The more you build it up, the worse you'll die!

Han Xiao and Chen Liang were already waiting in the office. Seeing Gu Zheng come in with a miserable-looking young guard trailing behind him, they couldn't help asking:

"What happened?"

The young guard hurriedly said, "Han Xiao, please talk some sense into the regimental commander! He fainted during the competition. The chief told him to go to the hospital, but he wouldn't listen. The chief ordered me to make sure he got checked out once we came back!"

"Tsk!" Gu Zheng glanced back at the young guard. "You tell everyone you see! Why do you talk so much?"

The young guard was a new recruit who had enlisted only a year ago. He was afraid of his regimental commander, but he was even more afraid of the chief.

He was close to tears. "Regimental Commander Gu, please just go for a checkup! The chief said he'd remember me. If you don't go, he'll hold me responsible!"

Finding him noisy, Gu Zheng waved a hand and said:

"I know! I'll go when I have time! All right, go get some rest! You've been nagging the whole way back. Your mouth must be exhausted!"

The young guard pouted and left, glancing back every few steps.

"Boss! You fainted? Was it because of your head injury? That's really not something to take lightly!" Han Xiao said.

"Oh, great! One leaves, and you take over!"

Gu Zheng grumbled as he looked for his cigarettes.

"But this isn't some trivial matter! You can't just brush it off..."

"Enough! I'm already in a bad mood about not taking first place this time! Stop bringing up the hospital!"

Cut off by Gu Zheng, Han Xiao froze for a moment before hurriedly asking:

"Didn't you say we came first?"

"Since when does tying for first count as winning?"

Gu Zheng lit a cigarette and exhaled a puff of smoke before continuing:

"If I'd known, I'd have competed myself. Now that brat Yang Ye has something to gloat about!"

Han Xiao and Chen Liang exchanged a glance. The Southwest Military Region had taken first place three years running. They had finally managed a tie this time, yet their boss still wasn't happy!

Gu Zheng told them to sit down. As he made himself some tea, he asked about affairs at regimental headquarters, then went over the disaster relief wrap-up work in detail. After they had reported everything, he asked Han Xiao:

"Anything else to report?"

Han Xiao scratched his head. "Oh! Elder Zhou's back pain has gotten worse again! The chief of staff has been going to the hospital every day lately. He's worried sick!"

After they finished discussing Elder Zhou's condition, Gu Zheng glanced at Han Xiao and said:

"Anything else to report?"

"Anything else?"

Han Xiao thought hard. "No! We've covered everything!"

Gu Zheng cleared his throat, lifted his cup, and took a sip of tea before asking with feigned nonchalance:

"That Song Ning said she was coming to the Military District... Has she arrived?"

"Song Ning? Yes! She came back with the two of us!"

Han Xiao slapped his thigh, as though someone had flipped a switch.

"Oh, boss! Speaking of Song Ning, I've really got to tell you this story. You know Lu Changqing, right? The commander of the Communications Company! He... got injured on this mission..."

Gu Zheng set down his teacup, looking ready to hear every detail.

Seeing this, Han Xiao grew even more enthusiastic!

So the boss wanted to hear some gossip!

He started with Lu Changqing's injury and how the anesthetic hadn't been strong enough. Then he described how Song Ning had used silver needles with incredible skill to stop the bleeding and ease his pain, how Chen Yuting had shown up, and how she had caused a scene at the medical team...

One told the story with gusto, while the other listened with keen interest.

Chen Liang, who had been sitting quietly on the sidelines, suddenly chimed in:

"Song Ning is Lu Changqing's fiancée!"

The air seemed to freeze.

Han Xiao fell silent for two seconds, then shouted at Chen Liang in annoyance:

"Hey! Why would you do that? I hadn't gotten to that part yet! Now you've ruined all the suspense!"

When he looked back at Gu Zheng, the smile that had lingered at the corners of his mouth had frozen too.

There even seemed to be a hint of disbelief in the way he looked at them.

Han Xiao hurriedly said, "Boss! Let's ignore him! He always spoils the fun! I'll keep going. Actually, Song Ning came here to find Lu Changqing in the first place! What a coincidence, right..."

But Gu Zheng waved him off and pressed a hand to his forehead.

"W-what's wrong, boss?"

Han Xiao grew a little panicked. "Is your head hurting? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Gu Zheng's expression was clearly off. He pointed at the door and said:

"You two, out! I need to rest for a while!"

Han Xiao wanted to keep persuading him, but Chen Liang grabbed him and dragged him straight out the door.

Once they reached the corridor, Han Xiao shoved Chen Liang away.

"See? See that? The boss was enjoying the story so much! I just wanted to build it up a bit and give him all the details, but you had to ruin everything with that one sentence!"

Chen Liang looked at him and replied dryly:

"The more you build it up, the worse you'll die!"

Han Xiao shot him a glare. "You-what is wrong with your brain?"

Then he leaned over to peer through the crack in the door.

"Don't you think we should stay here for a bit? What if the boss's headache flares up and he faints again?"

Barely had he finished speaking when a furious roar came from inside:

"Get the hell away! As far away as possible!"

Han Xiao jumped in fright, grabbed Chen Liang, and ran.

Only after they had fled the office building did he point at Chen Liang resentfully and say:

"Everything that happened to me today was your fault!"

Song Ning had arranged to give the elderly man acupuncture at four that afternoon.

She went to the hospital early after lunch, intending to see Lu Changqing first.

Lu Changqing was still lying in his hospital bed as before, with one leg suspended.

This time, however, Old Zhang, who shared his room, was there too.

And not only was Old Zhang there, but a woman was sitting beside his bed.

She was around thirty, dressed simply, and had a somewhat dark complexion. She looked as though she was a member of Old Zhang's family.

When Lu Changqing saw Song Ning enter, he hurriedly shifted in bed and said happily:

"Song Ning, you're here?"

Old Zhang saw her too and called out a greeting.

"Oh! Sister-in-law! Here to see Company Commander Lu?"

The woman beside Old Zhang immediately stood up, looking a little awkward as she glanced at Song Ning, then at Old Zhang...

Old Zhang told her, "This is Company Commander Lu's wife! Just call her sister!"

Lu Changqing hurriedly interjected, "Old Zhang! W-we aren't married yet!"

Old Zhang laughed. "You're engaged, so she's already your wife! Besides, she's come all the way to the base. It's only a matter of time before you get married!"

Then he turned to Song Ning. "Sister-in-law! This is my wife. She's from the countryside! She rushed over after hearing I was injured! She's shy and hasn't seen much of the world, so don't laugh at her!"

Old Zhang's wife hurriedly smiled at Song Ning and greeted her nervously:

"Sister! H-hello! My name's Li Huilan!"

Song Ning gave Lu Changqing a long, searching look.

Although Lu Changqing looked a little awkward, he still forced a smile at her, showing no intention of explaining anything.

Once again, Song Ning felt as though she had been pressed into a role against her will.