"Sister Yu Hao."

Yu Hao stood before her, facing the wind. "Looking for me?"

Sui-zi: "I have something I want to tell you."

"Go ahead."

"You said Xiao Hui didn't take the item, but I accused her in public. Later, Brother Huaizheng told me that you can't publicly accuse someone when you only suspect them and don't have enough evidence, because the harm it causes is incalculable. This morning, Xiao Hui was out of it during rehearsal, and it seems like everyone is intentionally distancing themselves from her because of this. Actually, I don't really know if she took it. I just felt that she likes to secretly read my diary, so I thought...now I...feel very guilty."

Sui-zi's brows were furrowed and her eyes downcast; you could tell she was genuinely guilty.

Yu Hao thought for a moment and said bluntly, "You were indeed wrong in this matter. You should feel guilty."

...

Sui-zi's eyes widened like saucers, round and bright. She wanted to say, 'Are you really a psychologist?'

How would Yu Hao know how to comfort people? Her usual work was more about helping people with psychological disorders analyze and identify their problems. Her questioning was always soul-searching, meant to drag out the darkest villains from the depths of their hearts, direct and to the point.

The work of comforting and consoling was always handled by Zhao Dailin. And with the mindset of a little girl like Sui-zi playing house, Yu Hao couldn't really be considered professional.

Sui-zi didn't give up and asked a couple more questions.

"Sister Yu Hao, is there really no way?"

Yu Hao looked at her. "What kind of way are you looking for?"

"To lessen my guilt, or to get everyone to stop treating Xiao Hui like that."

Yu Hao said, "Sui-zi, words once spoken are like spilled water. Hasn't your 'Brother Huaizheng' taught you this principle?"

"Alright, I'll be more careful with my words in the future." Sui-zi resigned herself to it. "I know everyone usually talks about me behind my back too. Sister Yu Hao, to be honest with you, I was actually a little happy at first. I felt that since she slandered and discredited me behind my back, she finally got a taste of her own medicine. But then I felt that this makes me no different from her."

"There's not much difference between people. There's only a difference between people and pigs," Yu Hao comforted her without batting an eye.

...

The square.

Lu Huaizheng was leaving tomorrow. After Sui-zi and the others finished their performance, a few high-spirited soldiers volunteered to go on stage to sing. They said it was to celebrate Captain Lu's departure and, at the same time, their own escape from misery, as they would no longer have to endure Lu Huaizheng's hellish training and would switch over to Captain Sun's embrace.

Sun Kai also loved to joke around and played along, roasting Lu Huaizheng: "Captain Sun's embrace is always open to you."

Lu Huaizheng was sitting below on one of those folding stools commonly used during combat training. His legs were spread, his elbows resting on them with his arms draped loosely. A faint, absentminded smile was on his face as he watched the few soldiers fooling around on stage.

Yu Hao sat timidly beside him, finding this side of him to be a rare sight.

It was obvious they had a good relationship. Right, since high school, who did he not get along with? He seemed to get along with everyone. Even Instructor Tang couldn't help but comment from the side, "You all have such a good relationship. I've never seen a leader joke around with his soldiers like this."

Lu Huaizheng laughed self-deprecatingly, "What kind of leader am I?"

Instructor Tang waved his hand dismissively and laughed it off.

The atmosphere was infectious. Even the usually quiet Little Squad Leader grabbed the microphone from someone and said to Lu Huaizheng in the audience, "Captain Lu, a song for you." After speaking, he turned and waved to the soldier in charge of the music behind him: "Music!"

This part was probably rehearsed in advance; it was too smooth.

As the familiar music started, Lu Huaizheng knew these brats were going to mess with him.

Four or five soldiers stood in a row, arms around each other's shoulders, singing into the microphone. It was originally a very tender song, but it was sung completely out of tune by this ragtag bunch.

"Most willing to forget the poems of old

Most disdainful is love sickness

Guarding love, afraid of being laughed at

And afraid of being seen through

Spring comes again to see the red beans bloom

But no lover comes to pick them

Fireworks embrace romance, but true feelings are absent..."

When Yu Hao heard this song, her heart skipped a beat. She held her breath and turned to look at him. Amidst the chaotic and noisy singing, Lu Huaizheng also happened to look over. The soft moonlight outlined his features, and his eyes held a trace of unease she had never seen before.

Sun Kai slung an arm around Lu Huaizheng's neck and leaned over to explain the story behind the song to them, but that person turned his face away in the dim light, looking extremely uncomfortable.

He even seemed a little...

Shy.

Author's Note:

The coup in Turkey is real, and the content written is based on actual events, but because it's sensitive, it's been handled vaguely.

There isn't much national sentiment, so just read it as a normal romance novel.

Lu Lu will be very cute after getting married.

"Most willing to forget the poems of old

Most disdainful is love sickness

Guarding love, afraid of being laughed at

And afraid of being seen through

Spring comes again to see the red beans bloom

But no lover comes to pick them

Fireworks embrace romance, but true feelings are absent..."

—"Love Sickness," the theme song from "Journey to the West Post-sequel"