There weren’t many workers helping in the mess hall.
The head chef was Zou Zhengping himself. Behind him were two female helpers from the unit and one kitchen soldier responsible for going to nearby villagers to purchase grain and supplies.
The accountant was a young girl who managed both the company’s accounts and the cafeteria’s books, though she wasn’t present at the moment.
Zou Zhengping called everyone over and introduced them one by one to Qin Yu’e.
“This is Auntie Liu, this is Sister-in-law Qi, and this is our procurement officer, Xiao Dong!”
Qin Yu’e quickly nodded and greeted everyone politely while they all looked at her curiously.
So this was Captain Huo’s wife who had come all the way to the military camp?
She looked hardworking enough. Skin and bones from head to toe—so thin even a dog would shake its head in pity. But the foundation was there. She would probably be good-looking if she weren’t so terribly underfed.
Auntie Liu grabbed Qin Yu’e’s hand, her eyes full of sympathy.
“Oh, child, you’ve suffered so much! You don’t even look that old. How old are you this year?”
“Twenty-two…” Qin Yu’e replied softly.
“Only twenty-two! Such a bitter fate! How did life turn out like this? Captain Huo isn’t poor either… sigh…”
Everyone understood these kinds of matters between men and women.
At Auntie Liu’s age, she had seen it all already. Naturally, she knew exactly what men were like.
She immediately darkened her face.
“Bah! Educated by the country, my foot. Men are all the same—no good!”
Poor Zou Zhengping and Xiao Dong got caught in the crossfire for no reason at all. The two men immediately looked anywhere but at the women.
Sister-in-law Qi laughed.
“Well, since you’ve arrived at our unit, you’re family now! Just settle down here peacefully. If you ever lack anything, tell us! Where are the children?”
Qin Yu’e smiled shyly.
“They’re outside. Sister Wei is watching them.”
“Oh!” Sister-in-law Qi laughed. “That’s perfect for Wei Wenjie—she absolutely adores children! From now on, just leave those two with her. You won’t even need to hire a teacher!”
Zou Zhengping pointed toward the shelves in the back kitchen.
“Little Qin, take a look around. This is basically how our kitchen operates. We serve a lot of people, so we definitely don’t have enough hands. But fortunately, there’s only one proper meal each day. Afternoons are usually simple and casual. How about arranging for you to wash vegetables together with Auntie Liu? The mess hall provides three meals a day, and we’ll also pay you five yuan a month.”
There was even a salary?
Qin Yu’e was startled and quickly asked,
“Vice Director Zou, Sister Wei told me the cafeteria work didn’t pay wages…”
“Hah, that was before. Soon we’ll be establishing a military family residential area, and more people will be coming over here. The system’s bound to change eventually. Don’t listen to her. If you’re satisfied, just start working first!”
The moment she heard that, Qin Yu’e nearly burst with joy.
She was more than willing!
Who would’ve thought that a job she’d taken simply to secure meals would actually come with wages too?
She immediately nodded.
“Okay! Vice Director Zou, I see the troops are about to come eat soon. Why don’t I just start right now?”
“Good!”
Zou Zhengping liked her straightforward attitude. He immediately had Auntie Liu bring over a work uniform for her to change into and let Qin Yu’e begin helping distribute food.
Behind the kitchen, Zou Zhengping stepped out through the back door to find Liu Shutong already approaching.
The company commander hurriedly asked,
“How did it go? Did she accept the money?”
“She did!” Zou Zhengping nodded before frowning. “Still, Little Huo really is something else. Why should giving his wife money require you, the company commander, to secretly step in like this?”
The moment Liu Shutong heard Huo Guangji’s name, he snorted sharply through his nose.
“Hmph! If I hadn’t forcibly withheld half his salary last night, he still wouldn’t have handed it over willingly! That brat—I ought to suspend him!”
“Ah…” Zou Zhengping patted Liu Shutong’s shoulder. “Don’t be too hard on Little Huo. You and I both know his character. There’s probably some misunderstanding involved. If you ask me, matters between husband and wife should be resolved by the couple themselves. As for the dozen or so yuan you gave me, I’ll quietly find ways to supplement Little Qin’s expenses. She won’t suffer.”
“That’s all we can do.” Liu Shutong sighed.
Morning drills ended early.
By just after seven o’clock, the troops were already lining up in the cafeteria.
A new figure at the serving window immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Liu Fushui hurriedly elbowed Huo Guangji, who stood near the front.
“Captain! Look—it’s sister-in-law!”
Huo Guangji frowned and looked up.
Sure enough, he immediately spotted Qin Yu’e standing behind the serving window in a white cafeteria uniform.
Her long loose hair had been braided up again and tucked neatly beneath a white cap.
For some reason, he felt slightly disappointed.
She looked prettier with her hair down.
While he was still thinking about it, several soldiers suddenly squeezed him forward.
“Hurry, hurry! I want to line up at sister-in-law’s window!”
“Me too!”
“Same here!”
A group of hot-blooded young soldiers who almost never saw young women immediately became restless and crowded toward Huo Guangji’s line.
Something caught in Huo Guangji’s chest.
He immediately barked,
“What are you all shoving for? Stand in your own lines!”
Seeing all those young men desperately pushing toward Qin Yu’e made him feel inexplicably irritated.
He didn’t even know why.
“Ohoho! Captain’s jealous! Hahaha—”
The young soldiers instantly burst into teasing laughter.
“Bullshit!” Huo Guangji’s face darkened all the way to his neck.
Then Qin Yu’e’s cold voice sounded from the serving window.
“What dishes do you want, Comrade?”
Comrade?
She called him “comrade”?
Huo Guangji immediately frowned and shoved his sharply sculpted face right up to the serving window, staring directly at Qin Yu’e.
It was one thing for her to deny him face privately in their room.
But how could she still refuse to acknowledge him in front of his comrades?
“I’m your husband,” he emphasized in a deep voice.
“Oh?”
Unable to hold back, Qin Yu’e rolled her eyes right in front of him.
“So which dishes would you like, my husband?”
That sounded better.
Huo Guangji finally felt a little calmer and casually pointed at two vegetable dishes.
“Those two. And two multigrain steamed buns.”
Pig. Eats quite a lot too.
Qin Yu’e took his lunchbox and viciously ladled food into it before tossing in two buns, silently wishing that face would disappear from her window already.
But after accepting the lunchbox, Huo Guangji still didn’t leave.
“Have you and the children eaten?”
“We have! No need for your concern!” Qin Yu’e replied stiffly.
“That’s good.”
Completely unaware of her irritation, Huo Guangji simply continued,
“The rations allocated to you three by logistics were delivered to my place. After I finish eating, I’ll bring them over.”
“No need! I won’t get off work until the afternoon anyway. We’ll talk later.”
Qin Yu’e rolled her eyes again.
She hadn’t forgotten his earlier attitude toward her. As if she couldn’t collect her own rations directly from logistics.
But Huo Guangji frowned upon hearing that.
“Why so late? If you work that late, what about the children?”
Now he cared about the children?
Where was this concern earlier?
Afraid she might lose control and smash his handsome face flat with the large serving ladle in her hand, Qin Yu’e directly slammed the serving window shut.
Bang—
The small window snapped closed right in Huo Guangji’s face, nearly clipping his nose.