Chapter 3424: Combustion (13)

Zhu Yi was no longer treating the situation as entertainment. After all, this could impact his own future in the military.

If their squad commander got married, things might shift for him.

Zhu Yi glanced pensively at Song Yi and Wu Xianrou on the bed next to his. “Even if the squad commander does get married, he wouldn’t turn out like that… right?”

“Let’s stop talking about that. When are you two getting discharged?” Ning Shu said to change the subject.

“This injury happened on duty, so I’ll need some time to recover. There probably aren’t any major missions right now anyway,” Zhu Yi said.

“Even if there are, they’re unlikely to fall to us. The squad commander is still recovering. No way they’d assign us to anything serious while he’s out. Especially now, when he’s got to deal with a major life event. There’s no way they’d give him a major mission,” he added.

Ning Shu propped her chin on her hand. She figured she ought to do something to hinder the development between those two.

But maybe it wasn’t even possible to stop it. She might end up playing matchmaker instead and helping deepen their relationship.

People would naturally resist external pressure. When everyone around them opposed the relationship, the couple might just band together to face the challenges, united against the world.

The more you opposed it, the more determined they’d be.

When two people faced outward pressure together, they’d overlook each other’s flaws—even the kinds of flaws that might prove hard to reconcile.

However, if there was no opposition, if everything went smoothly and they encountered no outside resistance, they’d start to notice each other’s unbearable shortcomings and seriously question whether they were really compatible.

That was the so-called saying of ‘with no external enemy, internal conflict consumes the camp,’ at play.

So Ning Shu didn’t point out anything bad about Wu Xianrou. If she triggered Song Yi’s rebellious instincts, that would backfire.

Zhu Yi turned to Ning Shu. “Should we do something?”

Ning Shu shook her head. “Do what? We shouldn’t do anything. The squad commander is our superior. Since when do subordinates interfere in their superior’s personal life? Don’t stir up trouble and end up getting punished. Don’t forget who Miss Wu’s father is.”

In the face of true love, everything else was just a paper tiger. It would all get burned away by the flames of romance. There was no point being the cannon fodder.

Ning Shu peeled an orange and ate it. She felt parched after all that talking.

Even if they did end up together, what could she do about it?

Wu Xianrou picked up her thermos and bag, and before leaving, gave Ning Shu one last glance.

There was something complicated in that look. Wu Xianrou had clearly taken the rumors to heart, and believed there was something between her and Song Yi. She had pegged Ning Shu as a potential romantic rival.

Wu Xianrou was rather possessive. She had already, subconsciously, claimed Song Yi as hers.

She figured that even if they weren’t married yet, even in this phase leading up to it, Song Yi shouldn’t be entangled with any other woman.

Ning Shu met Wu Xianrou’s gaze with a faint smile. Wu Xianrou curled her lip, as if in disdain.

Once Wu Xianrou was gone, Ning Shu sat down on the edge of Song Yi’s bed. She fixed her gaze on him and studied his face.

Song Yi touched his own face. “Is there something on my face? Why are you staring at me like that?”

Ning Shu gave a noncommittal hum. “I’m getting a whiff of a very pungent smell… the stench of love.”

“Stench?” Song Yi looked baffled. He raised his arm and sniffed himself. “I don’t smell anything.”

“I meant that you’re in love, Sir. You’ve got that peach-blossom glow all over your face,” Ning Shu said.

Song Yi’s expression darkened slightly. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

“Looks like you’re enjoying it. Honestly, Sir, you could try dating Miss Wu. She’s the kind of person who really values feelings.

“That way, you’d be able to give a good answer to Political Commissar Wu, and Miss Wu would be satisfied too. If you change it from a marriage to a dating relationship, things might go better. It’d be a less extreme jump, and she’d definitely be more receptive to that,” Ning Shu said to Song Yi.

Zhu Yi gave Ning Shu a bewildered look.

Was it really a good idea to encourage them to date?

Shouldn’t she be the one who least wanted them to be together?

What the hell was going on right now!?

Song Yi rubbed between his eyebrows. “Well, that’s one way to go about it.”

“Date first, then get married. Do it the normal way. The reason Miss Wu is so resistant to marrying you is because everything’s moving too fast. She hasn’t even had the chance to enjoy the feelings that come with it.”

Song Yi glanced at Ning Shu, then said, “I should thank you for the suggestion. It’s true—women really do understand some things better.”

Ning Shu simply said, “It’s nothing. As long as you’re happy, Sir.”

Song Yi looked at her. “You’ll find happiness too.”

…Hmm. That was more or less a clear rejection.

Ning Shu’s expression didn’t change as she nodded. “I will.”

The atmosphere grew a little awkward. Ning Shu smiled faintly. “If you ever need any advice or run into relationship troubles, you can always come to me.”

Song Yi laughed. “I’ll be counting on you then.”

Song Yi had truly fallen for Wu Xianrou.

“Dating isn’t something simple. You need to remember special dates—like your anniversary. And each month has its own Valentine’s Day, on the 14th, all twelve months. All kinds of Valentine’s Days. So you’ll need to come up with thoughtful, original gifts.”

Ning Shu popped a slice of tangerine into her mouth to moisten her throat.

Song Yi: …

“Are you seriously telling me dating is this complicated?” Song Yi looked a bit skeptical.

“It’s not complicated—it’s enjoyable. It’s what a male has to do to win the favor of a female. In the animal kingdom, they even fight duels for a mate. It’s the same thing.”

Zhu Yi: …

“There’s absolutely no romance in the way you put that,” Zhu Yi couldn’t help but say.

“As long as it’s the same in essence, that’s what matters,” Ning Shu said with a shrug.

After visiting the patients, Ning Shu helped Old Two transfer to a different room. Then, she asked Zhu Yi if he wanted to change rooms too. After all, what was the point of sticking around like a giant third wheel?

Zhu Yi waved her off. He insisted on staying in that room. Recovering from illness was boring. Why wouldn’t he take the chance to enjoy some drama while he could?

Ning Shu let him do whatever he wanted but warned him to steer clear of people in love unless he wanted to risk stepping on a landmine.

After that, Ning Shu left the military hospital and went back to working on her own skills.

If someone insisted on going down a path, no amount of pulling would hold them back.

Even though she wasn’t going to the hospital, she still got daily updates from Zhu Yi, who was both nosy and drama-loving. He called her constantly to give her those updates.

He reported on Song Yi and Wu Xianrou’s situation, saying the two had officially entered a relationship.

It was a chaotic mess. Their relationship was sweet, but riddled with issues.

Ning Shu just listened without commenting.

“But the political commissar’s been pushing them to get married,” Zhu Yi said. “He’s really satisfied with the squad commander. He’s practically itching to see the two of them tie the knot.

“But no deal ever works when one side is too eager. I heard Wu Xianrou’s mother passed away early, and the political commissar is always so busy with work as well. Anyway, I’m guessing he knows what kind of temperament she has. That’s probably why he’s so anxious to see her married.”

That had always been Ning Shu’s suspicion. People often said daughters were a father’s lover in a past life. What kind of father could bear to let his daughter go so eagerly?

But it wasn’t going to be easy for Wu Xianrou to find a man who could truly accept her.

Song Yi was that kind of good man.

After the call ended, Ning Shu sat cross-legged on the bed to cultivate, using spiritual energy to repair the internal injuries in her body.

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