Upon unfolding it, one finds few words, fragrant ink, and the signature "Su Tang".
Qin Ye's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
Su Tang?
That woman from Shanghai, his nominal fiancée?
He remembered his mother mentioning several times that the eldest daughter of the Su family had been pampered and spoiled since childhood.
I heard that her skin is so tender it's like you could pinch water out of it, and she has a very arrogant temper. She's always been reluctant to agree to this arranged marriage.
He himself didn't take the marriage too seriously. In the military, marriages are usually arranged by the soldiers, and personal feelings are secondary.
Moreover, he was stationed on the frontier year-round with heavy duties, so he had no time to think about such matters of personal affection.
After the Su family had such a big incident a while ago, he thought the marriage was most likely to fall through.
Although a telegram of condolence had been sent, there had been no reply.
Why would someone suddenly send him a telegram now?
The telegram was excessively brief: "Su Tang. Arriving in Chengdu soon, heading to Tibet. Looking forward to meeting."
Qin Ye held the thin telegram, tracing the words on it with his fingertips, and looked at it over and over again.
No matter how you look at it, the words exude a sense of detachment and formality.
"Waiting to meet" means that he is going to see him.
Is she really going to come to Tibet?
At this moment, Zhao Meng, the political commissar of the regiment, swaggered in, carrying a large enamel mug that read "Presented to the most beloved people."
Zhao Meng was a few years older than Qin Ye and was the eldest brother in the troupe. He was also one of the few people who dared to joke with Qin Ye.
He immediately noticed the telegram Qin Ye was holding and Qin Ye's thoughtful expression.
"Hey, Lao Qin, what are you looking at so intently? Did your sister-in-law write to you?"
"Let me see which deity has managed to make your iron tree bloom!"
He suddenly leaned in, winking and making faces, looking like he was enjoying the show.
Qin Ye glared at him and tried to put the telegram away.
But Zhao Meng snatched it away with lightning speed.
"Let me see, let me see! Oh dear!" Zhao Meng drawled out the words, deliberately reading aloud: "Su—Tang—will arrive in Chengdu soon, and will go to Tibet. Awaiting—meeting—"
After reading it aloud, he made two exaggerated "tsk tsk" sounds, patted Qin Ye on the shoulder, and grinned so wide his eyes disappeared:
"Well done, Lao Qin! You're such a quiet guy, keeping all that fuss, and now a pretty young woman from Shanghai is chasing after her husband all the way to our poor mountain village! When are you getting married? You have to invite me to your wedding banquet! I've been preparing this red envelope for years!"
The other staff officers in the office heard this and joined in the commotion.
"Commander, you're really hiding something! You've even taken your mistress to Shanghai!" Li, the operations staff officer, was a fresh-faced young man who had just graduated from military academy, and he was the most daring.
"Yeah, your sister-in-law must be as beautiful as a fairy, right? A stunning beauty from Shanghai! What must she look like?" Wang, the logistics officer, chimed in.
Qin Ye's head was throbbing from their noise, and his face was as black as the bottom of a pot: "What nonsense are you spouting!"
He snatched the telegram back and glared at Zhao Meng with annoyance: "You talk too much!"
Zhao Meng chuckled, not afraid of him at all:
"I'm just worried about you! If Comrade Su Tang really comes, you'd better treat her well. Conditions here are tough, don't scare away this pampered young lady from Shanghai!"
Qin Ye ignored him, carefully folded the telegram, and put it into his shirt pocket.
But in his heart he was wondering if Su Tang, this delicate young lady, could adapt to the harsh life in Tibet.
Just then, a guard rushed in, saluted, and said:
"Report to the regimental commander! Encrypted telegram from the military region headquarters!"
Qin Ye's expression hardened, and the laughter in the office instantly disappeared.
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