Having said all that, if Shen Ying continued to refuse, it would be disobeying military orders. He couldn't bear the consequences, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and agree.
Time was tight, so the man returned to his room and began preparations, making sure to get a meal from the cafeteria along the way.
He placed the food on the table, sat down on a chair in the room for a while, and then spoke:
"The food tonight is alright. I asked the cafeteria lady for an extra half fish. You should try it."
Shen Ying looked at Jiang Yu and saw her lying on the bed, drawing with paper and pen, her long hair sticking to the blanket, like a quiet little elf. He stared at her for a while, then slowly spoke.
During their time together, Shen Ying sensed that this woman had lofty ideals and could remain calm and composed even when framed.
His initial indifference towards the woman's feelings also transformed into a deep appreciation for her.
"Thanks."
Jiang Yu responded politely. Her attention remained on the painting, occasionally rubbing it a couple of times with an eraser before shaking the crumbs off the bedside.
Having agreed to cooperate with Qingyun Garment Factory, she naturally wanted to demonstrate her capabilities on the day she joined the company, to show them what she was capable of. Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to convince them.
Seeing this, Shen Ying didn't disturb her any further. She quietly took the cup from the table and washed it. She made a point of bringing a kettle of hot water downstairs.
"I'm going to Commander Bai's house with Chief Zhang. You lock the door from the inside and don't open it for anyone. If there's any danger, go find the quartermaster; he's downstairs."
Even a second before closing the door, the man gave her a final, worried reminder. Bai Chen wanted to go with them, but the people in the performing arts troupe were always trying to frame her; the only person she could trust was the clerk.
Jiang Yu gave a perfunctory response, and didn't even raise her head until the man closed the door.
Shen Ying ran into Bai Chen as he went downstairs, but Bai Chen didn't seem interested in greeting him. He didn't know why, but he never used to report to that woman when he had something to do, nor did he ever say anything mushy to her.
But he just blurted out what he had just done.
"What are you thinking about? You're so absent-minded. You can't start thinking about your sister-in-law as soon as you leave, can you? What will you do when you get back to the army in a couple of days if you keep doing this?"
Bai Chen teased him on purpose, feeling a little envious. It's so good to have a wife, unlike him, who has no fixed abode and no ties.
"Get out of the way."
Shen Ying waved her hand dismissively, her cheeks flushing red. She even felt ashamed that someone had guessed her inner thoughts.
The two bickered the whole way, just like elementary school students. When they arrived at the gate of the compound, they found the head of the cultural troupe there.
"He's going too? Whose idea is that?"
Shen Ying's expression immediately turned serious. Recalling how the old man had framed Jiang Yu earlier that day, he couldn't help but step forward and question him: What were his intentions?
"I don't know."
Bai Chen was also completely baffled. Normally, only leaders of brigade commander rank or above could attend such events. Of course, he and Shen Ying were exceptions, having benefited from the man's military achievements and out of respect for Commander Zhang. But a mere regimental commander could attend such an event? He had never seen anything like it before.
"Don't be impulsive."
Bai Chen guessed what the man meant and immediately comforted him. "If a fight breaks out here, you'll be finished in the army."
Shen Ying wouldn't listen to any advice and strode away impatiently. Seeing this, Bai Chen anxiously followed behind, jogging along while continuing to plead his case.
"Battalion Commander Shen, where are we headed?"
Upon seeing Shen Ying's ashen face, Zhou Jianjun, the head of the cultural troupe, spoke first, asking a question. Then, seemingly lost in thought, he pointed to the car parked at the courtyard gate:
"Does this mean we have to go see Commander Bai too?"
"Putting everything else aside, what do you mean by causing trouble for my wife? And what about your two female soldiers in the cultural troupe—Deng Wei and Yuan Shuhui? Give me an explanation."
Shen Ying felt that exchanging even a few more polite words with him would be a waste of time, and now he wanted to take this opportunity to seek justice for Jiang Yu.
"How can such a young man harbor so much resentment? Is his liver not in good condition?"
Zhou Jianguo's tone was very calm, as if he were using the most tranquil language to provoke Shen Ying into a frenzy. Unfortunately, he didn't take the bait.
"Since Commander Zhou is so willful, he must have some extraordinary abilities, right? It's better to keep a low profile, lest I catch him red-handed and ruin his military career in his later years."
Shen Ying stared at him fiercely, as if she had already seen through everything.
"Young man, it's normal for you to talk big. But let me remind you, don't end up losing everything."
The reason for Zhou Jianguo's arrogance was puzzling. His gaze towards Shen Ying was full of provocation, causing Bai Chen, standing to the side, to gasp in shock. One couldn't help but boldly speculate: Had this Commander Zhou recently won the lottery? That's why he was so desperately causing trouble in the army, all in an attempt to retire early and enjoy his later years.
"Everyone's here, so let's not just stand around and get in the car. I heard that Commander Bai has prepared a very lavish family dinner. Just the names of the dishes he mentioned on the phone are making my mouth water."
Amidst the tense atmosphere, Chief Zhang's voice rang out. He had noticed the men were at odds from afar and quickly stepped in to defuse the situation at this crucial moment.
"Commander."
"Commander Zhang."
Upon seeing Zhang Chen, everyone greeted him respectfully. If it weren't for Li Xue whispering in his ear about Zhou Jianguo's arrogant behavior, Chief Zhang would have thought he was seeing things.
"Get on the bus, everyone, get on the bus!"
Chief Zhang instructed everyone to get into the car, and specially arranged for Shen Ying to sit in his car, with Bai Chen as the driver.
Those who were with him knew that the leader favored Shen Ying, and they did not find anything wrong with this arrangement.
The car started slowly, and along the way, Li Xue kept talking incessantly, standing up for the soldiers who had been bullied by Zhou Jianguo.
She knew everyone in the car was one of her own, and she spoke without restraint, which everyone was used to.
"Sister Xue, don't be angry. One day, I'll gather a bunch of people, tie him up, and beat him up again."
Bai Chen drove smoothly from the front, echoing Li Xue's words. The people who bullied them were clearly trying to form a separate group.
"You brat, drive your car and don't get your sister Xue up to do anything bad, or I won't be cleaning up your mess."
Chief Zhang gave them a stern reprimand, his words serving as a warning to these people not to cause any trouble.
"But we can't just let him run rampant in the army and do whatever he wants."
Li Xue was furious, but there was nothing she could do.
"Could it be that he really is, as rumored, dependent on Commander Bai?"
"You're right. According to the rumors I've heard, Commander Bai's daughter has been found. It's said to be that Wei from the cultural troupe."
Upon hearing this news, the three people in the car couldn't believe their ears. What was going on? Deng Wei was Commander Bai's daughter? Did that mean there would be a family reunion part to be done on this trip?
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