Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

The two exchanged a glance, both letting out a gasp of surprise.

Zhao Dong's consciousness was instantly pulled back to that afternoon when he was sixteen. In high school, due to his family circumstances, Zhao Dong was the timid and meek type of student. Not only was he constantly bullied, but he was also seen as an outcast by teachers and classmates alike.

Wang Jing was the exception.

She was Zhao Dong's deskmate, the class president, and the acknowledged class beauty.

He vaguely remembered when Wang Jing had first transferred to their school. She was so dazzling, like a shining pearl, that she stirred cheers among the students. Zhao Dong sat in the corner, looking at Wang Jing, who seemed like a goddess, and lowered his head in shame.

He smiled wryly and shook his head. A goddess like her would ultimately look at him with the same disdain and contempt as everyone else. As the class outcast, no one wanted to interact with him. For the other students, even becoming his deskmate was considered a disgrace!

But Zhao Dong remembered. That day, Wang Jing's voice, as clear and pleasant as a songbird's, made him feel the warmth of a stranger for the first time.

"Hello," she had said. "My name is Wang Jing. May I sit next to you?"

Zhao Dong slowly raised his head. Orange sunlight pierced the curtains, falling upon the sixteen-year-old girl's face. The warmth was just right...

Unfortunately, after graduating from high school, Zhao Dong lost contact with Wang Jing. To meet again today, only to find that so much had changed between them...

Looking at Wang Jing, Zhao Dong finally came to his senses, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

Finally, Wang Jing said with a flushed face, "Don't just stand there. Did you order the massage?"

Zhao Dong opened his mouth, not knowing what to say, and could only nod.

"Let me in," Wang Jing chuckled, her face flushing. "Why are you blocking the way?"

Stunned, Zhao Dong moved aside. Wang Jing walked in, and after one last look at her, Zhao Dong closed the door.

Endless silent sighs flooded his mind. How times change, and people with them... Wang Jing actually became a masseuse... I just hope it's a legitimate service. Otherwise... I don't know how I could face my old classmate.

Wang Jing turned her head and smiled at Zhao Dong, her face still flushed. "Don't just sit there. You paid for this, so let me give you your massage."

"Alright." Zhao Dong didn't know what else to say, so he just nodded in agreement.

He lay flat on the bed. Wang Jing opened the case she was carrying and set it aside, then slipped off her high heels and knelt beside him.

"Can I start with your legs?" Wang Jing asked, trying her best to keep her voice calm.

She was extremely nervous... How could she not be agitated, meeting a classmate from so many years ago? Besides, she'd had a crush on Zhao Dong back then. But for them to meet again under these circumstances... Wang Jing felt awkward, shy, and utterly mortified...

Her hands trembled slightly as she began to massage Zhao Dong's legs. "How is the pressure?" she asked softly.

"It's fine," Zhao Dong responded succinctly.

Wang Jing bit her lip and fell silent. Her cheeks grew even redder as she gently continued her work. The room was deathly quiet but filled with a charged and ambiguous atmosphere.

Finally, Zhao Dong couldn't hold back any longer. "Have you... been all right these past few years?" he asked in a low voice.

A flash of loss crossed Wang Jing's eyes, and her hands paused. But she quickly forced a wry smile and resumed her massage.

"If I were doing well, would I be here?" she asked, her tone self-deprecating.

She was right. If she were doing well, why would she be here? What woman living a good life would be willing to work as a masseuse?

Zhao Dong hurriedly explained, "No... I didn't mean it like that. I just wanted to say..."

"You want to know why I'm here, don't you?" Wang Jing stopped her hands and looked at Zhao Dong quietly.

"If you don't want to talk about it, I..."

"It's fine. I wouldn't tell anyone else, but it's okay with you." Wang Jing wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and then began her story.

"As you know, my parents were in business. Back in high school, my family was quite well-off. And because of you... those were the happiest days of my life.

"Unfortunately, our family later ran into some trouble, leading to our downfall.

"My parents, eager to rid themselves of me as a burden, forced me to marry. So, I was married off many years ago..."

Married?

The word made Zhao Dong's heart tremble. For some reason, an indescribable ache seized his chest, as if his heart were being squeezed by an invisible hand.

Noticing Zhao Dong's reaction, the desolation in Wang Jing's eyes grew deeper.

"Afterward, I had a daughter. I thought I'd just live out my life like that, which would have been fine.

"Unfortunately, that man was a scumbag..." Wang Jing gave a sudden, miserable smile. "It wasn't until after we were married that I discovered his gambling addiction!

"But by then, I was already pregnant, so all I could do was try to persuade him to quit.

"He refused to listen. Instead, after our child was born, he got even worse, thinking I was trapped and couldn't leave him!

"In the end, he even took on a huge debt in my name before abandoning me and our child.

"Burdened with that debt and a daughter to support, I was forced to work here. I had no other choice..."

BOOM!

The words struck Zhao Dong's heart like a bolt of lightning. His gaze fixed on Wang Jing. He couldn't believe that the girl whose eyes once shone so brightly had lived such a miserable life.

There were no more tears in Wang Jing's eyes. She continued massaging him, but her movements were stiff and her expression was vacant. Her once-brilliant eyes were now dull and lifeless.

Yes, the light in the young woman's eyes... was gone.

An involuntary pang of pain shot through Zhao Dong's heart.

He didn't know how to comfort Wang Jing, so he tried to change the painful subject. "I've always wanted to know," Zhao Dong asked, "why did you stick up for me back then?"

Wang Jing froze. A flicker of light flashed through her eyes—it was brief, but Zhao Dong was certain he had seen it.

Wang Jing reached out and touched his chest, asking with a bitter smile, "Do you believe... in love at first sight?"

Zhao Dong's heart skipped a beat.

Feeling his racing heartbeat beneath her palm, Wang Jing smiled slightly, gently withdrew her hand, and said no more.

Time flowed by quietly. Wang Jing looked at Zhao Dong's chest and asked softly, "Can I massage your stomach now?"

"Sure," Zhao Dong nodded.

Wang Jing shuffled forward on her knees, drawing closer. She looked at his chest, a hint of hesitation on her face. Then, she slowly rose and straddled his stomach.

The sudden stimulation made Zhao Dong's body jolt. Wang Jing leaned closer, unbuttoning his shirt and beginning to massage his chest. The atmosphere instantly turned intimate and ambiguous.

Zhao Dong had long harbored the seeds of love for Wang Jing. Her words just now had confirmed it: the reason she helped him back then was because she liked him.

A lone man and woman, like dry kindling and a raging fire.

Zhao Dong slowly drew his hands inward, and his fingers accidentally brushed against Wang Jing's foot.

Her delicate body trembled. She bit her lip, and her breathing grew ragged.