Chapter 112

In the main hall, paper money was being burned, incense candles flickering, as the living mourned and remembered the departed, Shen Man's several hundred folded gold ingots that she had prepared also burned to ashes along with it.

Lu Xiu Bai took the lead in kowtowing to the grandmother; besides Grandfather Lu, everyone else followed suit.

After pouring out three cups of tribute wine, he then poured wine for his mother.

After kowtowing three more resounding times, the others continued to repeat the kowtowing motion.

Shen Man was sincere every time she kowtowed.

This is not feudal dross; it is remembrance and mourning for the departed.

They are not paper cutouts; they are living, breathing people.

Even though they have passed away, they deserve respect.

The gold ingots on the ground and the yellow spirit paper all turned to ash, leaving not a trace.

Today's wind was also very gentle.

After the memorial ended, Grandfather Lu gestured for his grandson and grandson-in-law to move the table to the courtyard to eat.

A little ash had gotten onto the offerings; just blow it off lightly and they're still edible.

Back then, he followed the Red Army in battle, running all over the south and north, eating grass roots, belts, tree bark—countless times.

At the hardest times, he almost swallowed cotton, and he ate several catties of Guanyin soil.

It was also his great fortune that he didn't die, though he suffered continual hidden injuries.

Being able to live to this day counts as great blessings and great fate.

"Grandfather, on my way home just now, I saw Lu Manman—how did she come here?"

Lu Xiu Bai piled his own rice bowl high, then proactively found a topic to chat about.

"Who knows? She came and knelt right away, begging for my forgiveness; I figured she likes to kneel, so let her kneel."

Shen Man shook her head, looking innocent; suddenly, three pieces of sweet-and-sour spare ribs appeared in her bowl.

Grandfather Lu, Jiang Ye, and Pei Yan Ting, without prior agreement, all simultaneously chose to pick spare ribs with their first chopsticks for Shen Man......

The three exchanged a smile, withdrew their chopsticks, silently picked other dishes, and then each ate on their own.

Seeing this, Lu Xiu Bai hesitated whether to give his sister a side dish.

"Brother, you eat yours; I have plenty of vegetables in my bowl."

Shen Man warily lifted her bowl farther away; her brother's chopsticks were coated with his saliva, and she didn't want that.

"Oh."

Though his sister despised him, Lu Xiu Bai wasn't angry; his brother-in-law's dishes were truly delicious, and he could eat two more bowls of rice!

Next week they'll all go aboard warships to sail and conduct secret oceanic training, and then they won't be as fortunate as now to enjoy hot meals.

By then they might be eating dry rations and canned food.

Just thinking about that makes his stomach want to protest.

"Just eat your meal; you can endure putting on a bitter face."

Grandfather Lu glared at his grandson, "Can't you even stop talking while eating?"

"Grandfather, we just eat our own; ignore the brother."

Shen Man soothed softly, gesturing for her brother to take it easy, not to really anger Grandfather.

"Grandfather, try the sea snails; Manman gathered them yesterday with other military wives, kept them overnight, the meat is tender and suits your teeth."

Jiang Ye also chimed in, diverting Grandfather's attention.

"Good, good, good, I'll try."

Grandfather Lu is actually easy to appease; look, his attention was quickly shifted.

Lu Xiu Bai finally behaved, holding his rice bowl, silently eating his rice, no longer mischievous.

After finishing lunch, Lu Xiu Bai voluntarily cleared the bowls and chopsticks, for he dared not offend the cook......

Meanwhile, Lu Manman left the military region in a dejected state, walking while asking people where the guesthouse was.

It took over half an hour before she finally found the place.

"Letter of introduction, name, native place."

The person on duty today happened to be Wang Mingkui.

Her businesslike attitude left nothing to fault.

Lu Manman pulled the letter of introduction from her bag, sweat pouring down her face, and said in a flustered manner:

"My name is Lu Manman; I came from the Capital to the Sea Island to visit relatives. This is an introduction letter issued by my neighborhood office; my husband is the deputy director of the Railway Bureau, Gu Tingchen......"

"From the Capital?"

Upon hearing that, Wang Mingkui immediately became suspicious, scrutinizing the introduction letter's content, the issuing street, and the stamping unit.

"Eh? What relation is Commander Lu's grandfather to you?"

Soon she found the doubtful point.

"He is my grandfather."

Lu Manman explained dryly, her former arrogance and sense of righteousness gone.

"He's your grandfather? Your surname is Lu, his is Lu—different surnames; what exactly is your identity?!"

Wang Mingkui understood in his heart, guessing she was the daughter of Shen Man's wicked stepmother; he kept a straight face and deliberately made things difficult:

"Think it over before you speak!"

"He really is my grandfather, but I'm not his biological granddaughter; I am, I am the daughter of his son's remarried wife."

After Lu Manman finished speaking, she instantly felt her face burning, as if stripped naked, standing before a crowd, being judged and commented upon.

A small lack of forbearance spoils great plans.

"Oh."

Wang Mingkui drew out his tone meaningfully, looked her up and down, then said:

"So you're the stepsister who snatched Shen Man Comrade's childhood sweetheart, huh? Why give up a good life in the Capital to come to Sea Island?"

Upon hearing this, some people going up and down the stairs stopped in their tracks, standing still to watch the gossip.

"Comrade, I'm just handling check‑in; I'm not a criminal. This is a family matter, not something I can discuss with outsiders."

Lu Manman's face flushed; she silently cursed Shen Man, damn her, for spilling everything.

Is this something Shen Man can be proud of?

Doesn't she fear her military husband's anger, given she once had a childhood sweetheart?

A man's pride is at stake—doesn't he mind that his wife once had an engagement?

Just now she was at a disadvantage, with no chance to talk to that military officer.

Next time, if she gets the chance, she'll definitely give Shen Man a proper eye‑drop.

"I don't like hearing that; I'm a Guesthouse staff member, and I have the duty to clarify the personal circumstances of those checking in.

If we let in someone with bad conduct and corrupt morals, and they cause a scandal, wouldn't that become a disgrace for our Guesthouse?"

Wang Mingkui spoke with a half‑smile, his words as venomous as if his mouth had been poisoned; an ordinary guilty person hearing this would likely blush and cover their face before fleeing.

But he clearly underestimated Lu Manman's shameless thick‑skinnedness.

"What you say is correct; you have the duty to inquire, but you are not the Public Security Bureau, and you have no authority to interrogate me.

If you keep this attitude, I won't complete the check‑in; I will file a complaint, complaining that you are excessively hostile toward me..."

As someone who has lived a second life, Lu Manman is still quite sharp‑witted.

"Suit yourself; I'll just sit here waiting for your complaint—I want to see what crime the Public Security Bureau comrade will charge me with."

Wang Mingkui shrugged, tossed the other's introduction letter onto the counter, adopting a carefree, nonchalant attitude.

Although she isn't one of the eight major staff positions, she's hardly any different.

Does the other party think a few words can scare her?

Hahaha, dreaming of eating shit!