Some envied Lu Qingqing's injury, thinking she might receive care from Hu Jia. Little did they know, the person involved might not see it that way.
"This wound is healing so slowly, why is it still bleeding?"
"Nonsense, it's only been two days."
"So what? If it's not better, you won't get better either."
"Brother, doesn't this need time?"
"Stop babbling. What did you eat this morning?"
"Spicy noodles."
"And lunch?"
"Spicy chicken and boiled white rabbit. But I want to state clearly, the school cafeteria insists on making spicy food, I can't help it."
Lu Qingqing's voice grew quieter as Hu Jia's gaze became more stern.
"Couldn't you have had congee in the morning?"
"Too much urination."
"Couldn't you have eaten out for lunch?"
"My leg hurts."
"Is arguing with me going to get you anywhere?"
"I surrender."
Hu Jia took two deep breaths, fuming. He had told her not to eat spicy food, yet she insisted.
Seeing Hu Jia's ashen face, Lu Qingqing stuck out her tongue. "Don't be angry. It's just a small wound. It doesn't affect my jumping or running."
Huh?
Hu Jia glared at her.
Alright.
"I was wrong." Lu Qingqing decided to play it safe.
Hu Jia shot her another look and turned directly into the kitchen. Soon, he returned with boiled cabbage, steamed egg custard, and a cucumber salad.
"Ah..." Lu Qingqing drew out her vowel, "So bland."
"It's for your own good, not just today, but tomorrow too."
"But I can't eat it if it's tasteless."
"I'll eat with you!"
Uh.
Alright, Lu Qingqing's heartstrings were tugged again.
...
The short yet long Sunday passed with Lu Qingqing and Hu Jia's laughter.
Monday was the day for everyone to gather.
Li Qingqing specifically woke up an hour earlier than usual this Monday, and also specially called Li Yang over.
The reason was simple: before the assembly, she wanted to explain clearly to Hu Jia who she was, where they were going, and what he was going to do there.
Hu Jia, oscillating between confusion and partial confusion, was dragged out the door.
"My wife is a bit of a wild one," Hu Jia whispered to Li Yang as he followed behind.
"What? Did she hit you for oversleeping?"
"She hits people?"
"She never used to, but if you keep mumbling now, you might get hit."
Uh.
The wind howled.
A gust of cold air swept down his neck, chilling him to the bone.
Hu Jia looked at Lu Qingqing. Lu Qingqing gave him a look, telling him to figure it out himself.
Hu Jia chuckled awkwardly and signaled to Li Yang, then leaned in and whispered in his ear, "This morning, she grabbed my hair and yanked me out of bed. Then she threw a memo at me and said, 'Finish reading this within half an hour.' I was still dreaming, and in my muddled state, I thought our old housekeeper had burst in."
Li Yang blinked. "Hahaha..."
"Is it that funny?" Lu Qingqing didn't need to hear to know he was saying something he shouldn't.
The rhetorical question made Li Yang swallow the laughter still bubbling within him. "No, I just think our leader is acting like a simpleton, making a fuss over nothing."
Better to mock the leader than to provoke the sister-in-law's ire.
...
Finally, before they set off, Hu Jia completely accepted the situation regarding his amnesia, his fiancée, and his role as a team doctor.
While Hu Jia had accepted it, Lu Qingqing was finding things difficult.
Because he was unfamiliar with everything and everyone, and harbored many questions, Hu Jia not only refused the specialized transport vehicle for the trainers but also stayed by Lu Qingqing's side the entire time, occasionally glancing at her sideways, leaving her wondering what he was thinking.
In the crowded cargo truck filled with trainees, Lu Qingqing felt extremely uncomfortable. "Can you stop secretly staring at me? People will think it's strange."
"Is it strange? But I have so many questions."
"Wanting to ask doesn't mean you have to. If you have doubts, refer to the memo."
Having said that, Li Qingqing closed her eyes to rest.
Hu Jia pondered for a moment, suppressing the urge to speak to her. This girl was not only fierce in temper but also seemed impatient.
He thought for a moment, then opened the memo.
One page had a bookmark in it.
He flipped it open.
It boldly stated, "You love him desperately."
...
After a bumpy morning, the vehicle arrived at the Jinyun Mountain Range. The Jinyun Mountain Range is located by the Jialing River, north of Chongqing's main city.
The terrain here is steep, and people primarily travel by boat.
"As everyone knows, there are many wild beasts in the mountains, so no one is allowed to venture too deep. We will establish our base camp at the Third Peak, and everyone's activities will be confined to the First and Second Peaks," said Li Hongjiang, the director of the training center and the overall head trainer for this exercise.
According to the rules, it would begin with individual point competitions.
In the afternoon, everyone would march 10 kilometers with a weighted load to the trailhead. The 50 trainees would be scored based on their arrival order. Furthermore, anyone who did not reach the assembly point by 6 PM would be deemed to have failed and eliminated.
There was no gender separation for the trainees. The first place would receive 100 points, second place 90 points, and third place 80 points. Those from fourth to tenth place would receive 70 points. Subsequent groups of ten would form a tier, with scores decreasing accordingly.
The only difference was that female trainees would carry an 8-kilogram load, while male trainees would carry 15 kilograms.
This was a test of physical strength, causing some to rejoice and others to worry.
"What should I do? My stamina is already not good," Lu Qingqing wasn't particularly worried, but Cai Xiaojuan was apprehensive.
"It's okay. Even though the point difference is quite large, there will be team components later. I'll look out for you then," Lu Qingqing reassured her.
"Really?" Cai Xiaojuan's biggest concern was this. If her individual performance was poor, it would inevitably affect the subsequent team groupings, as no one wants a drag.
She trusted that with Lu Qingqing's abilities, she would surely become one of the team leaders. Now that she had heard Lu Qingqing's promise, she felt a bit more at ease.
"But I have one condition: you must guarantee to be in the fourth tier or above," Lu Qingqing said.
"Ah?" Cai Xiaojuan's newly kindled hope dimmed again.
"If you believe in yourself and give it your all, can't you even overcome just seven people?"
Looking at Lu Qingqing's encouraging gaze, Cai Xiaojuan's fighting spirit was ignited. "Don't worry, I can do it."
Lu Qingqing smiled. She already knew Cai Xiaojuan's stamina was not great; after all, she was from the Forensics Department, where strength was not their primary focus.
However, she had to set such a standard. It wasn't that she didn't want people in the last place, but she was afraid that Cai Xiaojuan, having a safety net, would not try her best.
Similarly, she told Cai Xiaojuan that she would lead her in the next stage to give her hope, preventing her from giving up in her most desperate moments.
"I believe in you. Remember, I'll be waiting for you at the finish line," Lu Qingqing patted Cai Xiaojuan's shoulder, instilling a sense of infinite strength.
Cai Xiaojuan understood that Lu Qingqing would not help her, at least not in this segment.
Because she had to contend for the top five positions, only those who achieved top five would become leaders of the five teams and have the right to choose their teammates.
Lu Qingqing was not someone who waited to be chosen.
She always preferred to be in control.
"Alright, everyone check your loads and prepare to depart!" Li Hongjiang commanded.
"Wait!"
Everyone turned around. It was Hu Jia.
Oh no, Lu Qingqing had a bad premonition again.