After being separated from my family, I became a darling of the military region thanks to my medical

The sky in West Berlin was gray, like an old rag that hadn't been washed properly, hanging low overhead.

But the streets are colorful.

A giant Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star logo rotated on the rooftop, neon lights outlined sexy beer girls, and shop windows were piled high with color TVs and refrigerators that made Xu Wenqiang's eyes widen. This violent clash of colors left Zhang Guohua and Xu Wenqiang, who had just emerged from a world of black, white, and gray, somewhat at a loss.

"Tsk." Gu Zheng turned up his collar to block the cold, damp air creeping down his neck. He glanced at the few blonde, blue-eyed foreign women in black stockings on the street, then looked away with little interest.

He mentally assessed her: her leg hair was too thick, her skin too rough, and only her chest was somewhat presentable. Compared to his wife, she was worlds apart.

"The car is here!" Xu Wenqiang shouted, pointing ahead.

Instead of the expected business bus, a Volkswagen Beetle followed by a small van that looked like it was hauling goods arrived at the airport.

The person sent by the German Medical Association to pick them up was a middle-aged man with a small mustache. He glanced at the large, distinctly Chinese-style canvas suitcases carried by Zhang Guohua and the others, and let out a very slight snort.

He didn't offer to help; he simply opened the back door of the small van, rattled off a string of German phrases, pointed to the watch, and looked utterly impatient.

"What did he say?" Zhang Guohua asked.

Xu Wenqiang's face flushed red: "He said... we should hurry up, so he wouldn't be late for his beer after get off work. He also said this truck was for transporting potatoes for logistics, and that we should squeeze in."

Zhang Guohua's fist hardened.

We are experts here to exchange ideas, not refugees fleeing famine!

"He's been spoiled." Gu Zheng sneered.

He flicked the cigarette butt into a trash can five meters away with precision and strode forward. The German driver, who was leaning against the car door shaking his leg, suddenly felt a darkness engulf his vision.

Gu Zheng lifted three large suitcases weighing a total of 150 pounds with one hand, his arm muscles bulging instantly like knotted steel bars. Without even taking a breath, he slammed the suitcases heavily into the trunk with a "bang".

The poor little bread cart was hit so hard that its entire body lurched downwards, and the shock absorbers made a painful "creaking" sound.

The German driver jumped in fright, dropping his cigarette. He stared in horror at the menacing-looking Asian man, instinctively taking two steps back, swallowing back the complaint that was on his lips.

"He's asking if you know kung fu," Ye Zhen translated casually, a faint hint of sarcasm playing on her lips.

"Tell him I will." Gu Zheng grinned, revealing a set of gleaming white teeth. "I'll definitely take down those who don't know what's good for them."

The hotel was located in the Kreuzberg district, not far from the Berlin Wall.

This is a mixed immigrant neighborhood, and the walls are covered in graffiti. The room is clean, but it's cramped and narrow; the aisle between the two single beds is so narrow that it's difficult to even turn around. Most absurdly, there's no kettle.

"Is this how you treat guests?" Zhang Guohua paced back and forth in the room, furious. "I can understand the control over strategic materials, but they won't even give us a sip of hot water?"

Gu Zheng didn't say anything. The first thing he did when he entered the room was to lift up the mattress, disassemble the old telephone base, and even feel inside the lampshade.

"What are you doing?" Ye Zhen sat on the edge of the bed, watching him busy himself.

"Check for listening devices or miniature bombs." Gu Zheng put the telephone back, dusted off his hands, and said, "When operating behind enemy lines, it's always better to be safe than sorry."

Zhang Guohua laughed in exasperation: "We're here for a meeting, not to gather intelligence! Who's going to be eavesdropping on us for no reason?"

"That's not necessarily true." Gu Zheng pulled a military aluminum water bottle from his satchel, and then magically produced a small packet of jasmine tea. "Strategically despise the enemy, but tactically take them seriously."

Ten minutes later, Gu Zheng somehow produced a kettle of boiling water.

The fragrance of jasmine filled the cramped room, instantly dispelling the unfamiliar smell of disinfectant. Ye Zhen held the enamel mug, took a sip of the scalding tea, and finally felt warm.

"Let's go out for a walk." Gu Zheng draped his coat over Ye Zhen's shoulders. "Now that we're in this vibrant world, we can't just stay cooped up inside getting angry."

As night falls, Electoral Street becomes as bustling as a dream.

A Mercedes-Benz roared past, and the fur shop windows glittered under the lights. Zhang Guohua stood in front of a pharmacy window, not moving for a long time.

He looked at the latest Bayer medications displayed inside, and at the sophisticated home blood pressure monitors, his eyes revealing a childlike longing, followed by a deep sorrow.

Medicines that are in short supply in China are sold like candy in pharmacies here.

Uncle Zhang.

Ye Zhen walked to his side, her gaze also falling on the medicines, but her voice remained calm and undisturbed.

"No need to be envious." Ye Zhen put her hands in her coat pockets, her back ramrod straight. "In less than ten years, we will all have these things."

Zhang Guohua paused for a moment, then turned to look into Ye Zhen's clear eyes. There was no inferiority complex in them, only a firm confidence.

"That's right!" Zhang Guohua took a deep breath, straightening his slightly hunched back. "We have the skills, we have the manpower! What are we afraid of!"

As Gu Zheng passed by a high-end clothing store, he suddenly stopped.

A bright red cashmere coat hangs in the shop window. Its vibrant red, like blood, like fire, stands out starkly and proudly amidst the surrounding black, gray, and blue winter clothes.

"Let's go in and give it a try." Gu Zheng pulled Ye Zhen and started to walk inside.

"Too expensive." Ye Zhen glanced at the price tag in Marks and calculated that it was enough for two years of her salary.

"I have money." Gu Zheng patted his pocket, which contained a huge sum of money he had gathered before leaving, combining all his allowance with the "activity funds" his grandfather had given him. "We're here to fight a war. Tomorrow we'll be on stage, that's the battlefield. Soldiers need armor to go into battle, and this will be your battle armor."

Ye Zhen couldn't persuade him otherwise.

When she walked out of the fitting room wearing that red coat, the German sales clerk who had always looked down on people stared at her with wide eyes.

Ye Zhen, who was originally as cool and aloof as frost, was enveloped in this fiery red, creating a powerful visual impact, like a red plum blossom blooming in the snow. Exquisite yet refined, naturally proud and unyielding.

Gu Zheng walked over and helped her turn up her collar, his eyes full of amazement, but he only said one sentence: "This time, let's see who dares to say we're unsophisticated."

However, this good mood did not last long.

Back at the hotel, Klaus was already waiting for him in the lobby.

The German expert, who had previously maintained a certain level of composure in China, now looked embarrassed and ashamed, clutching a program as if it were a hot potato.

"Ye... I'm so sorry." Klaus avoided Ye Zhen's eyes. "The organizing committee has changed tomorrow's agenda."