Just as Yunchang returned, he found his three friends playing cards under the shades.
“You’re back! What were you doing in there for so long?” Kang asked.
“Training, obviously.”
“For nearly eight hours?”
“Yeah, I was in the zone today.”
“What, staring at trees gets you pumped?”
Yunchang didn’t respond further. He sat down to join the group and they played cards until six in the evening. They eventually called it a day, got cleaned up, and prepared for dinner. But then Juan Hong suggested they check out something “really interesting.”. As they went, Yunchang couldn’t help but ask.
“Hong, why the heck are we sneaking around camp, especially at this hour? Also, please give me a reason why I shouldn't punish you”
“Shhh, You can punish me all you want once we’re back, for now, just follow me and try to be quiet; you’ll see soon enough.”
Juan Hong led them pretty far away, to a large tree.
“Great, a fucking tree, you made us sneak all the way here just for all that?” Kang questioned Hong with clear frustration in his tone.
“We are nearly there, and this tree is our path. Yunchang, you go first.”
Yunchang climbed up and found a branch with a view straight into the bathhouse. It wasn’t just any ordinary bathhouse, It was the women's bathhouse. Yunchang, despite knowing that some women with fitting physical attributes were also drafted into the war, didn’t know that it’s possible for him to ever see one. Well, if he knew for sure, that pervert Juan Hong should be heavily punished after this.
“Well, Yunchang, see anything good or are we too late?”
“We’re just in time, get up here, hurry.”
One by one, they climbed up, with Guotai even carrying Juan Hong part of the way as he struggled. Soon, all four of them were perched on the branch, cramped together.
“Dude, if this branch breaks, we’ll all fall flat on our faces,” Yong Kang muttered.
“Just stay still. As long as it holds, we’re fine.”
From their angle, they could see everything inside the bathhouse. The special steamed-glass windows allowed those inside to see out but not the other way around—except from the tree’s vantage point. Inside were some of the closest attendants to the Commander-in-chief, all of them strikingly beautiful, sending the three boys into a daze. But Yunchang found himself less captivated—until a familiar figure caught his eyes.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“Oh god, it’s Han Yin, it’s truly her, why does she look so stunning? I’m doomed, I’m doomed,” he thought, unable to take his eyes off her. But his fixation caused the branch to sway as he shifted his weight.
“Hey, Yunchang, stop that! You’re gonna make the branch snap!”
No sooner had Yong Kang spoken than the branch gave way. All four of them tumbled down, landing in a heap on the ground. Inside the bathhouse, the loud crack of the branch and the boys’ yelps drew attention.
“What was that noise outside?” one of the women asked.
“I’ll go take a look,” a young woman with short white hair replied, she then grabbed a towel and headed for the door.
Back outside, the boys were scrambling to get up. Guotai and the others ran ahead, leaving Yunchang lying dazed on the ground, his mind filled with nothing but Han Yin’s image. The white-haired woman stepped out, spotting him lying there with some leaves and branches lying on top of his body. But instead of being angry, she extended a hand.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
When Yunchang looked up, his heart skipped a beat—the white of her hair, the gold in her eyes, she looked so much like Han Yin, almost identical. But on closer inspection, he realized this was someone else, her short haircut and petite frame giving her a distinct look.
image [https://i.imgur.com/WjWH0Tt.jpeg]
“This isn’t what it looks like,” Yunchang stammered.
The woman stared at him with a cool but curious expression, her voice gentle yet a bit reserved.
“Is that so?”
“Of course! I’d rather die than doing something like this.”
“You’re funny. Aren’t you the new General my sister mentioned? What was your name again? Ah, Yunchang, right?”
“That’s right, wait…you know me? Shit! listen here…”
“Shh,” she interrupted. “No need to explain. We all have our… needs. That’s why I’m here, after all.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“No need to worry about it. Your little secret is safe with me, but I’ll consider it a favor owed. Anyway, I’m heading back in.” She paused briefly. “Oh, and my name is Lei Wen. But don’t use it too casually.”
Lei Wen returned inside, leaving Yunchang staring after her in disbelief. He gathered himself and hurried back to camp.
Meanwhile, inside the bathhouse, the other women questioned Lei Wen.
“Was there someone outside?”
“Nothing to worry about,” she replied calmly. “Just a large branch broken by the wind.”
Back at camp, Yunchang ate a quick dinner and went straight to bed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and unease. His friends tried to coax him into another card game, but he waved them off, leaving them disappointed enough to turn in early as well. That night, Yunchang lay in bed, staring up at the northern sky, where stars blanketed the heavens. The constellation of the Big Dipper shone the brightest of all, a familiar sight to him.
In his years wandering across the land, whenever he slept under open skies, he’d gaze up at the Big Dipper, thinking of it as a celestial guide. If it shone brightly, he could expect good fortune, but if dim, he often found himself in trouble or on the run. Yet in moments of doubt or hardship, he’d always look up to it, remembering his mother’s words: “If you’re ever lost, follow the North Star; it will lead you home.”
But Yunchang hadn’t returned home since the day he’d left. Perhaps the North Star had only led him farther away, bringing him all the way to the wilds of Mongolia. Lying there, he pondered this, his thoughts swirling until the dawn crept in.