Chapter 8: The Master Must Leave

  Chen Zhaoji watched their 'exchange' clearly, and couldn't help but laugh out loud. "I'm telling you two to be careful, this is self-study class!"

  "Yeah, boss, you should also take care of the feelings of us single people." Zhang Tao, a friend of Zou Ze's, chimed in.

  "What are you talking about! We're just joking." After being said by Chen Zhaoji, Ji Xin'an also felt a bit embarrassed.

  "I know, just teasing good brother." Chen Zhaoji leaned forward, whispering in Ji Xin'an's ear.

  Ji Xin'an rolled her eyes at her and was about to hit her, but she quickly dodged away. At this time, Ji Xin'an saw that Zou Ze's face had turned red to the point of almost bleeding, and she hastily warned herself that it was now the 90s, and in the future, she must be more careful when joking around. It was too unconventional and didn't fit her purpose of being low-key.

  "Zhao Di, why don't you come with me too? After all, learning one more thing can't be a bad thing, right?" Ji Xinan not only wanted someone to accompany her but also considered Zhao Di's future. Although people nowadays didn't emphasize this, she knew that having one more skill would mean having one more path in the future.

  "I'm not going to make it, I'm not that kind of material. Besides, I still have classes on the weekends!" Chen Zhaoji immediately shook her head upon hearing this.

  "It's a two-day weekend break! You're at home reading books, not bored at all. You don't have to learn so many things, just one thing that doesn't take up much time, and you can still have multiple hobbies. Zou Ze, what do you think?" Chen Zhaoji pulled Zou Ze in, trying to persuade her together.

  "Yes, let's go learn together. We can form a band later." Zou Ze felt relieved that they had finally stopped mentioning what just happened, but he still couldn't help feeling a bit awkward when he met Ji Xianan's gaze and quickly looked away.

  "Alright... I'll go try then." Chen Zhaodi saw that both of them were persuading her, and finally gave up her own stance and agreed.

  "That's right, I guarantee you won't regret it later." Ji Xin'an patted her shoulder happily.

  Time flies quickly, the mid-term exam is approaching soon. Zou Ze's father hasn't left yet and still found out that Zou Ze went to learn guitar, so he scolded him severely.

  Luckily, Zou Ze's mother spoke up for him and he was spared a beating, on the condition that he wouldn't go again. Zou Ze refused, and almost started a war, but in the end, under his mom's mediation, they reached an agreement: Zou Ze had to guarantee that from then on, his exam scores would be among the top three in class and top ten in grade. Otherwise, he could only stay home and study quietly.

  Ji Xin'an knew about this matter afterwards, and she didn't bother him with her own affairs anymore, letting him focus on his studies. Although she knew it wasn't difficult for him, she was still worried that something unexpected might happen and change the course of 'history'.

  Facing the first mid-term exam, the atmosphere in the class was unusually tense. Everyone wanted to get good grades on their first try and were diligently preparing for the exams. Perhaps only Ji Xin An was an exception, still doing her usual things every day as if nothing was happening. However, she couldn't show it too obviously, so during self-study classes, she no longer openly read other books, but instead pretended to do exercises with a workbook.

  But this morning, Ji Xin'an received some bad news: his master was about to leave.

  "Master, you're not working here anymore? How can you just leave like that? When are you coming back?" Ji Xin'an asked, although she knew it was futile to stop him, but still felt a bit reluctant.

  "This can't be said for certain, but don't slack off, or when I come back and see you haven't made progress, I won't forgive you." Zou Weiguo also couldn't bear to part with this apprentice he had only taken in a month ago. "Are you on holiday tomorrow? I'll take you somewhere."

  "Where is it, Master?" Ji Xin'an suddenly came back to life.

  "Secret," Zou Weiguo smiled as he looked at his beloved apprentice.

  "Oh, Master, just tell me already!" Ji Xin'an used her coquettish tactics again.

  Coquetry is useless, you'll know when you get there. Zou Weiguo had long stopped falling for her tricks.

  Ji Xin's gloomy face suddenly lit up, and he couldn't believe that his normally stern master would have such a wicked sense of humor.

  The next day, Ji Xin'an saw Zou Weiguo wearing a formal military uniform for the first time, and he was actually a colonel.

  Ji Xinan took him to a fairly large indoor training venue near the troop's barracks, but everyone coming and going was wearing military uniforms.

  Two people walked directly into the innermost office. Inside the room was a female lieutenant colonel. As soon as Ji Xin'an saw her shoulder badge, his eyes sparkled with excitement.

  Zou Weiguo and she exchanged a few pleasantries before jokingly saying: "This is the Ji Xin'an I was telling you about. After I leave, I'll hand her over to you. You must keep an eye on her for me, or else I'll inspect when I get back."

  The female officer looked at Ji Xin'an with a curious gaze, her face full of admiration, and smiled lightly: "Don't worry, I'll treat her just like one of my own soldiers."

  "Ji Xin'an." Zou Weiguo nodded and turned to introduce Ji Xin'an. "This is Guo Rong, Officer Guo. After I leave, you'll be training with her from now on. Make sure to listen to her."

  "Officer Guo, good." Ji Xin'an also learned to salute.

  "I feel like you're more excited than I am." Zhōu Wèiguó saw that Ji Xīn'ān's small face had turned red with excitement.

  "Of course, you're not unaware that I have a soft spot for female officers. Don't think that just because you outrank others, you can get away with anything in front of me." Ji Xin'an composed himself from his excitement and waved his hand dismissively.

  Ji Xin'an's completely natural expression amused both of them.

  It's said that Ji Xin'an is being trained as a soldier, but she only comes when she has time, which is about the same as before, except that the morning and evening times have been moved from the park to the training ground.

  This is a temporary training base. Female soldiers from different units come here for training, and sometimes even local police officers will come here for a short or long period of time.

  Guo Rong is the person in charge here, although it's not clear what her relationship with Master is, but she teaches herself very seriously and doesn't show any mercy. If there's a mistake, she scolds, and in everyone's eyes, Guo Rong is the strictest towards Ji Xin'an. Some people even speculate that maybe Ji Xin'an has offended this Officer Guo somewhere.

  But Ji Xin'an herself knew that this was Guo Rong's 'care' for her, the stricter she was with her, the higher her expectations of her were, so she never complained.

  Moreover, there is a benefit here that did not exist before, which is the opportunity for actual combat. When her master taught her, it was only one-sided instruction, and if she wanted to fight back, she didn't even have the ability to counterattack. It's different here because people from different units have different levels of skill, so there are also beginners. Therefore, Ji Xin'an has the opportunity to fight with others every day.

  The master said to leave and left, since that day, Ji Xin'an has never seen him again, not even a contact method, if it wasn't for being brought here, Ji Xin'an really doubted whether he had ever met this person.

  Ji Xin'an and Guo Rong hadn't become familiar enough to talk about everything, so she couldn't ask him about her master's news, and could only wait slowly.