Inside the living room.
Lian Xiao and Zhang Cishu each sat on a wooden chair.
One of them had his legs crossed and looked lazy.
One stood upright with a cold expression.
The guard beside him stood motionless like a silent statue, even his breathing was very soft.
Everyone seemed preoccupied with their own agenda; they didn't seem to be there to deliver New Year's gifts at all, but rather to discuss some important matter.
Just then, there was a knock on the door.
Xu Xinghe had just finished braiding her two pigtails, the red elastics at the ends still a little loose. Hearing the sound, she didn't care about anything else and immediately ran out in her shoes.
As soon as the door opened, Jiang Linchuan came into view.
He was wearing a military overcoat, with a thin layer of snow on his shoulders, clearly indicating that he had just come from outside.
Jiang Linchuan was about to speak when his gaze swept over the two people sitting in the room, and his originally gentle expression instantly turned serious. "These two are here to give you New Year's gifts?"
“Yes!” Xu Xinghe, oblivious to his odd behavior, smiled and stepped aside to let him in. “This is Zhang Cishu, the one who brought me malted milk powder before, do you remember him?”
Jiang Linchuan naturally remembered that he had almost misunderstood Xu Xinghe because of this incident.
He just didn't expect that this Comrade Zhang would have such a handsome and outstanding appearance.
"Come in and talk." Lian Xiao crossed his legs, his tone slightly provocative. "It's so windy outside. You're not cold standing at the door, but I feel cold sitting inside. You're thick-skinned, so it's okay if you get frostbite, but don't let Xinghe catch a cold."
Zhang Cishu frowned slightly, then quickly relaxed, so quickly it was almost invisible.
These two don't seem like friends; they're more like enemies.
The guards behind them also noticed that something was wrong.
The atmosphere was inexplicably a bit oppressive.
Xu Xinghe then realized what was happening and quickly pulled him by the sleeve to lead him into the house, saying, "This is the first time so many people have come to my little courtyard. The New Year is so lively."
Jiang Linchuan pulled over the wooden chair next to Xu Xinghe and sat down, his arm lightly touching hers, as if subtly announcing his identity.
Lian Xiao had already figured out his feelings for Xu Xinghe. Seeing Jiang Linchuan's attitude, his eyes darkened. "Xinghe, take a look at the New Year's gift I brought you."
Although Jiang Linchuan was a commander with a high allowance, resources were scarce in Heilongjiang Province, and the amount of things he could buy was ultimately limited.
But Shanghai is different. Not only can you come into contact with rare items, but you can even buy some novelties imported from abroad. The things he brings are definitely better than Jiang Linchuan's!
"Don't rush to look, I'll go make you some hot tea."
If it were just Lian Xiao, a cup of hot water would suffice.
But Zhang Cishu is also here. Not only did they send her gifts, but the Zhang family also helped her when she was falsely accused of being a spy last time. Just for this matter alone, she should be treated well.
"I'll help you." Jiang Linchuan immediately stood up and went to get the enamel kettle on the table.
Lian Xiao also stood up quickly, pressing down on the kettle before he could finish. "I don't need to trouble Xinghe, I can do it myself. It's not like this is my first time here, no need to be so polite."
After saying that, he looked up at Jiang Linchuan and said, "Commander Jiang, please don't treat me like an outsider. My relationship with Xinghe is what it is. Being so formal would only make us seem distant."
"Alright, alright, you two sit down and rest for a bit, I can do it myself!" Xu Xinghe quickly stepped forward, pressed Jiang Linchuan and Lian Xiao back into their chairs, and carried the things to the kitchen herself.
If these two keep arguing, before the tea is even brewed properly, they might start arguing in front of outsiders again.
They are all good comrades in the military; we can't let outsiders laugh at us.
Before long, she came out with a cup of hot tea and handed one to Zhang Cishu. “Comrade Zhang, didn’t you go back to the South for the New Year? I thought you would go home to be with your family. I didn’t expect you to come to the military headquarters.”
"He didn't reply." Zhang Cishu took the cup with both hands, his fingers touching the warmth, which dispelled some of the coolness. He looked down at the tea leaves floating in the cup, the steam rising upwards. "Grandpa still needs to be hospitalized for observation. He can't withstand a long journey. I have to stay here to take care of him."
This was the first time he had ever stayed in such an irregularly shaped room.
The furniture in the Zhang family's old house is always neatly arranged, and the hospital wards are spotless, but Xu Xinghe's little courtyard is different.
The stools for entertaining guests were placed crookedly, and on the table were leftover red paper from her paper-cutting and a half-eaten bag of milk candy. It wasn't tidy, but it exuded the warmth and life of everyday life.
As his fingertips touched the warmth of the cup and the faint aroma of tea filled his nostrils, he suddenly remembered what his grandfather had said about popularity.
That's roughly how it looks, without any deliberate effort.
"I see." Xu Xinghe nodded, then continued with concern, "Is General Zhang feeling any better now?"
"It's relatively stable." Zhang Cishu took a sip of hot tea. "But he still needs to stay in the hospital for a while, and we'll see how things go in the spring."
"If the hospital isn't too far away, I'll go visit the old general in a few days and bring him some pastries from the military canteen; he might like them."
Xu Xinghe exchanged polite words and then sat back down in her seat.
The room fell silent instantly.
Xu Xinghe felt a little awkward, unsure of what else to talk about with Zhang Cishu.
He was a man of few words and had a detached expression, which made him seem rather unapproachable.
She quickly picked up the fruit plate on the table and pushed it in front of the three of them, saying, "There are melon seeds, peanuts, and milk candy here. They are all New Year's goods issued by the military. Please help yourselves and don't be shy."
Fearing that Zhang Cishu would be too reserved, Xu Xinghe grabbed a handful of melon seeds and two milk candies and stuffed them into his hand.
The sunflower seeds were roasted by the military themselves, and they had a bit of fine ash on them.
Zhang Cishu's pure black cuffs were stained with a faint white mark upon contact, not very noticeable, but he caught it at a glance.
The guard next to him immediately stepped forward, took the things from his hands, and said respectfully and politely, "I'm sorry, Comrade Xu, our young master doesn't like melon seeds. I'll keep them for now and bring them to General Zhang to try later."
This statement gave Zhang enough face to resign, without making Xu Xinghe feel embarrassed; the balance was just right.
Zhang Cishu frowned slightly. He hated this feeling of being arranged for. Even though he hadn't said anything, the people around him always seemed to make decisions for him.
It seems that his preferences and his thoughts have always been fixed and unchanging.
Don't people always change?
Wasn't he here this time also trying to make a change?
He looked up at the opposite side, where Lian Xiao was casually cracking sunflower seeds, spitting out a plate full of shells.
Xu Xinghe had a milk candy in her mouth, and one cheek was bulging out.
As he looked around, a thought suddenly popped into Zhang Cishu's mind.
He also wanted to taste what the candy tasted like.
"Give me."
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