Cheng You insisted on waiting for him there, and no matter how much Qi Chengyan tried to persuade her, she wouldn't leave. He could only let her be.
As they stood there, his jacket ended up on her.
Cheng You felt bored but didn't want to leave, so she sat beside him, leaned on his leg, and counted the stars in the sky, listening to the music from the evening gala inside. Unknowingly, she closed her eyes.
By the time Qi Chengyan finished his task, Cheng You had curled into a ball and was fast asleep beside him.
"Youyou."
Cheng You heard someone call her and woke up groggily, rubbing her eyes.
"Are we home yet?"
Qi Chengyan hummed and picked her up.
"We're home."
He left the rest of the matters to Liu Zi and carried Cheng You to the passenger seat.
"Sleep if you're tired."
Cheng You yawned. She had only fallen asleep earlier out of boredom.
Now she felt much more awake.
The stadium was just dispersing, and the crowd was dense, so the car could only drive slowly.
Cheng You suddenly thought of Yuan Yuzhen's situation and said, "Tomorrow, help me ask Liu Zi about how things were handled."
Yuan Yuzhen didn't seem to want to make a big deal out of it, but they couldn't let this man off the hook.
If he had a unit, they should expel him and punish him.
Otherwise, someone like him was definitely a repeat offender.
"Okay."
Cheng You wanted to go out and explore during the National Day holiday. Staring at the streetlights outside the window, she lazily asked, "I want to go to the Palace Museum, do you have time to accompany me tomorrow?"
Although she asked, she knew in her heart that he definitely wouldn't have time tomorrow.
Qi Chengyan, however, surprisingly agreed, "Yes, tomorrow is a holiday."
Cheng You turned around in surprise, "A holiday? It's National Day today, and you have a holiday tomorrow?"
Qi Chengyan rubbed her head, his voice low, "The border situation is tense, and I might have to leave for a while."
Cheng You was stunned for a moment before asking, "For how long?"
"At least four to five months, or even a year."
It was possible she wouldn't be able to come back for the New Year.
Cheng You's mood sank. She knew Qi Chengyan was a soldier, and he couldn't always stay in the military zone.
A thousand days to raise an army, a moment to use it.
"Can you not go?" Cheng You blurted out.
As soon as the words left her mouth, she couldn't help but pout.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that."
He was a soldier, how could he not go.
"I will return safely, that's my promise to you."
It wasn't as serious as she thought, and war might not break out.
He wasn't the only one being sent; they were all there to stabilize the situation. If they could avoid fighting, they would.
After all, war was costly and taxing, and no one wanted to see it.
Cheng You was dispirited, lost in thought.
Because she realized that Qi Chengyan was going to the battlefield, and she couldn't help him with anything.
She felt useless.
They reached the entrance, and he parked the car.
"Youyou."
Cheng You responded, her lips pursed so tightly they could hold oil.
"Are you unhappy?"
"No."
Qi Chengyan sighed. He knew this would happen, which was why he had been thinking about how to tell her these past few days.
He opened the door, got out, walked to Cheng You's side, and picked her up.
"Nothing will happen, I promise you, okay?"
Cheng You nestled in his arms, "Qi Chengyan, am I a bit useless? I can't help you at all."
He chuckled softly.
"Who says you can't help? Several batches of your hemostatic medicine have already been sent over."
Prioritized for front-line soldiers.
The medicine from Zhen Shan Tang was famously hard to get because supply was too low and demand was too high.
"Really?" Cheng You lifted her head.
"Of course, Youyou is the best."
Cheng You felt a little embarrassed, "Actually, it's not that I'm that good."
"Of course you're amazing. Your formula has been included by the military hospital and will be compiled into textbooks. Every student who takes the course will remember your name."
The textbook was still being compiled and was expected to be used in schools in one to two years.
Cheng You was only twenty-one years old, and such an achievement was significant.
With his words, Cheng You felt much better.
However, the next day, she didn't go to the Palace Museum. She stayed home with Qi Chengyan.
She was happy just sitting together and talking with him.
"The Palace Museum can be visited anytime, I'll wait for you to come back and take me."
"Okay."
In the afternoon, Liu Zi arrived regarding Yuan Yuzhen's matter.
"That female classmate is shy and doesn't want to make a big deal out of it, but we have reported the incident to his unit, and he will be dealt with. Comrade Yuan asked me to thank you on her behalf."
Cheng You nodded, "It was just a small favor."
Liu Zi lingered for a while before asking what was on his mind, "Sister-in-law, that girl is from your school. Does she have a boyfriend?"
Faced with Cheng You's surprised gaze, Liu Zi looked somewhat embarrassed.
"I'm already twenty-six, only a year younger than Brother Yan, and I don't even have a girlfriend."
He wasn't as capable as Qi Chengyan, but he was a capable person. His current position was deputy company commander.
Following Qi Chengyan, there would surely be room for advancement in the future.
Cheng You said, "I don't know. She's not in the same major as me. I only know that her family background isn't very good. Her parents are gone, and only her sick grandfather is left."
It was difficult for a girl like this to find a boyfriend, and everyone would consider her grandfather a burden.
Yuan Yuzhen had sold her hard-earned university spot for this very reason.
Liu Zi quickly assured her, "My parents are also gone, and I don't have many relatives. I'm all alone! If she's willing, I'll definitely treat her well!"
He was treating Cheng You like a mother-in-law, wishing he could swear before her.
Cheng You was amused, "You should tell Yuan Yuzhen yourself. I'm not that close to her."
"Sister-in-law..." Liu Zi looked troubled, "I don't know how to find her. You're her classmate, can you help me think of a way?"
Cheng You couldn't help but laugh. If it really worked out, it would be a good thing.
"Go buy some pastries and send them over, say they're from me to comfort her for the fright she received yesterday."
Liu Zi jumped up excitedly, "Got it!"
With a reason, he rushed off eagerly, making Cheng You smile.
As she smiled, she looked down at the time.
"When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow morning."
Cheng You sighed wistfully, "It's so fast."
It was already afternoon.
"Don't worry, I won't be harmed."
Cheng You gave him a resentful look, "Is that something you can control?"
After saying that, she quickly spat.
"You must be fine and come back to me safely!"
Qi Chengyan kissed her forehead, "If anything happens, you can go to my parents. They will help you."
Qi Shengwen and Song Qinglan had gradually accepted Cheng You, and their attitudes had changed considerably.
Song Qinglan wasn't particularly good, but one thing about her was that she was extremely protective of her own.
"What could happen to me here? But can you make calls over there?"
Qi Chengyan thought for a moment, "Probably not. I'll write to you."
"Okay." Letters probably wouldn't arrive easily.