After staying on the island for two days, it was time to return. The long journey back by sea began. While Qin Yao had no desire to see any more seafood, her mind was set on the idea of eating pickled cabbage, and she could almost taste it.

Finally, they reached the military port.

The dock was beautiful, and the sunlight felt like an oven, baking everything with a warm fragrance. Qin Yao looked at the white clouds in the sky and thought they resembled plump, hanging white-cut chickens.

The flowing seawater appeared to her like fatty and lean pork belly, and the distant green mountains and plants were like green peppers, scallions, and cilantro sprinkled here and there.

There was someone in red standing on the dock, a touch of red among the blue and white — it was the nostalgic sight of red chili peppers!

Upon closer inspection, it was her good friend, Chen Baozhen.

Chen Baozhen was there with her husband, Gao Jianguo, and Doctor He Guangzhi. The three of them were waiting eagerly for her.

“Be careful,” they warned.

Getting on and off ships can be dangerous. In the past, someone had fallen from the plank when getting off the ship and lost their life. After learning about the risks during this trip, Qin Yao understood that jumping off the ship was like tempting fate. When the ship was moving, the bottom had a huge suction force, and whether or not one survived depended on luck.

Children and the elderly who grew up by the river or sea were always warned to stay away from moving ships while swimming.

Qin Yao hugged Chen Baozhen warmly, even though she still felt a little dizzy from the dock. But she was so excited, and the two friends hugged each other, shouting joyfully.

Chen Baozhen shed her usual elegant music-teacher demeanor, exclaiming, “Yaoyao, did you miss me? I missed you so much!”

“Zhenzhen, I missed you too,” Qin Yao replied, though a twinge of guilt lingered in her voice. Compared to her best friend, she had missed a certain plump white figure even more.

In her memories, the pig’s head became fair and handsome. Chicken wings and duck necks danced joyfully around her.

“I brought you lots of beautiful seashells,” Qin Yao said, shaking the bag in her hand. “I even made a few wind chimes for you.”

“Yaoyao, you’re so crafty!”

Qin Yao had strung together the wind chimes out of boredom. She had no choice—the abundance of beautiful shells was overwhelming. Some weren’t even just picked up; they were leftovers from meals. It was said that some veteran soldiers had even more exotic shells, trophies from their meals in the past.

“Are they all for me?”

“All for you,” Qin Yao said. The treasures of the sea no longer charmed her as much as a simple bowl of pickled vegetables.

Chen Baozhen picked up a string of wind chimes, clearly delighted, but since there were so many, she glanced at the shy Doctor He standing quietly nearby. Taking the initiative, she said, “Everyone should have a share. Doctor He, why don’t you pick one? Yaoyao made them herself.”

Doctor He’s cheeks reddened as he stammered, “I… I wouldn’t feel right.”

He had mustered his courage to come pick up Qin Yao today, his heart brimming with anticipation. Yet, when she stood before him, her beauty made him too nervous to meet her gaze.

A few months ago, Qin Yao had been plump with a full, slightly rounded face. While her features were delicate, there was a soft and endearing charm to her.

Now, she had blossomed into a radiant peony, breathtakingly beautiful.

Her voice was sweet and melodic. Listening to her speak seemed to carry the scent of sweetness even on the sea breeze.

“No worries. Since Yaoyao gave them to me, I have the final say. Doctor He, take this one—it’s so pretty,” Chen Baozhen said, pressing a wind chime into his hands.

Doctor He, feeling awkward, didn’t know whether to hold it or put it down.

Nearby, Gao Jianguo stood stiffly, clearly displeased with Doctor He.

He couldn’t help but recall the days when the Bai Qiuling-Jiang Dinghai family lived next door. Bai Qiuling, though a village woman, was beautiful, managed the household well, and raised the children impeccably. Most importantly, she was a fantastic cook.

People often compared Chen Baozhen to Bai Qiuling, saying that marrying Bai Qiuling meant living a comfortable life, while Gao Jianguo, by marrying a city girl, had gained face but lost substance.

Such remarks left Gao Jianguo feeling resentful, leading him to hold Chen Baozhen to higher standards, resulting in frequent quarrels.

Initially, Chen Baozhen struggled in these arguments, as many military wives were diligent and hardworking. Gao Jianguo, despite his faults, was considered a good husband by most.

But then Doctor He appeared… Oh boy, this man started cooking for his blind date! He claimed that as an internal medicine doctor, his job was less demanding with regular hours, allowing him to return home at night to do housework and even tutor future children.

Chen Baozhen was convinced by his charm and began using Doctor He as the gold standard for a perfect husband, constantly pointing out how Gao Jianguo couldn’t measure up.

“Men should prioritize their careers, but Doctor He earns almost as much as you, without the bonuses. He spends more time with his family, which is so important.”

If Doctor He ended up marrying Qin Yao, Gao Jianguo felt it would be the end of him. Their lifelong friendship meant his wife would never stop using Doctor He as a comparison.

“Comrade Qin, thank you,” Doctor He finally managed, glancing briefly at Qin Yao while holding the wind chime.

Qin Yao gave him a faint smile, feeling apologetic. She planned to find an opportunity to make things clear to him—they simply weren’t meant to be.

She had already turned him down during their previous blind date, but both Chen Baozhen and Head Nurse Ge kept insisting they were a good match, trying hard to set them up.

“Hey, is this made by Nurse Xiao Qin? Such delicate work! Sister-in-law, could you spare me one?” Zhao Mingjin, tall and dashing, suddenly appeared beside them, his movements as quick as a kangaroo leaping out of the forest.

Zhao Mingjin had a trapezoid-shaped face. Though handsome, Qin Yao always thought he resembled a kangaroo—big and slightly clumsy. However, it was said that Zhao Mingjin was meticulous and extraordinarily detail-oriented in his work.

Chen Baozhen eyed Zhao Mingjin suspiciously, while Gao Jianguo’s alarm bells went off.

Unlike Doctor He, who was refined and scholarly, Zhao Mingjin bore some resemblance to Gao Jianguo’s own appearance but was younger and more attractive.

Chen Baozhen loved this type of look!

Sure enough, her eyes sparkled as she looked at Zhao Mingjin. Smiling, she asked, “What’s your name, comrade? Did you just return from a mission?”

“Zhao Mingjin. Sister-in-law, just call me Xiao Zhao.”

Before Doctor He could react, Gao Jianguo was already tense. Compared to Zhao Mingjin, even Doctor He started to seem more agreeable.

Gao Jianguo cast a gloomy glance at Qin Yao. Ever since her arrival, his marriage had improved. But she also attracted men who matched Chen Baozhen’s ideal type!

When Chen Baozhen handed a wind chime to Zhao Mingjin, Gao Jianguo gave Doctor He a pointed look before speaking up. “Doctor He, oh, and Comrade Qin, you just returned from the sea, so you must be craving a good meal. Doctor He is so thoughtful—tonight, let’s skip seafood and cook something from the land. Doctor He and I will handle the cooking. Come over to our house and try our dishes.”

Chen Baozhen chimed in, “Yes, yes, Doctor He’s stir-fried peanuts are delicious.”

Qin Yao helplessly nodded and said, “How about I cook tonight? My father is a cook, so I’ll show you all my skills.”

“Me, me, me, me!” Zhao Mingjin enthusiastically raised his voice, “Can I join your dinner gathering?”

After returning from the sea, they would definitely treat themselves to a good meal. Compared to eating with a bunch of smelly men, spending time with Nurse Qin and tasting her cooking was far more exciting.

Before Gao Jianguo could refuse, Chen Baozhen eagerly agreed, “Sure, come over to my place for dinner.”

Gao Jianguo: “…”

Zhao Mingjin could hardly contain his joy as he held up the wind chime in his hand. The sea breeze made it jingle melodiously, creating a pleasing sound.

The five of them stood together, including two stunningly beautiful women, making it impossible not to attract attention.

At that moment, Gu Cheng finished giving instructions to his men and walked toward them. Seeing him approach, Gao Jianguo quickly gave him a meaningful glance and quietly muttered, “Commander Gu.”

Rescuing people was urgent, and Gao Jianguo hoped Commander Gu would take Zhao Mingjin, the thick-skinned fellow, away.

Gu Cheng strode against the sea breeze, adjusting the brim of his hat as he walked. A faint smile graced his lips, and his gaze naturally fell on the woman ahead. Despite the long voyage, she didn’t look weary at all. Likely because she spent most of her time in the cabin, her skin was as fair and delicate as peeled lychee, soft enough to release sweet nectar with a pinch.

Recalling the kiss on the corner of his mouth and the tenderness of her hand, Commander Gu felt as though an invisible feather tickled his heart.

On the ship, with so many people around, Commander Gu had to maintain his authority and couldn’t let his gaze linger on her for too long. Now, he finally allowed himself to look openly.

—His Yaoyao.

Another day passed, reducing the three-month probationary period by one more day.

Suppressing the smile tugging at his lips, Gu Cheng walked closer, his sharp eyes briefly sweeping over Zhao Mingjin and Doctor He before finally landing on Qin Yao.

Since childhood, Gu Cheng had known he was good-looking but had never cared much about it. Life at sea surrounded by men was rough, but now that he had someone he liked, he started taking care of his appearance. Like a peacock flaunting its feathers, he even took the time to shave carefully that morning.

His military uniform was neatly ironed as well.

“Commander Gu, this is a wind chime handmade by Nurse Qin. Isn’t it beautiful? She even gave me one!” Zhao Mingjin said proudly, shaking the chime to produce its crisp sound.

Gu Cheng’s gaze moved from the wind chime in Zhao Mingjin’s hand to Doctor He, then to Chen Baozhen, and finally rested on Qin Yao.

Qin Yao looked up at the sky and sighed silently, “…”

Gao Jianguo coughed, unsure if it was his imagination, but the sea breeze suddenly felt colder, as though it carried a frosty chill.

“Wind chimes?” Gu Cheng reached out and took one from Chen Baozhen. “It’s quite nice. I’ll take one too.”

“No, no, this is given to me by Yaoyao.” Chen Baozhen protested. She always found Commander Gu too stern and intimidating, like dating the head of the school’s revolutionary committee—completely nerve-wracking.

Gu Cheng took it without a word anyway.

Chen Baozhen wanted to snatch it back but didn’t dare.

Gao Jianguo chuckled awkwardly, trying to ease the situation. “There’s enough for everyone; I’ll split another set. That works perfectly.”

Gu Cheng’s behavior was puzzling, but Gao Jianguo didn’t overthink it. He assumed the commander just liked wind chimes.

Compared to Doctor He and Zhao Mingjin, Gao Jianguo felt most reassured with Gu Cheng because his wife, Chen Baozhen, didn’t like him.

“What are you doing here?” Gu Cheng asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Commander, we are going to my sister-in-law’s house for dinner. Nurse Xiao Qin said she wanted to show off her cooking skills. Please give us your approval.” Zhao Mingjin said with a broad smile.

Hearing this, Gao Jianguo quickly gave Gu Cheng another meaningful glance, silently pleading, Commander, please stop him for me.

Gu Cheng clenched his teeth and said coldly, “Then I’ll join you all later.”

Gao Jianguo’s eyes widened: “??!!!!!!”