Chapter 22: A Burst of Fury for the Sake of Beauty

As she stiffened her neck and turned around, she found Huo Congjing standing right beside the grinning Meng Qinian!

The man’s sharp-featured face held a cryptic smile. It was clear he had overheard everything she just said.

Boom!

Su Xiaoyun’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson instantly, and only two words filled her mind: "I'm finished."

She, who was usually sharp-tongued and quick-witted, found her thoughts in such chaos that she couldn't even string a coherent sentence together.

As for Zhou Xuejun, the moment he caught sight of Huo Congjing, a sense of inferiority unlike anything he had ever felt surged within him. Inferiority, which in turn fueled his arrogance. He gripped his otherwise neat white shirt until the fabric wrinkled, his fists clenching tighter and tighter.

Sneering, Zhou Xuejun said with a dark expression, "Captain Huo, you certainly have a knack for appearing just in the nick of time."

"However, you can rest assured. No one in the educated youth dormitory intends to make things difficult for Su Xiaoyun; it is simply her own lack of propriety."

His words were laced with sarcasm, and any observant person could tell he was pointing at the mulberry while cursing the locust tree.

Meng Qinian, who had always been sharp-tongued, leaned against the side, hooking his lips into a smirk as he said in a bland, indifferent tone, "Educated Youth Zhou, you have the heart to talk about others? I suppose so—a heart filled with love needs no bread, right?"

"With your scholarly air and refined manners, reciting a couple of poems should be enough to put rations in your pocket. Tsk, tsk, the debt you owe to Educated Youth Su is no small sum."

"The fact that you were able to pay it back shows how wealthy you are, Educated Youth Zhou. Surely, a few work points wouldn't matter to you, right?"

A few words left Zhou Xuejun completely choked, his face flushing from red to a bruised, sickly dark hue. His knuckles cracked as he squeezed his fists, yet he dared not say a word.

In this hierarchy, rank meant everything. Even if the village brigade leader, Yang Hongfu, were standing before these two men, he would have to tuck his tail between his legs.

With a face full of suppressed rage, Zhou Xuejun practically hissed through his nostrils, "Su Xiaoyun, consider yourself capable. Don't come begging me later!"

He wanted to see how long these soldiers could keep protecting her! The military's stay was limited; once their mission was adjusted, they would return to camp. Once she was without Huo Congjing, would Su Xiaoyun still have such confidence?

Hmph, he would have plenty of time to deal with her later!

Zhou Xuejun left with a livid expression.

A cold glint flashed in Su Xiaoyun’s clear eyes. If Huo Congjing hadn't been here just now, she would have slapped this shameless man across the face twice, no matter what! Did he really think he was something special? What kind of trash was he? Even if every other man on earth died, she wouldn't glance at Zhou Xuejun!

Just as Su Xiaoyun was lowering her eyes, cursing Zhou Xuejun for the eight-hundredth time in her heart, Huo Congjing spoke in a calm voice, "I heard there was gossip circulating in the village. I just finished explaining the situation to the party secretary."

His low, gravelly voice carried a hint of a smile.

It was more resonant and pleasing than the sound of a cello.

Su Xiaoyun coughed in embarrassment, the words she had just spoken resurfacing in her mind. Her mouth really had no filter—how could she have been overheard by the man himself!

She raised her eyes, feeling sheepish. "That... I was just trying to annoy Zhou Xuejun. Please don't take it to heart."

Huo Congjing raised an eyebrow with amusement. Before he could speak, Meng Qinian, that troublemaker, added, "No worries, Educated Youth Su spoke the truth. I didn't realize you held our captain in such high regard."

"It wasn't in vain that our captain got injured saving you. Truly, a hero acting in a fit of rage for a beauty."

Su Xiaoyun: ...

Her hands itched. Could she sew this guy's mouth shut?

It was only then that she noticed the bandage wrapped around Huo Congjing’s forearm. The faint seepage of blood had soaked through the gauze, a glaring red that caught her eye.

Su Xiaoyun felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry, I dragged you into this."

"Is there anything I can do to help? I won't hesitate; I'll do my best."

Huo Congjing cast a cool glance at Meng Qinian. "He’s just like that; don't take his words to heart."

"I would have saved anyone in that situation. Don't overthink it."

In his deep, eagle-like eyes, her palm-sized face was reflected. Those knitted brows made him feel uneasy; a sudden, strange impulse flickered in his heart—he wanted to reach out and smooth them away.

Huo Congjing frowned. This strange sensation felt foreign to him.

Meng Qinian suppressed a laugh. Look at that, hadn't he just discovered a new continent? The thousand-year-old iron tree was blooming! He had to tell the brothers back at camp! Their good days were coming!

Su Xiaoyun coughed awkwardly. "Cough, then I..."

"Xiaoyun! You're finally back! What happened last night? I was so worried I didn't sleep all night!"

Just as Su Xiaoyun was looking for something to say to ease the atmosphere, Feng Wanqing rushed out, spatula in hand. She grabbed Su Xiaoyun’s wrist, checking her up and down, and let out a long sigh of relief when she saw that the girl was covered in nothing more than a bit of dust.

But the next second, she locked eyes with Meng Qinian’s smiling peach-blossom eyes.

Feng Wanqing’s pupils dilated slightly. "Why are you here too?"

Meng Qinian’s mouth twitched as he retorted instantly, "Why can't I be here?"

Feng Wanqing pursed her lips and shot him a disgruntled glare. In her eyes, Meng Qinian was nothing but a frivolous playboy.

Huo Congjing laughed. "We didn't come for any other reason. Since the matter is explained, we'll head back now."

With that, he let his deep gaze linger on Su Xiaoyun for a moment before turning to leave.

He hadn't taken two steps before he suddenly looked back. "If you have time, you can draw that cart blueprint for me to see again."

Su Xiaoyun’s heartstrings stirred. She hadn't expected him to remember. She gave a final nod.

Meng Qinian, with his hands behind his head, followed behind at a leisurely pace. "Tsk, tsk, let's go."

Feng Wanqing stared at his back, her eyes filled with vigilance.

"Xiaoyun, let's not pay any mind to that man. He looks like a loafer, completely unreliable."

"I saved some breakfast for you. Go inside and eat."

"Hurry up and tell me what happened last night. What exactly went on?"

Su Xiaoyun was left between laughter and tears by her barrage of questions. "Don't be anxious, I'll tell you slowly."

...

At this hour, the villagers were heading out to the fields one after another.

The sun climbed higher, baking the ground with intense heat. Behind a shaded haystack, two figures were entwined, as inseparable as glue and lacquer.

"I just want it! I heard it's the new style at the supply and marketing cooperative. Xiao Cui from the next village bought one, and I want one too!"

Yang Jinyue shook Zhou Xuejun’s arm, acting spoiled. Her sugary, high-pitched voice made Zhou Xuejun’s bones feel soft.

His hands wandered recklessly over her slender waist. "My heart, I want to buy it for you too. Good things belong to beauties; that floral oil should be yours."

But his pockets were truly empty. If it weren't for Su Xiaoyun refusing to let go, would he have been reduced to this state? His daily ration was nothing but a half-piece of black flour steamed bun. If he hadn't relied on the food Yang Jinyue brought from home, he wouldn't even have the strength to climb off the heated brick bed!

Yang Jinyue pouted in dissatisfaction, poking his chest with her henna-stained fingernail. "Are you saving money because you still want to be with Su Xiaoyun? You keep saying you want to marry me, but you won't even buy me a bottle of floral oil."

"It's a waste that I even put in a good word for you to my dad! Hmph!"

She turned away with an arrogant air, waiting for Zhou Xuejun to coax her.

Zhou Xuejun scratched his hair in frustration and hurriedly said, "Heaven and earth are my witness, everything I have is yours! If it weren't for Su Xiaoyun meddling, I would have already bought you that dacron dress!"