Receiving Huo Jingyuan’s approval, Wen Ci’s face lit up with a smile. She quietly watched him finish his noodles, and after he was done, she said, “Then the pavilion is in your hands.”

“I’ll go to Haishi to buy the materials this weekend.”

“Alright.” Wen Ci stood up from her chair, picked up the bowl Huo Jingyuan had used, and asked him, “Are you leaving again tonight?”

“Yes, I have to go.”

The training grounds were located in the desert, and he had taken a three-hour leave. Once he finished applying the ointment for Wen Ci, he would have to rush back immediately.

Huo Jingyuan walked over to Wen Ci, took hold of her slender wrist, and narrowed his eyes. His voice was enticing, carrying a soft, lingering tone:
“Don’t worry about washing the dishes yet. Let me apply the medicine first.”

Hearing Huo Jingyuan’s voice, Wen Ci’s heartbeat suddenly quickened, and her ears turned red. She bit her lip shyly and said, “There’s no need to apply the medicine.”

“Still shy?”

“N-no, it’s not that.” Wen Ci looked up at him, speaking slowly, “The swelling in that area has already gone down. There’s no need to apply the medicine anymore.”

Hearing this, Huo Jingyuan raised an eyebrow in surprise. The military doctor at the hospital had told him that the swelling would take several days of continuous application to subside, and during this period, intimacy was prohibited.

He had held back last night.

“What’s with that look?”

“Nothing.” Huo Jingyuan lowered his eyelids slightly. It seemed his wife’s physique was unusual. He let go of Wen Ci’s wrist and said, “I’ll wash the dishes, and then I’ll head back.”

“Okay.” Wen Ci nodded obediently.

Two days later.

At the shooting range in the desert of the Northwest Military District.

Huo Jingyuan held a rifle, dressed in spring camouflage training attire, his posture tall and straight. As he pulled the trigger, a series of gunshots rang out.

The bullets hit the target, all landing in the ten-ring.

Xue Li walked up behind Huo Jingyuan, holding a set of car keys. “Brother Huo, your application has been approved. Here are the keys to the military medium-sized truck.”

Huo Jingyuan’s clearance only allowed him to drive a pickup truck.

But a pickup couldn’t carry the long wooden planks he needed, so Huo Jingyuan had specifically applied for a medium-sized military truck. Not only could it transport the planks, but it could also bring back some equipment.

“Why did you apply for this truck?”

Huo Jingyuan replied calmly, “To haul the planks.”

After a pause, as if remembering something, he placed the rifle back in its spot and glanced at Xue Li with a neutral expression. “I’ll need your help when the time comes.”

“Help?” Xue Li was puzzled. “Help with what?”

“You’ll know when the time comes.”

As evening approached, Huo Jingyuan returned to the residential compound. He had handed over all his salary and savings to Wen Ci, and he needed money to buy materials in Haicheng to build the pavilion.

“I’m heading to Haishi tonight.”

Wen Ci looked outside, where the sun had already set and darkness was gradually falling. She frowned and asked, “Is it a mission? Or…?”

“Consider it a mission. I’ll also be buying the planks while I’m there.”

Huo Jingyuan spread out his rough palm, his gaze fixed on Wen Ci. His thin lips moved slightly as he said, “I’ve handed over my ‘wife fund’ to my wife. I don’t have any money on me.”

The man deliberately emphasized the word “wife.”

Wen Ci: “…”

She rolled her eyes at him, then went back inside to fetch some money for Huo Jingyuan. She placed it in his palm and reminded him, “Be careful on the road. Drive slowly.”

The next day.

Wen Ci sat in the courtyard, holding a nursing guide in her hands. It was Saturday, and after one more day, she would start her job as a nurse at the hospital.

She wanted to preview what her duties as a nurse would entail.

Suddenly, the sound of a car came from the gate, followed by a knock and Xue Li’s voice: “Sister-in-law, open the door.”

Wen Ci put down her book and hurried to open the door.

As soon as she opened it, she saw several young men in casual clothes standing outside, along with a medium-sized truck loaded with wooden planks.