Jiang Chengzhou followed the soldier’s pointing finger.
At the far end of the muddy training ground, Shen Man stood spotless amid a crowd of dust-covered men, so beautiful that she looked almost “out of place.”
Like a mountain spirit or demon who had come specifically to beguile people.
Jiang Chengzhou shoved the training rifle in his hands at the soldier beside him and strode toward her.
Shen Man saw him and walked over as well.
“Don’t move! It’s all mud here!”
He had been in the army for so long that he always sounded a little too stern.
Shen Man flinched, then frowned.
“What are you yelling at me for?”
The muddy ground was slippery, and Jiang Chengzhou was walking quickly. His soles sent a string of muddy droplets flying behind him. Only when he reached her did he slow down.
“When was I yelling?”
Shen Man didn’t answer. She pushed the scarf in her arms against his chest.
“Aren’t you going up the mountain in a couple of days? Wear this. It’s cold up there.”
Jiang Chengzhou looked down at the scarf, then smiled and took a step back, raising both hands for her to see.
“Look how filthy my hands are. Hold it for me while I wash them.”
He was only in his twenties, but his hands looked nothing like a young man’s should.
His palms were broad, his knuckles prominent, and his fingers and the webs between them were covered in thick calluses. Fine cracks and traces of dirt showed through the skin.
A sudden ache tightened Shen Man’s heart. Rising onto her toes, she reached up and looped the scarf around his neck.
“Hey,” Jiang Chengzhou said, not daring to move.
Shen Man wrapped the scarf properly and said flatly, “I’ve never seen any of you clean anyway. So what if it gets dirty?”
Jiang Chengzhou smiled and let her do as she pleased.
The people around them had all fallen silent, grinning foolishly.
Jiang Chengzhou swept his gaze over them, then turned to Shen Man. “Come with me.”
He led her around the training ground to the narrow space between a row of tents. It was sheltered from the wind and quiet.
“You came all this way just to bring me a scarf?”
Shen Man looked up at him. “What else would it be?”
Jiang Chengzhou chuckled. “Nothing. I’m about to head up the mountain, so take care of yourself. Try not to go wandering around.”
Shen Man nodded. After a moment’s hesitation, she said, “You too. Be careful.”
They exchanged a smile. Jiang Chengzhou went into the tent and came back out with several letters.
“Shen Man, these are letters I wrote to my family. Keep them for now. If I come back, give them back to me. If I don’t…” He paused. “Take them home for me.”
“Spit it out! Spit it out!”
Shen Man glared at him. “What’s wrong with you? Hurry up and take it back.”
“Spit, spit, spit,” Jiang Chengzhou obediently said, then smiled. “I’ll definitely come back. I’m just preparing for the worst.”
“There is no worst.” Shen Man’s expression turned serious. “You will come back.”
“All right.” Jiang Chengzhou started to raise a hand to pat her head, but when he saw the mud covering it, he withdrew it again. “It’s still dangerous here. If you get the chance, ask your professor to transfer you to a hospital in the rear. They need people there too.”
“Worry about yourself,” Shen Man retorted.
Jiang Chengzhou smiled. “I’ll walk you back.”
Shen Man nodded, and the two of them walked back side by side.
They said nothing along the way. It wasn’t until they were nearly at the temporary medical station that Jiang Chengzhou stopped.
The moment Shen Man entered her tent, she remembered the packets of biscuits she had meant to give him.
She grabbed them and ran back, but Jiang Chengzhou had long legs and moved quickly. He was already nowhere in sight.
Clutching the biscuits, Shen Man chased after him. After rounding several tents, she heard Jiang Chengzhou and several soldiers laughing and joking in the distance.
She stopped short and instinctively pressed herself against the back of a tent, no longer moving forward.
“Platoon leader, Doctor Shen is your girlfriend, isn’t she? She even brought you a scarf. How thoughtful.”
Jiang Chengzhou’s voice immediately followed. “Stop talking nonsense. Doctor Shen and I grew up together. She gave me the scarf out of kindness, so don’t go spreading rumors and ruining her reputation.”
Behind the tent, Shen Man stood motionless, her fingers unconsciously tightening around the biscuits.
“I think Doctor Shen has feelings for you, Platoon leader.”
Someone else, evidently unafraid of death, continued.
Jiang Chengzhou’s voice suddenly rose. “Do you all have nothing better to do? Anyone who says another word about Doctor Shen will run five kilometers!”
Shen Man remained behind the tent for a while before turning and walking away.
Jiang Chengzhou hadn’t said anything wrong. In fact, he had been defending her. And yet, seeing how afraid he was of being associated with her made Shen Man a little angry.
She didn’t know why she was angry. She had never been someone who liked losing her temper.
The next morning, Shen Man still delivered the biscuits.
Jiang Chengzhou didn’t notice anything unusual. He accepted them without the slightest hesitation.
Not long afterward, Jiang Chengzhou went back up the mountain.
Shen Man continued as before, throwing herself into her work.
Then, a month later, the authorities suddenly ordered all the medical personnel to relocate to a rear field hospital.
Shen Man asked around everywhere, trying to find out how Jiang Chengzhou was doing.
But she was only a doctor and had no authority to inquire about such matters.
After going in circles, Shen Man could only return disappointed, pack her belongings, and leave with the rest of the team.
The order to relocate came abruptly. They received it that morning and were expected to depart by noon.
Shen Man and the others hurried to pack up their instruments and medicine in preparation for evacuation.
The road leading out was too narrow for vehicles. They had to cross two mountains before they could reach the trucks.
The mountain paths were muddy and difficult to traverse, but no one complained.
Halfway there, an explosion suddenly rang out ahead. A moment later came the sound of dense gunfire.
The more frightened everyone became, the quieter they grew. They all understood that they must not make a sound and cause trouble for the soldiers.
The soldiers around them immediately closed ranks, gathering the medical personnel in the middle and shielding them as they retreated toward the woods along the roadside.
The gunfire drew closer and closer. It was clearly an exchange of fire, and the fighting was not far away.
Shen Man heard several muffled sobs behind her. She hugged the medical case tightly to her chest and didn’t dare slow down. Even when a dull ache began to spread through her leg, she forced herself to keep pace with the others.
The woods were dim, the canopy overhead blocking out the sky completely.
Shen Man planted one foot badly and stumbled sideways. The medical case slipped from her hand.
A dark figure suddenly appeared beside her. He caught the case with one hand, seized her elbow with the other, and pulled her onward.
Once she had regained her balance, Shen Man studied the person beside her through the gloom.
In a low voice, she asked, “Jiang Chengzhou?”
“It’s me.” Jiang Chengzhou gave a soft laugh. “You can recognize me even like this?”
He was wearing camouflage fatigues, and a layer of dark yellow mud had been smeared across his cheeks to dull the reflection of his skin, leaving only a pair of deep, black eyes visible.
If he had been lying motionless on the ground, it would have been nearly impossible to spot him.
Seeing that he could still laugh at a time like this, Shen Man shot him an annoyed glare. But the panic and pounding in her chest from moments earlier had eased considerably.
