The guesthouse was a three-story Soviet-style red brick building, with two rows of towering cedar trees lining the entrance.
It was usually reserved for visiting senior officers or family members, making it the nicest accommodation in the entire military district.
With a dark expression, Qin Zhan strode ahead, radiating an icy aura that warned strangers to keep their distance.
Several women from the military performance troupe spotted him along the way and were about to greet him.
One look from his cold eyes sent them hastily lowering their heads, suddenly finding the ants on the ground fascinating.
Lin Wan trailed behind at a leisurely pace, carrying her small cloth bag.
The quick-witted Xiao Zhang had already hoisted her enormous bedroll onto his shoulder and sprinted ahead to open the room.
He wasn’t about to get caught between those two living disasters.
That was a guaranteed recipe for internal injuries.
They arrived at a room at the far end of the second floor.
After setting down the bedroll, Xiao Zhang saluted.
“Reporting, Commander! The room is ready! Here’s the key!”
Qin Zhan accepted the key and nodded.
“Go to the mess hall and bring back two meals.”
“Make sure there’s meat.”
Just as Xiao Zhang was about to answer, Lin Wan’s thoughts floated into the air again.
Meat? Braised pork?
Pork belly! The perfectly layered kind with alternating fat and lean! The kind that practically melts and bursts with juice in your mouth!
Well, well… I didn’t expect the Living Yama to be this considerate. He actually noticed I was hungry.
For the sake of braised pork, I’ll reluctantly stop holding his impotence against him.
As long as he feeds me and gives me spending money, who cares if he can’t? It’ll even save me the trouble of having children.
Qin Zhan’s hand froze around the key, nearly snapping it in half.
Impotent.
Those three words had become a curse that endlessly echoed through his mind.
Taking a deep breath, he turned to Xiao Zhang.
“One serving of braised pork.”
“One serving of stir-fried bitter melon.”
“The bitter melon is for this comrade here. She clearly needs something to cool her temper.”
Xiao Zhang: “…”
Commander… why bother?
Why compete with your own wife?
She wants meat. Just let her eat meat.
It’s not like she actually said any of it out loud.
…Actually, saying it in her head is even deadlier.
Giving Lin Wan a sympathetic glance, Xiao Zhang hurried off.
Soon, only Qin Zhan and Lin Wan remained in the room.
The atmosphere became painfully awkward.
Or rather…
Qin Zhan was the only one who felt awkward.
Lin Wan, meanwhile, was perfectly at ease.
The moment she entered, she began looking around.
The room wasn’t large, but it was clean and tidy.
A single wooden bed neatly made with crisp white sheets.
A writing desk with a thermos and several enamel mugs.
There was even a private bathroom.
For this era, it was practically a presidential suite.
Wow! An actual toilet! No more squeezing into an outhouse!
That bed looks pretty soft. I can finally get a good night’s sleep.
Qin Zhan may not be capable in… certain areas… but at least he knows how to provide decent accommodations.
As long as I treat him as a walking ATM and a lifelong meal ticket, life doesn’t sound too bad.
Qin Zhan removed his military cap and hung it on the coat rack.
Turning around, he crossed his arms and leaned casually against the writing desk.
He wanted to see what ridiculous things this woman would think of next.
“Wash your face.”
He pointed toward the bathroom.
“You’re here to get married, not to escape a famine.”
“Your face is covered in dirt. You look ridiculous.”
Although his tone remained stiff, it was noticeably gentler than it had been in the jeep.
Lin Wan pouted.
Bossy much.
This is how I look. If you don’t like it, don’t marry me.
Oh, right.
You don’t really have a choice.
After all, besides a country bumpkin like me, who else would willingly marry a man who’s… well… you know…
I’m guessing all those delicate city girls already heard the rumors.
That’s probably how this mess landed in my lap.
Qin Zhan felt his temples throbbing again.
He had come to realize that if he stayed in the same room with this woman for more than three minutes, his blood pressure would shoot through the roof.
He suddenly straightened up and strode directly toward her.
That overwhelming sense of pressure returned.
Lin Wan instinctively stepped backward until her back hit the wall.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
she stammered.
Yet her eyes kept drifting toward his collar.
Damn… those chest muscles are about to pop his buttons.
If this man became a… escort—
No, no, no… a model…
He’d make a fortune.
Why is he standing so close?
Is he trying to pin me against the wall?
But then what?
He can’t actually do anything afterward.
Wouldn’t that just embarrass himself?
Qin Zhan placed one hand against the wall beside her head, trapping her between himself and the wall.
Lowering his head, he stared directly into her lively eyes.
“Lin Wan.”
“I’m warning you.”
“Clear all those ridiculous thoughts out of your head.”
“I’m a soldier.”
“I’m perfectly healthy.”
“I have absolutely no hidden medical conditions.”
“If you keep imagining nonsense, I’ll…”
“Or what?”
Lin Wan interrupted fearlessly, even blinking at him.
Or what?
Going to prove it to me?
Come on then! Let me see!
Talk is cheap. If you’ve got the guts, do it right now…
Looking at her utterly shameless expression, Qin Zhan became so angry he actually laughed.
Suddenly, he lowered his head until his lips were near her ear.
His warm breath brushed across the sensitive curve of her ear.
“Looking forward to it?”
His deep, husky voice carried a dangerous hint of seduction.
Half of Lin Wan’s body instantly went numb.
W-wait…
This isn’t how the story is supposed to go!
Wasn’t he supposed to be the cold, abstinent male lead?
Why is he suddenly flirting like this?
Did I really hit a sore spot?
Has he just decided to throw caution to the wind?
Just as the two remained locked in a silent standoff—
Knock! Knock! Knock!
“Commander! The meals are here!”
“And I brought the bitter melon you asked for!”
Xiao Zhang’s booming voice instantly shattered the strange, intimate atmosphere.
Qin Zhan snapped back to his senses and immediately stepped away as though he’d been burned.
He quickly straightened his slightly rumpled collar, his expression looking a bit unnatural.
“Come in.”
Xiao Zhang pushed open the door.
He found his commander standing by the window with a suspiciously flushed face, pretending to enjoy the breeze.
Meanwhile, Sister-in-law stood by the wall looking… oddly disappointed.
Uh…
Was it over before it even started?
Xiao Zhang placed two aluminum lunch boxes on the table.
“Commander, this one is braised pork.”
“And this one is…”
He glanced at Qin Zhan.
Then at Lin Wan, whose eyes were practically glowing.
“This one’s braised pork too!”
“The head chef heard Sister-in-law was here and even added an extra scoop just for her!”
As for the bitter melon…
He’d dumped it into his own lunchbox halfway here.
Was he kidding?
If Sister-in-law actually got bitter melon while the commander got meat, those two would definitely start World War III tonight.
And who would end up suffering?
Him, of course.
Lin Wan let out an excited cheer and practically dove at the table.
Braised pork!
Comrade Xiao Zhang is such a good person!
Way better than that human air conditioner over there!
This smells incredible!
Rich without being greasy! It melts in your mouth!
Sob… this is the first full meal I’ve had since transmigrating into this novel!
Qin Zhan watched her devour the food like a starving ghost reborn.
He had been about to scold her for having no table manners.
But when he heard—
“The first full meal I’ve had since transmigrating…”
Something inside him unexpectedly softened.
According to her file, Lin Wan had lived a miserable life in the countryside.
The fake daughter of the Lin family had stolen everything that should have belonged to her.
While the impostor enjoyed the life that should have been hers…
Lin Wan had been abused by her adoptive parents, constantly hungry and poorly clothed.
Thinking of that, most of the anger in Qin Zhan’s heart quietly faded away.
Without saying anything, he pushed his own lunchbox toward Lin Wan.
“I’m not hungry.”
“You eat.”
Lin Wan froze.
A piece of braised pork was still stuffed into her mouth, making her cheeks puff out like a chipmunk’s.
What’s this?
Is he trying to poison me?
Or is there some terrible secret hidden in this meat?
Forget it! If he’s offering, I’m eating! Better to die from overeating than starve to death!
Without the slightest hesitation, she transferred every piece of meat from Qin Zhan’s lunchbox into hers.
Then she pushed the remaining plain white rice back toward him.
“Thank you, Commander!”
“You’re truly a wonderful person!”
“Even if… well… in that department…”
Ahem.
“When it comes to feeding people, you’re definitely a real man!”
The color Qin Zhan had only just managed to recover vanished again.
His face darkened like the bottom of a soot-covered pot.
This meal…
Was impossible to finish.