Chapter 40

The car drove for about five or six minutes before stopping in front of a Cantonese-style dimsum shop with a quaint, traditional decor.

Like a timid ostrich, Li Jiao followed closely behind Zhang Jiuling as they entered a private room.

She hadn’t dared to speak the entire way.

“That’ll be all.”

Zhang Jiuling handed the menu to the waiter, who nodded with a smile.

“Alright, please wait a moment.”

With that, the waiter left.

Li Jiao sat down, lowering her gaze, her mind focused inward.

She touched the coat draped over her legs and suddenly remembered she hadn’t returned it to Zhang Jiuling yet.

“Instructor, your coat.”

As she spoke, Li Jiao stood up and began to untie the coat around her waist.

Just as she loosened the knot and prepared to hand it over, a slender and strong hand reached out.

Pale and well-defined, it rested on the green fabric of the coat, creating a striking contrast.

Li Jiao looked up.

Zhang Jiuling’s expression was calm, his thin lips a light pink.

He looked at her and spoke.

“Keep it on.”

His voice was soft, slightly deep, clear yet gentle, like the smoothest silk.

Li Jiao felt as though her ears had been caressed.

She sat back down, obediently placing the coat over her legs.

The oversized coat completely covered her legs.

It carried his faint scent, like sandalwood—cool, heavy, and comforting.

The sensation of the coat over her legs felt as though he was protecting her.

Li Jiao pursed her lips, feeling a quiet joy inside.

The dishes arrived quickly: water chestnut cake, shrimp dumplings, rice rolls, wontons, turnip cakes… The colors were enticing, and the aromas filled the room, tempting the taste buds.

So fragrant…

Zhang Jiuling stood up and ladled a bowl of lean pork and century egg congee from a white porcelain pot. The congee, fragrant with glutinous millet, had light green pieces of century egg, pink minced pork, and was garnished with a sprinkle of green onions.

The strong aroma filled the air as his slender hands placed the bowl in front of Li Jiao.

“Try it. The congee here is really good.”

“Okay,” Li Jiao nodded softly, “Thank you, Instructor.”

Zhang Jiuling sat back, leaning slightly, one hand resting on the back of the chair and the other on the table, fingers slightly bent, knuckles prominent, and fingers long. There was a cold and indifferent aura about him, but it carried a hint of laziness and arrogance.

For a moment, Li Jiao thought he resembled a noble young master from the capital, lounging casually with one leg crossed, eyes raised just slightly, looking down on everything with disdain.

A troublemaker might come before him, cursing loudly, but he would merely glance lazily, his thin lips parting to coldly utter a single word.

“Kill.”

Utterly contemptuous, utterly arrogant!

“Don’t like it?”

The little girl hadn’t moved and was staring at him, causing Zhang Jiuling to frown slightly, thinking she might not like the congee.

Li Jiao snapped out of her daze, waving her hands in a flustered explanation.

“No, no.”

She quickly scooped a spoonful of congee into her mouth, smiling.

“It’s delicious, really delicious.”

Zhang Jiuling lowered his hand from the chair, leaned forward, and picked up a basket of shrimp dumplings.

The translucent white skin wrapped around plump pink shrimp, which he placed in front of Li Jiao.

“Try the shrimp dumplings too; they’re one of the specialties here.”

As he spoke, his voice was low, with a slight huskiness and a soft Beijing accent, making it very pleasant to hear.

Li Jiao glanced at him.

Zhang Jiuling’s voice sounded tired.

Though they were here for breakfast, he hadn’t touched his chopsticks.

She put down her spoon and looked at him.

“Instructor, did you not rest well last night? You seem really tired.”

The young girl’s voice was soft and timid, her large, wet eyes full of concern.

Zhang Jiuling’s heart softened for a moment, the coldness in his expression easing, replaced by a faint warmth.

“I had things to handle last night, so I didn’t rest. It’s fine; I’m not that tired.”

He hadn’t slept the previous night, yet she had called him out early in the morning without even considering whether he had time.

Li Jiao’s long eyelashes lowered, fluttering slightly, and she suddenly felt a bit guilty.

Noticing her downcast mood, Zhang Jiuling realized she probably felt guilty.

He spoke casually, as if unintentionally, “How about you? Did you sleep well last night?”

“Me? I slept fine,” Li Jiao raised her head and replied, then muttered quietly, “Except for the mosquitoes… and being too excited to fall asleep.”

She hadn’t closed the window properly the previous night, letting in several large mosquitoes.

She had spent the first half of the night swatting them and the second half too excited to sleep, thinking about meeting Zhang Jiuling.

By dawn, she had only managed to sleep for about an hour.

She thought she had spoken quietly, but Zhang Jiuling heard every word.

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly in amusement.

This little interruption lightened the mood, and Li Jiao could feel that Zhang Jiuling’s mood had improved. She smiled sweetly, her eyes curving, dimples appearing on her cheeks.

“Finish the congee,” Zhang Jiuling said.

“Okay.”

Li Jiao glanced at the untouched chopsticks in front of Zhang Jiuling and asked, “Instructor, aren’t you going to eat breakfast?”

Zhang Jiuling leaned back in his chair, lazily resting one hand on the backrest. His posture resembled the casual slouch of a Beijing native.

Narrowing his eyes slightly, as though on the verge of sleep, he replied in a low voice, “No appetite.”

For some reason, Li Jiao thought Zhang Jiuling looked just like a little boy throwing a tantrum, sulking, and refusing to eat.

Aww…

So cute. I want to smother—

No, I want to hug him!

…

After finishing their meal and leaving the dimsum shop, the streets had become more crowded, with elderly people shopping for groceries, sanitation workers cleaning the streets, and children with little flags running around.

Zhang Jiuling stood by the entrance, his clothes crisp and his posture straight. In the still-dim light, his solitary figure looked cold and distant, like someone standing alone between heaven and earth, ready to ascend with the wind.

With a few strokes, his outline was drawn, as though he could vanish at any moment.

In his right hand, he held a phone, speaking into it. Li Jiao didn’t hear what he said, but after ending the call, Zhang Jiuling turned to her and asked, “Want to watch the flag-raising?”

Ah, today is the 1st of October.

Since it was the 70th anniversary of National Day, South City was putting extra emphasis on the event. Li Jiao had heard people talking about the grand flag-raising ceremony at Central Square.

Central Square was the heart of South City. In front of it was a street called Chang’an Avenue, a wide boulevard.

The city government, police department, and courthouse were all nearby.

The square had already been filled with people gathered for the flag-raising ceremony. Chang’an Avenue had been cleared, and the wide road was devoid of vehicles. People stood on both sides, packed shoulder to shoulder, eagerly awaiting the small-scale parade and flag-raising ceremony.

Li Jiao and Zhang Jiuling stood among the crowd, and soon the ceremony began.

A group of soldiers in uniform approached, their postures straight and their steps powerful. The lead flagbearer was at the front left, the assistant at the front right, and two guards followed, flanking the bright national flag as they walked.

Suddenly, the entire crowd fell silent and stood respectfully.

“Raise the national flag!”

“Play the national anthem!”

“All stand at attention and salute!”

The solemn and majestic anthem played, and everyone present stood solemnly, watching the flag rise, tilting their heads upward little by little.

My country, my mother, I wish you a happy 70th anniversary!

When the bright flag reached the highest point, Zhang Jiuling turned his head to look at the person beside him. The young girl was intently watching the flag; her profile was serene, beautiful, and earnest.

He lightly curved his lips into a smile, then turned back, focusing his gaze on the bright national flag, staring deeply.

In the first half of my life, I was loyal to my country. In the second half, I will remain loyal to my country as well.

In the past, amidst bullets and gunfire, I never had a heart to retreat. China, I love you. I am willing to dedicate my life and my entire heart to defending the peace and sovereignty of our land.

China, I love you and honor you.

Today, I have someone I like, and I want to be the first to introduce her to you to formally apply for your approval.

In the future, I want to split my heart, giving half to the country and half to the girl I love.

From now on, I will remain loyal to the country and love her as well.

…

As the flag-raising ceremony ended, the military parade began.

Air Force in blue, Navy in white, and Army in green—trained troops marched forward in unison, their steps powerful and resounding.

The three forces marched together, invincible!

Above, two planes flew by, releasing colorful smoke as they soared past.

With a few “bangs,” vibrant clouds of color bloomed across the sky, dazzling and brilliant.

“Oh—”

On the ground, a group of children around seven or eight cheered, their faces adorned with small red national flags.

On Chang’an Street, as an army unit passed by, Li Jiao’s sharp eyes noticed many familiar faces in the crowd.

The instructor from the neighboring class who spoke with a Sichuan accent, the chubby instructor from Class 13, and many others she recognized.

“Instructor, they…” Li Jiao pointed at the group and asked Zhang Jiuling.

“They’re here to participate in this military parade,” Zhang Jiuling explained.

The instructors, including those from Sichuan, were stationed in the north city. This time, they were in the south city to lead the military training at the university.

By coincidence, because of the National Day, the city government also invited them to participate in this parade.

Li Jiao turned her gaze back to the center of Chang’an Street. The instructors who usually joked and played around with them now stood tall and commanding in the middle of the street, exuding a powerful presence, admired by all.

Standing at the center of Chang’an Street, they basked in the attention of thousands, while she could only stand among the crowd, quietly observing them.

The distance between them seemed to have suddenly grown.

Li Jiao glanced sideways at Zhang Jiuling, her eyes revealing a trace of melancholy.

Would her instructor, too, gradually drift further away from her?

After watching the military parade, the two left Chang’an Street and walked into a quiet alley lined with sycamore trees, the branches forming a cool, shaded canopy.

Thinking about what had just happened, Li Jiao walked silently, her head down.

She couldn’t imagine what life would be like without Zhang Jiuling in the future.

Have you ever felt that way? That the moment you see someone, a voice inside tells you, “It has to be him!”

Li Jiao had been uncertain before about her feelings for Zhang Jiuling—whether it was simple admiration or true affection.

She was also afraid that her feelings for him were just a temporary crush, born out of her admiration for him as her instructor.

But over the past few days, after switching instructors, alongside her sadness, she had realized one thing.

She liked Zhang Jiuling, not because he was her instructor, not because of a fleeting sense of admiration.

She liked him because he was Zhang Jiuling. That’s why she liked him!

She wasn’t sure about Zhang Jiuling’s feelings for her, but she was now certain of her own.

She really, really liked Zhang Jiuling! She liked him so much she couldn’t bear the thought of not seeing him anymore!

From now on, she wanted to see Zhang Jiuling every single day!

She wanted…

To be with him!

“Instructor.”

Li Jiao suddenly turned around, looking as though she could hardly contain her excitement.

She lifted her head, her bright, moist eyes gazing at him, as clear and pure as a serene pool of water.

She spoke with unwavering determination.

“Instructor, no matter where you go in the future, I want to be with you!”

Li Jiao’s words were earnest and firm, leaving Zhang Jiuling touched but also slightly helpless.

This little girl—why was she always so convinced that he was going to leave?

Li Jiao continued to look at him, her head tilted upward, her large eyes blinking, looking a little like a goldfish.

Zhang Jiuling gently tugged at the corners of his lips and reached out to tousle her hair.

His tone was both resigned and filled with an indescribable warmth and affection.

“I don’t think I’ve ever said I was leaving.”

“Huh?”

Li Jiao blinked in confusion.

What did that mean?

Had she misunderstood something all along?

The girl was left in a daze, and Zhang Jiuling bent down slightly, his gaze leveling with hers. His dark eyes were deep and quiet, carrying a faint hint of softness.

His voice lowered, smooth and cool, like a gentle stream flowing through the mountains.

“Little girl, your language skills aren’t great.”

“Haven’t you understood anything I’ve said?”

His words… what words?

Li Jiao was suddenly overwhelmed by Zhang Jiuling’s closeness. He bent down, looking her directly in the eyes. His eyelashes were long and slightly curled, and his cold, dark eyes seemed to see right through her.

Her face instantly flushed red.

At the same time, she frantically questioned herself.

What words?

What had the instructor said to her?

“Instructor, will I be able to see you after military training?”

“Every day, morning and night.”

“Instructor, can you tell me where you’re going after training? I want to find you.”

“You don’t need to look for me.”

“I will.”

“This isn’t an order; it’s my request.”

…

All at once, these words swirled together in her mind.

With a “ding,” Li Jiao finally arrived at a conclusion.

But she couldn’t quite believe it.

“Instructor, you… I…”

She stammered, unsure, looking at him.

Zhang Jiuling straightened up and said, “Little girl, you’re not wrong.”

“For once, your language comprehension is on point.”

“Ah,” Li Jiao still couldn’t believe it, “Instructor, you… you… you like me too…?”

The more she spoke, the less confident she became, until her voice was barely a whisper.

Zhang Jiuling raised an eyebrow and said, “Is it so embarrassing that I like you? Why is your voice so soft?”

“And little girl, it’s not that I like you too. It’s…”

“I only like you.”