He Yuchun's voice, coming from outside the courtyard gate, was like a knife coated in honey—sweet to the point of being cloying, yet possessing an undeniable penetrating power that instantly pierced the delicate, medicinal, and blood-tinged silence within the bedroom.
Almost reflexively, Howard pulled the thin blanket covering him up even higher, completely concealing his newly bandaged wound and bare chest, as if it were something shameful.
The faint, indescribable flutter on his face from Mingzhao's approach vanished instantly, replaced by his usual coldness and hardness, though the blush at the base of his ears had not completely disappeared.
Mingzhao paused in her actions of tidying up the medicine bottles.
She frowned almost imperceptibly, seemingly annoyed that this uninvited guest had interrupted the finishing touches of her "repair task." She quickly and efficiently tossed the used bandages and cotton swabs into the dustpan in the corner.
"Here!" Howard replied in a deep voice, his voice regaining its usual composure and carrying the penetrating power unique to soldiers.
The courtyard gate was pushed open a crack, and He Yuchun's face, full of eager smiles, peeked in.
She was holding an enamel plate covered with a clean, damp cloth, and a sweet, cloying aroma of red bean paste wafted in.
Her gaze swept quickly around the yard, and when it passed over the broken pieces of porcelain and the mess of soup and food that hadn't been cleaned up yet, a fleeting, almost imperceptible glint flashed in her eyes, but her smile became even brighter.
"Oh dear! What happened? Did you break something? Commander Huo, are you alright?" He Yuchun feigned surprise and walked into the courtyard in a few steps, but his eyes were like searchlights, lingering on Huo Hua's upper body covered with a thin blanket and Ming Zhao's fingers with a trace of iodine.
"It's nothing, I just accidentally broke a bowl," Howard said succinctly, not wanting to elaborate.
He Yuchun gave an "Oh," but her eyes held an even deeper curiosity. She placed the enamel plate on the small wooden table in the courtyard, lifted the damp cloth to reveal neatly arranged, glossy mung bean cakes inside, and greeted them warmly.
"It's good that you're alright! It's good that you're alright! I just made some mung bean cakes today. I thought it was hot, so I brought some over to Commander Huo and Sister Mingzhao to help them cool down! Try some! They're so sweet!"
Her gaze lingered on Mingzhao, with a deliberate intimacy and...probing: "Mingzhao, come and try this! Your sister-in-law's cooking is top-notch in the family compound! You're busy at home every day...uh, taking care of Commander Huo must be hard work, you deserve some good food to nourish yourself!"
She paused deliberately, observing Mingzhao's reaction.
Mingzhao's gaze fell on the mung bean cakes, her eyes calm and unwavering, as if she were assessing the composition and structure of an unknown ingredient, showing no sign of appetite. She didn't move or speak.
He Yuchun's smile froze for a moment, but quickly warmed up again as she continued, "By the way! Mingzhao, I have good news for you! I'm no longer washing vegetables in the kitchen of that state-run restaurant!"
She puffed out her chest, a hint of pride in her voice, "I pulled some strings and got transferred to our military region's supply and marketing cooperative as a full-time sales clerk! Right at the non-staple food counter!"
She leaned closer to Mingzhao, lowered her voice, and said with a knowing air, "In the future, if you need to buy anything in high demand, like sugar, good quality noodles, or even milk powder or malted milk powder, just let me know! It's easy to talk things out on the inside! We can spare you some of the better stuff! If you don't have enough tickets, we can figure something out!"
She blinked, her tone smug, as if she held the key to privilege.
In her opinion, Mingzhao, a regimental commander's wife who stays at home, must not have much money to make. Hearing about this insider information, she must be overjoyed and grateful.
This is a perfect opportunity to build rapport and extract information!
Her husband doesn't hold a high position, but as long as she manages things well and builds a good relationship with Mingzhao, the regimental commander's wife, she won't have to worry about these things in the future.
Only when the man holds a high position will things be easier for her. She wants to enjoy being flattered by others from now on!
However, Mingzhao simply looked at her calmly, her clear eyes showing no surprise or greed that He Yuchun had expected, only an almost indifferent scrutiny.
Then, under He Yuchun's expectant gaze, Mingzhao shook her head decisively and uttered three words:
"No."
"..." He Yuchun's smile seemed to freeze, collapsing instantly. His lips twitched slightly, and a hint of surprise and anger flashed in his eyes.
No need? Just like that? Not even a polite word?! This blockhead! So ungrateful!
She suppressed the urge to unleash a torrent of curses, and gave a dry laugh, her voice slightly shrill: "Hehe... Mingzhao is really... really a kind person! Okay! Okay! Then I'll leave the pastries here! You can enjoy them! I... I have something to do, I'll be going now!"
She practically fled, putting down the plate and turning to rush out of the courtyard without looking back, as if staying even a second longer would be torture.
She slammed the gate shut with a loud bang, making the leaves on the grapevines tremble.
Howard watched He Yuchun's disappearing figure, then looked at the lonely plate of mung bean cakes on the table, and then at Mingzhao, who remained calm as if he had just disposed of an insignificant piece of trash. He sighed helplessly.
“Mingzhao,” Howard’s voice carried a hint of instruction, trying to keep it as calm as possible, “He Yuchun is a person… although she is quick-witted and may not always be sincere in her words and actions, she is, after all, a neighbor, so we still have to be polite to her.”
He paused, organizing his thoughts, trying to make this "clumsy" interstellar visitor understand Earth's unspoken rules of social interaction: "In a situation like just now, she took the initiative to be friendly and mentioned being able to exchange things internally. Even if you really don't need it, you don't have to refuse so bluntly on the spot. Just say something like, 'Thank you, sister-in-law, I'll definitely come to you next time I need something,' give her a way out, and everyone will look good. There's no need to... embarrass her on the spot."
Howard put it tactfully, knowing that Mingzhao's way of thinking was different.
Mingzhao's gaze shifted from the direction of the courtyard gate to Huo Hua's face. Her eyes remained clear, carrying a hint of puzzled inquiry, as if she were analyzing a illogical program instruction.
She thought for a few seconds, then answered very seriously, in a statement of fact:
"unnecessary."
"I don't need it."
"Lying. A waste of time."
“Furthermore,” she added, with her characteristic, straightforward, almost ruthless logic, “exchanging things internally. It’s against the rules. It’s risky. It shouldn’t be done.”
Howard: "..."
Looking at Mingzhao's nonchalant expression that seemed to say, "The truth is so simple and clear, why are you still going around in circles?", a deep sense of powerlessness welled up in his heart once again.
Fine, he concedes defeat. Explaining interpersonal relationships to Mingzhao is probably harder than getting her to understand "quantum entanglement."
He waved his hand helplessly, giving up: "...Fine. You...are right."
Howard's voice was filled with a weary sense of compromise. He leaned on the armrest of his wheelchair, trying to stand up and clean up the mess on the floor.
Just then—
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The courtyard gate was pounded on again, urgently and violently! The force was so great that the door itself shook! Accompanied by a girl's shrill, resentful, even tearful scream:
"Mingzhao! Mingzhao, open the door! Open the door now! Grandma is furious with you! Go and see her!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
