Chapter 84
Extra 1

Regarding Ji Duo secretly maintaining his appearance, Lin Qiao discovered it earlier than expected. This was mainly because the facial cleanser was being used up quickly, while the soap next to it was noticeably thinning at a slower pace, even showing signs of stagnation—especially after the two decided to start preparing for pregnancy and the man often came to stay at Qing University.

Yes, Ji Duo didn’t mind the trouble now. Except for Sundays, when there wasn’t much to do in the army, he would come to stay at Qing University. Every time, it was more than an hour’s drive, and the next morning, he would drive back for more than an hour. He even rented a house nearby for the driver. Occasionally, when he didn’t come, he would call. After Lin Qiao finished her work at school, she could always see that light turned on for her in the quiet night, with the tall, handsome figure of the man under the light. Thinking about it, now that she wasn’t following the army, the man started accompanying her to study. With the brigade commander accompanying her, the facial cleanser at home began to run out faster.

After a while, even her skincare products began to decrease, very subtly, so subtly that one might not notice. Lin Qiao thought about it and realized that the man seemed to be washing up with her recently.

In the morning, after finishing up, he would often buy breakfast and call her to get up, and then they would leave together. But why did it take so long at night?

One night, after fulfilling their duties, Lin Qiao tried to stay awake, waiting for the man to finish washing up. She reached out and touched the man’s face.

The texture was quite good. Ji Duo had a very defined bone structure, with high brows, a straight nose, and distinct contours, yet his skin wasn’t as rough as one might imagine. As she continued to touch, she felt a familiar smoothness and couldn’t resist bringing her face closer to catch a whiff of the scent.

Before she could smell it, her lips were met with a gentle kiss, “Not enough?”

That kiss made it seem like Lin Qiao was the one leaning in for a kiss.

Looking at Lin Qiao’s actions, it seemed like she was touching his face for no reason. Her hands were still soft and weak from finishing a certain activity, making it feel more like flirting than confirming anything. Even as she tried to catch the scent, her hand slid to the side of his neck, lightly hooking around it, her fingertips resting on his prominent Adam’s apple.

As the man spoke, she felt the vibration under her hand and the sensual movement of his Adam’s apple as he raised his chin slightly.

Ji Duo knew exactly how to tease her. His hot breath quickly descended again, lingering on her sensitive earlobe. His voice was low and hoarse, “Can you still handle it?”

Absolutely, how could she not?
A woman should never say she can’t!

After a satisfying time, Lin Qiao enjoyed another round of “leftover meat.” This time, she fell asleep immediately after the man helped her clean up.

When Lin Qiao woke up the next morning, the man was already gone. As she went to wash up and saw the facial cleanser, she remembered what she had intended to do the previous night.

Had he sensed her suspicion? Wasn’t attack the best defense? He even said it was her who hadn’t had enough. Old Gu was right; old men were full of bad ideas.

Lin Qiao didn’t say anything, but a few days later, when Ji Duo picked up her cream to use it, he found that the contents had been changed. It wasn’t replaced with something else; the cream remained the same, but the scent suddenly became very fragrant.

Lin Qiao loved lightly scented skincare products. Previously, they had a faint scent that couldn’t be detected unless you got close.

So, should he use it or not?

Ji Duo thought about his scent when he went to the army, and everyone who saw him would turn around to look, and in the end, he would quietly put it back.

That night, the two of them resumed washing up together.

The man rolled up his shirt sleeves to his elbows, unbuttoned two buttons at the collar, revealing his defined collarbone, and then picked up Lin Qiao’s facial cleanser.

Lin Qiao watched with a smile as the man skillfully squeezed, lathered, and washed, his movements smooth and efficient, without saying a word. The man wiped his face with a towel, his gaze calm as he looked at her, not saying a word.

The couple exchanged glances, and everything was understood without words. A few days later, Lin Qiao’s cream was replaced with the previous light-scented version.

When winter arrived, Ji Duo’s office drawer, besides Lin Qiao’s photo, also had an unscented hand cream.

Thinking back to the past, when Lin Qiao had just made liquid soap and asked him to take some to his unit, he had said he didn’t need it. He never imagined that in the future, there would be someone who would be as important to him as his country and responsibilities.

Ji Duo closed the drawer, put on his training uniform, military boots, and helmet, and strode out of the office, still the stern and solemn commander in front of others.

Regarding his precise soul-searching, Ji Duo discovered it later than expected. Taking over a regiment involved handling many tasks, especially since it was a cross-branch transfer. If he hadn’t known enough beforehand and had a solid foundation, he would have shown weakness in front of the regiment and battalion commanders, some even older than him.

One of the new subordinates, Xiao Sui, wasn’t very quick-witted. Once, he asked the other person to pour some water, and there was no response for half a day. He was about to frown, but then he remembered that he had just said, “Qiao Qiao, help me pour a glass of water.”

Lin Qiao could ask him who Cui was, but Xiao Sui clearly didn’t dare to ask who Qiao Qiao was. At least he should have poured the water first, right?

Ji Duo could only call him once, and in the end, he replaced the person.

On Lin Qiao’s side, although the project was successfully completed, the matter of studying abroad was ultimately rejected, and she chose to pursue her PhD at her current school.

Zhang Changning didn’t say anything further but expressed that during her PhD studies, he could fully support Lin Qiao in starting her own research projects. This was exactly what Lin Qiao wanted. By initiating her own projects and producing some results, the country would take notice and provide funding to support the research.

After all, in her previous life, the country had considered introducing and developing technology in the mid-1980s, but all efforts failed and were abandoned until 2000, when significant support was finally received. It wasn’t until a few years later that the country finally achieved the industrialization of high-performance carbon fiber on a kiloton scale.

Both of them were busy. The first time they checked for family planning and found that Lin Qiao’s period hadn’t come, Ji Duo didn’t think much of it. After all, he had just started quitting smoking at that time, and the “umbrella” had just been retired from certain nighttime activities.

Lin Qiao didn’t notice either. Since she had returned to being a student from being a teacher, no one had asked her about this for several years.

So, it wasn’t until the next month, when Lin Qiao’s period still hadn’t come, that Ji Duo, tearing off the calendar page in the morning, suddenly realized something was off.

When they compared the dates, they realized it had been two months, which was definitely unusual for Lin Qiao, given her regular cycle over the past two years.

To be sure, they decided to go to the hospital for an ultrasound. This was in Yandu in 1983. If they were in a more remote area, they would have had to consult a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner to confirm it. When they left the hospital, Lin Qiao touched her belly, a bit in disbelief that she would be a mother.

Ji Duo walked behind her, his expression as usual. However, when he got into the car, his military hat accidentally bumped against the roof.

Lin Qiao had just sat down and saw this scene, unable to hold back her laughter.

Ji Duo’s expression froze for a moment. He adjusted his hat before sitting beside her and touching her head. He wanted to touch her belly, but his hand hovered in front of her for a moment, not falling. Just as he was about to withdraw, his large hand was caught by a warm, soft hand and placed on the still-flat spot through the thick winter coat. He couldn’t feel anything, but at that moment, he felt like something had struck his heart.

It was a new life, a life that connected him and Lin Qiao by blood.

When it came to driving, they were perfectly in sync, already cruising down the highway together. However, when it came to being parents, they were still in the psychological preparation stage.

The couple sat shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, looking at each other.

“Should we ask Mom?”
“I’ll ask Mom.”

Perfect. When it came to being in sync, they still didn’t need to discuss it to think alike.

Both of them kept their composure, but Xu Li asked twice over the phone, “Is Qiao Qiao really pregnant?”

That evening, the old lady rushed to the courtyard near Qing University where Lin Qiao lived, with the stern-looking Old Mr. Ji following behind.

Over three years had passed, and Xu Li’s acquaintance at the family planning office had long retired. Since Lin Qiao started her graduate studies, Ji Duo has been firm in his stance, and she hasn’t brought up the topic of children in front of them again.

But how could she not be anxious with Ji Duo being her only son and already in his thirties?

Unexpectedly, things took a turn, and Lin Qiao was indeed pregnant.

Xu Li calculated the time, “The due date should be during your summer vacation next year; by then, you’ll have finished your graduate studies.”

This child seemed to have timed their arrival perfectly, knowing exactly when she would be on break, when school would start, and when it would be convenient to be born.

The old lady’s eyes crinkled with joy as she patted Lin Qiao’s hand, “That’s wonderful.”

She then called her son aside and gave him some earnest advice.

Before long, baby blankets, clothes, diapers, and even a silver bell bracelet were prepared for the baby.

As the items were gradually sent over, Lin Qiao finally felt the reality of becoming a mother.

Lying in bed that night, she couldn’t help but kick the man and sigh.

“What do you want to eat? Or are you feeling nauseous?” Ji Duo immediately sat up.

In the early stages, Lin Qiao didn’t feel any discomfort, but once it was confirmed that she was pregnant, the morning sickness came late but surely.

To prepare for this, the house had plenty of ingredients in the fridge, and Captain Ji’s cooking skills had greatly improved.

Lin Qiao touched his abs and said, “I can see it but can’t eat it. I’ve sacrificed too much for this child.”

However, for the next six months, Captain Ji was in the same boat, seeing but not eating. He had it even worse, having to give Lin Qiao massages…

But when Su Zheng called to invite him out for dinner, he modestly declined, saying he needed to stay home with his wife and child.

“Where did you get a child?” Initially confused, Su Zheng suddenly realized, “Lin Qiao is pregnant?”

“Mm.”

Ji Duo’s voice was as serious and deep as ever, but Su Zheng inexplicably detected a different tone. “The baby is still in the womb. Do you really need to stay with them? Come on, bring Lin Qiao out. You’re over thirty and becoming a dad; don’t act like a young kid.”

“Some people are over thirty, and not only are they not fathers, they don’t even have a wife.”

Su Zheng felt deeply hurt and hung up the phone with a snap.

Regarding Captain Ji’s wife, ever since Lin Qiao left the military school, fewer people have seen her. However, a little inquiry revealed that many people knew about her, especially the students at the school. During lab classes and competitions, teachers would inevitably mention her. She was known by name but not seen in person, and hearing about her so often made her seem like a legend.

Among Ji Duo’s soldiers, Lin Qiao was even more mysterious. Sometimes, when they couldn’t stand Ji Duo’s strict demands, they wondered if he was just as stern at home.

Being Captain Ji’s wife was no easy task, having to serve such a stern “King of Hell.”

Every time this happened, Xiao Fang remained silent, keeping a low profile until his service term ended and preparing to return home.

The new driver surnamed Yuan, was a young and inexperienced lad in his twenties who had previously driven for the transport team. Driving for the leader required knowing the routes well. Xiao Fang sat in the jeep’s front passenger seat and first directed him to the area near Qing University, instructing him to remember it well.

“Is this Captain Ji’s home?” Xiao Yuan asked earnestly.

Xiao Fang nodded, then directed him to the nearby market.

Xiao Yuan was confused, “Does the commander often come here?”

“Just remember it,” Xiao Fang didn’t say much more, but pointed out the best parking spot, “This spot is close to the seafood stalls.”

Xiao Fang’s final lesson to him was that a leader’s driver must be able to read the situation, remain silent when necessary, and turn a blind eye when necessary.

The more Xiao Yuan listened, the more anxious he became, wondering if he was about to uncover some unspeakable secret of the leader.

Then, on his first day on the job, Ji Duo went to the market to buy groceries.

Next, they went to the side gate of Qing University to pick someone up.

Xiao Yuan could guarantee that before his commander got out of the car, he definitely adjusted his uniform and hat and checked himself in the jeep’s rearview mirror.

Ji Duo didn’t notice the driver. Lin Qiao, heavily pregnant, had a thesis defense today. Although she was the only graduate student in her department this year, and her advisors were considerate of her physical condition, Lin Qiao still approached this long-awaited graduation with utmost seriousness. As she stepped out of the academy, a drizzle began to fall. Lin Qiao had just stopped at the entrance of the teaching building when Ji Duo came over with an umbrella.

“Did it go well?” the man asked her first.

Lin Qiao responded with a soft “Mm. ” Her eyebrows started to arch into a smile when she suddenly paused.

“What’s wrong?” Ji Duo raised his hand to shield her from a passerby.

Lin Qiao didn’t speak, silently feeling something again before turning to look at him. “It’s a bit early and quite coincidental. Can you accept our child being called ‘Defense’?”