Song Wei spoke earnestly, but her sincerity only deepened Song Jing’s guilt.
“Brother, I’m really not suffering here. I don’t even feel like it’s hard. Look at me—I’ve gained weight and become much healthier. You should be happy about that,” she said.
Song Jing tugged at the corners of his mouth, attempting a smile, but his heart was heavy.
As they arrived at Lin Zhen’s house, the aroma of food wafted through the air, and Song Wei’s eyes lit up.
“Awwooo~”
The two wolf pups, noticing her arrival, stumbled and ran toward her. But their short legs betrayed them; after only a few steps, they tripped and rolled over twice.
Laughing, Song Wei bent down to pick up the clumsy pups.
A little fawn and Heidan followed close behind.
The yard, surrounded by walls, was bustling with life. During the day, when people were home, the deer pen was left open to give the animals more space to move around. The fawn, being naturally playful, had grown fond of following Song Wei and Heidan everywhere.
Song Jing was taken aback by the lively scene at Lin Zhen’s home.
He bent down to pick up a wolf pup, but the little creature, unfamiliar with him, whined, struggled, and bared its tiny, sharp teeth in a show of mock ferocity.
“This isn’t a puppy, is it?”
Heidan chimed in loudly, “It’s a wolf! Sister Song rescued it from the mountains. She also caught the deer and its mom from there!”
The boy’s tone was filled with pride.
Song Jing thought to himself, That’s my sister’s accomplishment. If anyone should be proud, it’s me.
Still, he didn’t stoop to argue with a child.
Looking around at the lively animals, he grew more discontent. All these belong to my sister, yet they’re here at Lin Zhen’s house. This doesn’t sit right with me.
“You’re back already? I’m still making pancakes,” Lin Zhen called from the kitchen.
“With my brother helping, we worked faster,” Song Wei replied.
As soon as she entered the kitchen, Lin Zhen handed her a warm pancake.
“It’s fresh and hot. Eat while it’s still warm.”
Gesturing toward the platter of pancakes, Lin Zhen casually said, “Help yourself, brother-in-law.”
Song Jing frowned. “You two are just dating. Whether this works out or not is still uncertain, so don’t go calling me ‘brother-in-law.’ Just call me Comrade Song.”
Lin Zhen clicked his tongue, amused by Song Jing’s stubbornness.
“Fine. I’ll start calling you brother-in-law once we’re married,” he said with a cheeky grin, ignoring the implied doubt about their future.
Despite his growing frustration with Lin Zhen, Song Jing couldn’t deny the man’s cooking skills. The food was far better than anything from the military mess hall.
Song Jing told himself he wasn’t someone who could be swayed by food. Yet as he watched his sister eat with unrestrained joy, practically glowing with happiness, he realized she had definitely been won over.
His mood soured further, but he couldn’t blame his sister. Instead, he blamed Lin Zhen for being such a scheming brute.
“Eat more, Comrade Song. Don’t hold back,” Lin Zhen said warmly.
Song Jing clenched his jaw, refusing to respond.
After the meal, Song Jing managed to keep his complaints to himself. After all, he had eaten Lin Zhen’s food, and there’s an unspoken rule that you don’t insult someone who’s fed you.
However, he didn’t want his sister staying there and insisted on taking her back to the educated youth dormitory.
“Comrade Song, I’ll set up a room here for you,” Lin Zhen called after him.
Song Jing couldn’t stay at the dormitory since space was limited and it wasn’t appropriate for a man to lodge there. That meant he would have to sleep at Lin Zhen’s place.
Song Jing’s expression darkened further, much to Song Wei’s amusement. Why does his sulking look so funny?
“Brother, don’t be so against him. He’s my choice. Isn’t he tall and strong? Plus, he can cook. I can’t cook at all, so without him, I’d probably starve.”
Song Jing pursed his lips. As much as he disliked admitting it, Lin Zhen had indeed made life in the village much easier for his sister.
For instance, without Lin Zhen providing cover, it would have been impossible for her to raise those deer.
And her inability to cook? That was a glaring flaw.
Sighing, Song Jing muttered, “It just feels wrong. You’ve only been here a short while, and you’re still so young. Why rush into a relationship?”
“I’d have to find someone eventually. Might as well pick someone I like,” Song Wei replied matter-of-factly.
Song Jing opened his mouth to argue but found he had no rebuttal.
When they reached the dormitory, most of the other educated youths were still out working, except for a few who were cooking.
One of them, Xu Laidi, froze upon seeing Song Jing enter. Her gaze was bold and unrestrained, making even the battle-hardened Song Jing feel slightly uncomfortable.
Song Wei immediately stepped in front of her brother, glaring coldly at Xu Laidi.
“What kind of look is that? Want to lose your eyes?”
Xu Laidi snapped out of her daze, jealousy flashing in her eyes.
“You… you’re shameless! Aren’t you dating Lin Zhen? Who’s this? Another man? Comrade, don’t be fooled by her. She’s…”
“Shut up!” Song Jing snapped, his voice cold and sharp.
Xu Laidi flinched.
“Spreading baseless accusations—what’s your motive?” Song Jing demanded.
“I… I didn’t mean…” Xu Laidi stammered.
Song Wei sneered. “Don’t bother, brother. She’s not worth it. Her brain’s broken.”
Song Jing gave Xu Laidi one last icy glare before following his sister into her room.
Once inside, Song Wei turned serious.
“Brother, while you’re here, be cautious.”
“Because of that woman? Don’t worry. I’m a soldier. She can’t trouble me.”
“No, that’s exactly why you’re at risk,” Song Wei said.
Song Jing blinked in confusion.
“If you’re alone and she does something shameless—like accusing you of taking advantage of her—how will you defend yourself? Or if she falls into water and only you are around, will you save her?”
Song Jing’s eyes widened. “She wouldn’t…”
“Don’t underestimate her,” Song Wei said sternly. “If you don’t want to be forced into marrying Xu Laidi, listen to me. Never let your guard down.”
Though skeptical, Song Jing nodded. Her seriousness convinced him to stay vigilant.
“I understand,” he said, already mentally bracing himself.
Leave a Reply