8: Chapter 8 Commander's Observation Log

"Time to get up—!"

Li Ming opened his bleary eyes, only to see a white-haired older sister kneeling on his bed, which gave him a start.

"Holy crap! ...Hu Jian, what are you doing?" Li Ming hurriedly sat up.

"It's almost seven o'clock, you're about to be late for your training schedule."

"I see..." Li Ming rolled out of bed, preparing to wash up. "What are your plans for today?"

"I plan to take a look around the island. Next, I'll probably draw up a complete training and study plan for you. Of course, there are rewards for completing your daily goals, okay?"

"Hmm?" Li Ming quickly changed his clothes and then went into the bathroom to wash up.

"Don't forget to tidy up your room, okay?"

"What?" Li Ming was still filling a cup with water when he heard this and turned back to look at Hu Jian.

"The quilt, the desk, the floor..." Hu Jian began to quickly fold Li Ming's quilt. "You'll need to do these every day from now on."

Li Ming watched blankly as she quickly folded his quilt into a neat Tofu Block. "You're being that strict?"

"Mm-hmm?" Hu Jian looked back at him. "A proper amount of discipline is still necessary, you know?"

"...Oh." Li Ming swallowed the retort he wanted to make and began washing up.

Breakfast was still simple, but Hu Jian firmly rejected things like Nutrient Solution, insisting instead on meat, eggs, and milk—which were more expensive but by no means exorbitant.

After a brief warm-up and digestion following breakfast, Li Ming began a new day of training (and made up for the training he missed yesterday afternoon).

Fujian, meanwhile, began her day-long observation of Li Ming.

She noticed that the Manjuu Instructors' training for Li Ming leaned more toward physical fitness, and Li Ming indeed had some deficiencies in that area.

But it seemed there was only physical training and theoretical study? That was indeed quite dull.

Without a reward system, he'd probably find it unbearable pretty soon...

Thinking this, Hu Jian picked up a notebook and began scribbling away, trying to structure her ideas into a detailed and reasonable training and study curriculum.

And... what about lunch? Hu Jian could handle breakfast simply enough, but lunch...

So I really do have to learn how to cook? I really regret just focusing on enjoying myself back then and not learning...

By the way, should I teach him more about the combat side of things? Jot that down, jot that down. Maybe I can take this opportunity to let him take liberties... no, to deepen our mutual understanding.

He'll definitely be shy, won't he? Right now, he looks like an honest kid who hasn't experienced anything yet, hesitating between reality and ideals.

Ah, it seems so. He really is like a blank sheet of paper. Perhaps I can repaint this paper with the colors I want?

Some mistakes might be avoided... and some things once unachievable or out of reach might finally be accomplished?

He can do it, can't he? He just needs a little correction and encouragement...

Yes, that's what I'll do! Hu Jian gave her plan a mental thumbs-up. Just like this, step by step, she would change the Commander and help him become his best self!

Taking a short breather, Li Ming looked over curiously, only to see the girl pacing back and forth excitedly, unable to suppress the smile on her face.

Is she having a fit? Li Ming thought to himself, but out of politeness and for personal reasons, he didn't ask, sparing them both the embarrassment.

After a short break, Li Ming continued his training.

The morning passed quickly. From initially finding it unbearable, Li Ming was now exhausted but had reached a state of numbness, which actually made him look a bit better.

"Commander... I only know how to cook noodles... I know you like eating rice, but I really don't know how to prepare side dishes..."

"It's fine, I can eat it." Li Ming waved his hand. "Thanks for the hard work, sorry to trouble you with the cooking."

"It's what I should do. The Commander's health must be taken seriously." Hu Jian pursed her lips and replied.

"Pfft, it's nothing, I'm quite sturdy." Li Ming patted his chest. "I'm 180 pounds, I won't starve to death."

"You must be sick of things like Nutrient Solution and Nutrient Paste. Otherwise, you wouldn't be salivating just looking at the mess I threw together..." This time, Hu Jian ruthlessly exposed him. "Commander needs to be a good boy and listen~"

"Alright, alright..." Li Ming didn't refuse her instructions and chose to start eating instead.

There was no fried bean sauce or any special seasonings—just a normal bowl of clear soup noodles with a bit of soy sauce and an egg. Yet, Li Ming still devoured it ravenously.

"..." To be honest, Hu Jian felt she had botched it. The noodles were nearly a soggy clump, she'd added too much soy sauce, and only the fried egg looked decent—though she'd forgotten to salt it. Yet Li Ming still finished it all... She'd heard that in the army, if a cook made something like this, they'd be cursed out in private.

Thinking this, Hu Jian's face suddenly turned red. Could he have been forcing it down while suppressing nausea?

Li Ming didn't notice the change in her expression; he was genuinely hungry, and the taste was a secondary concern.

She snapped out of it, her cheeks flushed as she continued to observe Li Ming's every move. Seeing Li Ming's puzzled expression, she slightly averted her gaze.

"I'll have to practice my cooking skills from now on," she thought. The internet always says that to catch a man's heart, you must first catch his stomach. She wondered if that was true.

"Have you eaten?"

Hu Jian let out a silent laugh at the question. She couldn't bring herself to eat it; her palate had indeed been spoiled.

However, there was a deep sense of concern in his words. Though it wasn't explicitly shown, she could feel it: he was paying more attention to her.

This was a good thing. As time passed, she could continue to integrate herself into every aspect of his life, waiting for him to truly mature...

"I've eaten." Hu Jian avoided Li Ming's gaze. "What's your schedule for this afternoon? More training?"

"Theoretical study this afternoon," Li Ming replied. "Well, actually, it's just me staring at books in a daze, since I really can't understand them."

Seeing Hu Jian's puzzled look, Li Ming spread his hands. "I'm a real academic failure, no joke."

"And yet you wear 400-degree glasses?"

"Nearsightedness has nothing to do with learning ability, hey!"

"Haha, just kidding..."

"That's not funny..."

"I know. I'll wake you up at two this afternoon. From now on, I'll be the one teaching you your theoretical studies."

"Alright..." Li Ming cleared the dishes. Seeing Hu Jian try to help, he stopped her.

"I can do it myself, there's not much anyway..."

Seeing Li Ming's firm attitude, Hu Jian didn't object in the end. She waited for him to finish before coaxing him to sleep, while she began preparing the lesson...

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