Wen Ci let out a light sigh.

She found Jiang Chen utterly exasperating.

After all, she was his real sister. She could understand his favoritism toward his fake sister, given that they had grown up together, but he shouldn’t treat his own flesh and blood like an enemy.

“And who is this?” a man familiar with Jiang Chen asked.

Wen Ci curled her lips. “His sister.”

Hearing this, the man in military uniform standing beside Jiang Chen widened his eyes. “No wonder you’ve been keeping your sister a secret, Jiang Chen. Turns out she’s as beautiful as a fairy.”

Jiang Chen’s expression darkened. He couldn’t deny the fact in public, so he forced a smile and said, “Yes, she’s my sister.”

The man walked up to Wen Ci and joked with a smile, “I’ve long heard that Sister Jiang Ye is stunning, and now that I’ve seen her, it’s true. I’m your brother’s comrade, Xu Jinge.”

Jiang Chen was also a soldier, currently holding the position of squad leader.

“My name isn’t Jiang Ye.”

“Huh?” Xu Jinge blinked. He had often heard Jiang Chen talk about his little sister, Xiao Ye, and had assumed her name was Jiang Ye.

Wen Ci’s smile reached her eyes as she tossed the question back to Jiang Chen. “Brother, is my name Jiang Ye? Or do you have another sister?”

“Our cousin’s name is Jiang Ye, have you forgotten?” Jiang Chen broke into a cold sweat. After some thought, he changed the subject and asked, “When are you and Huo Jingyuan planning to join the army?”

Few people in the compound knew that Wen Ci and Huo Jingyuan were married.

As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately drew the attention of many.

Most people in the military compound were subordinates of Old Master Huo.

Noticing everyone’s eyes on her, Wen Ci stepped forward as it was her turn. The auntie at the window asked, “What would you like, young lady?”

“I’ll have this, this, and this.”

The canteen auntie took Wen Ci’s enamel bowl and looked at her with shock, her eyes welling up with tears. She choked back a sob and asked, “Is Chief Huo your…?”

Each enamel bowl bore the name of the person it was awarded to.

Old Chief Huo had only ever eaten meals from the canteen.

Everyone who worked in the canteen knew that this enamel bowl belonged to him.

Now, seeing it again, tears welled up in her eyes.

Seeing this, Jiang Chen added fuel to the fire. “My sister is married to Old Chief Huo’s grandson. In a few days, they’ll be joining the army in the northwest.”

“Really?”

Wen Ci nodded. “Yes.”

She had no intention of explaining the complexities of the situation. Her stomach was growling with hunger. “Auntie, could you please serve me first? I’m in a hurry to go back and eat.”

Hearing this, the canteen auntie sniffled and filled the enamel bowl to the brim with food.

Wen Ci asked, “How much do I owe?”

“No need to pay!”

Wen Ci quickly shook her head. “No, no, that won’t do.”

“It’s fine. My husband used to serve under Old Chief Huo. After he died in battle, we’ve been under the old chief’s care all these years.”

Wen Ci’s gaze was firm. “One thing has nothing to do with the other. I still need to pay.”

“I’ll cover it,” Jiang Chen interjected.

Jiang Chen had been standing behind Wen Ci and heard the faint growling of her stomach. He knew that if they continued talking in the canteen, his “sister” might not make it back.

Wen Ci glanced at Jiang Chen. “Thanks, brother.”

Then, she took the enamel bowl from the auntie and quickly left the canteen.

…

On the other side, Huo Jingyuan finished kneading the dough and planned to let it rest for half an hour. After washing his hands, he walked over to the landline in the living room.

The landline at home had never been removed, so it was still functional for making calls.