Chapter 260: I didn't lose to Chen Xun, I lost to you!

After An Yinan left Mo Kun's office, she ran into Zhang Qingqing.

The girl no longer had the radiance she possessed when they first met; instead, her complexion was pale, and she seemed somewhat dejected.

"Can I talk to you?" Seeing An Yinan, Zhang Qingqing first let her eyes dart away for a moment, then said firmly.

An Yinan raised an eyebrow, not expecting her to speak to her.

"Sure," she agreed.

The two walked side by side along the main road; those who saw them were surprised, but no one stepped forward to disturb them.

"I regret it." Five minutes into their walk, this was Zhang Qingqing's first sentence.

An Yinan raised an eyebrow and turned to look at the person beside her; she didn't quite understand.

Zhang Qingqing turned back to look at her, "During the avalanche, when you went to the disaster area to save people, I already regretted it."

"When you were unconscious after saving that child, I even worried for you, unable to help but pray for you, hoping you would wake up."

"Do you know? It was only then that I realized, I didn't like Chen Xun; I liked that back that saved me."

Zhang Qingqing stared at her own toes; ever since she learned that An Yinan had gone to the disaster area to save people, her heart had been in constant torment.

She had been injured and unconscious, and she had worried for her, felt anxious for her, and even wanted to help, but had no way to start.

Hearing the news that she had woken up, she was very happy, and even felt a sense of relief in her heart.

How could someone capable of helping disaster victims be a bad person?

Aside from Chen Xun, they had never had any point of conflict.

An Yinan blinked in surprise; she would never have imagined that this girl could say such things.

The Military District had issued a notice, giving her a disciplinary action.

But at this moment, she was telling her...

"Surprised?" Zhang Qingqing's eyes were fixed on An Yinan.

At this moment, her mindset had actually opened up; the initial resentment was gone, as were the guilt and helplessness.

An Yinan nodded honestly, "A little!"

Zhang Qingqing laughed; she was actually very beautiful, with clear, bright eyes, and because she had practiced dance for years, she possessed a unique temperament that was very attractive.

"Actually, I didn't lose to Chen Xun's heart," Zhang Qingqing said, feeling more relaxed, the corners of her mouth curving; when she looked at An Yinan, her eyes were curved like crescent moons.

"I lost to you."

What she wanted was never a person, but that kind of sentiment.

The sentiment of having someone pull her out of the abyss in the midst of despair.

Thinking about it now, in the Military, is that kind of sentiment really rare?

It just happened to be Chen Xun who saved her.

"Me?" An Yinan could not understand this girl's train of thought.

Zhang Qingqing nodded, "I lost to your courage in going to the disaster area to save people, I lost to your unhesitating resolve, and I lost to your calm nature right now."

"And even... I lost to your heroic back."

"Actually, no matter what I lost to, in the end, I lost to you."

"Sigh, these words are finally out; I've always wanted to find an opportunity to formally apologize to you. I'm sorry."

An Yinan waved her hand, suddenly realizing that Zhang Qingqing's thinking was somewhat naive, perhaps because she had been too well protected by her parents.

Or perhaps, her true nature was just like this.

But she was sufficiently sincere—sincere to herself, sincere to others, and unwilling to deceive herself or others.

An Yinan smiled, "I forgive you."

Forgiving your instigation and rumors, forgiving the petty actions you took when you were ignorant.

The person isn't bad; it's just that their positions were different.

And now, they could be sincere with each other; that was quite good.

"So when can I taste the milk tea you make?" Zhang Qingqing blinked.

"I've heard that the new recruits and the veterans have all had the milk tea you made, and it's been spread around as being extremely fragrant." The little girl's expectant eyes were truly impossible to refuse.

"How about? Right now?" An Yinan thought for a moment; the review was finished, and what was more important now was to relax her mind.

"Can I?" Zhang Qingqing asked expectantly.

An Yinan nodded; two girls who had barriers between them, perhaps they were meant to be friends all along.

Zhang Qingqing grabbed An Yinan's arm, ignoring her evasive movement.

She had grown up in the family Dayuan, an only child; there were those who flattered her, those who specifically buttered her up, and because she was naturally excellent, she had seen many things.

Yet, she didn't have a single sincere friend by her side.

Her family was used to spoiling her and had forgotten to tell her how to judge human nature.

An Yinan couldn't help but smile; this girl was really...

An Yinan brought her back to the Xiao Yuan, and Zhang Qingqing was curious about everything, as if she had never lived in a small courtyard before.

"It's so warm; is this what a Xiao Yuan is like?" Zhang Qingqing looked left and right with curiosity, just like Granny Liu visiting the Grand View Garden.

"You actually grow vegetables in the room? That's too amazing, right?"

"Wow, what is this? It can actually bloom?"

"Nan Nan, are you preparing for the College Entrance Examination?" Zhang Qingqing saw a large stack of textbooks; although she didn't flip through them, she was still surprised by the thickness of the books—how long would it take to read all of this?

An Yinan nodded, "Yes, a person must have a goal; taking the university entrance exam is my current goal."

An Yinan brewed black tea and boiled sago on the stove.

"I originally wanted to tell you that I was going to take the university entrance exam, but now it seems we thought of the same thing." Zhang Qingqing's smile was like a flower; she didn't touch anything, but sat beside An Yinan, watching her every move—every gesture was worth admiring.

"It would be so good if you learned to dance; you would definitely become a master of dance. Your bone proportions are too perfect," Zhang Qingqing said.

An Yinan shook her head with a smile, "I couldn't endure the hardship of dancing."

Dancing requires practicing basic skills, and daily practice is of the utmost importance; otherwise, why would there be the saying, "One minute on stage, ten years of work off stage"?

"I'm a bit envious of Chen Xun," Zhang Qingqing suddenly said.

An Yinan looked up at her, "Why?"

"You seem to know how to do everything, and you understand everything," Zhang Qingqing said.

"My father said that you contributed the Hemostasis Medicine Formula and saved countless people."

"It was also you who contributed the formula for the Frostbite Ointment, allowing our soldiers in the North to be free from the trouble of frostbite."

Zhang Qingqing said with admiration, not hiding her emotions in a single word or sentence.

"Is that all?" An Yinan asked with amusement.

Zhang Qingqing widened her eyes, "Isn't that enough? Those are human lives; you indirectly saved so many people. Actually, after my father told me, I felt a bit of regret."

Her father is Zhang Wenhua, the second-in-command of the Northeast Military Region.

Before Mo Kun returned, it was this Chief Zhang who oversaw the Northeast Military Region.

Mo Kun has always said that Zhang Wenhua is a man of great talent.

Every step he took, he walked steadily and surely.

Although he dotes on Zhang Qingqing, he would never violate his principles for her sake; he is a person worthy of respect.

At the time, An Yinan had specifically inquired about this, which is why she showed Zhang Qingqing some consideration.