Xu Xinghe stared at him blankly, not reacting for a moment.
That last sentence seemed to dispel the usual coldness around him, making him seem less unapproachable.
"Okay...okay, dictionary."
"Okay, I'll head back now." Zhang Cishu picked up the basin of water and turned to leave.
"Wait! I'll go with you!" Xu Xinghe quickly called out to him. She had already promised Political Commissar Wang that she would help with the tidying up, and she couldn't just abandon him now. Even if she couldn't help much, it would be good to chat with him about military matters.
The two walked back to the neighboring courtyard side by side once again.
By this time, the fire in the stove was burning very brightly, and the room was gradually becoming warm.
With water, cleaning becomes much easier.
The guards wiped the windows, and Zhang Cishu wiped the table.
Xu Xinghe couldn't find anything to do, so he moved a chair and sat by the stove, speaking like a tour guide.
“Ci Shu, don’t worry about not fitting in at the military headquarters. The atmosphere here is great. Whether it’s soldiers or military wives, everyone is easy to get along with. They help each other out when someone needs something.”
"If you ever encounter any inconvenience in the future, such as needing something or wanting to ask for directions, just come and find me. I live nearby, it's just a short walk away."
"By the way, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, when you came to my house, you met two people, right? One was my fiancé, Jiang Linchuan, who is a commander in our military. The other was Lian Xiao, a good friend I met in Shanghai. If you need anything, you can ask them for help."
Zhang Cishu paused in wiping the table, then looked up at Xu Xinghe who was sitting there.
She was leaning back in her chair, her legs stretched straight forward, toes pointing upward, dangling back and forth like a bored child.
He nodded and agreed, "Okay."
They chatted and tidied up for two whole hours before the quiet courtyard was finally cleaned.
The guard helped lay out a clean mattress, and checked it one last time to make sure nothing was missing before approaching Zhang Cishu.
"Young Master, we'll head back to the hospital now. Please feel free to contact us if you need anything."
"Take care of yourself during this time. If there are any problems you can't solve, don't try to tough it out."
Zhang Cishu nodded, his tone still calm, "Yes, I understand."
Although he grew up with his grandfather, he was never spoiled. He was already skilled at doing daily chores such as laundry and tidying up the house.
The guards always treated him like a child who needed to be taken care of, as if he couldn't even take care of himself.
Seeing this, Xu Xinghe also got up to say goodbye and leave.
Since the house has already been cleaned, she doesn't necessarily have to stay here.
Zhang Cishu escorted her to the door, watching her figure disappear into the gate of the neighboring courtyard before gently closing the door.
He was the only one left in the room. The fire in the stove was still crackling, which only made the surroundings seem even quieter.
Zhang Cishu sat in the chair, looking around.
The house had just been cleaned, but it still carried an unfamiliar chill. There was no aroma of melon seeds from Xu Xinghe's courtyard, no opera sounds from the radio, and even the air seemed heavy.
A strange emotion slowly crept up, creeping into my heart.
This is probably the loneliness that Grandpa occasionally mentioned...
For the first time, he clearly felt as if he were the only person left in the whole world.
Everything now, everything in the future, is unknown, and all of humanity's fears stem from the unknown.
...
Back in her courtyard, Xu Xinghe pondered for a while, feeling that it wasn't right to leave Zhang Cishu alone like that.
According to the customs of Heilongjiang Province, new residents should have a housewarming party to bring good luck and create some liveliness.
Why don't she bring food over, and invite Jiang Linchuan and Lian Xiao along? They can have a meal together, which will not only liven things up for Zhang Cishu, but also allow them to get to know each other better.
Thinking of this, Xu Xinghe immediately put on her coat and turned to walk towards Jiang Linchuan's office.
...
Office building.
Third floor.
Xu Xinghe pushed open the door and saw Lian Xiao slumped in a chair, impatiently fiddling with a pen.
Jiang Linchuan sat at the table, holding a document in his hand.
"What are you doing here?" Xu Xinghe was taken aback, thinking Jiang Linchuan was alone.
Lian Xiao curled his lip, "Isn't it because the higher-ups are urging us to write a task report? We've already given two oral reports, and now we have to write one? It's all just formalism."
"Two oral reports, one for the military's records and one for the higher authorities. This written report is to be submitted to the Central Committee." Jiang Linchuan put down his pen and interrupted him sternly, "If you don't understand, ask. Don't talk nonsense."
Lian Xiao was too lazy to argue with him; he genuinely didn't want to associate with Jiang Linchuan.
But Political Commissar Wang has a particular fondness for the two of them. Judging from his posture, he intends to pair them up and have them go on missions together in the future.
He turned to look at Xu Xinghe, his eyes softening instantly. "What brings you here all of a sudden?"
Xu Xinghe then remembered the important matter, "You guys still remember Zhang Cishu, right? He's the one who came to my house to deliver New Year's gifts on the first day of the Lunar New Year. He was transferred to our military headquarters today and moved to the empty courtyard next to mine. Political Commissar Wang asked me to spend more time with him and help him get familiar with the environment. I was thinking the three of us go over together, warm up his house, and have a meal together to make it more lively. What do you guys think?"
"What did you say? He moved next door to you?" Lian Xiao's face darkened instantly, and he gripped his pen tightly.
After realizing his true feelings on New Year's Eve, he approached Political Commissar Wang and said he wanted to move next door to Xu Xinghe so that they could take care of each other.
At the time, Political Commissar Wang said that he was busy at the end of the year and that we should talk about it after the New Year, so he was not in a hurry to move. How come it was only a few days later that an outsider like Zhang Cishu had taken over?
Now that's bad, he's lost his chance to have the advantage of being close to the source. How can he compete with Jiang Linchuan now?
If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have let my temper get the better of me and insisted on choosing the house in the back row. It would have been so much better to just book the one next door!
“Yes, Political Commissar Wang approved it personally. What’s wrong?” Xu Xinghe didn’t notice anything amiss with him and thought he was just surprised.
Lian Xiao gritted his teeth and swallowed back the words in his mouth, only saying in a muffled voice, "It's nothing."
You can't exactly say that you've been eyeing that courtyard for a long time, can you?
What kind of talk would that be if it got out?
Jiang Linchuan glanced at Lian Xiao, a faint smile flashing in his eyes.
Since being with Xu Xinghe, his tense brows and eyes have softened considerably, and he even smiles more often.
Soldiers in the military would occasionally tease him, saying it was the power of love.
He never denied it, because it was indeed true.
"A housewarming party is necessary." Jiang Linchuan nodded, then looked at Xu Xinghe. "When should it be held?"
"How about before the cafeteria opens?" Xu Xinghe thought for a moment. "Let's bring our own ingredients and cook. Are there any special requirements for greenhouses in Heilongjiang Province? Can you teach me and I'll go prepare them?"
Jiang Linchuan barely hesitated before listing a few items: "Bring a string of red chilies, a few ears of dried corn, a fish, a chicken, and some rice."
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