Hansen Ruiz was indeed a cunning fox. He did not directly bring up the main topic but instead used the fact that Rachel Bailey owed him a favor as leverage in the negotiation.

"Why wouldn't I be willing? Just say the word and, if I can help, I'll definitely do it," Rachel cheerfully responded. She had been thinking about repaying the favor, and now that he needed her help, she would naturally assist him to settle the debt of gratitude.

"I have a Wine Party to attend tonight. It's a birthday celebration for a friend of mine, and my presence is mandatory. However, I'm in need of a female companion. Would you be willing to be my date?" asked Hansen Ruiz with a smile, his voice still gentle and steady, betraying no hint of any other emotions.

Rachel instinctively wanted to refuse. She could help him with other things, but this particular request felt inappropriate to her since it might lead to misunderstandings about her relationship with Hansen Ruiz. Although she was quite familiar with him, her mind was clear—she was not on the same level as Hansen Ruiz. Apart from being ordinary friends, she had no desire to associate with him further, much less give anyone the impression that she was clinging to Hansen Ruiz.

"That... you could find someone else," Rachel said with an awkward smile.

She had attended wine parties before—the Cosmos Group's annual company events, where all white-collar employees would participate. However, those were familiar faces, and the company's annual events were never as high-end as the Wine Party Hansen Ruiz would be attending. She felt natural and comfortable there. Knowing the kind of people Hansen Ruiz associated with—naturally all rich and powerful—she didn't feel like going with him, as she lacked the looks or social status to fit in.

"You don't want to help me?" Hansen Ruiz asked, still smiling.

"I... If you'd allow me to decline, I would like to refuse," Rachel honestly answered.

There was silence on Hansen Ruiz's end of the line for a while. Rachel was starting to feel embarrassed waiting for him to speak, but before she could say anything, his considerate voice came through first, "Then, I'll go by myself. Are you free for lunch? Let's have a meal together."

"No, I'll cook for myself. I want to prepare the things I need for setting up my stall," Rachel replied, feeling relieved when she heard Hansen Ruiz did not insist on her accompanying him to the Wine Party. Had he firmly requested her assistance, she would have found it impossible to refuse.

"Well, I'll hang up then," said Hansen Ruiz, his voice calm and holding a light smile.

"Sure."

The two exchanged goodbyes and then ended the call.

Both were unaware that someone had been secretly sizing up Rachel Bailey, dismissing any possibility of her becoming someone's wife in the future.

「Tibet.」

Marcel Horne's attitude toward Ruby Bluen remained extremely indifferent, even though he often showed concern for her.

His feelings were now even more complex. The usually composed Marcel was unsettled in the face of Ruby and the emotions she stirred in him. He thought that as long as he didn't stay with Ruby, the hurt he caused her would be lessened. If he accepted Ruby and they returned to T City, he couldn't imagine how his elder brother would treat them, not to mention his parents would never accept it. They believed Ruby was toying with his elder brother, and his parents held particular disdain for women who played with men's feelings. Moreover, his father was a military man, extremely strict. Knowing that Ruby abandoned his elder brother for him would bring great shame to the Horne Family, his father would definitely drive Ruby away from him. Marcel felt like a true coward when it came to love, a coward hiding under the pretense of protecting Ruby.

At the Training Base, he stood on a slightly elevated field in his crisp military uniform, draped in the overcoat Ruby insisted he wear. He looked at the distant training soldiers through binoculars.

The snow had stopped in recent days, but the cold had not abated. The wind, as always, was fierce. Due to the heavy snowfall in the previous period, there was still snow on the ground, yet the soldiers continued their training, undaunted by the freezing cold. The robustness of a soldier's body is honed through training in these harsh conditions.

"Marcel," a voice suddenly came from behind him.

Marcel put down his binoculars and turned to look at Ruby approaching him. The wind mischievously played with her long hair, lifting and dropping it as she moved. It swung like the hair of a Model on the stage, revealing its graceful beauty. Dressed in the new clothes she bought last time, Ruby came from wealth and always chose her garments for quality. Even if this outfit couldn't compare to her usual clothes, it still accentuated her noble upbringing, and the innate elegance and dignity she exuded were impossible to ignore.

"What are you doing here?" Marcel asked coldly, his tone icy and tinged with displeasure.

He didn't wait for Ruby to reach him before turning away again, resuming his observation of the training grounds as if she weren't there. The performance of each company and platoon was satisfactory, and he was quite content.

"I heard you were training here, so I wanted to come and see," Ruby said. She was accustomed to Marcel's indifference. Despite how much it hurt, she was not ready to give up. She took every opportunity to be close to him.

"What's there to see? Go back!" Marcel ordered coldly.

"Marcel..." Ruby couldn't help but call out, "Can't you stop deceiving yourself?" Clearly, he cared about her, always trying to hide his concern with coldness. Was self-deception enjoyable? She dared to throw caution to the wind, to brave Tibet alone, all for him. Why couldn't he let go of his reservations and be with her? Even if she was once engaged to Glades Horne, the wedding had never happened. She was still free. What was he so afraid of?

"Commander Horne." A call suddenly came from behind him; it was Emma Wright's voice.

The moment he heard Emma's call, Marcel's demeanor instantly changed. He turned around. Although he had merely turned his head when Ruby arrived, now his harsh and serious face melted like an iceberg touched by fire, revealing a warm, gentle smile that felt like a spring breeze.