Chapter 43: Money That Should Be Collected Must Still Be Collected

Back at the army base, Lin Zihua was twirling his car keys in one hand and whistling as he walked. Being full and satisfied made everything better—his mood was through the roof!

“Hey, Huazi, what’s got you in such a good mood?” Yin Daquan spotted his roommate strutting like a peacock and looking annoyingly smug. “Didn’t see you at all this morning. Where’d you disappear to?”

It was strange. Lin Zihua and Yin Daquan shared the same dorm room, and this guy had vanished early in the morning. Now he was back, looking way too pleased with himself. It made Yin Daquan’s hands itch just looking at him.

“Heh heh~ Wanna guess what I just did?” Lin Zihua had timed his return carefully. It was early, and since the road from the military district into town rarely saw unfamiliar vehicles—especially not at that hour—he’d driven fast and made it back just in time for morning training.

As he spoke, Lin Zihua deliberately leaned in closer to his buddies.
Although some time had passed since he’d eaten, he was sure the aroma still lingered on him. He wanted the others to catch a whiff—just smelling it would make them crave it!

No need to thank him.

“Hmm? What’s that smell on you?” Sure enough, as he got closer, someone sniffed the air.

“Smells like… meat? Damn it, did you sneak out and eat meat without us?” One of them even leaned in to sniff more closely before grabbing Lin Zihua by the collar. “Where’d you get it?”

Outrageous!
He dared to feast alone?!

Lin Zihua was even more smug now. He dramatically flapped his shirt to waft the scent around as much as possible, making sure everyone got a good whiff.

“Yeah, I ate—ate tons of meat, ribs, beef, you name it!” he said gleefully. “And I even got one of those braised eggs the Captain had for lunch yesterday in the canteen!”

Thinking back to the bowl of noodles he had that morning at Ye Muqi’s shop, Lin Zihua smacked his lips a few times.
Not only was the meal abundant enough to cover breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it was also absolutely delicious. Even now, the aftertaste lingering in his mouth made him crave more.

“Tch~ brag all you want. Where the hell could you find food that good?” Yin Daquan was skeptical. “That was the Captain’s wife who brought him food. Do you have a wife?”

You’ve probably never even held a girl’s hand!

What are you fantasizing about, huh?

Sure, Lin Zihua smelled like meat—but everyone figured it was just from a meat bun. After all, how much meat could you get that early in the morning? Ribs and beef? Dream on!

Yin Daquan thought of the meat buns from the canteen that morning. He’d gone late and missed out, which made him even more bitter.

No wonder Lin Zihua had gotten up so early—turns out he’d gone to grab meat buns ahead of time!

“You guys don’t believe me? The Captain told me to take his wife into town this morning, and I dropped her off at her breakfast shop.” Lin Zihua patted his chest proudly. “His wife isn’t just pretty, she’s super nice too! She was worried I might be hungry and treated me to breakfast—a huge bowl of noodles, half of it meat!”

“You guys just don’t know how amazing her cooking is. The flavor was unbelievable. I was practically dizzy from how good it smelled! If I get the chance to take her again, I’m definitely going back for another meal!” Lin Zihua couldn’t stop praising her.

Even though he hadn’t tasted it himself, Yin Daquan couldn’t help swallowing a bit of drool. He hadn’t even managed to get a single meat bun this morning, and now he was hungrier than ever.

How could there be such a difference between people?

Lin Zihua got a bowl packed with meat, and he didn’t even get a bun with a decent bite of filling!

“Ahem… The Captain’s coming!” someone warned.
The group instantly scattered and stood to attention.

“Lin Zihua, come here,” Captain Rong Jingchen said, pointing at him as he walked over.

A few guys cast sympathetic looks his way—and some couldn’t help gloating a bit too.
After all, Lin Zihua had stirred up plenty of envy just now.

Please, Captain, don’t go easy on him—give him what he deserves!

“Captain, I’ve already delivered the madam safely!” Lin Zihua reported promptly when he approached.

“Mm.” Rong Jingchen gave a small nod, then extended his hand and held it out in front of Lin Zihua.

Lin Zihua looked confused. He glanced at the outstretched hand, then back at Rong Jingchen’s face, totally clueless.

“She didn’t give you anything to bring back,” he said cautiously after a pause.

Ye Muqi had brought a lot with her to the breakfast shop, but none of it was meant for Rong Jingchen.

They lived together anyway—did she really need him to bring things back?

Lin Zihua muttered internally but didn’t dare say it aloud in front of the Captain. Otherwise, he might end up with extra training.

“…” Rong Jingchen was quiet for a moment.
“The breakfast money.”

“Huh?” Lin Zihua blinked, then quickly realized what he meant.
“But she said it was her treat!”

“Even Political Commissar Yu paid for his breakfast—and the driver’s portion too. And you’re fine with freeloading?” Rong Jingchen gave him a cold look.

Now that he understood Ye Muqi was running the shop to earn money, he wasn’t about to let his comrades eat for free.

With so many soldiers around, how could she make a profit if she treated them all?

“…” Lin Zihua, hearing that even the political commissar paid, had no choice but to hand over the money, sulking.

Their Captain really was stingy!

Waaah… Captain, you’re a devil!

That evening, when Rong Jingchen got home from the base, Ye Muqi had nearly finished making dinner. As usual, it was a generous spread—with both fish and meat.

Rong Jingchen went into the kitchen and handed her the money he’d collected from Lin Zihua earlier.

“???” Ye Muqi looked at the coins in confusion.

Why was Rong Jingchen suddenly giving her a few coins? If it weren’t for his righteous face, she’d have suspected he picked the money up off the street and was turning it in.

Besides, hadn’t he already given her quite a bit of money? Why this now?

“What’s this?”

“Lin Zihua’s breakfast money,” Rong Jingchen explained when she didn’t take it. “Money that should be collected must still be collected.”

After all, even with her injured foot, she’d insisted on going to the shop to earn money.

Though he didn’t say it out loud, he respected her for that.

“Oh, it’s fine. I invited him as thanks for helping me carry things and sending me to work,” Ye Muqi waved her hand. “I treated him, no charge. You can give it back to him tomorrow.”

She wasn’t sure why Lin Zihua gave the money to Rong Jingchen and why he was handing it back to her now, but she had no intention of accepting it—it was clearly meant as a gift.

Rong Jingchen ignored her and simply slipped the money into the pocket of her apron, insisting she take it.

“Fair’s fair,” he said. “I asked him to take you—if you want to thank him, I’ll do it.”

“Oh… okay then.”

Maybe this was just some army rule?
So strict and upright—it definitely fit the soldier type.

The dishes were done cooking, and Ye Muqi turned off the stove and started plating them. Rong Jingchen immediately reached out to help.

“From now on, get up a bit earlier. It’s inconvenient getting into town. I’ll arrange someone to drive you,” he said.

“Really?”

He said he’d arrange a ride for her?

That meant no more exhausting trips just to find a car into town?

Rong Jingchen was amazing—definitely worth feeding him all that meat!

If she hadn’t already finished cooking, Ye Muqi might have added two more dishes right then and there.