bookbashuk Chapter 65: That was fun! Keep fighting, fight every night!
Chapter 65: That was fun! Keep fighting, fight every night!
Wang Xiuying's greeting was bright and crisp, as if she was calling it out specifically for the young wives next to her.
Lin Weiwei rolled her eyes inwardly, but forced a smile on her face: "Yeah, to the cafeteria."
"Come on, let's walk together, we can chat." Wang Xiuying quickly approached and naturally walked next to Lin Weiwei and Su Wanwan, slightly squeezing the other young wives who were originally with her behind them.
The road was covered in yellow dust, and the sun had turned the ground white.
Wang Xiuying cleared her throat and began to speak: "Speaking of which, among our group of people who came with the military, I was the first to adapt. My husband, Jianguo, said that I came to support his work and not to hold him back. So, as soon as I arrived, I helped sweep the yard and clean the toilets, and I volunteered to do all kinds of work. The leaders all said it was good."
She turned her head and glanced at Lin Weiwei and Su Wanwan: "Unlike some comrades, who come from the city and are so pampered. They have to mobilize the whole regiment to repair a toilet, with all the cement and bricks involved, making quite a fuss. When they're working, they have to ask people to help with cooking... Tsk tsk, they're not here to accompany the army, they're here to be pampered wives."
The barb in his words could be heard from two miles away.
The young wives following behind exchanged glances, not daring to say a word.
Lin Weiwei's temper flared up instantly, and just as she was about to speak, Su Wanwan gently tugged at her sleeve.
Su Wanwan didn't stop walking, her face still showing a gentle and quiet demeanor. Her voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for everyone around her to hear clearly: "Wang Xiuying is right. It's our duty to contribute to the collective. We're new here and don't understand many things, so we should learn more from Sister Xiuying."
She paused, looked at Wang Xiuying, and asked sincerely, "By the way, Sister Xiuying, after you cleaned the toilet that day, you seemed to have forgotten to take the broom back? Zhang's wife helped you put it away, right? It was really a lot of trouble for Zhang's wife. Next time you do a good deed, Sister Xiuying, you must remember to put your tools away properly, otherwise you'll have to bother others again, and your 'contribution' won't be thorough enough."
Wang Xiuying's smile froze for a moment.
That day, after she finished cleaning the toilet, the smell made her dizzy and lightheaded, so she really did leave the broom there and run away. Later, Sister Zhang couldn't stand it and brought it back.
It wasn't a big deal, but Su Wanwan's casual mention of it made her seem careless and impulsive, only concerned with appearances and neglecting the details.
A young woman behind them couldn't help but chuckle softly, then quickly suppressed it.
Wang Xiuying's face flushed slightly, and she forced a smile, "That...that was an accident. The toilet was just too dirty; I felt a little uncomfortable after I finished working..."
"Yes, that's why Sister Xiuying's spirit of not being afraid of getting dirty or tired is something we should all learn from." Su Wanwan replied quickly, her tone still gentle, but her eyes were clear. "But Sister Xiuying, there's something I don't know if I should say."
"You say it," Wang Xiuying said, her neck stiff.
"We do good deeds for the collective good, not for show," Su Wanwan said softly, as if speaking casually. "If we're only thinking about getting the leaders to see it or others to praise us, then our intentions aren't pure. Don't you agree, Sister Xiuying?"
These words, spoken calmly and steadily, were like a needle, pricking Wang Xiuying's pride and causing her to deflate instantly.
She opened her mouth, but for a moment she couldn't find the words to refute it.
Lin Weiwei, who was listening nearby, almost gave Su Wanwan a thumbs up.
Her best friend is usually gentle and quiet, but when she really criticizes someone, every word she says hits the nail on the head, and no one can find fault with it.
Wang Xiuying fell silent, her smile faded, and she quickened her pace.
As she continued on the journey, she indeed spoke much less, only occasionally exchanging a few perfunctory words with the people next to her.
When the row of red brick buildings of the canteen came into view, Lin Weiwei finally breathed a sigh of relief.
It was lunchtime, and there were quite a few people coming and going at the entrance.
They had just stepped into the open space in front of the cafeteria when they heard someone shout behind them, "Technician Bai, slow down! Are you crazy?"
The voice sounded familiar; it was Chen Jianjun.
Lin Weiwei turned around and saw Bai Si'an coming from the dirt road in the camp.
He did walk faster than usual, and his limp in his right leg became more noticeable as he hurried, the hem of his military uniform swaying with his movements.
Chen Jianjun and another technician followed behind him, wanting to catch up but not wanting to get too close.
Bai Si'an seemed not to hear his comrade's shouts. His eyes were fixed on the entrance of the canteen. His gaze swept across the crowd and quickly settled on Lin Weiwei.
Then he just walked straight over, leaving Chen Jianjun and the others behind.
"Hey hey hey!" Chen Jianjun cheered from behind, "Look at you, you've forgotten your brothers now that you have a wife! Technician Bai, wait for us!"
Bai Si'an paused for a moment, his ears turning slightly red, but he didn't turn around and walked up to Lin Weiwei.
"Eat?" he asked, slightly out of breath, with a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.
"Hmm." Lin Weiwei looked at him, almost laughing. "Why are you running? Are there wolves chasing you?"
Bai Si'an adjusted his glasses, didn't respond to that question, and only asked in a low voice, "Are your hands still sore?"
Lin Weiwei's face flushed, and the images from the bathroom last night flashed through her mind.
She gritted her teeth, raised her hand, and gave Bai Si'an a light slap on the side: "It doesn't hurt anymore! You've got a lot of strength to hit people now!"
The slap landed on the military uniform fabric with a dull thud.
Bai Si'an swayed slightly from her hit, but he didn't dodge. Instead, the corners of his mouth curved up, and he lowered his voice even further: "Good hit. You can hit me more often in the future, preferably every night."