The General Says She Won't Marry - Chapter 23 Part 2

Yun Yan’s smile blossomed under the night sky. Just then, a gentle silver light poured down from above—the moon, breaking free from thick clouds, casting a soft, soothing glow over the earth.

Suddenly, Yun Yan stepped back out through the doorway, reaching forward and wrapping her arms around Lin Aoxue.

It was a simple, pure embrace—like the warmest sunlight in early spring, melting softly into Lin Aoxue’s heart.

Lin Aoxue didn’t return the embrace, but Yun Yan didn’t mind. With a bright smile, she stepped back, waved at her, and then turned, disappearing beyond the door for good.

Lin Aoxue stood outside the military doctor’s quarters for a long time, her gaze unfocused, lost in thought. It wasn’t until the patrol guards passed by, the steady bang bang of their watchman’s clapper breaking the silence, that she finally snapped back to reality.

She returned to her tent, resting her head on her arms as she stared at the raised canopy above. With no candlelight inside, everything was shrouded in darkness, as if a raging torrent surged within the blackness, rising and falling before morphing into a ferocious beast, baring its fangs and claws, ready to swallow her whole.

She turned onto her side again, finding it difficult to fall asleep.

***

The next morning, the thunderous sound of war drums on the training grounds jolted Lin Aoxue awake. She sat up abruptly and glanced outside— the sun was already high in the sky. She had overslept.

Running a hand through her messy hair, she hastily tied it back, adjusted her uniform, and rushed toward the training grounds. Beichen Ji had already ordered a hundred soldiers under her command to run two laps around the field in her absence. When she arrived, he greeted her with a mischievous smirk.

“Where were you last night, Lin-laoge? How come you’re so late today?”

Lin Aoxue hadn’t slept well the night before, and now she was feeling irritable. Even looking at Beichen Ji’s face annoyed her for some reason, making her inexplicably restless. Ignoring him, she merely gave a cold thanks and went straight to training the soldiers.

Beichen Ji was baffled. He couldn’t understand why Lin Aoxue’s attitude was suddenly so icy—colder than ever before.

At noon, during their break, Beichen Ji noticed Lin Aoxue sitting alone at the edge of the training field with her meal, seemingly lost in thought. The food in her bowl remained untouched.

He strolled over and snatched a thick slice of meat from her bowl, popping it into his mouth. 

Lin Aoxue turned to glare at him but, instead of scolding him, simply shoved her entire untouched meal toward him. “Here, you eat it.”

With that, she got up and left, leaving Beichen Ji holding the bowl, utterly dumbfounded.

This went on for several days. By then, Beichen Ji could no longer tolerate it. Finally, one evening, just as Lin Aoxue was about to leave the training grounds, he called out to her. 

“Lin Aoxue, what the hell is going on with you these past few days?”

She was acting like she had lost her mind, completely absentminded.

Her odd attitude was one thing, but even her usual dedication to training had waned. She had already made several mistakes over the past few days due to distraction. County Commandant Liu Meng, aware of her usual diligence, hadn’t been too harsh, but he had still privately reminded her to get herself together.

Lin Aoxue pressed her lips into a thin line, her brows furrowed, a frosty air surrounding her. Most people wouldn’t dare approach her like this, but Beichen Ji was long accustomed to her cold demeanor and wasn’t intimidated in the slightest.

“It’s just… some things on my mind that I can’t figure out. It’s nothing serious.”

There was no way she could confide in Beichen Ji about what was troubling her, so she brushed him off with a vague response and attempted to walk past him. But Beichen Ji wasn’t about to let her off so easily—he stepped in front of her, blocking her path as if about to say more.

Just then, a sharp scream suddenly rang out from the training grounds. Lin Aoxue and Beichen Ji both turned at once to see a soldier falling from a climbing frame used for drills. He crashed onto the ground, clutching his head, and within moments, blood spread beneath him, staining the earth a deep crimson.

The surrounding soldiers rushed over, and Lin Aoxue and Beichen Ji hurried to the scene as well. Beichen Ji immediately issued an order for someone to run to the military doctor’s quarters and call for help before quickly kneeling down to assess the soldier’s injuries.

The fallen soldier had already lost consciousness. His face was deathly pale, and the wound on his forehead was a gory mess. Aside from that, he had a few minor scrapes that weren’t too serious.

Lin Aoxue tore off a strip of fabric from her sleeve and pressed it firmly against his head wound, trying to staunch the steady flow of blood. Before long, the military doctor arrived with a medicine kit, crouching beside them. She motioned for Lin Aoxue to lift her hand slightly.

The soft, gentle voice stood out in the military camp, its tone distinct from the usual roughness. Lin Aoxue lifted her hand as instructed, and Yun Yan immediately leaned forward, skillfully stopping the soldier’s bleeding and bandaging his wounds. Her movements were practiced and efficient, and before long, she had expertly dressed the soldier’s critical head injury.

Standing up, Yun Yan looked at Lin Aoxue and asked for help carrying the injured soldier to the military doctor’s quarters. Before Lin Aoxue could respond, Beichen Ji volunteered first, hoisting the soldier onto his back and striding quickly toward the medical camp.

Lin Aoxue and Yun Yan exchanged a glance. After a brief hesitation, Lin Aoxue stepped forward, picked up the medicine box that had been set beside Yun Yan, and said, “Let’s go.”

Yun Yan’s eyes crinkled in a smile as she let Lin Aoxue carry the box, walking beside her. Lin Aoxue still felt somewhat tense, but somehow, this nervousness felt different from the past few days.

Keeping her expression taut, she searched for something to say and awkwardly asked, “How’s his condition?”

Yun Yan chuckled. “It’s nothing serious. A few days of rest, and he’ll be fine.”

Hearing this, Lin Aoxue let out a quiet sigh of relief. “That’s good,” she murmured before falling silent again.

She wasn’t one for conversation, much less small talk. Yun Yan, sensing her nervousness, pressed her lips together in amusement, then glanced sideways at Lin Aoxue and softly asked, “What exactly are you so nervous about?”

Lin Aoxue stiffened, stubbornly denying it. “I’m not nervous.”

But Yun Yan only laughed even more.

Up ahead, Beichen Ji suddenly stopped in his tracks. When he turned to look back, he saw Lin Aoxue and Yun Yan walking side by side, chatting back and forth in a relaxed and harmonious atmosphere.

His heart sank. Damn it. Why had he been so eager to carry the injured soldier? He had thought this was a perfect chance to get closer to Yun Yan, but now he couldn’t even get a word in.

Determined not to be left out, he slowed his pace and shamelessly squeezed himself into the narrow space between Lin Aoxue and Yun Yan. Nudging Lin Aoxue with his shoulder, he grumbled, “Baihu Lin, take over for me. This guy is way too heavy!”

Lin Aoxue shot him a glance but didn’t budge. “You took the job. Now carry it to the end, even if you have to crawl.”

“Ah! Lin Aoxue, you heartless bastard!” Beichen Ji wailed in despair, lamenting his suffering, but Lin Aoxue remained utterly unmoved, merely shrugging as she refused to help.

Yun Yan watched their bickering from the side, unable to hold back her laughter. Lin Aoxue like this was unexpected. Even she had to admit it was quite amusing.

In the end, Beichen Ji couldn’t escape the burden he had brought upon himself. But thanks to his antics, Lin Aoxue’s nervousness had completely dissipated.

The three of them arrived at the military doctor’s quarters together. Beichen Ji set the injured soldier down before collapsing onto a stool, panting heavily. Meanwhile, Yun Yan carefully examined the soldier to check for any other injuries and prepared some medicine. She was busy for quite some time before finally getting a moment to rest.

Seeing Yun Yan busy tending to the wounded, Lin Aoxue also noticed that soldiers kept coming up with all sorts of excuses to interrupt her work, unnecessarily slowing her down.

When one soldier rushed in, holding up his elbow with nothing more than a fingernail-sized scrape, asking Yun Yan to bandage it, Lin Aoxue finally lost her patience. Her expression darkened as she kicked the soldier back out the door, sending him flying a good distance. Then, in a stern voice, she shouted, “You little brats—are you looking for a beating?! A tiny scratch like that will heal before you even see a scar, and yet you have the nerve to come here for bandaging?!”

The other soldiers who had similar intentions shuddered at the sight. Even Beichen Ji was so stunned that his mouth dropped open in shock, his jaw nearly hitting the floor.

Lin Aoxue rarely raised her voice like this. She already had an intimidating presence, and just standing there was enough to be frightening. But this was the first time Beichen Ji had ever seen her this aggressive, truly about to put someone in their place. His whole body tensed in fear, worried that once her anger subsided, she might turn on him next.

If even Beichen Ji was terrified, there was no need to mention the other wounded soldiers making a fuss. Before Lin Aoxue could say another word, they were already scrambling away, apologizing profusely as they ran for their lives.

A light, cheerful laugh sounded behind her. Lin Aoxue turned her head and saw Yun Yan sitting on a low stool, laughing so hard she was nearly doubled over. Her laughter was bright and gentle, unadorned by fancy clothes or elaborate makeup. In this moment, her unrestrained joy softened her usual graceful and composed demeanor, giving her an added touch of natural beauty that drew everyone’s gaze.

Beichen Ji was utterly mesmerized, his eyes wide and his mind blank. Lin Aoxue swore she could almost see a puff of white smoke rising from his head.

Yun Yan continued laughing for a while before finally stopping. She glanced at Lin Aoxue, winked playfully, and said, “Baihu Lin, how very imposing.”

There was a knowing amusement in Yun Yan’s words, as if she had seen right through Lin Aoxue’s little act. Lin Aoxue cleared her throat stiffly, her face impassive, before offering an obviously forced explanation, “These soldiers are getting way too undisciplined. It’s absolutely unacceptable!”

Jealous of Lin Aoxue receiving Yun Yan’s praise, Beichen Ji quickly nodded in agreement, putting on a righteous expression. “Exactly! Someone needs to keep them in line!”

Their exaggerated display only made Yun Yan laugh again. But before she could say more, a sharp, cold cough came from the doorway.

Lin Aoxue and Beichen Ji immediately straightened up. The smile on Yun Yan’s face faded as well. She rose to her feet and bowed gracefully to the newcomer.

“General.”

Lin Aoxue and Beichen Ji also turned to face the doorway, where Beichen Long stood, his face dark and solemn. A sense of foreboding rose in Lin Aoxue’s heart, but she did not let it show. Keeping her composure, she saluted him as usual.

Beichen Ji, on the other hand, was visibly shaking, bowing his head nervously as he stammered out his greeting.

Beichen Long glanced at Yun Yan before turning his piercing gaze on Lin Aoxue and Beichen Ji. His expression was as cold as ever, his brows furrowed as he said sternly, “You two, come with me.”

Lin Aoxue immediately stepped forward without hesitation, while Beichen Ji swallowed hard, hesitating for a moment before reluctantly following.

Yun Yan remained in the tent, quietly tidying up the medicine supplies, but there was a thoughtful look in her eyes.

***

Lin Aoxue and Beichen Ji trailed behind Beichen Long as they made their way to the grand general’s tent. No one spoke along the way, and the silence was heavy, like the stillness before a brewing storm.

When they arrived, Beichen Ji cautiously let down the tent flap. Beichen Long stood by the table, and suddenly, with a loud bang, he slammed his palm against it.

Lin Aoxue straightened her back, her expression turning serious. Beichen Ji, meanwhile, nearly collapsed, his legs going weak beneath him.

“You fool!” Beichen Long roared, pointing an accusing finger directly at Beichen Ji’s face. “Did you forget every word I told you?!”

When Beichen Long decided to keep Yun Yan in the camp as a military doctor, he had specifically warned Beichen Ji not to get too close to her. Beichen Ji had readily agreed at the time, but the moment he turned around, he treated those words as nothing more than passing wind.

Now caught in the wrong, Beichen Ji refused to back down so easily and quickly argued in his defense, “There was a reason for what happened today!”

The moment he spoke, Lin Aoxue’s brow twitched sharply. This is bad, she thought.

Sure enough, being talked back to only made Beichen Long even angrier. He slammed his palm on the wooden table again, making it tremble under the force. “You dare bring that up?!” Beichen Long bellowed. “Fine, then tell me—who was on duty at the training grounds today?”

Beichen Ji only now realized the danger he was in, but it was too late. His face twitched as he cautiously answered, “…Baihu Lin and I.”

Beichen Long let out a cold laugh, his eyes practically spitting fire. “If you two were on duty, then tell me—what were you doing while that soldier was climbing the obstacle?!”

Beichen Ji had no response. The injured soldier was from his own squad. Training had already ended by the time the incident occurred. Lin Aoxue had been about to leave the grounds, and Beichen Ji, who was supposed to be watching over the troops, had gotten distracted because he wanted to speak with her. As a result, he failed to notice the accident unfolding.

This was his negligence.

Lin Aoxue lowered her head in silence. If she hadn’t been acting out of sorts these past few days, Beichen Ji wouldn’t have been so worried about her. He wouldn’t have stopped her mid-way, and the entire chain of events might never have happened.

That meant she bore some responsibility too.

Beichen Ji was completely silenced under Beichen Long’s furious scolding. Finally, Beichen Long shifted his gaze to Lin Aoxue. Though his expression remained severe, his tone softened slightly. “Aoxue, do you recognize your mistake?”

Lin Aoxue lowered her head further and answered sincerely, “Yes, sir.”

Compared to Beichen Ji, Lin Aoxue’s attitude was far more proper. Beichen Long’s expression eased slightly, though when his gaze swept back to Beichen Ji, he let out a disdainful snort before saying, “Fortunately, nothing serious happened this time. Otherwise, you two wouldn’t escape a flogging. Now go—run fifty laps around the training grounds!”

Beichen Ji’s face instantly fell. He struggled to complete twenty laps on a normal day, sweating buckets by the end. Now Beichen Long was making him run fifty?!

Lin Aoxue, on the other hand, showed no reaction. After saluting Beichen Long, she grabbed Beichen Ji by the collar and dragged him out of the tent, heading straight for the training grounds.

After running over twenty laps, Beichen Ji was already gasping for air, his face flushed red, his clothes soaked in sweat. In contrast, aside from a light sheen of sweat at her temples, Lin Aoxue remained composed, her expression as calm as ever.

Jealousy surged in Beichen Ji again. Gritting his teeth, he howled at her in frustration, flailing his arms, “Lin Aoxue, how the hell do you train? We’re running the same distance, yet I’m about to die here while you look completely fine?!”

Lin Aoxue kept her pace steady as she gave him a sidelong glance, replying with an expressionless face, “You need to train in martial arts for ten years first.”

At these words, Beichen Ji instantly deflated. He let out a long, miserable wail but had no choice but to drag his nearly broken body forward.

By the time they finally finished Beichen Long’s punishment, Beichen Ji collapsed onto the ground, completely exhausted and unrecognizable as a person. The moment he lay down, fatigue crashed over him like a tidal wave, pressing down on his eyelids. He felt like he could fall asleep right then and there.

Lin Aoxue fetched a bucket of cold water and poured it straight over Beichen Ji’s head with a loud splash. Beichen Ji jolted awake, flipping over and sitting up in shock. Furious, he shouted, “What the hell are you doing?!”

Lin Aoxue remained expressionless. “Waking you up.”

Beichen Ji was so enraged he nearly choked. He roared in frustration, “You’re taking personal revenge!” Hearing this, Lin Aoxue froze for a moment, confused. But Beichen Ji wasn’t finished. “Don’t think I don’t see it, Mr. Lin! You’ve been completely out of it these past few days. I bet it’s because of Doctor Yun, isn’t it?!”

Beichen Ji rattled on, and Lin Aoxue’s expression subtly changed.

“If you’re a real man, then admit it! At worst, we’ll compete fairly!”

Beichen Ji was likely too exhausted and disoriented from being drenched in cold water. On top of that, Beichen Long’s harsh scolding earlier had left him simmering with frustration. Now, in a reckless outburst, he vented all the resentment he had been bottling up for days.

Lin Aoxue frowned and looked at him coldly. “What nonsense are you spouting?”

But Beichen Ji suddenly sprang to his feet, grabbed Lin Aoxue by the collar, and glared at her with wide, furious eyes. “Lin Aoxue, don’t play dumb with me! Anyone with eyes can see how special Doctor Yun is to you! I know you’re strong, but if you don’t feel that way about her, don’t string her along! And if you do have feelings, then stop hiding like a coward!”

Beichen Ji’s baseless accusations finally ignited Lin Aoxue’s anger. She shoved him away and jabbed a finger at his face, snapping, “Beichen Ji, have you lost your damn mind?! Let me make one thing clear—I, Lin Aoxue, will never like anyone in this lifetime! My vengeance is unfinished; I don’t have the time or the patience for this nonsense! If you like her, go figure it out yourself! What the hell are you pestering me for?!”

She carried a deep, unresolved hatred. She had secrets—secrets she could never reveal to anyone. She had no right, nor the ability, to develop feelings for anyone.

Yun Yan was a good person. She knew Lin Aoxue’s identity and had chosen to befriend her as a sister. Anything beyond that was impossible.

Lin Aoxue understood all of this.

But she had been wavering.

She feared that indulging in someone’s warmth would make her lose herself. That she would grow attached to an illusion, be drawn into a fleeting connection, and forget the unyielding resolve that once defined her.

Yun Yan’s kindness had shaken her, making her heart waver. She had come dangerously close to sinking into it—longing for connection, wanting to maintain a bond. For a moment, she had allowed herself to believe that, in this vast and ruthless world, at least one person might hold some small measure of tenderness for her.

But Beichen Ji’s outburst was like a bucket of cold water poured over her head, snapping her back to reality.

No matter what kind of bond it was—sisterhood, friendship, or something else she hadn’t dared to examine too closely—ties that ran too deep would only become shackles.

The person she cared for would become her weakness.

And that weakness would become an opportunity for others to destroy her.

She could never allow that.

She needed to maintain control. No one would dictate her choices. No one would breach the walls of her heart.

That was why she would never fall for anyone. No matter what the relationship was, she could abandon it without hesitation.

She did not need such things.

As she furiously berated Beichen Ji, she also forcefully suppressed the faint ripple in her heart. Then, without another word, she lowered her hand, turned around, and walked away from the training grounds without looking back.