Special forces soldier demobilization: Starting from the county government compound, a meteoric rise

Late at night.

The commotion at the hotel, loud enough to shake half the globe, finally subsided into the deep night. The autumn wind in the city carried away the daytime restlessness, leaving only this quiet courtyard house in the western suburbs, which appeared exceptionally tranquil and dignified under the moonlight.

At the alley entrance outside the courtyard, Tank and his brothers from Dragon Fang were still standing guard. Although today was a joyous occasion, none of these men had slept a wink; their eyes were even sharper than usual.

"Everyone, perk up! If any fool disturbs the boss's good time today, I'll skin him alive!" Tank said in a low voice, but his tone was full of barely concealed joy.

Inside the courtyard, the shadow of the old locust tree swayed slightly on the bluestone slabs.

Liu Ming pushed open the nanmu door with the big red "囍" character pasted on it, and a warm feeling with a faint orchid fragrance wafted out.

That was Xi Wanqing's unique scent.

The room was dimly lit, casting a hazy, dreamlike crimson glow. Two sturdy red candles burned quietly, their flames occasionally flickering and producing extremely faint crackling sounds.

Xi Wanqing sat on the bed covered with bright red brocade.

She was still wearing that stunning wedding dress that had captivated the entire city, only she had removed her heavy headdress. At this moment, a red veil embroidered with twin lotus blossoms gently covered her face, revealing only a section of her swan-like, graceful, white neck, and her slender fingers crossed and slightly intertwined on her knees.

Liu Ming stood at the door, momentarily lost in thought.

He has experienced countless major events in his life. When facing the guns of drug lords in the Golden Triangle, he did not panic; when engaging in heated debates at the international negotiating table, he remained composed; even when facing a behemoth like Zheng Desheng inside the Forbidden City, his hand never trembled.

But now, looking at that figure sitting under the red candle, this powerful vice minister's heart was beating unusually fast.

He walked slowly forward, each step landing on the thick carpet, and also on his own racing heartbeat.

Liu Ming reached out, his fingertips trembling slightly. He picked up the scale bar placed to the side and gently lifted the fiery red stain.

The red silk slipped down, revealing a breathtakingly beautiful face.

Xi Wanqing slowly raised her head. Her eyes, which usually held a hint of coldness and rationality, now seemed to be filled with the starlight of the entire Milky Way, moist and dreamy, carrying an extreme tenderness that could melt steel.

Her cheeks were flushed, whether from the aroma of the banquet earlier or from her current shyness, it was hard to tell.

"What are you looking at?" she asked softly, her voice slightly hoarse, yet like a feather gently stroking Liu Ming's heart.

Liu Ming looked at her, his deep eyes brimming with unprecedented tenderness, "Look at the greatest medal of my life."

Xi Wanqing chuckled, her previously tense shoulders relaxing slightly. She reached out and gently stroked the badge on Liu Ming's suit lapel, which indicated his rank, her eyes becoming somewhat hazy.

"Liu Ming, I still feel like I'm dreaming." She murmured softly, her gaze passing over Liu Ming's shoulder and looking out at the quiet night. "From that office in Qingyun County that didn't even have heating, to Xishan now. This journey has been so difficult for us."

"Yes, it wasn't easy." Liu Ming sat down next to her and took her hand. Her palms were slightly sweaty, but burning hot. "I thought to myself, how could this female county magistrate be so stubborn, insisting on living like an iceberg?"

"That's because I met someone even more stubborn than you." Xi Wanqing leaned on his shoulder, feeling the solid, mountain-like sense of security. "If you had told me about your past earlier, maybe I wouldn't have felt so much pressure back then."

"Your identity is for others to see." Liu Ming turned his head and kissed her temple. "My life is entrusted to you to protect. Wanqing, these past ten years have been tough for you."

Xi Wanqing closed her eyes, and two lines of clear tears slowly slid down her cheeks. There was no sadness in these tears, only a sense of relief that came after weathering many storms.

"It's not hard for me." She opened her eyes, staring intently at Liu Ming, her tone more resolute than ever before. "As long as it's you in the end, I'm willing to wait as long as it takes."

The flame of the red candle flickered suddenly, casting two closely intertwined silhouettes on the wall.

Liu Ming gazed at her red lips, so close to his own, and his Adam's apple bobbed slightly. He felt a surge of heat rising from the deepest part of his heart, quickly spreading to every part of his body.

He slowly leaned down, and Xi Wanqing did not dodge. Instead, she reached out and hooked her arm around his neck.

This kiss was no longer a performance for the world like a marriage proposal, but was filled with primal, passionate desire—the most secret longing between two lovers.

"Well……"

Xi Wanqing let out a soft moan, her body gradually becoming limp and weak in Liu Ming's arms.

The elaborate wedding dress, bathed in the interplay of moonlight and candlelight, unfolded layer upon layer, like a white peony in full bloom.

Liu Ming's hand slowly moved upwards along her slender waist. He felt the warmth of her skin, the rapid beating of her heart, and the unreserved acceptance of him from the depths of her soul.

In that instant, he was no longer the patriot who held the fate of the nation in his hands, nor the king of soldiers who struck fear into the hearts of his enemies.

He was just a man.

An ordinary man who owns the whole world, yet only wants to protect the small space in his arms.

Outside the window, the wind had stopped.

Only occasionally, a night bird flits past the treetops, uttering a soft cry.

The red candles inside the room were half-burned, their tear-stained surfaces illuminating the room's enchanting and tender atmosphere.

The brocade quilt ripples like red waves.

This is the gentlest yet most passionate destination after a ten-year journey from Qingyun County to the city, from humble beginnings to the pinnacle.

All the power struggles and life-or-death moments vanished into nothingness at this instant.

Liu Ming, panting, whispered in her ear.

"Late Qing".

"Mmm..." Xi Wanqing's voice was fragmented, yet it carried a heartbreaking sense of happiness.

She held the man tightly, as if trying to meld him into her life, and with the last vestige of her clear reason, she left a shallow tooth mark on the back of his neck.

"Liu Ming, I love you."

Liu Ming did not answer; instead, he made a more fervent and frantic gesture, giving a man's most primal and weighty promise.

A spring breeze overnight tells of tender feelings.

As the first rays of dawn pierced through the windows of the courtyard house and fell upon the mahogany floor, Liu Ming looked at his sleeping wife in his arms, at the still-damp happiness in the corners of her eyes, and finally a genuine smile of a "winner in life" appeared on his lips.

He gently tucked the blanket around her and left a light kiss on her beautiful forehead.

Good morning, Mrs. Liu.