Chapter 41.2

Once outside the hospital, Gu Qinghan continued to hold onto Wen Nuan tightly.

Wen Nuan, fearing an encounter with the patrol team, quickly distanced herself a bit.

Gu Qinghan had covered her ears so tightly that she hadn’t heard what Huang Yueying had said, but she could guess it was likely about the previous rumors circulating in the family courtyard.

The two walked along the path in the courtyard. It was lunchtime, and Gu Qinghan should have been preparing to eat.

He probably went to the cafeteria and learned about Li Qiuyan’s situation, which explained his current state.

The sandstorm continued to rage, so Wen Nuan leaned against Gu Qinghan and walked forward, thinking that at this time, they should be safe from encountering the patrol team.

She reached out and tugged at his sleeve and asked: “Qinghan, are you still angry?”

The man’s expression had remained tense, but upon hearing Wen Nuan’s words, it softened slightly as he pursed his lips.

He reached out and held her hand, saying, “You’re good. Don’t listen to what others say.”

Wen Nuan squeezed his hand tightly, responding, “Okay.”

Then she asked: “What will happen to Li Qiuyan?”

“Don’t worry about them. Whatever the outcome is, it’s all their own doing. We just need to live our lives well,” Gu Qinghan replied, leading Wen Nuan forward through the swirling dust.

“Mm.” Wen Nuan followed in step with him. With Gu Qinghan’s tall figure walking in front, the dust seemed less overwhelming.

Originally, Gu Qinghan intended to take Wen Nuan back home, but she refused. Since she hadn’t helped with lunch, she wanted to make sure dinner was well-prepared.

Gu Qinghan couldn’t convince her otherwise, so he accompanied her back to the logistics cafeteria, making sure she ate before returning to the unit for a meeting.

He had heard that because Liu Minghua was coming from the research base, there had been particularly many meetings in the last couple of days, so Gu Qinghan did not linger.

When Wen Nuan returned to the logistics kitchen, she went to check on the chickens and geese in the coop to see if they had been herded back into their cages.

It seemed that some comrades had already organized the coop, and the chickens and geese were safely locked up. Wen Nuan collected a few eggs before heading back to the kitchen in the empty operations unit.

Wen Nuan returned to the kitchen from the chicken coop, her body covered with a considerable amount of sand. The sandstorm had been quite strong this time.

Xiao Zhu noticed that Wen Nuan’s hair was a mess from the sand and curiously approached her, asking, “Comrade Wen, you’re finally back!”

Wen Nuan shook off the sand from her clothes in the hallway and then handed a few eggs she was holding to Xiao Zhu, saying, “Yeah, I went to the chicken coop and picked up a few eggs.”

Xiao Zhu hurriedly took the eggs and looked at Wen Nuan’s disheveled hair before saying, “You should let us handle things like this in the future.”

Everyone was curious about how Li Qiuyan had managed to hit the wooden post by herself earlier that morning, but no one dared to ask.

Seeing Wen Nuan like this, it seemed she didn’t want to talk about it either. She just checked the remaining ingredients.

Lao Zhong gave him a light punch, saying, “Why are you being so gossipy?”

Xiao Zhu dared not ask any further and shut his mouth.

When Lao Zhong saw that Wen Nuan was already busy, his previously cheerful expression turned sour, and he scolded, “It’s not like the kitchen will fall apart just because you’re not here. Go home and check on Lele; no one’s saying anything about you.”

Wen Nuan was already accustomed to Lao Zhong’s “unique” way of showing concern.

She walked over to him and asked, “The flight crew has guests; have you thought about what to prepare?”

Lao Zhong glanced at Wen Nuan, who was much shorter than him, and, unsure of how to respond, huffed, “Just decide what to make, then.”

In any case, the kitchen was under her command now.

Wen Nuan looked around. The dinner for that night was supposed to be chicken stewed with mushrooms. Xiao Zhu had already killed several chickens, but they hadn’t been chopped yet.

With the sandstorm hitting unexpectedly, the flight crew hadn’t been able to fly for a few days, so they were likely focused on basic training and various meetings.

Thinking about how everyone had eaten lightly for a month, Wen Nuan turned to Lao Zhong and asked, “Can we still use the baking oven?”

Lao Zhong paused for a moment before nodding, “Yes, we can.”

Wen Nuan decisively said, “Alright, then let’s prepare a Beggar’s Chicken for the flight crew today.”

Recently, the snow at the foot of the mountain had melted, and many mushrooms had popped up, making them perfect for the dish.

Beggar’s Chicken?

Everyone perked up at the mention of it, instantly forgetting about Li Qiuyan’s earlier mishap.

This month, they had been eating whatever the flight crew had, but the menu was set by Wen Nuan. She had noticed that the food served to the flight crew had been too greasy lately, and their body fat had risen a bit, so she had opted for lighter meals during this period.

Now that they finally had the chance to make something delicious, everyone busied themselves.

Wen Nuan sliced some ginger and green onions and, along with bay leaves, star anise, pepper, and various seasonings, gave the prepared chicken a “massage.”

She turned around and instructed Xiao Zhu: “Xiao Zhu, go cut some porcini mushrooms and slices of cured sausage, and grab some chestnuts and black fungus for later.”

“Xiao Feng, there are some dried lotus leaves in the storage room; go get twelve pieces and soak them.”

Then, Wen Nuan looked over at Lao Zhong, saying, “Squad Leader Zhong, bring out your treasured Erguotou.”

Lao Zhong immediately exploded, “No way! I just opened a new bottle and haven’t had more than a few sips!”

Wen Nuan, with her porcelain-white face, broke into a smile, saying, “Protests are futile; the kitchen urgently needs your alcohol.”

Previously, Wen Nuan had bumped into Lao Zhong’s wife and she inquired about whether he often sneaked drinks in the kitchen.

At first, Wen Nuan was unaware, but later the Quartermaster informed her that Lao Zhong only had a couple of drinks, but due to some health issues, he really shouldn’t be drinking. Now, she finally had the perfect excuse to confiscate his alcohol.

Hearing Wen Nuan’s remarks, the other cooks joined in on the teasing, saying, “Squad Leader Zhong, just right! Sister-in-law wants you to quit drinking; why not take this opportunity to quit for good?”

In the Flight Crew Cafeteria, there were only six or seven people, and everyone knew that Lao Zhong secretly sneaked drinks while hiding them from his wife. They collectively began to egg him on, shouting, “Yes, yes, bring out the Erguotou!”

Lao Zhong left with no choice, took out the bottle of Erguotou from the spice cabinet and handed it to Wen Nuan, and said: “This is the last time!”

Wen Nuan received the Erguotou from Lao Zhong, she smiled brightly, and said, “All comrades in the Flight Crew Cafeteria thank Squad Leader Zhong for his selflessness.”

Everyone joined in the chant, “Thank you, Squad Leader Zhong, for your selflessness.”

“Go away, go away! You’re so annoying,” Lao Zhong said, his previously sour expression softening into a smile. “I’m going to wash the lotus leaves; I can’t be bothered with you all. Are you all vampires or something?”

Even though Lao Zhong still acted a bit grumpy, everyone was laughing heartily.

Meanwhile, Xiao Zhu swiftly finished cutting the porcini mushrooms and cured sausage, then ran over to Wen Nuan and asked, “Sister Wen, what else should I do?”

Without realizing it, Xiao Zhu had started calling her sister.

Wen Nuan pointed to a large plate of yellow clay that Lao Zhong had brought in, saying, “Pour Lao Zhong’s Erguotou into the yellow clay and mix it well.”

Upon hearing this, Lao Zhong’s heart felt like it was bleeding. He shouted loudly, “You’re using my alcohol like this?”

Wen Nuan looked over and retorted, “What else would you suggest?”

Lao Zhong had been in charge of the kitchen for over a decade and had made Beggar’s Chicken before, but he had never used the alcohol this way. Hearing Wen Nuan says that left him both amused and exasperated. Meeting her gaze, he sighed, “Fine, I won’t say anything. You just do what you want.”

Xiao Zhu, upon hearing this, promptly poured the Erguotou into the yellow clay. Each time Lao Zhong glanced over, his heart tightened.

In the end, he walked away, fearing he wouldn’t be able to resist reclaiming the bottle.

Meanwhile, Wen Nuan took out some dried longan, red dates, and goji berries and mixed them with the ingredients Xiao Zhu had just prepared. She added various seasonings and carefully stuffed the mixture into the cavity of the chicken.

Once she finished stuffing the ingredients, Wen Nuan clapped her hands together, turned to Lao Zhong, and said, “Wrapping the lotus leaves and clay is up to you big men now.”

She then reminded him, “Make sure to use two layers of lotus leaves.”

“Do I need you to remind me?” Lao Zhong replied, already bustling off to fetch the lotus leaves.

After placing the chickens into the baking oven, everyone prepared three more stir-fried dishes: scrambled eggs with Chinese toon, stir-fried pork belly with bamboo shoots, and finally, a vegetarian dish of white cabbage.

Since there were over thirty flight crew members from different places, Wen Nuan prepared both spicy and non-spicy options for the dishes.

After finishing the dishes, the Beggar’s Chicken was also ready, and everyone eagerly awaited its unveiling.

When Wen Nuan saw Xiao Zhu and the others taking out the chickens still wrapped in clay, she said, “Don’t crack them open just yet. The Quartermaster hasn’t said whether we’ll send them over to the training ground tonight or if the flight crew will come here to eat.”

Everyone was anxiously waiting for the Beggar’s Chicken, and upon hearing Wen Nuan’s words, their excitement deflated.

They had hoped to get a taste!

Just then, the Quartermaster returned from the Political Commissar’s office after a meeting regarding Li Qiuyan. Noticing everyone gazing intently at the clay bundles, he asked, “What are you all standing around for? Is the food ready?”

He then curiously examined the clay lumps on the table and asked, “What’s this?”

As he absentmindedly poked at one, it burned him, and he quickly withdrew his hand, exclaiming, “Ouch! Why is this so hot? What is it?”

“That’s the Beggar’s Chicken Comrade Wen Nuan made, and we’re just waiting to crack it open.”

The Quartermaster raised an eyebrow. “Beggar’s Chicken?”

He chuckled, “That sounds pretty delicious.”

Realizing he had misspoken, the Quartermaster cleared his throat and continued, “Oh, you don’t need to send the meals tonight. Vice Captain Gu just informed me that the flight crew is coming to the cafeteria for dinner.”

Everyone cheered, “That’s great! We’ll get to eat the Beggar’s Chicken with them!”

The Quartermaster laughed along, saying, “Look at you lot. I don’t usually mistreat you, do I?”

From processing the ingredients to finally having the Beggar’s Chicken ready, everyone had been waiting eagerly.

Of course, they were all craving it!

The Quartermaster waved his hand and said, “Alright, everyone gets ready; we’ll serve dinner according to our usual schedule.”

Upon hearing this, the comrades in the Flight Crew Cafeteria sprang into action. The flight crew had heard rumors of Beggar’s Chicken for dinner, and a group of them arrived earlier than usual.

The cooking staff noticed the crowd and quickly began to crack open the clay wrapping of the Beggar’s Chicken. As the clay shattered, everyone’s eyes were glued to the scene, even Lao Zhong let out a couple of grunts of anticipation.

Making the Beggar’s Chicken was most satisfying during the moment when they struck the clay mound.

As the clay shattered, a rich aroma wafted over, causing everyone to inhale deeply. There was a refreshing scent of lotus leaves mixed with the invigorating fragrance of wine.

Once the lotus leaf aroma was unwrapped, the strong scent of chicken instantly overpowered the previous freshness. The Beggar’s Chicken, baked to a golden yellow, lay glistening on the lotus leaves, and the golden chicken fat continued to spread.

Wen Nuan picked up a pair of chopsticks, added some preserved meat and mushrooms from the broth, and tasted it. “It’s not bad, but maybe it’s a bit too light on flavor.”

Lao Zhong, unable to hold back any longer from the delicious scent, cleared his throat. “A lighter flavor is better.”

“Class Leader Zhong, you should also give it a try and see how we can improve it next time,” Wen Nuan offered him a clean pair of chopsticks.

Lao Zhong was not polite about it. He took the chopsticks and grabbed some ingredients that had fallen into the chicken soup. “They even put dried bamboo shoots in?”

He had glanced at Xiao Zhu when she was cutting vegetables earlier but hadn’t noticed the bamboo shoots; it was quite fresh.

With so many ingredients soaked in chicken fat, there was a delightful sweetness from the mushrooms and bamboo shoots, complemented by the richness of the chicken fat, which made him feel an impulse to directly grab a chicken leg and eat it.

It was incredibly delicious!

He wanted to grab a bit more to taste…

But with so many people watching in the logistics kitchen, Lao Zhong could only suppress his impulse and reminisce about the flavors of what he had just eaten. However, The Quartermaster had already instructed everyone to tear apart the Beggar’s Chicken.

Lao Zhong had no choice but to set down his chopsticks and meet Wen Nuan’s gaze, then nodded. “The flavor is indeed a bit light.”

Wen Nuan smiled and, noticing the arrival of the flight crew, walked over to help serve the food.

“Wow, what delicious food did they make today? It smells so good!”

“As soon as I walked into the cafeteria, I could smell the chicken! What kind of chicken did they make today?”

“Oh my gosh, I see a big chicken leg! Can’t we just leave it whole? I want a big chicken leg!”

Lao Zhong tapped the sieve beside him with the spatula and said impatiently, “There are only a few chickens. The flight crew has thirty or forty people. If we don’t tear it apart, there won’t be enough to go around!”

Seeing everyone was busy, The Quartermaster called Wen Nuan to his office. “About Li Qiuyan, I had a small meeting with the Political Commissar, and there’s already a result. I expect it will be announced to the entire institute around six this evening.”

“Don’t take this to heart; this has nothing to do with you. She brought this upon herself.”

Wen Nuan looked at The Quartermaster, nodded, and smiled. “I understand. Thank you, Quartermaster.”

The Quartermaster met Wen Nuan’s eyes and waved his hand. “Actually, there were reports written to me about Li Qiuyan stealing from the cafeteria before, but we never caught her in the act. I thought it was just a prank; I didn’t expect something like this to happen today.”

“Forget it, there’s no need to bring up that kind of person again. She’ll probably leave the compound in the next day or two.”

Thinking back to how Gu Qinghan had protected her while she was in the hospital bed, he felt that Old Gu had truly fallen in love this time.

Noticing that Wen Nuan had nothing to say, he asked, “By the way, Comrade Wen, do you know the two experts from the flight crew?”

Wen Nuan was slightly taken aback but quickly nodded and explained, “Not really; I just met their children when I was taking a train from my hometown to The Northern Military District.”

Then, Wen Nuan briefly recounted what had happened on the train.

The Quartermaster listened and nodded in appreciation. He added, “The experts coming to our unit are named Liu Minghua and Shen Baiyong. No wonder Comrade Shen was asking me earlier when you would be free; she was really eager to meet you.”

After thinking for a moment, The Quartermaster said, “How about this? You’ve been working for a month without a break, so take a couple of days off tomorrow and the day after. Make sure to give Comrade Shen a warm welcome.”

Wen Nuan nodded. “Okay, thank you, Quartermaster.”

The Quartermaster thought for a moment and said, “I had Lao Zhong save you a chicken leg; you should take it home with you later.”

Given all the rumors that Li Qiuyan had spread, it was only right to give Wen Nuan some compensation.

Wen Nuan smiled brightly and thanked him once more.

—o—o—o—

When Wen Nuan got off work and returned home, the loudspeaker in the residential compound announced the news about Li Qiuyan.

Everyone perked up their ears to listen to the clear and articulate voice coming from the broadcast.

They wanted to understand exactly what had happened.

People began to discuss among themselves, and it became evident that the situation concerning Li Qiuyan was quite serious—she was going to be expelled from the compound.

After listening to the broadcast, they realized so many things had transpired, and no one felt sorry for her anymore.

No one would miss a person like her leaving the compound!

That day, when Wen Nuan returned home from work, Sister Guihua and Sister Juxiang had come over.

Lele, who probably hadn’t seen her all day, took off running towards her as soon as she saw her return, her small feet pattering on the ground.

Lele ran a bit too quickly, and as Wen Nuan walked toward her, she hurriedly caught her in her arms and kissed her cheek several times. “Sweetheart, did you miss Mommy?”

Upon hearing Wen Nuan’s words, Lele hugged her neck and rubbed her little head against it, wanting to say “I miss you,” but ended up making another sound instead.

She hadn’t fully learned to speak yet.

Nevertheless, Wen Nuan felt very happy and hugged her tightly, showering her with a few more kisses.

Sister Guihua and Sister Juxiang waited until Wen Nuan had shared a few affectionate moments with the child before gossiping about Li Qiuyan. “I heard she stole things from the cafeteria, right?”

Sister Juxiang added, “And she even spread rumors! I thought it was strange at the time; Wen Nuan had just arrived in The Northern Military District, and she was completely unfamiliar with the place. Who would be so bored as to spread rumors? It turns out it was her!”

Sister Guihua curled her lip and huffed softly. “What’s even worse is her son, He Dazhuang. How twisted can someone be? He actually tricked someone into going up the mountain and then snuck back home by himself—nearly causing the deaths of two people!”

Thinking back to the avalanche incident, whether it was Daniu buried in the snow or Gu Qinghan who experienced a plane crash if their lives were lost because of He Dazhuang’s trick, that would truly be unforgivable!

Sister Juxiang cleared her throat and said, “I heard from my husband that He Dazhuang might be sent for labor reform at the farm because of this incident.”

Sister Guihua felt no pity for him and sighed. “Going through some reform would be good for him. After all, he’s still so young; hopefully, he can turn over a new leaf this time.”

Wen Nuan poured two cups of hot tea for the two sisters-in-law and then sat down with them, saying, “If Li Qiuyan doesn’t set a good example for her child, how can He Dazhuang learn properly?”

If they weren’t taught at home, they would inevitably be taught by society.

Wen Nuan also hoped the child could turn over a new leaf, but as for Li Qiuyan, she was already an adult and had to pay the price for her actions; no one would feel sorry for her.

Lele noticed Wen Nuan’s sigh and immediately reached out her little hand, laughing as she touched her face.

Looking at Lele, Wen Nuan felt all her frustrations vanish in an instant. She hugged Lele and planted a few kisses on her. “So adorable! I can’t get enough of you.”

Before long, Gu Qinglan ran over to the residential compound again. However, she wasn’t there to gossip about Li Qiuyan. Instead, after arriving at their home, she circled around Wen Nuan and asked, “Sister-in-law, I heard from our colleagues that you got hit. Are you hurt anywhere? Why didn’t you come to me so I could check on you?”

As Gu Qinglan asked, she examined Wen Nuan from side to side.

Wen Nuan was both amused and touched; at least her little sister-in-law was worth the affection she received.

“No, your brother happened to be there and protected me,” Wen Nuan replied, recalling the incident with a lingering sense of dread.

Although He Dazhuang looked small and thin, he had a lot of strength. He had previously broken free from Li Daxiang’s grip. If he had actually hit her, it would have probably hurt quite a bit.

Upon hearing this, Gu Qinglan sighed in relief. “That’s good! Big brother is like a hero saving the damsel in distress!”

Wen Nuan laughed, “Of course! Tonight, I’m going to reward your big brother with a drumstick.”

Gu Qinglan had long since caught the enticing aroma of the drumstick, and now she could no longer hold back. “Wow, it smells so good! I want to eat some too!”

“Go ahead and eat,” Wen Nuan chuckled, then added, “But don’t eat too much.”

“Hey, sister-in-law, you don’t care about me; you only care about big brother!” Gu Qinglan had been working herself to the bone, sleeping only five or six hours a day. She didn’t dare take a day off this month, following her seniors around to learn.

Wen Nuan smiled, “What else can I do? Your big brother is my revolutionary partner; of course, I have to take care of him.”

Just as she finished speaking, Gu Qinghan returned from outside. Upon hearing Wen Nuan’s words, a clear smile spread across his face.

Seeing the way her brother and sister-in-law exchanged glances, Gu Qinglan felt full from all the dog food and decided to head back to her dorm.

After Gu Qinglan left, Wen Nuan took out the drumstick. Lao Zhong had chopped her a huge one, nearly a quarter of a chicken.

Since Wen Nuan and Gu Qinghan had only eaten a little at the cafeteria, a good portion of the drumstick ended up in Lele’s belly. Lele enjoyed it immensely, ultimately lifting her bowl and licking the sauce clean from the sides.

Wen Nuan felt a great sense of accomplishment watching her!

When it was time to turn off the lights and go to bed, Wen Nuan found it hard to sleep due to worries about Li Qiuyan. She tossed and turned in bed several times.

Gu Qinghan hugged her from behind and whispered, “What’s wrong?”

Wen Nuan smiled and briefly shared her thoughts with Gu Qinghan. To her surprise, he simply replied with an “Oh,” and then fell silent.

Thinking he didn’t want to discuss Li Qiuyan anymore, Wen Nuan also chose not to say anything further and closed her eyes, trying to cultivate a sense of sleepiness.

After a while, just as she began to feel a little drowsy, she suddenly heard Gu Qinghan softly murmuring in her ear, “All of a sudden, I want to aim higher.

In the past, he had little ambition regarding ranks and didn’t think much of the fact that he was the youngest regimental officer.

However, after going through the incident with Li Qiuyan, he suddenly felt the desire to aim higher.

He wondered if, once he became a General, a Lieutenant General, a Major General, or a Senior Colonel, would the people around Wen Nuan become more friendly?

This way, she wouldn’t have so many worries.

At the very least, interpersonal relationships could be simpler.

Wen Nuan felt that Gu Qinghan’s body was a bit warm and uncomfortable, so she shifted slightly, barely catching what he had said. “What?”

Gu Qinghan, sensing her movement away, gently pulled her back into his embrace and replied, “Nothing. Just sleep.”

—o—o—o—

The next morning, Wen Nuan was awakened by Lele sitting on her chest.

She had thought she could sleep in, but in reality, she didn’t wake up much later than on a workday.

Suddenly, she found herself nostalgic for the days when she didn’t have to go to work.

Lele played happily, sitting on Wen Nuan’s face for a moment before lying back down, pulling her little feet and bringing them to her mouth to start nibbling.

When Gu Qinghan returned from training and saw that Wen Nuan was awake, he asked, “Should we invite Comrade Liu over tonight for a visit?” “They brought their son along to