And in China…
For those martyrs who have rendered illustrious service to the nation,
the compensation packages they receive are exceedingly generous.
Especially for an ace pilot like Qiu Zheng,
the benefits and relief measures his family can enjoy after his death are bound to be even more bountiful.
Watching Qiu Yihe climb into the car, Jiang Cheng walked around to the passenger side.
Then, very naturally, he opened the door and settled into the passenger seat.
"I've got to get to work now—are you coming with me?"
Jiang Cheng gave an easy shrug and answered with a smile.
"Actually, I'm quite interested—mainly in Ergou."
Seeing she couldn't stop him, Qiu Yihe offered a helpless smile and said nothing more.
She started the engine and quietly checked the mirror for any unusual vehicles tailing them.
Just as expected,
after they'd driven a short distance,
Qiu Yihe's sharp eyes caught two black maybachs hugging their rear.
The two cars kept their distance, but they were clearly following on purpose.
At the sight, the corner of Qiu Yihe's mouth curled in a faint, almost invisible smile.
She tilted her head slightly and shot Jiang Cheng a teasing sidelong glance.
Jiang Cheng, however, sat like a statue, silent and staring straight ahead.
When he gave no reaction, Qiu Yihe lost interest.
She turned her attention back to the road,
gripped the wheel with both hands, and drove on with full concentration.
As time passed, the car rolled forward; the scenery outside flowed past like a shifting scroll.
Skyscrapers gradually fell away, replaced by lush green trees and broad fields.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the ground, and a gentle breeze brushed the window, bringing a hint of coolness.
Half an hour later, Qiu Yihe steered the car steadily into the official training ground.
The compound was vast, sprawling, ringed by high, thick walls.
Advanced surveillance equipment crowned the walls, safeguarding the area at every moment.
They crossed the wide shooting range, skirted the commando obstacle course, and arrived at the police-dog training field.
The dog-training ground lay within a belt of green trees, relatively quiet.
After a full circuit,
Jiang Cheng's gaze drifted to the kennel's adjoining cafeteria.
Looking at the array of canned dog food and chicken dishes, he shook his head.
"Typical," he murmured. "Dogs live better than people."
Qiu Yihe couldn't help smiling at the remark.
"High risk, high reward. Ergou's daily workload isn't just looking cute—look at that course: high wall, triple jump, low posts, A-frame, single plank, broken bridge, hurdle—those are the basics every single day."
Er-Gou, who'd been lying quietly, suddenly seemed to sense something.
He sprang up, eyes fixed on the two of them, and gave a soft bark,
as if to say hello.
Jiang Cheng stepped forward with a smile. "Hello, Ergou."
Glancing at the other dogs, he added in surprise,
"So it's not just beagles—those stubby corgis and springers are police dogs too? Why did you pick this fierce giant for yourself?"
At his words, a fleeting shadow crossed Qiu Yihe's bright eyes.
She reached out slowly and lifted the daily logbook hanging outside Ergou's kennel.
Flipping through it without looking up, she answered,
"Because… I've never felt safe."
Her voice was soft as a breeze over water, yet it settled heavily on Jiang Cheng's heart.
His brows drew together involuntarily.
He couldn't tell whether her words held a deeper meaning or were simply literal.
Before he could speak, Qiu Yihe addressed Ergou with the log in hand.
"Er-Gou, as a police dog, obedience is everything. Look—yesterday you broke discipline: sleeping on duty, stealing snacks, wandering off, urinating everywhere, even flooding the corgi's bed and disrupting his rest."
The delighted, tail-wagging Ergou
drooped like an eggplant hit by frost the moment the scolding began.
His big round eyes turned watery,
as though golden beans of tears might fall at any instant.
Whimpers of grievance slipped from his throat.
Watching the pitiful display, Jiang Cheng couldn't hold back a snort of laughter.
He patted Ergou's head to comfort the poor fellow,
but Ergou was in no mood for consolation, still lost in sorrow.
Head low, he sneaked occasional glances at Qiu Yihe—innocent, aggrieved.
Seeing him like that, Qiu Yihe didn't soften.
"You're a police dog; remember your status. No wandering, keep clean. And here—it says you snarled at a civilian. How many times have I told you? Smile at the public; show awareness."
"Hey—now you're glaring at me? What kind of attitude is that, huh?"
When Ergou barked twice in reluctant reply, Jiang Cheng burst out laughing.
"I take it back," he said. "Turns out a dog's working life is the same as ours—just another cog in the machine."
Perhaps cheered by Ergou, Qiu Yihe relaxed visibly.
Her guard against Jiang Cheng lowered further.
Leading Ergou out, she stroked him while heading toward the course.
"Did my dad send you to talk me round?" she asked.
Watching her lure Ergou toward the triple jump with a can of food,
Jiang Cheng replied, "You know your father pretty well."
Er-Gou already knew the routine;
he hopped onto the platform without hesitation.
As she gestured, Qiu Yihe answered, "I don't know who you people are, but I'm not changing my mind. He and I have talked about this plenty."
Jiang Cheng quietly activated the favorability value scanning system.
Seeing her favorability toward him still at 60, he stated plainly, "Don't get the wrong idea—I'm just going through the motions. Everyone has their own aspirations; why would I try to persuade you?"
At that, Qiu Yihe looked at him in surprise.