Xia Chuyi held a steel pen and wrote on the letter paper:
I hope this letter finds you well.
Today, everything is normal.
I have returned to school, and my roommates are still amiable, the atmosphere harmonious.
However, I suddenly received news: Mrs. Huo intends to find you another match, and a suitable candidate has already been found.
Brother Shiqian, what is your view on this matter?
Year X, Month X, Day X.
By the time the letter reached the Southwest a few days later, Huo Shiqian was caressing Xia Chuyi’s letter, calmly facing Xiao Wang, and said, "Ask around to see if there’s anything out of the ordinary in the Capital City."
Xiao Wang immediately saluted and replied, "Yes, sir!"
Why did Huo Shiqian ask this question?
Because in addition to receiving Xia Chuyi’s letter, he had also received another piece of information.
Huo Zhongcheng was not feeling well, and there were hopes for Huo Shiqian to return to see his father.
When Huo Shiqian received this message, he furrowed his brow slightly.
This letter, no matter how you read it, seemed to bear Su Susu’s tone.
It was impossible to conceal.
Huo Shiqian tapped his fingers on the desktop, waiting for the subordinate’s news.
After a while, Xiao Wang came back.
"Report to the commander, the continual news coming from the Capital City states that Commander Huo Zhongcheng is in very good health," Xiao Wang saluted and said earnestly.
Hearing this, Huo Shiqian’s brow furrowed even more severely.
Huo Shiqian caressed the letter written by Xia Chuyi, his expression inscrutable, and stated, "Understood."
After sending Xiao Wang away, Huo Shiqian tucked the letter away and placed it into a special box for correspondence.
Then he stood up, wrapped himself in a military coat, and braved the wind and snow to find the old commanding officer.
"I have received a message from the Capital City saying that my father is unwell and has summoned me to visit," he said calmly to the old commanding officer upon arrival.
"What did you say?" The old commanding officer, upon hearing Huo Shiqian’s words, immediately flared up, snorting and glaring as he bellowed, "Huo family boy, don’t you push your luck with me!"
"You just took leave for a family visit half a year ago, and now you want to take another?"
"It would be fine if you wanted to take leave, but could you at least come up with a more convincing excuse?"
The old commanding officer stood akimbo, spitting as he spoke, "Your father, I heard not too long ago that he got some extraordinary tea leaves that after drinking, his spirits lifted enormously, he’s like a dragon and tiger revitalized!"
"And now you come to tell me he’s not well? Are you cursing him?" The old commanding officer appeared righteously indignant as he caught Huo Shiqian in a lesson, "How can you be so unfilial? Do you want to become an orphan?"
While lecturing, he stole glances at Huo Shiqian’s expression.
Clearly, the old commanding officer was doing this on purpose, waiting for Huo Shiqian to argue back, to negotiate.
Unexpectedly, Huo Shiqian casually arched an eyebrow and said, "This matter did not come through my channels of information."
Huo Shiqian was utterly calm.
"This message was directly transferred to me by Su Susu’s people from the Capital City."
This meant that the person cursing was not him, but someone linked to Su Susu in the Capital City.
So, according to the old commanding officer’s logic, since he wasn’t the one wanting to be an "orphan," then it would be Su Susu cursing herself to become a "widow."
The old commanding officer was not dull, and naturally understood the implication in Huo Shiqian’s words.
"Cough cough!" The old commanding officer coughed twice deliberately, then spoke, "This, this, might just be your father missing you, and had Su Susu write it."
Huo Shiqian calmly lifted his gaze to the old commanding officer: Who would believe that?