Chapter 14

Youyi had slept too long in the afternoon and found it hard to sleep at night.

She woke up around five in the morning. Her friends were still sound asleep. She quietly got up and instinctively looked towards Fu Cheng’s tent.

Fu Cheng was standing outside.

The morning in the mountains carried a cool, dewy air. He was only wearing a short-sleeve shirt. Youyi walked over to him and softly asked, “Are you cold?”

Fu Cheng glanced at her but didn’t speak, only touching her forehead with his palm.

His palm was warm.

Youyi pulled back slightly.

He truly was the type who didn’t feel the cold.

Fu Cheng spoke with a slightly hoarse voice, “Do you want to come into my arms?”

Youyi was taken aback, and upon seeing his well-built muscles, her face inexplicably turned red. She shook her head and didn’t speak.

She wasn’t cold. After all, she was wearing a jacket.

Youyi thought that since Fu Cheng had probably slept with her in the afternoon, it made sense that he also couldn’t sleep now.

The distant sky was faintly tinged with red, marking where the sun would rise.

Youyi looked up at the sunrise, watching the red light gradually spread. She took out her phone and captured the scene.

Fu Cheng was also looking in the same direction.

His expression was calm, and his eyes were dark, seemingly following Youyi’s gaze, sharing the same view.

It seemed Fu Cheng didn’t use his phone much.

There were significant differences between his lifestyle and Youyi’s. Having graduated from the National Defense University and lived in the military, he had strong control, demanding standards, and a rigorous, detached demeanor. He wasn’t exactly the type of person who was easily liked, especially considering he was eight years older than Youyi.

Since becoming the chief instructor, Fu Cheng had interacted with many students around her age, and indeed, they were quite different from him.

Perhaps few people were like him.

“You have a lot of admirers at your school?” Fu Cheng asked as Youyi took a photo of the fiery red sunrise. She was taken aback by his sudden question and answered honestly, “Maybe.”

Fu Cheng inquired, “What are they like?”

When she first arrived at school as a freshman, people rushed to carry her luggage at the welcome point. Later, her military training photos were taken and posted on the school’s confession wall. That photo went viral, and within a week of starting school, she was given the title of “Campus Beauty” at Sheng University.

People pursuing her hadn’t stopped since then.

As for what they were like, there were all kinds.

Recently, due to club activities, she had gotten closer to Zheng Chen, a student from the nuclear industry. He was a well-recognized handsome type, a key player on the basketball team, standing at 183 cm, with a good personality, bright and sunny.

As their relationship improved, Youyi’s friends had encouraged her to consider dating him.

It would be a shame not to date in college. If there was a suitable person, it was worth trying, even if she didn’t have strong feelings.

Moreover, Zheng Chen was a good match.

Good-looking, with a nice personality and a decent family background.

Youyi had indeed considered it.

But she ultimately felt it wasn’t right.

She could be friends with him, but the idea of being in a romantic relationship with him felt awkward.

Before Youyi could answer, Fu Cheng asked again, “Do you have someone you like?”

He turned to look at her, his eyes reflecting neutral emotions.

At that moment, Youyi didn’t think Fu Cheng was asking out of jealousy or any other reason. It was simply because, as someone sharing the same life, he might want to know more.

Just as Youyi didn’t know much about Fu Cheng, she hadn’t explored it either.

It was only last night that she briefly felt curious about him.

Why this sudden curiosity?

Youyi didn’t know.

She had often encountered tumultuous situations where Fu Cheng had become her strong support, her shelter from the storm.

She actually felt fortunate.

Many times, she was grateful for Fu Cheng’s presence in her life.

Youyi shook her head, “It seems not.”

Fu Cheng rubbed the calluses on his index finger, a habit from his time in the military when waiting. He didn’t continue to ask and his usually stern face showed an unusual hint of impatience.

Knowing he wouldn’t get the answer he wanted.

Youyi’s cheeks were pale. She suddenly asked Fu Cheng, “What about you?”

“What about me?” Fu Cheng didn’t look at her, but just said lightly, “Do I have someone I like?”

He didn’t directly answer the question.

There was a brief silence.

“Youyi, you actually quite enjoy being with me,” he said in a calm, indifferent tone, yet he turned to stare at her. Her hidden feelings were poked at by him, making her uneasy as she looked away, pretending to watch the sunrise.

That first night after they got their marriage certificate, she had accidentally pushed open the bathroom door and stood there, stunned for two seconds.

Fu Cheng was standing there, looking at her calmly, and asked if she wanted to join him.

Under the influence of certain thoughts, she had agreed.

That was the first, most novel, extreme, and craziest experience in her twenty years of life.

Although that night ended in frustration due to her irritation, she had to admit that many nights afterward, when she recalled it, she felt an inexplicable and intense discomfort.

Fu Cheng had a powerful, irresistible control. Even though Youyi never resisted his assertiveness, he had long since realized this.

Love and desire are human instincts, and if she liked this, it was quite acceptable.

He accepted it.

Youyi swallowed hard, turning to the side, her chest rising and falling visibly. From Fu Cheng’s perspective, even as she turned, he could see it clearly.

“Liking someone doesn’t matter,” Fu Cheng said. “We’re already married.”

His voice dropped, seemingly reminding her of this fact.

After receiving the marriage certificate, they were bound together.

Even though they were still adjusting and no one else knew, it couldn’t erase this fact.

From the moment they decide to marry, both should understand that certain decisions are for life.

“It sounds like you don’t like me,” Youyi retorted. Her tone was soft and lacking in intimidation due to her own nervousness.

“I do like you,” Fu Cheng responded this time.

He liked… being with her.

That was the reason, but not the only reason.

In the quiet mountain forest, Youyi seemed to hear the clear beat of her own heart.

An ambiguous atmosphere reached its peak at that moment. Her fingers clenched tightly, turning red at the tips. As countless thoughts surged, flowers began to bud in her heart.

Someone behind them also got up to watch the sunrise, calling for everyone around to wake up, breaking the silence. Someone in the distance was calling Youyi’s name.

“I’m coming,” Youyi responded, looking down, and jogged toward the sound.

*

The seven days of military training ended, and September was just about to end, followed by the long National Day holiday.

On the bus back to school, everyone was excited.

The grueling training was finally over, and with the upcoming seven-day holiday, everyone would be heading home or going on trips—essentially, it would be a time to relax and unwind.

In the dormitory, Tian Ning and Sheng Sheng were heading home, while Huang Youyi, a local, said she wanted to go on a trip.

Sheng Sheng advised her, “Who goes traveling during the National Day holiday? Every popular place is packed with people, like a sea of dumplings.”

Huang Youyi sighed, “I really want to go on the Qinghai-Gansu Loop.”

If someone could join her, she would have packed her suitcase and left without a second thought, regardless of the crowds during the holiday.

“By the way, did you spend that morning with Fu Cheng?” Huang Youyi asked as they got off the bus. “How did you end up watching the sunrise together?”

During the orienteering training, Fu Cheng had brought them back, and they were quite grateful to him, although they were a bit concerned about Youyi.

Thinking back on it, Huang Youyi found it odd.

When it came to the sunrise, Youyi was momentarily stunned.

She could still hear Fu Cheng’s words in her ears.

At that moment, Wei Jing called out to her, asking if she had any plans for the evening.

If she didn’t have plans, he wanted to invite her to dinner. He had been meaning to apologize for a while and thought it would be a good opportunity to make up for it.

Youyi didn’t have plans for the evening, but she wasn’t particularly inclined to go either. She was mentally searching for a reason to decline. The boy who came with Wei Jing smiled and said that the dinner invitation wasn’t just about apologizing.

Wei Jing was a straightforward person with a pure heart, having never been in a relationship before, so he didn’t use any tricks. His personality was a bit reserved and awkward.

He wanted to have dinner with Youyi and then catch a movie. There should be plenty of films showing during the National Day holiday, and Wei Jing was already thinking about which one she might like.

Realizing that his thoughts had been exposed, Wei Jing scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed.

The helper beside him said, “He did fifty push-ups last night just to muster up the courage.”

“That’s impressive.”

Wei Jing was genuinely a good person, and since they were classmates, it was difficult for Youyi to reject him outright in this situation.

“Maybe next time,” Youyi said. “There’s no need for you to treat me. We can just have a meal together with our classmates.”

This response… was okay for Wei Jing. He wasn’t too disappointed.

“Sure,” he said with a smile, readily agreeing.

Youyi and Fu Cheng returned home together. All the way, he carried her luggage effortlessly, as if it were a game.

Comparing her strength to his, she still felt quite intimidated.

After unpacking her suitcase and taking a shower, when Youyi came out, Fu Cheng was at the door, calling her to dinner.

Youyi opened the door.

Her hair was still dripping, wetting her light pink arms, and the scent of her shower gel mingled with her fragrance, making her look like a ripe, juicy peach.

“You cooked?” Youyi was surprised.

“Ordered takeout,” Fu Cheng said.

“So what’s for dinner?” Youyi asked with curiosity.

Before she could react, Fu Cheng stepped inside, closed the door behind him, and lifted her up without a word.

Her white legs instinctively wrapped around his waist as he supported her hips with one hand.

He didn’t say anything.

When her damp hair left a wet mark on the bed, Youyi asked what he was doing, thinking they were supposed to have dinner.

Fu Cheng’s eyes darkened as he whispered in her ear, “Do push-ups.”

What?

Youyi couldn’t process it.

“Count and see if there are fifty in a set.”