Chapter 9 Who Is This Pretty Girl

Light had started to peek through the window into the bedroom as Fiona, still sound asleep, heard the loud playing of a bugle. She woke up in a trance from what felt like a long dream.

"Left, right..."

She could hear the soldiers training from afar.

Fiona rubbed her eyes, picked up the camouflage uniform from the bedside table, and put it on.

On the vast playground, a uniformed Spencer stood tall, hands behind his back, as he watched everyone run.

"I heard that a young girl named Fiona came here yesterday. Why didn't you bring her here?" Eric Yuan said with a smile.

"How did you find out?" Spencer laughed.

"I'm actually the last one to find out about it. The whole base was buzzing last night. They were talking about how pretty she is."

"The whole base?" Spencer frowned. "Who spread the news?"

As Eric was about to say something, he heard everyone speak over one another.

"Fiona is here!"

"Look, look!"

"She looks so beautiful in camouflage!"

"Who is talking?" Spencer bellowed. "You! Run twenty more laps!"

Eric stared, mouth agape. He turned around and poked Spencer's waist with his finger. "Is that Fiona?"

Spencer turned around and looked coldly at Fiona, who stood at the entrance of the playground.

She had put on the smallest-sized uniform available, but the sleeves still sagged on her shoulders, while her trousers were rolled up. She wore white canvas shoes, exposing slender ankles. To top it all off, she tied her hair into a clean ponytail. One would look at her and think capable and young. As the breeze passed through, a strand of hair fell on her face ever so gently.

"She's so beautiful!" Eric murmured.

Spencer didn't utter a word. Fiona seemed to be looking for him. As the dawn sun shone from above, she raised her arm to block the sun and stood on tiptoes to look among the crowd.

At that moment, he stared at her gentle profile and didn't look away.

It was difficult to find someone among a sea of people wearing the same uniforms. She eventually sighed and gave up. As she was about to leave, however, she heard a strong and powerful voice roar her name.

"Fiona!"

It was Spencer.

"Ahem!" Eric coughed as Spencer saw him cover his mouth, trying to hide a smile.

Spencer gave him a stern look and then kicked Johnson. "Go and ask her to come here!"

"Yes, sir!"

But before Johnson walked away, Spencer pulled him back. "Never mind, I'll go find her myself."

"Yes, sir!"

"Where is the phone you bought yesterday?" Spencer presented his hand. "Give it to me."

"I have it here!" Johnson hurriedly handed him the box.

"Okay." With a nod, he took the box and strode towards Fiona.

Fiona watched him as he did so-from a distance. She couldn't see him clearly, but he was as tall and handsome as ever.

"Catch it!" As Spencer got close enough, he tossed her the box.

"What?" Fiona tried to catch it, but it hit her collarbone. She winced in pain.

"Stupid! Have you come here to see me?" Spencer gritted his teeth.

Fiona frowned, stroking the spot that had just been hit. "If I knew someone else here, I wouldn't have."

He snorted. "So, what is it?"

"A phone?" Fiona then noticed that Spencer had handed her a phone. "Is this for me?"

"Yes. Remember to call Grandpa regularly. Don't make him think that I bullied you or something." He turned around and looked at the soldiers. He pointed at one of them. "Didn't you have enough sleep last night? Pull yourself together!"

Fiona felt an insane ringing in her ears.

"What do you want from me? Don't make me ask again." He turned back to Fiona again.

"I just wanted to ask where the canteen is. Can I ask Johnson here? I want to follow him and familiarize myself with the place," she said.

"He's my assistant! Why is he going with you?" Spencer retorted.

"You..."

"Just follow me," he said impatiently. "Look at you! You're so short! I won't be able to see you if you stand in the middle of these soldiers."

'Huh? I'm one hundred sixty seven centimeters in height. Am I short?' Well, every time she stood next to Spencer, she had to raise her head so she could look him in the eye.

The horns suddenly set off once again.

"The morning exercise is over. Let's go for breakfast." Spencer started to walk away.

Fiona jogged as she tried to catch up to him.

The dining hall was a ruckus, but when a group of people noticed Fiona follow Spencer inside, they stopped in their tracks and smiled quietly.

Spencer pretended not to notice those who teased him and winked. Fiona, as nice as ever, smiled back politely.

"Are you trying to tempt my men by smiling like that?" Spencer suddenly said.

Her smile disappeared. "Do you have eyes on the back of your head? And by the way, what you said was unbelievably harsh."

After grabbing some food, she found a corner and sat down. She'd rather join anyone else's company than look for Spencer again.

He was even the one who'd insisted she come here! The nerve of that man!

"Do you think I wouldn't find you if you sit far enough?" Fiona didn't even need to look up to know that it was Spencer's stern voice. He sat next to her, bowed his head, and began to eat.

"Spencer!"

"Spencer!"

A few more voices called for him. He raised his head, looking at all of them coldly as several officers came over.

"What are you doing here?" Spencer glared at them from head to toe.

"May I sit next to you, Fiona?" Without waiting for an answer, Eric did so.

The rest were not as bold as him. Instead of sitting next to Spencer, they rushed to the next table and stared at Fiona, eyes full of mischief.

"My name's Eric Yuan. I grew up with Spencer together and we are good friends. How come I've never seen you before?" Eric asked.

Fiona didn't know what to say.

"She is from the Ji family." Spencer ate the last scoop of rice from his plate and stood up. "I'm leaving."

Eric was stunned for a moment. He then immediately stood up and saluted her.

"You..." Fiona stuttered. She couldn't understand why he did so, but as she was about to stand up, he put his hands on her shoulders.

"Please don't," Eric said. "You are Mr. Ji's daughter. From now on, you can ask me whatever you don't understand. I once worked for your father and consider him a hero. I admire him very much."

"Thank you." Fiona nodded gratefully.

"Is your father's tomb not in the martyrs' cemetery?" asked Eric.

"No, it wasn't there." Fiona shook her head. "My father was buried with my mother."

"Oh, okay." Eric smiled and said nothing more.

Fiona wanted to go back to her room as soon as breakfast was over. As she left, however, she decided that she wouldn't hurry and allowed herself to wander.

Beside the residential area stood a white building, equipped with an infirmary, offices and a rear-service room.

Was Spencer working here?

Fiona raised her eyebrows and walked toward the building. Through the window, Fiona saw an empty room, with a huge mirror on one wall and a piano by the corner.

She pushed the door open and approached the piano. A layer of dust left the piano gray, as some patches had turned yellow. It clearly hadn't been used for a long time.

Before she became aware of what she was doing, she had opened the piano and pressed a key.

As Spencer was walking back to his office, he saw a group of onlookers flocking around the first floor of the building. They leaned against the window quietly, as if intoxicated in some dream.

"You guys..."

Before he could ask, he heard the melody coming from the room. Who was playing the piano? Fiona?

"Get out of the way!" He barreled his way to the front of the door. His stern expression slowly turned gentle.

Sitting in front of the old piano was Fiona, whose slender fingers flowed so naturally along the black and white keys as the sound reverberated softy on the deck. The sunlight shone on her face through the window frame, forming a gentle shadow on her soft, delicate features. Her lashes flickered ever so slightly as she closed her eyes to feel the soft, wonderful melody.

Spencer didn't know what she was playing, but he was completely mesmerized.

'This is the second time today. The second time I felt warmth because of her,' he thought.

As soon as Fiona finished playing, she smiled in satisfaction. The piano, no matter how old, still produced the most beautiful sounds.

"Bravo!"

Someone outside the window shouted, followed by a round of applause.

Fiona gasped and turned around, finding herself in front of a crowd outside the window clapping loudly.

"Fiona, you played so well!"

"One more, please!"

"Yes, play once more!"

Fiona blushed. "I didn't know you guys were here. I..."

"Why aren't you all training?" Spencer bellowed. "If you all have time to listen to the piano, you have time to focus on training!"

"We have free time!"

someone in the crowd muttered.

"Yes!"

"Exactly!"

"Who said that?" Spencer shouted. His eyes darted over the crowd like an eagle's. "If any of you can defeat me, they will be given a day off, and will be listening to her playing the piano."

Everyone went quiet as the air suddenly became thick.

Fiona pursed her lips, feeling as she had been broken a rule somehow.

"Fiona," Spencer called out. "Come with me."

"Okay." Fiona followed him out.