“Uncle,” Lin Yiqiao greeted with a smile. The man responded with a faint nod.
This lukewarm attitude was something Lin Yiqiao had anticipated. Back in her hometown, she had indeed been a bit of a troublemaker, and her uncle thought she was wasting her time. But that didn’t stop her from starting fresh in the capital.
Lin Yiqiao busied herself setting the table, while Qian Ru quickly urged her to sit down and eat.
As soon as she took her seat, Zhang Guoqiang announced, “The military district is holding extra training sessions in a couple of days, so I won’t be home for meals.”
“How can that be? Your stomach isn’t good, and the cafeteria food will only make you uncomfortable,” Qian Ru said worriedly.
Military district?!
Lin Yiqiao’s mind began to race.
“Uncle, I can bring you meals. Let’s see if you like my cooking. If it suits your taste, I can make lunch for you every day and deliver it,” Lin Yiqiao offered cheerfully.
Zhang Guoqiang picked up a piece of black fish. It was indeed flavorful and aromatic, with just the right amount of spiciness—exactly to his liking.
It was all thanks to Lin Yiqiao’s generous use of seasonings.
“Yes, it’ll be good for Yiyi to get out more. Maybe she’ll meet some nice young men,” Qian Ru said with a smile, glancing at Lin Yiqiao.
“Aunt, what are you talking about?” Lin Yiqiao pretended to be shy.
“Then I’ll trouble you, Yiyi,” Zhang Guoqiang said.
“No trouble at all, Uncle. Please don’t be so formal with me.”
Lin Yiqiao had a knack for winning people over. By the end of the meal, Qian Ru was beaming with delight.
Even Zhang Guoqiang felt that his niece had changed for the better. With their daughter married and stationed with her husband’s unit, and him often away on assignments, it was good to have someone keeping Qian Ru company.
Little did he know what kind of troublemaker he had just let loose in the capital.
Qian Ru arranged for Lin Yiqiao to stay in the small attic on the second floor, right across from Zhang Xiao’s room. Though not luxurious, it was tidy, cozy, and the bedding had just been aired out.
After so many exhausting days, Lin Yiqiao finally lay down on the bed. She breathed in the faint scent of locust blossoms in the air.
The capital really did smell wonderful.
Lost in thought, she drifted off to sleep without even realizing it.
Early the next morning, Lin Yiqiao began preparing breakfast.
She made golden shredded pancakes and simmered a large pot of winter melon and egg soup, fragrant and delicious.
Cold-tossed cucumbers were perfect for this season. She had pickled them the night before, and by morning, they were perfectly seasoned—crisp and refreshing.
She had put in a lot of effort to ensure her culinary skills didn’t take a nosedive.
Zhang Guoqiang rose early. As soon as he stepped out of his room, he saw Lin Yiqiao bustling about in the kitchen. “Yiyi, you’ve worked hard.”
Lin Yiqiao was startled—she had been sneaking a bite in the kitchen, planning to act like a dainty, well-behaved girl with a small appetite later. She quickly hid the cucumber roll she’d been munching on.
“Uncle, there’s no need to be so polite. By the way, what would you like for lunch today? I can prepare a menu in advance.”
“Anything is fine. I’ll eat whatever you make.”
Lin Yiqiao was a bit surprised by Zhang Guoqiang’s change in attitude, but she figured her aunt must have put in a good word for her the night before.
“Alright, then I’ll make some of my specialties,” Lin Yiqiao said with a smile as she brought the dishes to the table.
Qian Ru had just finished washing up. Since she wasn’t much of a cook, the two of them usually ate simple meals. This breakfast was quite a feast in comparison.
After the meal, Zhang Guoqiang left for the day.
Qian Ru went back to catch up on sleep, but Lin Yiqiao didn’t dare waste any time. She had to start preparing lunch right away.
Braised pork ribs paired with stir-fried bean sprouts—that should be hearty enough.
The steamed buns on the side were also ready to be taken out of the steamer. As a southerner, Lin Yiqiao initially didn’t know how to make steamed buns, but she knew Zhang Guoqiang loved them. Last night, she had even specially asked Qian Ru for guidance.
She set aside Qian Ru’s portion, packed Zhang Guoqiang’s meal into an aluminum lunchbox, and stuffed a large steamed bun and plenty of spare ribs for herself.
After all, one needs to eat well to have the energy to work.
Then she rushed upstairs, took a quick shower, and washed away the greasy smell from her hair. Fortunately, her aunt’s house had an old-fashioned hairdryer. Though it buzzed loudly, there was still enough time to dry her hair.
Lin Yiqiao applied some jasmine-scented balm to her skin. The north was too dry for her, but with the balm’s moisturizing effect, her skin regained its delicate, creamy texture and smelled sweet and pleasant.
She styled her hair into a side ponytail, pulling it loosely and securing it with two small hair clips. Compared to the common thick black braids seen everywhere, her hairstyle stood out refreshingly.
There was no need for eyebrow pencils or lipstick. Lin Yiqiao’s skin was already so tender it seemed as if it could be pinched to draw water, fair with a rosy glow, and her lips were a vibrant cherry red—a perfect blend of innocence and allure.
She put on a well-tailored white shirt with a small V-neck and paired it with the green women’s military trousers Qian Ru had given her, accentuating her slender waist.
Lin Yiqiao was quite satisfied with her outfit and headed out with the lunchbox in hand.
Following the address Zhang Guoqiang had given her, Lin Yiqiao walked for a long time before reaching the place, which appeared to be the back gate of a military district.
The summer in the capital was intense, and Lin Yiqiao was sweating profusely, her face flushed red.
The officer at the gate didn’t dare to look her in the eye, his ears turning bright red. After completing the registration, Lin Yiqiao saw Zhang Guoqiang’s orderly, Xiao Hu, running out to meet her.
She had met him before, and it was clear he was also taken aback by her appearance.
Xiao Hu led the way inside, and Lin Yiqiao knew Zhang Guoqiang had arranged this. Qian Ru had wanted her to come and see if there were any young men she fancied.
Entering through the back gate, they quickly arrived at the side entrance of an office building.
“Comrade Lin, Director Zhang has an important meeting later, so I need to prepare some materials in advance. You can just take the meal directly to the fourth floor, to the office of the Logistics Department Director.”
Before Lin Yiqiao could ask for more details, Xiao Hu hurried off without looking back, as if he had something extremely urgent to attend to.
Xiao Hu was quite considerate—she had wanted to explore on her own anyway.
The first floor seemed to be filled with archives rooms. Peering through the small windows on the doors, she could see rows of bookshelves, and the air carried a faint scent of old books.
The stair railings were made of smooth, polished wood, and the entire building exuded a solemn and serious atmosphere.
Faintly, Lin Yiqiao could hear the sounds of military training—the powerful shouts of men—though she couldn’t pinpoint where they were coming from.
At each floor, Lin Yiqiao peeked around. It seemed everyone was having lunch, as the building was mostly empty.
When she reached the fourth floor, Lin Yiqiao eagerly set off to find the Logistics Department Director’s office.
Wait… something wasn’t right. Why weren’t there any signs on the doors?!
When Xiao Hu mentioned it, Lin Yiqiao had assumed the offices would have nameplates on the doors. Instead, she found only plain, unmarked doors, and she was genuinely confused now.
There was no one on this floor either, and Lin Yiqiao didn’t dare to call out loudly. Instead, she whispered softly, “Is anyone here?”
She walked further into the corridor. “Is anyone here?” Before she could finish her third call, she heard the click of a lock turning.
The reddish-brown door in front of her suddenly swung open, and a man stepped out.
His sturdy, long legs were clad in crisp military trousers. His large, well-defined hand gripped the doorknob, and a delicate leather watch peeked out from beneath his shirt cuff—at first glance, it almost matched Lin Yiqiao’s outfit like a couple’s set.
“What’s all the noise here?” the man asked with a frown.
Contrary to his build, his features were refined—a tall nose bridge, wheat-colored skin—yet there was an indescribable air about him.
“I… I’m here to deliver lunch to Director Zhang of the logistics department.” For the first time, Lin Yiqiao felt overwhelmed by a man’s presence. Her gaze dropped to his waist.
He looks strong.
“Delivering lunch? The military is in emergency training right now. Is he asking for special treatment by having food brought in?” The man’s dark eyes bore into her.
Lin Yiqiao knew a wrong answer could spell trouble. “No, no, Director Zhang has a sensitive stomach. I was worried he might not be used to the military rations, and it could affect the emergency training. He had a special meeting earlier, so he asked me to bring it directly here. I’ll be leaving right away.”
As she spoke, she watched the man, feigning a touch of timid sincerity while secretly sizing him up.
“What’s your relationship with him?”
Lin Yiqiao met his dark gaze. “He’s my uncle.” Then she lowered her eyes again.
The man took a few steps forward in his military boots. Seeing she hadn’t followed, he turned back. “Come on.”
Lin Yiqiao hurried after him, watching his back. Broad shoulders, narrow waist—simply perfect.
Suddenly, she remembered the glimpse she’d caught earlier at the compound entrance.
So it was him.
The man stopped at the first door by the staircase, knocked lightly, and when there was no response, turned the knob.
“This is Director Zhang’s office.”
“Thank you, comrade.” Lin Yiqiao smiled, her eyes curving into bright crescents, two dimples appearing at the corners of her mouth.
“You’re so kind, comrade. May I ask your name?”
The man stared at Lin Yiqiao for a moment before replying.
“Qi Jun, commander of the 32nd Regiment.”
Sensing the man’s imposing aura soften slightly, Lin Yiqiao spoke again. “Then let’s get acquainted. I’m Lin Yiqiao—Yi as in attachment, Qiao as in dexterity.”
She extended her hand toward him, her cheeks flushed just enough.
The man paused, then reached out his large hand for a brief, loose handshake. The faint calluses on his palm brushed against her delicate skin.
She turned and entered the office, placing the lunchbox on Zhang Guoqiang’s desk. The faint aroma of the meal wafted through the air.
“I’ll be going now. Thank you, Comrade Qi.”
Lin Yiqiao turned to leave.
“Wait,” Qi Jun said, stepping out of the room ahead of her.
“Among revolutionary comrades, there is no distinction of status.”
With that, he walked away without looking back, leaving Lin Yiqiao puzzled.
…Was it because of that “may I ask your name” remark?
She smiled, quickly descended the stairs, her heart fluttering with excitement.
The capital is wonderful, so grand.
And the men here are impressive too—full of vigor.