The Xilin Military Region is stationed on Kirin Mountain just outside Luoshu County, so named because, from the air, the mountain resembles a crouching legendary Kirin beast.
The winding road up Kirin Mountain is famous for its narrowness and danger and is often used as a training track for the soldiers.
Qi Yong had just led the new recruits in a live-action training exercise at the nearby combat training base, and as soon as the exercise had finished, he was called over by Lu Ziqing.
"Commander, what are you doing?"
"Don’t just stand there, help me move this stuff onto the truck."
Seeing Qi Yong frozen in place, Lu Ziqing hurried him along.
After a closer look at the items Lu Ziqing was moving onto the truck, Qi Yong blinked, "Commander, are you planning to... move back into the military residential complex?"
"Didn’t you prefer staying in the military area because you found it bothersome to go up and down the mountain every day? Why do you want to move back now?"
Qi Yong scratched the back of his head, puzzled.
"What? Do I need to report to you about where I’m going to live? Hurry up and help me move."
"Commander, don’t twist my words!"
Qi Yong sighed, finished moving the items, then drove off. Driving down the serpentine road of Kirin Mountain, he sneaked glances at Lu Ziqing and tentatively asked,
"Commander, is Tang Xiaohua really just a distant relative of yours?"
No sooner had he asked than Lu Ziqing shot him a glare, "Don’t keep bringing that up."
"I get it, I get it. I’m just curious. Commander, for so many years, I’ve never seen you ’spring-hearted’, and how many elders in the residential complex want to set you up? Even our military region’s old commanders were watching you closely, but you ignored them all. Suddenly, Tang Xiaohua pops up..."
Qi Yong pursed his lips, "Anyway, if you tell me she’s just a distant relative, I won’t believe it."
Lu Ziqing just looked out the window, letting Qi Yong babble on.
’Spring-hearted’... Was he that obvious?
Ten years should have been enough for him to almost forget about Song Lili, but as fate would have it, Song Lili came to him...
No matter, what’s wrong with being ’spring-hearted’?
"I’m warning you, in front of Tang Xiaohua, keep your mouth shut. If you ruin my big plans, you can forget about getting promoted in this lifetime."
Qi Yong’s eyes brightened,
Having said that, he drove on while chuckling to himself, relishing the thrill of knowing a secret about the Commander!
The corners of Lu Ziqing’s mouth curved up unintentionally.
When they arrived at the residential building, Qi Yong carried two quilts on his back, and they made their way upstairs, one in front of the other.
Lu Ziqing stood at the door but hesitated for a long time before ringing the doorbell, nervously reciting the speech he had rehearsed countless times in his head...
It was Qi Yong’s first time seeing the Commander , and the effort to suppress his laughter was almost causing him physical pain.
Just as Lu Ziqing took a deep breath and was about to ring the doorbell, the door opened from the inside—
Inside, Song Lili was learning to cook in the kitchen. Hearing the door, she instinctively poked her head out and saw—
Outside stood Lu Ziqing with a bag on his back, looking down, and inside stood Tang Xiaocao with her head tilted up, the two staring at each other...
Song Lili hurried out to let him in, followed by Qi Yong, who smiled at Song Lili,
Song Lili nodded, "Hello."