Huo Tingzhou first nodded to greet Professor Li and the others, then draped the thick coat he brought over her.
Only then did he explain gently.
"Uncle Chen is at home. The military district affairs ended early today, so I came to pick you up on the way."
On the way?
Jiang Si didn't believe it, but with so many people present, she didn't say anything after all.
Recently, Huo Tingzhou had always been like this. Maybe because he was about to leave, he seemed to be especially clingy to her.
Whenever he was free, he would always find ways to pick her up and drop her off from work.
Jiang Si didn't need to ask to know that he must have been waiting outside for a long time.
"Professor Li, then we'll leave first." Jiang Si turned back to say goodbye to Professor Li and other colleagues.
After they finished speaking, Huo Tingzhou stepped forward and put his arm around Jiang Si's shoulder.
"Be careful. The stairs are a bit slippery."
As he spoke, he tilted the umbrella almost entirely towards her.
If it weren't for so many people watching, he might have directly picked her up in his arms and carried her to the car.
Even so, the natural intimacy between the two still amazed everyone.
For a moment, topics like "a handsome man and a beautiful woman" and "they have such a good relationship" kept coming up one after another. Even Professor Li rarely sighed, "Xiao Jiang has good taste!"
Ling Yunfei was hidden in the crowd, his eyes fixed on this scene all the time.
He knew she was beautiful when he first saw her in the newspaper, but now that he saw her in person, he realized that the beauty shown in the newspaper was far less than one-tenth of her real beauty.
As if sensing something, Huo Tingzhou suddenly looked back before getting in the car.
Unexpectedly, their eyes met across the distance.
Huo Tingzhou's expression instantly turned cold. He didn't say a word.
But the imposing manner of someone who had been in a high position for a long time and exuded authority without getting angry made people feel an inexplicable sense of oppression even from a distance.
Ling Yunfei instantly felt as if he was being crushed and had trouble breathing.
Finally, he could only withdraw his gaze and awkwardly touch his nose to cover up his embarrassment.
"What's wrong?"
Because there were still many people in front blocking the view, Jiang Si didn't see Ling Yunfei's figure.
She squeezed his hand. "It seems to be raining harder. Let's get in the car quickly."
Hearing this, Huo Tingzhou's eyebrows and eyes instantly softened. "Okay."
He carefully protected her and slowly walked down the slippery steps.
After she got into the car,
he then walked around to the other side and got in.
In the car, seeing Jiang Si take out a clean handkerchief from her bag, Huo Tingzhou immediately leaned over to cooperate.
"Who were you looking at just now?" Jiang Si asked casually while helping him wipe the damp strands of hair on his forehead.
Huo Tingzhou didn't intend to hide it from her. Although the other person had backed down, for him, this person was always an uncertain factor.
He said bluntly, "I saw that Ling family member, Ling Yunfei."
"Oh, it's him."
Jiang Si wasn't very surprised. She continued to wipe as she said.
"During the meeting today, I heard Professor Li mention something."
"He said that their First Engineering Bureau seems to have taken on an out-of-town project and may be busy for a while recently."
"Going out of town?"
"Yes."
Jiang Si nodded. She wasn't very clear about the specific situation either.
"It seems that there is a state-owned cement factory in Longcheng that needs to be expanded, and the Ministry of Construction has assigned this project to them."
After saying that, she gently stroked his slightly wet hair with her fingers.
"Your hair seems to be covering your eyes. I'll help you cut it when we get back later."
Ever since she helped him cut his hair on Qiongzhou Island that one time, now he and his uncles no longer go out to get their haircuts.
For this reason, Jiang Si specifically bought a set of hair - cutting tools.
Naturally, her skills have been getting better and better.
After hearing this, Huo Tingzhou slightly raised the corners of his lips. "Okay."
"By the way,"
Jiang Si seemed to suddenly remember something important, and her hand movement paused.
"Did they call you to the General Military Region early this morning because you're about to set off?"
She was referring to the matter of going to the Aviation School in Hei Province to teach.
"Yeah." Huo Tingzhou responded. Then he stretched out his long arm and took a kraft paper envelope from the back seat.
Jiang Si took it and opened it. Inside was a beautifully - made invitation letter to the "Patriotic and Support - the - Army Commendation Conference".
The time was set for this weekend.
There was also a train ticket under the invitation letter.
It was a ticket from Capital City to the Three - Trees Railway Station in Ha City, and the departure time was also this weekend.
That meant he was going to Hei Province this weekend.
Although it was still early and there were still several days before his departure, Jiang Si didn't feel at ease and started packing his luggage that night.
In the past, when he went on missions, he always packed his own luggage.
Basically, it was just a few changes of clothes and some daily necessities.
But this time the situation was different. He was going to stay there for more than three months.
Thinking that it was only March now and it would probably still be cold in Hei Province for some time, Jiang Si went to the department store the next day.
She bought him several sets of clothes from head to toe, from the inside out.
Basically, she bought everything she could think of.
After all this packing, she actually managed to organize three big bags of luggage.
Jiang Si picked up one bag. Goodness, she almost couldn't lift it.
"Can you carry all these?" she hesitated.
"Yes." Huo Tingzhou nodded.
Although many of these things could be bought there, these were all his wife's heartfelt gifts, and Huo Tingzhou didn't want to take out a single thing.
"Don't worry. There will be someone to pick me up at the station when I get there."
Hearing him say this, Jiang Si felt relieved.
"By the way, here. Keep this safe." Jiang Si took a thick envelope and stuffed it into the bag that Huo Tingzhou carried with him.
The envelope was bulging, and it was obvious that there were a lot of money and coupons inside.
Huo Tingzhou opened it and took out a little. "This is enough. The aviation school provides meals and accommodation, so I don't have many places to spend money."
"How can you not have any expenses!" Jiang Si stuffed the money back without any room for argument.
She didn't know about others, but how could she not know about Huo Tingzhou?
As the old saying goes, be frugal at home and generous on the road. It's always right to carry more money with you.
What if there was an emergency?
"Take all this money with you. When you miss me and the kids, call us."
Hei Province was far away, and long - distance calls were quite expensive, costing more than one yuan per minute.
Last time, Regimental Commander Xiao covered the cost for him. This time, he couldn't end up borrowing money from his students, could he?
Thinking of these things, Jiang Si muttered a few more words.
"I don't know what the food in the aviation school is like. I've packed some national food coupons for you separately."
"If the food is not good, go to the state - owned restaurant to have a decent meal."
"And this. There are all kinds of common pills in here. If you don't feel well, don't just endure it."
Seeing the earnest look on her face as she gave instructions, Huo Tingzhou's heart softened.
"Okay, I'll do everything as you say."
Jiang Si added, "Think again. Is there anything else missing?"
Huo Tingzhou shook his head.
She had prepared everything that needed to be prepared.
If possible, what he wanted most was to pack up the three of them—her and their two children—and take them with him.
Jiang Si also wished she could, but she really couldn't leave at the moment.
After finishing packing the luggage, Jiang Si felt a weight off her mind. In the next few days, she threw herself whole - heartedly into her work again.
On Saturday afternoon, Jiang Si went to her unit.
An hour ago, she received a message that a small problem had suddenly occurred at the construction site, and the drawings needed to be modified temporarily.
Just as she was busy modifying the drawings, there was a sudden knock on the door.
"Come in," Jiang Si said without looking up.
The door was pushed open, and a strange voice suddenly rang out, "Comrade Jiang, are you busy?"
Jiang Si was about to reply.
When she looked up and saw the person standing there, her expression froze slightly—
