Meng Yao, the flower of the military district’s art troupe, a woman who had captivated countless men in her previous life, was now being “charitably offered” half a bitten cucumber by a village woman in this life!
She trembled with rage, her nails digging deeply into her palms.
But she could not lose her temper.
In front of Qi Weiguo, she had to maintain her image of being gentle, kind, and understanding.
Taking a deep breath, she forcibly suppressed the humiliation and fury boiling inside her and forced out a weak, reluctant smile at Li Zhihuan.
“Thank you, Sister-in-law… I’m not hungry.”
After speaking, she stopped looking at Li Zhihuan and instead turned her watery eyes—filled with grievance and admiration—toward Qi Weiguo.
This was her final weapon.
She refused to believe there was any man in the world who could resist such a gaze.
“Battalion Commander Qi…”
Her voice was soft and delicate, like feathers brushing against the heart.
“I really envy Sister-in-law…”
She deliberately paused, letting the countless hidden emotions in those words linger in the air.
“To have such a dependable husband who can always protect her by her side.”
The statement was flawless.
She praised Qi Weiguo while subtly implying Li Zhihuan’s “failure to appreciate him” and her own longing.
She was reminding him: a hero like you deserves admiration and cherishing, not to be ordered around by some crude woman.
In her previous life, she had used these same tactics to make countless men pity her and stand up for her.
Sure enough, Qi Weiguo’s heart stirred slightly.
As a man—and a soldier—it was impossible not to be affected when a beautiful, fragile woman looked at him with such admiration.
Especially compared to the Li Zhihuan beside him, who treated him like a wooden post she could command at will…
However, before that subtle sense of vanity in his heart could fully bloom, a soft body suddenly leaned against him.
Li Zhihuan moved.
It was as though she had not understood the layers of implication in Meng Yao’s words at all. She simply felt that this “plot” had dragged on long enough.
Time to wrap things up. She still wanted to go back for a second round of sleep.
She stepped forward naturally and, for the very first time, took the initiative to wrap her arm around Qi Weiguo’s firm, muscular arm.
Then, pushing her luck even further, she leaned her head affectionately and trustingly against his sturdy shoulder.
Boom—
Qi Weiguo’s entire body instantly stiffened like a rock frozen in ancient ice.
He could feel her softness against his arm.
The weight of her head rested on his shoulder, along with the touch of her hair.
A faint scent of soapberry mixed with grass and sunshine invaded his senses forcefully.
It smelled ten thousand times better than the deliberate perfume fragrance clinging to Meng Yao.
Without warning, his heart exploded like thunder.
Again and again, it pounded wildly and uncontrollably against his chest.
He was completely stunned.
Li Zhihuan, meanwhile, was utterly unaware of the emotional tsunami raging inside the “stone statue” beside her.
Leaning her full weight against Qi Weiguo lazily, she lifted her eyelids and looked at Meng Yao, whose face had already begun turning green.
A smug smile appeared on her face—the kind born from being spoiled and adored, the overwhelming smile of a rightful wife claiming total victory.
“Exactly,”
she said sweetly, every word like a sugar-coated bullet aimed directly at Meng Yao’s heart.
“I may not have many strengths, but I do have good taste in men.”
As she spoke, she intentionally rubbed her cheek lightly against Qi Weiguo’s shoulder, their intimacy making them appear like the most loving couple in the world.
“Unlike some people…”
Her gaze swept casually across Meng Yao’s pale face with faint pity.
“You can only envy me, because you simply don’t have this kind of luck.”
No. Such. Luck.
Every single word hit Meng Yao’s heart like a heavy hammer.
This was a declaration.
A provocation.
A warning telling her to stop dreaming—this man belonged to her!
After finishing, Li Zhihuan did not even spare Meng Yao another glance.
In her eyes, her “job” was already done—she had successfully chased away the fly trying to covet her “rice bowl.”
Efficiency: perfect score.
Like a victorious general waving a battle flag, she shook the remaining half of the cucumber in her hand at Meng Yao.
Then, arm linked with the stiff-as-a-robot Qi Weiguo, she turned and strode away.
“Come on, hubby, let’s go home for breakfast. I’ll cook poached eggs for you today.”
That sweet, crisp “hubby” was the final straw that completely shattered Meng Yao’s disguise.
She stood alone in the morning mist, watching the two intimate figures gradually disappear into the distance.
From beginning to end, Qi Weiguo never once turned back to look at her again.
Humiliation, fury, unwillingness, jealousy…
Every emotion gnawed viciously at her heart like poisonous snakes.
Her face alternated between green and pale, and finally, the carefully crafted pitiful expression on her delicate features twisted under the weight of extreme rage, becoming almost frightening.
“Li! Zhi! Huan!”
She squeezed the three words out through gritted teeth, her eyes filled with venomous hatred.
This was completely different from the script she remembered!
Why?
Why did things turn out like this?!
…
Meanwhile, Li Zhihuan was happily dragging the “human-shaped wooden post” Qi Weiguo back home.
Mm, one potential big problem successfully solved. She could now spend the whole day being a carefree slacker in peace.
Perfect.
Just as she was secretly pleased with herself, the “wooden post” beside her suddenly stopped walking.
Caught off guard, Li Zhihuan stumbled and nearly fell.
She looked up at him in dissatisfaction.
“What are you stopping so sudde—”
Before she could finish speaking, she met a pair of blazing eyes.
The scrutiny and confusion that had once filled those eyes were gone, replaced by something she had never seen before—something so scorching it seemed ready to melt her completely.
“You…”
Qi Weiguo’s Adam’s apple bobbed as his voice came out hoarse, as if scraped raw by sandpaper.
“Why did you… do that just now?”
What he meant was why she had suddenly linked arms with him, why she had leaned against him, and why… she had said those things to that female comrade.