Chapter 16: Eat Hard and Gain Weight
"Not here." The fact that his former team was stationed in Jianghe Village needed to be kept secret.
"I am the commander of the 21st Regiment of the 16th Division of the Southern Military Region of Jingzhou City." Zhou Jihuai said slowly, "Sister, you should memorize it well, and don't call the wrong person when you make a call."
Wen Zhile curled her eyes: "Okay."
It’s easy to do in Jingzhou.
"What if you happen to be on a mission when I look for you?"
Zhou Jihuai opened the car door: "My comrades in the army will say I'm not here."
Wen Zhile kept it in mind.
She didn't want to ask too many questions.
There was already a tacit understanding between her and Zhou Jihuai, and she was afraid that asking too many questions would arouse Zhou Jihuai's suspicion.
After sending the little girl back to the hotel, Zhou Jihuai drove away.
His father Zhou Zhanqi is the commander of the Southern Military Region, and his home is in the military compound of the Southern Military Region, so it is convenient for him to go home and live there.
At this time, only Grandma Ye Qin and nanny Gu Xiaoyu were at home.
The nanny was the youngster that Ye Qin brought from her hometown when she returned to Jingzhou a few days ago. They were somewhat related, but they were already five generations apart and were eighteen years old this year.
Gu Xiaoyu's family was poor and she often had no food to eat. Ye Qin couldn't bear to see this, and seeing that she was hardworking, she let her come home to work as a nanny to earn some money.
When Zhou Jihuai entered the room, Gu Xiaoyu hurried forward and said, "Captain Zhou, you're back! I'll make you a cup of tea."
"No need." Zhou Jihuai walked towards the sofa in the living room, "Grandma, Grandma Qu is back so early?"
"I gave her some tea, and she said she was going to give some to her daughter and son-in-law." Ye Qin looked away from the TV. "Are you going to the army now?"
Zhou Jihuai hummed: "I've already talked to my dad about it."
"Just wait, I'm going upstairs to change my clothes."
"Go ahead." Ye Qin wanted to warn him, but she repeated those words many times in the letter, but her son and grandson didn't listen much. They were both the kind of people who would give it their all during training, so she was too lazy to repeat it again.
When Zhou Jihuai was about to leave, he only said: "Go home for lunch at noon."
She has stayed with Lao Zhou in his hometown for more than ten years and has not eaten with her family for more than ten years, so she attaches great importance to eating.
The military compound and the military district were not far away, and Zhou Jihuai arrived there quickly by car.
He first reported to the commander's office, and then went to the 21st Regiment of the 16th Division.
The former commander of the 21st Regiment was recently promoted to brigade commander. He was an airborne soldier for the regiment.
Zhou Jihuai knew very well that there must be many people in the group who did not obey him, and he had a "tough battle" to fight today. Fortunately, he had a full breakfast.
Thinking of Wen Zhile, who had been trying hard to eat and gain weight recently, the deliberately tense indifference on his face almost broke.
Zhou Jihuai turned his attention back to the group of soldiers in front of him and rolled up his sleeves: "Those who don't agree, stand up. I will practice with you!"
Things quickly got heated here, while Wen Zhile was getting ready to go to school. It was almost time for her to go see her parents for the second time.
"Sister Xiuxiu." It was almost noon when the little girl came downstairs holding two round oranges.
Fang Xiuxiu waved her hand: "You came down at the right time. I was just about to look for you. Fang Xue is here. You two should go to school quickly."
"Okay." She stuffed the orange into Fang Xiuxiu's hand and ran out of the hotel.
Fang Xue was waiting for her in front of the hotel. Wen Zhile ran over. After they crossed the street, she took out a pen from her pocket and said, "Brother Fang, I'm going to trouble you again."
Fang Xue quickly refused: "No, no, no, I don't want it."
Wen Zhile didn't care what he said and directly handed him the pen: "Here, this is a thank you gift."
The new clothes and shoes she was wearing cost thirty yuan a set. She knew that Sister Xiuxiu's salary was not high, but that day she refused to let her pay no matter what, and Wen Zhile remembered this kindness.
Fang Xue scratched his head and said, "Then I'll take it. Thank you."
"You're welcome. You deserve it."
Wen Zhile doesn't care about material things.
She had never lacked money in her previous life. After she started working in 1996, she earned NT$1,000 a month. She would occasionally take on some translation work, which paid well, and she was never stingy with her money.
After entering school, Wen Zhile found an excuse to separate from Fang Xue.
It was almost lunch time and she was a little hungry. When she passed by the school bulletin board, she stopped to look at today's cafeteria menu, muttering the names of the dishes.
After reading it over and over again, she found that her mouth seemed to have become picky.
Zhou Jihuai always took her to eat at places with excellent chefs. The big pot meals in the school cafeteria and the chefs' skills in private restaurants could not compare at all.
"Little girl, what does it say?"
Suddenly, a voice came from the side. Wen Zhile stared at the billboard for a moment, then turned to look.
This voice...Grandma!
She looked at Qu Jinghong without blinking.
Qu Jinghong also looked at her and thought she looked like Wen Shuren at first sight.
She just passed by and saw the little girl dressed so warmly and muttering something to the billboard. She was curious about what was posted there, so she came over to take a look.
The result is a menu.
"It says cabbage stewed with vermicelli, eggplant fried with minced meat..." Wen Zhile's lips curled up, "Grandma, you are alone too? Why don't we eat together?"
She was so lucky that she met her grandmother who loved her the most as soon as she entered school!
Qu Jinghong was a little surprised. Seeing that Wen Zhile was about the same age as her granddaughter, she did not refuse and kindly agreed, "I'll treat you."
Wen Zhile just laughed and didn't respond, but she certainly wouldn't let her grandma treat her.
After entering the cafeteria, she helped Qu Jinghong sit down and took the initiative to take on the task of serving meals.
She carried a schoolbag with her, which contained enough food coupons. Wen Zhile picked out the food her grandma liked to eat and bought two full plates. She had to run twice to get all the food.
Qu Jinghong looked at her every frown and smile, and couldn't help but sigh that they were so similar.
She didn't think much about it. After Wen Zhile sat down, she smiled and took out a handkerchief from her small bag: "Wipe the sweat."
She fanned the little girl with her hands and said, "Take off your coat. It's too stuffy in the cafeteria."
Wen Zhile took the handkerchief, clutched her coat tightly, and smiled: "No need, grandma, I'm not hot."
"Eat quickly and don't worry about me." She pulled Qu Jinghong's hand away and then used new chopsticks to pick up food for her.
After the meal, Qu Jinghong's liking for her increased significantly.
Perhaps because she and her granddaughter are of similar age, she feels very close to the child.
"Little girl, are you a student of Jingzhou University?" After finishing their meal, the two walked out of the cafeteria and took a stroll and chatted in the shade.
Wen Zhile shook her head: "Grandma, I'm only sixteen and in my second year of high school."
"What a coincidence, you are the same age as my granddaughter. Are you here to look for your brother or sister?"
Wen Zhile repeated what he had said to Wen Shuren and Shu Ying.
When Qu Jinghong was young, he was a well-known guqin performer in Jingzhou. He had met many people and had an active mind.
After hearing Wen Zhile talk about running away from marriage and that her name was Dai Zhi and her parents were Zhang Danhua and Dai Rong, he became suspicious.
She looked at Wen Zhile carefully and said, "If you don't mind, then go live at grandma's house instead of staying in a hotel."
"I live alone, and my children and grandchildren are not around. If you go, grandma will have someone to keep her company, and she will be happy too."
Wen Zhile's heart ached.
In her previous life, her parents and her uncle's family would often visit her grandmother, and she would run to her grandmother's house after school and stay there to accompany her during the holidays.
But even so, grandma often sleeps and eats alone. They all have their own lives and cannot be with her all the time.
Wen Zhile's eyes were sore, she lowered her head and wiped away her tears: "Okay, grandma."
"Where are you staying? I'll come find you after I check out of the hotel."
Hearing her agreement, Qu Jinghong was delighted: "Grandma lives not far away, I'll go check out with you."
Knowing that she was going to check out, Fang Xiuxiu felt a little reluctant.
Qu Jinghong said, "I live in the last house in Mudan Hutong, not far from here. After Xiao Dai moves in, you can see each other often. You are welcome to visit me."
Fang Xiuxiu peeled an orange for Qu Jinghong and said, "Is it so close? Then grandma, Xiao Dai, I'll go with you. I know the way. Don't get lost when you go to play with Xiao Dai."
Wen Zhile understood the deeper meaning of her words, and with a slight smile on his lips, he moved the remaining three bottles of soda along with the box to her feet.