Chapter 131

The sky was just beginning to brighten.

The air was freezing cold. Jiang Wenxing opened his eyes, leaned against the headboard for a while to catch his breath, and let in soft light through the curtains decorated with small flowers. He slowly rolled out of bed and pulled back the curtains.

The glass was fogged up, and the wild persimmons hanging outside the windowsill were covered with a thin layer of autumn frost.

"It's so cold," Jiang Wenxing muttered, putting on his coat.

The headlights of the trucks on the threshing floor flashed, and the sentries' running drills were loud and clear, full of vitality.

Alena was already dressed. She banged on Jiang Wenxing's door, while the Congolese lioness, with her calm eyes, followed behind her, swishing her tail and leisurely stretching.

"Jiang Wenxing! Wenxing!"

When Alena learned yesterday that Jiang Wenxing and Ilya were going to Jinlanna, she immediately went to Director Liu to ask for leave. At first, Director Liu didn't want to let her go, and stammered, "Alena, Jiang Wenxing and Ilya know the way themselves, they don't need you, so don't get involved."

Alena pleaded, "My dad will definitely come to the market. I haven't been home for two or three years!"

Director Liu racked his brains but finally relented and granted her a leave slip. However, there was one more sentry accompanying her: the one-eyed gray wolf, Aguz.

Alena, who had been excited all night, came to tug at Jiang Wenxing's door as soon as she finished washing up in the morning. Jiang Wenxing couldn't stand the noise of her banging on the door, so he opened it.

"Hurry up and get ready, we're leaving now. We can spend a whole day in Jinlanna... no, I mean a whole day buying seeds. Director Liu has approved a truck for us, let's go by truck!"

Jiang Wenxing had spent nearly two years in Kush in his previous life and had never heard of Jinlanna. He dipped his hand into the water that had frozen his teeth, and a thin layer of ice formed in the water glass.

As autumn arrives, the weather gets colder and colder, making it increasingly difficult to endure.

He sighed, unsure if the seeds he bought would even germinate. "What is Jinlanna?"

Alena ran to the mirror on the washstand as soon as she came in; there was no mirror in her room. She ran her fingers through her hair. The girl in the mirror had a straight nose, strong eyebrows, and some light-colored sunspots on either side of her nose from neglecting to protect it.

The hair, which was originally tied into a high ponytail, was braided into small braids, but due to poor technique, it ended up being a mess.

Alena winked and made faces at herself in the mirror, and the person in the mirror grinned.

"Jinlanna, it's just Jinlanna."

Alena regretted braiding her hair a little. Turning around, she saw Jiang Wenxing dressed in his military uniform, straightening his hat. She looked him up and down and said, "Wenxing, you... wear this."

Jiang Wenxing shrugged: "What's wrong with my outfit?"

Looking back, I noticed that although Alena was also wearing a military uniform, her coat had obviously been ironed with hot water and a teacup, her shirt inside was crisp and white, and a brand new black leather belt was tied around her waist, forcefully creating a waistline in the otherwise shapeless military uniform.

Jiang Wenxing was wearing patched-up liberation shoes, worn-out trousers, and his military uniform was wrinkled.

Alena tossed her annoying braid aside, put her hands on her hips, and said, "Jiang, why don't you go borrow a new outfit from Arno?"

Jiang Wenxing picked up a cloth bag with a big red star printed on it from the bedside, stuffed two pairs of gloves into it, and urged her, "Why change your clothes? Aren't you afraid of being late? Besides, you'll end up carrying bags and getting covered in dust."

Jiang Wenxing thought to himself, "I just washed these clothes recently. I secretly wear the same set of clothes while I'm working, and they've developed a patina from wearing them so much. Kush is so cold in late autumn, and I really don't want to wash clothes at all."

Alena wanted to say a few more words of advice, but the usually generous and cheerful female guide became unusually shy around Jinlanna. She touched her face and stubbornly refused to say the rest of her sentence.

She bent down again and splashed some cold water on her face to cool it down and make her cheeks look rosier.

This earned him a look from Jiang Wenxing that said he was a fool.

That strong, sassy female guide from my past life, who was always spouting nonsense, must have been a hallucination.

Jiang Wenxing, carrying a bag, arrived at the meeting point with Alena.

Just then, the sky was beginning to lighten with the first hint of dawn, and a thick fog enveloped the forest, making the orange glow of the car headlights appear hazy and indistinct.

As they got closer, they heard the car door open and close. A one-eyed gray wolf jumped out first, followed by Agus.

When Jiang Wenxing saw Agus, he was stunned.

Alena retorted angrily, "You bunch of Ziks!"

Aguz wore a dark blue Tanas robe trimmed with floral patterns, which accentuated his already prominent and muscular physique, making him appear even taller and more handsome. He also wore a narrow-brimmed hat adorned with eagle feathers, giving him a relaxed yet dashing look.

Because he was one-eyed, he also wore sunglasses, looking incredibly fashionable, which made Alena, who had made careful preparations, scream in despair and was so jealous that she wanted to pluck all the fur off Aguz's hat.

Agus seemed a little embarrassed, but more so smug. He turned around coolly, jumped into the car, and said, "Let's go."

Alena was annoyed by his smug look and shook her head so hard her neatly tied braids came undone: "Look at him!"

Jiang Wenxing's eyes sparkled with laughter as he pulled Alena back from rushing forward to prevent a fight: "Alena is the best Bewuzik."

Praised by the person she admired, Alena was immediately pleased, and proudly patted her chest: "Hmph, you're right, I don't need to dress up, I'm already the best Bewuzik!"

Slightly disgruntled, he snorted at Agus, straightened his uniform, and strode into the car.

The passenger seat was still empty, and Jiang Wenxing suddenly became a little curious. He knew that Ilya was also a member of the Tanas tribe. Would the captain change his clothes?

A little mouse appeared on Jiang Wenxing's shoulder at some point, its little tail curled up and looking on expectantly.

After a while, a tall, dark figure emerged from the thick fog. The little mouse sensed the familiar spiritual energy, jumped down, and hopped over to it.

The giant wolf's figure gradually became clearer, its bright golden eyes seeming even brighter than usual. It affectionately nudged the little mouse with its nose and lifted it onto its head.

Jiang Wenxing looked back.

The thick fog was like snowflakes.

The figure in the fog gradually became clearer; it was a rather handsome Thanas man.

He wore a snow-white Thana's robe, the edges of which were embroidered with delicate flowers, and an olive-colored belt, like a green branch, wrapped around his slender waist. He also wore a turban with beautiful flowers on it.

The overly elegant and aloof attire was worn by a serious, upright, and tall sentry.

Jiang Wenxing had never seen Ilya wear anything other than his military uniform, nor had he ever seen him look like a handsome man.

Dressed in casual clothes, Ilya appeared less serious and more carefree, casually tossing a dozen sacks into his car.

Jiang Wenxing looked left and right: "Captain."

Ilya turned around, and before he could say anything, his ears turned red.

Jiang Wenxing and Ilya stared at each other for a few seconds. For some reason, he felt embarrassed and turned to look at the spiritual entity.

The little mouse scurried in and out of the giant wolf's fur, playing hide-and-seek. He whispered, "Captain, are you all dressed up so nicely today because of Jinlanna?"

Ilya paused, "You don't know?"

Jiang Wenxing: "Know what?"

Ilya paused for a moment, his gaze lowered, and his upright tone sounded somewhat shy: "It's nothing... you'll see when the time comes. Let's get in the car first."

Jiang Wenxing, along with his spirit body and Alena, sat in the back. The driver, Aguz, and Ilya sat in the front of the truck. The truck started from the front door and headed along the small road towards the market in Kaijinlana.

Alena couldn't stop talking once she got in the car. She fiddled with her bangs for a while, then chatted with Ilya about gunfights. She said, "I'm only a little worse than you," and then shook Aguz: "Agus, lend me your sunglasses."

Agus gripped the steering wheel: "No."

Alena pleaded, "I'll trade you my belt."

Agus adjusted his sunglasses with one hand: "No change."

Alena quickly said something in Thanastia, and Aguz replied in Thanastia as well. The two chattered for a while, until Aguz's face turned increasingly red, almost like a giant tomato. He took off his sunglasses and threw them behind him: "Okay, okay, here you go, shut your mouth!"

Alena put on her sunglasses and asked Jiang Wenxing, "How was it? How was it?"

Jiang Wenxing gave a thumbs up, and Alena laughed heartily, even more smug than the proud Agus.

Agus muttered, "Why is a girl like you wearing sunglasses?"

Alena leaned back, crossing her legs: "Why are you wearing sunglasses? You're way more handsome than Ilya without them. With sunglasses on, your brilliance is completely hidden. Those pretty Bewuzik won't be able to see you then."

Aguz, this thick-skinned and honest man, blushed again.

Jiang Wenxing looked up at Ilya, only to meet Ilya's gaze. He blinked, and Ilya smiled slightly at him, his eyes sparkling like scattered stars. The two exchanged a quiet glance for a moment, then blushed and looked away.

Most people look better in uniform than in civilian clothes, but Ilya is the opposite; he has an impressively handsome appearance in civilian clothes.

The car swayed and bumped along the way.

Jiang Wenxing looked out the window. The sky was a clear, deep blue, and the mountains were covered with red and yellow leaves, a breathtaking sight.

Ilya leaned against the car window, resting his chin on his hand, looking at the guide behind him in the rearview mirror.

The wind tousled his hair, sending wisps of fluff through it, revealing his smooth forehead and playfully dancing across his cheeks. He gazed intently at the distant river and forest, like a moon forever drawing Ilya to its shores.

Jiang Wenxing suddenly thought of something and asked Alena, "What exactly is the moon?"

Ilya's expression froze, and Alena exclaimed in surprise, looking at Jiang Wenxing with such a loud voice that Aguz almost threw the steering wheel off his steering wheel: "Which Tanas tribe Zik said that to you?"

Jiang Wenxing: "Ah, um..."

Just as Alena was about to explain, she suddenly heard Agus say, "Alena, will your father also come to Kinlana this time?"

Alena spoke of her father with anticipation and longing: "Yes, yes, with such a big business here, he'll definitely come."

She hugged Jiang Wenxing tightly and chuckled, "Jinlana, there are so many beautiful Zikes here. If Danzhu comes too, I'll introduce her to you."

Jiang Wenxing: "..." This Jin Lanna sounds so improper.

Author's Note: