On the back mountain, Ling Hang walked half a step ahead of Ye Jiawen. Whenever they came across rocky or rough patches, he would shield her.
He’d gently touch her hand to guide her, then quickly let go once the difficult section was passed.
As Ling Hang was about to release Ye Jiawen’s hand again, she reached back and held on. “Is my hand dirty or something?”
“No, not at all.”
Ling Hang knew what Ye Jiawen was really asking. Feeling a bit shy, he rubbed the back of his neck. “The truth is, ever since I met you, I’ve wanted to hold your hand the whole time. But I was afraid you’d think I was too forward, like I was trying to take advantage of you.”
“Xiao Wen, I’ve never been in a relationship before, and I haven’t really spent much time around girls. I don’t know how to act. I asked Ming Yuan, and he said the most important thing is to respect the other person and not get hands-on without their permission.”
Ye Jiawen couldn’t help but laugh. “You really are partners with Yue Mingyuan. You’re both such quiet, reserved types.”
“Alright, I give you permission to hold my hand.”
Ye Jiawen stretched out her hand toward Ling Hang. “Are you going to hold it or not?”
“Yes! I’ll hold it!”
Ling Hang grasped Ye Jiawen’s hand tightly. She tugged a little, and he immediately let go, his face full of confusion.
Ye Jiawen sighed. “You’re holding too tight. It hurts.”
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
Ling Hang carefully picked up Ye Jiawen’s hand, saw that it was indeed red, and gently blew on it a couple of times, feeling very guilty. “I don’t know my own strength.”
“You look so clever, so why are you such a fool?” Ye Jiawen was laughing so hard she was rocking back and forth.
The first time she saw Ling Hang, she really thought he was the type to be a smooth-talking playboy, someone experienced in romance.
She’d even worried that he might be playing with her feelings.
But after spending a little time with him last time, she realized he was actually a bit of a gentle, simple guy.
“Xiao Wen, you’re beautiful.”
Ling Hang stared at Ye Jiawen, completely dumbstruck. He couldn’t have looked more foolish.
Ye Jiawen couldn’t help herself. She leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
The first time they’d met, that kiss had been an accident, but it had felt so wonderful that she’d found herself thinking about it again and again.
“I… you…”
Ling Hang’s entire face turned visibly bright red. His ears and neck were flushed a deep crimson too.
Ye Jiawen was startled. “Ling Hang, are… are you okay?”
“I’m… I’m fine.”
Ling Hang stood up and started pacing back and forth, fanning himself vigorously with both hands. But it didn’t seem to help much.
“Wait for me for a second.”
Before Ye Jiawen could say anything, Ling Hang took off running and disappeared, leaving her standing there alone, utterly bewildered.
Come on, she’d only kissed him on the cheek. Anyone watching would have thought she was pure alcohol or a poisonous snake or something.
After a short while, Ling Hang came back. Seeing that his hair and face were still dripping wet, Ye Jiawen realized he’d gone to the creek to splash water on his face.
“Come here.”
Ye Jiawen beckoned to Ling Hang. He quickly walked over to her.
She took a handkerchief from her pocket to dry his face, but when she raised her hand, she realized she couldn’t reach him.
She stepped up onto a large rock behind her and dried the water from his hair and face, looking at him with smiling eyes.
Ling Hang had regained his composure. Realizing belatedly how foolish he’d acted, he felt terribly embarrassed and unconsciously avoided her gaze.
“Silly!”
Ye Jiawen gently poked Ling Hang’s forehead. He immediately caught her hand.
The rock she was standing on was a little slippery. With that pull, Ye Jiawen lost her balance and started to fall forward.
Instinctively, Ling Hang caught her in his arms. Their eyes met, and feelings stirred between them.
“Xiao Wen, I…”
Ling Hang stared at her lips and couldn’t help leaning in.
Just like last time, it was only a light, brief touch. But both their hearts were pounding loudly.
He wanted to kiss her again, but he knew that if he did, he might not be able to control himself.
He held Ye Jiawen tightly, then left a lingering kiss on her forehead.
“Xiao Wen, I know this sounds cliché, but… meeting you is the best thing.”
“Mm.”
Ye Jiawen’s heart was full of sweetness. So this is what love feels like. It really is wonderful.
They walked down to the creek. Colorful fallen leaves—red, yellow, and green—floated on the water, creating a very autumnal atmosphere.
In early autumn, the sky is a deep blue, the clouds are thin and wispy, and the air starts to turn cool. Especially here in the mountains, it’s just so refreshing and uplifting.
Usually, they talked on the phone once a week and wrote letters often, updating each other on their lives.
Truth be told, both of their lives were pretty routine. Ling Hang’s days were just training, day after day. The acting and missions he did couldn’t be shared with Ye Jiawen.
As for Ye Jiawen, her days were filled with classes, researching in the library, doing weekly legal awareness activities, and helping Tian Man write her legal column.
But even in their ordinary days, there were always small surprises. For example, Ling Hang would tell Ye Jiawen funny stories from their training, or include pressed wildflowers he’d picked from the mountains in his letters.
Ye Jiawen, in turn, would tell him about the books she was reading, movies she’d seen, and sometimes about the stray cats on campus.
She’d also send him little things in her letters, like a tiny lucky star or a paper crane.
They both carefully saved each other’s letters and these little mementos.
“When is your next leave?” Ye Jiawen asked Ling Hang.
“I’m not sure. Our leaves don’t have set dates.” Ling Hang looked at Ye Jiawen, guessing what she was thinking. “Are you finding it inconvenient to come here?”
“No, not at all. I actually really like it here. It’s just the two of us, very peaceful.”
“And the scenery is beautiful too.”
Ye Jiawen bit her lip. “It’s just that… I was hoping you could come find me at school sometime during your leave, so my classmates could meet you.”
Ling Hang agreed without hesitation. “Sure. Next chance I get, I’ll take leave. I won’t give it to someone else.”
Because he and Yue Mingyuan were the captain and vice-captain, if any of the other team members wanted leave, they would give up their own opportunity to them.
The team members took turns going on leave. Some might only get a chance once every few years, so of course, they had to let them go first.
Besides, back then, both he and Yue Mingyuan had been single and unattached. Going on leave just meant going home, and he had nowhere else to go.
It was a little better for Yue Mingyuan to go home. For Ling Hang, going home was less comfortable than staying at the base. At least the Captain and the Political Commissar didn’t nag him all the time.
But when he went home, his parents would nag him endlessly.
Every time he went back, it was the same thing: they made him go on blind dates.
Ye Jiawen suddenly spoke up. “So then… how many girls have you been set up with before?”
Ling Hang held up two fingers. “Just two. And I didn’t even end up meeting either of them properly.”
Ye Jiawen was curious. “Why not?”
“The first time, there was a pickpocket on the bus. I caught the guy and took him to the police station. By the time I got to the meeting place, I was late. The girl said I wasn’t sincere.”
“The second time, I ran into some guy harassing a woman in broad daylight. I stepped in to help, but then that woman turned around and tried to latch onto me. And of course, the girl I was supposed to be meeting saw the whole thing.”
Ye Jiawen laughed out loud. “You really have the worst luck.”
“Tell me about it. When I got home, my parents yelled at me for ages. My dad almost beat me.”
“After that, I just stopped going home as much.”
