"Teacher Wen, are you busy?"

"No, just preparing breakfast. I didn't hear the communicator ring."

"Teacher Wen, we had plans to have dinner with A'yu tomorrow, but I might not be able to make it due to something coming up." Song Jinzhi lowered her voice as she stood outside the room, glancing at Gu Sijiu, who was staring blankly out the window, her eyes slightly downcast.

"It's okay. We can meet another time... A'jin, I've recently developed feelings for someone. If you have time, I'd like to introduce her to you." Wen Qiulan said, placing the breakfast on the table and walking upstairs while chatting with Song Jinzhi. She pushed open the door and saw Evie sleeping soundly with her pillow in her arms. She walked over, gently touched her face, and softly woke her up.

"Really? A'yu mentioned to me before that you seemed to have a lover, but I didn't expect it to be true. Is it your student?" Hearing that Wen Qiulan suddenly had someone she liked piqued Song Jinzhi's curiosity. To her, Wen Qiulan was an exceptional Alpha, so the person she liked must also be outstanding.

"Mm, I didn't expect it to come to this either. She's a very cute girl." Wen Qiulan's tone softened when she mentioned Evie, and upon noticing her change in attitude, Song Jinzhi smiled and said she wanted to meet Wen Qiulan's partner for a meal. They agreed, and after Song Jinzhi turned off the communicator, she took a few steps to the door, looking at Gu Sijiu, who was still lost in thought.

Noticing that Gu Sijiu had been notably quiet in the past days, Song Jinzhi wondered if it was just her imagination. Gu Sijiu no longer played tricks on herself or caused trivial troubles. Though Song Jinzhi showed impatience on the surface, she secretly enjoyed the feeling of Gu Sijiu's antics. It was surprising even to Song Jinzhi herself that she would entertain thoughts akin to maso.chism.

In these past few days, Gu Sijiu had suddenly given up her little tricks. She no longer made herself run around buying whatever she wanted to eat but instead ate the hospital meals steadily and obediently every day, mostly lying silently on the bed, lost in thought. The quiet Gu Sijiu conveyed an indescribable loneliness, and her frail body made Song Jinzhi feel uneasy.

Gu Sijiu withdrew her gaze, closing her eyes as she leaned against the pillow. The saying that people become fragile when injured was truly accurate. After waking up in the hospital and seeing Song Jinzhi, Gu Sijiu was, of course, happy. Especially since the other party had taken so much time off just to take care of her, it rekindled a glimmer of hope in Gu Sijiu's heart, which she had almost completely given up on.

Gu Sijiu was testing Song Jinzhi. Those days of deliberately making things difficult were also her way of figuring out how much Song Jinzhi could tolerate her. Whatever Gu Sijiu wanted or desired, Song Jinzhi would provide and even feed it to her by hand. However, after a few days, Gu Sijiu stopped this meaningless behavior. She didn't know what to do about Song Jinzhi. The person who had initially kept her distance was now back by her side just as she had finally decided to give up.

Gu Sijiu let out a soft sigh, shifting her body that had become numb from lying down for too long. The injury on her abdomen was not light, she had been quite startled when the doctor changed her bandages for the first time. She knew she had been pierced through by an enemy's spear, but she had never expected the wound to be so large. If it weren't for the advancements in medicine in this world, combined with her strong Alpha constitution, she might have died again long ago.

Gu Sijiu had asked the doctor whether such a large wound would leave a scar, and she had seen the doctor look at her with a teasing expression, casually saying, "Of course it will," as if it were common for an Alpha to have scars. After hearing this, Gu Sijiu felt extremely wronged. She thought this body was now hers too. After using it for so long, she naturally had feelings for it, and she would continue to use it in the future. Thinking about the ugly scar that would mar her beautiful abdomen, Gu Sijiu decided that once she healed, she would find a way to remove the scars.

"Are you tired?" Gu Sijiu leaned against the pillow, closing her eyes to rest. At that moment, Song Jinzhi walked over. Gu Sijiu opened her eyes to look at her. In the past few days, Song Jinzhi hadn't rested well while taking care of her. She had been sleeping on the sofa every night, which was unsettling. Seeing her pale complexion and that she had lost considerable weight, Gu Sijiu felt a pang in her heart.

She believed Song Jinzhi didn't need to do this. If Song Jinzhi didn't like her, she should leave to stop disturbing her peace of mind, to prevent Gu Sijiu from developing hope only to be played with again.

"No, I've already slept a long time. Song Jinzhi, my injury is no longer a problem, you don't need to take care of me anymore." Gu Sijiu's meaning was clear, she was directly trying to dismiss her. She thought Song Jinzhi would understand, but instead, she just responded with an "oh" and wheeled over a nearby wheelchair, bending down to assist her.

"Since you're not tired, let's go downstairs for some fresh air. The doctor said it would be good for you to breathe in some outdoor air." Song Jinzhi smiled lightly, pretending she hadn't heard the latter part of Gu Sijiu's words. When Gu Sijiu gave her a sidelong glance, she was still "forcefully" helped into the wheelchair.

The two of them took the elevator all the way to the hospital garden. It was autumn now, and the leaves had turned from green to fiery red maple leaves. The gentle breeze blew the leaves away, creating a beautiful scene. Gu Sijiu sat wrapped in a blanket, captivated by the view, unaware that Song Jinzhi nearby was staring at her in a daze.

Song Jinzhi understood well that once feelings for someone began to sprout, it was hard to take them back. She had previously tried to distance herself from Gu Sijiu, but after finally seeing results, her efforts were disrupted by Gu Sijiu's injury. During this time of care, Song Jinzhi realized she couldn't deceive herself about her feelings. She liked Gu Sijiu, to the point that it was irreversible.

If before the accident she could manage her feelings, now she couldn't even control her actions. Almost losing Gu Sijiu made Song Jinzhi keenly aware of the fragility of life. Gu Sijiu was a soldier, and such situations, such crises, could happen again.

Song Jinzhi couldn't imagine what would happen if Gu Sijiu faced another incident. At this moment, she didn't even want to consider whether Gu Sijiu would regain her memories or revert to the person she once was. Song Jinzhi wanted to cherish everything in the present. Since the current Gu Sijiu was still the person she liked, why should she torment herself and make Gu Sijiu sad?

This question was so simple, yet she hesitated for so long, and Song Jinzhi smiled wryly at herself. Thinking of Evie, who had visited Gu Sijiu a few days ago, a lingering sense of crisis only solidified her stance. Under the maple tree, Gu Sijiu looked beautiful as she reached out to catch a maple leaf. Its fiery red hue and beautiful shape made Gu Sijiu happy. She turned to show it to Song Jinzhi, their eyes meeting perfectly.

The two locked gazes, and Gu Sijiu saw the unrestrained affection in Song Jinzhi's eyes. She froze slightly, her intention to show the leaf to Song Jinzhi becoming stiff. Song Jinzhi's lips parted, and she was about to say something when suddenly a group of strangers rushed toward them. Song Jinzhi didn't know who they were, but it was clear they were coming for her and Gu Sijiu.

"Major General Gu, Miss Song, you were engaged over a year ago, yet the wedding date has not been set. Is this related to Major General Gu's physical disability?"

"Major General Gu, as an Alpha, you live with a disability. Does this affect your mental strength? I've heard that your recent injury was due to insufficient capability, how did you manage to pass the military exam and become a major general? Does this have anything to do with your father, the retired general Gu Nancheng?"

The reporters surrounded Song Jinzhi and Gu Sijiu, bombarding them with questions. Seeing the drones and live broadcasting equipment in their hands, Song Jinzhi's expression darkened, and even Gu Sijiu furrowed her brows slightly. The two had been too busy to pay attention to news from the outside world and were unaware that a report about Gu Sijiu's disability had quickly gained traction that morning, drawing significant attention.

Gu Sijiu was not a particularly famous person, but her father, Gu Nancheng, was well-known to all. Moreover, the engagement between the Gu and Song families was a widely known matter in the empire. Now, with the sudden revelation about Gu Sijiu, it not only implicated the Gu family but also entangled the Song family. The news was not baseless. It was substantiated with evidence from the hospital records left at the time of Gu Sijiu's birth. Although the images of the records were taken secretly and were not very clear, they were enough to confirm the truth of Gu Sijiu's physical disability.

Gu Nancheng had increased security at the hospital, but these reporters came unarmed and without any dangerous contraband, so no one noticed their suspicious behavior, which led to such a troublesome situation. Song Jinzhi knew how much Gu Sijiu cared about her physical condition. In the past, Gu Sijiu would become furious or even lose control whenever the topic came up.

Worried, Song Jinzhi watched Gu Sijiu, only to see her calmly gazing at the reporters, showing no signs of anger.

"Do you know that entering the hospital without permission violates the laws of the empire? I advise you to leave quickly and not create unnecessary trouble for yourselves. As for my private matters, I have nothing to say." Gu Sijiu said softly. She felt these reporters were simply bored and had nothing better to do, acting as if they were more concerned about her body than she was.

However, Gu Sijiu's warning had no effect. The reporters pushed and shoved, trying to crowd closer to her and Song Jinzhi, with some even attempting to shove their broadcasting equipment in her face. Gu Sijiu frowned, about to lose her temper, when suddenly, a hand grabbed one of the broadcasting devices and slammed it to the ground. Gu Sijiu looked up, stunned to see Song Jinzhi, with a cold expression, standing protectively in front of her, her dark eyes glaring at the provocative reporters.

"My private matters with A'jiu are not for outsiders to inquire about, nor for you to interfere with. I know everyone here wants first-hand information, but we are under no obligation to serve you. The Song family is not afraid of making a fuss, and neither is the Gu family. If anyone wants to take pictures, feel free to come forward. One by one, if you come, expect to get everything smashed." 

Song Jinzhi's voice was not loud, but it sent chills down the spines of the reporters. They certainly knew that either the Gu or the Song family alone was not to be trifled with, let alone the two families joining forces. The reporters hesitated for a moment, but eventually left in frustration. Watching them leave reluctantly, Song Jinzhi finally relaxed her tightly pressed lips.

Gu Sijiu could tell that Song Jinzhi was genuinely angry, she was so upset that her hands were trembling. Thinking back to how Song Jinzhi had just defended her, Gu Sijiu felt a warmth in her heart, like having a little stove inside her. She pushed her wheelchair over to Song Jinzhi's side and gently held her still-trembling hand, then contacted Shan Ni'er.

"Major General, please give me instructions."

"Shan Ni'er, there's a little trouble here. Some reporters have caused a scene. Mobilize a unit to intercept them and dispose everything they've recorded."

"Understood, I will handle it right away."

After making these arrangements, Gu Sijiu put away the communicator. She looked up at Song Jinzhi, who was frowning and clearly still angry, and gently scratched her palm with her finger. 

"Alright, calm down. I haven't lost my temper, yet you're the one getting all worked up." This was the first time Gu Sijiu had seen Song Jinzhi so furious, and knowing it was for her sake made her heart flutter with joy, unable to hide her smile. Seeing that Gu Sijiu was unaffected by the earlier incident and seemed to be in good spirits only confused Song Jinzhi further.

"I just don't like them fabricating stories about you."

"They're just strangers. What those people say doesn't matter to me, I only care about what the people I care think of me."

---

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆Charvinovel ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆