The deep autumn in the mountains was carpeted with fallen leaves.
Wind swept across the undulating mountains, bringing waves of desolation.
The wind from south to north swept all the way to the compound of the 044 Land Warfare Division a hundred kilometers away. Everyone had finished their hot and heavy training, Gu Wenshan, in combat fatigues, was preparing to run a few more laps.
Commander Liu was over fifty with an air of vitality. He pointed at Gu Wenshan running laps and said to the adjutant beside him: “Tell him to come to my office for a meal in the small kitchen once he finishes in the morning.”
After running his laps, Gu Wenshan had not sweated much. He glanced at his watch, then went to the office to hold a meeting with his subordinate cadres to finalize matters for the winter field training exercises. He then handled several other matters.
The military, like local units, grew busier as year’s end approached. He alone was being used as three people.
When the morning ended, he came as promised to Commander Liu’s office, and after knocking and entering, discovered a young woman in her twenties bending over to place lunch boxes on the tea table.
“Come, hot dumplings, little Mu and your godmother made them together,” said Commander Liu, gesturing as he sat at the edge of the tea table first.
He also said to little Mu: “You sit down and eat too, you have been busy all morning, haven’t you? The supply officer rarely comes across good lamb, making lamb dumplings was perfect timing for now.”
What more needed to be said? Gu Wenshan already smelled the aroma of a Hongmen banquet [1]the aroma of a Hongmen banquet (hong men yan, 鴻門宴) Idiom, a historical allusion to a feast that is really a trap for the guest of honor jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3398835_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3398835_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); in the air.
He sat impassively across from Commander Liu, maintaining maximum distance from Comrade Mu. While eating, he remained silent, speaking only if Commander Liu opened the conversation first.
Gu Wenshan could feel Mu Ying’s stolen glances, and he ate the dumplings expressionlessly, then stood up, saluted Commander Liu, and turned to leave.
“Stand there,” said Commander Liu, his voice like a bell, full of vigor: “You eat, wipe your mouth, and then leave, don’t you know to thank the person?”
Gu Wenshan, taking the good-natured path, looked toward Mu Ying and nodded to her: “Thank you.”
Mu Ying: “…”
He was truly stingy with words.
Commander Liu was beside himself with frustration, he knew Gu Wenshan wore two faces—one with brothers and another with female comrades. Single women in Gu Wenshan’s eyes were worse than floods and fierce beasts!
“Sit down, let me introduce you to her.”
Commander Liu had accepted an assignment from Mu Ying’s father, knowing she had years of affection for Gu Wenshan, both were children of comrades, and he was willing to help, with others, he would not be.
After years in the military, Gu Wenshan suppressed his thorny nature and asked Commander Liu: “Does this count as a military order or a personal order?”
Commander Liu laughed despite his irritation: “If it were a personal order, you would not listen? After all, I am still your elder.”
Gu Wenshan also laughed.
He was handsome, and when he smiled, his eyes were like ice melting on a frozen lake, ripples opening across the surface, his powerful aura becoming much softer.
Mu Ying almost dropped the aluminum lunch box, but Gu Wenshan caught it with quick hands and keen eyes: “I ate it, I will wash it, thank you.”
Mu Ying, mindful of Commander Liu’s presence, tucked her hair behind her ear and said: “I heard you took on a mission, you need to transport armed supplies—”
“What is being transported is simply ordinary supplies for the village people to use for the winter,” said Gu Wenshan, glancing at Commander Liu, unsure where she had heard this from.
Commander Liu sighed inwardly, though not a classified mission, the fewer people who knew about such things the better, yet this girl lacked any sense, just saying it out loud so carelessly.
Having touched his bottom line, Gu Wenshan said nothing further, bade Commander Liu farewell, and walked toward the door.
“I, I will come get the lunch box from you later,” said Mu Ying, realizing she had misspoken, steeling herself, she tried to create an opportunity for another meeting.
Gu Wenshan closed the door as if he had not heard. He had to go discipline people who talked too much.
Mu Ying deflated and sat on the sofa, she had not seen Gu Wenshan very often these past few years.
Gu Wenshan had been stationed in the mountain city military district, not far from his hometown, if one did not know better, they would think he had a woman holding him back there, otherwise why would he not seek transfer to the central military command in Beijing?
After finishing a busy day, Gu Wenshan played a basketball match with the soldiers in the afternoon. Finding the military undershirt with sweat clinging to his body uncomfortable, he took it off and threw it on the steps, revealing his muscular and fierce upper body.
His good comrade and partner Stone Zhibing wiped the sweat and reached over to pinch the muscles on Gu Wenshan’s arm, sighing: “You are already frightening enough, taking off your shirt makes it even more so. No wonder you cannot find a match.”
He asked jokingly: “How about we draw straws—the loser buys soda pop?”
Gu Wenshan also joked: “I lose nine out of ten, do you never learn?”
Stone Zhibing was a company political commissar and had partnered with Gu Wenshan for many years, the two never held back in conversation. Just as they were about to draw straws, Stone Zhibing saw Mu Ying standing not far away with a bottle of Bei Bing Yang soda pop, it was unclear how long she had been watching.
Gu Wenshan turned his back, his wheat-colored back still had beads of sweat rolling down it. Fresh from exercise, his muscles were taut and vital, extremely sexy.
But he did not let the woman see.
Nor did he mind that his undershirt was still damp, he quickly put it on and said to Stone Zhibing: “Old Shi, come on, I am buying you soda pop.”
Stone Zhibing laughed and cried, turning to block the gap between Gu Wenshan and the approaching Mu Ying, serving as a dutiful tool.
Mu Ying knew Stone Zhibing was one of Gu Wenshan’s troublemakers. Gu Wenshan had been the type to be heeded with a single call back in the courtyard, many boys took pride in being his brother.
She knew Gu Wenshan was difficult when it came to the opposite sex, the dumplings eaten, her heart also grew cold. If she had not seen what just happened, she would have already given up.
A man’s body—just showing it off was stingy, it was hard to imagine what kind of woman could possess such a hormone-exploding masculine physique.
Could any woman ever be able to touch his body? Mu Ying thought it impossible. Gu Wenshan’s every action was as if he wanted to become a monk. Sooner or later he would surely convert.
Mu Ying bit her lip, troubled with a hint of hope.
Gu Wenshan’s dormitory was in the red brick building in the eastern district, like other single men, two to a room with desk opposite desk and bunk beds. The bathhouse and washroom were in one, and after bathing one could go straight outside to wash clothes.
He did not like the adjutant washing his clothes, after bathing, he would scrub them himself and hang them in the corridor alongside others’.
Stone Zhibing also came out from the bathhouse, picked his teeth with a toothbrush, and looked up at what Gu Wenshan had hung, he could not help but exclaim “Whoa,” even his underwear was a size larger than everyone else’s. His future wife would suffer, huh.
He harbored such thoughts but would absolutely never joke about this with Gu Wenshan, Gu Wenshan could really beat him.
When the lights-out signal sounded at night, Gu Wenshan turned off his desk lamp and went to bed.
Since some point unknown, he had started anticipating the young woman’s arrival. He had not dreamed of her these past few days and felt somewhat disappointed.
He finally fell asleep and soon felt the cat-like footsteps around his ear, opening his eyes slightly, he saw the slender woman sticking her bottom out as she pulled open a drawer, searching through personal items.
Her movements were somewhat clumsy, she accidentally dropped a pen on the floor and quickly bent down to pick it up. Her slender waist and round buttocks were displayed innocently before him. Her calves were straight and slender, her naked ankle’s skin fine and glowing white.
The thin mist in the space flickered, Gu Wenshan could hear Stone Zhibing’s sleep snoring. He regretted sleeping shirtless, secretly getting up, he went around behind the woman, startling her so she turned around quickly and collided with him carelessly.
Softness collided with firmness, Gu Wenshan’s heartbeat raced. He lowered his head to observe the woman’s face, this time it seemed somewhat clearer than last time.
“Not looking for me anymore?” Gu Wenshan’s voice deepened as he circled the woman between himself and the desk with his body. Tendrils of hair that swayed slightly from her turning scattered the fragrance that captivated him.
Indeed it was the sweet, cloying scent of gardenia flowers.
Gu Wenshan sniffed inconspicuously and discovered the woman was pushing against his chest with her hand.
Her palm was somewhat cool, discovered, she was like a startled fawn, wanting to struggle but afraid of actually waking Gu Wenshan, and at a loss—unable to handle him in dreams, she would be even more defeated in reality.
“Let me go,” said Xiangzhi, clutching the writing paper she had found, on which was the military unit’s address! She had thought it was unnoticed.
Gu Wenshan pretended not to see, instead grasped Xiangzhi’s hand and pressed it against his chest, holding it tight, and asked again: “Tell me your name.”
Scalding skin and a pounding heart… the little spirit’s face flushed instantly, she felt her palm touching his chest as if it would catch fire.
Xiangzhi pushed against him: “If you cannot even guess this, you are too stupid. Your scent is everywhere, how could you not guess?”
“Thank you for saving me, I want to repay you,” Gu Wenshan said patiently, his tone uniquely gentle: “Are you a ghost or a fairy?”
Xiangzhi was exasperated, thinking to herself: For flowers’ sake, can I not just live in the middle ranks as a carefree little spirit?
Xiangzhi took a deep breath, the man’s flesh scent was all in her palm, she willed herself to keep her small hand from trembling—she had to find the person to eat him.
Feeling the woman wanting to pull her hand back, Gu Wenshan mischievously increased his grip, making escape impossible. He had the air of saying that if she did not let him repay her, he would not let go.
After a long while, the woman lowered her head and said nothing. Gu Wenshan could not help but look, and after his shock, he laughed and released his hand.
Xiangzhi in alarm covered her face, and from between her fingers dripped drops of blood…
Xiangzhi was humiliated beyond measure, she wanted to slap him again, but feared he would use it as an excuse to circle her in his arms and bully her, angered, she stamped her foot and escaped underground.
Gu Wenshan unexpectedly saw a pair of eyes glistening with spring water, after his shock, he reached over to close the window, hoping the sweet gardenia fragrance would linger a bit longer.
She got away again.
Now that he had to stamp out demons and devils, he could not ask others about strange matters, which would let people with ulterior motives seize on him.
Gu Wenshan thought for a moment, then reluctantly reopened the window, letting the scent filling the room dissipate.
***
Xiangzhi hurried back to the sent-down youth dormitory that night, the nosebleed had stopped.
She woke up the sleeping You Xiu and said in a low voice: “Look at what is written here?”
You Xiu squinted and yawned, and at the beautiful illiterate’s request read: “Liberation Army 044 Combat Division, mailing address as follows…”
Xiangzhi carefully memorized the address, after You Xiu finished reading and told her to go back to sleep, she pressed the letter under her pillow and tossed and turned as she fell asleep.
After finishing work that morning, Xiangzhi came to wait near Xu Guozheng’s house for Qin Zhixin.
Last time she had promised to bring the shrimp crackers, Xiangzhi was very much looking forward to it. But for some reason, left waiting and waiting, she could not see Qin Zhixin, making her suspect that Qin Zhixin had perhaps fainted somewhere again.
She understood this was what was called worry.
Ah, she was becoming more and more human.
At this moment, Lu Jianping was riding a bicycle down a winding mountain path, a genuine leather briefcase hung on the handlebars of the bicycle.
“Comrade Cao, so you are here.”
Lu Jianping patted the rear seat and said: “Come with me quickly, someone at the clinic on the other side of the mountain is looking for you.”
Xiangzhi felt a smell on Lu Jianping—not staleness, but a rotten stench. She endured and said: “Why should I go with you?”
Lu Jianping pointed to the red armband on his sleeve and said sincerely: “I am a cadre from the municipal bureau, you cannot not trust me. It is an auntie with the surname Qin, she fainted in the mountains and was rescued with great difficulty, she says she is looking for you.”
Xiangzhi smiled cunningly: “Are you sure?”
“Of course!”
Xiangzhi sat on the rear seat of Lu Jianping’s bicycle: “Let us go then.”
Lu Jianping glanced back and, where Xiangzhi could not see, nodded to an accomplice who had been watching her.
Xiangzhi sat on the rear seat, listening to him prattle away at her about himself in front. Xiangzhi barely responded, but he was not discouraged, the bicycle gradually climbed the mountainside of South Mountain, where people were few and far between.
Lu Jianping rang the bell, startling a flock of birds, he smiled with a sinister curve of his lips: “The tire has lost air, let us walk into the mountains, shall we?” “Fine,” said Xiangzhi, getting off the bicycle and walking ahead without looking back.
Startled birds beat their wings, sliding from the mountain and alighting on the roof of a military convoy truck.
Gu Wenshan, according to his mission assignment, was escorting goods with live ammunition and real bombs as he passed through South Mountain.
He did not know if it was because he had “dreamed” of the young woman last night, but as his convoy went further into the mountains, the fragrance of gardenia flowers in his nostrils grew more and more intense.
Ahead on the road, a thick fog of extremely low visibility appeared, the vehicles struggled to wade through the fog.
Something was wrong.
Gu Wenshan’s eye twitched, he used the walkie-talkie to notify the heavy military truck in the rear to kill its engine and await orders.
Gu Wenshan got down from the jeep, and suddenly the gardenia flower fragrance washed over from all around like a tide, it was the first time he used “domineering” to describe a flower’s scent.
Continuous cries of wild beasts echoed in the mountains, and the sensed temperature plummeted.
Some green recruit was startled by the strange sight and accidentally hit the horn. The long blare of the horn echoed through the mountains.
The familiar fragrance, like something from a dream yet ethereal, yet posed a different level of danger.
Gu Wenshan’s brow furrowed deeper and deeper, his hand pressing on the gun at his waist, danger looming.
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