Cheng Xi narrowed her eyes.
He was reminding her that he did not acknowledge this marriage—they were not a real couple.
She didn’t need him to remind her; she already knew.
Cheng Xi nodded. “Alright.”
Qin An glanced at her.
Her agreement came too readily, so readily that it inexplicably tightened his chest.
But he said nothing more and turned to leave.
Suddenly, Cheng Xi remembered she hadn’t bathed yet. Seeing Qin An about to step away, she grabbed his hand.
Qin An halted.
A soft, warm sensation spread from his wrist, and his entire body stiffened for a moment.
He looked down at her hand, then at her, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly before he asked in a flat tone, “What is it?”
Cheng Xi blinked. “I haven’t bathed yet. Where’s the bathing area?”
So it was just about bathing.
The inexplicable flutter in Qin An’s heart instantly sank.
He subtly withdrew his hand. “Bathing is at the bathhouse. I’ll take you there!”
At the mention of “bathhouse,” Cheng Xi’s delicate brows immediately furrowed. So many people baring themselves openly—she had never bathed like that before.
Without a second thought, she refused, “I don’t want to go to the bathhouse!”
Qin An frowned. What was wrong with the bathhouse? Was she not used to it either?
They had always bathed that way—spacious and convenient.
Seeing his puzzled expression, Cheng Xi softened her voice, a hint of unease in her tone. “I… I’m not used to bathing with others. How about you fetch me a bucket of water? I’ll just wipe myself down in the room.”
Qin An fell silent for a moment, his tone tinged with impatience. “You sure have a lot of quirks.”
Cheng Xi’s expression stiffened, a flicker of defiance in her eyes.
Not wanting to bathe with others—how was that a quirk?
Before she could speak, Qin An had already turned and walked out of the room, tossing over his shoulder, “Wait here.”
He fetched a bucket and went to the courtyard to draw water.
Water gushed from the faucet into the bucket. He reached in to test it—cold.
Frowning, he poured out the water and headed toward the bathhouse.
The bathhouse was still open at this hour, steam rising from the hot water pipes.
He filled the bucket to the brim, then thought it too hot, so he went back and added half a ladle of cold water to temper it.
Testing the temperature again—neither too hot nor too cold, just right.
If she scalded herself or caught a chill, with her delicate constitution, he’d be the one dealing with the trouble.
He draped a dry cloth over the bucket handle and carried it back.
Passing by the barracks entrance, a soldier just off duty saw him and paused in surprise. “Regiment Commander, what are you doing with that water?”
Qin An didn’t stop walking, clearing his throat. “Get back to rest early. Don’t linger outside.”
Without looking back, he walked away.
The soldier stood there, watching his regiment commander stride purposefully toward the family quarters with a bucket of tempered warm water, feeling something was off.
Since when did the regiment commander need warm water? Even in the dead of winter, he bathed in cold water without batting an eye.
Finally lying down, Cheng Xi couldn’t sleep. The bed here was hard and cold. Restlessly tossing and turning, she felt uncomfortable all over, staring wide-eyed at the pitch-black ceiling.
She had to establish herself here quickly and leave.
This place truly didn’t suit her in any way.
Meanwhile, in the next room, Qin An was equally sleepless.
He stared at the ceiling, the soft sensation from earlier still lingering faintly on his wrist.
He thought again of the two figures at the banquet.
Then came his mother's words on the phone: "The Cheng family cut ties as soon as the Shen family fell. Now that the Cheng family is in trouble, they immediately come looking for your grandfather. What kind of behavior is that? Making you pick up someone else's leftovers?"
He irritably turned over, pulling the blanket over his head.
Tomorrow, he would ask the logistics department if he could get some rice.
Otherwise, his grandfather would scold him again.
No more thinking about anything else.
The next day, before dawn had fully broken, the first wisps of steam from the steamed buns rose in the canteen.
Steamed buns were a hot commodity in the compound—if you arrived late, only Wowo-tou (steamed corn buns) would be left.
Several soldiers who had just finished their night watch were already squatting at the canteen entrance, waiting.
Old Bai, the head of the kitchen squad, was placing the steamer basket on the counter.
A young soldier rushed over as if on wheels, thrusting his enamel bowl toward the window, his voice loud and urgent: "Hurry, hurry! Old Bai! Four! I haven't managed to get any for three days straight. If I don't get steamed buns today, my legs are going to give out!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he suddenly felt someone appear beside him.
No one had noticed when that person arrived.
He just stood by the window like a wall.
The young soldier turned to look.
"Regiment… Regiment Commander?"
Qin An didn't look at him, his gaze fixed on the plump, white steamed buns in the steamer basket. "Give me four."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he frowned inwardly.
Since when had he started competing with the soldiers for steamed buns?
They were just a few steamed buns—hardly worth making a special trip for.
Well, if he lost weight, he wouldn't be able to explain it to his grandfather.
The old man just loved to worry, after all.
His face immediately resumed its usual sternness.
The young soldier was stunned.
Old Bai was also taken aback.
The regiment commander usually ate last, taking whatever was left without ever being picky.
Had the sun risen from the west today?
There were only six steamed buns in the basket.
If the regiment commander took four, only two would remain.
The young soldier glanced at the steamer basket, then at Qin An, his mouth drooping pitifully.
"Regiment Commander, could you leave one more for me…" As he spoke, his hand unconsciously reached toward the steamer basket.
Qin An raised his hand and slapped the back of it—not hard, but with a sharp, crisp sound.
"Put your paw away."
The young soldier quickly retracted his hand, clutching the back of it, his mouth drooping even more.
Qin An turned to Old Bai, tilting his chin slightly toward the steamer basket. "Old Bai, four."
Old Bai snapped back to attention, quickly wrapping four steamed buns in oiled paper and handing them over.
Qin An took them and walked away.
Only after Qin An's figure disappeared through the door did the young soldier dare to hand his enamel bowl forward again, his voice lowered as if he were a thief. "Old Bai, since when does the regiment commander compete for steamed buns? Didn't he say steamed buns were too soft and unsatisfying to eat?"
Old Bai placed the remaining two steamed buns into his bowl, shooting him a look. "You ask me, who should I ask?"
The sky was fully bright.
Cheng Xi opened her eyes, unsure how she had fallen asleep the night before.
She pushed herself up, her back and waist aching, though her foot felt much better.
Pushing the door open, it was quiet.
He had gone out.
Her gaze fell on the dining table, where four steamed buns and shredded potatoes were placed.
Beside them sat a brand-new enamel basin, neatly arranged with a new towel, an unopened tube of toothpaste, and a toothbrush.
Cheng Xi was momentarily stunned.
This person… seemed quite thoughtful.
He had even prepared these things.
As she was thinking, she noticed a note tucked under the basin, the handwriting sharp and angular, stroke by stroke:
"Breakfast is on the table. Do not enter my room."
Cheng Xi finished reading, and the budding fondness in her heart was instantly extinguished.
She tossed the note onto the table.
Hmph, fine, if you don’t want me in, then I won’t go in.
Who cares about entering your room anyway?
She picked up the steamed bun and took a bite.
The bun was soft and fluffy, much easier to swallow than yesterday’s Wowo-tou.
After eating half of it, her stomach suddenly rumbled a few times, accompanied by a faint, bloating pain.
She remembered what Li Jing had said last night: “The toilet is in the corner of the compound, it’s public.”
Gritting her teeth, Cheng Xi headed toward the corner of the compound.
Along the way, she noticed people glancing at her surreptitiously, but she paid them no mind.
Five minutes later, she finally saw the public toilet.
A row of low brick huts, with no door at the entrance—only a cloth curtain.
After hesitating for a few seconds, she lifted the curtain and stepped inside. An overpowering stench immediately assaulted her senses, making her gag.
She looked further in: a row of squat pits, no partitions, no doors.
The contents of the pits were clearly visible.
This was Cheng Xi’s first time seeing such a dry latrine, and the shock left her face pale.
Just a second later, she covered her mouth and rushed out, squatting by the roadside as she retched dryly.
Right then, several military wives walked over, chatting and laughing.
“Oh, isn’t this Battalion Commander Qin’s wife?” Zhao Yinghua’s voice was the first to ring out, unable to hide her glee. “What’s wrong with her?”
Cheng Xi had no time to deal with her, still squatting and retching.
Another wife leaned in, covering her nose as she glanced toward the toilet. “Probably never seen a toilet like ours before, huh?”
“Tsk tsk, capitalist girls are so delicate,” Zhao Yinghua said, hands on her hips, deliberately raising her voice so everyone passing by could hear. “Throwing up just from using the toilet—how is she going to survive here? What did I say yesterday? She’ll be crying to go home in three days. Honestly, three days might even be too generous.”
As soon as she finished, the other wives nearby burst into laughter.
Cheng Xi wiped the corner of her mouth with her sleeve and slowly stood up.
She turned around, sweeping her gaze over the wives who were covering their mouths and laughing, then spoke lightly:
“If you sisters have so much free time, why not go home and have a few more children to look after?”
After saying this, her eyes settled on Zhao Yinghua’s face, scrutinizing her for a few seconds.
Zhao Yinghua felt uneasy under her stare and instinctively took half a step back. “Wh-what are you looking at?”
Cheng Xi withdrew her gaze, her tone indifferent. “Sister, it seems you didn’t take a single word of what I said yesterday to heart.”
Zhao Yinghua froze.
Cheng Xi continued, “Your liver fire has already risen to your eyes. It’s even making your breath foul.”
Zhao Yinghua’s face stiffened, then flushed red. “Y-you dare insult me?!”
Cheng Xi shook her head unhurriedly. “I’m not insulting you, just stating the facts. If you don’t regulate this liver fire soon, in three months, you’ll probably…”
She trailed off deliberately here, frowning deeply as if she had seen something unpleasant.
Zhao Yinghua’s heart skipped a beat, and her voice tightened involuntarily. “Wh-what will happen in three months?”
Cheng Xi looked at her, hesitating as if holding back, then sighed and waved her hand. “Never mind, just treat it as nonsense. After all, you probably wouldn’t dare use my remedy anyway.”
With that, she turned and walked away.
Behind her, Zhao Yinghua stood rooted to the spot, her face slightly pale.
Another wife leaned in and whispered, “Yinghua, what she said… it couldn’t be true, could it?”
"She's just trying to scare people!" Zhao Yinghua insisted stubbornly, though a trace of unconcealable panic flashed in her eyes.
Another woman tugged at her sleeve. "But didn't everything she said about your symptoms yesterday turn out to be true?"
Zhao Yinghua fell silent, her face growing even paler.
The other women watched Cheng Xi's retreating figure and whispered among themselves:
"That girl really has a sharp tongue."
"What's the use of being sharp? Battalion Commander Qin didn't even go to pick her up. She's clearly not in his heart at all."
"Exactly. My husband said Battalion Commander Qin was on the training field before dawn. On his wedding night—who would believe it?"
"Battalion Commander Qin was always cold to begin with. Now saddled with a wife he was forced to marry, how could he possibly warm up to her?"
"I think they'll divorce sooner or later."
"But… is what she said actually true? Three months later… it sounds really frightening."
Meanwhile, Cheng Xi walked away quickly without looking back.
She had no intention of staying here any longer.
But she couldn't use this toilet for even one more day.
No way!
She had to build her own.
Right in her own courtyard.
As she passed by the training field, a sharp whistle suddenly sounded.
She turned her head and a familiar figure came into view.
Qin An stood before a row of young soldiers wearing sleeveless shirts, all full of vigor. With a stern face, he said, "Take a break. In five minutes, we'll do a 5-kilometer run with full gear."
The soldiers responded in unison, "Yes, sir!"
Then they scattered in all directions.
Cheng Xi hesitated for a few seconds before walking toward Qin An.
Today, she wore a fresh Dacron blouse, paired with a plain, calf-length skirt and clean white cloth shoes. Her hair was neatly tied into a low ponytail with a floral-patterned headband.
Her small face was fair and delicate, carrying a touch of charming and gentle liveliness. As she walked, her skirt swayed gently with her steps, accentuating her slender figure and making her look exceptionally lovely.
The soldiers watched her approach from afar, their eyes lighting up.
"Who's that? She's really pretty."
"Stop looking, stop looking. The battalion commander is here."
Qin An noticed the soldiers' unusual behavior and turned around, following their gaze.
Seeing it was Cheng Xi, he raised an eyebrow. His eyes lingered on her for a moment. She had changed her clothes today and tied up her hair, making her even more eye-catching than yesterday.
As soon as this thought surfaced, he inwardly frowned.
Why was he noticing this?
He immediately withdrew his gaze and glared at the soldiers, his voice low. "All of you, turn around."
"Yes, sir!"
The soldiers didn't dare disobey and quickly turned their backs.
But they continued whispering among themselves.
"Who is she?"
"Is that Battalion Commander Qin's new bride?"
"Must be. Look at the battalion commander's expression—like he's seeing trouble."
"Ah, she really is pretty. Too bad the battalion commander doesn't seem to care for her."
"Xiao Zhang, you have sharp ears. Listen carefully."
Cheng Xi walked up to Qin An, pursed her lips slightly, and said, "Battalion Commander Qin, come with me for a moment."
Qin An didn't understand why but silently followed her to the shade of a large tree.
She looked up at Qin An. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on her fair face. Her eyelashes appeared long and translucent under the light, and her eyes were moist and clear.
Qin An felt his throat grow somewhat dry.
He averted his gaze, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly. "What is it?"
Cheng Xi got straight to the point: "I want to build a toilet in the yard. I can't get used to using the public one!"
Qin An furrowed his brow and fell silent for a moment. "No. The military has its rules. There's no precedent for building a toilet in one's own yard."
Cheng Xi's heart sank. "Really not possible?"