Shen Zhihan hurried across the street outside the train station, her heart pounding as she glanced nervously in all directions.

When she turned her head, she suddenly locked eyes with a piercing gaze that made her heart skip a beat. Instinctively, she quickened her pace.

The memory of the man she had accidentally bumped into while exiting the station flashed through her mind—how he had whispered to his companion before they began tailing her. The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

Just as panic threatened to overwhelm her, she spotted a uniformed soldier standing at the corner, talking on the phone.

Without thinking, she rushed forward and grabbed his arm, pressing herself against his back for cover.

"Let go," a deep, resonant voice commanded from above.

Peeking through the gap between them, Shen Zhihan saw the two men still lurking nearby. Trembling with fear, she clung tighter to the soldier, her voice quivering. "Someone’s been following me… Please, can you help?"

Lu Chengyu looked down at the girl trembling in his arms, noticing her rapid, frightened breaths. He averted his gaze and scanned the area, his sharp eyes locking onto the two suspicious figures loitering in the distance. Gently, he placed a reassuring hand on the back of her head.

"Don’t be afraid," he said, his voice steady and firm.

Pressed against his chest, Shen Zhihan could feel the strong, steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Gradually, her own breathing slowed, and she relaxed in his embrace. Her lips accidentally brushed against one of the medals pinned to his uniform. After a moment, she whispered cautiously, "Are they… gone?"

"Yeah, they’re gone," Lu Chengyu confirmed, turning his head to check.

Shen Zhihan exhaled in relief and slowly pulled away. Just as she was about to thank him, she looked up—and froze.

The man before her was breathtakingly handsome, his features as if meticulously sculpted. Standing nearly six-foot-three, he had broad shoulders, long, straight legs, and an imposing presence that radiated authority even without a word. The military uniform only accentuated his striking demeanor.

"Are you okay?" His deep, velvety voice sent an unexpected flutter through her chest.

Noticing her dazed expression, Lu Chengyu’s gaze lingered on her face for a moment longer than necessary.

Under his steady gaze, Shen Zhihan's heart raced uncontrollably. She quickly lowered her head to hide her flushed cheeks. "Thank you so much," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Would you like to file a report at the police station?" Lu Chengyu asked with genuine concern.

"My friend is waiting for me in the parking lot. Could you walk me there?" Shen Zhihan lifted her large, glistening eyes, her tone laced with a hint of coquetry. After the ordeal she had just endured, she still felt a lingering unease.

Lu Chengyu nodded. "Of course."

Walking beside his tall, imposing figure, Shen Zhihan inexplicably felt a wave of reassurance wash over her.

Soon, under his protective escort, they arrived at the parking lot.

"Zhihan!" A familiar voice called out from a short distance away.

Shen Zhihan glanced up at the man beside her, her cheeks tinged with a delicate pink. "My friend's here. I really can't thank you enough for your help today," she said sweetly, her eyes betraying a hint of reluctance to part.

"It was nothing," Lu Chengyu replied calmly. "Since your friend has arrived, I'll take my leave now." With that, he turned and strode away without hesitation.

Shen Zhihan watched his tall, straight-backed figure gradually disappear into the distance and couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Perhaps this was just a fleeting encounter, destined to be nothing more.

"Zhihan, what took you so long?"

"I ran into some trouble earlier, but luckily this officer came to my rescue."

"Judging by that look on your face, your love life's still a barren wasteland, huh?" Xiaolan smirked knowingly at her best friend.

"Let's not talk about that, change the subject," Shen Zhihan waved her hand dismissively, a tinge of bitterness welling up in her heart.

Xiao Lan patted her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, the right one will come along eventually."

Shen Zhihan nodded half-heartedly.

Her mind drifted back to fifth grade, when a boy had secretly slipped her a love letter—only for their teacher to catch them red-handed. Both sets of parents were called in, and to deter her from puppy love, her mother spun a little white lie: "Outstanding boys will eventually be claimed by the state. If you want a good partner, you have to become outstanding first. That way, you can pick from the best—maybe even get one assigned directly by the government."

Back then, she was naive enough to believe every word. Watching her girlfriends pair off left her unfazed; even when handsome guys showed interest, she politely turned them down. She buried herself in textbooks, her grades skyrocketing as she skipped several grades.

And where did that get her? Sure, her academic record was stellar—but not a single romantic prospect in sight.

"Come on, let's go," Xiao Lan tugged at her arm, pulling her forward.

"Shouldn’t we plan this out first?" Shen Zhihan hesitated.

"Relax, I’ve been in West City long enough to guarantee you’ll have a blast," Xiao Lan boasted, grinning smugly.

Just as Shen Zhihan was about to respond, a commotion erupted nearby. She turned to see a group of soldiers forming a tight circle, someone shouting frantically for an ambulance.

Without a second thought, she sprinted toward the scene.

"Where are you going?" Xiao Lan tried to stop her.

"I have to check it out," Shen Zhihan called back without turning around.

Xiao Lan hesitated, but in the end, she didn’t follow.

Shen Zhihan pushed her way through the crowd and saw an elderly man in military uniform lying unconscious on the ground.

"Make way, I'm a doctor!" she called out loudly.

The soldiers immediately parted to let her through.

Shen Zhihan quickly knelt down and began checking the man's vital signs.

"Does he have a history of cardiovascular disease?" she asked urgently.

"Yes," one of the soldiers replied.

Without hesitation, she adjusted the man into a supine position. "Please help hold his legs steady, and everyone else, step back a little."

The surrounding soldiers complied immediately. She grasped the man's wrist and began applying pressure to specific acupoints.

Before long, the elderly man slowly opened his eyes and looked at her gratefully. "Thank you so much, young lady."

"I'm just glad you're alright," Shen Zhihan said gently.

Once the man had caught his breath and stood up, he smiled warmly at her. "I really can't thank you enough. If it weren't for you, these old bones of mine would have suffered. By the way, someone as lovely as you must already be spoken for, right?"

The sudden question caught Shen Zhihan off guard, and a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. "Not yet."

"Young people these days, none of you seem to be in a hurry. Your parents must be nagging you about it, aren't they?"

Shen Zhihan chuckled helplessly. "You have no idea. My mother keeps setting me up on blind dates."

"Just like my stubborn son—his mother never stops pestering him about it either. Lu Chengyu!"

The moment she heard that name, Shen Zhihan's heart skipped a beat. She looked up to see a tall, imposing figure striding toward them.

As Lu Chengyu approached, his deep-set eyes flickered with an almost imperceptible emotion when he spotted Shen Zhihan.

"Sir, are you alright?" he asked in a low, steady voice.

"Just my old condition acting up again."

Shen Zhihan silently repeated his name in her mind—Lu Chengyu. Even the mere thought of it made her heartbeat quicken.

Remembering her waiting friend, she quickly stood up. "Uncle, I should get going. It might help to carry some candy with you—sugar water can help in emergencies."

Her voice was soft and sweet, drawing Lu Chengyu’s lingering gaze.

"Ah, yes, thank you so much!"

With a bright smile, Shen Zhihan bid farewell. As she passed Lu Chengyu, she deliberately slowed her steps before hurrying away.

"What a wonderful girl—and still single!" The uncle’s eyes lit up. "Why didn’t I think of setting you two up?"

"I’m a soldier. I’m not suited for someone like her," Lu Chengyu replied, his tone somber.

"Since when can’t soldiers date? Never mind, let’s get back to business." The uncle led the soldiers down another path.

Lu Chengyu strode forward with the disciplined gait of a military man, but as he turned the corner, his gaze involuntarily drifted in the direction Shen Zhihan had gone.

"I’m back!" Shen Zhihan jogged up to Xiaolan, her face glowing with barely contained delight.

"You and your do-gooder tendencies—come on, get in the car!" Xiaolan urged impatiently.

"That’s just part of being a doctor—you’ve got to have a warm heart." Shen Zhihan slipped into the car, only to catch a faint, unusual scent in the air.

Just as she was about to ask where the strange smell came from, Xiaolan suddenly slapped her forehead and exclaimed, "Oh no! I left my wallet in the shop. Wait in the car for a moment—I'll be right back!"

Before the words had fully left her mouth, Xiaolan had already flung the car door shut and dashed off in a frantic hurry.

Shen Zhihan sat quietly, waiting. Then, without warning, a dizzying wave of vertigo crashed over her, as if all her strength had been drained away.

Panic surged through her as she fumbled for the door handle, desperate to escape—only to freeze in horror when she realized the doors had been locked from the outside. Her heart plummeted into an abyss of dread. Trembling, she groped for her phone.

But what met her was even more crushing despair: the screen displayed the dreaded "No Signal" icon.

Her consciousness blurred, slipping away like sand through her fingers. In the final moments before darkness swallowed her whole, she glimpsed a sight through the car window that turned her blood to ice.

Xiaolan stood outside, her lips curled into a chilling smirk—and beside her loomed the unmistakable figures of those two familiar men.