I work as a security guard at a cemetery, and I overhear the dead chatting about getting rich quick.

Xu Mian, this teacher, is more terrifying than Lin Ye imagined.

She is not fierce, nor does she swear.

They even speak so softly, as if afraid of disturbing someone.

But when she stood beside the shooting range, holding the record board, and whispered reminders to him, every word hit the nail on the head.

My wrist has collapsed again.

"His breathing is disordered."

"You closed your eyes after that shot."

Lin Ye remained silent for a long time after hearing it for the first time.

"You could even tell that?"

Xu Mian nodded.

"Um."

Looking at her earnest yet innocent expression, Lin Ye suddenly felt that Cheng Fang's direct attack was actually quite merciful.

Xu Mian did not fire the cannon.

She was holding a needle.

The needle is very thin, so there is no bleeding after the prick, but it can accurately hit his weak point every time.

After half a month, Lin Ye subjected me to all sorts of abuse and training every day, leaving me exhausted like a dog.

Morning physical activity.

Firearms in the morning.

Afternoon fieldwork basics.

Training resumed in the evening, and physical examinations were conducted.

The training schedule grew longer every day, like a strange piece of paper that could reproduce on its own.

In the first week, his fixed target finally stopped completely missing.

Tang Zhi looked at the target paper with great satisfaction.

"Great, the target paper is finally not brand new from the factory."

Lin Ye supported himself on his knees, panting.

"Thank you, that sounds like a compliment."

Qin Zhao passed by and glanced at it.

"It's encouragement."

Lin Ye looked up: "You can finally speak human language?"

Qin Zhao added, "After all, we can't keep cracking down on endangered species."

Lin Ye: "..."

I still can't.

In the second week, Xu Mian began to teach him to compress his breathing.

"Don't pull the trigger yet."

"Make sure the gun is steady before firing."

"The more you try to hit the target quickly, the more likely you are to make a mistake."

Lin Ye, wearing earmuffs, stared at the target in the distance and slowly suppressed his breathing.

He used to be always in a hurry.

They were eager to make money, eager to turn their lives around, eager to climb out of that awful place, Qingshan.

But guns don't fall for that.

In a moment of haste, the gun barrel drifts.

If your mind is in turmoil, the bullet will miss its mark.

On the tenth day, his fixed target hit rate exceeded 60% for the first time.

When the results popped up on the screen, Lin Ye stared at them for several seconds.

It's as if they suspect the machine has finally returned to normal.

Xu Mian stood to the side, her eyes brightening slightly.

"It crossed the line."

Lin Ye took off his earmuffs.

"real?"

"real."

Tang Zhi was even more excited than him and patted him on the shoulder.

"Not bad, you've evolved from a master of outlining human figures to a passable field worker."

Lin Ye rubbed his shoulders.

"This title doesn't sound very prestigious."

Don't be picky, there aren't many that suit you.

On the fourteenth day, the physical fitness was retested.

Ten kilograms of field equipment, a designated route, obstacle courses, low-lying pipes, and a drag dummy.

Lin Ye ran to the very end, looking as if he had just been pulled out of the water.

Sweat was pouring down my face, and my legs ached so badly they didn't feel like my own.

But this time, he didn't faint.

During the final dragging of the dummy, he gritted his teeth and dragged the ridiculously heavy training dummy across the finish line.

The bracelet vibrated.

The results will pop up on the screen.

Heart rate is high.

Endurance low-altitude passage.

Moving under load.

Evacuation operation successful.

Overall rating: Pass.

Lin Ye sat on the ground, staring at the word "qualified," without moving for a long time.

It's just passing.

In Group Two, this result wouldn't even be something to be proud of.

Cheng Fang was able to carry 20 kilograms of equipment while overcoming obstacles.

Xu Mian may look weak, but her rhythm is incredibly steady.

Tang Zhi could still complain while running.

Needless to say, Qin Zhao ran the entire course with a cold face, barely even out of breath.

But for Lin Ye, those two words were already a great honor.

From today onwards, he is no longer a newcomer who was carried into the medical room on the day he joined the team.

Cheng Fang stood next to the finish line, looked at the data, and closed the tablet.

Lin Ye looked up, already prepared to be criticized.

Cheng Fang replied, "Not bad, you've made rapid progress."

Lin Ye was stunned for a moment.

Tang Zhi was also taken aback.

Xu Mian held the record board, her eyes slightly wide.

Qin Zhaodu glanced in this direction.

Cheng Fang seemed oblivious to their reaction and continued, "Keep it up."

Lin Ye sat on the ground and took a couple of breaths.

"Captain Cheng, were you just praising me?"

"otherwise?"

Tang Zhi whispered, "Quick, record it, seven historic moments."

Lin Ye had just touched his phone when Cheng Fang looked over.

He paused.

Just kidding.

Xu Mian lowered her head and smiled.

Qin Zhao said calmly, "Congratulations."

Lin Ye looked at him.

Qin Zhao added: "From being a serious drag on the team, it has improved to being a minor drag on the team."

Lin Ye closed his eyes.

After the training session ended, Cheng Fang announced that he would be given a day off.

Lin Ye's first reaction was not happiness.

It is a warning.

"Have a holiday?"

"right."

"Are there any additional conditions?"

Cheng Fang looked at him, as if she had known he would ask.

"Be back in the dorm before 10 p.m."

"We cannot leave the capital."

"Keep the encrypted phone powered on."

"The bracelet cannot be removed."

Lin Ye listened and remained silent for two seconds.

"Is this a holiday, or a day for patrol duty?"

Tang Zhi laughed and leaned against the wall.

Cheng Fang remained expressionless.

"You don't have to take a break."

Lin Ye immediately stood up straight.

"stop."

Very determined.

After returning to his dormitory that evening, Lin Ye took a hot shower and felt completely revitalized.

He sat on the edge of the bed and picked up his personal cell phone.

Gu Wantang sent a message a few days ago.

Training is training, but don't ruin yourself. Lu Zhixia is also in the capital; you can visit her sometime.

Then another sentence was added.

Of course, this is just a suggestion.

Lin Ye stared at "just a suggestion" for a while and inexplicably felt that Gu Wantang's expression must have been very calm when she sent those words.

His calmness was chilling.

He opened Lu Zhixia's chat window, thought for a moment, and sent her a message:

"Professor Lu, are you still in Beijing? Want to grab a bite to eat?"

The other end replied in less than a minute.

"So you finally remembered you know someone in the capital?"

Lin Ye smiled.

"I've been trained like a dead dog lately, and I've just regained my human social functions."

Lu Zhixia replied:

"Tomorrow at noon."

I'll send you the address.

Lin Ye: "That's so straightforward?"

Lu Zhixia: "Since you're treating, of course I'll treat you to a good meal."

Lin Ye stared at the screen, his lips twitching.

He doesn't think he ever treated Lu Zhixia to a meal before.

The next day at noon, Lin Ye arrived at the restaurant according to the address.

They said they were going to rip him off, but the place wasn't actually that expensive, and it wasn't noisy either.

From the window seat, you can see a row of ginkgo trees outside.

Lu Zhixia has arrived.

She was wearing a light-colored knit sweater with a light jacket over it, her hair was casually tied up, and there was a glass of warm water in front of her.

Just like in Qingcheng, she looked clean and calm, as if she would never be affected by the noise around her.

Lin Ye walked over.

Lu Zhixia looked up at him.

The first thing I said was, "You've lost weight."

Lin Ye pulled out a chair and sat down.

"It sounds like you care."

"Observe objectively."

"Then I'll express my gratitude objectively."

Lu Zhixia pushed the menu towards him.

"His complexion is even worse than it was in Qingcheng."

"Is this also an objective observation?"

"Um."

"Teacher Lu's observation skills are consistently excellent."

Lu Zhixia's gaze fell on the black bracelet on his wrist, paused for a second, and then looked away.

She didn't ask any further questions.

Lin Ye didn't explain either.

Both of them knew that some things couldn't be discussed openly at the dinner table.

After the dishes were served, Lin Ye ate a few bites before realizing that he was really hungry.

After half a month of training, my appetite was literally trained up.

Lu Zhixia watched him pick up some food.

"It seems the food at the Seventh Station is not bad."

Lin Ye almost choked.

"You know?"

Lu Zhixia said calmly, "Do you think I don't know what kind of place the Imperial Capital Cultural Relics Restoration Research Institute is?"

Lin Ye put down his chopsticks.

"Why didn't you say so sooner?"

"You didn't ask either."

"..."

well.

This is also very much like Lu Zhixia.

Lu Zhixia looked at him and said, "I have my boundaries of confidentiality, and you have yours. Say what you can say, and don't make up things you can't say."

These words gently pushed back the concerns that had been stuck in Lin Ye's throat.

He lowered his head and took a sip of soup.

"Then I'll say what I can say."

So he briefly recounted the past two weeks.

Training every day.

Physical fitness retest.

Firearms class.

Sealing box.

Write a record.

As for Xuan Gui, the Zhuyin Society, the Fu Jiu Ling Well, and the hijacking of the escort line, he did not elaborate on them.

Lu Zhixia didn't press for details, only occasionally asking a question.

"How many fixed targets are there now?"

"A little over 60%."

"What about your physical fitness?"

"Flying low over the sky."

"That's alright."

Lin Ye picked up a piece of green vegetable with his chopsticks.

"Are you complimenting me by saying 'it's alright'?"

Lu Zhixia said, "I wasn't praising you."

That hurts.

"truth."

Lin Ye smiled.

The two then started talking about Qingcheng.

Let's talk about that stall owner in the secondhand market who's really good at gossiping.

They talked about the first time Lin Ye asked Lu Zhixia for help with the appraisal.

Liaolinye acquired anti-floating bottles at a high price.

Let's talk about Zhao Shu and his grandson Zhao Lele.

Hearing that Zhao Lele had been settled, Lu Zhixia's expression softened a little.

Lu Zhixia looked at him.

"You used to say you only wanted to get rich, but you never really had the heart to ignore others."

Lin Ye paused in his action of picking up vegetables.

"Teacher Lu, why are you suddenly praising someone today?"

"Observe objectively."

"Then observe a little more, I'd love to hear it."

Lu Zhixia glanced at him.

Don't push your luck.

Lin Ye smiled.

This feeling is strange.

When he was at the Seventh Division, he faced training schedules, heart rate data, archived records, and Cheng Fang's unapproachable face every day.

The world is like it's been cut into cold, hard pieces.

Will I be able to finish the race?

Will it hit?

Will I be able to come back alive?

But sitting here, listening to Lu Zhixia retort to him in a calm tone, the messy old stories of Qingcheng suddenly seemed like everyday life.

It's not an ancient tomb.

It's not a magical artifact.

It was not the Candlelight Gathering.

It's just food, old streets, familiar faces, and a casual, unassuming word of concern.

Halfway through the meal, Lu Zhixia's phone rang.

She glanced down and her brow furrowed slightly.

Lin Ye asked, "Work?"

"no."

Lu Zhixia placed her phone face down on the table.

"At home."

"Are you urging me to come home for dinner?"

Lu Zhixia remained silent for two seconds.

"They're pressuring me to go on blind dates."

Lin Ye's hand, which was picking up vegetables, froze in mid-air.

"Another blind date?"

Lu Zhixia looked at him.

That's why I'm annoyed.

Lin Ye nodded.

This does sound annoying.

Lu Zhixia is the kind of person who is like a cold knife at work and quiet in private. She is the least suitable person to be pulled into sitting at a table with strangers and forced to talk about houses, cars, income and future plans.

He thought for a moment and said, "Then just say you have a boyfriend."

Lu Zhixia looked at him.

He did not speak immediately.

Lin Ye felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze.

"What's wrong?"

Lu Zhixia lowered her head and took a sip of water.

"I did say that."

Lin Ye stopped using his chopsticks.

"It didn't work?"

"They told me to take it back and take a look."

There was a moment of silence around the table.

People were laughing and talking inside the restaurant, and someone was walking a dog past the window.

Lin Ye suddenly felt that the meal was going in the wrong direction.

It was as if someone had gently pushed a new task in front of him.

Lu Zhixia spoke in a very flat tone.

"Of course, you can pretend I didn't say anything."

Lin Ye looked at her.

She lowered her eyes, her fingertips resting on the rim of the cup.

His expression remained indifferent, revealing little emotion.

But Lin Ye and she had known each other for quite some time.

The calmer she was, the more it showed how annoyed she was about this.

It's only because I truly trust him that I've brought this up.

Lin Ye put down his chopsticks.

"Professor Lu, I'll treat you to dinner, and you'll treat me to fieldwork?"

Lu Zhixia looked up at him.

"Let's see if you answer it or not."

Lin Ye thought for a moment.

Are there any subsidies?

"have."

"What?"

"I can tell you in advance that my family's benefits are definitely better than those of the Seventh Division."

Lin Ye remained silent for two seconds.

Lu Zhixia finally smiled.

"So, will you answer it?"

Lin Ye looked into her eyes.

He recalled the four words he had written on the training sheet two weeks ago.

First, survive.

At that time, he felt that he had no right to interfere in other people's affairs.

But a person can't really live a life consisting only of training and danger.

There always has to be something else.

a meal.

An acquaintance.

Just a joke.

And the way she looked at me right now.

Lin Ye picked up the cup and took a sip of water.

"catch."

Lu Zhixia paused slightly at the tip of her finger.

Lin Ye added, "But let me make this clear first, I have no experience pretending to be a boyfriend."

Lu Zhixia looked at him.

"Do you have experience with real boyfriends?"

Lin Ye choked on the water.

"Teacher Lu, your aggression has suddenly increased."

Ask questions objectively.

Lin Ye took out a tissue and wiped his mouth.

"What do I need to prepare?"

Lu Zhixia glanced at him.

"Shut up, stop talking nonsense."

She paused, then added:

"Also, dress like a human being."

Lin Ye looked down at the seven black patches on his coat.

Training clothes, old basketball shoes, and a monitoring ring still on his wrist that he couldn't take off.

It certainly doesn't feel like meeting the parents.

It's more like they just escaped from some secret base and happened to be passing by a restaurant to freeload a meal.

He sighed.

"Teacher Lu, this task is rated at least as level B in difficulty."

Lu Zhixia picked up a piece of fish and put it into his bowl.

"Let's eat first."

Looking at the fish in the bowl, Lin Ye felt a sudden relaxation in his tense mood.

The fish meat is very tender and boneless.

Lu Zhixia picked up her phone again and glanced at it.

"The day after tomorrow afternoon."

Lin Ye looked up.

"What?"

"Meeting the parents."

Lin Ye stopped eating with his chopsticks.

"So fast?"

Lu Zhixia remained expressionless.

"My mom just messaged me saying the appointments are already made. I don't want to go."

"So I'm just a temporary replacement?"

"Um."

Is there any pre-job training?

Lu Zhixia said, "Yes."

Lin Ye felt a little relieved.

What are the training contents?

Lu Zhixia looked at him, her tone calm.

"Speak less."

Lin Ye: "..."