Hearing this, Yu Qing took a deep breath. She wasn’t sure how to respond, but after a moment of thought, she said, “Having grown up surrounded by it, I think it’s easy.”
Wen Ci understood the underlying meaning in Dr. Yu’s words and immediately fell silent.
Yu Qing seemed to recall something and asked, “I heard that the military dependents in the Northwest Military Region prefer to become teachers. Wen Ci, why didn’t you become a teacher?”
She and Wen Ci were around the same age, and although they had only known each other for half a day, she already considered Wen Ci a friend. Her question was genuine.
Being a teacher was different from being a nurse.
Teachers had regular winter and summer vacations, and when students were on break, they were too. The only downside was that their salaries were lower during those periods.
Wen Ci replied calmly, “Children are too noisy.”
Huo Jingyuan had asked for her opinion about becoming a teacher.
Wen Ci did like children, but only the well-behaved ones who didn’t cry or make a fuss. As a teacher, she would inevitably encounter disobedient children.
So Wen Ci simply chose to become a nurse instead.
“You’re right.”
Yu Qing smiled in agreement.
…
Wen Ci had a fulfilling day, spending most of her time taking patients’ temperatures. The temperature difference between day and night in the Northwest Military Region was significant, and soldiers often caught colds or fevers.
“Let’s go eat?” Yu Qing, now in her own clothes, walked up to Wen Ci and asked, “I heard there’s meat in the canteen tonight.”
The hospital canteen provided free meals for doctors and nurses.
“No, thanks.”
Wen Ci shook her head, declining Dr. Yu’s invitation. She had promised Huo Jingyuan that she would eat the noodles he personally made for her tonight. A happy smile spread across her face:
“Today’s my first day at work, and my husband is waiting for me at home.”
Yu Qing remembered that Wen Ci was married. “See you tomorrow.”
Wen Ci: “See you tomorrow.”
After saying goodbye, Wen Ci walked back to the family quarters. As soon as she stepped into the guardhouse at the entrance, she was met with a warm hug. She was about to break free when—
“Wen Ci, thank you so much.”
Recognizing Sister Jing’s voice, Wen Ci abandoned her initial thought of pushing her away. Hearing the slight sob in Sister Jing’s voice, she asked with concern, “Sister Jing, did you pass the head chef test?”
Zhu Jing released Wen Ci. “Yes, I start tomorrow. From tomorrow on, I’ll be earning a salary. Thank you, Wen Ci.”
“Sister Jing, this has nothing to do with me.”
“It does.” Zhu Jing’s expression turned serious. “If it weren’t for you and your husband mentioning me, how would the logistics chief have known my name?”
Her own husband was just a low-ranking soldier in the Northwest Military Region. There was no way he could have gotten a word in with the logistics chief.
“It was just a small favor.”
Zhu Jing: “Wen Ci, I’d like to invite you and your husband over for dinner on Friday.”
Wen Ci smiled and declined, “There’s no need to treat us to a meal. Otherwise, it might seem like we pulled strings.”
Zhu Jing suddenly realized her mistake.
The military compound was different from other places. Soldiers had to adhere to strict discipline. If she invited Captain Xue to dinner right after getting the job in the canteen kitchen, even if she hadn’t pulled any strings, people would gossip.
“I was being foolish.”
Wen Ci smiled, then her stomach growled. She swallowed and said, “Sister Jing, let’s talk later. My husband is waiting for me at home.”
“Of course, of course.”
Zhu Jing smiled warmly. She knew Wen Ci was newly married. For young couples, being apart for even half a day felt like an eternity. As someone who had been through it, she understood completely.
“Hehe.”
Wen Ci quickened her pace. As soon as she reached the courtyard gate, she ran into Huo Jingyuan, who was opening the door. His deep, ink-like eyes met hers. “If you hadn’t come back soon, I would’ve gone to the hospital to pick you up.”
Wen Ci naturally linked her arm with his. “I chatted with Sister Jing at the entrance of the family quarters for a bit. She passed the head chef test.”
Huo Jingyuan nodded.
That afternoon, as a regimental officer in the Northwest Military Region, he had participated in the evaluation of the canteen’s head chef candidates. The home-style cooking was indeed excellent.
In the end, it had received unanimous approval.
“I should thank you,” Wen Ci said.
If it weren’t for Huo Jingyuan mentioning Sister Jing to the higher-ups, she wouldn’t have even had the chance to become a head chef.
“Do we need to say thank you between us?”
The man’s voice was deep and magnetic, his gaze fixed on Wen Ci, who was clinging to his arm. As if remembering something, a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “If you must say thank you, then tonight…”
Before he could finish, Wen Ci understood the implication in his tone. She let go of his arm and ran off, saying, “I’m not listening, I’m not listening! I’m going to eat noodles!”
After dinner, the landline phone in the house suddenly rang. Huo Jingyuan was washing dishes in the kitchen and called out, “Ah Ci, can you answer the phone?”
“Is that okay?”
Wen Ci blinked.
What if it was a call from one of the leaders? If she answered it rashly, it might have an impact on Huo Jingyuan.
“It’s fine.”
“Okay.”
Wen Ci picked up the phone. The caller said it was the Northwest Military Region’s switchboard. A female communications soldier asked, “Is this Regimental Commander Huo?”
“Yes,” Wen Ci answered on his behalf.
“And you are?”
“I’m Regimental Commander Huo’s wife.”
Calls from outside the Northwest Military Region had to go through the switchboard for identity verification before the connection could be established.
“There’s a call from a Captain Jiang in Beijing who claims to be a relative of Regimental Commander Huo’s wife. Would you like to connect the call?”
Hearing this, Wen Ci frowned.
Why on earth would Jiang Chen call from so far away? After a moment of thought, she replied, “Connect the call.”
Huo Jingyuan finished washing the dishes and walked from the kitchen to the living room. Seeing Wen Ci deep in thought with a furrowed brow, he walked over and asked, “Who called?”
“Jiang Chen.”
With Wen Ci’s permission, the switchboard connected the call from Beijing. There was silence on both ends of the line for about half a minute before Jiang Chen’s voice came through:
“Is this Jingyuan?”
Wen Ci replied flatly, “No.”
From the first sentence, Wen Ci could tell that Jiang Chen must have something to ask of Huo Jingyuan. Otherwise, his tone wouldn’t have been so friendly.
“Captain Jiang, what’s the matter?”
Wen Ci’s tone was calm and measured, but there was a hint of sarcasm in her voice.
“Where’s Huo Jingyuan? Let him answer the phone,” Jiang Chen said, his tone changing abruptly upon hearing Wen Ci’s voice. “I need to talk to him.”
Wen Ci pursed her lips and openly repeated his words in a mocking tone: “I, need, to, talk, to, him. Let, him, answer, the, phone~”
Jiang Chen: “…”
After a moment of silence, Wen Ci, seeing that he wasn’t going to say anything else, spoke slowly, “Captain Jiang, if you have something to say, say it directly. Otherwise, I’m hanging up.”
The switchboard could monitor their conversation.
If it were truly something urgent, Jiang Chen wouldn’t be beating around the bush like this.
“Three.”
“Two.”
Wen Ci began her final countdown.
“Don’t hang up,” Jiang Chen finally said. He took a deep breath and spoke slowly, “I want Jingyuan to pick up Xiao Ye at the train station in Hai City.”
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