Chapter Eighty-Seven: Enlisting for Love

  After school reopened, Ji Xin'an felt that the atmosphere in the class became increasingly tense. Fewer and fewer people chatted idly, and during class breaks, classmates were either murmuring to themselves as they recited something or burying their heads in their books to do exercises. Even the most lively people usually quieted down to study.

  A conspicuous countdown to the college entrance examination was written in red on a corner of the blackboard, which was very eye-catching. Every time I saw it, it was like a whip lashing at my back, adding a sense of urgency to people who were already tense.

  Ji Xin'an had never taken the college entrance exam in her past life, so she didn't know what it was like back then. But now, as a high school student, she truly felt the extremely tense atmosphere of the college entrance exam. Although she wouldn't have any problems with the exam even if she didn't study at all, she wanted to genuinely experience the rush of the college entrance exam and work hard together with everyone else. So after this semester started, Ji Xin'an never again took advantage of her 'privileges' and never missed a single class.

  Although busy, it doesn't mean she will neglect the people around her. A few days after school started, Ji Xin'an discovered that Zou Ze was a bit off, more gloomy and depressed than before, and often looked at herself with an unusual gaze.

  "Zou Ze, is there something you want to say to me?" Just as Zou Ze looked at her for the nth time, she finally couldn't bear it anymore, unable to stand such a gaze upon herself.

  "An An, is it necessary for you to join the army?" Zou Ze lowered his head, unsure of how to respond. If Xi Nan hadn't asked him, he really wouldn't have known what to say.

  "Of course, wasn't it said long ago? Why are you asking this question again?" Ji Xin'an looked at Zou Ze with some surprise. He had known about this since middle school, so why was he bringing it up now?

  "What I meant was, do you really want to be a soldier like my dad? It's too dangerous." Zou Ze didn't oppose her joining the army, but couldn't she just be a soldier like her mother instead? That way, she'd still be a soldier.

  "I was worried about this, nothing will happen, besides it's my ideal, if I give up just because of danger, I'll regret it for the rest of my life." Ji Xin'an smiled slightly, originally he had heard his conversation with Zou Weiguo that day and put it in his heart, so he reacted abnormally.

  "But you have to think about your own safety, if... I mean if you get hurt, what will you do? What if you end up like my dad?" Zou Ze had been feeling uneasy since he knew what Ji Xin'an was going to face, and it indirectly affected his mood, making him unable to focus on anything.

  Ji Xin'an was taken aback for a moment. Although she had thought that she might get hurt, she hadn't expected to become like Zou Weiguo. But then she said, "Do you still remember what Master said when he was first injured? He said it was his pride to be a soldier, and don't say now that I've just lost one leg, even if I were to suffer an even more serious injury, I wouldn't regret it. This is also my answer."

  Zou Ze was stunned by her words, this sentence wasn't the first time he heard it, but this time it shocked him even more. "An An, I know you've always wanted to be a pure soldier, but this isn't a joke, people can die." Pei Fu's admiration turned into even greater worry.

  "I'm not joking, I'm also afraid of getting hurt, and even more afraid of dying. But just because we're afraid doesn't mean we should back down. Besides, these are just worst-case scenarios - do you think my luck would be that bad?" Ji Xin'an thought his concerns were a bit excessive, although there was danger, after all it was a peaceful era now, the probability of danger was much lower, but she still felt grateful in her heart.

  "What if you catch up with me?" Zou Ze looked at her persistently, really hoping she could change her mind, even if it was just a desk job.

  "There are so many what-ifs, but if there weren't any what-ifs, then you shouldn't worry about me anymore. Anyway, my mind is made up and I won't change it." Ji Xin'an saw that he was still worried, afraid that it would affect his own studies.

  "Alas." Zou Ze saw that it was impossible to move her, let out a sigh, and the unease in his heart did not decrease by a single thread after this conversation.

  "At this critical moment, don't think too much, just think about which school you want to choose, and you still have the art exam before the college entrance examination, don't be careless." Ji Xin'an saw that he was still frowning, and somewhat anxiously advised him, if he really delayed his studies because of thinking about his own affairs every day, then his guilt would be great.

  "My affairs don't need your concern, just worry about yourself." Zou Ze saw that she didn't listen to his advice, and felt like there was a cotton ball stuck in his chest, making it hard for him to breathe.

  Ji Xin'an didn't know how to persuade him and could only remain silent. As a result, the conversation between the two ended with neither of them convincing the other.

  At dinner time, in Zou Ze's home, the three of them sat at the table eating, since Zou Weiguo was discharged from hospital every day at home, Liu Lihua and Zou Ze no longer ate in the cafeteria. Before, one was busy with work and had no time to come, and the other was just two people, there was no sense of family at all, really didn't have the interest to cook and eat by themselves.

  Now that they are finally together as a family and have a home, she will return every day no matter how busy she is to cook a sumptuous meal for the whole family to enjoy together.

  Zou Weiguo quickly ate the food on the table, but his ears were not idle, listening to the news on TV. Liu Lihua saw that the dishes were almost finished and felt a great sense of accomplishment, with a smile on her face. Only Zou Ze was gloomily eating the rice in his bowl, too lazy to even pick up a piece of vegetable.

  Ever since Zou Weiguo said those words to him, he has been like this for days. Zou Weiguo and the others have gotten used to it, so they don't bother with him, knowing that he will eventually come around on his own. At such a young age, how long can their infatuation last anyway?

  Zou Weiguo quickly finished eating and put down his bowl and chopsticks. At this time, the news on TV was saying that the situation in a certain place had become tense again. Zou Weiguo's sensitive eyebrows furrowed, "If it goes on like this, we'll have another thing to do."

  "No matter how tense things get, it's not going to lead to war. Don't dream about it. These are peaceful times and it's not easy for wars to break out." Liu Lihua of course understood what he meant, but in this day and age, how could war possibly break out so lightly?

  "It's hard to say, if they continue to be so arrogant, our military won't mind giving them a taste of their own medicine." Zhou Weiguo is indeed a bit of a hothead, and he can't help but bring up his profession in every other sentence, just like the soldiers under him, who wish for war to come closer to themselves.

  "What if a fight breaks out? Do you still want to go back to the battlefield?" Liu Lihua saw that he was not giving up, so she gave him a small blow.

  "Yes, even if a fight really breaks out, it has nothing to do with me anymore. My main task now is to stay at home and accompany my wife." Zou Weiguo's blood was flowing with that of a soldier, how could he bear to take off this military uniform, but he still used his humorous tone to tease himself.

  Liu Lihua knew that although he didn't care on the surface, in his heart he must be reluctant to part with it. Moreover, her words were a bit too heavy, so she looked at him with some concern: "I think you'd better not change careers. Even if you can't get to the front line, with your experience, wherever you go as an instructor or something, won't you still be able to play to your strengths?"

  Zou Weiguo was taken aback, as if considering the feasibility of this matter. He had been in a front-line unit for so many years and experience was the most valuable thing he had. If he could pass it on to newcomers, that would be doing something meaningful too.

  Zou Ze, who had been eating with his head down, stopped moving and stared blankly at the news on TV, until the broadcast was over. He then looked at Zou Weiguo. "Dad, are they really going to fight?"

  "It's hard to say for sure, a large-scale war is unlikely, but if the situation continues like this, small-scale conflicts are unavoidable." Zou Weiguo replied casually while thinking about his own affairs.

  Zou Ze's originally furrowed eyebrows deepened even further, he put down his chopsticks and threw the remaining half bowl of rice on the table, then lowered his head and returned to his own room.

  Zou Weiguo was lost in thought and didn't notice, only Liu Lihua looked at him worriedly. "Weiguo, Zou Ze seems to be a bit off."

  "What's wrong with him, it's been like this for days. He can't let go of something and just needs to open up." Ever since he talked to Zou Ze, he has been in a daze every day.

  Liu Lihua nodded after hearing it, but she didn't truly feel at ease. The question Zou Ze just asked was a bit strange.

  At this time, Zou Ze suddenly rushed out of the loudly opened door, "Dad, I want to be a soldier, I want to take the military school exam."

  The two of them were stunned by his words, and Liu Lihua was the first to react. "Son, you're not fond of music, isn't the Music Academy your dream since childhood? How did you suddenly think of joining the army? Isn't that what you dislike the most?" This shock was no small thing for her. With great difficulty, Zou Weiguo had agreed not to force him into the army, and now he himself was getting mixed up in it.

  "I cannot let Anan face danger and war alone, I want to protect her, even if I don't have the ability, I will face it with her. Anan is more important to me than any ideal." Zou Ze has been struggling with this for a long time, on one hand his childhood dream, on the other hand the person he truly likes may be facing danger, he really didn't know how to choose, until today when he heard Zou Wei Guo say that war might break out, the balance in his heart was disrupted.

  "It's all for An'an, you don't have to do this, what danger could she be in? Besides, even if there was a war, they wouldn't need her, a little girl. If you really like her, you can pursue her without joining the army, why bother with this?" Liu Lihua looked at Zou Weiguo anxiously, hoping he could persuade his son. This Zou Ze was just like his father, once he made up his mind to do something, ten oxen couldn't stop him, so it's better to persuade him back while he still had this idea.

  Ke Zou Ze, however, didn't give them a chance to say anything. "You don't need to say anything else, I've already made up my mind. Wherever Anan goes, I'll go too. If she takes the military school exam, I'll accompany her; if she goes onto the battlefield, I'll go block bullets for her."

  He slammed the door shut again with a loud bang.

  "This little rabbit, I've been urging him for so many years, and he never agreed, saying that ideals are the most important thing. But now, just because he likes a girl, all his ideals have been thrown to the back of his mind." Zou Weiguo also came to his senses, huffing and puffing as he shouted. Zou Ze wanting to join the army was something he would naturally be happy about, but it was clear that he felt uneasy in his heart, even though the person who had been wronged was his most favored disciple, Ji Xin'an.

  "Hey, you father and son, why can't you let me have a few days of peace?" Liu Lihua sighed. Zhou Weiguo had just returned for a few days, and she finally didn't have to worry anymore, but Zhou Ze, who never wanted to be a soldier, changed his mind for Ji Xin'an. It seemed that she would never be able to rest easy again.

  Zou Weiguo stopped complaining immediately, "Otherwise, let Anan persuade him. What we say may not work, but since Zou Ze joined the army for Anan's sake, he should be able to listen to her words."

  "Never mind, the son is grown up too, let him do what he wants to do. If his affairs can be stopped, would he still be your son? I've been worried for so many years, and it won't hurt to worry a few more years. Besides, there's not necessarily any real danger. There are so many soldiers in the country, how many of them are like you?" Liu Lihua gave him a white eye, she knew that although Zou Weiguo said he didn't oppose Zou Ze learning music anymore, now that Zou Ze had changed his mind, he was secretly delighted.

  "Then wait until they graduate from university, I'll figure out a way to assign them to government agencies or just let them stay in school. This way, you won't have to worry about it anymore." This was the first time he had ever mentioned using connections, all for Liu Lihua's sake. Although he wanted his son to be tempered in a tough place, now he thought differently, no longer the overbearing Zhou Weiguo of before.

  "Never mind, if they find out, they'll blame you, so just let things be. Besides, it's not bad that Anan is safe and sound. If the two of them really end up together in the future, I'd be delighted." Liu Lihua had been getting along with Ji Xin'an these days, and she found herself liking her more and more. If she were to become her daughter-in-law one day, she would be overjoyed.

  "It's really hard for you, it was already agreed that he wouldn't be a soldier, but now you're excited for nothing." Zou Weiguo showed a grateful expression, being able to see Zou Zezi take over the family business made up for the small regret in his heart, but it was a pity for Liu Lihua.

  "You're getting more and more interesting, aren't you secretly enjoying this?" Liu Lihua rolled her eyes again, finding that Zou Weiguo had changed a lot since his injury, the biggest change being that he was more corny than before, but she liked this change.

  "What's the point, how can I be happy? I'm still angry. A man of his word should keep his promise, but this little brat keeps changing his mind, not taking us seriously at all. I'll go beat him up in a minute." As he said that, he scowled, looking like he really meant it, but the smile at the corner of his mouth betrayed his true intentions.

  "Don't pretend anymore, I'm also a soldier, I can understand." Liu Lihua couldn't help but laugh at his appearance, and the unhappiness that had just come from Zou Ze's matter also disappeared.

  Zou Weiguo laughed along with her...