CHAPTER 48: CHAPTER 40: NEW RECRUIT ON DUTY

Tattoo? Simon didn’t know Xia You also liked tattoos.

Colorful, various sizes and areas of tattoos were always on his group of friends. However, none of their tattoos were like the butterfly on Xia You’s chest. Inside the phosphorescent color, it seemed as if something was struggling, like a person’s life was imprisoned within Xia You’s body.

The water on Xia You’s hair had not been dried, continually dripping onto the floor, her eyes also damp, staring straight at Simon. Simon felt as if someone was strangling him, suffocating. He greedily looked at Xia You, as if wanting to take her all in. The large towel did not hide her beautiful figure. Besides her eyes, Xia You’s most beautiful aspect was her figure.

Years of marathon training had given her long, toned legs. Her skin tone wasn’t like those women who pursued unhealthy paleness, but naturally healthy. The loose towel clinging to her waistline, hanging tight, the beautifully contoured chest line was fully exposed. Xia You was like that phosphorescent butterfly, about to break free at any moment.

At the seaside that one time, Simon had noticed the woman with the mermaid-like figure could likely disrupt his life. His premonition was accurate; when "Xia You" opened her eyes, looking blankly at her family beside the hospital bed, he knew then. He was ruined.

After arriving in Hua Country, "Xia You" had completely merged into the life of the Xia Family. Afterwards, he also blended into the days with "Xia You". He could never leave Hua Country again.

"When did you get it, it’s pretty," Simon, unable to restrain himself, reached out towards Xia You, just as his fingertips brushed her, feeling his searing fingertip temperature, Xia You stepped backward.

A wave of nausea inside, the sudden change in Xia You’s expression and Simon’s inappropriate actions made both of them somewhat awkward.

"Maggie is looking for you," Simon’s voice carried a vaguely angry tone, walking past Xia You, and forcefully slammed the bathroom door.

As Xia You was coaxing Maggie to sleep, she heard Xia Yun calling Simon in the corridor.

"He left again," Xia Yun remarked, walking into Xia You’s room. It was nearly September, and the intense heat of summer had not yet subsided.

Xia You’s room was in the attic on the roof. Besides one window, there were no other ventilation openings. The whole room was suffocatingly hot. Maggie had only a sheet across her belly, her soft hair sticking to the side of her face, sleeping in a daze.

Watching her two daughters huddle in such a sealed room, as a mother, she couldn’t help but feel heartache. The recent business at the restaurant was also worrying her, "Simon just gave me some money, told us to move out, saying this area isn’t suitable for living long term."

Simon’s money, Xia You recalled the scene that evening, whispered, "We can’t take his money." Xia Yun also vaguely knew Simon was involved in something unsavory, so she promptly refused, which made Simon’s anger flare up, and he left during the night.

"I said the same, but he said Maggie can’t just follow me her whole life, if I can’t improve Maggie’s living conditions, he might take Maggie away after a while," Xia Yun sighed, these past few years had been very tough for her.

"Mom, I have secured an internship," Xia You, fumbling, took out five thousand dollars, "This is my internship salary from the last two months." The money was part of the twenty-two thousand, Xia You had only taken a portion of it, the rest of the money, to not arouse Xia Yun’s suspicion, could still not be taken out.

"Xiao You can also earn money now, Mom is still very happy today," Xia Yun choked up, her "Xiao You" can finally live like a normal person.

Night arrived at a slow pace. Xia You, listening to the breathing sounds of Maggie beside her, also fell asleep. During her sleep, the butterfly was vividly lit up all night long. The Phoenix Tail Butterfly, symbolizing Little Eight, hadn’t shown any oddity since leaving "Military Road."

The next day around seven in the morning, Xia You left the house early and found a public restroom near the bus stop where she got off the night before. There, she changed into the uniform symbolizing the Rand Military District.

The grey-blue slim cut Military Uniform and the triangular military cap, Rand’s Military Uniform, had a custom-made Italian flair. As she walked out of the restroom, several elderly people exercising in the morning praised her.

Xia You thought it was because of the Military Uniform. In fact, those elderly with blurred vision could not see the uniform clearly; they were praising Xia You’s posture while walking. She walked like a well-trained flag bearer, with a straight spine, taking each step in a straight line, and her hands always positioned a few centimeters below the lapel edges, minimizing movement as she walked.

The earliest military bus, with a "squeak", came to a stop.

"Good morning," Xia You saw the driver who looked like a wooden figure again from the night before. She seemed to be the earliest passenger. This driver, who had a higher military rank than her, was apparently responsible for driving the earliest and the latest shifts.

Another newbie on their first day of work. The Sergeant driver didn’t respond, continuing to face Xia You with the back of his head.

The military bus stopped more than a dozen times along the way, never halting without picking up a few people. Xia You then realized that the Sergeant driver was a very scrupulous person. He remembered everyone’s pick-up and drop-off points, and each stop did not exceed a minute.

A very militaristic driving style. Since it was daytime, and Mo Xixi was not sitting next to her asking all sorts of questions, Xia You paid special attention to the road conditions outside the window today.

The driver encountered not even one red light throughout the journey. While the vehicles on the military lane were fewer than on regular roads, there were still vehicles of high-ranking officers as they approached the Rand Military Region.

Plus, despite passing more than twenty traffic lights, the bus Xia You was on did not seem to see the driver pressing the brake even once. Was it luck or skillful experience? Xia You was so focused on observing the Sergeant driver that she did not even realize when the bus entered the Rand Military Region.

It was only when the grey building of the National Security Department appeared before her eyes did Xia You snap back to reality. As she walked past the driver’s seat, she heard a comment: "Not bad observational skills."

Xia You had not yet reacted when she was urged by the people getting off behind her, and she had to get off first.

"What a pity she has arrived at the National Security Department," the driver remarked in a low voice, watching Xia Yun’s posture as she got off. It had been many years since he had seen someone who just by standing, exuded such a military aura, especially a woman.

At nine o’clock in the morning, Xia You stood at the entrance of the National Security Department, and under the sunlight, this young building shone with a brand new color.