It took Lin Xue another half hour to finally make it to the guesthouse.
The outfit she had painstakingly put together was completely ruined.
Her hair was a mess, her dress was covered in dust, and one heel of her high-heeled shoe had snapped off, leaving her limping with every step.
Family members and soldiers passing by all turned to look, whispering among themselves.
“Who’s that? How did she end up looking so miserable?”
“I heard she’s here to visit family. Supposedly one of the Lin family.”
“Oh? That’s the Lin family’s daughter? She looks like a beggar.”
Lin Xue ground her teeth in fury.
It was all that bitch Lin Wan’s fault!
She swore she would ruin Lin Wan’s reputation and get her thrown out of the military compound.
Dragging her broken shoe behind her, she stormed upstairs to the second floor and headed straight for Qin Zhan’s room.
Before she even reached the door, she heard Lin Wan’s carefree laughter from inside.
“Haha! This is so delicious! The meat is amazing!”
“Comrade Xiao Zhang, could I trouble you for another cup of water? I’m choking a little.”
Even Qin Zhan, who was usually ice-cold toward everyone, hadn’t gotten angry.
Instead, he had actually handed Lin Wan his own cup of water.
Jealousy nearly drove Lin Xue mad.
She shoved the door open and cried out tearfully,
“Brother Qin Zhan! Look what my sister did to me!”
“I chased after your jeep all the way here! I fell so many times my leg is scraped raw, and you people are sitting here eating and drinking!”
“Sister, how can you be so heartless? Even if you grew up in the countryside, you shouldn’t be this ill-mannered!”
The three people in the room turned toward her simultaneously.
Lin Wan was gnawing on a bone, her lips shiny with grease.
Qin Zhan held a cup in one hand, his brows slightly furrowed.
Xiao Zhang was in the middle of clearing away the dishes, looking completely bewildered.
Lin Wan calmly set down the bone and wiped her mouth.
Well, look who’s here.
For a second I thought someone had crawled out of a garbage dump.
Isn’t this our elegant and noble Miss Lin Xue? How did you end up looking like a disaster?
Chasing after the jeep? Who told you to? Qin Zhan already said there weren’t any seats left. You insisted on making a fool of yourself. Who’s to blame?
And your acting needs work. Lots of thunder, but no rain. Where are the tears? Squeeze harder!
Seeing Lin Xue in such a pitiful state, Qin Zhan had actually felt a tiny bit guilty.
After all, she was a guest from the Lin family—and Lin Wan’s younger sister.
It was awkward having things end up like this.
But after hearing Lin Wan’s thoughts, every trace of guilt disappeared instantly.
She was right.
No one had told Lin Xue to chase the jeep.
And the first thing she’d done upon entering was accuse Lin Wan while acting all pitiful.
It was irritating just to watch.
“Who allowed you in?”
“Did you knock?”
Qin Zhan spoke coldly, his tone at least twice as icy as when he’d spoken to Lin Wan.
Lin Xue froze.
Only then did she finally manage to squeeze out some tears.
“Brother Qin Zhan… I was just so worried…”
“Look at my leg…”
She lifted the hem of her skirt, revealing a small scrape on her knee.
The wound was tiny.
If she’d arrived any later, it probably would’ve healed on its own.
“If you’re injured, go to the infirmary.”
“Why come here?”
“Am I a doctor?”
Qin Zhan remained completely unmoved.
He even took another step backward, as though she were carrying an infectious disease.
“And from now on, don’t enter my room without knocking.”
“This is the military district.”
“Not your family’s backyard.”
Lin Xue was left utterly speechless.
Her face alternated between red and pale.
She looked helplessly toward Lin Wan, hoping her usually timid cousin would say something on her behalf.
Even getting scolded would be better than this suffocating embarrassment.
But Lin Wan ignored her completely.
She was busy talking to her system.
Ding! Evil supporting character detected causing trouble. Side mission activated: Slap the Green Tea Bitch in the Face.
Mission Reward: One Strength Pill (increases physical strength tenfold for one hour), plus ten yuan in cash.
Please complete the mission as soon as possible!
A Strength Pill?
Lin Wan’s eyes lit up.
Now that’s a useful reward!
With that thing, if I ever end up fighting Qin Zhan, who beats up whom is anybody’s guess!
And ten whole yuan! That’s a fortune!
I’m definitely taking this mission!
She set down her enamel mug, stood up, and walked over to Lin Xue.
Slowly circling around her, Lin Wan looked her up and down with obvious amusement.
“My, my, little sister.”
“What happened to you?”
“Did you go work in a coal mine?”
“I remember Aunt specifically telling you before we left to take good care of me.”
“But somehow you ended up looking like this yourself, and now you’ve come here to complain?”
“You said I have no manners?”
“So barging into someone else’s room without knocking…”
“And lifting your skirt in front of a man to show your thigh…”
“That’s what you call good manners?”
Lin Xue never imagined Lin Wan would dare speak to her like this.
Back at the Lin household, Lin Wan had always been the family’s punching bag.
She never fought back.
Never talked back.
Had she taken the wrong medicine today?
“Y-you’re talking nonsense!”
“I was just showing everyone my injury!”
“And I was worried about you!”
“You’ve only just arrived and you’re already clinging to Brother Qin Zhan. If word gets out…”
“If word gets out… what?”
Lin Wan suddenly stepped closer, a strange smile appearing on her face.
“That I’m having a meal with my own fiancé?”
“Or that you’re the younger sister trying to seduce your future brother-in-law?”
“You!”
Shaking with rage, Lin Xue raised her hand to slap Lin Wan.
“You’ve got a death wish!”
Qin Zhan’s eyes narrowed.
He was just about to intervene—
When Lin Wan moved even faster.
She casually lifted one hand and caught Lin Xue’s wrist.
Then—
“AAAAAHHHHH!!”
A pig-slaughtering scream echoed through the building.
Lin Xue felt as though her wrist had been caught in a steel vise.
Her bones felt ready to shatter.
That seemingly effortless grip hurt so much she collapsed to her knees.
Is this what the Strength Pill feels like?
Wait… I haven’t even taken it yet.
Oh, right. This is just the original owner’s farm strength from years of manual labor!
With that tiny little body, you still wanted to hit me?
Who gave you the confidence?
Today I’ll teach you exactly why flowers bloom red!
Lin Wan increased the pressure ever so slightly.
Tears and snot immediately streamed down Lin Xue’s face.
“It hurts! It hurts! Let go!”
“Lin Wan, you lunatic!”
“Let go!”
Lin Wan released her hand and brushed off her palm with obvious disgust.
“Little sister.”
“Watch your mouth next time.”
“This is the army.”
“There are rules here.”
“If you want to throw a tantrum, go back to the Lin house.”
“No one’s going to indulge you here.”
After saying that, she turned and blinked innocently at Qin Zhan.
“Commander, I’m right… aren’t I?”
Qin Zhan looked at the utterly disheveled Lin Xue kneeling on the floor.
Then at Lin Wan, who looked perfectly calm.
The corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.
This little girl…
Was interesting.
Compared to the timid, submissive girl described in the reports…
He found this feisty little wildcat much more pleasing.
There was just one problem…
Could she please stop looking so regretfully at his crotch?
At that moment—
A noisy commotion sounded outside.
Then a booming voice rang through the hallway.
“Old Qin! Old Qin, where are you?”
“I heard you brought your country wife back!”
“Hurry up and let me see her!”
“I heard she’s a real beauty, but I wonder if she’ll be able to handle Commander Qin’s military discipline! Hahaha!”
The words had barely faded—
When a burly military officer pushed open the door.
It was none other than Wang Dapao, commander of the Third Regiment and Qin Zhan’s longtime rival.
Several other officers followed behind him, eager to watch the spectacle.
The chaotic scene inside the room was instantly laid bare before everyone.
Lin Xue kneeling on the floor.
Lin Wan with a face still glistening with grease.
And Qin Zhan standing there with a dark expression.
Wang Dapao froze for a moment.
Then erupted into earth-shaking laughter.
“Holy hell, Old Qin!”
“You’ve got some wild hobbies!”
“So what is this?”
“A domestic dispute?”
“Or were you trying for a ménage à trois that never got off the ground?”
“Tsk, tsk.”
“I’d heard rumors that you were… ahem… a little unusual in that department.”
“Looks like they were true after all!”
Qin Zhan’s face darkened completely, black as the bottom of a soot-covered pot.
It was over.
Even if he jumped into the Yellow River…
He’d never wash this misunderstanding clean.