章 100: Military tradition

In a room shrouded in darkness, without the faintest glimmer of sunlight, Song Chengfeng stepped out of the bathroom, his shower freshly concluded.

A white towel hung loosely around his hips, the only thing shielding him from complete exposure. Droplets of water trailed from his damp hair, cascading down his lean frame as he moved towards the bedside table. 

He picked up his phone, the screen illuminating his otherwise shadowed features. A faint smile, so rare and fleeting, graced his expressionless face when his eyes landed on the first notification. Which was a text from Qi Jianyi.

The message was simple, yet it meant everything to him: I'm still here. Alive and well.

It had become a morning ritual for him to check in on her, using the excuse of inquiring about her health. In truth, it was less about her well-being and more about the reassurance that she hadn't vanished from his life.