The sound of the military bugle pierced the quiet of the island’s morning.
Qin Lie practically sprang upright in bed by reflex.
This was the biological clock engraved into his bones from over a decade of military life.
His body moved faster than his mind could think.
However, the moment he sat up, a soft sensation against his body and a slight pull on his arm brought him back to reality instantly.
He looked down abruptly.
Only then did he realize his arm was being used as a pillow by the woman in his embrace, held tightly.
His other arm was still wrapped around her slender waist.
Their bodies were pressed closely together, with no gap in between.
Her sweet, soft scent mixed with the ambiguous aroma from last night’s intimacy, rushing into his nostrils.
Boom—
Those wild, tender scenes from last night that he had forcibly suppressed once again flooded his mind like a tidal wave.
Her tears, her gasps, the way she writhed and surrendered beneath him…
Qin Lie’s face visibly flushed from the roots of his ears all the way down his neck.
A rush of heat uncontrollably began to gather in his lower abdomen again.
He felt like a green boy.
Just recalling last night’s events had caused an improper physical reaction.
It was simply… shameful!
Qin Lie irritably ran a hand through his hair.
He wanted to pull his arm out from her embrace.
But his movement disturbed the sleeping person.
Jiang Wu frowned unhappily in her sleep, holding on even tighter.
She let out a kitten-like whimper.
“Don’t make trouble…”
The voice carried the hoarseness and laziness of just waking up, soft enough to drip water.
Qin Lie’s motion to pull away froze instantly.
He looked down at her sleeping face, so close within reach.
The faint light of dawn filtered through the window, casting a soft glow over her.
Her skin was fair and fine, like the finest mutton-fat jade, without a single pore visible.
Her long eyelashes lay quietly like two little brushes.
Her small, upturned nose had a hint of playfulness.
Those lips he had kissed all night were now slightly pouted, rosy and full, like cherries waiting to be picked.
Qin Lie looked on, somewhat mesmerized.
Why had he never really looked at her properly before?
He used to think she was too seductive, too flamboyant, not the dignified and virtuous type he preferred.
But now, seeing her peaceful, obedient sleeping face stripped of all pretense, he realized she was actually very beautiful.
It was a breathtaking beauty that could steal one’s soul.
Especially when he remembered it was this very face, capable of driving any man wild, that had wept and bloomed beneath him last night…
Qin Lie’s heart began racing again, traitorously.
He embarrassedly averted his gaze, not daring to look anymore.
He was afraid if he kept looking, he would disregard the damn bugle call, ignore the morning drills about to start, and once again pin this woman to the bed to “deal with” her severely.
The moment this thought emerged, even Qin Lie himself was startled.
When had he become so… beastly?
He was a regimental commander of the People’s Liberation Army!
He should lead by example, be strict with himself!
How could he become addicted to these matters of physical intimacy?!
Qin Lie harshly berated himself in his mind.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the restlessness in his heart.
Then, with an almost rough force, he pulled his arm out from Jiang Wu’s embrace.
He threw off the thin quilt and got out of bed.
When his feet touched the cool floor, his legs uncontrollably weakened a bit.
He almost stumbled.
Last night had been truly… too wild.
He had been like a traveler parched for too long in the desert, suddenly seeing an oasis.
And then, he completely lost control.
Again and again, tirelessly taking.
Until he squeezed out the last shred of energy from her, and from himself.
Qin Lie steadied himself by holding onto the bedside, straightening up.
He didn’t dare look back at the woman on the bed.
He was afraid if he looked back, he wouldn’t be able to take another step.
He grabbed the military uniform from the stool and began putting it on haphazardly.
His movements were somewhat frantic, even akin to fleeing in disarray.
He even buttoned his shirt wrong.
Just as he finished dressing clumsily and was about to leave, a soft, slightly aggrieved voice came from behind.
“Husband, where are you going?”
Qin Lie’s body stiffened.
He didn’t turn around.
“Morning drills.”
He forced the three words out from between clenched teeth.
“Oh.”
Jiang Wu replied.
Then came a rustling sound from the bed.
Qin Lie glanced out of the corner of his eye.
He saw the woman propping herself up on her elbows, the thin quilt slipping down to her waist.
It revealed her smooth, fair shoulders and that patch of snow-white skin covered with ambiguous marks.
Qin Lie felt a sudden warmth in his nose.
He quickly turned his head, not daring to look.
“You… go back to sleep.”
His voice was taut.
“But, I’ll be scared alone when you’re gone.”
Jiang Wu’s voice sounded pitiful.
“And… I’m in so much pain.”
As she spoke, a hint of a sob crept into her voice.
“It hurts everywhere…”
Qin Lie’s heart felt as if seized by something sharp.
Sour, swollen, aching.
He knew why she was in pain.
Last night, he really had been too rough.
Especially at first, not considering it was her first time at all.
He had only been focused on venting the desires pent up for over twenty years.
Thinking of her suppressed weeping and pleas last night, a strong wave of guilt and heartache surged in Qin Lie’s heart.
He turned and walked back to the bedside.
He wanted to say “I’m sorry” to her.
But the words stuck in his throat, refusing to come out.
He was a grown man; having done it already, saying such things seemed too pretentious.
He could only reach out, somewhat clumsily, and pull the quilt up for her, covering the criminal-inspiring scene.
“You… you’ll have to bear with it for now.”
After struggling for a long time, he managed to squeeze out this utterly inept comfort.
“Tonight… tonight I’ll come back and rub it for you.”
When he said this, he absolutely refused to look at her, but his ears were red enough to drip blood.
Looking at his pure yet proud demeanor, Jiang Wu was already laughing hysterically inside.
This man was simply too adorable.
But on the surface, she still wore an expression of being on the verge of tears.
“Really?”
She blinked her watery big eyes at him.
“Mhm.”
Qin Lie nodded emphatically.
“Then come back early.”
Jiang Wu’s voice was soft and sweet.
“I’ll cook and wait for you.”
“Alright.”
Qin Lie agreed, feeling his heart was about to melt.
He didn’t dare stay a second longer.
He was afraid he truly wouldn’t be able to control himself.
He turned and strode out of the room.
His retreating back looked even more resolute than heading to the battlefield.
Watching his fleeing figure, Jiang Wu’s smile grew wider and wider.
She stretched in a languid, utterly captivating way.
Her body did feel as if it had been run over by a truck—achy and sore all over.
But her heart felt an unprecedented satisfaction.
Once you’ve tasted the marrow, you know its flavor.
This phrase wasn’t only applicable to men.
She realized she seemed a bit addicted too.
She lay back on the bed, pulling the thin quilt that still carried his scent over herself.
Then she closed her eyes and contentedly went back to sleep.
On the other side,
Qin Lie practically sprinted all the way to the training ground.
The assembly bugle for morning drills had already sounded.
The soldiers had formed neat rows.
Seeing him arrive late, looks of astonishment appeared on everyone’s faces.
After all, their Regimental Commander Qin was the unit’s “time standard.”
Always the first to arrive at the training ground, the last to leave.
Being late was simply a fantasy for him.
“What are you looking at!”
Feeling somewhat embarrassed under their gazes, Qin Lie growled.
“All personnel! Ten-kilometer weighted cross-country run! Start now!”
With a dark face, he issued a command worthy of being called “devilish.”
“Huh?!”
All the soldiers groaned in misery.
Ten-kilometer weighted cross-country first thing in the morning?
Had the regimental commander taken the wrong medicine today?
But no one dared object.
They could only put on bitter faces, pick up their gear, and start running.
Qin Lie ran at the front.
He needed this extreme physical exertion to vent the restless heat and energy in his body.
However, as he ran, images of Jiang Wu kept surfacing uncontrollably in his mind.
Her smile, her tears, her enchanting, captivating form beneath him…
“Damn it!”
Qin Lie cursed under his breath, his strides quickening.
He felt he was truly poisoned.
Poisoned by something called “Jiang Wu.”
And there was no antidote.