Chapter 35 Treat him to the spiciest meal (three dishes combined...)
Chapter 35
Upon hearing this, Political Commissar Xiao couldn't help but curse under his breath.
Damn it.
Qi Donghan, that old fox, was waiting for him here.
Political Commissar Xiao remained silent, his hands behind his back. "I don't have that kind of ability to bring people over from the cultural troupe."
Qi Donghan remained silent, closing his eyes to rest.
It was Political Commissar Xiao, who was outside, who was getting anxious. "Please, please, I'll go and ask him, okay?"
“Ancestor, you have made a mistake. I will go and fetch someone. I will also invite the person you like to come over.”
"Ancestor, you are my ancestor!"
*
Ye Yingtao led Meng Yingying to the team's dormitory first. It was lunchtime, so she easily found Xu Wenjun.
When Xu Wenjun heard that Ye Yingtao had come to see him, he was somewhat puzzled, but ultimately did not refuse. However, before coming downstairs, he looked in the mirror to make sure everything was alright.
"Comrade Ye, you wanted to see me."
At least from her attitude, Meng Yingying couldn't tell that Xu Wenjun liked Ye Yingtao, and she didn't know how Ye Yingtao had made up her mind.
However, when she came to do errands with Ye Yingtao, she followed behind like a well-behaved student.
Ye Yingtao coughed lightly, "Instructor Xu, this is Comrade Meng Yingying. She wants to visit Commander Qi, who is in solitary confinement. I wonder if you have any way to do so?"
Upon hearing her introduction, Xu Wenjun looked over, and a hint of amazement flashed in his eyes when he saw Meng Yingying's appearance.
He thought to himself, no wonder Old Qi, a man of such strong principles, would make a mistake.
It seems like an iron tree has finally blossomed!
However, this is quite different from the 300-pound, dark-skinned, plump village girl that Qi Changming described.
That's what he was thinking, and that's what he asked, "Comrade Ye, are you sure she's Meng Yingying?"
"Don't just send someone to fool me."
Ye Yingtao glared at him, then immediately pulled out her identification from Meng Yingying's pocket. "See this?"
"Is it Comrade Meng Yingying?"
There's even a photo attached, making it difficult to admit a mistake.
Xu Wenjun looked closely and compared it with Meng Yingying's face. He subconsciously said, "This Qi Changming is really misleading people."
I wonder if Qi Changming knew that his childhood sweetheart was not only not dark-skinned and fat, but also as beautiful as a piece of jade.
Will he regret it?
Xu Wenjun naturally wouldn't say such things to spoil the mood. After confirming his identity, he also wanted to help Lao Qi this time.
He made a decision instantly, "I can take you to try, but I can't be 100% sure you'll be able to see Lao Qi."
"That's enough."
Meng Yingying stood to the side, feeling somewhat grateful.
She had a beautiful face, with delicate features, red lips, and white teeth.
When Xu Wenjun expressed such gratitude, she felt her heart skip a beat.
As a result, Xu Wenjun kept his eyes fixed straight ahead the whole way, and he didn't even dare to look at Meng Yingying.
Meng Yingying is just too beautiful; it would be a sin to even glance at her.
Moreover, Meng Yingying was the person Lao Qi liked.
Avoid it!
We absolutely have to avoid it!
He's not a beast like Lao Qi, who would set his sights on his friend's girlfriend.
The three walked along the narrow path, with poplar trees swaying on both sides.
Xu Wenjun was like a javelin, not daring to turn her head.
Ye Yingtao noticed something and glared at Xu Wenjun.
Xu Wenjun coughed lightly, her fair and refined face full of embarrassment, "Comrade Ye, don't glare at me."
"Not only do I not dare to look at Comrade Meng, but I don't even dare to look at you."
These single men stationed in the team, wouldn't they be green with envy when they see young women?
Xu Wenjun felt that she had already restrained herself very much.
Hearing his dull words, Ye Yingtao couldn't help but scold him lightly, "Idiot."
Xu Wenjun did not refute.
It's better to be a fool than a pervert.
Meng Yingying was not listening to their conversation; she was worried about Qi Donghan and wondered how he was doing.
Fortunately, after walking for another ten minutes or so, we came to a relatively isolated cluster of low red brick houses, which appeared exceptionally quiet.
There were guards standing at the entrance. When they saw someone coming, they first gave them a wary look.
"Solitary confinement room, no unauthorized personnel allowed."
Before Meng Yingying and the others could even get over, they were stopped.
Xu Wenjun stepped forward to negotiate, and it's unclear what she said, but the guard turned and went inside to report to someone.
Meng Yingying stood there waiting, wondering, "What if they won't let me in?"
She was asking Xu Wenjun.
Xu Wenjun glanced at the time on her wrist. "I can't be sure right now. We'll have to wait for his report."
No sooner had he said that than the guard on duty came over, and not only him, but also Political Commissar Xiao.
To be honest, Meng Yingying didn't recognize him, but Xu Wenjun did. He was a little puzzled as to why Political Commissar Xiao wasn't home with his wife and children during his rest time, but instead in this godforsaken solitary confinement cell.
Little did he know.
Commissar Xiao doesn't refuse to go back to his wife and children; it's because he has ancestors to rely on.
He's here to appease his ancestors.
After Political Commissar Xiao came over, he first glanced at Xu Wenjun and nodded, then looked at Ye Yingtao.
He knew her; she was a restless woman who loved to climb the social ladder, and it was hard for the entire garrison not to know her.
Finally, Political Commissar Xiao's gaze fell on Meng Yingying. He paused for a moment, thinking to himself, "Oh no."
No wonder Qi Donghan suffered a setback.
"Are you Comrade Meng Yingying?"
Meng Yingying didn't know him, but she could tell from the way the people around him treated him that he was a high-ranking leader.
She nodded. "It's me."
Well-behaved and pretty.
Political Commissar Xiao paused for a moment, cursing Qi Changming in his mind for being blind, then turned around and praised Qi Donghan again.
Good taste.
If Qi Donghan could really marry Meng Yingying, such a beautiful flower, into the family compound, the light in the compound would probably shine a bit brighter.
Thinking about this...
Political Commissar Xiao's face softened even more. "Comrade Meng, have you come to visit Regiment Commander Qi?"
Meng Yingying nodded, her voice calm and gentle, "I heard that Commander Qi was put in solitary confinement for standing up for me, and I felt a little guilty, so I came to see him."
Upon hearing this, Political Commissar Xiao understood. "Normally, outsiders are not allowed into the solitary confinement room, but today also happens to be the seventh day of Regiment Commander Qi's solitary confinement."
"This is also his most crucial moment."
Meng Yingying knew immediately that Political Commissar Xiao was being bureaucratic. After thinking for a moment, she asked directly, "Sir, is there anything I can do?"
Upon hearing her question, Political Commissar Xiao's gaze shifted, and he had only one thought in mind.
He's a smart person.
Thinking of this, Political Commissar Xiao stopped beating around the bush and said, "It's like this, Regiment Commander Qi has been detained for seven days. He can be released as long as he writes a self-criticism. But the problem is right here. If he doesn't write a self-criticism, then he can't be released."
That's how it is when you're stationed at a base.
Meng Yingying understood immediately. After thinking for a moment, she gave an answer, "I need to persuade Commander Qi to write a letter of self-criticism, right?"
Commissar Xiao glanced at her beautiful face with a complicated expression and nodded, "That's how it is."
Meng Yingying didn't readily agree, because she knew she might not be able to make decisions for Qi Donghan.
Thinking of this, Meng Yingying pursed her lips and said, "I can give it a try, but he might not agree."
All I can say is that I tried my best.
Political Commissar Xiao nodded, "Just do your best, it's just a bit of trouble for Comrade Meng."
Meng Yingying nodded and left.
Political Commissar Xiao watched her retreating figure and remarked to Xu Wenjun, "Comrade Meng is a smart man."
Xu Wenjun kept her eyes down, her mind focused, and remained silent.
Comrade Meng is a smart man; he doesn't concern himself with other matters. He just likes Ye Yingtao, a fiery and sassy girl.
He didn't speak, but Political Commissar Xiao understood. He snorted, "A bunch of greenhorns, all they know is how to make things difficult for an old man like me."
Front.
After Political Commissar Xiao spoke up, Meng Yingying's entry into the solitary confinement building went much more smoothly.
When she went in, the other person simply gave her a silent look, indicating that she could go in.
Meng Yingying tiptoed to the tightly closed iron gate.
The door was painted a dark green, cold and solid, with rust on it. Above the door was a small, balustraded ventilation window.
Apart from that, there is no gap.
It's easy to imagine how dark and gloomy it must be behind that door.
Meng Yingying stood at the door, paused, and didn't know how to start the conversation.
The people inside seemed to have heard the faint noises outside.
"who?!"
A deep, husky male voice came from inside the door. Separated by a thick door panel, it sounded somewhat muffled, carrying a sense of power and coldness.
It was Qi Donghan's voice.
Meng Yingying was very familiar with that unique voice; it was hard for her to ignore it even if she wanted to.
She instinctively held her breath, moved closer to the door, and unconsciously curled her fingers, gently pressing them against the cold door panel.
After a long while, Meng Yingying finally spoke, "Commander Qi, it's me, Meng Yingying."
Qi Donghan was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected Political Commissar Xiao to bring Meng Yingying over so quickly.
He stood up, marking the first time Qi Donghan had voluntarily stood up since so many people had come looking for him.
"Did Political Commissar Xiao send you?"
Meng Yingying shook her head. Only then did she realize that Qi Donghan couldn't see her expression through the door.
"no."
This answer was somewhat unexpected by Qi Donghan.
Meng Yingying said, "I came here on my own initiative. I just came back from my hometown and completed the formalities. I have also joined the cultural troupe."
“I heard that you were put in solitary confinement for standing up for me in a fight, so I came to see you.”
At this point, her voice softened slightly, "Commander Qi, are you alright?"
With a touch of caution.
There was a moment of silence inside the door.
Immediately, Qi Donghan's voice rang out again, seemingly closer than before, as if he had also walked behind the door and was even closer to it.
"Well, as long as it goes smoothly."
The few simple words conveyed no particular emotion.
But Meng Yingying had a strange feeling that he must know, that he knew she was standing here.
Meng Yingying's throat went dry, and a wave of guilt washed over her. "I'm sorry, Commander Qi, it's all because of me that you've been punished."
“It’s none of your business.” His reply was quick and decisive. “It’s my job.”
This assertive tone, ironically, soothed the slight unease in Meng Yingying's heart.
She could even picture his expression behind the door, probably frowning, thinking her apology was unnecessary and troublesome.
That's why she refused so decisively.
A subtle silence fell between the two, separated by an insurmountable iron gate.
Something seemed to be flowing quietly in the air, silently coiling around both sides of the door panel.
Meng Yingying could even hear each other's breathing.
No, she felt her heartbeat was louder, thumping and pounding against her eardrums.
She didn't know if he could hear her from behind the door. She didn't speak, and neither did he. A gust of wind blew in from the opposite corridor.
Meng Yingying could even faintly smell a familiar scent wafting from the small ventilation window above the door.
That was the scent she had vaguely caught when he approached last time: a clean and calming aroma of soapberry mixed with the scent of sun-dried soap, and a very faint hint of tobacco.
At this moment, the aroma, though confined to this small space, forcefully permeated the surrounding air, reaching her nose through the doors and windows.
Meng Yingying touched her flushed face; perhaps it was too stuffy here, which made her face feel hot.
That's what she thought.
After a while, he finally revealed the task he had been given on short notice: "I heard from Political Commissar Xiao that you can leave after you finish your seven-day confinement and write a self-criticism?"
Qi Donghan hummed in agreement.
Meng Yingying hesitated for a moment, but still tried to persuade him, "Commander Qi, why don't you write your self-criticism? When you get out, I'll treat you to a meal, okay?"
Like coaxing a child, they even offered a piece of candy to coax Qi Donghan into agreeing.
Qi Donghan, who was inside the door, suddenly chuckled. "Did Political Commissar Xiao send you to persuade me?"
They saw right through me.
Meng Yingying's face flushed slightly, her cheeks turning pink. She murmured, "However, if Political Commissar Xiao has this idea, so do I."
She was a little confused. "Commander Qi, it's so much easier to get out of here early by just writing a self-criticism. Why didn't you write it?"
"And now that you're out, I can treat you to a meal as a thank you."
Qi Donghan thought.
Then it's written.
"Um."
This is his answer.
Meng Yingying froze. She looked up sharply at the door and tentatively asked, "Commander Qi, does this mean you've agreed?"
Qi Donghan hummed in agreement, his brows relaxing, and his voice carrying a hint of teasing, "Since you said you'd treat me to dinner, I'll naturally come out early."
Did they give you any trouble?
The man inside the door suddenly asked, his voice lowering as if afraid of being overheard by the soldiers standing guard nearby, turning it into a whisper.
"No, everything went smoothly."
Meng Yingying quickly replied, her fingers unconsciously rubbing against the cold door panel, "Thank you, Commander Qi."
Another brief silence followed.
"Hmm." The man responded, paused, and then said, "This is not a place for you to linger. Go back."
This place is dark, damp, and cramped; by any measure, it's not a good place to stay for long.
Meng Yingying wanted to ask him, "And what about you?"
She ultimately didn't ask the question.
She simply stood quietly outside the door, while he stood silently inside.
Just a door away.
Their breaths seemed to intertwine through the cold iron gate.
A silent ambiguity quietly grows and spreads in the stillness, wrapping around their hearts like vines, bringing waves of tingling, tightness.
Unable to see the other, all senses seem to be magnified infinitely, focusing on the existence behind that barrier.
Long afterward.
Meng Yingying looked up and suddenly said, "Commander Qi, I'm leaving."
Take care.
Qi Donghan hummed in response, his hand unconsciously resting on the door, as if that would allow him to transmit his warmth.
Meng Yingying glanced back but couldn't see anyone inside. She thought for a moment and then added, "Commander Qi, you should write your self-criticism as soon as possible."
The voice was gentle, without a trace of pressure, more like a friendly reminder.
Qi Donghan paused for a moment, then looked up at the door. Even though he couldn't see anything, his gaze held a certain substance and penetrating power. "I know."
"Well—I'm leaving."
After saying this, Meng Yingying truly left, her steps light and graceful.
Inside the confinement room, Qi Donghan listened to the commotion outside. He leaned against the cold iron door, tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and his Adam's apple bobbed very slowly.
A faint, sweet fragrance lingered in the air, seemingly emanating from outside the door, as alluring and enticing as she herself.
He looked at the paper and pen and began to write slowly, bit by bit—a letter of self-criticism.
Outside.
As soon as Meng Yingying came out, Political Commissar Xiao was waiting outside. He was smoking, and when he saw Meng Yingying, he put out his cigarette and walked over in a few steps.
"Comrade Meng, has Commander Qi agreed?"
What did you promise?
Both sides were naturally aware of this.
Meng Yingying nodded, "He agreed, he will write a self-criticism."
Upon hearing this, Political Commissar Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. "Comrade Meng, thank you so much for this. If you have time another day, I'll treat you to a meal in the canteen."
Meng Yingying shook her head, "It's nothing serious, not worth thanking."
"If Political Commissar Xiao has nothing else to do, then I'll head back to the cultural troupe now."
She was very polite.
It was also very appropriate.
Instead of being nervous in front of a high-ranking leader, he was poised and confident.
This surprised Political Commissar Xiao. Even after Meng Yingying and Ye Yingtao left, Political Commissar Xiao was still remarking to Xu Wenjun, "Judging from Comrade Meng's demeanor, she really doesn't seem like someone from the countryside."
Xu Wenjun didn't listen; he was still immersed in what Ye Yingtao had said to him earlier.
Seeing him like this, Political Commissar Xiao cursed, "Come back to your senses, Comrade Ye has already left."
"Also, Xu Wenjun, Instructor Xu, you know Ye Yingtao. In our team, she's notorious for trying to climb the social ladder."
Xu Wenjun disliked Political Commissar Xiao's evaluation of Ye Yingtao. He paused, lowered his eyes, and said, "I think Comrade Ye is quite good."
He is warm-hearted and has a sharp tongue.
She can also dance.
That's really great.
*
Meng Yingying originally thought that even if she were to invite Qi Donghan to dinner, it would be at least tomorrow. However, she did not expect that Qi Donghan would appear downstairs at her dormitory building that very evening.
When Lin Qiu told Meng Yingying about this, she was still somewhat incredulous, "Who did you say was downstairs?"
"Commander Qi."
Meng Yingying paused for a moment, still holding the empty aluminum lunchbox in her hand, just about to get her food.
"When I went to see him at noon, he was still in solitary confinement."
Why were you waiting for her downstairs at night?
Are you going or not?
Lin Qiu was also about to get food, but he didn't leave now. Instead, he was a little tempted to join in the fun and poked Meng Yingying's slender arm.
Meng Yingying pursed her lips, picked up her lunchbox, and stood up. "I'm going."
“I promised him this morning that I would treat him to a meal once he gets out of the detention room.”
Lin Qiu let out a wistful "oh," and Ye Yingtao beside her also winked and made faces.
Meng Yingying's cheeks flushed red from their teasing. Holding her aluminum lunchbox, she pretended to hit them, saying, "You're laughing at me, you're laughing at me, so I'm going to get angry and ignore you."
Looking at her, with her watery eyes, rosy cheeks, and slightly trembling chest, even her angry expression was incredibly cute.
Lin Qiu clutched his heart, which was pounding. "My God, Yingying, you're so cute, I can't even handle it, let alone Commander Qi."
Meng Yingying glared hatefully at the two troublemakers.
"Commander Qi and I are completely innocent, so stop slandering me."
After saying this, she ignored Lin Qiu and Ye Yingtao's reactions and went straight downstairs.
As soon as she came downstairs, she saw Qi Donghan standing under the poplar tree, waiting for her.
More than a week had passed since I last saw Qi Donghan, and he had lost a lot of weight. His cheekbones were high, his eyes were dark, his chin was thin, and his face was firm with sharp features.
However, this person was mostly expressionless, as if the people passing by had nothing to do with him.
Only when Qi Donghan saw Meng Yingying approaching did his sharp gaze soften somewhat.
Meng Yingying spent some time in the team's practice room in the afternoon, but she had just returned and hadn't received any official assignments yet, so she was just there for show.
I won't receive the official practice assignment until tomorrow.
She was still wearing her dance outfit: a blue short-sleeved shirt made of thin, soft fabric that clung tightly to her body, and black shorts that were a bit short to make it easier to bend over and do splits, revealing her slender, straight legs.
But what's even more stunning is the white, so pure and delicate, like frozen milk, so smooth and delicate, like solidified cream.
As soon as Meng Yingying came down, passersby, whether men or women, couldn't help but take a look.
Meng Yingying's legs were simply too eye-catching. At 1.68 meters tall, with a perfect figure, wearing short sleeves and hot pants, her long legs were almost impossible to look away from.
Qi Donghan was no exception; he caught his breath for a moment, then lowered his eyes and looked away.
"Commander Qi, you've come out?"
Meng Yingying hadn't noticed these details yet; her attention was completely drawn to Qi Donghan.
He must have just come out; he had shaved, but he seemed to be in a bit of a hurry, so there was a scratch on one side of his skin, revealing a bright red spot.
Qi Donghan looked up. "Just came out."
Where would you like to eat?
Meng Yingying stood beside him. He was so tall that she had to look up to see his expression when she asked him a question.
"I have two hours of rest time. I need to go to the practice room to practice dancing at seven o'clock in the evening, so we can go to the canteen or the state-run restaurant. But if we go to the state-run restaurant, you might need to borrow a car."
Otherwise, judging by their pace, they'd probably be busy all night before they even reached the state-run restaurant.
Qi Donghan stared at her bright red lips for a moment, then said, "It's not that complicated, let's just eat in the cafeteria."
Meng Yingying said "Yes" and turned to leave.
Qi Donghan didn't move, staring at her legs. Meng Yingying was a little puzzled and looked down. "What's wrong?"
Qi Donghan's Adam's apple bobbed. "It's nothing. Let's go, we'll go now."
Along the way, Meng Yingying was a little confused. She looked down and looked again and again. It was a normal dance costume. All the girls in the art troupe wore it like this.
Although the clothes were a bit short, they covered the areas that needed to be covered, so they weren't too revealing.
Otherwise, this outfit wouldn't have ended up in the performing arts troupe.
Qi Donghan remained silent the entire way, and Meng Yingying couldn't figure out what he was thinking. She was a slow-to-warm-up person by nature, so she didn't rush to speak when he wasn't talking.
I walked along the poplar-lined path toward the cafeteria.
"Commander Qi."
On the way, quite a few people probably recognized Qi Donghan and came over to say hello.
Qi Donghan nodded, which was his way of greeting him.
However, Meng Yingying discovered an advantage: after walking around with Qi Donghan, almost no one dared to look at her anymore.
This relieved her.
Qi Donghan was tall with long legs, so his strides were naturally long, and he did well at first. But later, Meng Yingying couldn't keep up and fell a couple of steps behind.
Qi Donghan sensed something and unconsciously slowed his pace. He turned his head and looked back, "Are the Qi family looking for you again?"
The voice was deep and resonant, like a clear spring flowing over rocks, very pleasant to hear.
Meng Yingying nodded, and seeing that Qi Donghan's expression instantly turned cold, she explained, "The Qi brothers didn't come to find me, it was Uncle Qi who came."
"He didn't pressure me when he came; on the contrary, he gave me a lot of compensation, didn't make any demands, and then—"
Meng Yingying's tone softened, becoming gentler, "I gave him the letter of understanding."
Knowing that she was soft-hearted, Qi Donghan didn't press her further. Instead, he said, "If they come looking for trouble again, tell me."
Meng Yingying was a little embarrassed, "I've already troubled you a lot."
She even felt that she might not be able to pay back the debt even if she treated everyone to a meal.
Qi Donghan remained silent.
"Commander Qi, are you here for dinner?"
When they arrived at the cafeteria entrance, some of Qi Donghan's acquaintances came over to greet them.
However, his gaze inadvertently fell on Meng Yingying.
Qi Donghan stepped forward without changing his expression. "Company Commander Li."
There was no intention to introduce them proactively.
Afterwards, Qi Donghan left with Meng Yingying. Company Commander Li and the others immediately erupted in disbelief, "Who was Commander Qi leading just now?"
"So beautiful?"
"I noticed she was wearing a uniform from a performing arts troupe, so she must have come from one."
"I've heard some rumors."
Gao Chunyang, with his buzz cut, said something.
Everyone immediately turned their attention to this. "Some people say that Commander Qi was so angry for the sake of a woman. If I'm not mistaken, the woman who was just with Commander Qi must be Qi Changming's childhood sweetheart."
Gao Chunyang also has family members stationed at the base, and his brother-in-law is Political Commissar Xiao, so he knows more information than others.
As soon as he said that, the entrance to the cafeteria fell silent for a moment.
"No way?"
"Didn't Qi Changming say before that his childhood betrothed was the daughter of a pig butcher in the countryside? She's not only dark-skinned and fat, but she weighs at least 300 pounds. But look at that woman who just passed by."
"Fair-skinned and pretty, like a flower, how could she possibly be Qi Changming's childhood sweetheart from the countryside?"
The person who said this was another roommate of Qi Changming. They had all lived in the same dormitory, so they knew a bit about Qi Changming's situation.
They knew even more about Qi Changming's childhood sweetheart from the countryside.
Gao Chunyang glanced back; Qi Donghan and Meng Yingying had gone to the second floor of the cafeteria. He could only see their disappearing figures, slender and delicate.
He put his hands in his pockets and said slowly, "Believe it or not, it's up to you."
"I'll just say one thing: if Qi Changming's childhood sweetheart really is an ugly monster, would Commander Qi have publicly beaten Qi Changming and the others for her sake? Would he have preferred to be locked up in solitary confinement rather than come out for her?"
Everyone immediately fell silent.
"I still don't believe it."
"If the other party really is Qi Changming's childhood betrothed, then is Qi Changming blind?"
He turned down a beautiful, childhood sweetheart.
He preferred to be discharged from the military rather than break off his engagement, and even ended up getting beaten up, becoming a laughing stock in the unit.
What do you think Qi Changming is after?
No one knows what Qi Changming is after, not even Qi Changming himself.
The Qi family was all together now. Chen Xiulan was brought out of prison, and her expression was somewhat distorted. "Old Qi, I was harmed like this by Meng Yingying. You must help me get revenge!"
She must have suffered a lot at the police station. In just over a week, she lost a lot of weight, and her eye sockets looked even more deep.
Hearing this, Qi Zhenguo looked at her coldly, "Revenge?"
"Haven't you made enough of a scene yet?"
"Do you want Meng Baichuan to crawl out from underground and seek revenge on you in the dead of night?"
Upon hearing this, Chen Xiulan's face immediately shrank back. "Qi Zhenguo, don't try to scare me with Meng Baichuan."
"Whether it's to scare you or not, you know it yourself. You also know what you did to Meng Yingying."
"Chen Xiulan, let me tell you, the Qi family has fallen into this state entirely because of you. If you continue to cause trouble, fine, I'll go along with you. At worst, we'll both lose our jobs and starve at home!"
That's a very serious statement.
Chen Xiulan was breathing heavily, her eyes filled with anger, unable to utter a single word.
Qi Changcheng said, "Mom, that's enough. Dad is right. If this continues, not only will you lose your job, but Dad will lose his job too."
Seeing her eldest son and husband say such things, Chen Xiulan felt a sense of despair. "Qi Changming, what do you mean? Are you also planning to watch your mother be arrested and tortured in the police station for nothing, and not help me find Meng Yingying to avenge her?"
Qi Changming was questioned. He squatted down and grabbed his hair in anguish. "Mom, why don't we just stop here? I just got my job after being demobilized and I can go to the civil affairs office to report. If we continue like this, we'll all be doomed."
"The Qi family is the egg, and Meng Yingying is the stone. It's not worth it for us to try to break the stone with our egg."
Seeing that everyone else was doing the same thing.
Chen Xiulan couldn't help but feel a surge of sorrow. "You're all blaming me, aren't you? But who did I do this for? If it weren't for your marriage to Qi Changming, would I have ended up like this?"
"Enough!"
Qi Zhenguo interrupted her, "This matter ends here. I got the letter of understanding from Meng Yingying, and our relationship with her is over."
"Chen Xiulan, you should be happy now. You've gotten what you wanted. If I didn't treat Meng Yingying like my own daughter, she wouldn't have married Changming. You should be happy now, so what are you still making a fuss about?"
What's all the fuss about?
Chen Xiulan didn't speak; she lowered her head and cried.
Everyone watched her cry.
She felt desperate and indignant; she couldn't understand why things had turned out this way.
Qi Changming couldn't stand the atmosphere at home, so he packed his things as if he were fleeing, saying, "I'm going to the Civil Affairs Bureau to report for duty."
He took his bedding with him, clearly indicating that he preferred to stay in the dormitory rather than return.
He left, and Qi Changcheng left with his lover.
Only Qi Zhenguo sat in the chair in the main room, watching Chen Xiulan cry, "This step is the separation of wife and children, the next step is the destruction of family and death."
"Chen Xiulan, if you still want to cause trouble, then our whole family will be buried with you."
*
The team's mess hall.
Meng Yingying didn't really know much about this place; she'd only eaten here a handful of times in total. She had no idea the mess hall had a second floor.
Even after Qi Donghan led her upstairs, she was still a little confused, "Why is there a second floor?"
Qi Donghan turned around and explained, "The second floor is only open on Saturdays and Sundays; it's basically closed at other times."
"We're lucky today, it just so happens to be open." He led Meng Yingying to the cafeteria window, bent down and called out, "Squad Leader Wang."
Squad Leader Wang is the head of the cooking squad, and he is an excellent cook.
"Commander Qi."
Squad Leader Wang had a square face and wore a white apron around his waist. He seemed to be kneading dough, and came out after hearing the noise.
"You haven't been here in a long time!"
Qi Dong is known throughout the canteen and the cooking team for his sharp tongue. He earns a high salary and has good living conditions, so he often comes over alone to get some good food and treat himself.
Qi Donghan didn't explain, but simply asked, "Is there anything good to eat today?"
"We brought in four wild rabbits this morning. Two were sent to the big boss, and the other two were kept in the canteen. We made spicy rabbit meat, but it was expensive. It cost 85 cents a serving and also required two ounces of meat coupons."
"Commander Qi, do you want it?"
He remembered that Qi Donghan didn't eat spicy food.
Qi Donghan didn't rush to answer, but instead turned to look at Meng Yingying. At a speed visible to the naked eye, Meng Yingying swallowed.
Spicy rabbit meat.
She likes spicy rabbit heads, too.
Qi Donghan made his decision after just one glance, "Then we'll have two servings of spicy rabbit meat."
What's the main dish today?
"We also have cornbread." Squad Leader Wang glanced back, "and half a jin of buckwheat noodles, or I can make you a bowl of buckwheat noodles."
Meng Yingying immediately nodded like a chick pecking at rice, "I want buckwheat noodles."
The buckwheat noodles are boiling, steaming hot. Plain noodles paired with spicy rabbit meat—that's truly a masterpiece.
Okay.
Squad Leader Wang smiled and said, "Spicy rabbit meat costs 1.6 yuan, four liang of meat coupons, buckwheat noodles cost 3 mao a bowl, one bowl of [unspecified item] coupons, totaling 6 mao, plus four liang of grain coupons."
After hearing this, Meng Yingying lowered her head and took out money and tickets from her pocket. After this annulment of the engagement, she could be considered to have officially entered a wealthy family.
So when it comes to paying, I don't feel the slightest bit of heartache.
Unexpectedly, Qi Donghan was even faster than her, saying, "No need to pay."
"ah?"
Meng Yingying paused as she took the money, her eyes widening slightly. "Don't we need money or coupons for meals while stationed in the team?"
She has almond-shaped eyes, and when they're wide open like this, they look like a cat's—truly adorable.
A rare smile appeared in Qi Donghan's eyes. "Yes, but I give a portion of my salary directly to the cooks every month, so you can deduct the cost of meals from my salary."
As soon as she finished speaking, Meng Yingying paused for a moment, "But it's a promise that I'll treat you today."
"Next time."
Qi Donghan said, "You can treat me to dinner next time."
After saying that, he glanced at Squad Leader Wang, who was still enjoying his melon, and smiled, "Old Wang, if you have any eggs left, could you put a poached egg in our buckwheat noodles?"
"No."
Squad Leader Wang said, "The kitchen of the mess hall is spotless; even rats leave cursing when they come."
He paused for a moment, then asked, "When will your Third Regiment take men out for field operations, and while you're at it, go into the mountains to collect some supplies?"
Everyone says that being stationed in a military unit is a secure job, but only those who are actually there know that supplies are scarce.
Most of the time, it was just enough to fill their stomachs. If they really wanted to eat well, the soldiers had to go out into the wild and gather the food themselves.
Harbin in Heilongjiang Province has vast stretches of black soil, reed marshes, and various mountains, all of which are rich in resources.
Of course, this is all predicated on the soldiers taking the time to go up the mountain to search for it.
Faced with Squad Leader Wang's suggestion, Qi Donghan did not refuse directly but said, "It's almost May. I'll suggest to the higher-ups that if there's an opportunity, we go out to collect some samples."
It's been more than four months since the Lunar New Year, and everyone is bound to be a little hungry.
Upon hearing this, Squad Leader Wang was immediately delighted, and even when he went to cook buckwheat noodles, he became more energetic.
Meng Yingying and Qi Donghan each took a small plate of spicy rabbit meat and sat down at a table in the cafeteria.
This was the first time she had ever learned about such details.
So I asked a question out of curiosity.
"Can the stationed team still go out to collect samples?"
She had always thought that the stationed teams just waited for supplies to be allocated from above.
"Yes, I will."
Qi Donghan said, "The team is short of funds and everyone is hungry, which makes the training less effective. In this situation, they will usually take the initiative to go out and do collection tasks."
"Usually, these data collection tasks also create competition with neighboring teams, and the team that comes out on top at the end of the year will receive more funding."
Of course, not many people know this information.
Meng Yingying understood instantly, "So, in other words, our stationed team is actually maintaining a self-sufficient state most of the time?"
Qi Donghan was somewhat surprised by Meng Yingying's intelligence. He nodded, "That's right."
As they were talking, Squad Leader Wang brought over two bowls of buckwheat noodles. The gray noodles floated on top, steaming hot.
"Since we ran out of eggs, I added two drops of sesame oil for you."
This is already the highest level of courtesy we can receive in this day and age.
Meng Yingying softly said thank you. Squad Leader Wang looked over in surprise. To be honest, living in Harbin, he rarely heard Meng Yingying speak with such emphasis.
Gentle as water.
As he was leaving, Squad Leader Wang had only one thought: Commander Qi really had a good eye for talent.
He left.
Meng Yingying then tasted the noodles. The noodles were a bit hard and the texture wasn't very good, but they were coated with sesame oil, so they smelled quite fragrant.
"You don't like it?"
Qi Donghan knew her true thoughts at a glance.
Meng Yingying pursed her lips, "These noodles are a little hard."
The noodles she used to eat at home were always cooked until they were very soft and the soup had turned milky white before she would serve them.
Qi Donghan instantly understood, "The food here is all about speed, not taste. As long as it's cooked, it's fine."
He stood up, bent down, and took the bowl of noodles from in front of Meng Yingying. "I'll go find Squad Leader Wang and cook some more for you."
Meng Yingying shook her head and quickly stopped him, "No need, I'll just let the noodles sit for a while until they soften."
"Let's eat the spicy rabbit meat first."
Qi Donghan ignored him and went directly to Squad Leader Wang to have the food reheated. He brought it over in a short while, saying, "Now that we have the means, we should be particular about it. If we don't have the chance next time, we won't have this opportunity."
It was Saturday, and we didn't have a meal together, otherwise we wouldn't have had this opportunity at all.
Meng Yingying understood instantly, "Do you usually keep track of time when you eat?"
"Um."
Qi Donghan said, "Five minutes."
"After five minutes, regardless of whether they had finished eating or not, all the bowls and chopsticks were collected at the same time."
Meng Yingying, “!”
Although she was also in a performing arts troupe in her previous life, they were female soldiers and spent most of their time focusing on dancing.
While there are strict rules regarding daily life, it's not to the point where even meals have to be timed.
"Never had this experience before?"
Meng Yingying shook her head and then nodded, "I've only heard of it, but I've never seen it."
She tried a piece of spicy rabbit meat. The rabbit meat was marinated and had a very chewy texture. With the addition of a generous amount of chili peppers, it was thoroughly marinated and flavorful.
One bite, and it's numbing, spicy, and refreshing—so delicious you'll want to bite your tongue off!
Meng Yingying couldn't stop eating, and seeing that Qi Donghan wasn't eating, she looked up and asked, "Commander Qi, why aren't you eating?"
Qi Donghan looked at the scene where there were more chili peppers than rabbit meat, and picked up a piece of spicy rabbit meat with his chopsticks.
Under Meng Yingying's gaze, he put the spicy rabbit meat into his mouth.
The sudden burst of heat froze Qi Donghan instantly, his entire body turning red as if he had been hit by a firecracker.
Seeing him like this.
Meng Yingying suddenly realized, "Commander Qi, you can't eat spicy food?"
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Author's Note: Chapter Thirty-Three Red Envelopes Have Been Sent
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