Feng Mingshu was looking at her sewing notes when she saw Zhou Jinshan speaking so earnestly, so she put down her notebook and looked up at him.

Zhou Jinshan pulled up a chair and sat down in front of her, naturally taking her hand and gently massaging it: "There's an opportunity to stay at the school, do you want me to stay?"

The sudden news stunned Feng Mingshu.

After a while, she asked, "Do you want to stay?"

“Ming Shu, I want to know what you think.” Zhou Jinshan’s eyes were dark as he stared into her eyes.

Feng Mingshu did not give an answer. She stood up, went downstairs to her study, and pulled out all the recent newspapers.

Some reports and articles in the newspaper have underlines and annotations.

Zhou Jinshan followed her all the way, and seeing this, asked in confusion, "Ming Shu, what are you doing?"

"Your unit must read newspapers and study every day, right?" Feng Mingshu asked, looking up.

"right."

“Then take a look at these. I’ve drawn lines and made annotations.” Feng Mingshu handed the newspaper to Zhou Jinshan.

Zhou Jinshan still didn't quite understand, but he didn't ask any further questions. Instead, he picked up the newspaper and flipped through it page by page.

In the military, reading newspapers is required for study, but the focus is different. Zhou Jinshan discovered that the marked articles were mainly concentrated on economics and culture, which he hadn't paid much attention to before.

The articles and reports with the most annotations were those about Hai Rui's dismissal from office. Zhou Jinshan's brows furrowed slowly as he keenly realized something.

By the time I finished reading all the newspapers, it was nearly midnight.

Zhou Jinshan rubbed his temples and looked up at his wife who had been by his side: "I've finished reading it. I see there are some disagreements on some issues, but it shouldn't affect the troops."

After all, the military is the cornerstone of national stability, and external turmoil should not affect the military.

Feng Mingshu looked at him and said, "I hope so too, but what if these problems escalate?"

Zhou Jinshan frowned and began tapping his fingers on the table, a habit he had when he was thinking.

"Zhou Jinshan, where do you think these problems will first affect if they escalate?" Feng Mingshu pressed.

"In the city," Zhou Jinshan gave his answer.

“Yes, in the city, so I don’t want you to stay at the school,” Feng Mingshu said seriously.

Zhou Jinshan's gaze suddenly became profound. He looked at his little girl, a question rising in his mind, but he ultimately did not ask it.

"I understand. It's too late now. Let's go upstairs and go to sleep," Zhou Jinshan said, standing up.

Feng Mingshu actually wanted him to give her an answer, but seeing that his expression was obviously different from usual, she did not ask any further questions, got up and left the study.

But then she realized that Zhou Jinshan hadn't followed, so Feng Mingshu turned around and asked, "Aren't you going upstairs to sleep?"

"I'll read the newspaper a little longer, you go to sleep first."

Zhou Jinshan's tone was very gentle, but Feng Mingshu inexplicably felt a sense of estrangement, as if the distance between the two had suddenly widened.

Feng Mingshu slowly smiled and said, "Okay, I'll go up first."

After saying that, he turned around and went upstairs.

Zhou Jinshan watched her figure disappear, then his gaze returned to the newspaper. The first newspaper with a label was published before the Lunar New Year, a week before the military reunion.

His fingers tapped on the table. The words in the newspaper, the donation from the Feng family, the meeting at the social gathering, Feng Mingshu's rejection and acceptance, and his mother-in-law's family's relocation all strung together, showing him a possibility.

He couldn't bring himself to ask the question.

Feng Mingshu went to bed and tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep. But one dream after another left her exhausted, and she just couldn't wake up.

It felt like I was back in the labor camp of my past life, with endless farm work, countless self-criticisms to write, and days that seemed to have no end.

Feng Mingshu was jolted awake when someone hugged her; she struggled and thrashed about in terror.

"Ming Shu, it's me."

The deep, husky voice sounded somewhat familiar, and memories from before bed returned. Feng Mingshu stopped patting him and simply pushed the man's chest away with her hand: "Have you finished reading the newspaper? Then go to sleep early."

She broke free from the man's embrace, turned over, and closed her eyes, her back to him.

"Ming Shu, are you angry with me?"

A man's voice sounded in her ear, his breath hot and moist.

"No, I'm just sleepy, I want to go to sleep." Feng Mingshu said with a yawn, then moved a little closer to the edge of the bed.

"Okay, go to sleep."

Feng Mingshu hummed in agreement and closed her eyes, but she could still feel the moonlight streaming in from the window and the man's breathing.

She remained motionless for a long time before finally falling asleep.

Zhou Jinshan only slept for two hours, but he woke up precisely at 5 a.m.

Seeing the little girl wrapped in a blanket sleeping on the edge of the bed, he sighed softly, reached out and picked her up, placing her in the middle.

The little girl's thick eyelashes trembled, as if she was about to wake up. Zhou Jinshan whispered in her ear, "It's still early, sleep a little longer."

The girl seemed to be soothed; her eyelashes stopped trembling, her breathing became long and even, and a warm fragrance emanated from her body, enticing him to lower his head and kiss her lips.

At that moment, he understood that no matter what the cause was, she was his wife, the little girl he would cherish for the rest of his life.

But his little girl seemed unhappy with his harassment and whimpered.

"You little ingrate, wait until I get back." Zhou Jinshan's voice was hoarse. He rubbed his fingertip against the red lips, then got up and left the room.

He rode his bicycle to the military academy to participate in morning exercises. Afterwards, Zhou Jinshan did not go to the canteen, but went directly to find Political Commissar Lin.

"Political Commissar, I've thought it over. My personality isn't suited to staying at the academy. I want to go to the island-based troops," Zhou Jinshan said firmly.

Political Commissar Lin paused for a moment, then asked, "Are you willing to go to the island-stationed troops? Are your family members willing? Have you asked her?"

Political Commissar Lin had a good impression of Feng Mingshu during their last meeting, so he didn't want the young couple to have a conflict due to poor communication.

Thinking of his wife who had tossed him a stack of newspapers last night and then slipped out of his arms to sleep on the edge of the bed, Zhou Jinshan replied without blinking, "I talked to her, and she understands me and supports my decision."

Political Commissar Lin patted his shoulder and laughed, "You're lucky, kid. You married a reasonable wife."

"I have to thank the political commissar for letting me participate in that social gathering."

"So you've learned how to flatter now? Fine, I understand your request. Get ready for the arrangements."

Zhou Jinshan breathed a sigh of relief, stood at attention, saluted, and turned to run towards the cafeteria.

"Old Zhou, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have had breakfast today."

Lu Xiangqian waved to him and pushed his lunchbox towards him; there were four steamed buns inside.

"Thanks, bro."

Zhou Jinshan thanked him, then sat down and picked up a steamed bun to chew.

"Old Zhou, I heard you're going to stay at the university, is that true?" Zhai Qingping suddenly asked.