My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Shi Nian thought that it would take quite some time for her to meet Xu Binchen again. So, when she woke up the next morning and knew that Xu Binchen was outside, her eyes widened in surprise.

The morning breakfast improved a lot, presumably because of Nurse Zhang who had seen how pitiful she wolfed down the tiny dessert that she was moved and appealed for changing her meals. There was soft rice, a bowl of chicken soup, and sweet mash potatoes. She was eating happily when she knew that there had been someone waiting for her since four hours ago.

Her eyes automatically drifted to the clock on the wall. Seven forty. Three hours ago…so, four forty? So early? She almost choked on the mash potato, fortunately it's such a soft and easy to swallow food that she could avoid the embarrassment.

When the man came in, bringing with him the cold air outside with a scowl on his face, she gingerly raised her board. [Uncle, good morning.]

"There's nothing good about morning."

Shi Nian: "…"

The man yawned and when he sat on the couch with both his arms spread leisurely, the originally wide space that could afford three people shrank abruptly. Shi Nian had never realized that Xu Binchen was so…huge before.

He was wearing a different shirt from yesterday, it was black this morning. Coupled with jeans, it made him look more slender and tall. His legs were very long, he looked uncomfortable whether to stretch it or bent it.

The last time they met, he had dragged the couch beside her bed so that it became his exclusive seat. Xu Binchen expressed that it was below him to sit on the folded chair. He even gave a disdainful look when Nurse Zhang first welcomed him with it.

Shi Nian quietly finished her breakfast.

The room was so tranquil and serene that Xu Binchen almost fell asleep the moment he bowed his head. "Why are you so quiet?" he asked blearily.

Shi Nian rolled her eyes. [Uncle, I CAN'T talk.] She deliberately wrote 'can't' in huge characters.

"Ah, right." He rubbed his eyes. Shi Nian felt that his eye bags were getting lower and lower to the point it almost reached his cheeks. "I forgot."

Such a thing, can you possibly forget?"

She rolled her eyes again.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me?"

Shi Nian changed her face as fast as lightning and smiled innocently. Xu Binchen squinted his eyes. Under the stare of the interrogator of Special Crime Investigation members, Shi Nian held her ground steadily.

In the end, it was Xu Binchen who averted his eyes first.

Shi Nian felt a sense of accomplishment and finally decided to ask. [Uncle, is there something wrong to come so early?]

"No." He changed back to lying down on the couch with his legs hanging. "Been out investigating and it's the same direction with the hospital."

[So, you come here to sleep?] She asked incredulously.

Xu Binchen kneaded his forehead and sneered. "Who do you think I am? Wake me up at nine. We will talk later." After saying that, not even five minutes later, the sound of soft and even breathing filled the room.

Shi Nian's jaw hung open, speechless. And he said that he didn't come here to sleep?!

***

When Xu Binchen woke up, his mind was disoriented and he couldn't remember where he was for a few seconds. As a detective, he had experienced being awake for 72 hours without sleep, and even if he slept, he could do it anywhere as long as the place could afford his weight.

It had been a habit for years but this was the first time he slept so deeply without any broken dreams.

His eyelashes fluttered, and the strong light coming from the window made him frown. He raised his arms to block the light and only then did he register the heavy smell of disinfectant and remembered that he was currently in the hospital.

He rose sluggishly and glanced at his wrist. Eight thirty.

Only one hour, but he felt that he had slept for at least five.

The girl was startled at his sudden movement and lifted her head. Xu Binchen saw that she had a book on her hand and asked. "What is that?" His voice was so coarse and rough. He cleared his throat and didn't hesitate to pour a cup of water and chugged it down his throat.

He sighed in relief.

Shi Nian silently erased the words she had written on her board. [It's my cup…] and changed it to [Uncle, did you have a good sleep?]

"Not bad." The quality of his sleep affected his mood a lot and Xu Binchen answered patiently. "What are you reading?"

Shi Nian raised the book so that he could see the title.

He raised his brows. "War for Thousand Years? Why are you reading that?"

[It's interesting.]

"Aren't you a science student?"

Shi Nian was confused for a moment before realizing that Xu Binchen was a detective. Of course, it wasn't weird for him to have searched all of her background. She didn't have anything to hide so she answered earnestly. [Can't one have a hobby outside her study?]

Xu Binchen whose life was spent in military school before advancing to the police academy couldn't relate at all.

"Up to you." The man rose to his height, and in such a close distance, Shi Nian found that she indeed had to crane her neck so high to see his face. She nodded and buried herself into her book again.

It wasn't that the war was interesting.

She just…wanted to see whether there's someone she had been searching for there.

Even though it was just a piece of history written in a black piece of paper, still, she didn't let go of the slight opportunity to find his presence. So far, there's still none…she sighed, maybe she should ask for the wars for ten thousand years before.

Xu Binchen went out and returned fifteen minutes later.

The front of his hair was wet, and the strand of it was hanging down his forehead, making him look younger than usual. Shi Nian couldn't help but to give him a few more glances. She admitted that…aside from General Jiang, Xu Binchen was the second most handsome man she had ever seen.

He had deep set eyes, strong eyebrows, high cheekbones and chiseled jaw. He gave off a feeling of intimidation and sharpness that was inborn, like an aggressiveness of a wild beast. Different from General Jiang who had a softer countenance but brutal behavior, Shi Nian realized that although Xu Binchen looked like a debt collector, he was quite kind deep inside.

She blinked and raised the board she had been clutching since just now. [Thank you for the dessert, uncle.]

The man swiped his hair back. The morning sun shone on his tanned skin, his whole body giving off the feeling of nonchalance tinged with a hint of sluggishness. "Did you finish it all?"

Shi Nian pursed her lips and pointed at the low table in the room. There was still the plastic bag from yesterday and the box with a piece of brownies remained. Xu Binchen nodded like a strict teacher, satisfied with her obedience.

[Do you want to talk now?]

Before Xu Binchen could answer, there was a knock on the door. Nurse Zhang came in with a smile. "It is your physiotherapy session soon. Are you ready?"

Shi Nian nodded before remembering she was talking to Xu Binchen. The man answered as if he was a worm in her stomach. "Do it first. We can talk later on." Nurse Zhang nodded at him with her standard professional smile and Xu Binchen said. "I want to talk about something with Doctor Chun. Inform me if she is done."

Nurse Zhang's smile stiffened and she gave a brief yes under her breath.

Nowadays, Shi Nian felt that she had regained seventy percent of her agility. Her joints didn't crack anymore and she felt it easier to walk around. Still, Nurse Zhang held her arms as if afraid she would trip over nothing.

She smiled helplessly and walked into the elevator that brought them to the eighth floor.