Zhang Cishu paused with his chopsticks, not bothering to argue with Lian Xiao, and instead tried to pick up a slice of meat from the sauerkraut.
But before his chopsticks even touched the plate, Lian Xiao once again beat him to it, picking up a slice of meat and stuffing it into his mouth, chewing with relish. "Mmm, this sauerkraut stew with meat is delicious, even better than what the cafeteria makes!"
Zhang Cishu picked up the tofu, and once again, he scooped the tofu into his own bowl first.
Zhang Cishu wanted to pick up some greens, but he quickly intercepted them.
Anyone with eyes can see that Lian Xiao is deliberately targeting Zhang Cishu.
Xu Xinghe frowned, about to say something to persuade her, when a glistening piece of pork rib suddenly landed in her bowl. Jiang Linchuan's voice rang in her ears, "Eat quickly, the pork ribs are freshly stewed, they'll get greasy when they get cold."
Her attention was instantly drawn to the steaming pork ribs in the bowl, and she quickly pressed them down with her chopsticks, afraid they would slip.
She opened her mouth and took a bite. It was so delicious that her eyes lit up. The matter of trying to smooth things over was long forgotten.
Jiang Linchuan looked at her puffed-out cheeks, and the coldness in his eyes melted away, replaced by a gentler expression.
He did it on purpose.
Zhang Cishu's attention to Xu Xinghe was too deliberate; his eyes always held a sense of inquiry and something else, which was not what ordinary friends should have.
Lian Xiao's feelings for Xu Xinghe are quite obvious.
It's better to pit these two against each other and keep them in check than to have them each keep an eye on Xu Xinghe. Ideally, they should both be injured and eliminated together.
Halfway through the meal, Zhang Cishu had barely eaten anything.
Lian Xiao was watching him so closely that he didn't even have a chance to pick up his chopsticks.
However, he didn't pay much attention to it. Firstly, he had a small appetite, and secondly, the food in Heilongjiang Province was heavily seasoned, either fermented and sour, or cooked with alcohol to remove the fishy smell, which was very different from the light flavors of the South that he was used to, so he didn't have much of an appetite.
"Knock knock knock—"
A sudden knock on the door broke the delicate atmosphere at the dinner table.
Xu Xinghe and the others put down their chopsticks and subconsciously looked towards the door.
Zhang Cishu had only been at the military headquarters for a few days, so logically no one should be looking for him. Could it be a leader from the military headquarters?
Zhang Cishu got up to open the door. A soldier, shrouded in a chilling aura, poked his head in, his gaze passing over Zhang Cishu before landing on Jiang Linchuan. "Commander Jiang, someone is looking for you outside."
"Who's looking for me?" Jiang Linchuan put down his chopsticks, his brows furrowing slightly.
At this time, the military wouldn't specifically come to find him unless there was an urgent matter.
"It was a former educated youth named Ye Wenshu who came specifically to thank you, and he brought some gifts."
The moment Ye Wenshu uttered those three words, Jiang Linchuan's face instantly turned cold, and his tone became stiff. "I won't see her. Tell her not to send anything to the military headquarters again, and not to look for me again. Whatever she brings, let her take it back herself."
"Yes, sir!" Seeing Jiang Linchuan's grim expression, the soldier dared not ask another question, quickly nodded in agreement, turned around and hurried away, afraid that staying even a second longer would bring disaster.
Lian Xiao put down his chopsticks, leaned back in his chair, and crossed his legs. "Oh dear, this educated youth has even followed us to the military headquarters. It seems they're really concerned. Commander Jiang, aren't you going to go check on them? What if they have something important to discuss?"
Jiang Linchuan ignored his provocation and put another piece of fish on Xu Xinghe's plate. "Never mind that, keep eating. I've never had any other thoughts about that Comrade Ye, so don't overthink it."
"I know," Xu Xinghe replied casually without looking up, picking at the fish bones. "You saved her because of your duty, and her gratitude is her way of showing appreciation. Whether you see her or not is your choice."
She wasn't worried at all; no one could take Jiang Linchuan away from her.
In his past life, he guarded himself for his entire life.
Even after Wang Zhizhi's involvement, he never wavered.
Although Wang Zhizhi's ending was pitiful, it was her own choice.
Jiang Linchuan had already clearly rejected her, but she insisted on using despicable means to force him into marriage, which led to the bitter outcome.
One wrong step leads to another, and ultimately, you can't blame anyone else.
...
The soldier hurried back to the entrance of the military headquarters and saw Ye Wenshu still standing in the snow, her nose red from the cold and even the tips of her ears bluish-purple. His tone softened a bit, "Comrade Ye, I'm really sorry, Commander Jiang is busy and can't come out to see you for the time being."
He didn't quote Jiang Linchuan's exact words. After all, she was a woman who had come to deliver things in such heavy snow, and it would be too hurtful to refuse her directly.
He pointed to the cloth bag in Ye Wenshu's hand and added, "Besides, our military has regulations that prohibit us from accepting even a needle or thread from the people. You should take your things and hurry back to the village. It's too cold outside, don't catch a cold."
Ye Wenshu stomped her frozen feet hard, her teeth chattering, but she still refused to give in. "I won't leave! If Commander Jiang doesn't come out to see me, I'll keep waiting here!"
The soldier was immediately perplexed, his brows furrowing. "Comrade Ye, please understand. This is the military headquarters, and regulations stipulate that no one can linger at the entrance. Commander Jiang truly cannot see you. If you insist on waiting here, I will have to have someone escort you back to Hongqi Village; it is my duty."
Ye Wenshu sniffed, her eyes instantly reddening, but she finally nodded reluctantly, "Fine, I'll go. But I won't take the things back. I said I'd give them to him, and I mean it!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she shoved the cloth bag into the soldier's hand and turned to run away.
"Hey! Comrade Ye! Wait a minute!" The soldier, carrying the cloth bag, quickly took a few steps after her, but he still had to stand guard and couldn't stray too far from his post. Seeing Ye Wenshu running further and further away, he could only helplessly stop and call out to her retreating figure one last time, "Take your things back!"
Ye Wenshu heard it, but didn't even turn her head, her figure quickly disappearing into the wind and snow.
Once she's made up her mind, she won't easily change it. This package represents her feelings, and she absolutely can't take it back.
The soldier, holding the cloth bag, stood there and sighed. "Well, I'll leave the things at the guard post for now. When a comrade goes to Hongqi Village later, I'll help him take them back."
In any case, it absolutely cannot be sent to Commander Jiang, otherwise he will definitely say that he is incompetent and cannot even handle such a small matter.
He put the items on the cabinet in the guard post and continued standing guard.
Not long after, another female educated youth came over braving the cold wind. Her hair was messy from the wind, and her voice was trembling as she spoke. "Comrade... I'm here to help Ye Wenshu get the things she left behind."
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