Maple Leaf Town and Maple Leaf Temple were bustling with people, all searching silently for something. Everyone was hurrying along, and no one dared to make a sound, for fear of accidentally provoking someone's wrath and the consequences they could not bear. Even the usual sounds of children crying were gone.
In the darkness, the two groups moved silently and rapidly toward Maple Leaf Temple.
Xu Qingfeng led Wang Wei and Li Deren to the area of Maple Leaf Temple. He whispered, "It seems there are many more people on this mountain. We need to be careful. We must not be discovered. The reinforcements will arrive tomorrow, if not tonight."
After saying that, the three of them headed in one direction.
Meanwhile, Shen Mingcheng, the company commander of the Independent Regiment, was leading a vanguard team at full speed toward Maple Leaf Temple.
He took out a map, shone a flashlight on it, and said, "Everyone, stay alert. We're almost at the Maple Leaf Temple area. Let's find our contact first, get a detailed understanding of the case, and then go back to report so we can make further comprehensive plans. Now, let's continue, stay on high alert, and speed up."
"Yes." After a chorus of quiet replies, a series of footsteps faded into the distance.
*
An Moxue woke up, opened her sleepy eyes, looked in Wu Sicheng's direction, and asked, "It's dark, is there any noise?"
"Still, did you sleep well?" He asked with a light laugh, looking at her still somewhat drowsy state.
"Hmm, you didn't rest?"
"I meditated, same as before. Are you hungry?" Wu Sicheng didn't ask, she didn't feel hungry yet, but as soon as he asked, her stomach started growling.
Wu Sicheng couldn't help but laugh out loud, and while trying to suppress his laughter, he said in a serious tone, "Looks like there's no need to ask, your stomach answered before you did."
"Then may I ask our mighty Commander Wu, is there any food?" An Moxue looked at him with her wet eyes, which looked cunning, but in his eyes she was just cute, like an adorable Persian cat innocently acting cute, which he couldn't resist.
"Yes. Absolutely." He said indulgently, and took out something wrapped in a large leaf from the bag beside him and handed it to An Moxue.
"It's dark now, and there are people searching the area. Just make do with this cold food! Eat slowly."
"What?" An Moxue asked, taking the bag of food from her hand.
Inside was a crispy roasted pheasant.
An Moxue's eyes lit up, and she asked, "When did you bake this?" She then broke off a chicken leg and took a bite.
While eating, he praised, "Your barbecue skills are getting better and better, it's really delicious!" He then broke off another chicken leg and stuffed it into Wu Sicheng's hand.
Just as Wu Sicheng was about to give the chicken leg to An Moxue, she looked at him with sparkling eyes while eating and said, "Eat quickly, this chicken won't be enough for the two of us, let's make do with this to fill our stomachs first!"
She was dressed like a middle-aged woman, but her bright, sparkling eyes were something Wu Sicheng couldn't ignore.
He chuckled to himself, thinking that no matter how she disguised herself, he could recognize her as soon as he looked into her eyes, and her unique rose scent was also one of a kind.
An Moxue felt a little uneasy seeing him laughing so strangely, and asked, "What are you laughing at? It's a bit scary."
"Eat up!" Wu Sicheng said, and when she wasn't looking, he stuffed the chicken leg she had given him back into her mouth.
Seeing An Moxue with a chicken leg stuffed in her mouth, he couldn't help but laugh again.
An Moxue got angry, so she sat down next to him, unceremoniously shoved the chicken back into his mouth, and ordered, "I don't want to do it now. I order you to quickly cut the meat into small pieces and hand them to me." After saying that, she picked up a chicken leg and started gnawing on it.
Seeing that she was enjoying her meal, Wu Sicheng took out the dagger from his waist, wiped it with a clean handkerchief, and then, with swift strokes, sliced the roast chicken into pieces and placed them on a large leaf.
"Your knife skills have improved too, amazing! It's starting to taste like Kyoto roast duck, just missing the sauce. You've learned a lot these past few years!" She praised him generously, saying that eating slices was much better than gnawing on the whole duck.
"What can I do? I'm the kind of person who's practically the same whether I have a girlfriend or not! I haven't heard from my girlfriend for years, so I've been practicing my cooking skills when I'm bored, just so I can cook her favorite dishes when she comes back!"
An Moxue felt a little guilty and didn't know how to answer. She felt that no matter how she answered, there was a trap waiting for her.
She simply took a piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth, saying, "Eat up, I can't finish it all by myself. Besides, I'll feel guilty if I eat while you watch."
Wu Sicheng had a piece of meat forcibly stuffed into his mouth, but instead of being angry, he felt a little sweet. He thought he might have an masochistic streak from An Moxue; he was happy no matter what she did.
At the same time, I felt a little disappointed, wondering how long it would be before we could meet again after this mission.
"Mo Xue" (漠雪).
She was eating chicken when she looked at him. "What's wrong?"
"When reinforcements arrive, there will be a fierce battle. Take care of yourself and don't get hurt. I estimate they'll be here soon."
"Yeah, you too, take care of yourself."
"good."
Afterwards, the two shared a roast chicken, but in the end, most of it ended up in An Moxue's stomach.
After finishing his meal, Wu Sicheng said, "I'm going to check out the surrounding area. You stay put for now and we'll talk when I get back. If it's allowed, you can go see Duan Qing too."
"good."
They cherish even the few minutes or so of heartwarming time they have.
After Wu Sicheng finished speaking, he strode away without the slightest hesitation. They were all people who had dedicated their lives to the country, and no matter what, the affairs of the country were above all else.
An Moxue watched Wu Sicheng's departing figure, thinking that after not contacting him for several years, his family would be pressuring him to get married, and that he might already have a girlfriend or be married.
In recent years, she deliberately avoided inquiring about him, not because she didn't want to, but because there were many obstacles ahead, and she knew that the chances of them being together in the end were too small.
She agreed to his proposal to fulfill a selfish wish, thinking that if he gave up first, she wouldn't be so persistent. However, she never expected that when they met again a few years later, he was still single and saying the same things.
For a moment, An Moxue was somewhat bewildered. She had initially noticed him and been attracted to him because his appearance was exactly her type. Especially after spending time together, she appreciated his stable emotions and the harmonious relationship they had. She was also drawn to the warmth he exuded. She knew that she was somewhat assertive and selfish in certain aspects, but so what?
She is who she is, and she doesn't want to change for anyone. She'll be herself. If you like her, we can be together; if you don't, I'll let go.
However, she never expected that he would wait for so many years, especially after learning about his family background.
Her thoughts were scattered, but that only lasted for a moment. She composed herself and left the place.
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