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Both of them had a military background and understood the lively nature of soldiers, so they sat aside, eating and listening to the young people nearby making merry.
“Uncle Wu, I really admire those young folks. They can really hold their liquor. I see them taking a sip without even blinking, downing the whole glass in one go. It’s great to be young,” Qu Cungen said, looking envious at the neighboring table.
“That’s right. Us soldiers should be able to hold our drinks. If not, we’re not considered good soldiers. My soldiers need to excel in battles and in drinking,” Old Wu said with a laugh, proud of his own standards for a good soldier, which set him apart from others.
However, his tone changed, “Drinking is one thing, but causing trouble is another. I won’t tolerate misbehavior. When it’s time to drink, drink freely, but if someone disrupts things due to drinking when they shouldn’t, I will take action.”
Zuo Zhanshan chuckled and patted his old comrade on the back. “Old Wu, your temper hasn’t changed after all these years. Since everyone’s here, let’s enjoy a good drink together.”
The dinner left everyone feeling content. Zhang Weiguo’s classmates had to head back to school after the meal, leaving no time for any further celebration in the bridal chamber. Their time was limited, so they helped load everything from the kitchen into the car and bid farewell to the military academy personnel as they left.
Old Zuo and his companions decided to stay over for the night. Zhang Lan ensured that the elderly gentlemen were settled in, and then urged the newlyweds to head back home to rest after a tiring day.
Zhang Weiguo escorted Bai Jianing back to their new house for their first night as a married couple. Walking back hand in hand, they quickened their pace, with Zhang Weiguo practically leading Bai Jianing back home in an embrace.
Meanwhile, Wang Qian returned to school, familiar with the curious gazes of onlookers. Zuo He, unfazed, escorted her to the dormitory building and left gracefully.
Upon Wang Qian’s return, a group of friends surrounded her eagerly, anticipating the treats she always brought back. After distributing candies and fruits, they learned that the candies were from her younger uncle’s wedding, prompting congratulations all around.
Noticing that the other two hadn’t returned yet, Wang Qian wondered aloud, “Hmm, they haven’t come back yet. Did they return and then leave again?”
Chewing on a piece of candy, Li Tiange mumbled, “They haven’t returned at all. They should have been back by now. I wonder what happened today…”
Little did the group indoors realize that the two missing individuals had actually arrived earlier, waiting for Zuo He to escort Wang Qian back so they could coincidentally meet on the way. Shortly after Zuo He had left, the two unexpectedly encountered each other at the campus entrance.
Wei Yuanfang and Dong Xuan never imagined such an encounter at that moment. Despite the initial awkwardness, each had their own intentions. When they spotted Zuo He, they hurried over to greet him.
“Zuo He, you brought Qianqian back. She’s truly lucky to have a protective brother like you every time,” one of the individuals remarked.
Zuo He felt that the unexpected encounter today with them wasn’t simple, but he kept a neutral expression, trying not to offend the two individuals. After all, Qianqian would be interacting with them for the next four years.
“Both of you, Qianqian just returned and brought some treats for you. You should head back now before your dorm mates snatch them all up. I have things to attend to, so I won’t chat longer with you. Let’s catch up next time,” Zuo He said as he briskly walked past them.
The two individuals wanted to chat more with Zuo He, but he paid them no attention, leaving them feeling a mix of disappointment and determination.
“Dong Xuan, what a coincidence for you to return at this time,” Wei Yuanfang said with a hint of sarcasm. However, Dong Xuan ignored her tone. Their families were of similar status, and she didn’t feel the need to flatter her. Besides, Zuo He was someone worth pursuing.
“You make it sound like we arrived together. It’s just a fortunate coincidence today. By the way, weren’t you back early as well? Why are you back at this hour? We had some family matters today; otherwise, I would have returned earlier. It’s just an unexpected coincidence,” Dong Xuan replied calmly, not letting Wei Yuanfang’s attitude affect her.
Dong Xuan’s direct response cut off Wei Yuanfang’s intended words, leaving Wei Yuanfang feeling frustrated as she shot Dong Xuan a disdainful look. “If your family has an event and mine has a gathering, then we’re both late returning today. Let’s go back. You won’t see anything more by staring at him,” she retorted sharply.
Wei Yuanfang’s retort made Dong Xuan, who had been watching Zuo He’s retreating figure, feel a bit embarrassed. The two of them walked back to the dormitory, exchanging idle conversation along the way.
Returning with pickled vegetables this time, which likely wouldn’t be snatched up eagerly by others, they casually displayed the jar in front of everyone before putting it away.
In a shared dormitory, over time, everyone gets a sense of each other’s habits and behaviors. So, when Dong Xuan and Wei Yuanfang showed up with pickled vegetables, the others barely spared a glance. Wang Qian, however, took a brief look, suspecting that it might contain something more than just pickled vegetables, perhaps some meat sauce or the like.
Uninterested in their offerings, Wang Qian focused on her own tasks, opening a Russian dictionary to study vocabulary. Thanks to the previous teachings from her grandpa Cui, she found learning the language relatively easy with the foundational knowledge she had acquired.
Wang Qian’s upper bunk roommate, Li Tiange, quietly slipped down to her bed and laid down beside her. Side by side on the pillows, Li Tiange whispered to Wang Qian, “Qianqian, did you notice how those two didn’t look too good when they came back? It felt like something happened out there.”
Knowing her straightforward and gossip-loving roommate well, Wang Qian could only smile helplessly. She wasn’t sure what had transpired either.
“Tiange, let’s just ignore them if they have issues between themselves. We can’t control their subtleties. Besides, you’ve noticed they don’t spend much time in the dorm anyway,” Wang Qian replied, aware of Li Tiange’s candid nature. She discreetly advised her, knowing that Li Tiange might unintentionally offend others if she spoke too bluntly.
Understanding Li Tiange’s directness, Wang Qian chose her words carefully, avoiding unnecessary conflict with their dorm mates. While she hadn’t interacted much with them directly, she had observed enough to sense they might not be the friendliest individuals.
Li Tiange, lying back, sighed, “It’s a shame our home is far away. Otherwise, I would have brought back some delicious treats for you. The fruits back home are amazing – cantaloupes, grapes, red dates…”
As Li Tiange spoke, her eyes reddened, feeling homesick and longing for her parents.
Noticing Li Tiange’s silence and tears, Wang Qian gently wiped them away. “Tiange, are you missing home?”
Without a doubt, Wang Qian knew the answer. Grateful for her current family and friends, she empathized with Li Tiange’s longing for home. Wang Qian comforted her and expressed her desire to visit Li Tiange’s hometown in the future, as Xinjiang felt quite distant to her as well.
“Wang Qian, how about you come visit me during the break? Although our home may not be as grand as the mainland, the scenery is beautiful. It’s flat land as far as the eye can see, and there are plenty of delicious treats. You won’t regret it,” Li Tiange suggested, looking at the young girl in front of her and pondering how lovely she would look without her glasses. She thought about introducing her to her older brother when she was older—it would be a great match. Li Tiange couldn’t help but imagine how stunning she would be as she grew older, speculating on why she hid behind her glasses.
“Wang Qian, I never expected you to look like this without your glasses. Maybe you should take them off before going to sleep…” Li Tiange hinted, but she stopped advising her cause she realized she didn’t want the young girl to attract unwanted attention.
Wang Qian nestled against Li Tiange’s shoulder with a playful smile. “Tiange, do you have handsome guys back home? I’m curious to see if Xinjiang also produces good-looking men.”
Li Tiange proudly praised her older brother, “Wang Qian, let me tell you, my brother is incredibly handsome. He may not be as good-looking as Zuo He who brought you here, but my brother is no less. It’s a shame you’re still too young, otherwise you could have been my sister-in-law.”