Chapter 40 – Sister-in-Law

Mazha seemed to have something gloomy on his mind. He let out a long, heavy sigh and didn’t answer Zhang Fei’s question. Instead, he posed his own query, “You really can’t tell? Officer Tang has changed!”

Zhang Fei opened her eyes wide and a complicated look passed through them. She lowered her head, tightened her lips into a pout, and didn’t deign to reply. Mazha could hear the sound of her fist clenching and unclenching at the side.

At dawn, Zhang Fei finally fell asleep from exhaustion. Even in sleep, she would moan or sob occasionally.

Mazha shook his head and left her room. When he came out of the female soldier’s room, he coincidentally saw Tang Can coming out of Shen Yu’s room.

“Zhang Fei’s doing alright?” asked Tang Can, his voice dry and scratchy. The young officer quickly glanced at the female officer’s room.

Mazha smiled and said, “Officer Tang, do you no longer care about Zhang Fei anymore? Last night you were pretty cruel to her. I thought we were comrades who had experienced life and death scenarios together. Who could be more important to us than each other?”

Tang Can raised his head and looked at Mazha expressionlessly. Not a word was said in return. The young officer left Mazha alone in the hallway.

Mazha watched speechlessly as his commanding officer entered his own room. The male soldier let out another long sigh and went back to his assigned room to rest.

Although none of them had the habit of sleeping in, they all ended up sleeping until noon due to their lack of sleep the previous night. Sleeping so much had its benefits. They could skip breakfast and eat both breakfast and lunch together at once.

Mazha woke up the earliest. By the time Tang Can came down, Mazha had already finished eating.

Tang Can went to the cafeteria to order some food and then went back up to wake Shen Yu. When he opened her door, he found the young woman sitting lifelessly on the bed. Her eyes were red and swollen. Tracks of fresh tears lined her face.

Shen Yu thought as she shuddered inwardly.

“Grandpa, why did you come here?” asked Tang Can, his voice full of surprise.

The old man hollered, “If I didn’t come, by the time you found that gold mine, I’d probably be dead! They’d be burying my bones already!” Tang Can’s grandfather’s voice was so loud that an echo could be heard in the yard.

At this point, a group of soldiers came out to greet the hot-tempered old man. “Welcome, senior officer!” they greeted in chorus and then escorted him into the guesthouse.

Shen Yu had never knew that rank that the old man held. Of course, she had figured out earlier that he was Tang Can’s grandfather.

For the next couple of days, Tang Can accompanied his grandfather. Zhang Fei had finally found her sponsor. She orbited around Grandfather Tang and they seemed to be closer than blood relatives.

Shen Yu was ignored by the others. Previously, Grandpa Tang had fought through his heart problems to see her. Now, she was no longer the favorite. Bored out of her mind and left to her own devices, Shen Yu went to burn some time in the large courtyard. She let her rich, dark hair fall free to her shoulders. Strands of her hair danced in the light breeze.

“This female soldier is quite beautiful!” exclaimed an army officer in his thirties as he stood in the doorway of the lobby. He pointed a hand at her in awe.

The guard next to him glanced at Shen Yu and said, “She should be a part of the civilian division! I’m not sure which office she’s from. Did you want me to go over and ask her?”

“No need, no need. She is a part of my team. You can call her Reporter Shen.” Neither of the soldiers knew when Tang Can appeared. The young officer had his trademark smile on his face.

The other officer immediately smiled, “Perfect timing, Officer Tang! Can you call her over and introduce me to her?”

Tang Can grinned and nodded his head. “Alright, I’d be happy to introduce you to your future sister-in-law!”

“What?” The other officer looked incredulously at Tang Can, his eyes wide with surprise.