Chapter 12: Third Brother Questions Why Jasmine Was Driven Away

At 7:30 the next morning, Fu Tingzhou arrived, carrying congee, and even brought a serving for Yuan Huilan.

Yuan Huilan didn’t have time to eat. She was in a hurry to get to the factory before her 8 a.m. shift. Although she was a department head and the factory director’s wife—meaning no one could really boss her around—she still led by example, always arriving early and never being late.

After Li Zhi finished the congee, her stomach felt warm and comfortable.

Fu Tingzhou took the lunchboxes to the sink to clean them, and when he came back, he peeled some lychees for her.

Li Zhi had mentioned in passing that lychees were her favorite, so he had made a point to buy three pounds that morning. Lychees were in peak season in Yangcheng during June and July, and roadside stalls selling them were everywhere.

“Your cooking is amazing. Did you learn it professionally?”

She used to cook daily at her adoptive father’s house, but even her skills couldn’t compare to his. In the countryside, where life was hard and food was rough, just having enough to eat was already a luxury.

“Mm, I studied from books for a while. I rarely cook in the army, so I’m a bit out of practice.”

“Self-taught? You’re incredible. If you weren’t a soldier, I bet you could become a chef so good people would pay a fortune to eat your food.”

“You flatter me. I only know how to cook simple home-style dishes.”

Fu Tingzhou was knowledgeable in many areas, had traveled extensively—even abroad—read a lot of books, and could talk about everything from astronomy to geography.

Li Zhi looked at him with shining eyes, full of curiosity and admiration.

In her previous life, she had lived until thirty-six without ever leaving the province. The saying “marriage is a woman’s grave” couldn’t have been more true for her.

This time, she wanted to study hard, rise higher, and see the world beyond.

The corners of Fu Tingzhou’s mouth lifted slightly. She seemed to be in a very good mood today.

When she looked at him, the dim light in her eyes seemed to brighten.

That afternoon, Li Zhi’s medical report came out. No signs of a concussion—she could be discharged that very afternoon.

“Commander Fu, thank you for taking care of me these past few days. Can I have a way to contact you?”

Fu Tingzhou nodded without hesitation. “Of course.”

Was she asking for his contact information because she couldn’t bear to part with him?

Li Zhi continued, “I don’t know anyone in the army. If I run into trouble when I go there to request a breakup, can I come to you for help?”

“Of course.”

“Thanks. I’ll treat you to a big meal later. What kind of food do you like?”

“I’m not picky. Anything is fine.”

“Great, I’ll remember that.”

That afternoon, Li Yongge and Yuan Huilan got off work and drove over to take her home.

Li Zhi rolled down the car window and waved goodbye to him. “See you!”

Fu Tingzhou stood there watching the car disappear into the distance, a hollow feeling growing in his chest, as if something was missing.

“Old Fu, what are you doing standing at the gate?” Zhou Yufeng rode up on his bicycle and stopped in front of him.

“Saw someone off. Why are you here?”

Zhou Yufeng said, “Just finished a blind date. The spot was nearby, so I figured I’d drop by. I’m honestly jealous of you—your whole family’s in the capital. Every time I take leave, it’s an endless cycle of blind dates. When will it end? I want to go back to the unit already.”

“Aren’t you supposed to be taking care of your little sister Lei?”

Fu Tingzhou’s voice turned cold. “What do you mean ‘mine’? Don’t spout nonsense. That could ruin someone’s reputation.”

Even if he wanted to pursue her, he’d wait until she officially broke off the engagement.

“Then tell me the truth. Are you interested in her or not?”

Fu Tingzhou didn’t answer. Instead, he changed the subject. “How’ve your blind dates been these past few days? Found someone suitable yet?”