"The temperature in the camp is a little bit chilly in the morning, have you brought any long sleeves?" He Teng was hurriedly getting dressed, his back was to He Zhilan. The woman in bed, still bleary from slumber, caught the sight of He Teng dressing himself upon opening her eyes.
Since he was facing away from the bed, He Zhilan could not see He Teng’s well-defined abdominal muscles. But she remembered the feel of his skin, the firm muscles that were particularly reassuring when she touched them. And of course, what set He Zhilan’s heart racing the most was the curve of He Teng’s buttocks extending up from his thighs.
He Teng dressed quickly, all done in just a few seconds. Receiving no response from He Zhilan, he assumed she had fallen back asleep. However, when he turned his head to look at her, he found her eyes open with a trace of regret in them.
He Teng caught that fleeting hint of regret very quickly. Zhilan hadn’t expected him to turn around so suddenly, and she hadn’t had time to mask it. Meeting his inquiring gaze, Zhilan pretended not to notice and instead responded to his earlier question.
In Zhilan’s experience, the weather in October was still hot, so she only brought some summer clothes when she came to the camp.
She had arrived in the afternoon on her first day and didn’t get up the next morning until the sun was already high in the sky. By the time she went out, it was midday again, so she truly had no idea that it would be chilly at such an early hour in the camp.
Seeing her look, He Teng knew she hadn’t brought anything suitable. He handed her one of his own thin coats, "The camp is in a gully, so the weather is a bit chilly in the mornings and evenings. This will keep you warm for now. By around nine o’clock, the temperature will rise with the sun."
He Teng rarely paid attention to such details about someone. Before Zhilan came, he hadn’t thought about this either. But at least he hadn’t realized it after she’d gone outside and caught a chill.
Zhilan quickly slipped into the clothing, then put on He Teng’s jacket over her own dress. He was tall, with broad shoulders, so the jacket almost reached her hips and its long, wide sleeves swung around as if she were in a traditional opera.
When Zhilan followed He Teng to the mess hall dressed , she drew plenty of attention along the way. Some even boldly joked with her, asking if she was preparing to perform a show for everyone.
The camp’s breakfast didn’t offer many choices. He Teng first asked He Zhilan for her preferences, then got her a bowl of soy milk and a steamed bun. His own portion was triple that of Zhilan’s. But his eating speed was even more than triple hers.
After they finished breakfast, He Teng was about to escort Zhilan back when Lan Li called to him from ten meters away.
"I was looking for you. The commander wants us in his office." When Lan Li spoke, he glanced at Zhilan, who was wearing He Teng’s jacket. But as soon as Zhilan saw Lan Li, she looked away.
He Teng responded, thinking that there must be a last-minute task for him.
Looking at Zhilan, He Teng felt a bit uneasy, "Zhilan, could you go back to the guest house alone? And if I don’t come back by noon, don’t wait for me."
"Go on and do your thing. I’m a big girl, I can take care of myself!" Zhilan waved her hand and watched until He Teng and Lan Li were out of sight.
The two men walked away quickly. When He Teng looked back, he saw that Zhilan indeed didn’t seem upset and only then did he feel relieved.