“Don’t be stiff, everyone. Today is just a casual meal for us to get to know one another,” Liu Yuning spoke up, and the server began bringing out the dishes.
The atmosphere at the table was a bit peculiar.
Faced with their ‘Chief,’ the three officers were a little inhibited and didn’t talk much. Whatever Liu Yuning asked, they would answer. Liu Yuning seemed completely accustomed to scenes like this, remaining calm and composed.
Lin Wanshu didn’t dare speak carelessly either. With so much on her mind, the food tasted like cardboard. She just wanted to get this over with as quickly as possible so she could slip away.
She secretly sized up the three men across from her.
Company Commander Zhao Qiang looked honest and dependable. Even his manner of eating carried a wholesome, down-to-earth energy, taking a bite of steamed bun followed by a bite of food, eating with hearty gusto. Hmm, a good man for a stable life.
Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou Hai had eyes like a hawk. One look told her he was sharp and capable; his chopsticks moved with speed, accuracy, and ruthlessness. Hmm, a bright future ahead.
Battalion Commander Sun Liguo spoke only occasionally, but his words were well-structured and highly logical. Hmm, well-educated.
Heavens! How was she supposed to choose? All of them were good, excellent in every single way! They were over a hundred times better than that Zhang Rong! That ungrateful Liu Fan—leaving so many high-quality men unwanted, only to insist on hanging herself from a single crooked tree.
“Comrade Liu Fan,” Sun Liguo, who hadn’t said much, suddenly spoke up. “I heard that since graduating high school, you’ve been staying at home?”
Lin Wanshu’s heart tightened, and she forced herself to answer, “Um, my health wasn’t very good before, so I rested and recuperated for two years.” She couldn’t very well say that Liu Fan had just been idling her life away.
“Oh, is your health better now?” Sun Liguo asked with genuine concern.
“Much better, thank you for your concern.”
“I heard you are very interested in medicine?” Zhou Hai interjected. His voice was deep and rather magnetic.
Lin Wanshu was taken aback. Who said Liu Fan was interested in medicine? She looked at Liu Yuning, but he was entirely focused on tackling a piece of braised pork in his bowl, not even lifting his head.
“Ah… yes, I am quite interested.” She had no choice but to follow along with the lie.
“That’s perfect then,” Zhao Qiang smiled warmly. “A new batch of equipment just arrived at our military hospital a while back. If you’re interested, I can take you to check it out sometime.”
“Really? That’s wonderful!” Lin Wanshu’s eyes lit up.
With that, the floodgates of conversation opened completely. They chatted about everything from the new equipment to complex medical cases, and from clinical practice to the latest medical journals. Lin Wanshu grew more and more animated as they spoke, completely forgetting her actual mission for the day.
The three officers opposite her also shifted from their initial stiffness to becoming increasingly invested. They were surprised to discover that the Regimental Commander’s sister was not only beautiful, but even sharper in the brains. Her manner of speech was refined and her knowledge vast, looking absolutely nothing like a young girl who simply stayed at home all day.
Sun Liguo and Zhou Hai, in particular, looked at Lin Wanshu with growing eagerness. Only Zhao Qiang, listening to those technical medical terms, found himself a bit unable to chime in. He could only chuckle from the side, occasionally placing a piece of food into Lin Wanshu’s bowl.
Liu Yuning ate his meal in silence. Listening to their lively, roaring conversation, his temples throbbed violently. He felt that the way things were developing had… completely veered off his intended track.
He had only brought Lin Wanshu along to get an expert opinion and see which of these three men had a personality more suited for Liu Fan. How had it turned into looking like she was the one on a blind date?
Moreover, looking at the expressions on those three men, they were clearly beyond satisfied with the ‘Liu Fan’ in front of them.
Once they finished the meal, Liu Yuning stood up and said he was going to settle the bill. The moment he stepped out, the atmosphere at the table grew even more enthusiastic.
“Comrade Liu Fan, I feel like we share a lot of common ground,” Sun Liguo took the initiative to speak first.
“I think so too,” Zhou Hai refused to be outdone. “Your insights on tactical medicine are very unique.”
Zhao Qiang scratched his head. “I… though I don’t understand medicine, I think you’re a really good person, very sincere.”
Flustered by this sudden wave of compliments, Lin Wanshu could only let out a dry laugh. “You all are… are all very outstanding too.”
Just then, Liu Yuning returned after paying the bill. The moment he walked in, he saw the three of them acting like peacocks displaying their feathers, hovering around Lin Wanshu to curry favor. Instantly, his head throbbed twice as hard.
With a grim expression, he pulled out his chair and sat down, his gaze sweeping across the faces of the three men. “We’re about done eating, so let’s call it a day.” When he spoke, it was an order.
Zhao Qiang, Zhou Hai, and Sun Liguo immediately stood up, their movements as synchronized as ever.
“Chief, then we shall take our leave first.”
“Comrade Liu Fan, goodbye.”
“Keep in touch when you’re free.”
While saluting Liu Yuning to say goodbye, the three of them didn’t forget to exchange meaningful looks and winks with Lin Wanshu, their eyes bursting with enthusiasm. Lin Wanshu could only nod awkwardly, her cheeks burning fiercely.
Once the three of them left, only the two of them remained in the private room, and the atmosphere instantly turned icy cold.
“Let’s go.” Liu Yuning stood up and, without giving her a single glance, walked straight out. Lin Wanshu quickly followed, her heart hammering anxiously.
……
Back in the car, Liu Yuning said absolutely nothing as he started the engine. The Jeep didn’t go fast, but it was very steady, just like the man himself.
Sitting in the passenger seat, Lin Wanshu kept her hands neatly on her lap, not daring to breathe too loudly. She felt that she had completely botched things up today.
The car made a turn onto the road heading back, and the silence inside the cabin persisted.
“Tell me your thoughts.”
“Huh?” Lin Wanshu didn’t register his meaning right away.
“Those three men, what do you think of them?” Liu Yuning kept his eyes on the road ahead, his tone sounding as though he were receiving a briefing from a subordinate.
“…” Lin Wanshu choked up.
What did she think?
“They’re… they’re all pretty good,” she could only squeeze out dryly.
“Nonsense.” Liu Yuning let out a snort through his nose. “I want to hear specifics.”
Stymied by his bluntness, Lin Wanshu’s mind raced to put her thoughts together.
“Well, Company Commander Zhao is very honest; he looks like the type who would cherish his wife and live a grounded, steady life.”
“As for Deputy Battalion Commander Zhou, he has a sharp mind and plenty of drive; he’ll definitely achieve great things in the future.”
“Battalion Commander Sun is the most educated, so he and Xiaofan should have plenty to talk about…”
The more she spoke, the more she felt that each of these three men had their own distinct merits, and all of them were great. That girl Liu Fan really didn’t know how blessed she was!
“So, what is your conclusion?” Liu Yuning asked again.
Lin Wanshu found herself in a tight spot. How on earth was she supposed to choose? Every option was an excellent one!
After agonizing over it for a long while, she joked half-playfully, “It would be great if we could just keep all of them.”
Screeech—
The Jeep slammed to a sudden halt by the roadside.
Lin Wanshu’s body jolted forward. Shaken, she turned her head, only to meet Liu Yuning’s death-stare.
“Do you think you’re picking out cabbages at a wet market? Keeping all of them?” His voice wasn’t loud, but the sheer pressure behind it was overwhelming.
“I…” Lin Wanshu shrank back slightly. “I was just making a joke.”
“Marriage is a major life event, can it be joked about?” Liu Yuning’s brows knotted deeply into a frown. “I asked you to pick the single most suitable one, but look at you—half-hearted, unable to lock down even one. With an attitude like this, how are you going to treat patients?”
Where was this even coming from? Asking her to pick a match for someone else—how did it somehow twist into a lecture about her profession?
Lin Wanshu grumbled in her heart, but didn’t dare talk back out loud. She could only mutter softly, “They’re all just too outstanding, I’m feeling torn on Xiaofan’s behalf…”