Mo Shangjun studied the man in front of her.
He had handsome features, with thick eyebrows slanting towards his temples and his phoenix eyes slightly upturned, giving off enchanting vibes beneath the deep black orbs, his countenance both deep-set and rugged.
The cold wind howled past, and he was dressed in Army regulars, his coat casually draped over his shoulders, swinging wantonly in the wind. Beneath the coat, he wore only a shirt, the top two buttons undone, revealing a seductively exquisite collarbone. Even this man's standing posture was relaxed, but his presence and pressure surged over, and when facing his eyes directly, it felt like even breathing was restrained.
Handsome, domineering, bewitching.
This was Mo Shangjun's assessment after taking him in.
"Commander, sir!"
Mo Shangjun barked sharply, saluting him with fluid grace.
Ten seconds ago, this man, as enchanting as a demon, had suddenly walked onto the track and blocked her path.
"Name."
He parted his thin lips, his eyes half-closed, the corners of his eyes and brows exuding indolence.
"Reporting, Mo Shangjun!" She responded reflexively. After a pause, Mo Shangjun straightened up even more and added, "Mo as in 'dark earth,' Shang as in 'heaven above,' Junjun representing refinement!"
"Why didn't you take part in the assessment?" the man asked in a low voice, his tone filled with seductive magnetism.
Oh...
Her thoughts spun a full circle, and Mo Shangjun understood his purpose.
Then, gathering her thoughts, Mo Shangjun continued with a sincere expression, "Reporting, I believe I have stated my reasons very clearly!"
"No change?"
The man stepped closer, blocking the light in front of her. The two low words, seemingly mixed with enticement, silently slipped into the depths of her ear.
Mo Shangjun looked up and met those bewitching phoenix eyes, the darkening hue betokening danger, the feeling of oppression coming from all sides.
Her gaze flitted, and Mo Shangjun tactfully revised her stance, "Not necessarily!"
"Conditions." The man frowned irritably.
"Reporting, I don't exclude the possibility that I might change my mind, but sorry, I'm just like you, unaware of what those possibilities might be!" Mo Shangjun said earnestly, her spine unconsciously straightening even more.
Pretense!
The man's eyes darkened with annoyance.
"Give you three seconds to act like a normal person," the man stared into her eyes and commanded coldly, his tone entirely authoritative.
"..."
Receiving such a bizarre order, Mo Shangjun's mouth twitched.
Tsk.
And to think she regarded him as a leader!
"Fine," she moved her wrists, relaxing her tense body, and after straightening her hat, she shrugged helplessly at him, "What exactly do you want?"
"Agree to the assessment." His words were simple and clear.
"Commander," Mo Shangjun clapped her hands lightly, raising her eyebrows with a hint of mirth in her eyes, "I'm sure you understand my meaning."
"So?" The man's eyes lifted slightly, adding a touch of evil charm to his gaze.
"Goodbye."
Having said that quickly, Mo Shangjun moved her feet to the right, planning to bypass him.
The man frowned in impatience, stretching out an arm to block her way and caught her shoulder with his palm, pulling her in front of him.
After regaining her stability, their eyes met once more, and Mo Shangjun's previously amiable smile now bore traces of impatience.
"Commander, our unit operates democratically, acting strictly according to the wishes of the subordinate warriors..." Mo Shangjun started to speak in a seemingly reasonable tone, "You know that, right?"
"That's your unit," he said lazily, completely disregarding that regulation.
"Is my attendance compulsory?" Mo Shangjun's brows twitched.
"Compulsory," the man repeated each word, leaving no room for negotiation.
"Okay, then," Mo Shangjun patted her hands, scrutinizing the man's expression as she continued to bargain, "Commander, you know I've just graduated, not much experience, unstable emotional state, easily tempted by beauty..."
"Get to the point." The man furrowed his brow, interrupting her impatiently.
"Alright," Mo Shangjun arched an eyebrow, waved off his hand, and while grabbing his shoulder, suggested with a smirk, "Commander, if you want me, it's not impossible, but you'll have to offer something in return."
Lifting his eyelids, the man barely thought before replying, "Deal."
"..."
Damn!
Despite her teasing, when Mo Shangjun heard that "deal" and then saw the man's dead-serious demeanor, the smile on her lips stiffened momentarily.
Deal?
So readily?!
This, it's reversed...
As thoughts whirled, the man spoke seriously, "Phone number."
"..."
Mo Shangjun took a few seconds to adjust her uneasy feelings, and at the last moment, before the man's expression changed, she quickly blurted out her office phone number.
After listening, the man unhooked her hand from his and then lifted his slender, attractive fingers upward. Starting from the bottom, he pushed against the brim of Mo Shangjun's camouflaged training cap, nudging it upward to reveal her smooth, full forehead. He lowered his eyelids, his gaze meeting Mo Shangjun's, a hint of a smile lurking in his faintly expressive eyes.
At that moment, a weird atmosphere spread between the two.
"Give you three days, I'll come to 'sell my looks,'" the man said with a business-like tone.
Struggling to maintain her composure for a moment, Mo Shangjun mustered her courage and squeezed out two words in response, "Waiting."
However, the man did not wait for her answer; he had turned away the moment she spoke.
Amidst the howling cold wind and the swaying of the overcoat, that tall, straight figure, along with a shade of army green, gradually moved out of sight.
It wasn't until the man got into the car that Mo Shangjun's thoughts were pulled back, and she furrowed her brow with a headache.
Damn it!
If I had known, I wouldn't have bantered with him...
Pausing for a moment, Mo Shangjun pressed down the brim of her cap, her peripheral vision catching a glimpse of the departing jeep, and she irritably withdrew her gaze.
*
Noon.
After lunch, Mo Shangjun arrived at the training ground to see a group of people assembled under the leadership of three platoon leaders.
"Are we ready?"
Approaching, Mo Shangjun asked Lin Qi with knitted brows.
"Reporting, all present!" Lin Qi reported decisively and energetically.
"Oh," Mo Shangjun nodded, glanced at her watch, then said very casually, "Platoon leaders, you may go."
"..."
The three platoon leaders at the front of the formation looked at each other in confusion upon hearing this.
"Want to train together?" Mo Shangjun asked with a lifted lip, seemingly relaxed.
"Yes!" The three simultaneously returned their gazes and shouted in unison.
"..."
Mo Shangjun was quite speechless.
Were they really afraid she'd work their warriors to death?
"Fine, a ten-kilometer cross-country, platoon leaders to supervise and record times, those not up to standard will do it again," Mo Shangjun said, hands behind her back.
"Report!" Lai Liang called out loudly.
"Speak," Mo Shangjun looked at him.
"And you?!" Staring at her intently, Lai Liang asked sternly.
"I had intended to join them for the run, but with you all here..." Mo Shangjun smiled, "I'm going to catch up on some sleep."
"..."
Instantly, everyone present was collectively lost for words.
Damn it, she can't just slack off and ditch them like that!
"Goodbye."
Waving her hand at them, Mo Shangjun entrusted the task to them with ease.
One of the platoon leaders, Zhang Zheng, was sincere and could possibly go easy on them, but Lin Qi and Lai Liang, despite caring for their own warriors, would not do unnecessary things to deceive her. Thus, Mo Shangjun felt relatively assured leaving the task in their hands.
However, Mo Shangjun told them she was going to "catch up on some sleep" and didn't head to the dormitory, but to the office instead.
"Yo, you came at the perfect time."
Just as she pushed open the door, Mo Shangjun heard Lang Yan's cheerful voice.
Hesitating, Mo Shangjun was about to close the door quietly, but Lang Yan was too quick; he was already at her side in a flash.
"Commander, good," she said, leaning against the door and squeezing out a smile.
Lang Yan's smile was innocent like a child's, yet he forcefully stuffed a stack of A4 papers into her arms, "These are the new recruits' files. They are arriving on Monday. Get familiar with them; you'll be in charge of assigning them."
"...Oh."