Huo Tingxuan and Political Commissar Zhang didn’t leave immediately. They waited until they were certain Su Jiuyue and Jiaojiao had gone before turning their attention back to Li Haichuan.
Without saying a word, Huo Tingxuan simply shot Commissar Zhang a meaningful glance, subtly directing his gaze toward Li Haichuan.
Commissar Zhang understood at once.
He looked at Li Haichuan, who was still standing in the courtyard with a defeated expression while Bai Lili clung to him, crying endlessly.
Then he thought of the more than twenty comrades who had died during the mission. Leaders at every level were overwhelmed with handling the aftermath and comforting the bereaved families, yet this man—as the elder brother of one of the fallen—had not only failed to set an example, but had stirred up scandal after scandal.
First came his outrageous proposal to “carry on the family line for his younger brother.” Then there was the disgraceful theft of his younger brother’s widow’s belongings.
He was smearing mud across the reputation of the military district and insulting the memory of the fallen heroes.
Forget Su Jiuyue and Huo Tingxuan—even Commissar Zhang himself was furious.
He nodded firmly at Huo Tingxuan, his eyes icy.
Don’t worry. This isn’t over. He’ll be dealt with severely and made an example of.
Receiving the silent assurance, Huo Tingxuan said nothing more and turned to leave.
His orderly hurried after him.
“Commander, back to headquarters?”
“Mhm.”
Huo Tingxuan climbed into the back seat of the jeep.
Just before the vehicle pulled away, his gaze drifted toward the row of apartments where Su Jiuyue lived.
The newly replaced iron lock glinted coldly beneath the fading evening light.
Back inside the quiet house, Su Jiuyue shut the door behind her.
The world instantly fell silent.
Only she and Jiaojiao remained.
The locks had been changed.
The relationship had been severed.
Everything was different now.
She carefully put everything they had recovered back where it belonged.
Watching Jiaojiao hug her reclaimed toy with a look of contentment and security finally returning to her little face, the rage in Su Jiuyue’s heart eased somewhat.
“Jiaojiao, you must be hungry. Mommy will make dinner.”
Rolling up her sleeves, she headed into the kitchen.
Although the house had been thoroughly ransacked, the rice, flour, cooking oil, and other necessities were still there.
Soon, the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the house.
While eating, Jiaojiao asked quietly,
“Mommy… Uncle and Auntie really won’t come to our house anymore?”
Su Jiuyue placed another helping of vegetables into her daughter’s bowl.
“As long as I’m here, they won’t dare. Even if they do come, I’ll beat them out with a stick. You don’t need to be afraid.”
“Mhm!”
Jiaojiao nodded vigorously as she shoveled rice into her mouth.
“I’m not scared! I’ll help Mommy beat them too!”
The innocent yet determined words made Su Jiuyue’s eyes sting.
In her previous life…
She had been useless.
She couldn’t protect her daughter.
Nor herself.
But in this life…
Even if it cost her everything, she would create a peaceful sky over Jiaojiao’s head.
Because Li Yanchuan had supposedly “died in the line of duty,” the cafeteria where Su Jiuyue worked had specially granted her three days of leave to handle the funeral and recover emotionally.
She decided to take Jiaojiao into the city the next day.
After five years here, Jiaojiao had never once visited the city.
Every time she asked, Li Yanchuan had refused.
He always claimed that government vehicles couldn’t be used for personal matters.
Yet he’d taken Li Tao into town over a dozen times.
How blind she had been.
She had actually believed his excuse that Li Tao had been born prematurely and required special care.
Looking at things now…
Li Tao weighed nearly eighty pounds.
Meanwhile Jiaojiao was barely over thirty.
Who exactly hadn’t been properly cared for?
Only a fool like her had believed those lies.
Perhaps because she’d finally cut ties and changed the locks, Su Jiuyue slept more soundly than she had in years.
She overslept.
By the time she and Jiaojiao finished washing up and came outside, the family compound shuttle had been gone for quite a while.
“Mommy… we missed the bus…”
Standing on tiptoe, Jiaojiao looked down the road in disappointment.
Su Jiuyue glanced at the sun.
From here, it would take over half an hour just to walk to the nearest public bus stop.
With a child, it would take even longer.
Walking all that way would be exhausting, but if they didn’t go today, she’d have to return to work tomorrow.
She was still debating whether to postpone the trip when the deep rumble of an engine approached from afar.
A military-green jeep slowed and stopped beside them.
The passenger-side window rolled down.
Huo Tingxuan’s sharply defined, expressionless face appeared.
His eyes swept over the slightly flustered Su Jiuyue before settling briefly on Jiaojiao, who was looking up at him.
“Going into the city?”
Su Jiuyue froze for a moment before quickly nodding.
“Yes… Commander Ho—”
She hesitated.
“…Uncle Huo. We wanted to buy a few things, but we missed the shuttle.”
She instinctively used the familiar form of address, though it felt rather awkward.
Huo Tingxuan’s brows knit almost imperceptibly, as though he wasn’t particularly pleased with the title.
Still, he said nothing.
He merely tilted his head.
“Get in.”
“Huh? But… won’t this delay your work?”
She hesitated.
He was a division commander.
Ride in his vehicle?
“It’s on the way.”
Just two words.
Spoken in a tone that left no room for refusal.
The orderly had already jumped out and opened the rear door.
Seeing that, Su Jiuyue stopped protesting.
“Thank you.”
She lifted Jiaojiao into the jeep first before climbing in herself.
The jeep was spacious.
Yet with Huo Tingxuan seated in front, his commanding presence somehow made the back seat feel much smaller.
The vehicle left the military compound and drove steadily along the dirt road toward the city.
At first…
Silence filled the car.
Only the hum of the engine and the passing scenery could be heard.
Su Jiuyue sat stiffly, staring out the window.
Jiaojiao, however, was fascinated by riding in a jeep.
Especially by the serious-looking uncle in the front seat who somehow didn’t seem scary at all.
Blinking her big eyes, she secretly studied the back of Huo Tingxuan’s head and his profile.
Perhaps the silence encouraged her.
Or perhaps children simply sensed such things instinctively.
She suddenly spoke.
“Uncle Huo, why are you going into the city?”
The moment she called him “Uncle Huo,” Su Jiuyue’s heart skipped a beat.
She instinctively wanted to correct her.
But then…
The man in the front seat paused slightly.
And answered.
“For a meeting.”
His voice remained calm, though somehow less cold than usual.
“Oh…”
Jiaojiao nodded, as if she understood.
Or perhaps she didn’t.
Either way, her curiosity had been awakened.
“Uncle Huo, do you have any children? About my age?”
Su Jiuyue immediately tugged gently at her sleeve.
“Jiaojiao, don’t disturb Uncle Huo.”
“It’s fine.”
Huo Tingxuan spoke from the front.
He even turned his head ever so slightly, seeming to glance at Jiaojiao through the rearview mirror.
“No.”
“No children?”
Jiaojiao looked disappointed for only a second before another question popped into her mind.
“Then… Uncle Huo, do you have a wife? Like Mommy and Daddy?”
“Jiaojiao!”
Su Jiuyue really panicked this time.
That question was far too personal.
She wished she could disappear into a crack in the ground.
Even the orderly’s shoulders trembled slightly as he struggled not to laugh.
Huo Tingxuan remained silent for two seconds.
Just when Su Jiuyue thought he’d ignore the question—or become angry—
He answered again.
“No.”
“No wife?”
Jiaojiao blinked.
“Then… are you married?”
“No.”
His reply was crisp and immediate.
“Oh…”
She drew out the word while thinking hard.
Finally she reached a conclusion.
“So Uncle Huo lives all by himself?”
“Wouldn’t that be lonely?”
“Jiaojiao!”
Su Jiuyue’s voice practically cracked.
She hurriedly covered her daughter’s mouth, blushing furiously.
“Commander Huo, I’m so sorry. She’s still little and doesn’t know any better. Please don’t take it to heart…”
Huo Tingxuan glanced at her through the rearview mirror.
Her embarrassed, flustered expression was reflected clearly in the glass.
The corners of his lips seemed to move ever so slightly.
So slightly that it might have been an illusion.
He looked forward again.
“Children speak without malice.”
Then, unexpectedly, he added another sentence.
Perhaps answering Jiaojiao.
Perhaps speaking to himself.
“I’m used to it. I don’t find it lonely.”
Su Jiuyue was speechless.
She was completely stunned.
The famously stern Commander Huo, known for his iron discipline and serious demeanor…
What had gotten into him today?
Not only had he given them a ride—
He had patiently answered every one of Jiaojiao’s questions, despite how bold they were.
His replies were brief.
But he answered every single one.
Even the orderly secretly glanced at his commander in the rearview mirror.
Did the sun rise in the west today?
The commander is unbelievably patient…
Though this little girl… she’s certainly brave.
And her questions are… incredibly sharp.
The rest of the drive passed with Jiaojiao’s endless stream of “why” questions and Huo Tingxuan’s short but unfailing answers.
Somehow…
The atmosphere never became awkward.
Instead, there was an inexplicable sense of harmony.
Su Jiuyue went from embarrassment…
To astonishment…
And finally simply listened in silence, her heart churning with confusion.
Huo Tingxuan’s attitude was simply too unusual.
Was it because he pitied the mother and daughter?
Because of his friendship with her father?
Or…
Was there another reason?
The jeep soon entered the city and stopped at an intersection not far from the department store.
“Thank you, Commander Huo. We’ve troubled you.”
Su Jiuyue quickly thanked him before taking Jiaojiao’s hand and preparing to get out.
Huo Tingxuan also stepped out and stood beside the jeep.
After Su Jiuyue lifted Jiaojiao down, the little girl looked up at him with a bright smile and waved enthusiastically.
“Goodbye, Uncle Huo!”
Su Jiuyue’s scalp tingled once again.
She hurriedly corrected her.
“Jiaojiao, that’s not polite! Commander Huo is friends with Grandpa. You should call him Grandpa!”
“Grandpa?”
Jiaojiao tilted her head.
She looked at Huo Tingxuan’s stern but undeniably youthful face.
Then she looked back at her mother.
Her little head shook vigorously.
“No!”
“Uncle Huo isn’t married.”
“He doesn’t have children.”
“And he doesn’t look old at all.”
“Why should I call him Grandpa?”
“I’m calling him Uncle!”
“You little…”
Su Jiuyue was both anxious and embarrassed, wishing she could cover her daughter’s mouth again.
At that moment, Huo Tingxuan—who had spoken very little all morning—finally broke the silence.
His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly.
“Uncle is fine.”