Although it was late, Ling Ruoke still drove to the hospital. Downstairs, she called the colonel. She didn't tell him she was downstairs, only that she was on her way home.

"Come up. There are only a few minutes left, hurry!" The colonel seemed to know she was down below.

Ling Ruo knew that the hospital's visiting hours ended at 9 PM. After that, if she wanted to get in, she would have to climb over the wall and sneak in. The hospital was an ordinary building, so climbing up wasn't difficult, but there were quite a few security cameras, making it hard to hide.

She looked down and sniffed her clothes, then refused. "I don't have any clean clothes, and I feel uncomfortable all sweaty. I have to go home. You go to sleep early, and I'll come to keep you company first thing tomorrow morning, okay?"

It's summer now, and even without strenuous labor, it's inevitable to sweat a lot throughout the day. Her body odor isn't particularly strong, but in this heat, not changing clothes always makes her feel uncomfortable. Besides, she doesn't want to see her colonel for the time being. She just saw Cang Weiwo, and her emotions haven't settled yet; she's afraid he'll notice something amiss. That colonel, this scout, isn't someone you can fool; he has sharp eyes and will probably see right through her. Then, he'll likely cause her more trouble.

"Then I'll get down!" Then, the sound of someone lifting the covers and getting out of bed came from the other end of the line.

Ling Ruoke was so frightened that she shouted, "I'm going up right away!" and ran inside as fast as she could, afraid of missing her and getting into another argument with the doctors and nurses.

I wanted to punch him; he wasn't even fully recovered yet, and he was already causing such a ruckus!

She rushed to the third-floor stairwell where the colonel was, pressed herself against the wall, and stood quietly for a while, taking deep breaths to calm herself and adjust her emotions. She was most afraid of arguing with people, especially those she loved; she feared it would take her a long time to recover.

Back in school, I often saw female classmates throwing tantrums, leading to arguments. Some even seemed to enjoy the process of their men trying their best to appease them afterward. Others would simply walk away and turn off their phones after an argument, letting their men find them and go crazy. It was as if only in this way could they demonstrate how important they were. This was something Ling Ruoke couldn't understand. Even the slightest disagreement between them would leave her feeling depressed and like nothing was going right. Shouldn't it be like this if you care about someone?

Taking one last deep breath, she rushed to the colonel's ward. The door was open. Looking up, she saw the colonel leaning against the door with his arms crossed, staring straight at her.

Ling Ruoke gasped, then pouted and poked his right chest, complaining, "Why are you hiding here scaring people? Don't you know that scaring people can kill you?"

"What wrong have you done?" The colonel's expression softened. He grabbed her hand, pulled her inside, and closed the door.

Ling Ruoke paused for a moment, then pushed him away. The colonel sat down on the bed, and she straddled his lap, facing him. "What wrong could I possibly be doing?"

Huo Qingfeng looked at her and raised his hand to stroke her face. Ruoke probably didn't know that her willingly straddling his lap meant she was preoccupied with something. Although they had been intimate before, it was rarely her initiative. While she would respond passionately when aroused by him, she wouldn't make any bold moves before that. She probably also didn't understand what it meant for a woman to straddle a man like that.

Huo Qingfeng could guess that she must have just seen Cang Weiwo, because Cang Weiwo had also come to the hospital. This was also the reason for his bad mood; he had never been very tolerant in matters of love. Cang Weiwo had come to him not to provoke him, but to remind him to protect Ruo Ke. They both knew how willful and reckless Gu Zheng was, and how much the Gu family indulged her willfulness and recklessness. He understood that Cang Weiwo genuinely cared about Ruo Ke, but he was still annoyed. Ruo Ke was his woman, and he would naturally protect her; he didn't need others to waste their breath on him. Especially since this "other person" was Ruo Ke's first love!

He was seething with anger, unable to vent it. But seeing her only made him more unable to lose his temper. Especially with her straddling him like this, he couldn't help but recall that passionate night in a foreign land. For a dream, she had risked everything, venturing into a den of wolves and a war-torn country. No wedding, no marriage certificate, no candlelight dinner, not even flowers—she had simply given herself to him with complete trust. How could he possibly be angry with such a woman? Besides, it wasn't her fault. Even if she were, he would rather die than lose his temper!

"What's wrong?" Ling Ruoke felt uneasy when she saw him lost in thought. "Did...something happen?"

Huo Qingfeng blinked, looking down at her worried face and furrowed brows. He kissed her and smiled. "No. But, I want it, what should I do?"

Ling Ruoke opened her mouth and kissed his cheek, scolding, "You big pervert, you're not even fully recovered yet, and you're already thinking about this! No way, all of this is rejected!"

Huo Qingfeng pinched her little bottom and glanced at her, saying, "Isn't that position of yours a silent invitation to me?"

Ling Ruoke looked down and realized what was happening. She let out a soft cry and tried to jump away, but the colonel held her tightly, and she couldn't break free. "I really didn't mean that. Also, you're injured and can't move around too much, or your wound will reopen!"

"Okay, I won't move around." Huo Qingfeng replied, lowering his head to kiss her lips. He always moved with great care and method; how could he have moved around randomly? So, he wasn't lying.

"Mmm..." Ling Ruoke was worried about his wound and wanted to struggle, desperately patting his shoulder but not daring to use too much force. The result of this half-hearted resistance was that the colonel took advantage of her completely, leaving not a trace.

After the passion subsided, Ling Ruoke lay panting on the colonel's chest, glaring at him fiercely, then bit his shoulder hard. She truly didn't understand how he had so much energy. Every time they met, he would torment her relentlessly, never stopping until after several encounters. No wonder some people say that after a few years in the army, you'd be ready to sleep with even a sow!

"Wife, don't flirt with me, I can't resist!" The colonel's breathing was also a little unsteady. He was injured and his strength was far from enough. But the fire in his heart that had been unable to be vented had finally been extinguished, and reason returned to his mind.

"Pervert! Scoundrel!" Ling Ruoke pouted and cursed, but she couldn't bear to actually curse or hit him.

Huo Qingfeng embraced her, staring at the ceiling, his breathing gradually calming. After a while, he took her right hand and stroked the ring on her finger. He had noticed the ring earlier. Huo's eyes narrowed slightly. "Where did this come from?"

"Given to me by someone else," Ling Ruoke replied casually, still somewhat lost in thought.

"Men and women?"

"man."

"Take it off!" Huo Qingfeng grabbed her finger and tried to remove the ring.

Ling Ruoke quickly bent her fingers and sat up from him. "You can't pick it. Wild Wolf gave it to me and said I can't pick it without his permission."

"Why? Does this count as a confirmed relationship? A proposal? Or an engagement?" Even though he knew that wasn't the case, the colonel was still unhappy.

If Wild Wolf truly wanted to possess Ruoke, he could simply refuse to let her return. Even if Wild Wolf refused to release her, it wouldn't be so easy for him to snatch her back. And even if he did, there was no guarantee Wild Wolf wouldn't take her back. The power of the Sky Wolf Gang was beyond the imagination of many.

Ling Ruoke chuckled and reached out to pinch his cheek. "Alright, you big jealous pot, it definitely won't be any of the kinds you're talking about. He brought his woman with him to give me this, do you think that can be related to feelings?"

Huo Qingfeng's expression softened slightly. "Then what does he mean?"

"I don't know. He just said it was some kind of symbol and told me I had to wear it and not take it off without his permission." She nudged him again. "Don't be upset. He has someone else in his heart and has no interest in me. You don't know, his woman is much prettier and more capable than me. She wouldn't even look at me!"

Huo Qingfeng grabbed her right hand and stroked the ring he wore when he proposed. "That's because he had no taste." No, he had to put the wedding ring on her finger as soon as possible to declare absolute ownership!

Ling Ruoke chuckled upon hearing this. "I like it when you say that. But I think I have the best judgment, tying you down so early. I always think back to that time I taught in a rural area; it was the best decision I ever made." She chuckled to herself as she spoke. Her greatest fortune in life was receiving his love and falling in love with him! And that time teaching in a rural area was what brought them together.

Huo Qingfeng's slight displeasure vanished instantly. Recalling the past, he was unusually moved. The scene was still so clear, as if etched into his mind. "Then I should thank myself for participating in that earthquake relief effort, otherwise I wouldn't have met you."

However, he was even more grateful for her kindness and strength; otherwise, he wouldn't have noticed her. During that earthquake, he rescued countless people, but she alone left a deep impression. It seemed, in some mysterious way, that this was a destiny etched into the Stone of Three Lifetimes.

Ling Ruoke smiled gently, like a spring breeze in February, sending away the cold and bringing warmth.

Huo Qingfeng reached out and gently stroked the corners of her upturned lips, gazing at her familiar eyes and smile. It was as if he had returned to the past, to the hospital, where everyone had witnessed this girl's sweetest and strongest smile. In the ruins after the disaster, her angelic smile brought comfort and the courage to live on to the survivors.

The two embraced tenderly, whispering about their first meeting years ago, occasionally letting out soft laughter. This was a time for lovers to whisper sweet nothings in the quiet of the night.

In the middle of the night, Ling Ruoke secretly took a shower in the bathroom, then sneaked back to the ward dressed in her colonel's uniform. She then hung up the washed clothes to dry, praying they would be dry by the next morning.

The colonel's trousers were far too big for her; even with her belt pulled tight, she felt they might fall down at any moment. The trouser legs were rolled up layer upon layer, looking incredibly unsightly. Back in her ward, she threw away the cumbersome trousers and wore only the colonel's t-shirt. The height difference was obvious; the oversized t-shirt looked like a baggy nightgown on her. Just past her thighs, it revealed her long, slender, fair legs—not revealing at all, yet exuding a fatal allure.

Huo Qingfeng, watching from the bed, almost got a nosebleed, then transformed into a wolf and pounced on him again.

In this society where advancement is often based on physical attributes, there are plenty of women like Lulu who push the boundaries of sexual openness to an extreme. It seems that the more skin they reveal, the more media attention and male gaze they attract. But true sexiness is often revealed unintentionally and has little to do with physical intimacy.

"Wife." Huo Qingfeng called out and waved to him.

Ling Ruoke was drying her hair when she turned around, puzzled. "What's wrong?" she asked, approaching him while still drying her hair.

Huo Qingfeng reached out and pulled her onto the bed, letting her half-lie on top of him. He took the towel from her hand and began to dry her newly grown black hair. To be honest, he still preferred her with long, flowing hair; it suited her temperament better.

Ling Ruoke placed her hands on his chest, rested her chin on them, and slowly closed her eyes, enjoying her colonel's tenderness. His unique scent filled her breath, making her feel safe and secure. Gradually, sleepiness washed over her, and soon she drifted off to sleep.

Huo Qingfeng dried her hair and called her name a few times without response, realizing she had fallen asleep. He put down the towel, carefully lay down, and adjusted her position to make her comfortable. In her drowsy state, she said something. He listened carefully and realized she was talking about "wound." Even in her sleep, she was worried about his injury, afraid of pressing on it.

Huo Qingfeng's heart softened like cotton; holding her was like holding the most precious treasure in the world. His fingertips gently traced her contours. The delicate touch on his fingertips went straight to his heart.

In the army, a comrade once said that holding your wife in your arms at night and watching her sleep soundly feels like the whole world is in your embrace. Of course, soldiers are often rough with their language, so that wasn't the exact wording, but that's the gist of it.

At that moment, he felt the same way.

The person in his arms nuzzled against his chest, his hand resting on her chest, and she murmured contentedly before falling asleep again.

Huo Qingfeng took her hand and examined the ring on her middle finger closely. Something given by Wild Wolf couldn't be as simple as a piece of broken glass.

In the darkness, his expression was unusually serious and focused, his eyes bright and sharp.

...

Inside a villa.

A tall, well-built man in military uniform and a slender woman in a black halter dress stood facing each other, talking to each other.

“Xiaozheng, you can’t be so willful and selfish! Do you know how much danger your father and I risked to help you last time? Do you know what our Gu family will face if we get caught? This time, I will never let you act recklessly again. Is a man that important, so important that you don’t even care about your family?”

Guzheng clung to his arm and shook it, pleading in a coquettish voice, "Brother, please help me this once, just this once, okay? Brother, I know I'm pathetic, but I just love him now, I can't live without him! Brother, please, just this once, okay?"

"Xiao Zheng, you—" The man sighed helplessly. "This isn't about whether we help you or not. Don't your brother and father care about you? But this matter could be a big or small one. If someone with ulterior motives knows how to exploit it, it could be a calamity for our Gu family, do you know that? Is Huo Qingfeng someone who's easy to deal with?"

"I know, I know all of this. But I just love him! If I can't be with him, I'll die in front of you!"

"Xiao Zheng!"

...

Ling Ruoke had a good night's sleep and had a good dream.

But when she sat up, rubbing her eyes, half of Huo Qingfeng's body was already numb. He subtly frowned and slowly moved his hands and feet. He thought to himself, "This is what those sentimental articles describe—the sweetest burden!"

Ling Ruoke was in a hurry to check if her clothes were dry, so she didn't notice his furrowed brow. By the time she came in with the dry clothes, overjoyed, he was already sitting up against the headboard. Half of his body was still numb and quite uncomfortable. But seeing her rosy complexion and vibrant spirit, it was all worth it.

After changing his clothes, Ling Ruoke rushed over again, lifted his clothes to look at his wounds.

"The wound is fine, it's all good."

Ling Ruoke chuckled and said, "That's good then." She bent down to straighten his slippers and said, "Get up and brush your teeth and wash your face, or do you want to sleep a little longer?"

"No need, I'll get up right away." Huo Qingfeng hugged her and kissed her. "After you wash up, come downstairs for a walk with me. I don't want to stay in bed all day."

He'd go crazy if he smelled soda water again.

"Okay." Staying in bed all the time isn't good; I should move around a bit to recover faster. "How about we buy breakfast and eat it while we walk?"

"Okay, I'll listen to my wife."

Ling Ruoke smiled, her eyes crinkling, and pulled him towards the restroom, carrying a basin of toiletries. "Let's go, while it's not too crowded yet."

In the bathroom, the two of them squeezed together, brushing their teeth and washing their faces, bumping into each other playfully, all lovey-dovey. The people washing up nearby couldn't help but glance at them a couple more times.

Ling Ruoke turned her head, looked at her with a grin, and asked, "Won't they think we're mentally ill?"

"No, they'll think I'm lovesick," the colonel replied expressionlessly, pulling her out of the washroom.

Ling Ruoke was led by him, walking behind him and giggling.

That's life. As long as you maintain a good mood, everything you do can be enjoyable. Otherwise, everything can easily become a source of trouble or even a burden.

After combing her hair, Ling Ruoke took the colonel's arm and went to the hospital cafeteria. The food in the hospital cafeteria was really not good; it always tasted like soda water. "How about we take a walk outside and buy breakfast?"

"good."

So, like an old married couple, the two walked arm in arm slowly through the summer morning. The fog was thick, a hazy white expanse, making it difficult to see anything beyond a short distance. But every now and then, elderly men and women could be seen supporting each other, slowly passing by.

"Do you think, decades from now, we'll be like them?" Ling Ruoke felt a warmth every time she saw such a scene. How precious it is that two people with no blood relation could support each other for a lifetime!

"No." Huo Qingfeng looked at the elderly men and women walking by and shook his head seriously.

Ling Ruoke stared at him. "Why? Do you intend to start something and then abandon it?" She released his arm and swiftly moved to block his path.

Huo Qingfeng smiled and reached out to pinch her little nose, but she slapped it away.

"Explain yourself clearly, or you're not allowed to touch me!" Ling Ruoke seemed determined to confront him.

Huo Qingfeng chuckled softly, cupped her face, and kissed her. "My wife is so beautiful, and I'm so handsome. Even decades from now, we'll still be a handsome old man and a beautiful old woman, much better looking than them!"

Ling Ruoke, both amused and exasperated, playfully slapped him. "You're such a smooth talker."

Huo Qingfeng pulled her back and continued walking. They finally stopped at a roadside breakfast stall run by a middle-aged couple. The woman sold steamed buns, dumplings, and porridge, while the man sold freshly made pancakes, which smelled delicious. A long line had already formed, mostly working professionals from the neighborhood, many carrying laptop bags.

"Go wait for me over there. If we push and shove, it might aggravate your wound." Ling Ruoke pointed to a small park not far away.

Huo Qingfeng hugged her and shook his head. "I'm not that fragile."

Ling Ruoke had no choice but to wait in line while her eyes darted around nervously. Back when she worked, she'd seen too many accidents at breakfast stalls caused by crowding or people running and sprinting. Especially at stalls that sold fried food, with the oil bubbling in the pans—if something spilled, wouldn't it burn her skin?

Just thinking about it makes her feel unbearable! Sometimes she can't understand why, if they care so much about attendance, they can't get up a few minutes earlier? If an accident happens, let alone that attendance bonus, even a year's income might not be enough to cover the medical expenses! And the physical and mental suffering is beyond monetary calculation!

Fortunately, I didn't encounter any reckless people today, and the breakfast purchase went smoothly.

In the army, unless he was surviving in the wild, Huo Qingfeng ate raw food and rarely had time to cook it. In the camp, the canteen served regular meals, and he rarely had the chance to eat things like pancakes sold at roadside stalls.

Men generally don't like having porridge for breakfast, so Ling Ruoke specially bought five pancakes, a basket of dumplings, a basket of steamed buns, and a bowl of porridge. Pancakes, dumplings, and steamed buns are all easy to get greasy, so having a bowl of porridge afterward is the perfect solution.

The pancakes were served individually, and Ling Ruoke handed one to the colonel first. "Here, have a taste, see if you like it?" The vendor didn't use much oil when frying them, so they shouldn't be too greasy.

Huo Qingfeng took a bite from his hand, chewed it vigorously twice, and nodded vigorously. "Delicious!" He then pushed the pancake towards her mouth. "Wife, you eat too."

Ling Ruoke took a bite from the spot he had bitten and thought it tasted good too. "It's delicious!" she said, bringing the pancake to his mouth.

The two looked at each other and smiled. He held her in his arms, and even a pancake tasted sweet.

Ling Ruo was afraid that someone rushing to work or running errands might bump into the injured colonel. So she specifically chose to walk through the park, which was safer and had better air quality.

The two walked back slowly, sharing their breakfast and chatting as they went—it was a relaxing moment.

Whether it was because the pancakes, dumplings, and buns were too small or because they were so delicious, Ling Ruoke thought she had bought enough, but the colonel was still not full.

"Then you sit here, I'll go back and buy a few more pancakes. Anyway, we've only walked this far, I can finish quickly by myself." Ling Ruoke pressed him down to sit on the stone bench. At their leisurely pace, they had only walked less than 500 meters after finishing their food.

Huo Qingfeng grabbed her arm. "Never mind. Let's just go back to the hospital cafeteria and buy some more." Perhaps because her wound had healed a bit more today, she had a good appetite and ate a little too much.

"It's okay, even if you wanted to, I wouldn't want to smell the soda water. Listen to me this time, you wait here for me, I'll be right back!" With that, she pulled her hand away and ran off.

There were still so many people buying breakfast. Ling Ruoke spent a little more time queuing, bought five pancakes and a bowl of porridge, and left.

Ling Ruoke had just reached the fork in the road and was about to turn into the small park when she suddenly sensed danger. Following her instincts, she turned her head sharply and saw a car window open, with a man wearing sunglasses pointing a gun at her.

At the same time, smoke rose from the dark gun barrel, silencing the gun.