"Commander, don't you think you should give me an extra two points for my performance today?" Xiao Jing asked cheekily as she tugged at his sleeve.
Shen Chengfeng looked down at the hand which was tugging his sleeve. He pushed it away easily, before saying coldly in response, "You may rest for half a day today."
As soon as he had finished speaking, Shen Chengfeng shifted the gear stick, then drove off once again.
The afternoon sun baked the entire camp in an unbearable wave of heat.
Jiang Xin pushed open the door to the dorm and collapsed to the ground like a puddle of melted ice.
Cheng Chen walked over and half-crouched next to him, his brows furrowed as he asked, "Jiang Xin, don't you think our Commander has been behaving weirdly these days?"
Jiang Xin rolled over and stared at the ceiling. He then laughed to himself before responding to Cheng Chen's question. "What is so weird about our Commander's behavior? Is it the fact he spends all day hanging out with that Xiao Jing?"
"Yes, yes, yes. That's it. Since when has the Commander ever bothered training a recruit himself? And with such meticulous planning too."
"Well, you know what unique body characteristics our Commander has. We don't even dare to have minimal contact with him, not to mention engaging in one-on-one combat with him. Now that he has found someone whom he could physically touch or even kiss, don't you think he would want to spend some time studying the specimen?"
Cheng Chen didn't have a good response to that.
Jiang Xin sat up with a start, a mischievous smile spreading on his face. "Xiao Jing is merely a test subject to our Commander. Or did you think there is something between them?"
"Ahem, ahem." Cheng Chen pondered for a moment, then answered with a nod.
"You're right. Although Xiao Jing looks pretty delicate, he is a man. The Commander must be taken with Xiao Jing because he has met no one else like him. After the novelty wears off, he will probably send him back."
"Thump, thump, thump." Outside the dorm, Mu Xichi was knocking lightly on the door. "The Commander wants us to look for him in his office," he said to them.
Jiang Xin leaped up from the floor and jumped in front of Mu Xichi, a cheeky smile on his face. "The Commander didn't come back last night, right?"
Mu Xichi shot a glance at him, put on his military cap, then shrugged his shoulders as he replied, "The Commander has been busy coming up with a battle plan. Where would he find time to show us his face?"
"Why is the Commander with Xiao Jing?" Cheng Chen caught sight of the little figure who came out of the SUV, just as he was heading down the stairs.
Xiao Jing saluted towards the SUV, then walked straight up to them.
"Why do I feel that things aren't as simple as they seem on the surface?" mused Jiang Xin, as he raised his eyebrows.
Looking at the three statutes standing before her, Xiao Jing asked cordially, "Are you guys getting ready to go for training?"
Mu Xichi snorted. "We have tasks to tend to, unlike you rookies."
Xiao Jing turned around, only to see Mu Xichi march off haughtily. There was an indescribably sour smell in the air. "Has there been a misunderstanding?" Xiao Jing asked as she smacked her lips.
Mu Xichi was standing at attention before the vehicle. "Commander," he greeted.
"Come with me," Shen Chengfeng opened the car door, got out, and circled the car to head towards another building.
After returning to the dorm, Xiao Jing rubbed her aching shoulders and threw herself onto the bed.
"Knock, knock, knock," the knocking sounds echoed throughout the room.
Xiao Jing opened her eyes sleepily and slapped her face lightly to wake herself up, before walking over to the door.
Lin Qi smiled when the door was finally opened. "I came over as soon as I heard you were back."
"Is anything the matter, Lieutenant Colonel Lin?" asked Xiao Jing as she eyed the bag he was holding in his hand.
Lin Qi got straight to the point. "From our first group training, I found out that you can't swim."
Xiao Jing was someone they would call a landlubber. She did not even dare to be near a swimming pool, let alone swim. Wouldn't her identity be exposed if she went swimming with her awkward body?
Lin Qi dragged her out from the dorm and said solemnly, "Everyone is taking a break right now, so I will bring you to the pool to practice. I heard that there's going to be a diving exercise in two days. You will get points deducted if you can't swim."
Xiao Jing smiled wryly. "I can practice on my own. Thank you for the kind intentions, Lieutenant Colonel Lin."
"We are all teammates, so let us dispense with the formalities. Change into these trunks," said Lin Qi as he handed over the paper bag.
Xiao Jing's smile became increasingly frozen. Swimming trunks!
What was she supposed to do? Go topless?