Free Web NovelChapter 168: Chapter 168: The Female by the Admiral’s Side
He Hanshi’s brow was tightly furrowed, but when he glanced up and saw Shi Lan putting on a serious face just like them, her pretty features set solemnly, he couldn’t help but smile.
"It’s nothing. This is the kind of thing the military worries about."
As he spoke, his hand moved naturally to smooth the crease between Shi Lan’s brows.
Shi Lan looked up at him. Feeling Jiang Xia and Mu Tangfeng’s intense stares from either side, she grew inexplicably shy. She blinked, and her eyelashes brushed softly against He Hanshi’s fingers, sending a tingling, ticklish sensation through him that made his heart flutter.
"I know. How have you been? You must be busy, right?"
Though a little shy, Shi Lan didn’t resist his closeness. Perhaps, subconsciously, she already considered them to be people she was very intimate with.
He Hanshi sensed her softened attitude, and the corners of his mouth lifted even higher.
He drew back his hand and nodded. "Yes. It hasn’t been long since I was reinstated and promoted, so I have to get reacquainted with all matters in the military, large and small. Plus, the Insect Clan has been appearing on multiple planets recently, and we’ve been trying to find the reason for their frequent appearances."
Shi Lan could sense a faint exhaustion in his eyes. Others might not have been able to see it, but when faced with the female he liked, He Hanshi had unconsciously relaxed and revealed his true emotions.
Her heart ached for him. She looked at the soldiers patrolling the woods behind him and thought, ’He probably still has so much work to do.’ She didn’t invite him over to her place, merely reminding him, "You still have to take care of your body. No matter how busy you get, be sure to rest."
"Okay."
He Hanshi answered with gentle patience, then took the initiative to ask, "May I come over to your place for a while?"
Shi Lan nodded happily. "Of course."
She had actually wanted to ask him moments ago but was afraid of holding up his work.
Still, she asked, "It won’t be a problem for you, will it?"
He Hanshi shook his head. "No, it won’t. We were busy before mainly investigating why the Insect Mother was appearing on multiple planets. But after what Lanlan just said, I think I have a pretty good idea now."
"Okay, good."
Shi Lan blinked, her eyes sparkling. He Hanshi then added, "Let’s take my Hovercar back. We just need to get to a more open area first; the Hovercar can’t get in here."
"Okay."
Shi Lan had no objection, and the other two certainly didn’t. Besides, they could clearly sense that her attention had been focused almost entirely on He Hanshi ever since he appeared.
The same was true for He Hanshi, who only offered them a simple nod.
Jiang Xia and Mu Tangfeng both felt a pang of jealousy, but they forced themselves to endure it, reasoning that He Hanshi wouldn’t be able to spend too much time with Shi Lan anyway.
He Hanshi naturally fell into step beside Shi Lan. Jiang Xia and Mu Tangfeng vied for the remaining spot next to her, jostling back and forth, but in the end, they both had to concede, leaving the space empty.
In the Pine Forest, amidst a squadron of patrolling soldiers, one of the males looked at Bai Feng in surprise. "General Bai, isn’t that Miss Shi Lan? Is she the female the Admiral is fond of?"
Aside from the military doctors, almost no females ever went to the Border Defense Star, so even after several months, these males still had a vivid memory of Shi Lan.
And now, all the soldiers could see their Admiral—a man who always kept his distance from females and was known only for his dedication to his work—meticulously matching Shi Lan’s pace, his eyes crinkling with a gentle smile.
Bai Feng watched their retreating figures and listened to the male’s comment. He couldn’t help but feel relieved that Levito wasn’t on this Insect Clan tracking mission. ’Otherwise,’ he thought with a mental tsk, ’this would just be rubbing salt in the wound.’
He shot the male a stern look. "Focus on your work. Once this inspection is done, check the residential area. And cut the gossip about the Admiral."
"Yes, sir!"
The soldier, fearing Bai Feng would get angry or report him to He Hanshi, quickly shut his mouth and scrambled back into formation.
After that soldier left, another one approached a moment later. Hearing the footsteps, Bai Feng subconsciously assumed it was another person looking for gossip. ’Do I have no authority at all? How dare they all come and ask me?’ he thought, his expression turning angry. "Idle gossip is forbidden during work hours, especially about the Admiral! When he decides to get married, he’ll tell everyone himself. If I catch anyone else running their mouth in front of me, they’ll be disciplined according to military regulations..."
He went on for a bit, but when he turned to see who was behind him, his furious expression instantly softened, replaced by a hint of embarrassment.
After all, this was a soldier he held in high regard.
"Liu Si, what can I do for you?"
Bai Feng spoke first, breaking the awkward silence.
Despite having just been inexplicably chewed out by Bai Feng, as a subordinate, Liu Si didn’t find anything wrong with his words. The military naturally had to observe its discipline, and gossiping about the Admiral on duty was indeed wrong.
Liu Si also had a vague impression of the female beside the Admiral; he had even remembered her from the last time they met. It wasn’t because of her looks, however, but because of her name.
But he didn’t dwell on it. ’After all,’ he thought, ’the person from my memories had a completely different look in her eyes. Besides, with her Spiritual Power Level, there’s no way she could ever stand beside a 3S Level Admiral.’
He didn’t give it any more thought. Ignoring the awkwardness on Bai Feng’s face, he feigned ignorance and said humbly, "General Bai, the thing is, Yaoxing is my hometown. Since we’re here, I was wondering if I could request half a day of leave to see my parents?"
The reason Bai Feng had no suspicions about Liu Si was because he knew him as a quiet, diligent soldier. He’d never heard the man gossip. After Bai Feng’s promotion, the previous captain of Team A had taken over his old post. This left the sub-captain position in Team A vacant, so Bai Feng had personally transferred Liu Si from another squad to fill it.
Hearing Liu Si’s request for leave now, his expression barely changed. He only asked, "How long has it been since you were last home?"
Liu Si thought for a moment. "I don’t think I’ve been back in three years."
Bai Feng looked surprised. "Then you must have accumulated a lot of leave over these three years, haven’t you?"
The military on the Border Defense Star worked hard, but the benefits were good. While they were busy fighting the Insect Clan, it wasn’t as if they had no holidays. Bai Feng was surprised Liu Si hadn’t been back in so long.
A faint, embarrassed blush appeared on Liu Si’s tan skin. "I’ve exchanged all my past leave for pay. And, well, I just wanted to use my free time to better myself. There are so many outstanding males in the squad."
Bai Feng sighed and patted his shoulder. "Go on. I’m granting you leave effective immediately. I’ll have someone notify you when the unit is ready to depart."
"Yes, sir. Thank you, General Bai."
A look of joy on his face, Liu Si quickly gave his thanks and departed.
Meanwhile, the group of four had already boarded the Hovercar. He Hanshi had Shi Lan sit in the front passenger seat. Noticing her unfamiliarity with the seatbelt, he leaned over to fasten it for her.
His soft, silver hair brushed against Shi Lan’s cheek. He kept his eyes lowered, focused on carefully fastening the seatbelt, as he explained in a gentle voice, "Even though this Hovercar is mine, it’s sometimes used for military work where we have to go very fast. For extra safety, the interior has been modified, so it’s a little different from a standard public Hovercar."
