Top Soldier Pursued by a Beauty

"Silly girl, stop crying. You're going to make yourself ugly."

Zhao Dong tenderly wiped the tears from the corners of Lin Qingyun's eyes and comforted her, "Qingyun, believe me. Please, believe me. We've been through so much together, and we've always made it through."

"Wasn't Hong Wu powerful? But what happened in the end? He still died at my hands. All the trials we're facing now are just paving the way for our future happiness."

"Believe me, I will not let you marry Xiao Hongtian. I will not let the Lin Family come to harm. And I will make you my woman! We're definitely going to live happily together!"

Zhao Dong spoke with unwavering determination, his gaze as sharp as a sword, as resolute as iron.

"Zhao Dong..."

Lin Qingyun's tears stopped. As she looked at Zhao Dong's resolute face, an inexplicable feeling surged within her heart—something she could only identify as confidence.

"Believe me," Zhao Dong repeated, lowering his head to gently kiss her forehead.

Lin Qingyun trembled slightly, a blissful smile touching her lips.

"Yes!" she nodded vigorously, affirming, "I believe in you. You can do it! I know you can!"

The two sat down, with Lin Qingyun quietly nestling into Zhao Dong's embrace. They didn't speak, simply sitting together in silence. It was a simple moment, yet incredibly romantic and warm. In that instant, they both wished time could stop forever, with no worries to think about, their eyes only for each other.

After a long while, the ticking of the clock on the wall served as a reminder that it was time to part.

Lin Qingyun looked up slightly, her voice full of reluctance. "You have to take care of yourself! You absolutely must!"

"I will. You too."

Zhao Dong nodded earnestly, his voice doting. "Wait for me. I'll come and take you from the Lin Family in broad daylight, and I'll make everyone approve of us being together!"

"Yes!" Lin Qingyun nodded with a smile, her face brimming with happiness.

"Oh, there's one more thing," she said, recalling something and grabbing hold of Zhao Dong as he was about to leave. "Do you remember what I told you about the Qingyun Sect's sermon?"

"Of course," Zhao Dong nodded.

Lin Qingyun continued, "That sermon is tomorrow. You have to go and try your luck for an opportunity! If you succeed, our chances of winning will increase!"

"Alright, I promise. I'll go," Zhao Dong said, reaching out to gently rub her forehead.

The couple shared another sweet moment before he climbed out the window to leave. His departure from the estate went smoothly. However, just as Zhao Dong was climbing over the wall, a booming voice suddenly erupted from behind him.

"Stop! Who dares trespass on the Lin Family's grounds!?"

Startled, Zhao Dong spun around, ready to throw a punch. But when he saw who it was, he froze.

"Ling Feng!?"

"Zhao Dong?"

Indeed. Behind Zhao Dong was none other than Lin Qingyun's cousin, Ling Feng.

A look of pleasant surprise spread across Ling Feng's face as he stepped forward and grabbed Zhao Dong's shoulders, looking him up and down. "Zhao Dong! Is it really you? I was wondering who would dare sneak into the Lin Family estate in the middle of the night. If it's you, then it's not so strange after all!"

Zhao Dong didn't reply, his eyes filled with a hint of wariness. In the current situation, he didn't dare trust anyone, even if he and Ling Feng had a good relationship before.

Seeing his caution, Ling Feng laughed and playfully punched him in the chest.

"You rascal, still on guard against me? What's our relationship? In my heart, you were always going to be my brother-in-law. No one else is suitable! Even if the whole world is against you and Qingyun being together, your bro here will still stand by your side!"

Hearing this, Zhao Dong's heart warmed, and he felt a surge of emotion. He patted Ling Feng's shoulder firmly. "Thank you!"

"Hey, saying 'thank you' makes us sound like strangers, doesn't it?" Ling Feng smiled and patted Zhao Dong's shoulder in return. Though his expression was jocular, a hint of worry showed through. "Brother-in-law, even though I'm on your side, it won't be easy for you to be with Qingyun."

"I know. Don't worry, I'll get stronger as fast as I can," Zhao Dong said, his eyes filled with determination.

"Right, but to get stronger quickly, you'll need some external help," Ling Feng said. "Tomorrow's Friday, and the Pill Market in the Provincial City opens every Friday. That place is a mixed bag, but many people go there, and quite a few sell real treasures. You should go take a look; you might stumble upon an opportunity."

"The Pill Market?" Zhao Dong was intrigued.

Ling Feng continued, "Also, there's the Qingyun Sect's sermon tomorrow. Some masters will be sparring there, so it's a good place to hone your combat skills. Even if you can't obtain a legacy, sparring with experts is a great benefit in itself."

At these words, Zhao Dong was moved once again. The fact that Ling Feng was telling him all this showed he genuinely had his best interests at heart.

"Okay," Zhao Dong said gratefully. "I promise, I'll go tomorrow!"

"Great!" Ling Feng laughed, patting his shoulder again. "Go for it! I believe in you!"

After a bit more small talk, Zhao Dong finally bid Ling Feng farewell.

Leaving the Lin Family estate and walking along the empty streets, Zhao Dong felt a profound sense of emptiness. When it came down to it, he still couldn't find a sense of belonging in the Provincial City. After pondering for a moment, he decided against returning to the cold, impersonal hotel and instead took a taxi to Wang Jing's home.

「Galaxy Garden」

It was a mid-range residential community in the center of the Provincial City. This was the new home Wang Jing had bought with the money Zhao Dong had given her, and this was his first time visiting.

Seeing Zhao Dong arrive, Wang Jing excitedly threw herself into his arms.

"Zhao Dong! I just knew you would come!"

"Sorry, I've been a bit busy lately. I didn't even have time to visit after you moved," Zhao Dong said awkwardly.

"What are you talking about?" Wang Jing said gently. "The life I have now is all because of you. I told you I wouldn't disturb your life. As long as you can come see my daughter and me when you have time, I'm content."

Wang Jing's understanding warmed Zhao Dong's heart. He took out a large bag of snacks from behind his back and glanced inside. "Where's Xiao Ya? I bought some snacks for her."

"She fell asleep a long time ago. Just leave them here. She'll be so happy when she sees them in the morning."

Wang Jing took the bag from him and pulled him to sit on the sofa. She poured him a glass of water, her face full of concern as she asked, "It's so late, you must be hungry, right? I'll go make you a bowl of noodles."

"Okay," Zhao Dong nodded, a wave of happiness washing over him.

"Alright, you wait here," Wang Jing said with a gentle smile and headed to the kitchen.

Before long, the sounds of a pot being put on the stove and water coming to a boil drifted from the kitchen. Holding his glass, Zhao Dong walked to the kitchen doorway. He leaned against the frame, quietly watching Wang Jing bustle about. In the silent night, only the gurgling of the boiling water broke the stillness. Everything was perfectly, peacefully quiet. An inexplicable atmosphere of simple happiness filled the air.

A smile played on Zhao Dong's lips, his heart unusually calm.

Perhaps... this is simple happiness?