Chapter 3 The New Home...
Hearing the weak and timid voice, Ren Qingsong felt a pang of sadness. He moved the meat and vegetables in his hand closer to Miya, gesturing for her to start eating.
Although Miya spoke quickly, the tables were close together, and the young girl sitting behind her heard her.
Chen Zhenzhen never expected that there would still be such an ignorant and conservative young girl, biting her tongue while chewing.
A sharp pain shot through my tongue, my nose stung, and my eyes turned red. I could only relieve it by breathing heavily.
Hearing the sound, Xu Ying looked up and saw Ren Qingsong at the table behind her. A glint flashed in her eyes, and she seemed to understand her friend's sudden action.
"What? You've seen Battalion Commander Ren?"
"What?" Chen Zhenzhen turned her head in confusion. Sitting in front of the girl who had just spoken was Ren Qingsong, whom she had been longing for.
The pain on the tip of my tongue vanished instantly, and the corners of my mouth turned up in a wild smile, which I unconsciously revealed.
Soon, she noticed that Ren Qingsong's gaze was fixed on the ignorant girl, and her heart sank to the bottom. Could that girl be Battalion Commander Ren...?
Thinking of this possibility, Chen Zhenzhen suddenly lost her appetite, quickly finished the rest of her food, and took the lunchbox to the sink.
Xu Ying stared in astonishment at her friend's departing figure, hurriedly stuffing food into her mouth, and mumbled:
Behind her, Miya looked at the slices of meat in front of her with a mixture of longing and restraint.
"Gulp!" The sound of swallowing saliva rang in my ears. I shrank back quickly, feeling ashamed and scared, and dared not meet the eyes of the person opposite me.
"No, Third Brother! This little girl can't eat meat. Just a little bit is fine."
These words seemed to be addressed to Ren Qingsong, yet also to repeat someone else's words, serving as a warning to Miya herself.
Ren Qingsong frowned in confusion upon hearing these words. In his memory, people in his hometown favored sons over daughters, but his mother was definitely not that kind of person. Otherwise, she would not have rescued Miya, who had wandered into the village, despite the villagers' ridicule.
It's highly likely that some gossipy people in the village told Miya what she was saying when her family wasn't looking, which is why Miya is so afraid of eating meat.
He tried to lower his voice and make it gentle and kind, "Our daughter can eat meat too. Doesn't your mother give you meat when you're at home?"
Ren Qingsong felt that there would never be a gentler time than now, but Miya looked even more frightened.
Helpless, he could only put on a stern face and, as if reprimanding his soldiers, give the order directly.
"Eat meat!"
Ren Qingsong's aura was extremely intimidating, and Miya was so frightened that she trembled. The next second, the chopsticks in her hand automatically recognized the meat and vegetables on the plate and directly picked up a piece of meat and stuffed it into her mouth.
The food, which existed only in smell, landed on her tongue, and she subconsciously curled her tongue, trying to firmly control the slice of meat.
The unique richness and aroma of meat penetrate the brain through the taste buds, directly intoxicating the senses and making one involuntarily close their eyes to savor it.
When she opened her eyes again and saw the encouraging look in Ren Qingsong's eyes, Miya's face flushed and she was at a loss for what to do. She hurriedly stuffed a vegetable dumpling into her mouth to block the view from the other side.
For the next while, Miya's mind was in a daze, and without realizing it, she ate two vegetable dumplings and half a plate of meat and vegetables under Ren Qingsong's instructions.
If it weren't for the intense tightness in her stomach, she probably would have foolishly continued eating.
"No... I can't eat anymore, Third Brother."
Miya stuck out her belly, which was completely hidden by her military overcoat, and refused to be fed any more by Ren Qingsong.
Ren Qingsong looked at Miya's thin appearance and thought that someone who had been starving for a long time shouldn't eat too much on their first meal. He nodded and agreed to Miya's request.
Then, he ate the rest of the food in one gulp, leaving Miya speechless.
"They're gone."
Ren Qingsong picked up the bowls and chopsticks, and together with Miya, returned the tableware to the canteen and walked towards the logistics department.
On the way, he gave Miya a detailed introduction to the surrounding buildings.
"The direction you just came from is the barracks area, mostly training grounds. Don't go near it unless you have to. If you walk from the direction of the mess hall this way, the mountains across the way are the military family quarters."
"These are the military's public facilities. That's the supply and marketing cooperative; you can buy anything you need at home here. That's the military hospital; you can go see a doctor if you have a headache or fever, so don't try to tough it out. And over there is..."
Miya looked at the strange buildings, shrinking back in fear, occasionally peeking out curious eyes to take in everything around her.
Chen Zhenzhen and her companion witnessed the two of them passing by the clinic.
Xu Ying looked at Chen Zhenzhen, who still had a worried expression, and asked in confusion:
"Didn't everyone say that the woman sitting across from Battalion Commander Ren is his sister, not one of those arranged marriage brides from the countryside? What are you still worried about?"
"Didn't you hear me?" Chen Zhenzhen sighed in frustration.
"What?"
Xu Ying still looked confused. She felt that what was said was true. In most rural areas, meat was reserved for the men who were able-bodied laborers. That was a fact.
"What's wrong with that?"
Chen Zhenzhen's voice suddenly rose, startling Xu Ying, who couldn't understand why her friend had suddenly changed.
Before she could figure out the reason, Chen Zhenzhen could no longer suppress her displeasure and blurted it all out.
“Look, the fact that Battalion Commander Ren’s sister can say such things so naturally proves that this kind of thing must be commonplace in Battalion Commander Ren’s family. So Battalion Commander Ren’s family must be sexist, and if she doesn’t give birth to a son as her first child after marriage, she will definitely be scolded.”
"Marrying into a family like that might mean a lot of hardship. I need to think carefully about whether I should develop a revolutionary friendship with Battalion Commander Ren."
After saying that, Chen Zhenzhen stormed into the hospital.
Xu Ying stood there in astonishment, not understanding why Chen Zhenzhen was reacting so strongly. Most families hope to have a son, and if they can't have the first one, they can just keep trying.
Moreover, Battalion Commander Ren is young and holds a high position. He only has a younger sister who is currently coming to live with him. Once he marries her, he can take charge of the household, and his sister can also take care of the family.
Once my sister reaches a certain age, I'll marry her off. It won't be an eyesore, and it will help me make connections. There are many benefits to this.
Xu Ying bit her lip, watching Ren Qingsong and Miya's departing figures, then glanced at Chen Zhenzhen, who was staring blankly in the hospital, and silently made up her mind.
Since you don't like it, don't blame me.
On the other side, Ren Qingsong and Miya were walking towards the logistics department.
Today was the check-in time for the third batch of family members. The logistics department was busy all morning. Just when they finally had a chance to catch their breath, they saw Ren Qingsong.
Someone recalled what they had encountered at the gate that morning and immediately realized Ren Qingsong's purpose, so they reported it to the quartermaster.
Quartermaster Qian Jinbu watched the approaching figure, his hair almost completely wiped clean from his scalp.
No matter how troubled he was, Ren Qingsong and Miya had already walked up to him. Faced with Ren Qingsong's serious face, Qian Jinbu could only show a helpless and bitter smile.
"Commander Ren, our logistics really can't handle it. More and more families are applying to move in, and the speed of building the houses simply can't keep up. We are really powerless to meet your request."
“Minister Qian, I know you're in a difficult position, but... my sister is here, so it's not convenient for her to go back right now, and staying at the guesthouse near the entrance isn't ideal either..."
Seeing that Minister Qian's gaze remained unwavering, Ren Qingsong had no choice but to take a step back.
"It doesn't need to be a fancy house, just a place to stay temporarily is fine."
Since the other party had gone to such lengths, Qian Jinbu felt it would be unreasonable not to offer a solution.
He tried hard to search his mind for a house that met Ren Qingsong's requirements, his memory passing by familiar mountain peaks.
Finally, Qian Jinbu came up with a shabby house that could barely provide shelter from the rain.
"If you don't mind that the house is so dilapidated that it's uninhabitable, Battalion Commander Ren, I do have a place that I can arrange for your family."
"where?"
"The hill closest to Yufeng Mountain has a house left behind by bandits on its top."
Upon hearing that it was the house furthest inside, Ren Qingsong's face instantly darkened.
Qian Jinbu didn't notice and continued describing the house's condition, "The house was built with good materials; the pillars and beams were still usable, but the roof had been blown off by the wind and needed repair. The four walls were made of wood..."
In general, the house is in a remote location, and only the large pillars, beams, and surrounding walls are still usable. A major renovation would be needed to make it habitable.
Upon hearing that there was still a wall, Ren Qingsong's tense expression relaxed slightly.
"Minister Qian, could you please give me the key? I'll take a look. If it's a suitable place to stay, then our family's military dependent housing can be arranged there."
"Take your time and see. If you're not in a hurry, let your sister stay at the guesthouse first. Once the next batch of housing is completed, we'll arrange it for you right away."
Qian Jinbu felt a little guilty when he handed over the keys. The house was really dilapidated, and the cost of repairing it would probably be higher than building a new house. Otherwise, it wouldn't have been left until now.
Ren Qingsong, unaware of Minister Qian's petty schemes, took the keys and walked towards their destination with Miya.
When they turned around, Minister Qian and the others finally got a clear look at Miya's appearance.
His face was thin, his hair dry and yellow, and even though he was wearing a heavy military overcoat, it still looked empty, as if there was only a skeleton inside.
He is indeed not suitable for repatriation in this condition, so he can only stay with the military for the time being.
After walking for a while, the two finally arrived at the foot of the mountain. Looking at the house with its skeleton exposed on the mountaintop, Ren Qingsong's heart sank, but Miya showed a relieved smile on her face.
For her, all she needed was a place to stay.
With completely different feelings, the two climbed up the mountain, one in front of the other, getting closer and closer.
Standing on the mountaintop, Miya looked at the dilapidated house with an undeniable smile on her face.
For a moment, Ren Qingsong was blinded by the smile. After inspecting the house, he found that it was even worse than Minister Qian had described. It was impossible to even make a habitable corner in the house today, as it did not meet his requirements.
But remembering Miya's smile, he hesitated again. "Miya, do you like this house?"
"As long as it's habitable, it's fine." Miya's requirements were very low, and looking up at the sky, it didn't look like it would rain tonight, so she could just lie down in the yard.
Ren Qingsong looked into Miya's sparkling eyes and nodded subconsciously.
"Okay, from today onwards, this is our home."
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