As soon as the car entered the camp gates, Huo Qingshan was called away—there was an urgent situation that required his attention.

Since Zhou Shiyan wasn’t visiting the 624 Border Defense Unit for the first time, Huo Qingshan simply brought him to the reception room on his office floor, told him to pass the time with some newspapers, and left to handle his work.

An hour passed.

Zhou Shiyan’s teacup was empty.

He wanted to pour another cup, only to find the thermos completely dry. With nothing better to do, he picked it up and decided to head to the cafeteria for some hot water.

In the corridor, he spotted a graceful figure walking toward him from afar.

The distance made it hard to see her clearly—only a vague outline of her face and features.

Yet strangely, a sense of familiarity stirred in his heart.

As the woman approached, that inexplicable familiarity grew stronger. Zhou Shiyan unconsciously quickened his pace, wanting to see her face more clearly.

One step… two steps…

And then he saw her clearly.

His heart jolted.

How could this be?

He froze in place for a few seconds. By the time he came back to his senses, the woman had already brushed past him, leaving behind only her elegant silhouette.

He turned back and returned to the reception room, still holding the empty thermos.

Sitting on the sofa, he stared through the half-open door toward the tightly closed office across the hall.

If he hadn’t seen wrong just now—

That woman had entered Huo Qingshan’s office?

Unbelievable. She looked too similar.

“Just a coincidence… or…?”

In just a few minutes, countless possibilities flooded his mind.

Just then, the door opened from the inside.

Meng Youyou walked out, humming softly, and gradually disappeared from his sight.

Zhou Shiyan had keenly noticed something—

She had been holding a foreign language textbook.

Such a striking resemblance… and a background in foreign languages.

At this point, it was hard for him to convince himself it was just a coincidence.

By the time Huo Qingshan returned, dusk was approaching.

The setting sun filtered through the slightly dusty window, scattering warm light across the floor.

He walked to the reception room door, about to knock—

Only to see Zhou Shiyan sitting on the sofa in a daze, eyes unfocused.

He raised his hand and knocked twice on the worn wooden door.

Knock. Knock.

The sound echoed clearly in the quiet hallway.

Zhou Shiyan snapped out of it and looked up, the confusion in his eyes disappearing the moment he saw Huo Qingshan.

“Let’s go,” Huo Qingshan said briefly before turning and heading toward his office.

Zhou Shiyan followed.

The moment he stepped inside, he saw Huo Qingshan take the scar-removal gel from his pocket and place it on the desk opposite.

Zhou Shiyan casually asked, “So… someone else is using this office too?”

Huo Qingshan gave a faint hum.
“A new translator arrived. There weren’t any extra offices, so the leadership arranged for her to share mine.”

Zhou Shiyan probed further, “Oh? What’s her name?”

Huo Qingshan’s gaze darkened slightly as he looked directly at him, his eyes sharp with scrutiny.
“What exactly are you trying to find out?”

Zhou Shiyan’s expression turned serious.
“Is she from the Meng family?”

Huo Qingshan shifted his gaze to the window and replied casually,
“Probably.”

Zhou Shiyan grew anxious.
“What do you mean ‘probably’?”

Huo Qingshan didn’t answer.
“Her name is Meng Youyou. She’s from the capital.”

Zhou Shiyan fell silent.

After a moment, he asked hesitantly,
“What do you think about this?”

Huo Qingshan let out a faint laugh.
“She was transferred here through proper channels to assist the unit. A good, upright young person. Why should I think anything?”

“Qingshan,” Zhou Shiyan called, his tone firm.

Huo Qingshan sighed almost imperceptibly.
“I know what I’m doing.”

Zhou Shiyan stepped forward and patted his shoulder.
“If the Meng family is trying their old tricks again, you need to be careful.”

At that, Huo Qingshan let out a cold laugh, his eyes tinged with frost.

“They saw Huo Zhenbang and Huo Tingdong fall one after another, and now they think every man in the Huo family will lose his head over a Meng woman?”

“What a pity,” he continued coldly, staring at the empty desk across from him, “they’ve miscalculated this time. I’m not even part of the Huo family. So whatever flaws they have—don’t apply to me.”

Zhou Shiyan didn’t know what to say.

It was the first time he had heard such harsh words from him.

Even after all these years… that knot in his heart hadn’t loosened. It had only grown heavier.

Huo Qingshan pulled out his chair and sat down, speaking lightly,
“They overestimate themselves.”

He didn’t specify who he meant.

Meanwhile, Meng Youyou noticed a white tube lying on her desk, with a small note underneath.

She paused in surprise for a moment.

After reading the dense English text on the tube, she realized what it was.

“Who put scar gel on my desk?”

She looked at the note:

[Directions: Apply 1–2 times daily. Gently massage the area for 1–2 minutes after application for better absorption. Discontinue use if allergic reactions occur.]

No signature.

But the handwriting—strong, sharp, and distinctive—was unmistakable.

Just like the man himself.

Doudou immediately got excited.
[This looks just like Battalion Commander Huo’s handwriting from yesterday’s apology letter! He must’ve bought this for you. I told you—he’s not that petty. There must’ve been a misunderstanding.]

Meng Youyou naturally recalled the “self-reflection letter” she had found among her assignments yesterday.

The handwriting matched exactly.

Still, she retorted, “That was clearly a self-criticism letter, not an apology.”

But by now, the sender of the scar gel was obvious.

The gloom in her chest quietly lifted, replaced by a soft, warm light.

To be honest, she had never thought Huo Qingshan was someone who would admit his mistakes—

Let alone write two full pages reflecting on his earlier comments about buying sanitary supplies, acknowledging his inappropriate judgment, while still holding onto part of his stance.

Doudou seized the opportunity to defend him.
[See? You’ve been judging him unfairly. The Mengda System selects its targets very carefully—his character is guaranteed. You shouldn’t keep seeing him with preconceived bias.]

Meng Youyou huffed,
“Well… I guess he’s somewhat teachable.”

But deep down, her guard had already begun to soften.

Maybe he wasn’t as narrow-minded as she thought.

Not that chauvinistic.

Not that stubborn.

Actually… pretty reasonable.

Especially in this era—

For a respected, accomplished man to reflect on his beliefs after just a few heated words… to learn to respect and be more open-minded, even if not fully accepting—

That was rare.

And even after she had already gotten back at him, he still chose to sincerely apologize… and even brought a gift.

Thinking about it, she suddenly recalled a “perfect apology formula” she had once seen online:

Admit fault sincerely + give a thoughtful gift + promise not to repeat it

…He had actually followed most of it.

This guy… might actually have potential.

High comprehension. Promising future.

For a moment, she even understood Chu Yao a little better.

Just a little.

Not much.

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