Howard was a little disappointed when he saw that she didn't react much, but he quickly added enthusiastically, "Oh, right, I also saw an old rattan recliner. It looks sturdy and comfortable. I'll take it too!"

As he spoke, he seemed to see Mingzhao nestled in a recliner in the afternoon, quietly reading a book while basking in the sun. The image made the corners of his mouth unconsciously turn up slightly.

Yes, she'll definitely love that recliner!

Mingzhao looked at the silly smile on his face, not understanding why, and lowered her head to continue drinking her porridge.

Howard quickly composed himself and continued reporting, "I also went to the General Hospital of the Military Region to see that Minglang has woken up."

Mingzhao raised her head again. Minglang is…? That cousin…is awake?

Howard felt a little more at ease when he saw a flicker of emotion in her eyes: "I told him about you. He was so angry he almost jumped out of bed, his wound nearly reopened, and he cursed Huang Weiguo and Li Hongmei for being inhuman, for ruining you like this..."

Howard recalled Minglang's eagerness to rush out and fight Huang Weiguo, and sighed and shook his head. "I told him about your situation, that you are now... well, your body is recovering, and you can speak again, although it's not fluent yet, but you'll get better with practice. He calmed down a bit and said that once he's better, he must come to see you in person."

As Mingzhao listened, a faint warmth stirred within the fragments of memory she held of her "cousin." She nodded gently, indicating that she understood.

The two finished their breakfast quietly. Howard quickly cleared away the dishes and took them to the kitchenette to wash. The sound of running water could be heard.

Mingzhao sat at his desk, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the surface.

Books! She needs books! The physical rules of this era, the properties of materials, the industrial base… she must master them as soon as possible! Her time cannot be wasted on adapting to this inefficient lifestyle!

As Howard walked in, shaking the water droplets off his hands, Mingzhao immediately stood up and walked over to him.

Howard was taken aback by her sudden movement: "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Mingzhao looked at him, opened her mouth, her throat bobbed, and she tried her best to recall the pronunciation she had forcibly memorized and imitated over the past two days.

A single, strained syllable, uttered with obvious breathiness, was squeezed out of her lips with extreme difficulty: "Book..."

"A book?" Howard's eyes lit up instantly, a huge surge of joy welling up inside him! She spoke again! Although it was only one word, it was clear and distinct! This progress was simply astounding!

He was so excited he almost reached out to pat her shoulder, but he held back. "You want a book? You want to read? Sure! What kind of book do you want? I...I'll go find one for you!"

A glint of light flashed in Mingzhao's eyes.

He understood! She tried again, trying to say words like "physics," "mechanics," or "library," but her vocal cords seemed to be bound by invisible chains, and she could only produce a few broken and indistinct syllables, completely out of tune.

She was so anxious that her brows furrowed and her temples throbbed with pain.

Howard's surprise slowly faded, replaced by understanding and embarrassment.

He understood her urgency, but reality was cruel.

He lowered his voice, his tone a mix of reassurance and helplessness: "Mingzhao, I know you want to read. But right now... you can't. Your status is still under observation; it's not appropriate for you to move around too much. Places like the military library are crowded and unpredictable; what if..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

She now bears the dual sensitive identities of "adopted daughter of a spy" and "mysterious wife of Commander Huo," and any slight movement could attract unnecessary trouble and suspicion.

The light in Mingzhao's eyes dimmed, replaced by a cold anxiety.

She can't go? How will she get information then? By word of mouth like cavemen? That's so inefficient! It's an insult to her intelligence!

She paced anxiously in place for a short while, her gaze sweeping across the table before suddenly stopping.

Water! Howard just washed the dishes, and there are still some water stains left on the table!

A thought flashed through her mind! She strode to the table, extended her right index finger, and without hesitation dipped it into the small amount of water. Her fingertip was covered in a cool droplet of water.

Howard was taken aback by her sudden movement and looked at her, puzzled.

Mingzhao bent down, his damp fingertips landing on the dark wood grain on the table.

She held her breath, her gaze as focused as if she were sculpting a precision instrument. Her fingertips traced clear watermarks across the table.

Lines! Smooth, precise lines with a strange beauty extend and combine rapidly under her fingertips!

Howard was initially curious, but when he saw the outline of the gradually forming pattern, his pupils suddenly contracted!

That silhouette...that proportion...that unique wing-body fusion design!

Although it was just a rough sketch with watermarks, it was clearly the core structural diagram of the J-7 improved fighter jet that she had given him that day!

This picture, however, seems more...refined than the one I saw the other day? The handling of certain details carries a timeless simplicity and efficiency!

Howard suddenly looked up, his gaze sharp and fixed on Mingzhao! Gone was the previous gentleness, pity, or clumsy concern; instead, it was filled with shock, scrutiny, and a chilling sharpness!

How could she draw this?!

How skillfully you drew that?!

So precise?!

All the previous clues were frantically connecting in his mind:

She easily recognized the value of the blueprints and chose to hand them over to him, who was a soldier.

She calmly escaped from Huang Weiguo's gun and fought back.

She suddenly regained her ability to speak, albeit weakly.

And now, the core fighter jet blueprints she draws with ease!

A chilling thought uncontrollably crept into his mind:

“Mingzhao,” Howard’s voice was terrifyingly deep, carrying an unprecedented sense of oppression. He took a step forward, his tall figure instantly enveloping Mingzhao, “Tell me, before this…did Huang Weiguo teach you anything?”

His sharp gaze was fixed on her eyes, not missing a single change in her face, trying to dig out the deliberately buried truth from those clear yet unfathomable pupils.

"Did he... train you before?!"

The air inside the cabin instantly froze, as if all the oxygen had been sucked out.

The warmth that had just been brought about by the word "book" vanished, leaving only cold suspicion and silent confrontation.

Outside the window, several pairs of peering eyes were fixed on the small house that had suddenly fallen into a deathly silence, peering through the gaps in the low wall.

Looking at Huo Hua's sudden coldness towards Ming Zhao, Wang Xiufen, with her mean face next door, revealed a sinister smile that seemed to confirm her suspicions.

I knew that little girl wasn't likable, and sure enough, even a good man like Commander Huo wouldn't give her a kind look.

Watching Mingzhao scribbling and drawing pictures that she couldn't understand on the table, and recalling Commander Huo's cold face, Wang Xiufen's eyes darted around.