"No need, I can go back by myself. Aunt Wen and Lu He will come back with me." Xia Xiaoli felt it was unnecessary to trouble Li Qingming and just to be careful on the way back.

Upon hearing Xia Xiaoli's rejection, Li Qingming immediately said, "I'll probably go there in about ten days. I'll come find you then, and you can write to me and send me your address."

Xia Xiaoli's heart pounded as soon as she heard this.

"What did you say? You'll come early?" This was completely unbelievable; I thought I must have misheard.

"Yes, my leave application has been approved. It starts at the end of this month, and I'll come to see you then." Li Qingming had been feeling uneasy the night Xia Xiaoli left. He had a strange dream in which Xia Xiaoli was being pursued by many people over there.

He kept comforting himself, telling himself that if Xiaoli met someone she liked, he would let go. He also thought that men only think with their lower bodies, and if he knew that Xia Xiaoli was married and still wanted to get close to her, he must have an ulterior motive, and it couldn't be love.

So he needs to get there sooner.

"Alright then, I'll write to you tonight and give you my address." Xia Xiaoli saw that Li Qingming was determined to come, so she couldn't stop him. Let him come.

"Hmm!" Li Qingming responded, but neither of them spoke. "Um, did you bring enough money?" This was just making conversation.

“I brought it, I brought over two hundred. Don’t worry, I’m staying at Commander Lu’s father’s house now, and I sleep with Lu He at night. We’ll be together every day from now on. Lu He has learned self-defense from Commander Lu, so we’ll be fine.” Xia Xiaoli said a whole bunch of things in a row.

"Don't go out at night, it's not safe outside," Li Qingming added.

Lu He stood at the door, looking up at the sky, waiting for Xia Xiaoli to hang up the phone.

She was deeply moved when she heard Li Qingming repeatedly reminding her to be safe on the phone.

"Okay, I understand. I won't go out tonight." Xia Xiaoli smiled, enjoying hearing Li Qingming's concern for her.

Li Qingming thought for a moment and blurted out, "Don't initiate conversations with boys. If they come to chat with you, don't talk to them unless it's unrelated to work, understand?"

"I'm not saying you shouldn't, but there are some people who, seeing you're pretty, will definitely have ulterior motives. Just tell them you're married. If they still try to chat with you after knowing you're married, they're definitely after you. Don't pay any attention to them, understand?"

Li Qingming didn't mean she didn't want to communicate with others; he was just reminding Xia Xiaoli not to chat with people with unclear intentions. However, the words she uttered were different from what she actually thought.

The more anxious you are to explain, the less clearly you will explain.

Xia Xiaoli responded with "Yes, I know," and then fell silent.

Li Qingming nervously clutched the hem of his clothes and explained again, "You're too weak. I'm saying this because I hope you can protect yourself, otherwise... Mom, sister-in-law, and brother will worry."

Actually, he was thinking that he would worry, but the awkward Li Qingming changed it to his family worrying.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Xia Xiaoli's eyes. Her family would worry, but he wouldn't.

"I understand!" Xia Xiaoli's tone carried a hint of disappointment.

Everyone in the communications room heard what Li Qingming said and tried hard not to laugh. This Li Qingming also worried about his wife and let her run so far away.

"Brother Li Qingming, if you don't have anything to tell me, I'll hang up!" Since she couldn't get a response from him anyway, Xia Xiaoli simply said one sentence and hung up the phone.

Li Qingming added, "Don't wear a skirt!"

That was the only one that came to his mind: it's not safe for a woman to be outside wearing a skirt.

Xia Xiaoli replied disappointedly, "I know, you said it at the station, I didn't bring a dress, and I won't buy one here."

Knowing that Li Qingming had said he wasn't allowed to buy anything here either, Xia Xiaoli relayed what Li Qingming was about to say.

Before Li Qingming could say anything, Xia Xiaoli hung up.

Li Qingming sighed inwardly, realizing he must have angered Xia Xiaoli again, and felt instantly disappointed.

"Commander Li, is something on your mind?"

The communications soldier asked Li Qingming in a teasing tone.

"Go away!" Li Qingming retorted with a strangely serious look in his eyes.

"Commander Li, why did you send Comrade Xia Xiaoli to such a far place? She's already married to you, and she'll have children for you in the future. Why send her all the way to Beijing to attend some medical exchange conference? Isn't this a waste of time?"

The communications soldier who had just told Li Qingming to go back first started teasing him.

"What can a nurse, or even an intern, learn there? Besides, women know too much; they'll become uncontrollable in the future."

"Say less," another person reminded him to stop talking. Li Qingming's face was very ugly.

Li Qingming stared at him and retorted angrily, "What do you mean by 'difficult to control'? We are husband and wife, not superiors and subordinates, nor enemies. The most important thing between husband and wife is mutual respect. She married me, that's true, but she is still called Xia Xiaoli. She is free, she can do whatever she wants, and I will support her wherever she goes. As for whether or not to have children, it is only if both parties are willing. In your heart, do women only have to have children and have nothing else to do?"

"Women are just for bearing and raising children, that's true." The communications soldier couldn't help but retort again.

Li Qingming stared at him, angrily raising her voice, "Women aren't just for giving birth. They can heal the sick and save lives, help everyone around them, and care for and protect everyone around them. The women you look down on have protected countless people with their own flesh and blood. Mothers protect their children with their own bodies during earthquakes and collapses, and they can also protect other people's children with their own bodies. Nurses are women too, and they take good care of every patient with care and patience. There are also women among the doctors, and they have made many contributions as well. What men can do, women can do as well. Don't say such things again next time. After all, you were also born from a woman's body."

After finishing his sentence, Li Qingming turned and left the communications room.

Zhang Dali was also worried about Xia Xiaoli, so he came here to see if he could get his sister's phone number, but then he heard what Li Qingming said.

At that moment, Zhang Dali also accepted his brother-in-law from the bottom of his heart.

A person who can say such things must truly respect their younger sister.

"Tch! They're probably just afraid someone will snatch Xia Xiaoli away. What kind of place is Beijing? Every inch of land is worth its weight in gold. Xia Xiaoli comes from a small town. How could she possibly want to come back after seeing those refined scholars and men from elegant families!"

He was furious after being scolded for no reason.

"Stop talking!" someone next to him reminded him.

"I told you, what else could it be!"

Zhang Dali stormed in, staring at him with a sharp, murderous glint in his eyes.