1.7 Nutrient solution bonus chapter for Yingying, Commander Qi, you really are...

Chapter 53

Qi Donghan thought he had misheard. He looked up sharply, his eyes unreadable. "Boss, who did you just say?"

Commander Chen knew he would react this way.

"I didn't say who."

He got up, walked around the desk, went to his chair, sat down, and took a good sip of tea from his enamel mug.

"Didn't you just refuse? You said you didn't want me to act as a matchmaker or introduce you to potential partners?"

They even started acting all high and mighty.

Qi Donghan was silent for a moment. He didn't speak, but walked to the cabinet, picked up the thermos, and went to Commander Chen's side. "Sir, have you finished your tea? Let me refill it for you."

"Oh, by the way, I have a packet of good tea over there. I'll bring it to you this afternoon."

Listen to that tone, that attitude, those actions—they've really pleased Commander Chen immensely.

Commander Chen took a sip of tea, then, feigning reluctance and deliberately making things difficult for him again, said, "Didn't you say you didn't want me to act as your matchmaker?"

Qi Donghan paused for a moment, then smiled, "That's because I was blind and didn't know that Comrade Meng was the matchmaker for me, leader."

“If you had said it was Comrade Meng earlier, I certainly wouldn’t have refused.”

Look at their ability to speak human language to humans and ghost language to ghosts, it's truly amazing.

Commander Chen didn't point it out. He simply put down his teacup, stretched, and said, "I've been working overtime for too long these past few days, and my body is a little sore."

Without saying a word, Qi Donghan came over and started massaging his shoulders. This whole process surprised even Commander Chen. He couldn't help but say, "So you didn't like any of the men I introduced to you before? No wonder you rejected me every time."

But this time it was completely different.

They even served him tea and water and patted his shoulders.

"You like Comrade Meng?"

Commander Chen couldn't help but ask a question.

Qi Donghan didn't deny it; he simply hummed in agreement, which was the best answer he could give.

To be honest, this surprised Commander Chen a bit. He couldn't help but look at him inquisitively, "You really like Comrade Meng?"

Before Qi Donghan could answer, Commander Chen already knew what was going on. "So that's why you took the initiative to handle Qi Changming's annulment of the engagement, and why you went to the Federation of Literary and Art Circles as a judge last time. Was that all premeditated?"

The claim that Commander Chen didn't have time is false. The truth is that Qi Donghan wanted to go, which is why he asked Commander Chen for the judge's certificate.

All of this was premeditated.

Qi Donghan did not deny it, which was tantamount to admitting it.

"You little brat—"

Commander Chen pointed at him and said, "I've acted as your matchmaker this time, introducing Meng Yingying to you. Isn't that exactly what you wanted?"

He said that he had tried to arrange a marriage for Qi Donghan no less than ten times, but Qi Donghan had never agreed to any of them before.

This time, however, he agreed.

Qi Donghan smiled. "Sir, you have a discerning eye." He lowered his head and pushed the teacup forward a little further. "I wonder when you'd like to act as matchmaker for me and Comrade Meng Yingying?"

Division Commander Chen, "..."

"You can't wait any longer."

"If I had acted as your matchmaker before, I hope you would have agreed so readily."

Qi Donghan smiled but didn't say anything. Since Commander Chen hadn't agreed, he wasn't planning on leaving.

Commander Chen finally saw through him, "You scoundrel."

"Go away, I was just letting you know. I do have this idea, I want to act as a matchmaker for you and Meng Yingying."

However, he refused to say why he acted as a matchmaker.

Commander Chen had a long-term vision. Qi Donghan was young, had a promising future, and was good-looking. Many people were eyeing him. His previous idea was to find Qi Donghan a powerful in-law family.

That way, even if he retires in the future, Qi Donghan will still have someone to rely on.

However, Qi Donghan had been refusing to agree before.

This also put Commander Chen in a difficult position, as for this particular time...

Commander Chen looked at Qi Donghan's appearance and thought to himself, even if Comrade Song Fenfang were standing here, you can't say that the son-in-law she chose for her was bad.

He gave the best man in the garrison to Song Fenfang as her son-in-law.

I just don't know if Song Fenfang is satisfied?

Qi Donghan always felt that his boss was looking at him with ill intent, as if he were evaluating a piece of fine pork belly.

Can it be sold for a good price?

Of course, Qi Donghan rejected this idea as soon as it came up. How could he have become a piece of pork belly?

His superiors would never sell him out.

After looking them over, Commander Chen had an idea. "You can go now. I'll ask Commander Fang later. If there aren't any major problems, I'll arrange for you and Comrade Meng Yingying to be paired up."

"By the way, if it really comes time for you two to meet, come to my house and I'll have your sister-in-law prepare some good food for you."

This is about thinking ten steps ahead for every one step you take.

If he really becomes the matchmaker for Meng Yingying and Qi Donghan, and they develop this relationship, Song Fenfang will have to thank him when she sees him in the future.

What's more, he even sent away the most beautiful girl in the stationed team.

He simply couldn't believe that Song Fenfang, with such a wonderful son-in-law, wouldn't be tempted.

If his daughter weren't five years older than Qi Donghan, he would have already taken Qi Donghan into his own home.

Qi Donghan was full of suspicion. "Boss, you really didn't plot against me?"

He felt a cool sensation on the back of his neck.

Commander Chen was so angry that he puffed out his beard and glared at his opponent. "If I schemed against you, would I send you a wife?"

"Xiao Qi, I'm just asking you, do you want a wife or not?"

Qi Donghan nodded hesitantly, "I only want Meng Yingying."

"Don't try to scheme against me. You're talking about Meng Yingying. She switched me with someone else during our blind date. I won't stand for that."

Commander Chen sneered, "Get lost, get lost! I acted as matchmaker for you, and instead of thanking me, you doubt me. I must be bored and have nothing better to do than meddle in other people's business."

Qi Dong left swiftly, and even after he was outside the door, he turned back to urge, "Boss, hurry up!"

Division Commander Chen, "..."

I threw an enamel mug at him; I didn't want to look at him.

After Qi Donghan left, he didn't leave on his own. Instead, he lit a cigarette outside the office and pondered as he smoked.

What is there to gain from him?

What could be gained from Meng Yingying?

However, the conclusion was that there was none.

He was just a troupe leader, and Meng Yingying was just working in the cultural troupe; both of them were ordinary people.

There's nothing worth remembering.

Moreover, even though he was coveted by others, he ultimately gained the greatest benefit because he was able to marry Meng Yingying, and that was the greatest benefit.

Since the result is good, there's no need to overthink it.

*

The joint performance competition of the three northeastern provinces was scheduled for September 7th, but it's already July 15th.

With less than two months left, the atmosphere within the performing arts troupe suddenly changed, becoming more tense.

After discussing it, Coach Zhao and Secretary Xu called a meeting with everyone. "You've all practiced your basic skills enough, so let's try to submit the list of dancers for the competition within two days."

"There are two types. One is the group competition category list. After you finish discussing the song selection, report the names to me and Secretary Xu, and we will make the final decision."

"Secondly, there's the song selection category for Meng Yingying's individual competition." At this point, Coach Zhao gave a reminder: "The contestants you'll encounter in the Northeast Joint Performance Competition will be several times stronger than the contestants you've faced in previous competitions."

"So Yingying, you haven't chosen many categories, and they all have to be more difficult than the Red Detachment of Women you danced before."

Otherwise, it would be really difficult to stand out in the joint performance competition of the three northeastern provinces.

Meng Yingying nodded slightly, raising her chin. "Coach, I will think about it carefully."

Coach Zhao thought for a moment, "If you don't know how to choose songs, I'll give you a list in advance."

Meng Yingying nodded, "That works too."

Once you've chosen a category, it's time to work incredibly hard.

"By the way, after Jia Xiaoli was expelled, our team is short one person. I will find a replacement and arrange for him to join us within three days, and then our team will be complete."

Officer Xu hesitated for a moment.

Coach Zhao looked up and asked, "What's wrong?"

"The candidate has been chosen," said Officer Xu.

"who?"

"Li Shaoqing."

Meng Yingying had never heard of this name before, so it was completely unfamiliar to her. Ye Yingtao, however, seemed to remember something and suddenly asked, "Is it Li Shaoqing, the captain who left the performing arts troupe back then?"

Officer Xu nodded. "It's her."

Ye Yingtao frowned. "But wasn't Li Shaoqing poached back then? She was determined to audition for the provincial song and dance troupe, so why is she back now?"

Moreover, Li Shaoqing's position was awkward; before Meng Yingying arrived, she was the most talented member of the performing arts troupe.

And he was also the former captain of their performing arts troupe.

Later, Li Shaoqing found the performing arts troupe unsuccessful and went to find a better match.

Officer Xu was also a little embarrassed. "She used Dean Li's connections. As you all know, we are now missing Jia Xiaoli, so the team is missing a member, and we can't find a suitable person for the time being."

"She happened to go to see Commander Fang, and Commander Fang agreed to let her come back and try again."

Ye Yingtao sneered, "Then she's treating our cultural troupe like an inn, leaving when she's tired of it and coming back when she's not."

"I don't think she wants to come back. She saw that our Harbin Art Troupe won the championship last time and got tickets to the joint performance competition in the three northeastern provinces. She wants to come back and use this opportunity as a stepping stone to get into the provincial song and dance troupe, right?"

Officer Xu remained silent.

That means you guessed correctly.

Ye Yingtao scoffed, "If she really comes, that's fine, but none of us will treat her as the team leader anymore."

They will not accept a team leader who once abandoned the team.

Li Shaoqing came in through the door of the practice room. She didn't know how much she had overheard, and her face looked somewhat pale.

"Cherry, I know you look down on me."

"But I will come back to prove myself; I am your true captain."

Listen to that tone; it carries a hint of provocation.

Moreover, although he was speaking to Ye Yingtao, his gaze was actually fixed on Meng Yingying behind Ye Yingtao.

Ye Yingtao stepped forward, her eyebrows raised, "Don't try to scam me."

“We already have a new captain, so we don’t need to prove ourselves as our captain anymore.”

"and--"

Ye Yingtao's words were extremely straightforward: "Meng Yingying is a very competent team leader. The provincial song and dance troupe gave her a transfer offer, but she gave up the opportunity with the provincial song and dance troupe for the sake of us and stayed with the Harbin Art Troupe instead."

“Li Shaoqing, this is the difference between you and her. You gave up every single person in our team for the sake of the provincial song and dance troupe’s assessment quota.”

"Tell me, if you were us, who would you choose as captain?"

Li Shaoqing stood there, her spirited eyes showing a hint of dejection. "There was a reason why I left the cultural troupe back then."

I don't want to hear it.

"I don't want to hear it either."

Lin Qiu said this. She was not usually one to meddle, but at this moment she was unusually firm. "No matter what your reason for leaving was, abandoning is abandoning. There's no need to beautify your past self. Now, all of us consider Meng Yingying the captain. You shouldn't try to take advantage of her or compete with Yingying for the captain's position."

Li Shaoqing looked at Meng Yingying, and Meng Yingying quietly looked back at her, without fear.

After watching for a while.

Coach Zhao stepped forward and stood in front of Meng Yingying. "Li Shaoqing, you are replacing Jia Xiaoli. After you join the team, you must first listen to the coach and second to the captain. If you cannot do these two things, even if Dean Li personally introduced you, I can still choose to refuse."

After hearing this, Li Shaoqing understood better than anyone else that there was no place for her in the performing arts troupe she had left.

She knew that if she had any backbone, she should refuse and leave now.

But she didn't; she desperately needed this opportunity.

Thinking of this, Li Shaoqing lowered her eyes, nodded, and said calmly, "I understand, Coach."

Seeing that she had agreed, Coach Zhao was fine, but Secretary Xu was truly relieved.

It wasn't that she was afraid of Li Shaoqing, but rather that Li Shaoqing had a very high reputation in the cultural troupe, and many people were heartbroken when she chose to leave the troupe.

It wasn't until Meng Yingying came and led everyone to victory that the scattered group finally came together again.

Officer Xu didn't understand why Commander Fang would agree to let Li Shaoqing in.

However, before she could ask Commander Fang, Commander Fang had already arrived.

This surprised everyone.

After arriving at the dance studio, Director Fang glanced around before finally fixing her gaze on Meng Yingying.

In front of everyone, she called out, "Meng Yingying, come with me to my office."

Meng Yingying was a little puzzled, but she was the kind of person who always obeyed orders when stationed in the team, so she followed them to the office.

She had just left.

Immediately afterward, Li Shaoqing stared at her back, unable to come back to his senses for a long time.

"Is this the new captain's prestige in the cultural troupe?"

He was respected not only by those below him.

He was even nominally associated with Commander Fang.

Li Shaoqing could see clearly that Commander Fang's gaze had been fixed on Meng Yingying the entire time he entered.

That's a bit difficult.

Looking at Li Shaoqing, whose expression was uncertain, Ye Yingtao stepped forward and warned, "Li Shaoqing, I don't know why you came back, but the position of leader of our art troupe can only belong to Meng Yingying."

"Furthermore, if you dare to harm Meng Yingying, then you can expect us to turn against you."

Li Shaoqing had already lost power when he returned for the second time, and if he were to fall out with everyone in the cultural troupe...

Then she would truly be unable to move an inch.

Li Shaoqing didn't understand. She tilted her head and looked at Ye Yingtao. "Yingtao, if I remember correctly, you are the most snobbish person in the entire art troupe."

Why do you support Meng Yingying so much?

She remembered that Ye Yingtao used to be neutral, never taking sides.

It's as slippery as a mudfish.

Ye Yingtao didn't answer; she simply said, "It's just a matter of exchanging kindness for kindness."

"It's just that you, Li Shaoqing, have been with us for eleven years, yet you've never shown any interest."

Li Shaoqing's face instantly turned ashen. She clenched her fists and couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

She tried her best not to let these chaotic emotions affect her thoughts; she wanted to calm herself down.

So, Li Shaoqing walked to the door of the practice room, a spot from which he could see that Commander Du Fang's office door was wide open.

Meng Yingying stood in front of the desk, somewhat puzzled. "Commander, you wanted to see me?"

Commander Fang nodded and poured her a cup of tea, which made Meng Yingying a little scared.

"Please don't pour me water. It gives me the feeling that you're going to sell me off."

Commander Fang thought to himself, how could she dare to sell Meng Yingying? Right now, the most precious person in the entire garrison is probably Meng Yingying.

But she couldn't say those words.

Remembering Commander Chen's instructions, "Xiao Fang, I'm giving you a task: find out about Meng Yingying's personal life. If she's not engaged, try your best to arrange a blind date between her and Qi Donghan."

"The blind date will take place at my house. As for the matchmaker," Commander Chen said with a mysterious smile, "I'm willing to be the matchmaker for her and Qi Donghan."

To be honest, Commander Fang was intimidated by Commander Chen's smile at the time.

They look exactly like human traffickers trying to abduct children.

Now she is also considered a human trafficker.

Commander Fang looked somewhat weary. "Yingying, don't worry, I'm a proper regimental-level officer stationed in the unit. I wouldn't do something like human trafficking. But I did have something to discuss with you this time."

Holding her cup, Meng Yingying sat on the bench opposite Commander Fang, her voice sweet and obedient, "You mean as long as it's not excessive, I should be able to agree to anything."

Commander Fang rubbed his hands together, stood up, and walked to Meng Yingying. "Then I'll tell you?"

"Are you interested in resolving your personal issues?"

Meng Yingying, "Hmm?"

"Personal matters?"

"The organization has chosen a capable, good-looking, and promising single male comrade for you as your blind date."

Before Meng Yingying could finish listening, she interrupted Commander Fang and said softly, "Commander, I don't have any plans to date or get married right now."

"I still want to focus all my energy on dance, dance for a few more years, and lead the sisters in our art troupe all the way to the championship of the Northeast Joint Performance Competition."

"If I have the opportunity in the future, it wouldn't be a bad idea to go to the capital."

To be honest, Meng Yingying has very high ambitions when it comes to her career.

Commander Fang was somewhat shocked by what she heard. She patted Meng Yingying on the shoulder and said, "Having goals is a good thing, but aren't your goals a bit too ambitious?"

She didn't even dare to dream of winning the championship in the joint performance of the three northeastern provinces.

"Not very big."

Meng Yingying smiled at her, "If we can break into the capital, we might even be able to represent our country in international competitions in the future."

Commander Fang, "..."

She encountered a subordinate who was even more ambitious than her.

It's a dilemma.

"Yingying, are you really not going to consider the person the organization has introduced to you?" she earnestly advised. "You need to focus on your career, but you also need to focus on your personal life."

Meng Yingying stood up and said goodbye, "No, leader, I have no time for personal matters right now. I just want to win the championship and bring glory to the team."

After saying this, without waiting for Commander Fang's reply, she immediately cut him off, "Leader, I'm going back to the practice room now. I still have eight hours of practice left today."

Seeing that she was about to leave.

Commander Fang immediately became anxious. She stood up and chased after him, calling out, "Qi Donghan!"

"Yingying, Commander Qi, are you really not going to reconsider?"

-----------------------

Author's note: Yingying: No thanks, I'm in the performing arts troupe and only want to focus on my career.

Someone: Honey, honey, don't you really want to look at me?

P.S.: Bonus chapter for 17,000 nutrient solution! I'm going to write 21,000 words today, but I can't take it anymore. My back hurts terribly, I need to lie down. Goodnight, everyone!