"Alright, alright, I admit defeat!" He Zhilan said, torn between laughter and tears.
The three of them walked into the great dining hall together. It was bustling this New Year’s Eve, and because Commander Gu was set to arrive tonight, those families who resided with the troops, like the political commissar’s, had also come to dine at the canteen.
As soon as she walked in, He Zhilan was greeted by the delicious aroma of dumplings. Around the canteen, she spotted Kang Xing and Niu Rang standing together, chatting. They both immediately came over when they noticed He Zhilan.
"Sister-in-law!" Kang Xing looked directly at He Zhilan’s hand in concern. "I heard you hurt your hand. Is it serious?"
"It’s okay. So you two have been busy here all afternoon?" He Zhilan replied with a slight smile.
"Absolutely! We’ve been helping with preparing the dumplings and washing vegetables! You should know, it’s more exhausting than training, fortunately it only happens once a year. If it occurred every few days, it would surely kill us." Niu Rang chimed in and then glanced around at the crowd in the dining hall. "Seeing so many people enjoying the food we prepared fills me with a sense of achievement. It feels like, I’ve suddenly become their guardian responsible for providing them food and clothing! Hahaha!"
"Lack of education is truly frightening; being a provider of sustenance is more than just washing veggies!" Chen Ya’nan teased from the side. Ignoring the flustered Niu Rang, she linked arms with He Zhilan and walked further in.
Over at the entrance of the military compound, He Teng and several officers were standing in the cold wind, waiting. After only three minutes, they saw some headlights shining in.
In no time, the outline of a car appeared before everyone’s eyes. After the car had stopped, Commander Gu, in full military uniform, stepped out, and everyone promptly approached him.
"Commander Gu, you’ve had a long journey!" the regiment commander went over, saluted, then gestured to lead the way for Commander Gu.
He Teng saluted from the side, too. His military rank was lower, and he didn’t have the opportunity to speak with Commander Gu yet. This was also the first time in recent years that he had seen Commander Gu.
Commander Gu, in his forties, wore a serious military uniform. Despite the high position he held, he displayed no signs of arrogance. His boots crunched on the crushed snow with each step. He walked with confidence, his tone full of vigor. As he moved further into the compound, he was talking with the regiment about the recent conditions of the troops.
He Teng was not impulsive and naturally wouldn’t demand in front of all the regiment officers that Commander Gu seek justice for He Zhilan who was bullied by Gu En. He planned, after going inside later, to find an opportunity to speak privately with Commander Gu.
The group had not walked more than a hundred meters when Commander Gu’s aide suddenly stepped forward and stopped them. "Commander Gu, we just received a phone call saying that Miss Gu has been seriously injured in a car accident and is now being rushed to the hospital."
"A serious car accident?" Commander Gu’s face darkened. It was evident his concern for his beloved daughter couldn’t be masked.
The aide nodded, then reacted and handed his phone to Commander Gu, saying, "It’s Madame Commander on the phone."
Commander Gu took the call, and after only a few words, his face turned grave. After hanging up, he immediately said to the regiment commander, "My daughter has been in a critical car accident. I need to rush back right away! Please apologize to all the soldiers on my behalf!"
"Uncle Gu!" Upon hearing this, Lan Li was also stunned. "Did Gu En have a car accident?"