Chapter 11

Facing the doubtful gazes of many people, Zhang Jiuling rarely explained patiently.

“Fever, just sweat it out.”

Others might only partially understand this sentence, but Li Jiao understood. The instructor was telling her to do squats to induce sweating, so the fever would go away faster.

One had to admit, Instructor, you were truly “kind” and so considerate.

Li Jiao pouted and tearfully stood up straight, feet apart, hands behind her neck, ready for the posture.

Zhang Jiuling glanced at her and added calmly.

“One hundred, to boost immunity.”

Puff—

Li Jiao felt like she could spit blood. One hundred?

Was this a death sentence? Instructor, were you serious? Yes, she had a fever, but it was just because she kicked off her blanket. Her immune system was strong!

She was tough, strong enough to knock out an ox!

Before she could argue, Zhang Jiuling had already started counting, his voice clear and cold.

“One.”

Li Jiao began laboriously, squatting down and standing up.

“Two.”

“Three.”

“Four.”

“Five.”

“…”

By the end, Li Jiao couldn’t even remember how she managed to complete one hundred.

All she knew was that her legs felt as heavy as lead. When Zhang Jiuling reached one hundred, she almost collapsed on the ground.

After finishing, Li Jiao’s hands behind her neck were numb, hanging limply by her sides.

She breathed heavily, feeling dull pain in her waist and abdomen with each breath.

Her face wasn’t red anymore; it turned white and pallid. Sweat dripped from her forehead, cold and hot. Li Jiao felt like she was in a state of contradiction, both cold and hot at the same time.

Her head was heavy and dizzy, and her feet felt like they were shackled with thousands of pounds, wobbling and unresponsive, as if she would collapse at any moment.

After completing one hundred squats, Zhang Jiuling gave orders to the students standing in formation.

“Everyone, forward march onto the running track.”

“One, two!”

The students began to move, fists clenched at their waists, chanting chants, heading towards the plastic track.

“The last one in the first row, rest up; catch up with the rest.”

After saying that, Zhang Jiuling walked past her, intending to catch up with the main group.

But as soon as he took a step, he felt like something was hooked onto the hem of his clothes from behind.

Huh?

Zhang Jiuling raised an eyebrow, turning around to find Li Jiao, her head adorned with the military training cap, lowered. The cap was crooked, slanted to one side, with a soft depression in the middle.

Wasn’t the cap properly worn?

Zhang Jiuling subconsciously frowned, about to speak, when he felt the hem of his clothes being tugged again. He looked down, seeing Li Jiao’s two small, trembling hands clutching the edge of his clothes, shaking incessantly…

As if afflicted with chicken claw madness.

“…………”

Zhang Jiuling stared at those two little hands for a moment, still shaking uncontrollably. He lifted his head, looking at the tilted edge of Li Jiao’s cap.

Opening his mouth, his voice still chilly, “Cramps in your hands?”

“……”

Li Jiao didn’t say anything; she just kept pulling on the edge of his clothes, shaking non-stop.

The cap brim was too wide, blocking her face. Zhang Jiuling lowered his head, only able to see her fair chin.

Huh?

Seeing her quiet, Zhang Jiuling decided to be straightforward: “If you’re okay, rest up and then catch up.”

After speaking, he turned to leave, but his clothes were tugged again.

At the same time, there was a weak voice from the girl behind him.

“I-Instructor, don’t leave… I feel like I’m going to faint…”

Zhang Jiuling turned around and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Li Jiao shook her head, unable to speak. She just felt nauseous and dizzy. Her head felt heavy, like being submerged in water filled with disinfectant, suffocating.

Having just done one hundred squats, her legs were now incredibly weak, like easily bendable twigs, about to collapse at any moment.

Zhang Jiuling stared quietly at her. Li Jiao swayed slightly, but she steadied herself by holding onto his clothes.

Under the cap brim, the girl’s pale lips were visible, looking very weak.

Her two small hands tightly clutched the edge of his clothes, as if she would use him as support if she fell.

Was the training intensity just too much?

Zhang Jiuling remained silent, waiting as she quietly clung to the edge of his clothes.

Instructors also have regulations to maintain distance from students of the opposite sex, avoiding physical contact. Like their usual guidance on movements, it’s only verbal, and they won’t physically intervene.

So, unless absolutely necessary, Zhang Jiuling wouldn’t have physical contact with Li Jiao.

On the training ground, most classes had already started their drills, with various chants and the instructors’ reprimands echoing continuously.

In one corner, Li Jiao was holding onto Zhang Jiuling, as if frozen in a still image. Neither of them spoke; they were just standing quietly.

After about a minute, that heavy feeling gradually faded away, and her senses—hearing, vision, and touch—all became clearer.

When Li Jiao realized it, she was still clutching the instructor’s clothes. The fabric felt a bit rough and uncomfortable to pinch. She lowered her head, only seeing her two hands tightly gripping the instructor’s green camouflage uniform.

Against the camouflage color, her hands looked even paler.

Between her nose, she caught a faint, cold fragrance from the instructor’s body—an indescribable scent, refreshing and cold, just like his demeanor.

The scent was pleasant. Why didn’t the instructor smell like sweat like the others after training every day?

Thinking this, she unconsciously pinched the edge of Zhang Jiuling’s clothes. Sensing her pulling his clothes, Zhang Jiuling spoke, his voice clear and steady.

“Still feeling faint?”

“……”

At his words, Li Jiao’s ears turned red, and after a moment of silence, she hesitantly said,

“Instructor, I’m sorry; I think I’m fine now.”

“……”

Oh no, oh no, the instructor isn’t responding. Is he angry? Does he think I’m teasing him?

She didn’t mean to; she really thought she was going to faint just now. Who knew After standing for a while, she felt fine.

Now she was in trouble; the instructor was definitely going to scold her; she was doomed.

Zhang Jiuling didn’t say anything, glancing at the little hands on his clothes and showing no intention of letting go. The girl’s conflicted feelings were all expressed through those two little hands, her fingers unconsciously starting to fiddle with the edge of his garment.

After a while, when Li Jiao was about to cry, she heard Zhang Jiuling’s indifferent voice.

“Keep up.”

With that, he turned around sharply and cleanly.

Li Jiao quickly let go of her little hands; otherwise, she would have fallen flat on her face.

Instructor, he shouldn’t be angry, right?

Oh no, what did she do just now…

She sighed, dragging her disheartened steps, silently following Zhang Jiuling’s pace.

As it turned out, the instructor wasn’t really angry. He just made her run a few laps with the rest of the group, and then added two more.

Saying, “Run a few more laps to boost immunity.”

Puff—

The instructor was so kind and caring for the students.

That night,

After dinner, Li Jiao returned to her dorm. Without anyone urging her, she swallowed all the fever-reducing medicine in one gulp.

She had to get better quickly. She had to prove with her strength that her body was fine and her immunity was super strong!

So, could they please stop adding extra training for her?

“Oh my goodness, I’m so exhausted.”

Su Linlin and Zhang Yue each carried two large bags into the dormitory, tossing their things onto the table before collapsing onto their chairs, panting as if life had lost all meaning.

“Welcome back.” Li Jiao walked over, noticing that the two of them had bought a lot of bread, ham sausages, drinks, and various snacks.

She asked, “Why did you buy so many snacks?”

Zhang Yue twisted open a can of ice-cold cola, took a gulp, exclaimed in satisfaction, and then replied to Li Jiao.

“Jiao, tomorrow is the lake-circling training. Don’t you know?”

“Lake circling?!”

The setting sun had dyed almost half of the sky crimson. Clouds surrounded the sun, layer upon layer, getting redder and more dazzling towards the center, intoxicatingly vibrant.

Even as it was about to set, that fiery red still poured down light and warmth with all its might.

Li Jiao and Su Linlin walked along the tree-lined path, a gentle breeze brushing past, willow leaves swaying, and tree shadows dancing. The yellow light of the setting sun sprinkled among them, sparkling and shining, like mischievous little stars playing hide and seek with you.

As the sun began to descend, the scorching temperature gradually lowered, becoming pleasantly cool.

On the tree-lined path, students walked together in groups of threes and fours, chatting and laughing.

At a glance, many were freshmen wearing military training uniforms. Occasionally, you could see a few senior students clutching their books as they passed by after class.

The breeze of the approaching evening was slightly cool, brushing past the laughing students on the tree-lined path, bringing a faint scent of sunlight as well as the fresh scent unique to willow leaves, soft and gentle.

It blended with the laughter of the students, creating the unique atmosphere of summer.

This was the taste of youth.

Su Linlin and Li Jiao, each carrying a bag full of food, walked lazily, their steps leisurely and unhurried.

“Jiaojiao, are you feeling better from the fever? Is your head still hot?”

Li Jiao, feeling comfortable in the evening breeze, squinted her eyes and smiled back when she heard the question.

“I just took some medicine when I got back to the dormitory, and I’m feeling much better now.”

“That’s good,” Su Linlin nodded, then quickly licked the ice lolly in her hand that was starting to drip, suddenly remembering something and asking,

“Jiaojiao, what happened between you and the instructor today?”

“I heard from a classmate in Class 13 that they saw you two arguing?”

As she spoke, she raised an eyebrow, looking particularly curious.

Li Jiao couldn’t help but recall the embarrassing moment from the afternoon, inwardly covering her face with her hands but still giving a serious explanation.

“No, it’s because I felt dizzy after finishing the squats this afternoon.”

“I was afraid of fainting, so I just tugged on the instructor’s clothes briefly; there was nothing like arguing.”

Rumors must have spread like this, but where did they get the idea that she and the instructor were arguing?

Furthermore, considering the situation at the time, even if Li Jiao was feeling dazed, she could still sense Zhang Jiuling’s intense chill.

She even suspected that, at the time, the instructor wanted to chop off her hands.

Su Linlin licked her ice lolly again and mumbled unclearly.

“Hey~”

“I’m telling you, the instructor, he’s so heartless. You were even running a fever, and he still made you do extra squats?”

She clicked her tongue. “Honestly, he’s such a typical’straight male’, probably doesn’t even have a girlfriend.”

Girlfriend?

Li Jiao couldn’t imagine what the instructor, with his freezing demeanor, would be like if he had a girlfriend. Would she also be constantly ordered to stand at attention?

Thinking about it, Li Jiao couldn’t help but imagine the scene in her mind. The instructor’s girlfriend wanted to hold his hand, but he had a cold expression and said coolly,

“No moving; stand at attention for fifteen minutes.”

Puff—

It was so funny just to think about it. Li Jiao couldn’t help but chuckle, earning a curious glance from Su Linlin.

“Jiaojiao, what’s wrong with you?”

“Oh, nothing; I just suddenly thought of a really funny joke.”

“Oh,” Su Linlin said, turning her head.

“By the way, Jiaojiao, after the lake circles tomorrow, we’ll start night training. Do you think you can handle it?”

She was really worried about her Jiaojiao, delicate and fragile like a beautiful porcelain doll, still running a fever. She had suffered quite a bit during these days of military training.

“Night training?” Li Jiao exclaimed, “When does it start?”

“I heard it’s tomorrow night.”

“Ah~”

Li Jiao suddenly wore a troubled expression.

This was bad enough; the lake-circling training was already miserable, and now there would be night training after coming back?

Mom, I was wrong; I shouldn’t have tried to be tough. Please come pick me up and take me home.