“What did you say?” The man’s voice was cold, his expression even colder.
Unfortunately, with a mask on, it couldn’t be seen.
Jiang Fuyue met his pitch-black eyes. Inside them, something like a cold star seemed to flash past. “I said, I’m going to Kenny Bay.”
The man stared at her, enunciating each word, outwardly calm but inwardly already furious: “If I remember correctly, the samples from that place have already been sent back to the base, and they’re blood samples at that.”
Jiang Fuyue nodded. “Yes.”
“Then what are you still going there for?”
“You seem very afraid that I’ll enter the exchange-of-fire zone?” The girl stepped closer. “Why?”
The man subconsciously stepped back and turned his head aside. “I just think there’s no need for you to go again.”
“Is that so?” Jiang Fuyue took another step forward. “Last time you went in my place. What do you plan to do this time?”
His Adam’s apple rolled lightly.
“Go for me again? What relationship do we have that it’s worth you taking such a big risk?”
As she spoke, the girl moved forward again.
Xie Dingyuan had nowhere left to retreat. Seeing that the two were about to be pressed together, he quickly raised a hand to block her: “Don’t get so close…”
Jiang Fuyue curled her lips, glanced at the hand he had extended, and didn’t move any closer.
“When you talk to me, why do you always tilt your head? Afraid to look at me? Embarrassed? Shy?”
The man remained silent.
“Or,” she deliberately paused for a moment, “you have improper thoughts about me?”
“!”
Jiang Fuyue pretended not to notice his suddenly stalled breathing from nervousness, or the slightly dazed look in his eyes from shock. “Looks like you really do have other intentions. Unfortunately for you, I already have a boyfriend.”
He froze.
Jiang Fuyue continued on her own: “My boyfriend is handsome, has a great body. Although he’s a bit cold and aloof, doesn’t like to talk, has a really dog-like temper, and especially loves to put on airs…”
Xie Dingyuan: “?”
“But he’s smart, capable, successful in his career, and has money. So you’ve got no chance, better give up early.” As she spoke, she let out a faint sigh.
“?”
When he finally reacted, the man clenched his fist and coughed lightly, his gaze flickering. “…Your boyfriend is really that good?”
“No, didn’t I just say it? His personality is cold, taciturn, and he especially loves to show off, dog to the extreme. What’s good about that? Your ears don’t work or what, you can’t even hear the main point.”
Uh!
“Isn’t the main point praising how good he is?”
Jiang Fuyue: “Of course not!”
“?”
“The key point is to explain that even though he’s very dog-like, I still won’t like you.”
“…Oh.” Even though he got called a dog, there was actually a tiny bit of sweetness in his heart.
Jiang Fuyue saw straight through what he was thinking. The corner of her mouth suddenly lifted as she changed the subject: “Unless…”
“?” There’s actually an “unless”?!
“Unless what?”
She stepped forward again, raised her hand, and slammed it against the wall, pinning the man there.
Xie Dingyuan was dumbfounded.
Jiang Fuyue swept her gaze over the silver mask on his face with great interest. “Unless you let me see your true face. If it’s handsome enough, it’s not impossible to consider. After all, everyone loves beauty, men do, and women are the same.”
The implication being: if you’re handsome, everything’s negotiable; if you’re ugly, don’t even talk.
“So if I’m handsome enough, you can abandon your boyfriend?”
Although he was already trying his best to restrain himself, no matter how one listened, there was a hint of gritted teeth in his tone.
What was most fatal was, Jiang Fuyue actually nodded?
“That’s right.”
“……” A heavy blow.
Sweetness instantly turned into bitterness.
Jiang Fuyue even blinked at him, leaned in closer, their breaths intertwining: “So? Want to think about it? It’s not hard, just take it off and let me have a look.”
The girl carried a unique fragrance. The moment she drew close, it came forcefully rushing over, making his eyes half-close and his expression look intoxicated.
And at this moment, Jiang Fuyue’s hand had already touched the edge of the mask. With just a little force, she could.
Xie Dingyuan suddenly snapped back to his senses, sharply turned his head to avoid the girl’s hand, and slipped out from between her body and the wall. “I refuse.”
Jiang Fuyue wasn’t annoyed either. She spread her hands and shrugged regretfully. “Then forget it.”
With that, she made to leave.
“Tomorrow I’ll go to Kenny Bay with you.”
“No need. You’re not anyone of mine.”
“Jiang, Fu, Yue, ” The man’s nearly explosive low roar came from behind. “Two choices. Either we go together, or no one goes. Pick one yourself.”
She turned back, giving him a cool smile. “Is this a threat?”
“You can take it that way.”
“On what grounds?” Stinking man, he’s addicted to pretending now and still won’t admit his identity!
“On the grounds that here, I’m the one who calls the shots. Don’t believe it? Let’s try it and see, without my nod, whether you can get to Kenny Bay.”
“……”
“Of course, you can also act recklessly, but Zhong Ziang and Yici, those two are specifically responsible for protecting you. If you go missing, think about what consequences they’ll face.”
Jiang Fuyue was so angry she nodded repeatedly. “Fine! Very fine! You’re really something!”
Xie Dingyuan: “……” What to do? Suddenly feeling a bit cowardly.
……
That night, all was quiet.
Jiang Fuyue packed up what she needed for tomorrow, checked it once more, then zipped it up and set the backpack aside.
It was midsummer, the rainy season had just passed, and there were more mosquitoes inside the room.
The mosquitoes here were large. After being bitten, not only would the skin develop bumps, redness, swelling, and itching, if it got serious, it could even become infected or spread viruses.
Before going to sleep, Jiang Fuyue specifically took mosquito-repellent measures, placing mosquito killers at both the head and foot of the bed.
Even so, she was still bitten awake in the middle of the night.
Turning on the light, she saw two big red bumps on her arm, already swollen.
She took out alcohol to disinfect, then applied a layer of ointment, but she didn’t dare go back to sleep.
Suddenly, there came a knock at the door, very light, but in the stillness of the night it was amplified several times, sounding exceptionally clear.
“Who is it?”
“It’s me.”
Oh, the one next door.
“Doctor, it’s very late. Is there something you need?”
“What’s wrong with you?”
Jiang Fuyue froze.
“Can you hear me? Jiang Fuyue?!” When he called her name, there was already obvious anxiety in his tone.
“…It’s nothing. Got bitten by mosquitoes twice.”
“Did you apply medicine?”
“I did.”
“Then… rest early.” After saying that, he turned and left.
Jiang Fuyue glanced at the time. One in the morning. There were still several hours until morning, but she didn’t plan to sleep again.
She simply took out the antibody analysis report from her bag and began to read it by the light.
About ten minutes passed.
Knock knock knock!
Someone knocked again.
“Who?”
“Teacher Jiang, it’s me.”
A woman’s voice, somewhat familiar.
She opened the door. It turned out to be the nurse she had worked with earlier at the front vaccination site.
“It’s so late, what’s the matter?”
“I came to spray some Qicao Water for you. With so many mosquitoes, you really can’t sleep at night otherwise.”
“Qicao Water?” Jiang Fuyue raised an eyebrow.
“Mm, it’s for killing mosquitoes, very effective! It’s extracted by Dr. X using seven kinds of herbs. Every night, you put a few drops in, dilute it with water, and spray it around the room. It removes odors and prevents mosquitoes.”
As she spoke, she was already carrying the sprayer inside, spraying every corner of the room.
Even under the bed was taken care of.
“All done. You shouldn’t get bitten again now.”
Jiang Fuyue saw her out, then suddenly asked, “Who told you to come?”
“The soldier on duty in the lounge. Why?”
“Nothing. You can go back. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome!”
The soldier on duty in the lounge only listens to Dr. X’s orders, so it was him…
In the latter half of the night, Jiang Fuyue finally got to sleep peacefully.
Early the next morning, before six, Jiang Fuyue finished packing, slung on her backpack, and left the room.
When she reached the open area where the vehicles were parked, Zhong Ziang and Yici were already waiting.
Oh, and one more person.
Dr. X: “You’re here.”
Jiang Fuyue: “Mm.”
“Let’s go.”
She didn’t say anything more about not letting him come along.
The four got into the vehicle.
Yici took the driver’s seat, responsible for driving. Dr. X sat in the front passenger seat. Zhong Ziang and Jiang Fuyue naturally went to the back row.
There were also two other off-road vehicles carrying the accompanying soldiers, roughly a dozen people.
Inside the vehicle, the atmosphere was a bit stiff.
Mainly because both Dr. X and Jiang Fuyue had cold faces, with no intention of starting any conversation.
Yici was okay. He was driving, had something to do with his hands, so it wasn’t too unbearable.
Zhong Ziang, though, had it rough.
He couldn’t sit still at all.
Either looking out the window, or scratching his head, moving around restlessly.
He glanced at Dr. X’s cold back, only the back of his head visible, then looked at Jiang Fuyue beside him, sitting upright with a solemn posture, her thoughts seemingly gathered.
Several times he wanted to speak, then pulled it back.
Finally, he really couldn’t stand it anymore, “Yueyue, are you thirsty? Do you want some water?”
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