The aloof military doctor arrives at the unit, and the tough guy can't sit still.

"Kids shouldn't talk nonsense, eat your food." Yan Jun scolded him and then put two more pieces of meat on Yan Xiaodong's plate.

"Xia Qiuran, you seem to be blocking Xiao Dong from picking up food. There's room here," Lu Zhenghan said, glancing at Xia Qiuran who was sitting very close to the family of three.

"Xiao Dong, move closer to your dad so you don't bump into Aunt Xia," Wu Xiaona said.

Xia Qiuran glanced at the serious-looking Lu Zhenghan and silently moved her chair closer to him. "It's alright, I'll sit here, Commander Lu."

"Dr. Xia, try my stir-fried pork with chili peppers, it's delicious." Wu Xiaona said, adding more vegetables to Xia Qiuran's plate.

Looking at the rice bowl suddenly stuffed full of stir-fried pork with chili peppers, Xia Qiuran managed a weak smile. Why is there chili pepper everywhere?

Lu Zhenghan glanced at her and silently pushed his rice bowl aside. "She can't eat spicy food, give it to me."

"Oh." Wu Xiaona deliberately drew out the last syllable, nodded and smiled. "Commander Lu, you're so thoughtful."

As he was leaving, Yan Xiaodong grabbed Xia Qiuran's arm and leaned his whole body on her shoulder. "Aunt Xia, why don't you stay and let Uncle Lu go back by himself?"

Dad stopped getting angry, and Mom stopped yelling at him. Yan Xiaodong was afraid that after Xia Qiuran left, his home would go back to the way it was before.

"Xiao Dong, Auntie will come to see you another day. Be a good boy and listen to your parents at home." Xia Qiuran tried to pull her arm back, but she didn't expect the child to be so strong. She tried for a long time but couldn't pull it back.

Lu Zhenghan's eyes grew increasingly dim. This kid really knows how to think.

"Xiao Dong, Aunt Xia still has work to do when she gets back. We'll come see you another day."

Lu Zhenghan squatted down, emphasizing the word "we" as he spoke. Then, with a swift movement, he easily wrapped his arm around Yan Xiaodong's waist, effortlessly pulling him into his embrace.

He carried her all the way to the door, and only after seeing that Xia Qiuran had already walked out of the house did he gently place her on the ground.

Stepping out of the tenement building, Xia Qiuran's smile vanished, and she gave Lu Zhenghan a cold look. "Commander Lu, were you following me?"

A hint of panic flashed in Lu Zhenghan's eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. "No, I just happened to be passing by."

"Commander Lu, has no one ever told you that your face turns red when you lie?" Xia Qiuran walked up to Lu Zhenghan and looked directly into his eyes.

Lu Zhenghan didn't notice and took another step forward, bumping right into Xia Qiuran.

Even through two layers of fabric, I could still feel the warmth of her body immediately.

The two quickly separated, a faint blush rising on Lu Zhenghan's neck. He immediately changed the subject, saying, "Yan Jun's wife is a very capable person."

"So, Commander Lu, you're worried I'll be bullied?" Looking at Lu Zhenghan like this, Xia Qiuran suddenly found him a little cute. She never expected that the dignified commander would actually be made shy by her two sentences.

Lu Zhenghan frowned slightly, but quickly composed himself, his expression turning cold and indifferent again. "After all, you saved me. I'm not an ungrateful person. Besides, you're now a soldier in my 45th Regiment. I have an obligation to ensure your safety."

She took a few steps forward and then stopped. "Xia Qiuran, you've used up all your time for this week's outings. You can't take any more leave for the next few days."

Aside from the Yan family's affairs, Xia Qiuran didn't actually have any other things to do outside. Over the next few days, she spent her time seeing doctors and studying prescriptions, and her time passed quite satisfactorily.

But Yan Jun and his wife, who were outside the military base, were already extremely anxious.

Thinking that Xia Qiuran's master was late because they hadn't given prior notice, Yan Jun and Wu Xiaona came to the army one after the other and each gave Xia Qiuran five hundred yuan.

At the entrance of the military base, Xia Qiuran had no choice but to accept it, unable to refuse.

This is too extravagant! Xia Qiuran felt like the thousand yuan in her pocket was burning hotter than a potato. What if she lost it? How many years would she have to work to afford to pay back that much money? The time was almost right. It seemed she had to find an opportunity to explain this matter as soon as possible.

...

Sun Rong, who had been standing behind Xia Qiuran, immediately ran back to the infirmary and whispered everything she had seen to Bai Yunyun.

"What did you say! Yan Jun gave Xia Qiuran money, and his wife also came to find Xia Qiuran and got into a fight with her." Bai Yunyun said in surprise after hearing this.

Sun Rong nodded with absolute certainty, "Yes, I saw it all with my own eyes."

"That little slut, I told you she wasn't one to stay quiet. Sure enough, she couldn't wait to pounce on any rich guy." Bai Yunyun thought about it more and more and felt that it must be true. "Yan Jun gave her money for living together, and Wu Xiaona found out about their affair and came knocking on their door."

Xia Qiuran, let's see how you turn things around this time. I'll teach you to mess around with that vixen face of yours.

"Listen, you go right now..." Bai Yunyun whispered, pulling Sun Rong's ear close.

...

Two days later, news of Xia Qiuran breaking up someone's family and having an improper relationship spread like wildfire in the military.

She was pointed at and talked about wherever she went, and even when she went to the cafeteria, no one wanted to sit with her.

Xia Qiuran didn't care much, eating and drinking as usual, knowing that she would soon realize how delicious it was.

"Some people are really shameless. They did such dirty things and still dare to come to the cafeteria to eat." At lunchtime, Sun Rong, who was sitting at another table, rolled her eyes and said loudly on purpose.

Bai Yunyun glanced sideways, deliberately feigning nonchalance, "Let's eat quickly. Comrade Xia grew up in the countryside and is not used to the world, so it's understandable that he made a mistake for a moment."

"If all the people from the countryside were as shameless as her, what would our army become?"

"It's become a brothel."

Then came a few sneers. Bai Yunyun and her group at the table chatted back and forth, and almost everyone at the neighboring tables could hear what they were saying. They all cast disdainful glances at Xia Qiuran from time to time.

Thinking that things would be clear in a few days, Xia Qiuran ignored Bai Yunyun and the others, finished eating, picked up her lunchbox, and was about to leave.

"What are you talking about?" As they were laughing, a dark figure loomed over them. The group instinctively looked up and saw Lu Zhenghan staring at them with a serious expression.

"Commander Lu, we're telling the truth. That's what everyone in the unit is saying," Sun Rong said, forcing a smile when he saw that Bai Yunyun didn't dare to answer.

Lu Zhenghan stared sharply at Sun Rong. "Then where is your evidence?"

Sun Rong's hands trembled as she was questioned. If she didn't tell him what she had seen that day, Lu Zhenghan would definitely pursue the matter to the end, and she would have to bear the consequences alone. She wasn't that foolish to risk everything just to make Bai Yunyun happy.

"Rumors without evidence are just rumors. I don't want to hear these baseless statements in the military anymore." Seeing that everyone at the table had fallen silent, Lu Zhenghan reprimanded them a few times and walked out with a stern face.

Xia Qiuran followed immediately. It was almost time, and the couple probably realized how important the other was to them. So Xia Qiuran prepared to tell Lu Zhenghan the whole story.

"Commander Lu, thank you for just now."

"No need to thank me, I'm just telling the truth," Lu Zhenghan said as he walked.

Xia Qiuran continued, "Don't you want to ask how these rumors started?"

Lu Zhenghan suddenly stopped and looked at Xia Qiuran seriously. "I will investigate. If it's not your fault, I will give you justice. But if this matter is really related to you, the military will not allow someone with the kind of character that is rumored to be alive to stay."

No sooner had he finished speaking than a soldier came running over. "Commander Lu, Doctor Xia, Political Commissar Zhou wants to see you."

"Did they say what it was about?" Lu Zhenghan asked.

The soldier replied, "I don't know, but all the top leaders of the clothing factory are here."