Guo Rong and Yang Hongmei sensed Shang Yuping's coldness, exchanged a glance, their eyes full of gossip.

Feeling the intense gaze from the other person, Su Qingci looked up and gazed in Shang Yuping's direction.

Song Jingzhou was still feeding Su Qingci braised pork from the tray, saying, "Hey, eat more. I eat special meals with the old man every day in the No. 2 canteen, so it's not easy for you to get a meal like this."

Upon hearing Song Jingzhou call him "brother," Shang Yuping's coldness vanished completely. Su Qingci was his sister?

Seeing Su Qingci looking to the side, Song Jingzhou followed suit and looked over as well.

I don't know him!

Shang Yuping gave a shy smile, her eyes brimming with excitement, "Comrade Song!"

"Weren't you discharged from the army? When are you going to rejoin the unit?"

"Who are you?"

Shang Yuping didn't mind and quickly reminded him, "Zhou Long, that's my brother-in-law. My brother-in-law's family is having a party. I spilled the soup on you!"

Song Jingzhou suddenly realized, "Oh, it's you. You've enlisted too?"

Before Song Jingzhou was discharged from the army, his battalion commander was Zhou Long. Once, during a mission or a competition, they won a great victory. Battalion Commander Zhou invited his men to his home for dinner. At that time, Shang Yuping had just come from the border to stay with her sister and was staying at Zhou Long's house.

She was helping her sister in the kitchen when, in her nervousness, she spilled most of the soup on Song Jingzhou.

Fortunately, it was winter and everyone was wearing thick cotton-padded clothes, but the two Shang sisters were still terrified.

Shang Yuna berated her younger sister, and Zhou Long's expression also turned sour. Seeing that the other party hadn't meant it, Song Jingzhou, who was trembling with fear, eased the tension and helped to smooth things over.

I never imagined that the little girl who used to live under someone else's roof would now be a revolutionary comrade.

Shang Yuping was delighted to see that Song Jingzhou remembered her. "Yes, I was drafted the following year and I'm currently on duty in the micro-dispatch room of the 109th Regiment. I haven't had a chance to thank you for what happened back then."

"Later, I heard from my brother-in-law that you were discharged from the army and returned to your hometown?"

Song Jingzhou politely replied, "Yes."

"How is Battalion Commander Zhou? I just got back and haven't had time to visit everyone."

"That's great, I was promoted to deputy regimental commander last year!"

Song Jingzhou nodded and remained silent. Shang Yuping looked at Song Jingzhou's specially made uniform and asked again, "Comrade Song, are you currently at the Equipment Department Research Institute?"

Song Jingzhou nodded as he ate, "Mmm, mmm!"

"Comrade Song, you should visit my brother-in-law sometime. I often hear him talking about you!"

Su Qingci looked at Shang Yuping with a puzzled expression. Shang Yuping smiled at her in a friendly manner, which made Su Qingci even more confused.

Although Shang Yuping has always presented a friendly image to the outside world, isn't this enthusiasm a bit too much?

She's been ignoring me in the dorm these past few days.

She's taken a liking to Song Jingzhou?

Did you have a story about a hero rescuing a damsel in distress that you were unaware of back then?

After dinner, Su Qingci took Song Jingzhou to the playground for interrogation.

"Bring glory to your ancestors? What's going on between you and Shang Yuping? Tell me all the secrets I don't know about!"

Song Jingzhou smiled and reached out to pinch Su Qingci's chubby cheeks.

"What? Are you jealous?"

“That person has absolutely no connection to me; I’ve only met them twice.”

“Before I was discharged from the army, my battalion commander was her brother-in-law. When she came, the battalion commander took me on a mission and happened to be driving, so he picked her up on the way. The next time I met her was when I went to the battalion commander's house for dinner.”

"I don't even know her name!"

"They helped me out of a tight spot at the time."

Su Qingci squinted at him, "You'd better be alright. I'm telling you, you better keep your male virtues. If you dare to cheat on me, I'll kill you!"

Song Jingzhou snapped to attention and saluted Su Qingci, "Yes, sir!"

Then he tugged at her braid and played with it, saying, "Okay, okay, what's this about you saying you weren't used to being in the army?"

When this topic came up, Su Qingci's face fell. "I don't want to live with anyone else."

"Also, the lights go out as soon as it's time to go to bed, and we have to get up early to make our beds, around 5 a.m.!"

Su Qingci stretched out a hand, her face full of excitement. She never got up before 5 a.m. when she was herding cattle.

"We still have half an hour of morning exercises. Even if I lock the door, it won't help; the squad leader will come in looking for us!"

"Just climb onto the bed and drag him out!"

"I don't want to do this anymore, I want to leave!"

Song Jingzhou became anxious, "No, that's how the army is, it's military-style management. Everyone goes through this at the beginning, and you'll get used to it gradually."

Su Qingci said pitifully, "I don't think I can get used to it!"

"Unless I live alone!"

"I've hardly ever shared a room with anyone in my life. It was a bunk bed, and when my roommate on the bottom turned over, the top would shake violently, like riding a train!"

"There's absolutely no privacy, and it's so crowded!"

"I can't stand it! I absolutely can't stand it!"

Song Jingzhou scratched his head. "Just bear with it a little longer. It seems that once our engineering research institute reaches a certain rating, we can apply for a single room."

"I'll try my best. When the application is approved, I'll write a report to that old man and let you stay!"

Su Qingci looked doubtful. "Really?"

Song Jingzhou's face stiffened, his gaze unfocused. "Really!"

Su Qingci's wariness was not wrong. After she returned to the dormitory, Shang Yuping was noticeably more friendly towards her.

"Comrade Su, did you come from southern Hunan?"

Shang Yuping had heard from her brother-in-law that Comrade Song was from southern Hunan!

Su Qingci didn't understand what she meant. "Xiangnan? Yes, I just came back from Xiangnan!"

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!