A thought flashed through Lin Shuyao’s mind. She looked up at Lu Chengjing with a serious expression.
“My husband is shedding blood and risking his life on the southwestern frontier. As his revolutionary comrade-in-arms, I should lead by example.
“I may not be able to step onto the battlefield, but I’ve received years of education and have expertise in my own field. I’m willing to contribute my strength to the organization and the people.
“That’s why I came.”
Lu Chengjing paused, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly.
Was that really what she thought?
Had she truly come to stand and fight alongside him?
Lin Shuyao’s attention was drawn to his reddened ears. She blinked at him and smiled.
“Lu… A-Jing, you’ll support me, won’t you?”
She had no idea that Lu Chengjing was blushing. Given the situation, she simply felt that some misunderstandings needed to be cleared up and that maintaining appearances was necessary for the future.
There were so many people watching.
She certainly didn’t want him undermining her.
Since they were husband and wife in public, it was probably time to stop calling him “Comrade Lu.”
“Mm. I will always support you unconditionally.”
Lu Chengjing’s gaze remained fixed on her face.
He suddenly found her incredibly beautiful.
Her eyes were bright and moist when she looked at him, and her voice had been soft and gentle when she called him A-Jing.
She looked so obedient.
“A-Jing, you’re my role model.”
Lin Shuyao raised an eyebrow at him slightly, extremely satisfied with his cooperation.
Su Xiaohong could no longer listen in silence.
The reason she had started trouble in the first place was because she had never regarded Lin Shuyao as a worthy opponent.
The position at the Grain Seed Experimental Station was something she intended to secure at all costs.
Seeing Lu Chengjing’s obvious devotion only irritated her further.
He usually carried himself with such pride.
Who would have thought he was no different from any other man?
She had assumed he had high standards, yet he had ended up marrying a woman with such a reputation.
“Oh, so that’s how it is.” Su Xiaohong smiled faintly. “Comrade Lin’s level of dedication is truly admirable. Battalion Commander Lu has been in the Southwest for two years, and you never once showed your face. If I hadn’t heard those words from you personally today, I wouldn’t have believed it.”
“Comrade Su, watch your words.”
Lu Chengjing’s expression instantly turned cold.
The atmosphere around him seemed to drop several degrees as he looked at her with unmistakable warning.
Su Xiaohong was startled by his icy gaze.
“Battalion Commander Lu, I was only speaking casually. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Mind your own mouth.”
His tone was frosty.
Pointing toward a nearby table, he continued, “There are seats over there. Please move somewhere else.”
Su Xiaohong’s face darkened from the public reprimand.
Her dissatisfaction only grew.
With Lu Chengjing openly driving her away and Lin Shuyao making no effort to stop him, she could only pick up her bowl, let out a soft snort, and move to another table.
On the surface, Lin Shuyao remained calm and composed.
Inside, however, she was deep in thought.
The original owner’s actions had indeed been outrageous, but they had all taken place in the capital, thousands of miles away from the Southwest.
There were no acquaintances here.
So how had these rumors spread all the way here?
How could even complete strangers use them against her?
Sensing her mood, Lu Chengjing softened his tone.
“Don’t take it to heart. I’ll find out what’s going on.”
Lin Shuyao looked at him.
She honestly had no grounds to protest.
Her ambiguous relationship with her superior had been real.
Ignoring her husband had been real.
Not visiting him for two years had also been real.
There was nothing she could explain away.
The more she tried to explain, the worse it would sound.
“I understand. Thank you, Comrade Lu. About earlier… I hope you don’t mind.”
Lu Chengjing lowered his eyes.
“It’s fine.”
Not far away, Su Xiaohong had gathered with several military wives.
From time to time, they glanced toward Lin Shuyao while whispering among themselves.
Smug smiles lingered on their faces.
Coincidentally, there were far more military family members in the mess hall than usual that day.
The moment beef was served, everyone wanted to bring some home for their families, resulting in an unusually large crowd.
Lin Shuyao curled her fingers into a fist.
Determination flashed through her eyes.
Since someone was deliberately making trouble for her, she would simply work harder.
She would excel in the interview, secure an even better position, and use her abilities to silence every critic.
Meanwhile, Su Xiaohong was thinking about the interview as well.
Only her thoughts revolved around how to humiliate Lin Shuyao and completely destroy her chances of entering the experimental station.
She wanted everyone to see just how capable she was.
A military wife beside her noticed her distraction and whispered:
“Xiaohong, don’t be angry. She’s just some outsider. Maybe she’ll embarrass herself during the interview anyway. How could she possibly compare to you?”
Su Xiaohong curled her lips with disdain.
“I’m not angry. I just think Battalion Commander Lu deserves better than someone like her. Just wait. During the interview, I’ll expose her for who she really is.”
…
After lunch, Lu Chengjing carried their two enamel bowls back to the serving window.
He exchanged a few words with Old Song before leaving the mess hall with Lin Shuyao.
The evening sun was beautiful.
Crimson clouds filtered through the gaps in the trees, scattering patches of light and shadow across the ground.
A gentle breeze drifted by, making the scenery breathtaking.
The two spoke little as they walked side by side along the paths of the military compound.
Yet faint smiles lingered on both their faces.
When they returned to the compound, they happened to run into Old Zhou, who had come to deliver an interview notice.
“Old Zhou?”
“Battalion Commander Lu, this must be Comrade Lin Shuyao?”
“Yes, this is Lin Shuyao.”
Old Zhou immediately greeted them with a smile.
His gaze lingered on Lin Shuyao with a mixture of courtesy and subtle evaluation.
“Comrade Lin, I’m Zhou Ping from the Southwestern Grain Seed Experimental Station. After Battalion Commander Lu submitted your application materials, Director Li specifically asked me to come and deliver your interview notice.”
A sense of relief settled in Lin Shuyao’s heart.
She quickly stepped aside and spoke politely.
“Comrade Zhou, thank you for making the trip. Please come inside and have some water.”
“No need, no need.” Zhou Ping waved his hand. “I’m only here to deliver a message. There’s still plenty of work waiting for me at the station.”
He took a neatly folded slip of paper from his pocket and handed it to her.
“The interview is scheduled for eight o’clock in the morning, three days from now. Just go directly to the experimental station and ask for Director Li.”
Lin Shuyao accepted the paper, her fingers tightening slightly around it.
“Thank you for coming all this way, Comrade Zhou. I appreciate it.”
Zhou Ping hesitated.
With Lu Chengjing standing nearby, he couldn’t be too direct.
Lowering his voice, he offered a subtle reminder.
“Comrade Lin, our experimental station is a place for serious scientific research. We don’t care about reputation or connections. We only care about real ability.
“This interview won’t just involve professional questions. You’ll also need to explain your breeding strategies on the spot and verify basic data personally.
“You should prepare carefully.”
Lin Shuyao instantly understood the hidden meaning behind his words.
“I understand. Please rest assured, Comrade Zhou. I’ll prepare thoroughly and rely on my abilities.”
“Good. Then I’ll be on my way.”
After exchanging a few more polite words, Zhou Ping hurried back to the experimental station.
There were still three days before the interview.
It wasn’t a rushed schedule.
Lin Shuyao possessed a solid professional foundation and had already organized her ideas and data regarding southwestern grain breeding.
She felt no need to rush.
She intended to proceed steadily and face the interview with confidence.
Ever since arriving in the Southwest, she had been constantly on the move, busy arranging her transfer and settling various matters.
She still hadn’t had the chance to contact her family.
Now that things had finally stabilized, it was time to send word home.