Peng Zeping stubbornly refused to back down.
“Go if you want! Don’t worry about me! I’m going too. I’d like to see what excuse Captain Song comes up with to lose his temper at me!”
Lin Xizhi frowned at her.
She figured this woman was probably another one of Song Zhuowei’s admirers.
Which was hardly surprising.
Who wouldn’t like a man like Song Zhuowei?
Young, capable, brave in battle, and an outstanding leader with exceptional command abilities.
But Lin Xizhi also knew that leading training was one of the most important parts of Song Zhuowei’s job.
She didn’t want to interrupt it.
Even less did she want to bring Peng Zeping along to interrupt it.
Since she couldn’t shake off this clingy tagalong, she simply decided to stay and wait for Song Zhuowei to return instead.
“Brother A-Ming, it looks like I’ll have to sit here for a while,” Lin Xizhi said with a smile. “Go ahead with your work. Don’t mind me.”
Seeing that Lin Xizhi had changed her mind and wasn’t leaving, Peng Zeping irritably kicked the leg of her chair.
“Go on! Weren’t you looking for Captain Song? Let’s go together! I’m curious you’ve got one man already, yet you’re eyeing another. I’d love to hear what nonsense comes out of that filthy mouth of yours!”
Originally, she had meant to say that Lin Xizhi was “silver-tongued.”
But in her agitation, she couldn’t remember the phrase.
So she blurted out the common saying instead.
Unfortunately for her, that vulgar remark happened to be heard loud and clear by Song Zhuowei, who had just returned from training.
“What’s going on now? Whose filthy mouth is supposedly producing ivory?”
He strode into the office briskly.
Casually tossing his straw hat and metal whistle onto the nearby desk, he looked up and the very first person he saw was Lin Xizhi.
The impatience on his face froze for a second.
When he spoke again, his tone had noticeably softened.
“You were looking for me?”
Lin Xizhi nodded.
“All right. Wait a moment. I’ll deal with the others first.”
He turned toward Peng Zeping, his expression full of impatience.
“What is it? What’s the matter? Hurry up and say it.”
Rushed by him like that, Peng Zeping almost forgot why she’d come.
Fortunately, the moment she looked at Lin Xizhi again, she remembered.
Pouting, she said,
“Let her speak first! Only after she’s done can I talk!”
Song Zhuowei gave her a look that practically said, Are you out of your mind?
Then he turned back to Lin Xizhi.
Without beating around the bush, she asked directly,
“I wanted to check on Pei Yuncheng. I heard you were teaching him to swim?”
Song Zhuowei paused.
“That’s right. He’s outside. Do you want to see him?”
Peng Zeping finally found an opening and quickly interrupted.
“See? I told you! Not only does she want to see Educated Youth Pei, she’s here to protect him! She came specially to ask you to stop picking on him every day. She feels sorry for him!”
Lin Xizhi’s almond-shaped eyes widened.
A dozen sharp retorts flashed through her mind.
Each one would have left Peng Zeping speechless.
But she couldn’t be bothered.
What was the point of arguing?
Even if she completely silenced Peng Zeping, would that mean she had won?
No.
It wouldn’t.
Meaningless arguments only lowered her own dignity.
Besides, they’d make her seem eager to defend herself.
So she swallowed every one of those words.
Instead, she quietly looked at Song Zhuowei.
Waiting to see what he would do.
Song Zhuowei met her gaze but couldn’t understand what it meant.
He didn’t like it when Lin Xizhi looked at him that way.
He couldn’t explain why, but every time she stared at him like this, he felt as though he were standing shirtless, completely exposed.
It made him intensely uncomfortable.
Frowning even more deeply, he asked,
“Is what she said true?”
“What do you think, Captain Song?”
Lin Xizhi sighed softly, sounding somewhat disappointed.
“I’ve only met Assistant Peng a handful of times. How could I possibly confide my true thoughts to a complete stranger?”
“I really don’t understand why she’d make up such lies and twist the facts.”
Peng Zeping became anxious.
“If you didn’t come for that, then tell us why you came to see Captain Song!”
Song Zhuowei was curious as well.
Lin Xizhi smiled brightly.
“I did come to ask about Pei Yuncheng’s training.”
“But my suggestion is that Captain Song should increase the intensity of his training.”
“He was spoiled growing up. The only thing he knows how to wield is a pen. He doesn’t understand the meaning of ‘Every grain on your plate comes from hard labor.’“
“Since he’s chosen to come to the countryside, he should humbly accept the reeducation offered by the poor and lower-middle peasants.”
“I look forward to the day when he turns over a new leaf and accomplishes something worthwhile.”
She spoke with complete conviction.
But Peng Zeping didn’t believe a single word.
Lin Xizhi was obviously worried about Pei Yuncheng.
She was simply saying the opposite of what she really meant.
There was some strategy for that…
What was it called again…?
Peng Zeping couldn’t remember.
But she still felt obliged to warn Song Zhuowei once more.
“Captain Song! She and Educated Youth Pei used to be very close. Even if they were only ordinary friends, no one would normally wish hardship on a friend.”
“She must have some ulterior motive! Don’t let her use you!”
Song Zhuowei shot her a sideways glance.
“Why are you watching her all day long?”
Peng Zeping froze.
He continued,
“Last time you reported the two of them. This time you’re making things up again.”
“What is it? Are you really that petty? Can you really not tolerate Comrade Lin?”
Peng Zeping’s face filled with grievance.
“So many young women from the city have come to the commune, and I’m not like this with everyone!”
“It’s only because she’s so ambiguous with Educated Youth Pei, and she’s also with you “
“What’s between her and me?!”
Song Zhuowei abruptly raised his voice, cutting her off.
“Comrade Lin is honorable and conducts herself with integrity!”
“And I have no improper intentions toward her!”
“She’s her own person, and I’m mine!”
“There is absolutely nothing between us!”
“You people need to stop believing every rumor you hear!”
“If I catch anyone spreading baseless gossip again, I’ll increase their workload!”
“Let’s see who still has the free time to stir up trouble then!”
Hearing those words from Song Zhuowei himself, Peng Zeping suddenly stopped being angry.
What was there to be angry about?
He had personally admitted that he had no romantic feelings for Lin Xizhi.
That meant every other young woman in the brigade still had a chance.
No matter how enthusiastically Grandma Song tried to play matchmaker, it wouldn’t matter if Song Zhuowei himself refused.
His own willingness was worth more than anything.
Peng Zeping immediately beamed.
“Then you’d better follow her suggestion, Captain Song! Train Educated Youth Pei extra hard! Make sure you turn him from a weak scholar into the backbone of the Coastal Defense Team reserves!”
Song Zhuowei clicked his tongue.
“Since when does someone from the clinic get to tell the Coastal Defense Team how to do its job?”
“If you’ve got nothing else to say, hurry back.”
Peng Zeping proudly shot Lin Xizhi a triumphant glance before finally turning and leaving.
Lin Xizhi remained standing where she was.
Her face was expressionless.
It seemed as though she had something to say, yet she also appeared perfectly calm.
Song Zhuowei cleared his throat.
“Was that all you wanted to talk about?”
Lin Xizhi nodded.
“Originally, yes.”
Song Zhuowei felt a headache coming on.
“You mean… now there’s something else?”
“Yes.”
She looked up at him.
“Captain Song, you still haven’t told me exactly what’s wrong with me.”
“My health may not be the best, but I’m eager to learn, hardworking, and always striving to improve.”
“I’ve been making every effort to integrate into the collective, putting the group’s interests first.”
“My values are upright… and my facial features are even straighter than my values.”
“With qualities like mine… do I still fail to meet Captain Song’s standards for choosing a wife?”
The other members of the Coastal Defense Team had still been walking in and out of the office.
The moment they heard Lin Xizhi seriously bringing up a personal matter with Song Zhuowei, they immediately and wisely made themselves scarce.
Was this something they were supposed to overhear?
Run!
There were some things about the captain’s private life that were definitely better left unheard.