Chapter 2 — The Bias Box

It seemed he was certain that I would not last more than a few days, convinced that I would inevitably come crawling back to him in tears. On the afternoon of the fourth day, the special operations team held a marksmanship evaluation. I lay prone on the ground, holding the rifle steady and squeezing the trigger with precision. All ten bullets hit the nine-ring mark. The head instructor looked at the target and nodded in satisfaction.

"Your foundation is not bad. Have you trained before?"

"I participated in a shooting summer camp during high school," I replied.

The head instructor patted my shoulder.

"Keep practicing hard. There will be a spot reserved for you among those selected for the provincial special training camp."

During the break, while walking past the shade of the trees, I saw Yan Chi handing a chilled bottle of orange juice to Qiao Qiao. Qiao Qiao took a sip and beamed with a sweet, radiant smile.

"Brother Yan Chi, this orange juice is delicious."

Yan Chi reached out and affectionately ruffled her hair.

"Wan Wan used to love this too, but she has become so temperamental lately; I doubt she even cares for what I buy her anymore."

I stopped in my tracks, watching them. Yan Chi’s gaze shifted and caught sight of me, his movements freezing. Upon seeing my mud-splattered camouflage uniform and my sun-kissed, weathered face, his brows knitted tightly together. He walked over and held out a cooling patch printed with a smiley face.

"It is just a patch. Is it really necessary to hold a grudge for this long?"

"Qiao Qiao has been blaming herself these past two days. Go back to the dormitory tonight and apologize to her; let’s just put this matter behind us."

I did not reach for the patch.

"Yan Chi, let’s break up."

Yan Chi’s hand hung stiffly in mid-air.

"What did you say?"

"I said, we are finished," I repeated, my voice calm and steady.

Yan Chi abruptly pulled his hand back, his face turning ashen.

"Zhi Wan, are you using a breakup to threaten me?"

"Do you think this method will make me compromise with you?"

He let out a cold, mocking laugh.

"Fine. Don't come crying to me when you regret this."

The final day of military training consisted of a twenty-kilometer wilderness march. The sky was overcast before we even set off. I carefully folded the recruitment agreement for the provincial special training camp, which the head instructor had given me, and tucked it into the innermost waterproof pocket of my backpack. As long as I completed these twenty kilometers, I could leave this place forever. The units began to move into the mountains one by one. The special operations team led the way, while the standard unit containing Yan Chi and Qiao Qiao followed behind. Halfway through the journey, a torrential downpour broke out. The mountain path turned into a sea of sludge; my soles had long since blistered, and every step sent sharp stabs of agony through my feet. As I prepared to climb a steep, treacherous slope, I heard Qiao Qiao’s shrill cry behind me. She had slipped and fallen into the mud. Yan Chi immediately rushed to her side to pull her up. Qiao Qiao leaned into his chest, sobbing piteously.

"Brother Yan Chi, I’ve twisted my ankle, it hurts so much…"

Yan Chi’s eyes darted toward my bulging backpack.

"Wan Wan, bring your first-aid kit over here."

I stood on the slope, watching him with cold, detached eyes.

"My first-aid kit is at the very bottom; I cannot get it out."

Yan Chi strode over, grabbing the straps of my pack.

"Qiao Qiao is injured, and you won’t even hand over a first-aid kit?"

He forcibly unzipped my bag, rummaging through my belongings. He grabbed the red medical kit and turned to leave.

"Brother Yan Chi…" Qiao Qiao called out weakly. "Will Sister be safe if she stays here all by herself?"

Yan Chi did not look back, focusing entirely on tending to Qiao Qiao’s injury.

"She is healthy; she can walk back on her own."

With that, he hoisted Qiao Qiao onto his back. A sudden, violent cramp struck my stomach, more severe than anything I had felt before. I crouched down, clutching my abdomen, trying to soothe the tearing sensation within. I forced myself to stand, picked up my backpack from the muddy water, and trudged forward one step at a time. The agreement was still in the bag; I had to reach the finish line. I lost track of time—my feet went completely numb, and every step felt as if I were treading on blades. A wave of blinding dizziness washed over me, and finally, unable to hold on any longer, I collapsed into the mud. Before my eyes closed, I saw a pair of black tactical boots stop before me.

When I regained consciousness, I was lying in a hospital bed. The head instructor was there.

"You're awake? You had a high fever and acute gastritis; you nearly lost your life."

"The agreement didn't get wet. You really are a reckless girl."

I propped myself up and pulled out my soaked backpack. Inside, besides the agreement, was the item I had intended to throw away once the march ended: the smiley-face blind box container he had used every day to bring me steamed buns. My phone on the bedside table buzzed. I picked it up to see Yan Chi’s latest post. In the photo, he was carrying Qiao Qiao, standing in front of the finish line marker. Both were drenched, yet they were smiling brightly. The caption read:

"Even if the sky pours down, I will always protect you."

I opened his profile and clicked the button to remove him from my life.