Chapter 37

The Lu family lived in an apartment, and their kitchen was in the hallway.

Rather than a proper kitchen, it was more like a coal stove placed at the hallway entrance.

Since they were hosting guests today, the Lu family had borrowed the neighbor’s stove as well, with Aunt Lu and Lu Wenchan each handling one.

When Shi Tingyu came out of the room, the dishes were already set on the table.

The food was served in smaller enamel basins.

There were Chinese dishes and soup.

Seeing everyone was present, Aunt Lu called for everyone to sit down. When she called out to Lu Weiguo and Shi Tingyu, her face was a bit stiff.

Lu Wenbin discreetly took his mother’s place and invited everyone to sit down.

Everyone took their seats, but Lu Wenchan was nowhere to be seen. Since the host was still missing, no one touched their chopsticks.

As time passed, Lu Wenbin’s brows furrowed. He turned to Aunt Lu and said, “Mom, go see what’s taking Xiaochan so long. Tell her to hurry up; the guests are waiting.”

Since Lu Wenchan was now a grown woman, Lu Wenbin, as her older brother, felt it inappropriate to enter her and their mother’s room.

Aunt Lu muttered something and got up to check.

Inside the room, Lu Wenchan was drawing her eyebrows in front of the mirror.

“Xiaochan, hurry up, everyone is waiting for you.”

With a slightly flushed face, Lu Wenchan said, “Mom, I know. Just let me put on some lipstick.”

She had worn old clothes while cooking, but now that the guests had arrived, she quickly changed into nicer clothes and decided to put on some makeup.

Her brother had mentioned that Captain Yang from the Third Battalion would be coming, so she wanted to look her best.

Seeing her daughter still drawing her eyebrows after saying she was putting on lipstick, Aunt Lu got anxious, “I said hurry up. Everyone’s waiting, and it won’t leave a good impression if you take too long.”

Lu Wenchan laughed lightly, “Mom, you don’t understand. If I dress up nicely, I’ll leave them all stunned. Even if I’m a bit late, those soldiers won’t mind.”

They say that after three years in the military, even a sow looks like Diao Chan.

There were more men than women here, and with her good looks, she was confident she could charm those rough soldiers.

Aunt Lu was unsure whether to continue urging her daughter, as she found some sense in her words.

Both her children were good-looking. Binzi was handsome, otherwise, he wouldn’t have married such a beautiful wife.

Even if Aunt Lu had her grievances with her daughter-in-law, she couldn’t deny her beauty.

So, as Lu Wenbin’s sister, Lu Wenchan was also considered a beauty in their village.

Although she wasn’t as beautiful as her sister-in-law or Lu Weiguo’s wife, she was still quite attractive on her own.

Outside, Lu Wenbin knocked on the door, “Xiaochan, are you ready? Come out and eat.”

The sudden knocking startled Lu Wenchan, causing her to smudge a black line across her temple.

She quickly wiped it with a towel and snapped, “Brother, why did you scare me? Just wait a moment, I’ll be right out.”

Then she complained softly to Aunt Lu, “Mom, it’s your fault for making me help with the cooking. With guests coming over, I can’t just go out looking unkempt!”

“Among the guests is Captain Yang, as Brother mentioned. I need to look my best.”

She didn’t necessarily have to win over Captain Yang, but among the three captains in their regiment, two were older. The only young one, Captain Lu, was already taken. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be considering lower-ranking officers.

Her brother wasn’t very familiar with officers from other regiments either.

She sighed, thinking that despite living in the family quarters, she had fewer opportunities to meet officers compared to those in the arts troupe.

Plus, the arts troupe members had dormitories. Unlike them, she still shared a bed with her mother. Living here felt somewhat like being a guest in someone else’s house, a feeling she disliked immensely.

Lu Wenbin didn’t hear a response, so he said, “I’m coming in.”

Not hearing a refusal, Lu Wenbin opened the door and entered the room, seeing Lu Wenchan still fussing with her eyebrows with a towel. His forehead twitched, “Still not done? Is it appropriate to keep guests waiting?”

If it weren’t for the people outside, Lu Wenbin might have shouted.

Lu Wenchan glared at him angrily, “It’s all your fault. My eyebrows are messed up now. How can I meet people if I don’t look good?”

Taking a deep breath, Lu Wenbin said, “No matter how good you look, you won’t be as pretty as Lu Battalion Commander’s wife. She’s sitting right outside. Going out with a bare face would be better. At least if you get compared, you can say you didn’t put on makeup.”

Lu Wenchan’s face turned red. If he weren’t her brother, she would have scratched him. Frustrated, she snapped, “It’s all because you insisted on inviting that Shi woman.”

If Shi Tingyu weren’t there, she wouldn’t have had to fuss so much, fearing she’d be outshined.

Seeing that Lu Wenchan was unmoved, Lu Wenbin grabbed her and pulled her up, “Hurry up and go out.”

Aunt Lu followed, whispering, “Be gentle with her.”

As they walked out the door, Lu Wenbin released Lu Wenchan’s wrist, and his angry expression softened.

Reluctantly, Lu Wenchan came out, feeling fortunate that the marks outside her eyebrows had been wiped away, otherwise, she would have been embarrassed.

At this moment, the expressions around the borrowed large round table were a bit awkward.

The apartment wasn’t large, and though their voices weren’t loud, occasional words could still be heard.

Lu Weiguo glanced at his wife, took her hand under the table, and whispered, “Don’t mind her, she’s just jealous of you.”

Shi Tingyu gently scratched his palm, “I don’t mind. I’ve never lost in terms of looks.”

Lu Weiguo, feeling a tickle in his palm, couldn’t help but squeeze her soft hand, lowering his eyes to hide his smile.

Captain Yang’s face also showed some awkwardness.

They hadn’t heard Lu mention Captain Yang, but last time Instructor Lu had asked if he had a partner and said many good things about his sister.

High school graduate, worked in the Women’s Federation’s publicity department, excellent cooking skills.

He had been interested.

He was invited with the intention of considering a potential match.

But he hadn’t expected the instructor’s sister to be like this.

At first, he had a good impression of her.

When he arrived, Lu Wenchan was cooking in the hallway. Passing by her, she seemed diligent and simple, with a pretty, delicate appearance.

But now, his good impression quickly faded. Someone who fussed so much, keeping guests waiting, didn’t seem suitable for him.

The three members of the Lu family came out.

Lu Wenchan’s seat was arranged next to Shi Tingyu.

With almost all men present, an unmarried girl like Lu Wenchan naturally sat with the women.

On her other side was Liu Xiaohong.

Seeing her assigned seat, Lu Wenchan hesitated.

She didn’t look as good as Shi Tingyu, and sitting together would make the comparison more obvious.

Seeing his sister hesitate, Lu Wenbin urged, “Sit down, Xiaochan.”

Lu Wenchan glanced at her brother’s seat, which was next to the Third and Second Battalion Commanders, and asked, “Brother, can I switch seats with you?”

Why not switch with her mother? Because the old lady’s seat was too far from the meat dishes.

Everyone was stunned.

What was this girl trying to do?