One step, two steps, three steps…
With Shen Chengfeng inching closer and closer, Xiao Jing had no choice but to back up against the wall. As usual, the tall figure obscured her line of sight. She was essentially facing an insurmountable mountain.
Shen Chengfeng lifted Xiao Jing's chin and gazed intently into her eyes. "Don't think too highly of yourself and don't think you're special. The fact that you are immune to me may be surprising, but if I were to look at it from another perspective, you are a threat to my existence."
Xiao Jing held her breath, worried that her temperamental Commander would suddenly reach out for her neck. After all, he just called her a threat!
Shen Chengfeng tucked a hand into his pocket and twisted his head to look at the remnants of the sunset. "You ought to be relieved that you are my comrade and not my enemy," he said coldly.
Xiao Jing coughed lightly and barely managed to squeeze out a wry smile. "Commander, I vow my undying loyalty to you. Even if there is a knife on my neck, I am yours. In both life and death," she proclaimed.
Shen Chengfeng stared unblinkingly at her without saying a single word. His sharp eyes took a good, long look at Xiao Jing, as if trying to cut through her pretense.
Xiao Jing's scalp was tingling from the way he was staring at her, so she tried to divert the topic by pointing to the canteen in the distance. "Wow, I'm famished. If we don't get going, the canteen is going to close soon."
Staring at Xiao Jing from the corner of his eye as she ran away haphazardly, Shen Chengfeng's fists tightened. He was becoming more and more curious about Xiao Jing.
...
It was now midnight, and rest time for most of them. The entire camp was shrouded in darkness.
Xiao Jing immediately locked the door behind her as soon as she returned to her room. She removed her shirt and unraveled the white bandages from her body.
She picked a t-shirt that was at least two sizes too big and put it on. The oversized t-shirt was loose on her, and not all fitting. She lay on the bed and was finally able to relax for a bit.
"Ah, how comfortable," Xiao Jing let out a sound of relief.
"Knock, knock, knock," the quiet knocking on the door had sounded particularly jarring in the peaceful night.
Xiao Jing sat up alertly and instinctively tugged at her blanket. "Who's that?" she asked cautiously.
"Second Lieutenant Xiao, it's me," replied Lin Qi, who was standing outside the door.
"Is anything the matter, Lieutenant Colonel Lin?" Xiao Jing was feeling a bit more relaxed, now that she was sure that the door had been locked.
Lin Qi continued speaking, "You left your medication behind in the infirmary, so I brought it over for you."
"It's okay. My body has already recovered, so there's no need for me to take any medicine. Thanks for your kind thoughts, Lieutenant Colonel Lin. It's late. I'm going to bed now."
"Alright, I won't disturb you then," Lin Qi shrugged helplessly and put the medication back into his pocket.
Xiao Jing let out the breath she had been holding and sat up with a start. She decided that it was better to play safe and not let herself get too comfortable.
After removing her clothes, she got ready to wrap herself in the long, white bandages.
"Bam, bam, bam." Before she could do so, there was a loud knocking from the door. Somebody was knocking so hard that it felt as if the floor was shaking.
Xiao Jing was at her wits' end. Scrambling back onto her bed, she asked,
"Lieutenant Colonel Lin, is anything else the matter?"
"Who's Lieutenant Colonel Lin? It's me, open the door. I need to talk to you," Xiao Zheng's gruff voice came from the other side of the door.
Xiao Jing's pupils constricted. She had no time to wrap herself in the white bandages because there was no doubt that Xiao Zheng would break the door down and barge into the room within thirty seconds.
As expected, within half a minute, a corner of the locked door broke off, and it forced open not long after.
Xiao Jing quickly stuffed the white bandages underneath her blanket and sat near the head of her bed awkwardly. Fortunately, the room was dark enough. And her Third Brother, was, as they would say, 'one sandwich short of a picnic,' so he would probably not notice that anything was amiss.
"What took you so long?" asked Xiao Zheng as he helped himself to two cups of tea from the teapot.
Instead of answering the question directed at her, Xiao Jing instead asked, "What is Third Brother doing here so late?"
"Father has returned from Country F. There is a family banquet next Tuesday, which you have not attended for the past two years. I guess you won't be attending this year either," said Xiao Zheng with a bemused expression as he pulled up a chair for himself.
"I already got someone to pass a message to my mother. I won't be attending this year."
"I think it is better that you make a trip back this year," said Xiao Zheng as he looked down at Xiao Jing. There seemed to be something odd about his fourth brother.
Turning around and avoiding eye contact, Xiao Jing mumbled, "I don't have any time off now, and can't leave at short notice. It would be considered an absence from duty."
"So what if it's considered an absence from duty? It's not like we can't survive without Steel Eagle. If you find it boring here, come over to my Shining Tiger. I could accompany you to look at flowers, look at the moon, and look around the camp."
"If Third Brother came all the way to tell me this, I have already gotten your message. It's getting late, you should head back," Xiao Jing kept looking in the direction of the door.
Xiao Jing turned his head, and with the dim light from the corridor, took a good look at her. He asked in surprise, "What's with your clothes?"
Xiao Jing's mouth twitched. She propped herself against the desk and deliberately leaned forward. "Oh, it's just Xiao Ye's old shirt from two years ago. I often wear it after training."
Xiao Zheng coughed. "It's fine that you're wearing it in front of me, but don't wear it in front of outsiders. It's unbecoming."
"Got it."
Xiao Zheng finally got up. Taking a quick look around, he then said, "I'll take my leave now before the devil incarnate finds out and gives you sh*t."
After the door was closed, peace was restored in the room.
Feeling relieved, Xiao Jing sat on the side of her bed again, and produced the white bandages, getting ready to wrap herself in them.
"Ddu…" The siren suddenly sounded.
Xiao Jing reflexively jumped up from her bed. The white bandages were still in her hand, but her legs were taking her towards the door.
God, are you playing with me!
I will get into trouble if I'm late, but I will also be in trouble if I don't wrap myself in the bandages.
Damned if I do, damned if I don't!
Pen in his hand, Mu Xichi asked the latecomer with a grin, mocking her, "Nice of you to finally show up, Second Lieutenant Xiao."
Xiao Jing took her spot at the end of the row, then explained to him, "The instructor told me that I was now under the Commander, so I wasn't sure as to whether I should turn up."
"And you decided to saunter in like you own the place?" Mu Xichi pursed his lips, and closed the file he was holding. "The last one does a hundred fist push-ups," he said resoundingly.
Xiao Jing did not have any complaints and crouched down immediately. Using her hands to support her body weight, she perfectly executed the push-ups.
"What are you doing?" A low, manly voice came from above her.
"Major Mu said I was late," she replied breathlessly.
Shen Chengfeng stared expressionlessly at the person standing at the front of the line, and said flatly, "He's neither the Commander nor the instructor. Why should you listen to him?"
Xiao Jing's trembling arms gave way, and she lay flat on the ground. "Should I not listen to him then?" she asked wryly.
"In Steel Eagle, only what I say matters. I make the rules," said Shen Chengfeng, as his gaze swept across everyone present. "When one person makes a mistake, everyone gets punished. Everyone, do a hundred fist push-ups!" he said emphatically.