Chapter 27

“I…” Wen Xin hesitated for just two seconds.

And that was enough for Yan Zeyang to darken his expression and kick her out of his room.

Wen Xin: “…”

What did she say wrong?

No wonder the novel described the male lead as a “distant, untouchable flower on a high mountain”—he was impossible to pick! Was he growing at the peak of a snowy summit?

In Wen Xin’s experience, pursuing a man had always been easy. At most, there was a thin veil between them—one that could be brushed aside with the slightest effort. But with Yan Zeyang? She had already kissed him twice, yet the veil remained unbroken.

No, it didn’t feel like a veil at all—it was a solid wall!

—

The next morning, Wen Xin made beef-stuffed pancakes. She pan-fried the thin, crispy dough, spread it with homemade spicy beef sauce, then layered freshly seared slices of tender beef and a few crisp greens before rolling everything into a wrap.

She watched as he ate, seemingly no longer angry, and hesitantly approached him.

But the moment she stepped closer, he looked up, his sharp black eyes locking onto her. “What do you want?”

Wen Xin: “…” What was this? Was she not even allowed to get near him now?

“Nothing.” She mumbled, feeling a little disappointed.

Being thrown out yesterday had left her baffled. She had never been treated like that by a man before—her confidence had taken a serious hit. Just now, she had only wanted to test whether he was still upset. And sure enough, he was just as she had expected—not someone who could be easily flirted with. If she pushed too hard, it would backfire. When she had gone downstairs last night, her heart had felt as cold as ice.

No wonder Song Qian had chased after him for two whole years before succeeding. The “high mountain flower” reputation was well-earned. Now, he was treating her like some sort of threat, watching her like a hawk, as if she were a dangerous person.

“I originally wanted to bring you lunch, but I don’t know if the military compound allows visitors. If they don’t, then never mind.” Wen Xin traced the table with her fingertip, feeling increasingly discouraged. If she wasn’t even allowed to get close, what was the point?

“Stay home and don’t wander around.” Yan Zeyang glanced at her but said nothing else. He finished his meal quickly, put on his hat, and left.

Wen Xin was unwilling to accept this. Who was she? The reigning school beauty of the art academy for two consecutive years! The academy was filled with stunning men and women—anyone pulled from the crowd could be camera-ready, yet she had still managed to stand out among them. That was proof enough of her exceptional looks.

Ahem, in short—she refused to believe there was a man she couldn’t charm!

Had her attractiveness really declined?

Impossible!

In this conservative era, where relationships between men and women were still so restrained, how could her charm possibly diminish?

—

The morning sun blazed outside, casting heat against the glass windows of the office.

A man with a straight posture, his broad shoulders and back as if measured with a ruler, sat at his desk, writing a report with strong, deliberate strokes.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door.

“Report.”

Without lifting his head, he replied, “Come in.”

The visitor was none other than Zhao Dongsheng. His father had once been a subordinate of Yan Weiguo, and now he served under Yan Zeyang as a company commander, making their relationship naturally close.

Striding into the office, Zhao Dongsheng placed a file on the desk.

“It’s scorching outside. I spent the whole morning gathering information. The records and transcripts are all in here,” he said, removing his hat and helping himself to a cup of tea. He drank it in large gulps, then wiped his mouth.

Yan Zeyang finished writing the report in his hands, set down the pen, and picked up the file, flipping through it.

“Commander, who exactly is this person you asked me to investigate? She seems perfectly normal—no questionable lifestyle habits, and she certainly doesn’t look like a spy. I spoke with several of her classmates, and they all confirmed she’s lived locally her whole life. According to those who know her, this girl, Wen Xin, leads a simple life. She grew up close to a neighbor’s daughter, and when that girl was sent to the countryside three years ago, Wen Xin scrimped and saved to send her food rations and money for three years. Now, that same girl has been admitted to XXXX University.”

Zhao Dongsheng wiped the sweat off his forehead and continued, “I also heard that during those three years, Wen Xin fainted from hunger twice. That’s all I could find.” His investigation had left him baffled. He didn’t understand why the commander had suddenly handed him a file and ordered such a detailed inquiry—right down to trivial aspects of her daily life.

Given the level of scrutiny, Zhao Dongsheng almost suspected she was some deep-cover agent. But after interviewing people and piecing together her past, that possibility seemed highly unlikely. This girl had lived in the same place for eighteen years, had never traveled far, and was known to be reserved, barely even stepping outside her home. A spy? That was stretching it.

Across the desk, dressed in a neatly pressed military uniform, Yan Zeyang sat with a cold, stern expression. His short-cropped hair framed sharp, chiseled features, and his brows were slightly furrowed as he reviewed the investigation report.

“Oh, right,” Zhao Dongsheng suddenly remembered something. “One of her classmates mentioned that while she was in school, she was close to a male classmate. He used to walk her home every day, but after he dropped out, they seemed to lose contact.”

Yan Zeyang showed no reaction as he finished flipping through the pages. Setting the report aside, he said calmly, “Got it. You can go now. I’ll treat you to a meal another day.”

Zhao Dongsheng was stunned. That was it? After all that effort, the task was done just like that? He had no idea what was going on. Who exactly was this Wen Xin? And why had the commander personally ordered this background check?

More importantly, today was supposed to be his day off, and he’d been dragged into this. Now he was being dismissed with a vague promise of a meal sometime in the future? Why not today?

Zhao Dongsheng looked at his still-empty stomach, glanced at the commander’s serious face, and left with a sigh.

…

Meanwhile, Wen Xin pondered over the conversation she had with Yan Zeyang that morning. She had asked if she could bring him lunch at the military base. More than anything, she was curious about the place—she’d never been inside and wanted to take a look. But what had his response been?

He hadn’t outright said no. He didn’t declare the base off-limits or call it a restricted military area.

He had simply said, “Stay home and don’t wander around.”

Which meant… she could go, right?

With the Yan household empty during the day, Wen Xin had plenty of free time. The refrigerator was fully stocked—not with luxurious delicacies like bird’s nest soup or shark fin, but considering the scarcity of food in this era, the variety of ingredients was still impressive. She carefully prepared a meal, changed into a fresh outfit, and set off with a food container.

Since she was visiting a strict military compound, wearing a dress didn’t seem appropriate. Instead, she opted for a fitted white blouse with a cinched waist, paired with neatly tailored blue trousers. Her hair was styled into two slightly puffy braids, giving her a lively yet charming appearance.

She had heard from some of the military families that the back gate allowed access.

As she approached the heavily guarded entrance, she hesitated. Should she ask the guards to notify Commander Yan directly, or should she seek out Political Commissar Ye first? Ye Jianzhou was far more approachable. If she went straight to Yan Zeyang, there was a real chance he’d throw her out—something she wouldn’t put past him after being kicked downstairs yesterday.

Before she could decide, she spotted Commissar Ye passing by the gate.

“Hey, isn’t this Comrade Wen Xin? What brings you here?” he asked with a friendly smile.

“I brought lunch for Commander Yan. I wasn’t sure if visitors were allowed inside. If not, maybe you could take it in for me? I also packed a portion for you,” Wen Xin replied sweetly.

Making one meal or two wasn’t much of a difference—besides, building a good relationship was never a bad thing.

Hearing this, Commissar Ye was delighted. He’d long grown tired of the bland, mass-cooked meals at the mess hall.

“No problem, come on in!” He turned to the guard and instructed, “This is Commander Yan’s family member. Register her, Xiao Meng.”

Although visits from family members were permitted, protocol required identification verification and registration. But with Commissar Ye vouching for her, things went smoothly.

With his escort, Wen Xin entered the base without issue.

…

The military compound was vast and well-maintained. There were barracks, garages, and high walls, with several three-story buildings on the east side. Beyond those were various training facilities—obstacle courses, exercise fields, and even some carefully arranged greenery. Though it couldn’t compare to future developments, for this era, it was impressively modern.

“That building over there is the mess hall. You arrived just in time—it’s lunchtime,” Commissar Ye chuckled. “In a little while, Commander Yan and I would’ve been heading there anyway.”

Although it wasn’t training hours, a few soldiers were still exercising—some jogging, others playing ball.

One young soldier noticed them approaching and suddenly froze. His gaze locked onto Wen Xin as if he had seen a ghost. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he stammered, “C-Commissar, s-she… she…”

“What about her?” Ye Jianzhou asked with a smirk. “She’s Commander Yan’s family member.”

The young soldier immediately bolted.

Ye Jianzhou burst into laughter. “These troublemakers are usually hard to discipline, but just mentioning Commander Yan’s name straightens them out!”

Wen Xin: “…”

So, the military’s demon king really lived up to his name. Just hearing it made soldiers run for their lives. Compared to that, getting kicked out of a house was nothing.

…

Inside the three-story office building, Wen Xin followed Ye to the second floor.

Knock, knock.

Inside, Yan Zeyang was still immersed in his work, pen swiftly gliding over documents.

His uniform was meticulously pressed, a Swiss watch on his wrist. His sharp nose, chiseled jawline, and slightly furrowed brows gave him a dangerously attractive aura. His lips were thin and tightly pressed, radiating an air of strict discipline.

The uniform. The authority. The cold, untouchable presence.

Wen Xin’s heart began to race.

He’s so handsome.

I can’t breathe.

“Zeyang, look who I brought!” Commissar Ye announced cheerfully. “No need to go to the mess hall today—your family member brought you lunch. And she even packed one for me! I’ll leave you two to eat.”

With that, Ye Jianzhou skillfully took his portion and left, not giving Yan Zeyang a chance to refuse.

The enticing aroma of meat from the lunchbox had been teasing his senses the entire way back. He had barely managed to hold himself back until now—finally, he could take a bite.

Wen Xin, still new to this place, stood at the door holding the lunchbox, glancing around a little nervously.

The office was surrounded by four walls—there was a desk, a bookshelf, a file cabinet, a sofa, and a coffee table. After scanning the room, her gaze finally landed on the man seated at the desk.

Apart from giving her a fleeting glance when Political Commissar Ye first brought her in, he had kept a cold expression and completely ignored her.

The only sound in the office was the soft scratching of his pen gliding across the paper.

At first, Wen Xin didn’t dare disturb him. He was probably working on something important. She placed the lunchbox on the coffee table and sat down to wait. After a while, seeing that he was still writing, she walked over to his desk, lightly tracing the wood grain at the corner with her fingertips. In a soft voice, she reminded him, “Are you still not finished? The food is going to get cold.”

Yan Zeyang didn’t even lift an eyebrow. No response.

“How much longer will you take?” Wasn’t it supposed to be lunch break?

Still no answer.

Wen Xin could tell—he was deliberately ignoring her.

She was here to bring him lunch, after all. Even if he was unhappy, he could at least tell her not to come again in the future. But staying silent? What was that supposed to mean?

She stood by the desk, quietly watching him for a moment.

Fine. He wants to ignore her?

She stepped away from the desk and muttered, “It’s so hot in here. Not even a breeze.” Then, she started unbuttoning her white shirt.

Sure enough, Yan Zeyang immediately sensed that something was off. He looked up and saw her tossing her shirt onto the sofa. Though she was still wearing a tank top underneath, her flawless shoulders and arms were now exposed, along with the curves subtly outlined by the snug fabric…

“Stop messing around. Put your shirt back on.”

A moment ago, he had been ignoring her completely. Now, he shot up from his chair, glaring at her. In just a few strides, he reached the door and swiftly shut it.