Chapter 21

After spending two days on the island, it was time to set sail for the return journey. It was another long voyage at sea. By the time Qin Yao couldn’t stand the sight of any more seafood and was salivating at the thought of aged pickled vegetables, they finally arrived at the military port.

The pier was beautiful. The sunlight was like an oven, baking the intense fragrance. Qin Yao looked at the white clouds on the horizon and thought they weren’t clouds, but hanging white-cut chickens.

To her eyes, the flowing seawater turned into layers of pork belly, and the distant green mountains and plants became garnishes of green peppers, scallions, and cilantro.

Standing on the pier was a person in red. The splash of red amidst the blue and white was like the red chili pepper she had been longing for.

Upon a closer look, it was her best friend Chen Baozhen.

Chen Baozhen had come to pick her up with her husband Gao Jianguo. Dr. He Guangzhi was also by their side, all three of them eagerly waiting.

"Be careful."

Boarding and disembarking the ship was dangerous. There had been incidents where someone fell off the plank and lost their life. After a crash course in common knowledge, Qin Yao knew that jumping off the ship was courting death. When the ship was moving, there was a huge suction at the bottom that could drag a person under. Survival was a matter of luck.

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

Qin Yao took the initiative to hug Chen Baozhen. Although she still felt a bit dizzy from the pier, she was overwhelmed with excitement. The two best friends hugged each other and screamed in joy.

Chen Baozhen lost her usual graceful demeanor as a music teacher. "YaoYao, have you been thinking of me? I’ve missed you so much!"

"Zhenzhen, I’ve missed you too," Qin Yao said with a hint of guilt. To be honest, she missed a certain plump and white creature more than her best friend.

In her memories, the pig's head became handsome.

Chicken wings and duck necks danced happily around her.

"I brought you many beautiful shells," Qin Yao shook the bag in her hand. "I made some wind chimes and am giving them to you."

"YaoYao, you are so clever!"

Qin Yao had made a few wind chimes out of boredom. There were just too many beautiful shells. Some were not just picked up but left over from meals. It was said that some veteran soldiers kept even more exotic shells, trophies from past feasts.

"Are you giving them all to me?"

"Yes, they are all for you." The gifts from the sea no longer appealed to Qin Yao. To her now, they were not as attractive as a bowl of pickles.

Chen Baozhen picked up the strings of beautiful wind chimes and liked them very much, but there were too many. She glanced at the shy doctor He beside her and took the initiative. "Everyone gets a share. Dr. He, pick one. YaoYao made them herself."

Dr. He’s face turned slightly red, embarrassed. "Oh, this is too much."

He had mustered the courage to come and meet Qin Yao today, his heart full of anticipation. But when she stood before him, he couldn’t look directly at the beautiful woman.

A few months ago, Qin Yao had a curvaceous figure with full cheeks. Although her features were delicate, there was a soft innocence about her.

Now, Qin Yao was like a fully bloomed peony, a national beauty that was strikingly stunning.

Her voice was sweet. When she spoke, the sea breeze seemed to carry a hint of sweetness.

"It’s okay. YaoYao gave them all to me, so now I decide. Dr. He, pick this one. It’s pretty."

Chen Baozhen picked a wind chime and stuffed it into Dr. He’s hand, making him uncomfortable. He didn’t know whether to keep it or not.

Gao Jianguo stood by with a wooden expression on his face, finding Dr. He unpleasant no matter how he looked at him.

In the past, his neighbor had been Bai Qiuling and Jiang Dinghai’s family. Although Bai Qiuling was a country wife, she was well-born and capable of managing household chores and educating children, keeping everything in order. Most importantly, she was an excellent cook.

Many people compared Chen Baozhen to Bai Qiuling, saying that marrying Bai Qiuling would lead to a comfortable life and that Gao Jianguo was not as good as Lao Jiang.

They said he had married a city girl and gained face but lost substance.

Gao Jianguo felt quite bitter about this and had higher expectations for Chen Baozhen, leading to arguments between them.

At first, Chen Baozhen was at a disadvantage. She wasn’t in the right because, among the wives in the military compound, there were many who tirelessly managed household affairs. Husbands like Gao Jianguo were considered rare good men.

But ever since Dr. He appeared… well, he started coming over to cook, saying that as an internist, he had fewer duties, worked regular hours, didn’t need to perform surgeries, and could do household chores and tutor children in the evenings.

Chen Baozhen believed him and began to see Dr. He as the model of a perfect husband, saying that apart from his career, Gao Jianguo couldn’t compare to Dr. He in any way.

"A man should prioritize his career, but Dr. He’s salary isn’t much lower than yours. With fewer allowances, it’s good to spend more time with the family."

If Dr. He ended up marrying Qin Yao, it would be a disaster! He would be nagged by his wife for a lifetime, just like his friend!

"Miss Qin, Comrade Qin, thank you." Dr. He finally glanced at Qin Yao while holding the wind chime.

Qin Yao smiled at him, feeling apologetic. She planned to clarify things with Dr. He when the time was right. They were really not a match.

She had already rejected him during the last matchmaking, but both Chen Baozhen and Nurse Ge thought they were a good match and kept trying to set them up.

"Oh? Comrade Xiao Qin made these wind chimes. Her hands are so skillful. This sister-in-law, can you spare one of these and give it to me?" Tall and handsome Zhao Mingjin suddenly appeared next to them like a kangaroo jumping out of the forest.

Zhao Mingjin’s face was like a long trapezoid. Although he was very handsome, Qin Yao always thought he looked like a kangaroo—big and clumsy, but it was said that Comrade Zhao was meticulous in his work, a man as detailed as a hair.

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

Dr. He had a scholarly and elegant appearance, not the same type as Gao Jianguo, nor the same kind of man. No matter how much Chen Baozhen praised Dr. He, Gao Jianguo never saw him as a competitor. Chen Baozhen didn’t like his appearance.

But Zhao Mingjin was different. He had a similar look, even more handsome and youthful.

Sure enough, Chen Baozhen’s eyes brightened as she looked at Zhao Mingjin. She smiled and took the initiative to ask, "Comrade, what’s your name? Have you just returned from a mission?"

"Zhao Mingjin, sister-in-law. You can just call me Xiao Zhao."

Dr. He hadn't yet recovered from the shock, but Gao Jianguo had already become tense. Compared to Zhao Mingjin, Dr. He seemed much more tolerable.

Gao Jianguo's eyes lingered darkly on his wife's best friend, "Qin Yao." Ever since she arrived, she had improved the quality of his and Baozhen's married life, but at the same time, she was like bait cast out on a fishing line—all the men she hooked were the type that Chen Baozhen liked!

When Chen Baozhen picked a string of wind chimes to give to Zhao Mingjin, Gao Jianguo gave Dr. He a knowing look and spoke up, "Dr. He, by the way, Xiao Qin, since you've just returned from the sea, you must be craving a good meal, right? Dr. He is very considerate. Tonight, we won't eat anything from the sea, but instead something from the land. Dr. He and I will cook, so come to our place and try our skills."

Chen Baozhen chimed in, "Yes, yes, yes! Dr. He's fried peanuts are delicious."

Qin Yao nodded helplessly and said, "How about I cook tonight instead? My father was a chef, and I'll show you my skills."

"Me, me, me!" Zhao Mingjin said loudly, "Can I join your gathering?"

Having just returned from the sea, they were planning to treat themselves to a special meal. Compared to dining with those other men, spending more time with Xiao Qin and tasting her cooking would be an exciting prospect.

Before Gao Jianguo could refuse, Chen Baozhen agreed wholeheartedly, "Of course, come to our place for dinner."

Gao Jianguo: "……"

Zhao Mingjin was overjoyed and held up the wind chimes, listening to the pleasant tinkling sound carried by the sea breeze.

The five of them stood together, with two women of different charms, making it hard not to notice them.

At that moment, Gu Cheng finished giving instructions to the people around him and headed towards them. Seeing him, Gao Jianguo quickly gave him a subtle signal, whispering, "Captain Gu."

Time was of the essence, and he hoped Gu Cheng would take the shameless Zhao Mingjin back with him.

Gu Cheng walked against the sea breeze, pressing down the brim of his cap. His lips curved slightly as his gaze openly rested on the woman in front of him. After this time at sea, she didn't look haggard at all; she must have stayed in the cabin most of the time. Her skin was as white and smooth as a peeled lychee, seemingly ready to squeeze out honey water.

Thinking of the kiss on her lips and the tender touch of her hand, Captain Gu felt as if an invisible feather had tickled his heart.

During the voyage, with so many people on the ship, Gu Cheng had to maintain his dignity and didn't dare to look at the woman too much. Now, he could finally gaze freely.

—His Yaoyao.

After getting through today, one more day would be shaved off the three-month observation period.

Suppressing the smile at the corner of his mouth, Gu Cheng walked over and slightly narrowed his eyes, scanning the shorter Zhao Mingjin and Dr. He, considering himself "handsome."

Gu Cheng had known since childhood that he was good-looking, but he hadn't cared much about it. Out at sea, surrounded only by men, he had lived roughly. Now, with a girl he liked, he had begun to take care of himself, shaving carefully early in the morning.

His military uniform was also neatly pressed.

"Captain Gu, Xiao Qin made these wind chimes herself. Isn't she clever? They're really beautiful, and she gave me one," Zhao Mingjin shook the wind chimes in his hand, producing a clear, melodious sound.

A gaze swept over the wind chimes in Zhao Mingjin's hand, passed Dr. He, looked at Chen Baozhen, and finally rested on Qin Yao.

Qin Yao looked up at the sky: "……"

Gao Jianguo coughed, wondering if it was just his imagination, but the sea breeze felt colder, as if wrapped in frost.

"Wind chimes?" Gu Cheng reached out and took another one from Chen Baozhen, "They're really nice. I'll take one too."

"No, no, this is given to me by Yaoyao," Chen Baozhen, who had always found the "fierce and intimidating" Gu Cheng hard to deal with, felt uncomfortable. He was as cold and fierce as a school revolutionary committee director, making people uneasy.

Gu Cheng took it without a word.

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

Gao Jianguo laughed and smoothed things over, "Everyone gets a share. I'll divide another string perfectly."

Gu Cheng's behavior was strange, but Gao Jianguo didn't think much of it and assumed he was interested in the wind chimes.

Compared to Dr. He and Zhao Mingjin, Gao Jianguo trusted Gu Cheng the most because his wife didn't like him.

Gu Cheng raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are you all doing here?"

"Captain Gu, we're about to go to Sister-in-law's place for dinner. Xiao Qin said she's going to show off her skills. Can you give us your approval?" Zhao Mingjin said loudly and heartily.

At this, Gao Jianguo quickly gave Gu Cheng a subtle signal, urging him to stop Zhao Mingjin.

Gu Cheng ground his teeth and said coldly, "Then I'll come along later."

Gao Jianguo widened his eyes: "??!!!!!"