Kayush Border Defense Company.
Su Zhe sat alone atop the dormitory building, wrapped in a heavy military coat, staring blankly at the distant, rolling mountains.
"I was wondering why I couldn't find you anywhere in the dormitory. So you came up here by yourself."
Ke Changlin's voice came from behind him. He walked over to Su Zhe, patted him on the shoulder, and sat down beside him. "At this hour, you should usually be snoring away in bed, shouldn't you? Got something on your mind today?"
Su Zhe smiled helplessly. "I guess so... I just kind of miss my mom."
Ke Changlin looked at him quietly and waited for him to continue. At a time like this, being a listener was far more appropriate than offering advice.
"Back then, my mom was incredible. She was the best police officer in our city. She was beautiful, great at fighting—two or three male officers working together couldn't beat her. And most importantly, she was an amazing cook.
"I'm telling you, the flatbreads my mom made were no worse than the ones your Ana makes. Really."
As though recalling something, a smile appeared at the corner of Su Zhe's lips.
"Back then, police stations in our city and several neighboring cities were all talking about her. They called her the Goddess Chef Police Flower. My sister and I were happiest whenever there was a parent-teacher conference. You have no idea how glorious it was when my mom walked into the classroom in her police uniform, looking so heroic.
"Even though I was always near the bottom of the class, and I'd inevitably get a brutal beating when I got home, it was worth it. After all, parent-teacher conferences were basically my chance to show off my mom."
The smile on Su Zhe's face