Huo Guangji’s expression froze. He was completely confused.
This woman had been perfectly fine just a moment ago. Why had she suddenly gotten angry?
Qin Yue’e’s face was as dark as the bottom of a cooking pot. After throwing his bedding onto the floor, she even kicked it twice before pulling the two children into her arms.
“Go to sleep!”
The two children were quite obedient. Snuggled in Qin Yue’e’s arms, they quickly fell asleep.
Huo Guangji lay on the floor and couldn’t help sighing.
Women really are impossible to understand.
He couldn’t figure out what had suddenly gotten into her.
The snores of the adults and children rose and fell beside her.
Qin Yue’e tossed and turned, unable to sleep.
As for He Jiaojiao, she and Huo Guangji had known each other for years.
The two of them had enlisted in the army during the same year. He Jiaojiao had been a member of the arts troupe, while Huo Guangji had been an ordinary soldier.
When they were stationed at the same base, they were reportedly together quite often. According to the original novel, Huo Guangji had already fallen deeply in love with He Jiaojiao back then.
But later, under pressure from his parents, he had no choice but to separate from He Jiaojiao and marry Qin Yue’e instead.
The two lovers had missed their chance because of circumstances.
It wasn’t until Qin Yue’e eventually died that they were finally able to rekindle their relationship.
The entire novel actually began with Huo Guangji learning about Qin Yue’e’s death and starting to pursue He Jiaojiao again.
She never expected the wheels of fate to turn so quickly.
He Jiaojiao was coming.
Once she arrives, Captain Huo will probably wish he could stay eight feet away from me.
Qin Yue’e silently calculated her plans.
Moonlight fell softly across the children’s innocent faces. She gently stroked their chubby cheeks and secretly made up her mind.
There was a saying that a stepmother often came with a stepfather who followed her lead.
She absolutely would not hand her children over to Huo Guangji and He Jiaojiao.
Since the two of them clearly still had feelings for each other, there was no reason for her to fight with them over a man or become an obstacle in their relationship.
Huo Guangji had said that his salary would be paid next month.
As soon as she received that money, she would immediately leave with the children.
As for what happened between the two of them afterward, it had nothing to do with her.
When the morning sunlight slanted through the window, steam was already rising from the bamboo steamers in the mess hall.
Qin Yue’e was busy working with Deputy Director Zou and Aunt Liu.
Today was the day the arts troupe would arrive.
The entire camp was bustling outside. Gongs and drums sounded, and everyone seemed excited.
Several large red flowers had been hung on the old locust tree at the entrance of the unit. The logistics department had made them overnight to welcome the female members of the arts troupe.
Before long, excited voices came from outside.
“They’re here! The women from the arts troupe are here!”
A truck’s engine roared, mixed with the sound of gongs and drums.
The entire camp immediately came alive.
Qin Yue’e peeked through the small window of the mess hall and saw a group of young women in military uniforms and braids jumping down from the truck one after another.
At the front was a girl with a long braid.
Qin Yue’e couldn’t see her face because the girl had her back turned, but she could hear her clear, crisp voice.
“Reporting to the company commander! The 12th Arts Troupe has arrived. Twenty-eight female comrades were expected, and all twenty-eight are present. Please give your instructions!”
There are twenty-eight people in the arts troupe? That’s quite a lot.
Qin Yue’e was still marveling at the number when she heard Company Commander Liu laugh loudly.
“Welcome, welcome! Welcome, Comrade He Jiaojiao! Our soldiers have already repaired the guesthouse in advance. We’ve been waiting for you to move in!”
Qin Yue’e’s heart skipped a beat.
That woman is He Jiaojiao?
As expected, even her voice belonged to a beautiful woman, exactly as the novel had described.
“What are you looking at, Xiao Qin?”
Aunt Liu suddenly came over with a smile.
Qin Yue’e quickly brushed it off.
“Nothing. It’s just my first time seeing an arts troupe, so I was curious. Aunt Liu, don’t we still have two baskets of steamed buns to make? I’ll knead the dough!”
With that, she took over the work from Aunt Liu and got busy.
What He Jiaojiao is like has nothing to do with me.
After all, if she didn’t provoke me, I wouldn’t provoke her.
All Qin Yue’e wanted was Huo Guangji’s salary.
After the arts troupe arrived, the young men in the camp became unusually energetic, as if someone had injected them with a shot of adrenaline.
Fortunately, since it was the troupe’s first day, they didn’t have any performances scheduled.
After the welcoming banquet, Qin Yue’e packed some food, took the two children, and went back.
She didn’t see Huo Guangji again for the rest of the day.
Qin Yue’e understood perfectly well.
His old flame had been away for so long. Naturally, the two of them had plenty of things to catch up on.
And as for his uneducated original wife?
She was obviously just an unwanted third wheel who had already been forgotten.
Qin Yue’e didn’t wait for him.
She figured Huo Guangji would have somewhere else to sleep that night, so she simply locked the door and went to bed with the children.
She was half asleep when she suddenly heard someone knocking.
Huo Guangji’s lowered voice came from outside.
“Why did you lock the door? I haven’t even come back yet. Why didn’t you leave the door open for me?”
“You should sleep in the dormitory. It isn’t convenient for you to stay here anymore. I’ll talk to Company Commander Liu about it.”
Qin Yue’e didn’t even get out of bed. She simply answered and closed her eyes again.
She had watched enough romance dramas in her previous life to know one thing better than anyone else:
Stay away from the male lead.
Otherwise, she might end up dead without even knowing how it happened.
Huo Guangji froze outside the door.
His brows immediately furrowed.
What’s wrong with this woman again?
He thought carefully.
He had spent the entire day busy handling the handover with the second squad. He hadn’t even done anything to upset her.
So why had she suddenly refused to let him inside?
But even if she refused to open the door, he couldn’t exactly kick it down.
Huo Guangji stood outside for a long time.
In the end, he sighed and turned around.
Through the curtain, Qin Yue’e watched his tall shadow gradually disappear.
Only then did she let out a long breath.
The male lead belongs to the female lead.
I don’t want him anyway!
Huo Guangji hadn’t even made it out of the guesthouse when he suddenly heard an excited voice behind him.
“Brother Huo? Brother Huo, is that really you?”
He Jiaojiao hurried after him with small quick steps, her face filled with delight.
“Oh my goodness! I had no idea you were stationed at this unit!”
Huo Guangji frowned and stared at her for a moment.
It took him a while to connect the beautiful face in front of him with the round-faced girl he remembered from years ago.
“You are…”
“I’m He Jiaojiao! Brother Huo, you don’t remember me? We enlisted in the same year, and we’re from the same hometown too! When I first joined the army, I couldn’t find my letter of introduction. You were the one who helped prove my identity!”
Only then did Huo Guangji finally remember.
“Oh. So it’s you.”