C35 Discussion

Turning around, Yang Chuxia indignantly pointed to the kiss mark on her neck and exclaimed, "How can anyone not realize I walked out of your house like this? Since it's impossible to hide, I might as well make it public knowledge!"

It was then that Edi realized Yang Chuxia was upset about the kiss marks he had left on her. They did look rather unsightly. After a brief pause, he suggested, "I'll take you to the Medical Cabin at headquarters. It should take less than a minute to clear up. For now, just cover up with the military uniform."

By this point, Yang Chuxia's military uniform had dried. She resigned herself to the fact that it was the only option.

"Is it really okay to go to the Medical Department just to remove a few kiss marks?" Yang Chuxia asked with concern.

Edi replied nonchalantly, "No one will find out, so there's no harm done."

Yang Chuxia gave Edi a puzzled look as he finished dressing. He reached out, playfully pinched her cheeks, and teased, "You'll see soon enough! Or is it that you actually want everyone to know?"

As he released her, Yang Chuxia's cheeks sported two new red marks. Edi chuckled softly, his fist to his lips, marveling at how sensitive her skin was.

"I certainly didn't want everyone to know," Yang Chuxia retorted, rubbing her face and complaining, "That really hurt! Can't you be a little gentler?"

Edi solemnly assured her, "I'll be more careful in the future. I won't let you go out in a way that you can't be seen."

Yang Chuxia gave him a woeful look, which made Edi's heart race. He warned, "Don't look at me with those eyes, or you'll regret it."

Remembering the glare she had given him in the bathroom, he quickly covered his own eyes. Startled, Yang Chuxia averted her gaze to Edi's chest and said evenly, "I'm hungry. Let's go eat."

Edi was both exasperated and amused. He hadn't asked her to avoid his gaze entirely, just not to look at him in such a flirtatious way. He took her by the arm and they headed out together.

The television in the living room had switched from mute to playing audibly. Yang Chuxia glanced at Edi, puzzled.

Edi spoke calmly, "Sean has been waiting for us downstairs since he brought the clothes."

Yang Chuxia's head spun. Sean had been downstairs the whole time, which meant they had been upstairs for over an hour. Sean could easily guess what they had been doing.

Now, Yang Chuxia lacked the courage to face going downstairs. Her feet felt as though they were nailed to the floor, immovable.

Edi's face showed a hint of concern as he tightened his grip on her arm. "What's the matter? Are you scared that Sean will find out?" His voice was steady, yet it carried an undercurrent of irritation.

Yang Chuxia was simply overwhelmed by the rapid progression of her relationship with Edi and the fact that Sean knew about it, which made her feel embarrassed, not guilty toward Sean.

Edi, however, misinterpreted her feelings, thinking she had feelings for Sean, which made him upset.

Unaware of Edi's thoughts and frustrated with his unpredictable nature, Yang Chuxia retorted, "I don't have the nerve for that. We're not lovers! To be caught in bed and still act righteous—only shameless men like you could manage that."

Edi responded icily, "This world isn't just made up of lovers who share a bed."

"So you disregard my dignity and blatantly let Sean know about us? To make him think I'm a woman without morals or shame?"

"General Edi, I'm not the kind of woman you can just sleep with without any regard for decency," Yang Chuxia said, both angry and humiliated. Tears involuntarily streamed down her face. She admitted to herself that she was infatuated with him, but it was only him.

Edi hadn't anticipated her perspective and fumbled in his haste to wipe away her tears, apologizing, "I'm sorry! That wasn't my intention." He held back the words, "I thought you liked Sean and wanted to be with him."

Pushing his hand away, Yang Chuxia snapped, "What's the point of apologizing now, after what you've done?" With that, she stormed downstairs.

Edi caught her arm, blurting out, "Chuxia, you're my first! I'm not the person you think I am."

Yang Chuxia was momentarily dumbfounded. Edi was a virgin? He actually was? Recalling their first time, it made sense that he hadn't lasted very long.

When Yang Chuxia finally ceased her movements, Edi pulled her into a tight embrace and asked, "Do I really come across that poorly to you? Do you see sleeping together as merely a physical need?"

Struggling to free herself from Edi's arms, Yang Chuxia retorted, "And what do you think it is?"

Edi tenderly brushed a few strands of hair from her face to behind her ear, his tone laced with innuendo, "It's making love." He planted a firm kiss on her lips and led her downstairs.

Making love? Was that something you only did with someone you cared for? Disoriented by Edi's actions, Yang Chuxia couldn't grasp the meaning of his words as he guided her down the stairs.

Sean, who had been lounging on the sofa watching TV, quickly stood up and greeted them, "General Edi, Yang Chuxia, you've finally come down!" His gaze swiftly shifted to their intertwined fingers, a flicker of discomfort crossing his golden eyes—they were a couple now.

The discomfort was fleeting, replaced by a calm demeanor, yet Edi caught it with sharp perception.

Feeling slightly panicked, Yang Chuxia hung her head and murmured an acknowledgment, inadvertently revealing a hickey on the side of her neck.

Although the collar of her military jacket concealed most of it, Sean's keen eyes caught sight of additional marks.

Holding her hand a bit more firmly, Edi gave a cool command, "You go ahead and order our meal. Chuxia and I have some errands to run; we'll be back in about twenty minutes."

"Understood, General! I'll take care of it right away," Sean replied with a nod.

The trio departed. Before, Yang Chuxia would have engaged in conversation with Sean, but now, she felt as if she'd been caught in a compromising situation by an acquaintance, leaving her awkward and unsure of how to act.

Yang Chuxia remained silent towards Sean, and he, in turn, wouldn't dare initiate small talk with the general's partner.

After leaving the Senior Officer residential area, Sean made his way to the restaurant, while Edi and Yang Chuxia took a flight to the Medical Department at headquarters.

Upon reaching the Medical Department, they disembarked from the aircraft.

Edi reached out and pulled Yang Chuxia's coat up to cover most of her face, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pressing her head to his chest. He chuckled softly, "Now nobody will be able to tell it's you."

"It's like saying there's no silver here!"

"Even so, tomorrow the gossip will be about me, not you. Let me guess how they'll spin it. Hmm! General Edi was seen embracing a lady intimately in the Medical Department. But really, no one at headquarters even recognizes you, so there's absolutely no need to worry."