Morning.
Sunlight slipped through the gaps in the curtains, cutting into the dim room like golden blades.
Gu Ci opened his eyes.
His first sensation was lightness.
The oppressive heaviness that had weighed on his head for years, like an iron band squeezing his skull, had largely disappeared. His mind felt cool and clear, and his vision was unusually sharp. He could even make out the leg of a dead fly caught in a spiderweb in the corner of the room.
The medicine was miraculous.
Then came the second sensation: weight.
Something heavy was resting in his arms.
Gu Ci lowered his head.
Jiang Ning was curled up against him, fast asleep and completely unaware of her surroundings. Her head rested on his arm, and one hand was still clutching the front of his shirt. She was curled up like a little cat.
Gu Ci’s body stiffened.
His memories had a blank spot.
He remembered drinking that bowl of medicine that tasted like shit. Then the pain had started, so intense that he had wanted to die. After that… he seemed to have seen his old squad leader and the flames.
Everything that happened afterward was a complete blur.
But looking at Jiang Ning’s slightly pale face and the faint red marks around her neck—the marks he had left while losing control the previous night—he could roughly guess what had happened.
He had lost control again.
And this time, it had happened right in front of this woman.
Gu Ci’s expression darkened.
As a commanding officer, exposing one’s weaknesses was a major taboo. That was especially true in front of a woman whose true nature he still hadn’t fully figured out.
He carefully slipped his arm out from beneath her head.
Jiang Ning stirred, frowning as though displeased by the loss of warmth. She mumbled, “Don’t move… I’m not done with the needles yet…”
Gu Ci: “…”
Not done? What needles?
He felt the back of his head but found no needle marks.
Gu Ci rolled out of bed, moving as lightly as a cat. He walked over to the mirror and studied his reflection.
There was a bruise on his forehead, left over from when he had struck the floor the previous night.
And his eyes…
Gu Ci leaned closer to the mirror. His eyes, usually clouded and bloodshot, were now clear and sharply defined, with a long-lost intensity.
Damn, this medicine really is miraculous.
The process had been agonizing, but the results were worth it.
Gu Ci got dressed and glanced at Jiang Ning, who was still fast asleep.
He didn’t wake her.
Last night’s ordeal had been exhausting. The woman was probably worn out, too.
He quietly left the inner room and closed the door behind him.
Black Panther was already awake, lying beneath the table and gnawing on a bone. When it saw Gu Ci, it wagged its tail.
“Pathetic.”
Gu Ci scolded the dog, though for some inexplicable reason, his mood had improved considerably.
He opened the front door and stepped outside.
Mornings in the military compound were always the fastest time for gossip to spread.
Gu Ci had barely reached the washroom to wash his face when he sensed that something was wrong with the atmosphere.
Several military wives were washing clothes nearby. The moment they saw him, they immediately stopped whispering and lowered their heads, pretending to scrub their laundry. Yet their eyes kept darting toward him.
Their looks were filled with curiosity and apprehension, along with a hint of… schadenfreude.
Gu Ci turned on the tap and splashed cold water onto his face.
“Have you heard? Doctor Shen’s hand is pretty much ruined.”
Not far away, Wang Juhua’s hushed voice drifted over on the breeze.
“That Jiang Ning is absolutely ruthless. They say she was conducting an experiment, but she deliberately splashed poison on her! Tsk, tsk. The back of that hand was rotting like raw meat. I doubt she’ll ever be able to hold a scalpel again.”
“Exactly!” another woman chimed in. “I also heard there was quite a commotion at Commander Gu’s house last night. Apparently, there were sounds of someone banging against the wall, and even crying… Do you think Jiang Ning drugged Commander Gu, too? Or maybe he went crazy and beat her up?”
“I wouldn’t rule it out. That Jiang Ning is downright sinister. She knows some kind of black magic. Just look at how completely she’s bewitched Commander Gu. He even drove away such a fine woman as Doctor Shen…”
BANG!
The enamel basin in Gu Ci’s hand slammed against the edge of the sink, producing a deafening crash.
The group of gossiping women fell silent in an instant. Their faces turned deathly pale as they grabbed their basins and scattered like frightened birds.
Gu Ci straightened and wiped the water droplets from his face.
Black magic?
Drugging people?
He let out a cold laugh.
These women had no real skills to speak of, but they certainly excelled at spreading rumors.
Still, the news about Shen Xue’s ruined hand had spread remarkably quickly. Someone was definitely stirring up trouble behind the scenes.
Gu Ci picked up his basin and headed back.
As soon as he reached his front door, he spotted his orderly, Xiao Zhang, pacing anxiously outside.
“Commander! You’re finally back!”
The moment Xiao Zhang saw Gu Ci, he looked as though he had found a lifeline.
“Something’s happened! The political commissar wants to see you! He told you to go over immediately!”
“What happened?”
“It seems to be… about Doctor Shen.” Xiao Zhang lowered his voice. “Someone from the Shen family has arrived. They called the division headquarters directly, accusing our regiment of bullying people and allowing a military dependent to commit violence, ruining a perfectly good military doctor. The political commissar is furious. He wants you to bring Sister-in-law along so you can both be investigated.”
Gu Ci stopped walking.
The Shen family.
Shen Xue’s father was a deputy director in the division’s logistics department. His rank wasn’t particularly high, but he had connections within the division headquarters. After suffering such a serious loss, the Shen family certainly wouldn’t let the matter rest.
“Bring Jiang Ning?” Gu Ci asked.
Xiao Zhang nodded. “Yes. The political commissar said that if Sister-in-law doesn’t come voluntarily, he’ll send the military police to bring her in.”
Bring her in.
It was a polite way of saying they would arrest her.
Gu Ci handed his washbasin to Xiao Zhang.
“Stay here and guard the door.”
He glanced at the closed front door.
“Don’t let anyone in, no matter who it is. If the military police dare to force their way inside, tell them I said this: Anyone who dares lay a hand on my wife will get a bullet through them!”
Xiao Zhang jumped in alarm. “Commander, then what about you…?”
“I’ll go alone.”
Gu Ci straightened his uniform collar, his expression turning icy.
“I want to see for myself who’s really causing trouble.”
…
Regimental Headquarters, Political Commissar’s Office
Political Commissar Zheng sat behind his desk, his face livid. He held a complaint letter that had just arrived and repeatedly slapped it against the desktop.
“Gu Ci! Look at the mess you’ve made!”
Pointing at Gu Ci as he entered, Political Commissar Zheng was so angry he could barely contain himself.
“How many days has your wife been here? Huh? On the first day, she sold radios and engaged in profiteering. On the second, she threw leftover food at someone in the mess hall. And on the third, she ruined a doctor’s hand! Is she a military dependent or a bandit?”
Gu Ci stood before the desk, his posture straight and unyielding as a pine tree.
He didn’t even glance at the letter. Instead, he looked calmly at the political commissar.
“It was an accident.”
“An accident?” Zheng laughed in disbelief. “The Shen family has given us a detailed account of what happened! They claim Jiang Ning deliberately lured Shen Xue into the laboratory and then splashed poison on her! They even have a witness! And you still call it an accident?”
“Who’s the witness?”
“That young nurse! The one named Xiaohong!”
Gu Ci narrowed his eyes.
Xiaohong. The nurse who had been assisting Jiang Ning in the laboratory.
It seemed Shen Xue had either bribed her or frightened her into cooperating.
“Political Commissar,” Gu Ci began. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried an unyielding authority.
“Jiang Ning was preparing medicine for me. Shen Xue barged into the laboratory on her own, violated the regulations, and tried to seize dangerous chemicals. No matter where you take this case, she’ll be the one responsible for what happened.”
“Preparing medicine?”
Zheng froze for a moment before growing even angrier.
“You have a medical condition! A problem with your brain! Instead of going to a major hospital for treatment, you’re letting some country girl concoct random medicines for you? What if she kills you? Gu Ci, has she put some kind of spell on you, too?”
“The major hospitals can’t cure my condition.”
Gu Ci pointed at his head.
“But she can. I took her medicine last night. Today, my head doesn’t hurt, and my vision isn’t blurry anymore. Those are the facts.”
Political Commissar Zheng was momentarily speechless.
He studied Gu Ci.
It was true that Gu Ci looked remarkably well today. His eyes were clear, and he no longer radiated the explosive hostility that had hung over him for the past several days.
Could that girl really have genuine medical skills?
“Even if she’s capable, that doesn’t give her the right to act as she pleases!”
Zheng’s tone softened slightly, but he remained firm.
“The Shen family refuses to let this go. They insist that we give them an explanation. The division headquarters wants Jiang Ning placed under temporary detention and handed over to the security department for investigation. If it’s established that she deliberately injured someone, she’ll have to face legal proceedings.”
“No.”
Gu Ci took a step forward and planted both hands on the desk. The sheer force of his presence pressed down on Zheng.
“She belongs to me. Anyone who wants to touch her will have to get past me first.”
“Gu Ci! You’ve completely disregarded discipline and the chain of command!” Zheng slammed his palm against the desk. “Are you planning to defy the organization for the sake of a woman?”
“I’m protecting a valuable talent.”
Gu Ci refused to back down.
“Political Commissar, do you know who saved the hundreds of people from that mass poisoning two nights ago? She did. Do you know who treated my condition? She did. And you’re calling someone like that a menace? In my opinion, Shen Xue is the real menace. All she knows how to do is file complaints, and her professional abilities are practically nonexistent!”
The two men stared each other down.
The air between them seemed to crackle with invisible sparks.
Just then, the telephone rang.
Zheng shot Gu Ci an irritated glance before picking up the receiver.
“Hello? Yes… Yes, this is Zheng Wei.”
His expression changed. The anger on his face gave way to deference, followed by a hint of astonishment.
“Understood… Yes… I’ll arrange it immediately!”
After hanging up, Zheng stared at Gu Ci with an extremely peculiar expression.
“What is it?” Gu Ci asked with a frown.
“A senior officer from division headquarters called.”
Zheng took a deep breath.
“He said he’d heard our regiment has a barefoot doctor named Jiang Ning. She cured Director Li’s daughter’s hysterical episodes and saved hundreds of people from the infrastructure company. The division commander specifically requested to meet her.”
Gu Ci raised an eyebrow.
“And there’s more.”
Zheng paused, his tone complicated.
“The senior officer said the Shen family’s complaint has been dismissed. The reason given was, and I quote: ‘An incompetent doctor who harms others has only herself to blame.’ Those were the division commander’s exact words.”
The situation had reversed in an instant.
A cold smile tugged at Gu Ci’s lips.
It seemed that woman hadn’t merely laid the groundwork within the military compound. She had also established connections in the county. Director Li must have spoken highly of her to the senior officers at division headquarters out of gratitude.
What a brilliant move.
“Does Jiang Ning still need to be arrested?” Gu Ci asked sarcastically.
Political Commissar Zheng coughed awkwardly and tossed the complaint letter into the trash can.
“Arrest her? Of course not! She’s an honored guest whom the division commander wants to meet! Get back there and have your wife tidy herself up. Don’t embarrass our regiment!”
Gu Ci saluted.
“Yes, sir.”
As he turned to leave, he could no longer hide the amusement in his eyes.
Jiang Ning.
You really are a… delightfully unpredictable lunatic.