Once clear of Xincheng, daylight began to fade. They had crossed into Northern Faction territory; their destination lay just ahead. After two days without proper rest, Su Fuying could no longer fight off exhaustion. She leaned against the window and drifted into a drowse.
Beside her, Song Bo and Yu Sui rode with furrowed brows, watching the rutted, muddy road. At dinnertime they stopped in a small town and ate simply. While Su Fuying stepped away, Song Bo and Yu Sui spoke quietly outside.
“General—along the road just now, there were at least two sets of deep wheel tracks,” Yu Sui said gravely. “I suspect—”
“Soldiers. And weapons,” Song Bo said, his voice low. “Such movement cannot go unseen.”
Yu Sui’s frown deepened. “I fear some among those stationed in Xincheng have already sworn allegiance to another master.”
Song Bo motioned Shi Chang over and gave orders. “Remain here. Trace where those tracks lead. When our escort from Haishi arrives, take them through the checkpoint into Xincheng. Say I sent you to inspect the reconstruction works. And investigate—what exactly in Xincheng has gone amiss.”
“Understood!”
Post-war reconstruction in Xincheng had been slow; its population and economy remained small. In hindsight, that isolation had made it an ideal haven for those plotting rebellion. When Su Fuying returned, Shi Chang had already departed by another route. She had sensed the gravity between Song Bo and Yu Sui when they stopped, and asked no questions.
The car resumed its journey, and exhaustion overtook her. She remembered leaning against the window. Then she remembered leaning against Song Bo’s shoulder. When she woke, she was lying in his arms, wrapped in his suit coat.
At her movement, Song Bo opened his eyes. His gaze was heavy—not with sleep, but with something else. Su Fuying sat up quickly and returned his coat. Only then did she notice that his face was flushed deep red. He touched his ear, his voice rough and low. “Sleep a little longer.”
Su Fuying shook her head and held out the coat. “I am rested. The night air is cool—you should wear this.”
Song Bo took it from her. “We have crossed into Northern Capital territory. We shall arrive shortly.”
Su Fuying looked out. Darkness covered the land; only the headlights cut through the blackness. She had slept deeply, warm and safe in his arms.
Shortly before one o’clock in the morning, they reached Northern Capital. Their hotel rooms were ready. Su Fuying, wide awake, soaked in a bath. Elsewhere, Song Bo stood beneath steaming water, his mind fixed on the weight and warmth of her in his arms. Heat flowed over him, and his chest burned red—whether from the water or something else he could not say. Only when he turned the tap to cold did the flush slowly fade.
Su Fuying rose at dawn. The morning hours were clearest, and she spent them reviewing her notes. An hour before the exam, she walked to the examination hall. Song Bo stood at a distance, watching her enter. In that moment, she realized she studied not merely for herself.
The first paper was Classical Chinese. She read the question—and paused.
Essay: Discuss the difficulties and solutions in post-war reconstruction.
Su Fuying wrote systematically:
I. Difficulties
Funding — Rebuilding infrastructure and resettling the displaced requires vast resources.
Labor and Skill — Restoration demands skilled artisans and engineers, now scarce.
Social Stability — Relief alone is not enough; livelihoods and order must be restored.
II. Solutions
Restore public order and moral purpose.
Call upon the young to serve…
And then, driven by a sudden, urgent thought, she added these final words:
“Enemy aircraft, cannons, and weapons yet more terrible may descend upon us at any hour. We must not wait to die. We must cast off ignorance and slumber—and awaken!”
Only when the bell rang did she return to her senses. She had drifted far beyond the question.
The next day’s English examination came easily. When she finished and walked out, Song Bo was not there. Tong Da waited alone and opened the car door.
“Miss Su—the General was called to an official banquet. He asked me to bring you back to the hotel.”
Since becoming betrothed, Su Fuying had received invitations—tea parties, dinners, receptions. She had never been so sought after. But she had declined them all to study.
Her mood was troubled. Northern Capital University was the nation’s finest; every mark mattered. Yet her essay… She shook her thoughts aside, set down her bag, and turned to tomorrow’s subjects.
As evening fell, hunger finally drew her to the door. Before she could leave, a knock sounded. She opened to find Song Bo in full uniform.
“I thought you were at a banquet,” she said.
“A formality. I stayed only long enough to be seen.”
“Have you eaten?”
“Not yet. I was reading.”
“A restaurant serving Haishi cuisine has recently opened here,” he said. “Let me take you. You must be longing for familiar flavors.”
It had been nearly a week since they left home. She nodded softly.
It was her first time walking through Northern Capital. Where Haishi blazed with modern lights, this city retained its gravity and tradition. More men wore long silk robes; the air felt older, sterner, less open.
After dinner, Song Bo was called away again. Tong Da explained that he remained in meetings with the President and Premier. Su Fuying knew little of military politics—yet she understood well enough what they truly discussed: aircraft, and the technology Song Bo alone held. Even incomplete, his knowledge gave him power they could only envy.
On the final day, she walked out aimlessly and looked up—beneath the shade of young trees, Song Bo stood straight and still in his grey tunic. His bearing and fine features drew every eye. Yet he had come alone.
“Where are Yu Sui and Tong Da?” she asked, stepping toward him. It troubled her to see him unescorted.
“Tong Da is repairing the automobile—it showed fault this morning. Yu Sui remains at the Government Offices.”
She remembered Tong Da mentioning trouble with the car. The vehicle had carried them unceasingly—from Haishi to Southern Capital, then here—without rest.
Song Bo turned slightly and gestured for her to walk beside him. “Come. Let me show you the city.”