"Since this matter already has a resolution, I won't keep Political Commissar Liao and Regimental Commander Tian any longer."
"After all, you two are busy with official duties, not like me who has time for a life of luxury and indulgence!"
Pei Zhengnian's words were laced with hidden meaning and barbs.
Political Commissar Liao and Tian Chengyi exchanged a glance. Political Commissar Liao rubbed his nose.
He was more reserved: "We've finished our official business for today."
Tian Chengyi, thick-skinned, said: "That's right. Your wife just invited us to stay for dinner. It's hard to refuse such warm hospitality, so we accepted."
Pei Zhengnian: "..."
Tian Chengyi rolled up his sleeves. "I'll give you a hand."
Political Commissar Liao hesitated for a moment. "I can too."
Once the three men were crowded into the kitchen,
Pei Zhengnian's eyes shot daggers at Tian Chengyi and Political Commissar Liao.
"You two really have some nerve!"
"You come here to call me to account, and still have the gall to mooch a meal?"
Tian Chengyi didn't mind at all. "I was just going through the motions."
Political Commissar Liao quickly nodded in agreement. "Exactly."
"So, was my wife wasting her breath then?"
Pei Zhengnian directly shoved a handful of green beans into Tian Chengyi's hands and some eggplants into Political Commissar Liao's.
Tian Chengyi nodded. "Absolutely necessary. If she hadn't said all that, how would we have known how capable and how much she cares about you?"
Political Commissar Liao hurriedly chimed in, "Right, right. The way your wife was righteously indignant back then, truly, her heart and eyes were full of you."
Pei Zhengnian's expression improved by more than just a little bit at that. The corners of his mouth involuntarily twitched upwards before he suppressed it.
"Ahem~"
"Consider yourselves perceptive."
Actually, Political Commissar Liao and Tian Chengyi's visit today was just for show!
The relationship between the three men in the army was anything but ordinary.
No, it should be said that even when Pei Zhengnian was back in the capital, the three were already kindred spirits and friends.
This time, Pei Zhengnian's choice to join the Daliao Corps was also influenced significantly by Tian Chengyi and Political Commissar Liao.
Shen Nanchu hadn't spent much time in the army and wasn't aware of the relationship between these three.
Now, well!
Every move the three made in the kitchen was being live-streamed by the system.
Shen Nanchu fell silent for a long time.
System: "Host, it's okay. Your impassioned speech earlier really struck a chord with everyone."
Shen Nanchu: "...Is that the point?"
System: "That's not the point? Then what is?"
Shen Nanchu: "Calculate how long I was just talking."
System: "Uh, about half an hour!"
Shen Nanchu: "So I wasted half an hour's worth of breath?"
System: "..."
Shen Nanchu: "If I had known earlier, would I have needed to waste that half-hour?"
The belatedly realizing system: "Oh right, no need."
Shen Nanchu let out a long sigh: "Ah, half an hour of being Shen Bai the Laborer is a bit hard to take, a bit disheartening, and most of all, my throat hurts a little."
The system pondered for a moment: "Host, please take care of your health. Drink more hot water."
Shen Nanchu's mouth twitched: "..."
"As a mature system, shouldn't you be offering to buy me a drink right now?"
The system was nearly short-circuited by Shen Nanchu.
Good grief, so my host has been coveting my points all along.
Buying the host a juice would cost twenty of my own points.
Making an already tight budget even more strained.
≧﹏≦
Finally, after an intense internal struggle, the system, heart aching, parted with the twenty points and exchanged them for Shen Nanchu's favorite juice.
"Host, here you go!"
Looking at the peach juice in her hand, Shen Nanchu happily took a sip.
The sweet and tangy flavor made her squint her eyes contentedly.
So good!
Juice that you don't have to spend your own points on really does taste better.
Dinner
was an eye-opener for Tian Chengyi and Political Commissar Liao.
With four grown men plus Shen Nanchu, who was pregnant, Pei Zhengnian cooked both ducks.
Salted duck could keep longer, so Pei Zhengnian sliced half for the meal, leaving the other half soaking in the brine, which he then placed in a bucket of ice water to chill.
There was a large platter of duck stir-fried with young ginger, a big plate of salted duck, stir-fried duck offal, and green beans with eggplant.
Pei Zhengnian had also specially steamed an egg custard for Shen Nanchu.
This whole table of dishes, mostly meat with few vegetables, was not your average good meal!
Political Commissar Liao and Tian Chengyi's eyes were full of envy and a touch of melancholy.
It really is good to be a young couple without burdens!
They can even afford to eat meat in large mouthfuls.
Shen Nanchu had no time to bother with what these two older men were thinking; she was busy eating!
The dishes she specifically requested, the duck stir-fried with young ginger and the salted duck, were both done very well by Pei Zhengnian.
It had to be said, Pei Zhengnian truly had a talent for cooking.
Shen Nanchu ate happily.
Political Commissar Liao and Tian Chengyi also ate happily.
If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, they wouldn't have believed such delicious food was cooked by Pei Zhengnian.
Indeed, having a wife really changes a man.
Shen Nanchu wasn't stingy either.
She specifically had Pei Zhengnian open a bottle of Moutai.
This Moutai was bought by Pei Zhengnian, originally intended to bring back later for Grandpa Pei and Father Pei to drink.
Now, opening it was just right.
After all, he who accepts food and drink is softened in his criticism.
Everyone enjoyed the meal very much.
...
The next afternoon,
Political Commissar Liao acted quickly, and progress was made on the anonymous rumor and false report.
Through handwriting analysis and Shen Nanchu's deductions, Political Commissar Liao and his team focused their suspicions on Lin Yining, the wife of Deputy Regimental Commander Zhang Zhengye of the Fifth Regiment.
As for the motive, it was even easier to guess.
What else could it be?
Jealousy, of course.
With the matter uncovered, how to handle it became the difficult part.
This Zhang Zhengye was considered Pei Zhengnian's subordinate. His wife's ideological error meant he could hardly escape responsibility.
However, Zhang Zhengye was also a rare talent.
Furthermore, recently, the Fifth Regiment was preparing to represent the Daliao Military District in nationwide exercises, and Zhang Zhengye was one of the key players.
What if Zhang Zhengye's training was affected by this incident? Should they replace him or not?
With the exercises so close, was there even time for a last-minute replacement?
What was the best course of action?
The human heart is the hardest thing to fathom.
A real headache.
Political Commissar Liao simply invited both Pei Zhengnian and Shen Nanchu to his office, letting the couple make the decision together.
After hearing the whole story, Pei Zhengnian and Shen Nanchu looked at each other and simultaneously fell silent.
This matter, if it involved anyone else, might indeed seem like a dilemma.
But in Shen Nanchu's opinion, this was actually a perfect opportunity to test Zhang Zhengye's character.
If you suspect someone, don't use them; if you use someone, don't suspect them.
Whether this Zhang Zhengye was truly usable or not could be seen right now.
As for the exercises, the Daliao Military District was full of talent. Would it really grind to a halt without one Zhang Zhengye?
If that were truly the case, it might as well disband sooner rather than later.
It would show a serious lack of capability.
...
