Chapter Thirty-two The Bottom Line of Being Human

  When boys and girls are alone, time always flies by quickly. Gao Xiang felt that he hadn't stayed for a long time when the lights-out signal sounded. The police academy's lights-out time was half an hour later than the armed police, but despite this, the two of them had to rush back and forth in a hurry, or else they would be left behind in the dark.

  Gao Xiangming was visibly out of sorts on the road, running with his head hung low like a defeated soldier. Gong Qian smiled smugly and said:

  "Oh my, handsome guy is really sorry, your luck is really bad! I didn't know I was so fierce, ...haha!"

  Gong Qian had struck a sore spot, and Gao Xiang could only awkwardly laugh: "You're really ruthless, as the saying goes, 'don't hit someone in the face', but you've gone and punched me right in the eye socket. How am I supposed to show my face tomorrow..."

  "Haha, sorry about that, High Flyer brother. I really didn't mean to, who made you so touchy-feely? This is your punishment..." Gong Qian said with a flirtatious glance, making High Flyer even more annoyed.

  The two of them jogged along, restoring the distance between teammates and quickly returned to their dormitories following the lights.

  No conversation that night, the next morning, Gao Xiang got up early and stared at himself in the mirror. Fortunately, Gong Qian's strength was not great, nor did he have the skill to exert force, so there was only some redness and swelling, without any black eye circles.

  When Zhu Weitao and others saw him during the morning exercise, Gao Xiang lied that he didn't sleep well and was not fully rested. The three good-for-nothing men let him talk his way out of it, but Tian Miao Miao wasn't so easy to fool. As it happened, she was also today's duty officer, and at a glance, she saw that Gao Xiang's left eye was red and swollen. She thought back to how Gong Qian had been smiling foolishly for no reason when she came back last night. Ye Dui was about to organize the police force to interrogate him, but unfortunately, it was time to turn off the lights, and Gong Qian hastily went to wash up. When she came back during the gossip session at night, Gong Qian just pushed it aside, saying she was tired, and no matter how the other three asked her, she wouldn't say anything.

  It's not that Gong Qian didn't want to gossip, but there were too many things happening on this day and she needed to sort them out carefully. Moreover, she had to consider the face of both parties. If she enthusiastically spread the news and High翔 got beaten up by her, then under questioning, the fact that her hand was pulled by High翔 would definitely be exposed. Afterwards, it's not hard to imagine that in this special class lacking entertainment, where energy is abundant, the speed of gossip transmission might exceed the speed of light. Busybodies would stir things up together, and this matter would take on a life of its own. Gong Qian and High翔 would definitely be tied together by them, and within a day, possibly even the entire base would know that Gong Qian and High翔 were dating.

  Gong Qian's choice was very simple, concealment. This matter was also a joke for Gao Xiang, he would definitely not dare to proclaim it everywhere, no one knew and nothing would happen, so naturally it wouldn't cause any trouble for Gong Xiaojie either. It had to be said that Gong Qian's sensitivity and intuition once again helped her instantly resolve the trouble.

  The morning exercise began, and Tian Miao Miao looked at Gao Xiang and Gong Qian in the team. She felt that they had something going on between them. According to normal reasoning, if the two of them had made progress yesterday, today Gao Xiang should be sticking close to Gong Qian, but instead he was hiding at the back of the team. Looking at Gong Qian, as the leader of the two columns, she was chatting and laughing with Vice Class Leader Zeng Cheng, who was leading the team today, without any difference from usual. Her eyes didn't even glance backwards, as if Gao Xiang didn't exist at all.

  Everything is normal, that's the biggest abnormality! Gong Qian was just like usual, her eyes were only on the top of her head, she couldn't see the ordinary people behind her... Gao Xiang had been deliberately avoiding gatherings of girls all day, and he usually took the initiative to get close. He was a bit embarrassed to face Gong Qian, and if he went over, she would ask him: What's wrong with your eyes? How embarrassing!

  Everything seemed to have returned to calm, 2 days later, the girls had already found other topics of interest, Gao Xiang seemed to have given up his right to take a walk with the class leader every day, until Tian Miao Miao took the initiative to find him.

  After the news broadcast, Gao Xiang had just come out of the teaching building and found Tian Miao Miao and Zhang Tong waiting for him at the stairs. He was slightly stunned, then heard Tian Miao Miao shouting: "What are you dawdling about? We've been waiting for you for a while, hurry up..."

  Behind them, Gong Qian and Wang Min came out with books in their arms and happened to see this scene. The latter said: "Tsk tsk, can't tell at all, boss, your heartthrob is really popular; look, there are two more."

  "Haha, you and your mouth! What's with 'the one in my heart'? We're just classmates, no other relationship. Besides, you don't know, those three came together, looks like they're looking for a place to have a big fight today?"

  Gao Xiang followed Tian Niu Niu and Zhang Tong out of the teaching building, Zhang Tong smiled at Tian Niu Niu: "Niu Niu, my task is complete, I'm back, still need to wash clothes."

  Tian Miao Miao said with a hint of annoyance, "Can't you just follow along? There's no outsider here." Zhang Tong smiled slightly and took over Tian Miao Miao's textbook, then floated away with the book in her arms.

  Tian Niu couldn't help but sigh, Zhang Tong's temperament was either called calm or simply indifferent. With too many things hidden in her heart, even Tian Niu's understanding of her was just the tip of an iceberg.

  Once a person forms such a character, they will be excluded in collective life. How is exclusion formed? Not being in harmony with others is the biggest catalyst! At first, everyone has some activity that calls you, but you always make excuses or simply refuse, and over time, no one calls you anymore. This leads to a vicious cycle, poor interpersonal relationships, slow information acquisition, and over time, the gap and divergence with colleagues will only grow larger. The best proof is that it's been just over a month since she came, and most of the other girls in the special class won't call her for activities because even if they do, she might not go. Over time, this has become the current situation.

  Gao Xiang stood beside, Zhang Er Jin Gang was puzzled, why not just gather with old colleagues? Why did this Tong leave first? He couldn't help but ask: "Miao Miao, how come Tong Tong left, leaving only the two of us, where are you going?"

  "Rub, rub, rub... I'll rub your head! All you know is eating, useless thing. Follow me, I have something to say to you!" Tian Miao Miao was already unhappy, and Gao Xiang's question made her even more displeased. She glared at Gao Xiang and led him onto another road.

  All the way, Tian Miao didn't say a word either, and Gao Xiang became even more nervous. As they walked further and further away, they were almost at Training Ground No. 4 now. This training ground was newly built and was a standard 400-meter obstacle special training ground. A row of camphor trees was planted along the outer edge of the plastic track.

  Gao Xiang shouted: "Miao Miao, don't go, let's talk here. If we go further, it won't be easy to get back after the lights are out."

  "Go over there..." Tian Miao pointed to the west side of the training field, where there was a small observation deck. There were three such decks in total, scattered along the 400-meter obstacle course. They were for recorders to observe and record scores. The two climbed up onto the deck, and Tian Miao leaned against the railing, saying to Gao Xiang: "Gao Xiang, what happened between you and Gong Qian?"

  Gao Xiang didn't react for a moment, and Tian Miao Miao asked again impatiently. He only understood then that Tian Miao Miao had called him out today because of this matter. Gao Xiang nervously observed Tian Miao Miao's expression, a guilty conscience spreading throughout his body.

  "Cough cough... It's fine. Nothing happened between me and Gong Qian..."

  Obviously someone's sophistry, even he himself didn't quite believe it. Tian Miao Miao turned around, hugging her arms and staring at him with a suspicious gaze.

  "Alright, alright, I'm scared of you. Nothing's going on between us, you know that. It was just a bet we made during class that day - she bet I wouldn't dare come to your dorm and ask her out; but then I did, so as you can see, I won."

  "After you two left, nothing else happened?" Tian Miao Miao finally responded, and Gao Xiang's hanging heart also began to drop. Since he had denied it from the start, he had to deny it to the end; otherwise, that would be seeking death.

  "What could possibly happen at a paramilitary training base?" Gao Xiang's eyes darted around, his guilty conscience evident.

  "Is it? You're so full that you punched yourself in the left eye?" Tian Miao Miao said with a playful tone.

  "Uh...this..." Looking at Tian Miao, Gao Xiang stuttered. It wasn't that he couldn't make up nonsense anymore, but rather, facing someone who cared about him, he was unwilling and unable to continue making up nonsense.

  When the child was enlightened, his culturally unrefined father struggled to hold a piece of paper with a passage written on it: "Mencius said: Without a heart that feels shame and dislike, one is not human. Without a heart that knows right and wrong, one is not human." This passage High翔 couldn't remember how many times he had recited or copied. The night before he enlisted in the army, his father poured him a cup of wine and said: "Everyone says they want their child to become a dragon, but I think that's wrong! My wife and I are just ordinary workers, we're not dragons or phoenixes, so how can we give you the foundation to become one? It's too much pressure on you, and it's unfair. I've never asked you to be better than other kids, do you remember the passage I made you recite when you were little?"

  "I remember..."

  Back!

  Gao Xiang put down his wine cup and stood up solemnly, reciting loudly: "Mencius said: Without a heart of sympathy and shame, one is not human..."

  Wearing new military uniform, with a big red flower, before getting on the train, Dad's last words of advice were: "Child, remember that passage you recited, that is your moral bottom line, and it is my only requirement for you. Go, do well in the army..."

  That day, Gao Xiang and Tian Miao Miao parted ways in discontent. Tian Miao Miao was convinced that Gao Xiang had been fooled by Gong Qian and kept pressing him to explain what had happened that day. In the face of Tian Miao Miao's questioning, Gao Xiang suddenly became tight-lipped, no matter how much Tian Miao Miao scolded or ridiculed him, he remained silent, only smiling foolishly. Finally, Tian Miao Miao got really angry, "What am I to you? Can't even worry about you being taken advantage of!"

  In the following days, Tian Miao treated Gao Xiang as if he was invisible. Gao Xiang usually didn't come to disturb her either, but during training breaks, he would always send over two bottles of mineral water, only for Tian Miao. She might not necessarily want them, but since Zhang Tong was also included, she couldn't refuse. Having been together at the police station for so long, Gao Xiang had already figured out Tian Miao's temperament...