By the time He Teng found He Zhilan, she had already moved into the guesthouse with Kang Xing’s company. Kang Xing couldn’t be more passionate, busying himself with helping Zhilan clean the room, fetching water, mopping the floor, and sunning the quilt. If he could do it, he would take the initiative.
Seeing He Teng’s figure appear at the door, He Zhilan stiffened and hurriedly said, "I didn’t come here to see you! I came to see Kang Xing!"
He Zhilan pointed to the busy Kang Xing, her tone a bit annoyed.
"More and more impressive!" He Teng sneered, but indeed, he had no choice. Since she said she was not here to see him, what right did he have to drive people out of the unit? After all, he wasn’t the one who owned it.
"Captain! Zhilan came to see me, you can’t drive her away!" Kang Xing, broom in hand, jauntily approached He Teng.
"He can’t drive her away. If he dares, I won’t let him off the hook." The commissar’s wife, who heard the news, took over the conversation with a smile. She smiled at He Zhilan and said, "Next time, you can claim to come to see me, or Ya’nan. Our unit’s door will always be open to you! We welcome comrade He Zhilan on her visits!"
"Thank you, sister-in-law!" At this point, He Zhilan felt so triumphant that her tail seemed to be wagging in the air. She turned back to look at He Teng, her mouth pursed in smugness, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.
"Don’t mention it!" The commissar’s wife waved her hand, looked at Kang Xing, then the room, and exclaimed, "Wow, Kang Xing is quick. He has finished cleaning already! Our unit should have more young soldiers like Kang Xing who are insightful, creative, and positive!"
"Thank you for the compliment, sister-in-law, I will work even harder in the future!" Praise made Kang Xing blush, and he gave the commissar’s wife a formal salute.
"Potential, potential! It’s rest time in the afternoon. Training’s been tough. Go rest first. I’m here!" The commissar’s wife took the mop from Kang Xing, dismissed him, but didn’t look at He Teng. She just left him there pretending she hadn’t seen him.
He Teng stood for a while, seeing He Zhilan laugh and chat with the commissar’s wife without sparing him a glance, and only then left the guesthouse.
Once He Teng left, the commissar’s wife nudged He Zhilan and winked towards the door. Only then did she start talking about He Teng, "Sis, don’t worry. I’ve been keeping an eye on him for you. When you’re not here, he doesn’t spare any girl a second glance. There was a girl who kept fluttering around him, but he never remembered her. She was so angry that she packed up and left the next day. Later, Old Chen gave a few people lessons in moral education, and those girls never showed up in the unit again."
"No wonder I didn’t run into anyone when I came up to the guesthouse today." Zhilan nodded, "I forgot to thank Commissar Chen earlier!"
No need to thank, it’s a matter of unit discipline and should be handled properly!" The commissar’s wife raised her eyebrows, then let the weary He Zhilan rest properly before leaving her room.
When He Zhilan next saw He Teng, it was on the way to the canteen in the evening. Kang Xing had gone to the guesthouse to fetch Zhilan before He Teng, and they ran into He Teng, who was heading towards the guesthouse, not far from it.
Kang Xing did what He Teng was supposed to do before him. Seeing the pair walking side by side, He Teng was momentarily taken aback. He gave Kang Xing a meaningful look, then, without saying a word, he turned around and followed them to the canteen as though nothing had happened.