Zhong Wanwan returned to the guesthouse and was just about to take a nap when she heard someone outside looking for her.
Qiu Zean sat down at a small table not far away with two new lunchboxes. When he saw Zhong Wanwan come out, he handed her the lunchboxes and said:
"You've been busy all day and haven't even had time to eat. Eat something before you rest!"
When Zhong Wanwan was explaining things to Ming Xiaoyun and Zhu Dapeng, Qiu Zean came over twice. Seeing that the three of them were busy, Qiu Zean did not disturb them.
Seeing that the three of them had finished, Qiu Zean went to the canteen first and asked the cooks to make two small meals for him, which he then delivered to Zhong Wanwan.
The food served in the military back then was not as nutritious as it is in later years; it wasn't as balanced in nutrition, with a good mix of meat and vegetables.
You can definitely get enough to eat, but the food is just so-so.
Since Zhong Wanwan had just arrived and it was during the Lunar New Year, Qiu Zean wanted to make sure she ate well.
Besides, her job is tiring and energy-consuming; how can she endure it without eating well?
They asked a young soldier from the mess hall to help them buy a piece of pork liver, which they made into salt-baked pork liver. They also made a stir-fried cabbage with vinegar for Zhong Wanwan to cut through the greasiness. The main dish was two steamed buns made from a mixture of wheat, water, and vegetables.
Speaking of cabbage slices, they're the same type as what we had in the cafeteria today, since they're both cabbage, though the cafeteria served cabbage strip soup.
As for the taste, it's nothing compared to the salty cabbage soup and the finely stir-fried cabbage slices.
The cooks were still quite skilled; both dishes were delicious and visually appealing. Zhong Wanwan enjoyed the meal, though she felt a little embarrassed afterward.
Even though Zhong Wanwan hadn't eaten there much, she had a good idea of what the cafeteria food was like.
In this era, ordinary families are still struggling to make ends meet; being able to eat their fill is considered a good meal.
How could it be pork liver and stir-fried cabbage slices with vinegar again? It's obvious that Qiu Ze'an has given him special treatment.
Zhong Wanwan wasn't the type to take advantage of others for nothing. She didn't hesitate when eating because the other person had already done it.
Not only is she ungrateful if she doesn't eat it, but the food can't be returned, which is also a loss for the other party.
So it's better to finish the meal openly and return whatever you owe them later.
Zhong Wanwan took out meat coupons, grain coupons, and money from her pocket and asked:
"Battalion Commander Qiu, thank you so much for bringing me food. The food was quite delicious today, but you don't need to cook special meals for me next time. Here's the money and the ticket, please keep it."
Qiu Zean waved his hand and said:
"I invited you here, so I'll still provide for your meals, and these expenses can be reimbursed, it's not a big deal."
It's definitely possible to get reimbursed, but only for the cafeteria food; it's impossible to get reimbursed for special meals prepared separately.
Zhong Wanwan understood this perfectly well. She smiled and said nothing more, then put the money and tickets away.
Since they said that, they definitely wouldn't accept her money or tickets, so there's no need to keep refusing.
There are plenty of ways to make up for the losses; she can just send more local specialties after she goes back.
Zhong Wanwan didn't refuse, and Qiu Zean was very happy, a slight smile appearing on his lips.
Thinking of the troubles at home, Qiu Ze'an frowned again. He took out a lot of bills from his pocket and handed them to Zhong Wanwan, saying:
“I have some business to attend to in Beijing recently and won’t be back for at least a week. Here, take these tickets. If there’s anything you want to eat, just have Zhu Dapeng go. He knows a lot of people in the cooking squad.”
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