But the fleeting emotion in his eyes yesterday, the undercurrents in those deep eyes, were exactly the same as the way Xie Yun looked at her when he was moved.

A bold guess quietly emerged in her heart...

"Adjutant Zhou..." She looked at the green leaves stubbornly emerging from the remaining snow on the roadside and considered her words: "Uncle Zhou mentioned to me yesterday that he had arranged a marriage for you. Why did you turn it down?"

The car paused slightly on the snow-melted road and its speed slowed down quietly, as if even time had become sticky at this moment.

"Your subordinate..." His voice suddenly became unusually dry, like the crisp sound of dead branches in the cold wind in winter, "Not suitable for starting a family."

These few short words seemed to have exhausted all his strength. After he finished speaking, his eyes were fixed on the road ahead, not daring to look at her reaction in the rearview mirror.

Zheng Wanqing lowered her eyelashes, her fingertips gently entwined the soft fur on the shawl, and her tone was deliberately gentle: "Is it because of the busy military affairs?"

She paused, her eyes flickering across Zhou Lin's tense face, her voice softening, "Or... does Adjutant Zhou already have someone in his heart?"

As soon as these words came out, the air in the car suddenly stagnated.

Zheng Wanqing's persistent questioning was like a sharp blade piercing Zhou Lin's heart.

Zhou Lin's breathing sounded unusually clear in the small space.

His neck tensed instantly and his Adam's apple rolled violently a few times, as if he was swallowing something with difficulty.

The veins on the back of the hand holding the steering wheel were bulging, and the leather gloves were deeply wrinkled.

His eyelashes trembled violently, casting a shadow of panic under his eyes.

Time was infinitely stretched at this moment.

It was not until the sound of church bells came from afar that Zhou Lin suddenly woke up and finally said, "Young Madam, you are worrying too much."

He paused, coughed twice, and when he spoke again, his tone had returned to calm, almost deliberately calm: "I met a military doctor and nurse when I was fighting bandits last year. But she... has moved to Southeast Asia with her family."

This answer made Zheng Wanqing feel relieved, as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders, but then she felt ashamed for her wild thoughts.

She secretly regretted herself, wondering how could she have such a ridiculous idea?

There was a hint of apology in her voice: "I see... That's a pity." She paused, then added hastily: "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"Nothing." Zhou Lin looked at her embarrassed look through the rearview mirror, and his eyes softened unconsciously, "Young Madam is also concerned about her subordinates. I think my father is just talking too much."

He took a deep breath, his voice firm as iron: "In troubled times, love is a luxury. I follow the young commander and am determined to serve my country. These things... are not considered for the time being."

"Adjutant Zhou," Zheng Wanqing said softly, her eyes fixed on his tense face, "A man as good as you will definitely be matched with a good girl. If there is a suitable one..."

Zhou Lin's shoulders trembled slightly, as if something had pricked him: "Thank you for your concern, Madam."

His voice seemed to come from far away, with an indescribable loneliness, "I am now...very good."

The car fell silent again, with only the low hum of the engine and the sound of wind whistling past the window, which blew up a few pieces of residual snow and hit the window, making a crackling sound.

When the gray-tiled walls of Zheng's house finally came into view, Zhou Lin parked the car steadily next to the stone lions.

He got out of the car quickly, and Zheng Wanqing was already waiting for him before she opened the car door. He stretched out his strong arms: "There is some snow on the ground, I'm afraid it will slip..."

Zheng Wanqing's cashmere-gloved hand gently rested on Zhou Lin's forearm. Even through the thick material of his military uniform, she could still clearly feel the taut lines of his muscles.

"Thank you," she whispered.

When she stood firm, Zhou Lin immediately retracted his arm. He quickly walked to the trunk, took out the package of books carefully wrapped in brocade, and handed it to the servant at the door.

"If Madam Young needs anything, please send someone to the office to find me." Zhou Lin took a step back and saluted in a standard military salute, with tenderness hidden deep in his eyes. "I'll take my leave."

Zheng Wanqing nodded and watched the black car slowly drive away, leaving two tracks that gradually faded away on the muddy snow water.

Not until the neat figure in military uniform completely disappeared in the morning mist did she turn around and push open the door of Zheng's residence.