Chapter 914: Is It Awkward or Not?

The mountains on both sides blocked the sun, and shadows covered the road in the river valley. On this road, a row of military green cars and trucks were driving along with a "tu-tu-tu" sound...

After the last performance last night, the Art Troupe finished the performance mission for the year and would have seven days of rest, followed by the start of the new year's performance.

The roads now were naturally not as good as those decades later. After bumping all the way, they finally returned to the Art Troupe's station in Mencius. As usual, there were people shouting that the bath water was ready, hurry up and pack up to take a bath, and the Art Troupe, which had been silent for a long time, became lively again with a "ding-guang" sound.

Wang Yan still went to help the props team unload the truck. He had to do what he did before, naturally, he still had to do it, and he still had to unite with his comrades. But in reality, this situation was also quite difficult. If he did it, people would say he was pretending; if he didn't, people would say he was arrogant and floating. But Wang Yan still did it, and anyway, no one dared to talk nonsense in front of him.

Of course, the slap in the face always came very quickly.

Hao Shuwen looked at Wang Yan busy there, and opened her mouth to mock: "Yo, Wang Platoon Leader is still helping the props team? This is really a good comrade, everyone must learn from Comrade Wang Yan, not arrogant or impetuous."

She actually said what others were thinking, and the irony was quite direct.

"Hao Shuwen is right, Wang Yan was originally like this, didn't he always help the props team before? We can't maliciously speculate that Wang Yan is pretending just because he is famous and has achieved results now. This is wrong, comrades must pay attention, don't distort the thinking."

Before Wang Yan could reply, Lin Dingding seemed not to have heard Hao Shuwen's irony, and spoke seriously about Wang Yan's goodness. She was very sharp and grasped the key to the problem.

"I think you're the one speculating. Everyone is a comrade-in-arms, where are there so many thoughts? Alright, alright, hurry up and pack up to take a bath." Xiao Suizi looked at Wang Yan, "You must wash well, you stink to death."

"This is the proper manly smell." Wang Yan responded with a smile.

"It's all proof of your dedication to our frontier soldiers..." Lin Dingding said so again.

"Hey, Comrade Lin Dingding's awareness is really high."

"How many times have I said, just call me Dingding." She looked at Wang Yan with a reproachful look, her eyes full of charm...

A group of people booed and pulled Lin Dingding away.

Wang Yan smiled, gave Liu Feng a "look at you" look, shrugged his shoulders, and continued to help the props team work.

Until he was busy for an hour, Wang Yan took the bag, carried his luggage and Liu Feng, and returned to the dormitory.

In the dormitory, Chen Can, Zhu Ke, Guan Dongming, and others were all paralyzed on the beds, smoking and chatting, not wanting to move.

"Back. You two really, just let them do the props team's work." Guan Dongming greeted.

"There's only so much work, the sooner it's done, the sooner it's finished. If one more person suffers, then everyone will be less tired, and it will be done faster." Liu Feng answered with a smile.

Zhu Ke gave a thumbs up: "Why say you're a pacesetter, look at this awareness."

Wang Yan was already untying his marching bag, and there was also the big bag that everyone was more concerned about. He smiled and took out canned food and cigarettes, saying: "Old rules, one can of canned food and one pack of cigarettes for everyone."

Immediately, there was a commotion in the dormitory. Wang Yan wasn't stingy, and even Chen Can, who had dirty thoughts at the shooting range yesterday, was still given canned food and cigarettes by Wang Yan.

Wang Yan took out two boxes of canned food and two cartons of cigarettes and handed them to Liu Feng: "Yours."

"Thank you." Liu Feng didn't refuse; he suddenly liked smoking.

Not caring about how others reacted, Wang Yan picked up the letter and manuscript fee sent to him by the PLA Literature and Art, which was what Liu Feng told him before. When he met the Political Commissar before, he also told him, and he had already given the thirty-odd thousand words of manuscript he wrote again to the Political Commissar, sending it to the leaders for review.

After reading it once, Wang Yan packed his things, took off the quilt cover, took the clothes to be washed, and went to take a bath with everyone...

The team returned to the regiment in the morning, and after taking a bath, it was just time for lunch.

Because of the rest at the end of the year and no mission, everyone was discussing where to go shopping and spend money during lunch. As mentioned before, because of the army station and the Third Front construction, although Mencius was a small city, there were not few people here, the supporting facilities were complete, and there were quite a lot of things.

At any time, people are always happy to go out without worries, so the discussion at the dinner table was quite lively. Especially on the female soldiers' side, it was even more enthusiastic; it seems that women are naturally enthusiastic about this aspect.

Liu Feng was heartbroken and didn't cook noodles for Lin Dingding anymore, so naturally, he didn't come over to find trouble, but Wang Yan had already grown to the female soldiers' table. He was still sitting beside Hao Shuwen, opposite Xiao Suizi, and diagonally opposite Lin Dingding.

Lin Dingding took the initiative to ask: "Wang Yan, what are you planning to do?"

Feeling his thigh being kicked by Hao Shuwen, Wang Yan responded with a smile: "Of course, I'm resting well in the dormitory. This month or so, there hasn't been a moment of relaxation, I'm too exhausted, how can I have the heart to go everywhere."

"That's true, you ran to so many places, turning continuously, you have to rest well. But you also have to walk around more, relax more. You're promoted now, fifty-odd yuan a month, I heard you got dozens of yuan in manuscript fees for writing books, you have to treat yourself better, look at how thin you've become."

"That won't do, I've only been a bit well-off these few months, I don't dare to spend money recklessly, I'm saving for a wife."

Lin Dingding blinked: "What kind are you looking for?"

"I just want to find one who can support me, I don't do anything all day, just lying at home and having food and drink."

"You're really funny, are you looking for a wife or a maid? It's a new era, you can't learn the style of a landlord." Lin Dingding giggled, "You're so talented, you definitely can't let yourself down, can you really lie at home? The chief won't agree either. I'm talking to you seriously, tell me properly."

Wang Yan said: "What I said is serious, and it's not contradictory. My little allowance is enough for what? It's just eating a few meals of meat, there are thirty days in a month, and the remaining twenty-odd meals are still not settled. Of course, this is also a beautiful wish. If I can really find such a wife, it would be eight generations of accumulation for my family."

"What if you can't find one?"

"Then life has to go on, right? Who says revolutionary marriage isn't happy? If the couple works hard together, they can always live a good life."

Hao Shuwen nodded: "Yes, I'm just afraid of meeting someone who doesn't work hard. If they drag their feet, it's over."

"Marriage is a big deal, it must be cautious." Lin Dingding expressed approval.

Xiao Suizi said: "Alright, hurry up and eat, the more you talk, the further you go. You're only twenty, what's the rush?"

Everyone finished lunch like this, washed their lunch boxes, and Wang Yan wandered back to the dormitory.

Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi chased after him, one on the left and one on the right: "Are you really resting this afternoon?"

"No, wasn't that kicked by you?"

"Consider you sensible."

Xiao Suizi asked: "Then what are you going to do?"

"Go to the post office to mail the manuscript. I wrote another thirty-odd thousand words this time, sent a copy to the PLA Literature and Art, and another to Shao Jingwen. Shao Jingwen was introduced by PLA Literature and Art, and they also introduced me to the People's Literature Publishing House, to see if it can be published as a book to enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the people."

Without them asking in detail, Wang Yan explained.

Hao Shuwen bumped into Wang Yan's shoulder: "You're amazing, you're really going to be a great writer."

"Awareness is too low, what kind of writer isn't serving the people?" Xiao Suizi learned Wang Yan's tone and asked Wang Yan with a smile, "Am I learning like you?"

"You've grasped the essence." Wang Yan laughed, then asked, "Do you two have something?"

Xiao Suizi replied: "The money is all with you, just waiting to eat meat, what could we have?"

"Look at you, sounding so pitiful, you two didn't keep money, right? As if I became Huang Shiren, I didn't exploit you. How about we go to the state-run restaurant? Let's have the Eight Great Bowls, I've eaten it once before, the craftsmanship is especially good."

"Good for you, you let it slip, eating alone behind our backs."

"Just tell me if you're going or not."

"Going, hehe..." Hao Shuwen laughed without ambition.

"Then what about after the New Year? Can we still eat braised pork?" Xiao Suizi missed the taste of braised pork, and perhaps also missed the feeling in the dark.

Hao Shuwen also reacted and looked at Wang Yan.

"You two gave me over a hundred, can't we eat a few more meals of meat? Definitely have to eat." Wang Yan said, "But you two must pay attention, especially you, Hao Shuwen, you said it at the dinner table just now, you can't drag your feet. You two are like this, all your money is eaten, can your life still be lived well?"

"I'm willing, what's it to you? And it didn't spend your money, you're still taking advantage of us."

"That is, women can hold up half the sky, spend their own allowance, we won't be like Lin Dingding."

Wang Yan waved his hand with a smile, saying: "Just finished eating, digest, gather at the gate of our regiment at three o'clock, and then go to the state-run restaurant."

"It's settled."

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, it was three o'clock. Until he chatted with the guard at the gate for more than ten minutes, Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi ran over.

"Sorry, Wang Yan, came late."

"It's okay, let's go." Wang Yan said two words to the guard, took his manuscript, and went to the post office with the two of them.

"It's all Lin Dingding's fault, she insisted on coming out with us, dawdling for a long time." Hao Shuwen had great resentment.

"Shouldn't be, didn't Wu Ganshi and Doctor Zhang look for her?"

"Can they not look for her?" Xiao Suizi's resentment was no less, "She said she had to pay attention to influence and couldn't let everyone misunderstand. I see, she's just keeping herself pure for you."

"You used this word badly, I didn't touch her body, what kind of purity is she keeping?"

"You're still thinking about touching, stinking rogue."

"Look at you two, yin and yang. Lin Dingding discovered my talent and was conquered by my charm, this is also understandable... Alright, alright, stop talking, stop talking."

Seeing the two girls with fire in their eyes, Wang Yan laughed, "I guess she's just like this for a while, can I really live with her? I told her at lunch today. I thought she would think more about it, who knew she didn't care at all. In your words, if I were with her, I'd be exhausted for the rest of my life, then what am I after? You say, right? I earn money, it's not as good as the three of us eating meat together, isn't that good?"

Hao Shuwen glared at Wang Yan: "How fresh, not saving for a wife anymore?"

"Saving for a wife, who gets the money in the end?"

"Give it to the wife, otherwise why is it called wife money." Xiao Suizi answered actively.

"Then look, isn't it all the same."

"What's the same?" Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi looked at each other, not understanding.

Then, they reacted at the same time, and the red clouds rose to their faces, like flowers in April, beautiful and spring-like, this one beautiful, that one beautiful, making people intoxicated.

"Thinking so beautifully, still thinking you're a landlord, I'll kill you." Even Xiao Suizi, who was relatively gentle to Wang Yan, took action this time.

Hao Shuwen naturally hit harder: "Keep dreaming, I think you should be taken to the shooting range and shot to death."

Wang Yan received the little fists of the two, laughed and went to the post office, and mailed the story of thirty-odd thousand words he wrote this time in two packages. It made Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi gasp at his high output.

It was indeed quite terrifying. Since Wang Yan started writing articles, which was four months, he had written more than a million words. No wonder the PLA Literature and Art didn't accept them anymore and pushed them to Shao Jingwen, and they would be published later.

It was because he wrote too much, unlike other writers who wrote so little and needed to save up to publish a collection. Wang Yan's articles couldn't be published in literary magazines. So they introduced him to Shao Jingwen, used Shao Jingwen to spread his name among the masses, and then published them.

After finishing this matter, the three of them went to the state-run restaurant to eat the Eight Great Bowls. Every place had a state-run restaurant, and naturally, there were local specialties. Many places in Yunnan had these Eight Great Bowls, which were the local specialty dishes, but the methods were a bit different, not much different from places with wind. And in other regions, there were also Eight Great Bowls, all with different characteristics.

It was the end of the year, and everywhere was very lively, and the state-run restaurant was no exception. It was crowded with people. Local cadres, cadres from various other units, and the masses who wanted to enjoy themselves at the end of the year—there were people from all positions, the noise was deafening, and the air was full of the smell of meat.

The three of Wang Yan ate deliciously at a round table in the corner, not just dishes, but also drinking soda. Even though Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi were female comrades, and even though they had eaten lunch, they were still eating very vigorously.

"It's still better to eat outside." Hao Shuwen sighed like this.

"That's for sure, look at this fish and meat, can it not be good? Definitely better than our canteen's food." Xiao Suizi said, "It's just not as good as the braised pork Wang Yan made."

"Then look, it's just this craft. With this craft of mine, I can mix a meal anywhere, this is called having many skills and not being crushed."

In fact, the master of the state-run restaurant had a good level, and also reached level four. There were many mediocre people in the units of this era, but there were also many capable people, and the level of cooking wasn't much worse than Wang Yan's. It was just that braised pork had a filter and was harder to forget.

Just this meal of braised pork, no matter how it developed in the future, they would have to remember it until they died; there were really too many elements in it. Era background, youthful years, hazy feelings, dark small stove, and so on, the second meal was not as delicious as the first.

"You're panting after I say you're fat."

"Just tell me if you're eating or not."

"Eat!" Hao Shuwen's answer was always so straightforward, "If there's meat, why not eat it? Must eat."

"You just have a hard mouth." Wang Yan ate the dishes with a smile.

The three of them ate harmoniously, chatting about everything, idly and happily. However, this happiness always had a time when it was broken.

Wang Yan was sitting in the corner, his vision was very open, and it was very convenient to observe most of the situations in the restaurant. He was also by the window, and he could see the children passing by outside, taking deep breaths, full of longing. He could also see people entering the restaurant.

He watched a man and a woman in military uniforms walk in. The man wore glasses, and the woman was extremely beautiful, attracting the attention of many people.

"Lin Dingding is here." Wang Yan said.

"Where?" Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi turned their heads to look subconsciously. At this look, they met the eyes of Lin Dingding, who was scanning the environment in the store subconsciously.

Seeing the three of Wang Yan, Lin Dingding was stunned for a moment, then walked over with a smile like a flower with Wu Ganshi.

"You are actually eating here, what a coincidence." She sat beside Hao Shuwen and said, "Wang Yan, do you hate me very much?"

Wu Ganshi on the other side didn't look very pleasant at Wang Yan, but didn't show anything.

Wang Yan asked with a smile: "Why do you say that?"

"Asking what you know." Lin Dingding looked at Wang Yan resentfully, "At lunch, you clearly said you wouldn't do anything in the afternoon, but you were eating here with Hao Shuwen and the others, and it was so rich."

"Hey, misunderstanding. I went out this time and wrote another thirty-odd thousand words of manuscript. I only remembered when I went back to pack up, so I took a nap in the dormitory, and went to the post office to mail the manuscript when I got up. Isn't it just right that I met them two coming out, so we joined together to have a meal.

Didn't you say I lost weight and told me to treat myself better? I thought it was true, I don't know when I'll get married, and it's almost the New Year, just right, the three of us combined and came here to have a meal. Get some oil to slide the stomach, so we can eat more during the New Year."

"Oh~ so that's it, I thought you didn't want to see me." Lin Dingding stood up with a smile, "Alright, seeing that you're almost finished, I won't disturb you. Wu Ganshi insisted on treating me to dinner, it was hard to refuse, we'll sit at that table. Goodbye."

Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi, the two players who were embarrassed to the point of digging their feet, nodded at Lin Dingding with awkward smiles, saying some scene words.

After Lin Dingding left, Xiao Suizi let out a long breath: "This is too awkward."

Hao Shuwen nodded repeatedly, looking at Wang Yan: "How can you be so good at making up lies, without even a draft, saying it as if it were true, if I didn't know, I would have believed it, I can see you didn't lie less."

"It was clearly you who didn't let me say it. Now, in order to avoid embarrassment, I explained the reason why we were here with kind words. To you, it became that I didn't lie less? Dou E wasn't as wronged as me."

"Oh my, alright, alright, I say one word, you top eight, so annoying." Hao Shuwen took the initiative to end, then changed the subject, "You say how Lin Dingding is embarrassed to come and ask? Too awkward."

"Otherwise you are Hao Shuwen, and she is Lin Dingding." Wang Yan responded with a smile.

Xiao Suizi said: "If I were her, she must also be embarrassed, just holding on. Didn't she say she was afraid of others misunderstanding when she came? As a result, Wu Ganshi invited her to the state-run restaurant, and she came out? Besides, didn't she tell Wang Yan before, what Officer Zhang and Wu Ganshi were all rumors? Today they came out alone. And she was still enthusiastic to Wang Yan?

Besides, now that she sees the three of us sitting at a table, she will definitely think of the fact that she said Wang Yan sent her canned food before. She thinks we must have asked Wang Yan, and now her lie has been exposed, who knows what she's thinking. But in the dormitory in the future, maybe there's no way to be like before."

"Really interesting, if it weren't for wanting to see how much she can wave, I would have turned against her long ago, who still cares about her." Hao Shuwen had the arrogance of a general's daughter.

But it was indeed quite annoying. She and Xiao Suizi wanted to see how much Lin Dingding could wave, but they were angry enough...

"Don't worry, it will definitely be the same as before. You think she didn't think about being exposed?"

Wang Yan shook his head with a smile, "Everyone is in the same troupe, who doesn't know who? She has so many men around her, who can believe it if there's nothing? Not to mention I saw her with Wu Ganshi that day, and she could reveal it with a light sentence.

As for me sending her canned food, she just needs to say it was a joke, after all, she didn't say I sent it, it was all guessed by you. There was indeed guidance, she could also say it was a joke with everyone. What do you think this is based on?"

"Isn't it because she's shameless?" Hao Shuwen rolled her eyes, looking down on Lin Dingding a hundred times.

"That's one point, mainly because she's beautiful, and she doesn't reject getting close to male comrades, flirting. This is her capital, which man can hold on? You look at that Wu Ganshi, do you really think he doesn't know anything? He just knows, and is still willing, just wanting to immerse himself in Lin Dingding's gentle village."

Xiao Suizi asked: "You also want to immerse yourself?"

Looking at her dangerous eyes, Wang Yan shook his head and smiled: "I'm already in the ice and fire, what else is there to immerse in?"

Hao Shuwen glared at Wang Yan with a tiger face: "Get out, get out, get out, who is

"Seriously, don't say I didn't warn you, Lin Dingding is truly seductive. Just look, she's got Liu Feng in such a state." Wang Yan wisely chose to change the subject.

Xiao Suizi played along, giving him face as she turned the page: "Didn't you advise him yesterday? How did it go?"

"It had an effect this time. Lin Dingding really hurt him; he's heartbroken right now. He's even started smoking, one after another; he smoked until he threw up yesterday."

"Liu Feng is such a good person, why is he so blind, fixating on Lin Dingding?" Hao Shuwen shook her head repeatedly.

"He said that I wouldn't understand his feelings for Lin Dingding."

"What feelings? He's just asking for it..."

Wang Yan laughed: "Hurry up and eat. Once we're done, we should retreat; if we stay any later, we'll end up walking back with Lin Dingding."

The three of them immediately picked up the pace. After finishing their meal, they greeted Lin Dingding and Wu Ganshi with smiles, then left the state-run restaurant and strolled back.

"It was such a good meal, but Lin Dingding ruined the mood; I didn't even enjoy eating."

Hao Shuwen's unrefined remark as she patted her belly met with Xiao Suizi's agreement...

Back at the dormitory, Liu Feng was the only one there, lying lazily on his bed, eyes fixed on the bunk above. He had placed a stool by the bedside with a tin can on it, flicking his cigarette ash into it.

Seeing Wang Yan open the door and enter, he greeted him: "You're back. Where did you go to have fun?"

"Fun? I went to the post office to mail a manuscript, then went to the state-run restaurant for a meal with Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi. What's wrong with you? Sitting here wallowing in sorrow?"

"You're really living large." Liu Feng acted as if he hadn't heard the latter part.

"Guess who I saw at the state-run restaurant? Hey, right, you guessed it—it was Lin Dingding. She went with Wu Ganshi; she said Wu Ganshi insisted on treating her to a meal there, and she couldn't refuse his kindness."

When Wang Yan was annoying, he was truly annoying. If Liu Feng didn't know Wang Yan's combat prowess, he would have loved to spar with him and show him a set of military boxing.

But unfortunately, he couldn't beat him, so he just took a fierce drag of the Zhonghua cigarette Wang Yan had given him, continued staring at the bedboard, and said nothing.

"Stop playing dead. Didn't you go out with He He Xiaoping to get medicine? Any progress?"

"It was just a normal trip to get medicine, and then we went to the post office. What kind of progress could there be?"

"What about the canned food?"

... "I gave it to her."

"This thing is a done deal then. I'll be waiting to drink at your wedding."

"What do you mean 'done deal'? Where are you getting that from?"

"You still have a brain when you aren't spinning around Lin Dingding." Wang Yan lit a cigarette, sat on his own bunk, and muttered, "You've been here for over two years, you've been a model soldier for two years, and you dance well; by all accounts, you should be promoted to officer rank. Let me find some time to chat with the political commissar and see if we can get you promoted this year. Otherwise, marriage is restricted, and besides, without an officer rank, there's no housing for marriage."

"That wouldn't be appropriate, would it?" Liu Feng sat straight up.

He would accept the two cartons of cigarettes Wang Yan gave him. But if Wang Yan were to lobby for him, speak on his behalf, and run around for his promotion, he wouldn't be able to handle it.

In fact, Liu Feng could have been promoted anyway. Originally, he was arranged to study at the Military and Political University to advance to a full company-level position, and there was talk of arranging a job for him. At that time, Liu Feng was already a deputy company-level officer and had received three commendations. The drama says Liu Feng injured his back during flood relief, and he should have been promoted to deputy company level then. In other words, before this, Liu Feng had already been promoted; it was around this year.

Liu Feng's resume was actually quite good, and his future was very bright.

Wang Yan waved his hand: "What's inappropriate about it? You're the only friend I have; if I don't look out for you, who will? Don't give me that 'we're all comrades' routine; even among comrades, there's closeness and distance. Besides, you're a model soldier every year; you should have been promoted long ago. Let me find time to ask the political commissar, and I'll tell you later. Alright, you're a grown man, stop whining like a woman."

Liu Feng was deeply moved. He knew all too well that many people in the regiment laughed at him, ordered him around, and played tricks on him. But Wang Yan was different; he stood up for him and offended people with connections like Chen Can and Zhu Ke. He also made him give up chasing after Lin Dingding, told him to be with He He Xiaoping, gave him cigarettes, gave him canned food, and now was even considering his promotion. He was closer than his own father...

"Thanks." That was all the casual gratitude he could muster.

"Not going to 'promote the spirit' this time and give the promotion opportunity to a comrade who needs it more?"

"You're a pretty good guy, it's just that your mouth is too sharp."

"You're a pretty good guy too, as long as you aren't obsessing over Lin Dingding."

Liu Feng lay back down, smoking melancholically.

Wang Yan laughed, didn't tease him anymore, lay on the bed, and picked up a book to read...

The bugle for dinner sounded right on time. Even though they had already had a good meal after lunch, Wang Yan still took his mess tin and went to the cafeteria with Liu Feng.

Tonight's dinner was steamed white flour buns and potato stewed with beef. Although there wasn't much beef, the potatoes were stewed until soft and glutinous, full of the beef's flavor, and paired with the meat broth, it was quite good.

Potato stewed with beef is a dish with a history; it originated in Hungary, then spread to the Soviet Union, becoming a model of Soviet communist life. China was deeply influenced by the Soviet Union, which is why this dish became popular in China. Of course, that wasn't possible now; people couldn't even get pork, let alone beef.

"Wang Yan, Liu Feng, help out with the pig slaughter on New Year's Eve. We've been tending to them for a year, and we've been waiting for this day." The mess officer called out.

"Sure, I'm a dab hand at slaughtering pigs; you've found the right person. Besides, I'm not trying to lecture you, Old Zhang, but you're being excessive. Shouldn't we finish breakfast before slaughtering the pig? When the time comes, you can call us; it's not like the two of us are going to run away."

"Why are you so long-winded?" The mess officer laughed and scolded, and the matter was settled.

Wang Yan took his mess tin, a bun in his mouth, and went to the table with Liu Feng. Sure enough, Hao Shuwen, Xiao Suizi, and Lin Dingding were all there. Even though they had already eaten, they were still sitting there, picking at their food. They were mainly afraid of being hungry at night, so they were clever enough to get some food to take back to the dormitory for later.

"Wang Yan is here, sit, sit, sit." Lin Dingding was as enthusiastic as ever. Seeing Wang Yan, her sparkling eyes were full of endless charm.

He sat down next to Hao Shuwen and set down his mess tin, which drew an exclamation from Lin Dingding.

"Wang Yan, you already ate at the state-run restaurant with Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi less than two hours ago, and you're still eating this much? You really can eat."

"A martial artist needs a lot of energy. You forgot again; you just said I looked thin at noon. I'm just eating a bit more to make up for it."

"If it's not enough, eat mine. I can't finish this; I'm just afraid of being hungry at night." Lin Dingding laughed, "You really should eat more. We only have these few days off for the New Year, and then you'll have to go out and run around; you might even have to go to the 14th Army. Everyone has heard of you, but you haven't been there yet; the soldiers are all looking forward to seeing you. Your mission is heavy."

"It's not clear at the moment, but I'll obey orders and follow instructions." Wang Yan responded with a smile.

He had already seen that Hao Shuwen and Xiao Suizi were in low spirits; it seemed they had already clashed in the dormitory. Or perhaps it couldn't be called a clash, but Lin Dingding's reaction had exceeded their expectations, yet it had been predicted by Wang Yan...