Although the table was filled with both adults and children, their fighting power was extraordinary.
A whole basket of steamed buns was devoured, and the two bowls containing vegetables were soaked with soup from the buns, leaving them shiny as if they had just been washed.
Apart from Gu Zhiyuan and Xu Ningyan, everyone else had eaten until their bellies were round and full, burping contentedly with satisfied expressions.
"If I could eat this much good food every day in the army, I could stay in the army for the rest of my life—"
This statement was met with widespread approval.
Someone's eyes darted around, as if they had some idea.
Gu Zhiyuan cleared his throat: "Didn't you hear what the young comrade said? This is extra food that the unit leaders specially approved for us when we first arrived! Look at what the other soldiers are eating, it's just two kinds of noodles with steamed buns and stewed vegetables, not a single piece of meat!"
The others at the table also remembered, and immediately showed expressions of disappointment.
Xu Ningyan sighed, "This is probably all money the troops saved up to treat us. If we eat more, the soldiers will probably have to tighten their belts even more! We can't cause trouble or add to the burden on the troops! Besides, as the saying goes, there's no place like home. No matter how good the army is, it's never as comfortable as home!"
These words stirred up everyone's homesickness.
"That's right. I've been away for so many days, I wonder how things are back home?"
"There are only a few grown men left in my family, and I don't even know if they'll have anything to eat—"
...
Gu Zhiyuan took the opportunity to get up and gestured for everyone to follow him back to their lodgings at the front.
After they all left the canteen, in a small, closed cubicle in the corner, several soldiers in officer uniforms exchanged glances.
"I didn't expect that among the family members who came this time, there would be such an understanding person!"
"The person who received them said that the two are engaged. The young woman is the posthumous daughter of Comrade Xu Jiefang and now works at the county department store. Her fiancé works for the Eighth Bureau of the State Security Bureau in Beijing, so his ideological awareness is naturally higher."
A leader-looking man's eyes flickered: "Doesn't Xu Jiefang's daughter work at the Jingshan County Department Store? And her fiancé works for the Beijing State Security Bureau?"
Someone immediately stepped forward to explain: "When Deputy Regiment Commander Xu returned from Jingshan County, he reported that this comrade from the National Security Bureau, surnamed Gu, had infiltrated Jingshan County to investigate a spy case at the state-owned machinery factory and got to know Comrade Xu Ningyan. Comrade Gu had already returned to Beijing, but he was worried about Comrade Xu Ningyan coming to our military region alone, so he took leave to accompany him!"
The leader nodded, pondered for a moment, and then said, "In that case, let's start the conversation with them."
"yes!"
Gu Zhiyuan and the others took the people back to their lodgings in the front, and then went back to their own rooms.
They all came by long-distance bus. Gu Zhiyuan and his group were lucky enough to get sleeper tickets, but the others probably all got seats and traveled the whole way.
Even though they are hardworking and in good health, some of them are finding it too much to handle.
After eating and drinking their fill, they returned to their rooms and soon began to snore in unison.
Gu Zhiyuan was worried that Xu Ningyan hadn't eaten enough, so he went to the front desk and asked for a bottle of hot water so that Xu Ningyan could make herself a cup of milk powder tonight to tide her over.
Xu Ningyan made him a cup of malted milk powder, stuffed him with a bag of calcium milk biscuits, and then pushed him out the door.
Gu Zhiyuan's eyes crinkled, knowing that Xu Ningyan had noticed he hadn't eaten enough.
Back inside and with the door closed, he, who usually dislikes sweets, devoured everything today, taking a bite of malted milk powder and a bite of calcium milk biscuit.
Before six o'clock in the morning, just as dawn was breaking, the reveille rang.
Everyone yawned and got out of bed.
After washing up, breakfast consisted of two large steamed buns and a bowl of noodle soup for each person.
After breakfast, they gathered at the entrance, where a military truck was already quietly waiting for them.
Gu Zhiyuan got into the car first, took the luggage, then helped Xu Ningyan up, and helped the others take their packages and put them away.
After everyone was settled, Xu Ningyan and Gu Zhiyuan chose a spot near the carriage entrance. Although it was a bit chilly and windy in the morning, and dusty, it was still better than staying inside.
Two young soldiers sat on the outermost edge of the vehicle, looking very serious.
The others who had originally wanted to ask a few gossipy questions became too embarrassed to speak up.
The car was fine inside the city, but once it left the city, the road became bumpy.
Sitting in the car felt like sitting in a rocking horse; it felt like my brain was going to splatter out.
When they arrived at their destination and the car came to a stop, everyone scrambled down, their limbs trembling. They each found a tree to hug and began vomiting violently, barely managing to vomit up any bile.
In other words, Gu Zhiyuan remained unfazed.
Xu Ningyan was prepared and had brought a box of cooling balm. She would apply a little to her forehead and nose from time to time. Even so, after getting off the car, her face turned pale and she felt nauseous.
The Northwest Military Region was stationed in a town next to a county town under the jurisdiction of Ganzhou City.
Because of the military region, this town is considered the most prosperous place within a radius of several hundred miles, comparable to the county seat.
The guesthouse was right across from the military district. After everyone was settled in, the soldiers who were responsible for escorting them told them to wait at the guesthouse and wait for the military district's arrangements.
Don't leave the guesthouse; your meals will be delivered to your room every day.
Everyone was in a daze at the moment. No matter what the escorting soldiers said, they nodded and agreed. As soon as the soldiers left, they all lay down on the bed and couldn't move.
After sleeping for most of the day, everyone gradually recovered in the afternoon.
The children recovered faster and were already running outside, playing in the guesthouse courtyard.
The atmosphere at this guesthouse felt more serious than in Ganzhou; apart from the soldiers, there was hardly anyone else in sight.
Xu Ningyan and Gu Zhiyuan figured that if they rested for the night, either the military region would come to ask them to cooperate with the investigation tomorrow, or Xu Changfeng would have to step in.
Unexpectedly, the two of them overestimated Xu Changfeng's patience.
It wasn't even dark yet; Xu Ningyan and Gu Zhiyuan had just finished dinner in their room not long ago.
Then I heard a knock on the door.
Before Xu Ningyan could open the door, Gu Zhiyuan opened it first, and then Xu Ningyan heard Gu Zhiyuan's surprised voice: "Deputy Commander Xu?"
Xu Changfeng was also very surprised: "Comrade Gu, what are you doing here?"
Xu Ningyan opened the door and saw Xu Changfeng and a woman standing in the corridor, talking to Gu Zhiyuan.
Hearing the door open, Xu Changfeng and the woman both turned around.
The woman appeared to be in her thirties, about 1.65 meters tall, with a slightly plump figure. Even though her face showed signs of age, it couldn't hide the fact that she was beautiful.
Especially since her eyebrows and eyes looked somewhat familiar, Xu Ningyan immediately knew that this woman was Wu Hongqin, the biological mother of this body.
She finally understood why Xu Changfeng had taken care of his benefactor's widow and brought her back to his own home.
She had three children, and in the windy and sandy Northwest, she still managed to maintain such beauty. She must have been even more beautiful back then.
The three of them stared at each other. Xu Ningyan was expressionless, Xu Changfeng looked embarrassed but remained calm, only Wu Hongqin glanced at Xu Ningyan and looked impatient and disgusted. Although she tried to hide it, she couldn't hide it at all.
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