He Jiaojiao had apparently just finished washing up. She was wearing only a floral blouse, her hair loose around her shoulders, making her look especially youthful and beautiful.
But Huo Guangji’s face showed no emotion. If anything, he looked rather cold.
“Comrade He Jiaojiao, I still have something to take care of. I’ll be leaving first.”
“Wait—Brother Huo, wait!”
Huo Guangji turned to leave, but He Jiaojiao quickly called him back.
She pulled a small pendant from inside her clothes and shyly held it out to him.
“I made this myself. It isn’t worth much, but it’s supposed to bring good luck and keep you safe. You… should take it.”
The tiny red pendant had been woven into the shape of a little bird.
Huo Guangji frowned and rejected it without hesitation.
“Comrade He, this isn’t appropriate. You should keep it yourself. I’m leaving.”
With that, Huo Guangji strode away.
He Jiaojiao was left standing there, completely at a loss.
She bit her lip, unable to understand why Huo Guangji had rejected her.
Back when they had first enlisted together, hadn’t he willingly helped prove her identity?
So why was he acting as if he barely knew her now?
She had even gone through the trouble of applying to come to this remote and impoverished place just to see him again.
But how could he…
Tears welled up in He Jiaojiao’s eyes. She felt utterly humiliated.
Suddenly, her roommate appeared behind her and asked in surprise, “Jiaojiao? Why are you still standing outside so late? Why aren’t you back in bed?”
“Ah, nothing… I’m going back now!”
He Jiaojiao quickly wiped away her tears and hurried back into the dormitory.
More and more people were coming to the mess hall for meals, and there was also a performance scheduled for today.
So Qin Yue’e got up especially early and brought the two children to the kitchen.
With the arts troupe’s arrival, Wei Wenjie had been so busy these past two days that she barely had time to catch her breath. Qin Yue’e couldn’t bring herself to ask her to look after the children again.
So she simply brought the two little ones into the kitchen.
Fortunately, both children were very well-behaved.
Qin Yue’e found a large basket and placed two little ducklings inside. The children sat facing each other in the basket, happily playing with the ducklings.
They were so quiet that they barely made a sound.
Aunt Liu, who was frying youtiao nearby, turned around and smiled warmly.
“Xiao Qin, just look at those two children. They’re such good kids! They know we’re busy and aren’t causing any trouble at all. Where could you find children this considerate? My own child was a complete handful when he was little. You couldn’t take your eyes off him for even a second before he’d cause trouble! Unlike yours—they’re so well-behaved!”
She was absolutely smitten with the two children.
Aunt Liu took a freshly fried youtiao from the pan, broke it in half, let it cool, and gave one piece to each child.
“Thank you, Auntie Liu~”
Little Zhuyue’s sweet voice made Aunt Liu beam with delight.
“Oh, my little darling! Hurry and eat. It’s freshly fried, crispy and delicious. It’s best while it’s still warm!”
Qin Yue’e was kneading dough for the mixed-grain flatbreads. She turned around and laughed.
“Don’t think they’re always this well-behaved. Ever since they came into the kitchen, their little mouths haven’t stopped. Everyone keeps feeding them. I don’t think they’ve even had a chance to open their mouths to talk!”
But the moment she finished speaking, little Zhuyue, who was sitting in the basket and eating her youtiao, immediately protested.
“I have! I have a mouth, Mama! Ah—!”
She pointed at her mouth with her little finger.
Half a youtiao was still stuffed inside, with the end sticking out from her chubby little lips.
Everyone around them burst into laughter.
“Hahaha! This little girl! I wonder who she takes after. Captain Huo barely says a word, so how did he end up with such an adorable daughter?”
At the mention of Huo Guangji, the smile disappeared from Qin Yue’e’s face.
Huo Guangji probably doesn’t have any time to think about his children anymore.
His entire mind is probably occupied by He Jiaojiao.
“A daughter doesn’t necessarily have to take after her father,” Qin Yue’e joked. “Maybe she takes after me. I was pretty talkative when I was young too!”
She and Huo Guangji still didn’t want everyone to know about their marital problems, so the people in the unit all assumed that the two of them had already reconciled.
“Oh, Xiao Qin, listen to yourself!” Aunt Liu laughed. “Why make yourself sound so old? You’re still so young, yet you’re talking about how you were when you were young! I think you’re just not interested in dressing up. If you wore the same clothes as those girls from the arts troupe, I’m sure you’d look even prettier than them!”
Qin Yue’e didn’t continue the conversation.
No matter how pretty I am, I can’t compete with someone’s first love.
Besides, Qin Yue’e had never cared much about dressing up.
As long as her clothes were comfortable and practical enough to work in, that was what mattered.
In an era when people were struggling just to have enough food and clothing, a woman raising two children had to be careful.
If she dressed herself up too attractively, she might only invite unnecessary trouble.
Qin Yue’e shook her head and stopped thinking about it.
She dropped the mixed-grain flatbreads one by one into the pot and covered it with a lid.
Before long, the delicious aroma began drifting through the kitchen.
Today’s meals were particularly good—actually even more abundant than yesterday’s welcoming banquet.
It was almost like celebrating the New Year.
There was a cultural performance scheduled in the square today, and for the soldiers, it was one of the happiest days of the entire year.
Qin Yue’e and the other kitchen staff had put all their effort into preparing a good meal for them.
These soldiers had devoted their entire youth to serving the country. They couldn’t spend the holidays with their parents, and they rarely had a chance to relax.
They deserved at least one good day like this.
When breakfast was ready, Qin Yue’e carried out a large basin of youtiao and mixed-grain flatbreads.
There were also stir-fried duck eggs, dressed Chinese toon, and several other dishes.
The leftover bear meat from yesterday had been sliced into a cold meat platter and mixed with peanuts and cucumber, then drizzled with sesame oil.
It smelled so good that it could practically make you swallow your tongue.
It quickly became the most popular dish, and more than half the basin was gone in no time.
Then a familiar voice came from the line.
“Three youtiao, two mixed-grain flatbreads, and two spoonfuls of vegetables!”
Qin Yue’e didn’t even need to look up.
She knew it was Huo Guangji.
She silently took his mess tin, served his food neatly, and handed it back.
Huo Guangji opened his mouth, wanting to ask why she had kicked him out the previous night.
But with so many soldiers gathered around him, he ultimately couldn’t bring himself to say anything.
Aunt Liu, who was serving food beside Qin Yue’e, couldn’t resist teasing them.
“Xiao Qin, why are you giving your own husband so little? Give him another couple of spoonfuls! Why don’t you give Captain Huo some of that meat you prepared especially for him? I’m sure food cooked by his own wife tastes even better!”
The moment she said that, He Jiaojiao, who was standing at the back of the line, suddenly raised her head.
She stared at the woman behind the serving window in disbelief.
She… is Brother Huo’s wife?
Brother Huo is married?!