Huo Yanzhou had indeed fallen asleep at first, but he was a light sleeper. The moment Lin Xun called his name, he woke up. He had originally planned to wait until she spoke before responding, but after calling him a few times, she suddenly walked over.
The instant those soft, boneless little hands touched his abs, Huo Yanzhou’s entire body tensed. Heat surged through him and his mind began racing.
What was Lin Xun trying to do? What did she mean by this?
She had taken the initiative to sleep beside him and was even touching his abs. Could it be that she had that kind of intention toward him?
But hadn’t they agreed to be partners and simply live together? Wasn’t it too fast to suddenly take this step?
The more he thought about it, the hotter he became, as if he were about to boil alive.
By the time he finally sorted out his thoughts and was about to say something to Lin Xun, a soft, delicate snore reached his ears.
Lin Xun had fallen asleep.
Huo Yanzhou: “…”
The next morning, Lin Xun opened her eyes groggily. When she realized it was already daylight outside, she was startled.
Oh no, she had overslept and forgotten to go back to the kang. Had Huo Yanzhou discovered anything?
She sat up in a panic, only to realize that she was already lying on the kang.
What was going on? Had she returned to the kang half asleep, then fallen back into deep sleep because she was too tired?
“I’m up, breakfast is ready.”
Huo Yanzhou’s voice came from the doorway. Lin Xun looked over and saw Commander Huo standing tall and straight, his expression calm and composed, as if he had no idea what had happened the night before.
“Coming!”
Lin Xun instantly relaxed. It seemed she must have gone back to the kang herself. Although she hadn’t dreamed about Xiao Yan last night, as long as nothing had been exposed, she could try again tonight.
Huo Yanzhou could not cook, but he could reheat food. The leek pancakes from last night were warmed up and still tasted delicious. After eating, Lin Xun went to work, completely unaware that the upright and proper Commander Huo felt a tickle rise in his throat whenever he thought about the previous night and about carrying Lin Xun back to the kang that morning.
“Huo ge, what’s wrong with you today?” Cheng Qingsong sensed that something was off about him.
“Nothing, let’s go train.”
Not knowing what Lin Xun truly meant, Commander Huo decided to distract himself with military duties.
But the plan did not work, because an unexpected blizzard suddenly swept across the entire grassland.
It had been snowing intermittently these past few days. At first, no one paid much attention. But that morning, the snow grew heavier and heavier, like goose feathers falling in thick clumps from the sky. To make matters worse, a fierce wind suddenly rose.
Normally heavy snow came without strong winds, but now the wind was howling violently, snapping off many tree branches.
Commander Chang called for an emergency meeting. As Huo Yanzhou walked down the corridor, that short stretch alone left his military cap covered in snowflakes, showing just how heavy the snowfall was.
“It should be the blizzard the Meteorological Bureau warned about earlier. All personnel, implement the emergency plan immediately,” Commander Chang said sternly.
The Meteorological Bureau had previously issued a notice about a coming blizzard, but several days had passed without incident, and everyone had assumed it was just another failed forecast.
After all, weather reports had rarely been accurate over the years.
Yet this time, it had truly arrived, and the momentum was even more terrifying than the snow disaster two years ago.
“The Second Regiment will lead the rescue operations. The Third Regiment will remain on standby and handle emergency tasks around the Military District and the family residential area,” Commander Chang ordered.
“Yes, sir!”
Huo Yanzhou did not need to go out on assignment this time, but he had no intention of resting. He put on a straw rain cape and prepared to pick up Lin Xun.
The snow was too heavy for a mule cart, and driving was out of the question. They could only walk back. He had to get there quickly and return before dark. Otherwise, they might encounter wild wolves.
“Xiao Huo, take my rain boots with you. Don’t let Xiao Lin freeze!” Commander Chang called out.
The rain boots were made of rubber, airtight and lined with wool for warmth. They were rare, since rubber was precious in those days.
Huo Yanzhou did not refuse. The farm was far away. He could endure the cold, but he could not let Lin Xun freeze.
“Thank you, Commander. I’ll return them later.”
At the farm, Lin Xun was also somewhat frightened by the storm before her. She was from the south and had rarely seen snow, let alone a blizzard like this.
“Xiao Lin, don’t leave now. The storm is too strong and the road is dangerous,” Secretary Sun said while directing people to calm the startled animals. “Why not stay in the office for the night?”
Lin Xun did not want to stay. She was worried about the chickens in the woodshed. If Huo Yanzhou went out on assignment and the door to the woodshed was not tightly closed, what if the chickens froze to death?
But in this weather, she truly did not dare go out.
Just as she was hesitating, a military-green figure suddenly appeared amid the vast white snow.
“Is that Commander Huo?” Secretary Sun could hardly believe his eyes.
At first Lin Xun could not believe it either, but as the figure drew closer, she was finally certain. It was Huo Yanzhou.
Huo Yanzhou had come to take her home.
“Why did you come? It’s too dangerous!” Snowflakes flew into her mouth as she spoke. Lin Xun pulled him under the eaves before continuing.
“I came to pick you up. Don’t worry, I know how to get back safely.” His deep voice sounded especially reassuring amid the raging wind.
“Put on the rain boots first, and wear the rain cape.”
Lin Xun followed his instructions. “What about the mule?”
“Leave it here for now. The snow is too heavy. The mule won’t dare move,” Huo Yanzhou said. “I’ll inform Secretary Sun.”
Secretary Sun naturally agreed. Only then did Lin Xun feel relieved. As she prepared to step out, she hesitated. The wind was strong, and she was afraid. She wanted to hold Huo Yanzhou’s hand but worried he might mind.
“Huo Yanzhou, I…”
She had just been about to ask if she could hold his sleeve when, in the next second, she found herself wrapped inside his thick military coat. Warmth radiated from his chest as his long arm swept around her, enclosing her securely.
“Keep your head down and follow my footsteps. Don’t worry. I won’t let you fall,” he said.
Looking at his sharply defined jawline, Lin Xun felt her cheeks grow hot. She did not know whether it was from his body heat or from being wrapped in the coat.
“Okay!”
Watching their figures gradually disappear into the distance, Secretary Sun shook his head. Who would have thought that Commander Huo, the famously icy block, would cherish his wife so much?
But he did not have time to dwell on it. “Old Xiong, hurry and get everyone back. It’ll be more troublesome after dark.”
Most of the farm workers lived nearby, so they hurried home, including the educated youths. Only Lin Xun and Yuan Yaqing, who lived in the family residential area, had at least a twenty-minute walk.
Protected by Huo Yanzhou, Lin Xun returned home warm all over except for a few snowflakes on her head.
Yuan Yaqing, however, struggled through the snow for more than half an hour before finally reaching home, her hands and feet numb from the cold.
On normal days she would have complained by now, but she did not dare show it this time. She was afraid that if this blizzard truly became a reality, she would be finished.
Before going to bed, Yuan Yaqing prayed for the snow to stop quickly. But heaven did not comply. When she opened her eyes the next day, everything was blanketed in white. Branches were bent under the weight. Snow piled up to her calves at the doorway, and flakes were still falling from the sky.
“Why is it still snowing? When will it stop?” Cai Jinhua cried anxiously, her wrinkled face creasing like a chrysanthemum.
Xu Zhicheng remained calm. “If it doesn’t stop, then it doesn’t stop. What are you panicking for?” He could not go to work anyway. The cold had nothing to do with him.
“If it doesn’t stop, our family will run out of food! We’re even out of firewood!” Cai Jinhua wailed.
“What?” Xu Zhicheng jumped up. “How can we be out of food? What about the winter vegetables? The firewood?”
“Mom, didn’t I tell you this place is different from our hometown? Every year before winter we have to buy vegetables and store them in the cellar!”
Cai Jinhua flew into a rage. “It’s all Yuan Yaqing’s fault. She told me not to buy any. She said the vegetables were too expensive and that buying them would just waste money. It was all her idea!”
At that moment, Xu Zhicheng suddenly realized that Yuan Yaqing had said the same thing to Director Yang.
He knew about Director Yang’s brother-in-law taking kickbacks in the cafeteria.
If Director Yang had listened to Yuan Yaqing and told his brother-in-law not to purchase vegetables, then in weather like this, without any stored supplies, the entire hospital cafeteria would run out of food.
In an instant, a layer of cold sweat broke out across Xu Zhicheng’s back.