Years turn into wind

Cheng Yuwei stood outside the tent, watching Ling Xiaotian's back gradually disappear into the night. She gently stroked the wrist he had held, feeling uneasy. This tough man had shown his vulnerable side for the first time today, and it was hard for her to adapt. Her inner emotions also began to ripple at this moment, like the surface of a lake in early summer, the wind blowing and the water stirring, difficult to calm.

She returned to the lab and tried to distract herself by continuing to work. But no matter how hard she focused, Ling Xiaotian's complex gaze kept resurfacing in her mind. It was a mixture of command, concern, and some indefinable emotion. Cheng Yuwei had never seen Ling Xiaotian like this before—a warlord who, to outsiders, seemed powerful, cold, and unsympathetic, revealed warmth and vulnerability in front of her.

This left her even more conflicted. She knew Ling Xiaotian was a dangerous man, especially in these turbulent times, where his power and ambition were limitless. And she, on the other hand, was merely an outsider caught up in history. She was well aware of the distance between him and her, a chasm between two worlds. But Ling Xiaotian repeatedly broke through the defenses she had built, causing her to waver.

The night deepened, the lights in the lab still on, and the faint scent of chemical reagents filled the cold, silent air. Suddenly, soft footsteps were heard outside the door. Cheng Yuwei looked up alertly. The door curtain was lifted, and a figure walked in silently.

"Who?" Cheng Yuwei asked subconsciously, her hand involuntarily reaching for the reagent bottle next to her, even though she knew that in this situation, those chemicals probably wouldn't have much effect.

As the visitor approached, a familiar face emerged. It was Lin Yuzhu. She was wearing a lavender cheongsam, her makeup delicate, but her eyes held a chill.

"Ms. Cheng, are you still busy so late at night?" Lin Yuzhu's voice was gentle but sarcastic, and her eyes swept across the laboratory with obvious disdain.

"What's the matter, Miss Lin?" Cheng Yuwei stood up straight and tried to keep her voice calm.

Lin Yuzhu smiled and slowly walked over to Cheng Yuwei's lab table, gently stroking the bottles and jars, as if judging something she knew nothing about. Her smile was cold, "Ms. Cheng is truly diligent, still researching these bizarre things late at night. I wonder if you're doing this for work, or to attract someone's attention?"

Cheng Yuwei's heart sank. Lin Yuzhu's words were clearly tinged with hostility. She knew that Lin Yuzhu's hostility toward her was growing, especially after the confrontation at the banquet tonight. It was clear that Lin Yuzhu would not give up easily. She also understood that a woman like Lin Yuzhu was deep-minded and adept at hiding her edge. Now that she had confronted her directly, it meant that her tolerance for her had reached its limit.

"I'm just doing my job. If Miss Lin has any questions, you can go directly to Marshal Ling." Cheng Yuwei deliberately mentioned Ling Xiaotian's name, trying to suppress Lin Yuzhu's arrogance.

Lin Yuzhu's smile froze for a moment, but she quickly recovered, her eyes sharper. She approached Cheng Yuwei, her voice lowered slightly, tinged with a certain suppressed anger: "Cheng Yuwei, I urge you to be more sensible. Ling Xiaotian belongs to me. You are just an outside tool. Don't dream of occupying any position. Your current position is due to his temporary use of you, but you must never think that you are that important."

Cheng Yuwei didn't back down. She looked Lin Yuzhu in the eye and responded calmly, "I've never thought about replacing anyone, nor do I care about status. My goal is simply to help this war win, no matter who is in power."

"That's a very high-sounding statement." Lin Yuzhu sneered, "But do you really think Ling Xiaotian has any real feelings for you? You're just one of his many pawns. When you're no longer useful, he won't even give you a second glance."

Cheng Yuwei's heart suddenly sank. She knew there was some truth to Lin Yuzhu's words. Ling Xiaotian was an extremely rational and cold man. Perhaps he did care about her, but she wasn't sure if it was out of true emotion. However, she couldn't appear weak in front of Lin Yuzhu.

"Maybe you are right, but this is not what I need to worry about right now." Cheng Yuwei said calmly, turned around and continued to organize the instruments on the table, as if she no longer intended to argue with Lin Yuzhu.

Lin Yuzhu stared at her from behind, the hostility in her eyes growing stronger. She took a sudden step forward, reached out and placed her hand on Cheng Yuwei's shoulder. Her voice was low and warning, "You'll regret this, Cheng Yuwei. If you don't know when to stop, I'll personally teach you the consequences."

After saying this, Lin Yuzhu shook off her hand and turned to leave. Her footsteps gradually disappeared into the night, leaving Cheng Yuwei standing there, still feeling the force on her shoulder.

Lin Yuzhu's threat was like a thorn, piercing Cheng Yuwei's heart. She knew that Lin Yuzhu's influence extended beyond the military; she was also part of Ling Xiaotian's long-established network of connections. If she truly resolved to take action against her, Cheng Yuwei would face more than just cold stares and ridicule; perhaps something even more dangerous awaited her.

She looked up at Ling Xiaotian's tent, her mind filled with questions. What was Ling Xiaotian's true attitude towards her? Would he truly protect her if necessary? Or was she, as Lin Yuzhu had said, just a pawn that could be discarded at any moment?

The night wind was slightly chilly. Cheng Yuwei tightened her coat, but her heart was restless.

Just as she was lost in thought, the sound of hurried horse hooves suddenly reached her in the distance. She instinctively stepped out of the tent and saw several messengers, dusty and exhausted, approaching on horseback, charging directly towards Ling Xiaotian's tent. A sense of unease seemed to hang in the air.

Not long after, Ling Xiaotian emerged from the tent himself, his expression grim. He strode towards Cheng Yuwei, his eyes brimming with an unprecedented sense of urgency.

"Something's wrong." His voice was low, yet carried undeniable authority. "We need to act now."

Cheng Yuwei was shocked and felt that a major change was about to happen.