After the Battalion Leader Bai left, Bai Xue was left alone.
Kneeling on the ground, she sobbed quietly for a moment. Her face full of despair, she wiped her tears, rose to her feet and found the makeup box of Battalion Leader Bai. She covered the slight traces on her face while cursing their consanguinity. He had not hit her too hard.
After applying her makeup, Bai Xue took out paper and pen from a drawer and wrote a letter, sealing it tightly.
"I cannot accept this! I cannot accept this!"
She muttered these words repeatedly, finally mustering the courage to stride out the office with the letter hidden away. She followed the route she had earlied learned about, avoiding people. Ducking and dodging, she arrived at the Officers’ Residential Area, only to be stopped by the guarding soldiers.
"Comrade, this is not where performing arts soldiers like you should stay. Please do not intrude here."
"I am looking for Commander Lu, could you please announce my arrival? I have an urgent matter to discuss with him." Bai Xue put on her irresistible smile she was well-known for in the department, hoping for the soldier to relent.
Unexpectedly, the soldier on duty that day was Sang Hong, the same young soldier who had driven to pick up Feng Qingxue.
He had set out at dawn without breakfast to drive Lu Jiang to the railway station, a journey of several hours. On the road, they relied on advance prepared rice cakes to fill their stomachs. On the return trip after picking up Feng Qingxue, she did not hesitate to take out food from her luggage for herself to eat. Whatever he and Lu Jiang ate, she ate the same. She didn’t hesitate and always appeared gentle and congenial.
Sang Hong, holding a good impression of Feng Qingxue, watched Bai Xue warily. What good could come from a performing arts soldier coming alone to see Commander Lu? "Sorry, comrade, please keep your behavior appropriate and be mindful of the impact! This is where our leaders reside, and outsiders are not allowed to enter casually! If you have something important to attend to, you should seek Commander Lu openly and let the surrounding soldiers bear witness to avoid spreading rumors that could affect the revolutionary sentiment between our Commander and his wife!"
The soldier on duty with Sang Hong nodded in agreement, "Yes, comrade, in the army men and women are different. As per the rules of the army, senior officers and soldiers are not to have private contact with performing arts female soldiers. Please leave at once!"
Even though they were not veterans, they had often listened to the old soldiers’ stories after training, including cases where performing arts female soldiers privately sought military officers. Subsequently, the senior officer divorced and married the young actress. This kind of incident surprised and bewildered these rookie soldiers when they first heard of it.
The old soldiers said that such cases were common, both during wartime and peacetime. There are always a few female soldiers who don’t abide by the rules and attempt to climb higher branches, hoping to transform into a phoenix. Therefore, they were always cautious to prevent them from getting close to married officers.
Hearing the soldiers’ words, Bai Xue’s brows furrowed slightly, from urgency and frustration.
In the end, her stubborn thoughts prevailed. Bai Xue lifted her pitiful but strikingly beautiful face and pleaded softly, "It’s really, really important. Could you two comrades please help me?"
"That’s still not acceptable!" Sang Hong refused without hesitation, "If there are any matters, go through the proper process. It’s better for everyone this way! From my experience, anything that involves secretive actions certainly does not bode well! Most importantly, our Commander has no work-related contact with your performing arts group. So, what do you need him for?"
Feng Qingxue overheard this dialog through the window and almost burst out laughing.
Lu Jiang, being naturally vigilant, had chosen a room that was closest to the entrance, the outermost one. He heard every sound and conversation the guarding soldiers made clearly.
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