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

Ye Zhen looked at the two pink movie tickets on the table, the three words "Romance on Lushan Mountain" on them particularly eye-catching. This was the hottest movie at the moment, and she had heard that every showing was sold out and tickets were hard to come by.

She had absolutely no interest in such romantic and frivolous things. She would much rather spend those two hours dissecting another rabbit and studying vascular suturing techniques.

"Not interested." Her voice was indifferent, a direct refusal.

Gu Zheng seemed to have anticipated her reaction. He crossed his long legs and leaned back in his chair unhurriedly: "These were given by Dean Zhou. He said they were cultural benefits for outstanding young doctors. He specifically gave me two, and also instructed me, as his 'temporary family member,' to accompany him."

He brought up Zhou Hai, that mountain, again.

Ye Zhen raised her eyes and looked at him coldly. This man would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. And she couldn't refute this reason. Zhou Hai had shown her kindness and patronage; she understood that basic human decency.

"I understand," she said, tacitly agreeing.

A triumphant smile flashed across Gu Zheng's lips. In high spirits, he picked up the bowl and ate the last bite of the sweet fermented rice balls.

The next afternoon, after finishing his business with the troops, Gu Zheng arrived downstairs on time in his familiar military jeep. He had taken off his uniform and changed into a clean white shirt and khaki trousers. His hair was neatly combed, and he had shed some of his roguish military arrogance, gaining a more refreshing and handsome appearance.

Ye Zhen was still wearing her faded old clothes, but she was born to be a clothes hanger. She was slender and had a cool temperament, which made her wear the simple clothes with a kind of aloof beauty that made strangers want to stay away.

The two got into the jeep one after the other, and the jeep kicked up a cloud of dust as it drove toward the Red Star Cinema in the city center.

As expected, the movie theater was packed with people on the weekend, the air thick with the sweet aroma of roasted sunflower seeds and orange soda. Almost everyone around was a young couple, their faces radiating the shyness and sweetness of this era.

In such a lively atmosphere, Ye Zhen and Gu Zheng, two people with outstanding looks and strong auras, seemed somewhat out of place.

Gu Zheng helped her navigate through the crowded streets and found her a seat—a perfect viewing spot in the middle to the back.

The lights dimmed, and the giant screen lit up.

Ye Zhen was initially somewhat distracted, her mind still replaying the closed thoracic drainage surgery case she had seen the day before. But gradually, she was drawn in by the film's beautiful scenery and the passionate, pure love between the male and female leads.

Darkness has a strange catalytic effect. It can amplify all the senses and also disarm us of all the defenses we have during the day.

Ye Zhen could clearly hear the steady, powerful breathing of the man beside her, and smell the faint scent of tobacco mixed with the clean, soapy fragrance on his body.

When the film reached the scene where the female lead, on the edge of a cliff, shyly and proactively kisses the male lead's cheek, the entire theater erupted in suppressed gasps and gasps of shock. In this era, such a bold and direct expression of love was a huge shock to everyone.

Ye Zhen also subconsciously held her breath. She could clearly feel that Gu Zheng's breathing suddenly became heavier at that moment.

The warm breath seemed to be blowing on her earlobe, stirring a slight shiver that made her feel uncomfortable all over.

She subconsciously shifted her body, trying to create some distance. But just as she pulled her arm back, the back of her hand inadvertently brushed against something warm and covered with rough calluses.

It was his hand.

Ye Zhen's body froze instantly.

She tried to pull her hand back as if she had been electrocuted, but the large hand flipped over and gently enveloped her entire hand.

His palms were burning hot, dry, and strong. The thin calluses from years of holding a gun rubbed against the back of her delicate, almost icy hands, bringing a strange, rough, yet incredibly powerful touch. That domineering heat emanated continuously from their touching skin, traveling along the veins in her arm, all the way back to her heart.

Ye Zhen suddenly struggled.

They couldn't break free.

He held her tightly, but not with the kind of brute force that would hurt her; rather, it was a gentle confinement that was irresistible and carried an absolute possessiveness.

Suddenly, she didn't want to move.

Or rather, in that scorching heat, her proud rationality briefly went on strike for the first time. Her heartbeat became erratic and disordered.

In the darkness, no one could see her slightly flushed cheeks and the back of her ears, nor could anyone see the confident smile on Gu Zheng's lips.

Ye Zhen didn't pay attention to a single word of the second half of the movie. All her senses and thoughts were focused on the hand that was being held tightly. She could feel her fingertips getting slightly cold, while his palm remained like a burning fire.

After an unknown amount of time, the movie ended, and bright lights suddenly came on, completely dispelling any ambiguous atmosphere that had arisen in the darkness.

Ye Zhen recoiled as if burned, abruptly pulling her hand back, her cheeks still flushed. She dared not look Gu Zheng in the eye, lowering her head and quickly following the flow of people out.

Gu Zheng followed half a step behind her at a leisurely pace, his gaze fixed on her pinkish earlobes, so happy he almost hummed aloud.

As the two walked out of the movie theater, a cool evening breeze brushed against Ye Zhen's burning face, clearing her chaotic thoughts.

Just as she took a deep breath, preparing to ask if they should go straight back, a sweet, feigned surprised voice came from directly in front of them.

"elder sister?"

Even if she were reduced to ashes, Ye Zhen would still recognize that voice.

She looked up, her gaze passing over the crowd, and met directly into a couple.

The woman, dressed in a stylish floral dress, with long, flowing hair and delicate makeup, was none other than Lin Wan. The man beside her, with his hair meticulously combed, was none other than her ex-fiancé, Zhao Tiancheng.

When Lin Wan saw Ye Zhen, she exaggeratedly covered her mouth.

"Sister, it really is you! I thought I was seeing things." Her gaze lingered for a second on Ye Zhen's faded clothes, then quickly scanned back and forth between Ye Zhen and Gu Zheng behind her. She then feigned innocence and took Zhao Tiancheng's arm. "Brother Tiancheng, are we... interrupting sister's date?"

Zhao Tiancheng's gaze was fixed on Ye Zhen from the very beginning, so gloomy it could drip water.

When he saw the blush that hadn't yet faded from Ye Zhen's face, and then looked at the tall, imposing man beside her, a surge of anger mixed with jealousy and humiliation burned fiercely in his chest.

In his eyes, Ye Zhen was nothing more than a country bumpkin kicked out of the Lin family, a woman he had abandoned. What right did she have? What right did she have to climb up to another man so quickly? And this man was far superior to him.

This is a blatant insult to Zhao Tiancheng.

Zhao Tiancheng's handsome face twisted slightly with jealousy. He stepped forward, shielding Lin Wan behind him, and adopted an interrogation posture as if he had caught them in the act of adultery. He then spoke to Ye Zhen.

"Ye Zhen, weren't you so high and mighty? How come you've hooked up with another man again after only a few days?" His words were almost dripping with sarcasm, and finally, his gaze fell back on Ye Zhen, filled with contempt and disdain.