Chapter 23

On the way, Qiao Xinyi asked Qiao Baihe, “I heard from the aunties in the compound that you waited outside the compound for an entire afternoon and night yesterday. What did the He family say about that?”

Before Qiao Baihe could reply, Qiao Xinyi turned her head to vent to Fu Qingshan and Xiao Mao about what the He family had done.

“Back at the police station, He Shengli and Zhou Yun said they needed to give He Rou some time to adjust, and also time to prepare a room for Qiao Baihe. They said they’d come pick her up in a few days.”

“And then they made her wait a whole week! Can you believe the He family? Qiao Baihe grew up in the Qiao household. Fine, forget saying thank you, but yesterday was her first time going back to her own home—and not a single person came to fetch her! They just sent someone to pass on a message, gave her an address, and told her to take the bus back on her own.”

“Alright, let’s say the elders in the He family are rude or maybe just not too bright. But if you’re going to call someone back, shouldn’t someone at least stay home and wait for her? Seriously? They call her back, then leave her hanging outside the compound gate for an entire afternoon and night, letting a teenage girl fresh out of high school wait alone late at night? Are the He family animals or what?”

“And another thing—this girl is clearly He Shengli and Zhou Yun’s biological daughter, yet once she got home, she was treated like some distant relative coming to freeload. They’re calling her a niece who came to seek shelter. Pah! If your brain’s broken, go to the hospital and get it looked at! The things this family does are truly shocking!”

Qiao Xinyi couldn’t care less about the He family’s reputation or why they were trying to keep their biological daughter under wraps.

Xiao Mao was dumbfounded after hearing all this and glanced at Qiao Baihe several times. Who would’ve guessed that the “niece” the compound aunties had been gossiping about all morning was actually He Shengli and Zhou Yun’s real daughter?

Qiao Baihe explained in a small voice, “Aunt Zhou didn’t know I was coming back yesterday. It was He Rou who found someone to pass on the message. She said the room at home was ready and that she was worried the Captain and Aunt Zhou might miss me, so she wanted to bring me back early to surprise them.”

“He Rou said she originally planned to stay at home and wait for me, but unexpectedly, she fell ill that afternoon. She got so sick and confused that she forgot all about it. She had a bad fever yesterday, and the doctor told her to stay overnight for observation, so she and Aunt Zhou only came back early this morning.”

Qiao Baihe wasn’t sure whether to believe it, but Qiao Xinyi clearly didn’t buy it at all.

“She had a fever and it shrank her brain? Or did it burn away her memory? You forget something this big just because you’re sick? What a load of crap!”

Qiao Xinyi said, “That girl’s body might weigh a hundred pounds, but 99.99 of those pounds are scheming. You’re too naïve to handle someone like her—this was a power move, plain and simple!”

Qiao Xinyi analyzed it for Qiao Baihe: “She deliberately waited until He Shengli wasn’t home to have someone call you back, then pretended to be sick to tie Zhou Yun up at the hospital. So when you arrived at the compound, there was no one to bring you inside.”

“If you had a strong temper and left after waiting all afternoon, you’d feel resentment toward the family before even stepping through the door. That would make it easier for her to stir up trouble between you and your biological parents.”

“If you had a soft temper and waited the whole night without leaving, that would show you’re easy to bully. Then all she’d need is an excuse that could win over Zhou Yun, and she could smooth over the wrong you suffered. You’re easy to push around, so she’ll feel free to keep pushing you.”

“And look what happened next—just got back and you’re already being called a niece who came to depend on them. Next, you’ll be treated like a servant to wait on the whole family. Cooking for them is only the beginning of a lifetime of being used!”

Qiao Xinyi couldn’t wrap her head around it. “How did He Rou convince Zhou Yun to tell people you’re her niece? If He Rou could persuade Zhou Yun today, that means she’s confident she can convince He Shengli when he comes back too.”

Then she asked Qiao Baihe, “What did your Aunt Zhou say to you?”

Qiao Baihe bit her lip, unsure if she should say. Qiao Xinyi saw her expression and snapped, “What? You get bullied all day and now you’re feeling bad for Aunt Zhou? Are you a masochist or what?”

Qiao Baihe quickly shook her head. “Aunt Zhou said that He Rou’s boyfriend comes from a very good family. If he found out about He Rou’s real background, she might not be able to marry him. Aunt Zhou begged me to help He Rou. She said she couldn’t bear to see the daughter she raised for nineteen years end up with such a fate.”

Qiao Xinyi immediately turned to Fu Qingshan and asked, “What’s the background of He Rou’s boyfriend?”

“I just got transferred here, so I’m not clear on the situation with Captain He’s family,” Fu Qingshan said. That day at the police station, he and He Shengli hadn’t even recognized each other.

When Xiao Mao saw Qiao Xinyi look at him, he shook his head as well. “I haven’t heard anything either, but I do think what Captain He’s family did was wrong.”

“Fu Qingshan is already a Captain, and He Shengli is about the same age but still a Captain—do you think He Rou’s boyfriend’s family can help him get promoted?” Qiao Xinyi directed the question at Fu Qingshan.

Once again, Fu Qingshan was impressed by how sharp Qiao Xinyi was. “Captain He is forty this year. If he doesn’t get promoted this year, he’ll likely have to transfer to a civilian post next year.”

Thinking along those lines, He Rou’s boyfriend must have a very strong background—most likely capable of helping Captain He either get promoted or land a good position upon transferring out of the military.

Qiao Xinyi felt around in her canvas bag, hesitated for a moment, and then let it go.

The family compound didn’t have its own canteen, so Fu Qingshan brought Qiao Xinyi and Qiao Baihe to the one inside the military base. After registering at the main gate, the four of them entered. From the moment they stepped through the gate, Qiao Xinyi’s eyes started darting around nonstop—taking in everything like Grandma Liu entering the Grand View Garden.

Her wide-eyed amazement was impossible to hide—*Wow, everything’s so new!* Fu Qingshan looked down at her a few times and couldn’t help but smile when he saw the constant look of wonder on her face.

It took a bit of time to walk over from the compound, and they had already left around noon, so by the time they reached the canteen, the lunch crowd had mostly cleared out. Still, Fu Qingshan showing up with two young women attracted plenty of curious glances.

“You two sit here. Xiao Mao and I will get the food,” Fu Qingshan said, pointing to a nearby empty table. Then he asked, “Any dietary restrictions?”

Qiao Xinyi had originally wanted to say she wasn’t picky, but then remembered that most people at the time loved fatty pork, so she quickly replied, “I don’t eat fatty meat—other than that, I’m fine with anything.”

“I eat everything,” Qiao Baihe quickly added.

“Alright,” Fu Qingshan replied, then went off with Xiao Mao to the food counter.

Since it wasn’t busy at that hour, they didn’t have to wait long and soon returned with the meals.

Fu Qingshan naturally took the seat across from Qiao Xinyi, and Xiao Mao sat across from Qiao Baihe.

“Not much left since we’re late,” Fu Qingshan said as he handed tableware to Qiao Xinyi. “But if you get a chance to come earlier, try the steamed pork with rice flour—it’s the chef’s specialty.”

“Thanks,” Qiao Xinyi replied, just about to take a sip of soup when Xiao Mao suddenly stood up and shouted, “Political Commissar! Chief of Staff!”

Fu Qingshan immediately put down his chopsticks and stood up to salute.

Qiao Xinyi hurriedly pulled the still-dazed Qiao Baihe to her feet and loudly greeted, “Good afternoon, leaders!”

Her energetic greeting made the commissar, who had just patted Fu Qingshan on the shoulder, burst into laughter.

“Good! Good! Very good!” Commissar Xu said with a smile. “Old Dong and I heard as soon as we came in that Captain Fu brought two young ladies to the canteen. Fu Qingshan, aren’t you going to introduce us?”