“I won’t interfere with any of your decisions and ideas, not even after we get married.” 

Lu Beiting paused after he said this, his expression turning awkward before he wheeled himself away in his chair.  

Xia Zhi’s face broke into a smile again. Why did she sense a hint of embarrassment in Lu Beiting’s tone? She chased after him, watching his tense expression, her grin widening. “Lu Beiting, marriage? Oh my, we haven’t even picked a date yet, and you’re already looking forward to it?”  

Lu Beiting listened to the chattering voice beside him, then stopped moving his wheelchair. He looked at her expressionlessly. “You were the one who brought it up. We’re getting married sooner or later—unless you’ve changed your mind?”  

By the last sentence, his face had turned icy.  

“Hey, no way! Why would I regret it? Look at you—handsome face, great body, and once I fix your legs, you’ll have those long legs again.”  

As she spoke, Xia Zhi gave his thigh a playful pat.  

Lu Beiting’s stern face gradually flushed with embarrassment. “You’re a young woman—mind your words.”  

How could she say such things so casually?  

Xia Zhi, however, only grew more mischievous. She leaned down and whispered something in Lu Beiting’s ear.  

The next second, the man’s back stiffened like a board, and he wheeled away at top speed.  

Xia Zhi burst into laughter at the sight of his wheelchair wheels spinning so fast they nearly blurred. She called after him, “Hey, I was just joking!”  

Lu Beiting still ignored her, not even turning his head.  

“Hey, are you really mad?”  

Xia Zhi quickly jogged to catch up, but the moment she touched his wheelchair, Lu Beiting seemed to be competing with her, speeding up even more.  

By the time they returned to their place, Lu Beiting hadn’t spoken a single word to her.  

Xia Zhi stood at the doorway, awkwardly rubbing the tip of her nose. He really couldn’t take a joke—all she’d said was that she wanted to see his abs.  

Lu Beiting sat in his wheelchair with his back to Xia Zhi, his mind buzzing with nothing but her words. He quickly grew annoyed with himself.  

He’d always had excellent self-control—how had Xia Zhi managed to rattle him with just a few casual remarks?  

Sitting alone in his wheelchair, his back turned to Xia Zhi, he looked like he was wall-gazing in penance.  

Xia Zhi watched his retreating figure, finding it all highly amusing. Then she turned to fetch some hot water.  

When she returned, Lu Beiting had already moved himself to the bed and was holding the medicine they’d brought back.  

After a moment of silence, Lu Beiting finally spoke. “The wounds on your back haven’t healed yet.”  

Xia Zhi closed the door, pulled over a stool, and placed a brass basin on it, inside of which was Lu Beiting’s washcloth. She deliberately sniffed it—clean, with the faint scent of soap.  

Lu Beiting’s grip tightened, his breath growing uneven again. “There’s a market day in town soon. You can ask Zhang Yi to take you to buy some daily necessities.”  

“Okay.”  

Xia Zhi turned her back to him and carefully removed her clothes. The original owner of her body didn’t have undergarments, only a self-embroidered bellyband.  

Lu Beiting took a deep breath, forcing himself to focus on the wounds on her back. Seeing the torn flesh, he asked, “Why didn’t you just run when you saw the monkeys on the mountain?”  

Someone as quick-witted as Xia Zhi didn’t seem like the type to freeze in fear.  

“I wanted to run, but Gu Chonglin not only refused to run himself, he also blocked me and even pushed me. Serves him right—he had no business provoking those monkeys in the first place.”

Xia Zhi spoke as if making casual conversation.  

“Don’t worry, though—he got what he deserved. He’s seriously injured.”  

That mangled, bloody mess would probably take months to heal.  

Lu Beiting’s frown eased slightly. “Hmm. Are you going back tomorrow?”  

“Yes, this medicine isn’t enough. I’ll go to Dr. Shen’s place in the morning and head back to the mountain at noon.”  

The sun was nice—perfect for napping.  

As she spoke, a loud gurgling noise suddenly came from her stomach.  

Only then did she remember they’d been busy all afternoon and hadn’t eaten yet. Her lips curved downward in a pout, her expression turning pitiful.  

Lu Beiting reached for a pancake from the basket beside him and handed it to her, pleased to see Xia Zhi’s face light up with joy.  

She took small, delicate bites. It was a bit tough, but still edible.  

By the time Lu Beiting finished treating her wounds, she had already eaten more than half. Feeling his hands leave her back, she stood up to pour herself a cup of water.  

She’d nearly choked to death.  

Lu Beiting also picked up a pancake and ate quietly, avoiding looking at her while the faint rustling of her clothes filled his ears.  

After they finished eating, they settled back to sleep.  

Only then did Lu Beiting remember he’d forgotten to ask Zhang Yi to replace the bed.  

…

Early the next morning, Xia Zhi got up, changed into clean clothes, and headed to the military hospital, her heart brimming with excitement.  

When she arrived at Shen Hangzhi’s office, she found three or four unfamiliar faces inside, along with Su Yating.  

“Good morning, Dr. Shen,” Xia Zhi greeted politely.  

“Mm. Xia Zhi, this is Chen Yang—Uncle Chen. This is Dr. Zhang Kaiming…” Shen Hangzhi introduced the others one by one.  

Xia Zhi greeted each of them, her gaze lingering on the man with half-gray hair, dressed in a traditional long gown, his face lean and his eyes deep and sharp.  

This must be the “Uncle Chen” Lu Beiting had mentioned yesterday.  

“Hello, Uncle Chen.”  

Chen Yang studied the young woman before him—small and slender, yet full of vitality. “I heard from Xiao Shen that you’ve been treating Xiao Lu?”  

Xia Zhi dropped her playful demeanor and nodded seriously. “Yes, Uncle Chen. If you’re concerned, you can examine Lu Beiting yourself.”  

Chen Yang waved his hand dismissively and sat down, his tone steady. “Who was your teacher?”  

Xia Zhi’s eyelids twitched. Under Chen Yang’s scrutinizing gaze, she reluctantly gave the name of the original body’s maternal grandfather.  

“Hmm, never heard of him,” Chen Yang muttered, puzzled.  

“Grandfather had trouble walking and only treated patients in the village. It’s normal you wouldn’t know him.”  

Chen Yang nodded thoughtfully, “In that case, let me test you.”

Xia Zhi’s expression remained composed, showing no sign of panic as she answered every one of Chen Yang’s questions flawlessly.  

The others in the room also looked at her with admiration.  

Only Su Yating, who had been silent the whole time, grew increasingly displeased. She had assumed Xia Zhi was some unremarkable country girl, but it turned out she actually had some skill.  

By the end, Chen Yang’s face gradually softened into approval.  

“Not bad.”  

“Hey, Xiao Xia, do you know anything about Western medicine?” Zhang Kaiming stood up, eager to test her further.  

Their military hospital was severely understaffed—doctors were in especially short supply.  

The remote location and the fact that it was a border outpost had long scared away many physicians. Now that someone promising had finally shown up, if she could be properly trained, she might be a huge asset in the future.  

“I know a little.”  

Zhang Kaiming’s eyes lit up. He started with basic questions, all of which Xia Zhi answered correctly. But when the difficulty increased, she began to hesitate.  

“I’m sorry, Dr. Zhang.” Xia Zhi knew when to stop.  

Zhang Kaiming just laughed heartily. “No problem! What you don’t know, you can learn.”  

Chen Yang watched Xia Zhi with a faint smile. “This isn’t enough to prove your ability. How about this—if you complete one task, we’ll agree to your request.”