Huo Shiqian saw the intricately wrapped tea leaves, and his originally furrowed brows finally smoothed out.
He took the package, caressing it in his hands.
The sense of reluctance grew stronger.
"Uncle Liberation Army, remember to write back to me, a long letter." Knowing he had to leave, Xia Chuyi was reluctant.
Huo Shiqian looked directly at his little girl and said, "Okay."
Their gazes intertwined.
But the army’s return date was set in stone.
Time ticked away by the second.
"Chuyi, once I have leave, I’ll come to see you," Huo Shiqian said.
"Okay," Xia Chuyi nodded obediently.
However, despite the reluctance, the parting eventually arrived.
Huo Shiqian left Ling County with the large and small packages prepared by his little wife, laden with feelings of reluctance.
"Wow, I heard that the little sister-in-law’s cooking skills are superb?" The soldiers who stayed behind in the army chattered excitedly around.
"That’s right! Her cooking skills, wow!" The soldier responsible for communicating with Huo Shiqian exclaimed happily, speaking as if he had witnessed it himself.
A group was gossiping here about the domineering commander and his gentle little sister-in-law when a soft female voice came from behind, "Who exactly is this little sister-in-law you guys are talking about?"
The chattering suddenly quieted down.
"... Miss Ou, when did you get here?" the communicating soldier asked with a full-faced smile.
They had been transferred to the Southwest when their commander was.
Why had the third daughter of the Ou family followed along?
Ou Lianlian, ignoring the group of soldiers’ casual chats, gently smiled and said, "Uncle Huo and Aunt Huo are worried about Brother Huo and asked me to check on him."
"Is the ’little sister-in-law’ you were just talking about the same person you mentioned over the phone?"
Ou Lianlian’s gentle, frail demeanor made the soldiers uncomfortable.
The communicating soldier could only hurry to respond, "Yes, yes, our commander is very close to the little sister-in-law! Just tell Huo Chief and Mrs. Huo not to worry!"
In translation, it meant: Miss Ou, you should stop worrying about our commander!
For a moment, Ou Lianlian’s expression stiffened, and then she gently ran her hand through her hair, saying, "Oh, is that so? I will mention this to Uncle Huo and Aunt Huo."
"By the way, was the mission Brother Huo carried out in Ling County?"
"Huh? Yes, what about it?" the communicating soldier asked, confused as to why Miss Ou had suddenly changed the topic.
Ou Lianlian smiled gently and said, "Nothing, I just wanted to be clear to report back to Uncle Huo and Aunt Huo."
"Well, let’s leave it at that, you guys continue chatting, I will take my leave."
After Ou Lianlian left, a group of soldiers watched her departing figure.
"Actually, Miss Ou is quite nice... why doesn’t our commander like her?"
"Yes..." the communicating soldier also sighed, his sigh trailing off before he changed his tone and said, "But, Taoyi and Lizi said the little sister-in-law is also very nice!"
Everyone immediately refocused and began to inquire what kind of person the little sister-in-law was.
Meanwhile, the departed Ou Lianlian, who had maintained a gentle and dignified expression, had completely lost her composure.
She stepped out of the base, telling the driver who had brought her to the Southwest, "Go to Ling County."
She indeed wanted to see for herself what this village girl, who had entirely captivated Huo Shiqian, really looked like.