The night was as thick as ink that couldn't be dissolved.

Apart from the occasional patrolling soldiers, the entire military headquarters was eerily silent.

Jiang Linchuan walked alone on his way back to the office, his military boots making a dull sound as they stepped on the frozen ground, which was very noticeable in the night.

He was completely unaware.

I couldn't feel the cold.

I can't feel the pain from the wound.

Only the blood kept flowing through my body, boiling continuously because of that lingering kiss.

The scene from just now kept replaying in my mind uncontrollably.

Soft lips, the scent of jasmine in her breath, and her small hands gripping his clothes tightly as she kissed him.

Every detail is crystal clear; it comes to mind instantly whenever I try to recall it…

Jiang Linchuan couldn't help but raise his hand to touch his lips, where the warmth of her lips still seemed to linger. His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, and the heat in his heart surged up once again.

Before he knew it, he had reached the office door.

Pushing open the door, it was pitch black inside.

Jiang Linchuan didn't turn on the light and went straight to the cot by the wall to lie down.

He was injured and barely rested while on missions, so he needs enough sleep to recover faster.

But as soon as I close my eyes, all I can see in my mind is Xu Xinghe's blushing face and those moist, petal-like lips...

Jiang Linchuan suddenly sat up and walked towards the bathroom next door.

He took off his clothes, turned on the cold water tap, filled a basin with cold water, and poured it over himself from head to toe.

The biting cold finally calmed him down, suppressing the indescribable heat in his heart.

But it's still not enough...

Jiang Linchuan splashed cold water on himself again, leaned against the cold wall, and closed his eyes.

That night, some people suffered from insomnia, while others had sweet dreams.

Xu Xinghe stretched comfortably and slipped on her slippers to wash up.

Thinking about what happened last night, she couldn't help but smile. Standing in front of the mirror, she took out her favorite dress.

She wore a light purple short jacket with a lotus-patterned embroidered collar, the silver threads of which shimmered subtly in the sunlight. The blouse was made of warm, lustrous jade, and the cuffs were perfectly fitted, revealing a delicate silver bracelet on her fair wrist.

The lower body was a set of crescent-colored long skirts, but the embroidery was changed to lotus flowers in a light purple color, which echoed the color of the top. As she moved, the tips of the lotus petals seemed to come alive.

The hem of her skirt fell down, concealing the embroidered shoes underneath, only occasionally revealing a glimpse of fresh, bright color when she took a step.

Xu Xinghe was very satisfied with the outfit. She took out a hairpin from her spatial storage, loosely tied her hair into a bun, and inserted a pearl hairpin at an angle. Stray hairs fell beside her cheeks, adding a touch of liveliness.

"Hmph, I'm dressed so beautifully today, I don't believe you won't be tempted!"

Xu Xinghe carried the malted milk powder and walked out of the courtyard.

Sure enough, she was met with the stares of countless people as soon as she stepped out.

"Xinghe, your dress is so beautiful! You look like someone who stepped out of an ancient painting!"

"Xinghe, where did you get your clothes made?"

"This fabric looks really good. Is it from the palace? I heard that concubines used to wear clothes like this."

Xu Xinghe responded one by one, "They're not from the palace. Things from the palace don't get out so easily. They're all fabrics I bought from other people before, and then I had someone make them myself."

As she spoke, she had already arrived at the bottom of the office building.

Just then, Jiang Linchuan came out as well.

The two locked eyes, their gazes meeting.

Lieutenant Wang moved aside without making a sound.

He doesn't want to be a third wheel!

Don't let Commander Jiang's awkward demeanor fool you, he truly loves what he likes!

A fleeting look of amazement flashed across Jiang Linchuan's eyes, but it was quickly suppressed. His mind was filled with the lingering kiss from the previous night, and the faint scent of jasmine seemed to still linger on his lips.

His ears turned red instantly, and even his neck was tinged with a thin layer of red.

Jiang Linchuan forced himself to remain calm, concealing his true feelings. "Ahem... What brings you here? Is there something you need?"

Xu Xinghe smiled, pursing her lips, pretending not to notice his lapse in composure, and walked forward, turning around in a circle. "What do you think of my outfit today? Isn't it pretty?"

"Hmm." Jiang Linchuan wanted to say "beautiful," but felt it would be too direct, so he could only hum in response.

Xu Xinghe could easily see his awkwardness.

They clearly like it to death, but they pretend not to care.

So cute, so incredibly cute!

Xu Xinghe narrowed her eyes and smiled brightly, "I want to go shopping this afternoon. Do you have time? I'd like you to come with me. There are so many things I need to buy, and our house is also missing a lot of furniture."

Jiang Linchuan instinctively wanted to refuse.

But thinking about what happened last night...

He nodded. "I have some things to take care of here. You can go back and wait for me. I'll come find you when I'm done."

Lieutenant Wang thought that was the end of it and finally breathed a sigh of relief, moving a little closer.

The next second, a voice suddenly came from beside me, "Go back and change your clothes."

The voice was very low; if he hadn't had good hearing, he wouldn't have been able to hear it at all.

Xu Xinghe heard this and looked over in confusion, "Why? I think this outfit looks great."

Jiang Linchuan's Adam's apple bobbed. "It doesn't look good. Change into some ordinary clothes before going out."

It's precisely because it looks good that I don't want her to wear it out.

He didn't want anyone to see Xu Xinghe's flamboyant, bright, exquisite, and beautiful side.

Even though they had no relationship, even though she didn't belong to him, Jiang Linchuan still wanted to hide her away.

Lieutenant Wang couldn't help but roll his eyes.

He's obviously incredibly good-looking, but he just says he doesn't want others to see it. He insists on saying he's not good-looking, no wonder he can't find a wife. He's so bad at talking, he doesn't sound like a Northeasterner at all.

Although Jiang Linchuan isn't from Heilongjiang Province, he's been here for several years now, so why hasn't he made any progress?

Xu Xinghe didn't say anything more and turned back to the courtyard.

Lieutenant Wang withdrew his gaze and coughed twice. "Commander Jiang, I think Miss Xu looks quite good in this outfit. We should be realistic, right? I think next time you could try a different way of putting it, like..."

Jiang Linchuan's eyes suddenly turned icy cold. "You're very free? It seems that while I was away, you didn't train properly or run five kilometers."

"No..." He's an adjutant! He's a civilian officer! Why would he run five kilometers!

Jiang Linchuan saw through his thoughts at a glance: "Clerical workers should exercise more often to avoid harming their health from sitting for too long."

He was just being cheeky!

He won't utter a single word from now on!

He wanted to see how Jiang Linchuan, this stubborn old man who couldn't even speak properly, would pursue Miss Xu!