Our original plan was to act when your bus reached the town up ahead. Who knew you'd get a flat tire here and not move for ages? We got impatient, afraid you'd get out and walk, so we changed the plan last minute and used a smoke bomb. It was an accident, an accident—"

"What are you guys doing ambushing here? No training during the day?" Lu Huaizheng asked with a raised eyebrow.

Zhong Lei gave an embarrassed laugh. "Well, we heard you and Captain Sun were coming this year, and the brothers all missed you guys, so we formed a small team to welcome you in advance. Instructor Tang is waiting for you at the gate. He said we'd definitely be found out in three seconds..."

Sun Kai glanced to the side. "Alright, are those two new? I haven't seen them before."

Zhong Lei looked back and said, "Yeah, they're from last year's batch. They've long admired you and Captain Lu, insisted on coming with me..."

Lu Huaizheng had already gone to check the tire. Sun Kai raised his hand as if to slap him. "Cut the flattery. Look what you guys did. There are two female doctors in the bus. You nearly scared them to death."

"Dr. Liu? She's a tough cookie, she'd be scared of this?"

Sun Kai glanced at Lu Huaizheng. The man had already walked to the rear wheel. He first gave it a kick—the tire wasn't flat—then hitched up his pants and squatted down, tilting his head to inspect it from front to back. "The new one. Much more delicate than Xiao Liu."

"Is she pretty?" Zhong Lei couldn't help but ask.

Sun Kai pushed his head. "You'll see when you get on the bus." After speaking, he saw Lu Huaizheng pull a large brick out of the mud and toss it aside with a clang. After confirming everything was clear, Lu Huaizheng walked over quickly, patted Sun Kai's back to signal them to get on the bus. "It's fine now, let's go."

The four followed them up. As soon as they entered, the whole bus erupted. The soldiers, who hadn't seen each other for a long time, howled with excitement, rowdily ruffling each other's hair and giving enthusiastic greetings. Finally, Zhong Lei's gaze settled on the two girls in the front row. He asked Lu Huaizheng, "Captain Lu, is she the new female doctor in your team?"

Lu Huaizheng hooked an arm around the back of his head and pushed him into a seat with the soldiers in the back. "None of your business."

After a bout of rowdiness from the group of men, the bus finally set off again.

By the time they reached the Border Defense Station, the sky had completely darkened. The mountain air was crisp and clear, and the night sky was like a vast, boundless star chart, dotted with constellations.

Just as she was about to get off the bus, Yu Hao felt a dull, heavy ache in her lower abdomen, followed by a gush from below, flowing out in spurts.

It was probably due to the exhausting journey; her period had actually come early.

She was afraid of staining the seat, so she lifted her hips slightly. But as soon as she moved, Lu Huaizheng—who knows if he had been watching her the whole time—reacted with lightning speed. The moment the person next to him stirred, he looked over.

The position was extremely awkward and ungraceful, and to be watched by him like that, Yu Hao felt utterly mortified. So she plopped back down. This time, she guessed it was all over her pants.

She felt extremely embarrassed, as if sitting on a bed of needles. She didn't dare look at him. Covering her face, she turned her head to pretend to look out the window. She heard Lu Huaizheng's voice, suppressing a laugh, by her ear, "What's wrong, did your leg fall asleep?"

"No," she said.

"Just hang in there a little longer, we're almost there."

This time, they had really arrived. In the distance, Yu Hao finally saw the glowing red characters of the Border Defense Station.

The soldiers got off the bus one by one. Yu Hao remained in her seat, unwilling to move, wanting to wait until everyone else had left before getting off.

Lu Huaizheng wasn't in a hurry either and sat beside her, waiting.

Instructor Tang came right over and stood outside the bus door, greeting Lu Huaizheng and Sun Kai. "How was it? A smooth journey?"

Sun Kai laughed, "Old Tang, you're really too bored."

Instructor Tang chuckled with his hands behind his back. "I told them, which competition has Captain Sun ever not flipped an opponent in a second? They just wouldn't believe it and had to come try for themselves. I said if you can't beat him, reveal your identity quickly, lest you get your arms and legs broken. Wouldn't be worth it then. Looks like you didn't really fight?"

Sun Kai pointed at Lu Huaizheng beside him. "Huaizheng recognized them at a glance."

Instructor Tang wasn't old, just over thirty. He wasn't tall, a little over 1.7 meters, with a square face. When he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits, and the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes fanned out like the character for "rice" (米).

"Alright, it'll be more lively now that you're here. The Cultural Troupe came to perform a few days ago, and they haven't left yet. They said they were specifically waiting for you to arrive before leaving."

Sun Kai teased, "Waiting for us? You mean waiting for Captain Lu, right? Those girls, oh—"

Instructor Tang laughed, then glanced at Lu Huaizheng. "What, you guys still not getting off?"

Lu Huaizheng glanced at Yu Hao, who then slowly got up from her seat. The moment she stood, she couldn't fight gravity. Yu Hao wanted to cry but had no tears. She discreetly glanced back. Thankfully, her pants were thick, and the seat wasn't stained.

After settling all the luggage, when Yu Hao went to the restroom to change into the last sanitary napkin she had in her bag, she heard a few female soldiers from the Cultural Troupe coming out after their showers, placing their washbasins down with loud clatters.

"Did you see Lu Huaizheng?"

"I saw him. Sun Kai is here too. I heard Sun Kai is getting married. Among the officers in the Airborne Brigade, Captain Lu is the only golden bachelor left."

"Lu Huaizheng has been in the spotlight these past few years, and he's about to be promoted to a field officer. A lot of people have their eyes on him. Do you remember last time, when Sui-zi came out of Captain Lu's dorm, both their eyes were red? I asked Sui-zi about it later, but she wouldn't say anything. I bet they have something going on."