Yi Luowa quickly flipped through the pages. This thick book, he had already annotated a third of it.
Tong Airui had barely slept ten minutes when his phone rang, and he abruptly opened his eyes.
Yi Luowa looked at him with a pained expression. Even sleeping didn’t let him rest properly.
Tong Airui glanced at the number before pressing the answer button. "Dad, what’s up?"
"Is it convenient to talk?"
"Only Luowa is next to ."
"Did your ’Grandpa Muta’ ask you to find soone for him?"
"Mm." Tong Airui sat up. "I’ve already sent soone out for it."
"Good. The pri minister of R Nation just gave a call. Looks like this battle won’t last long."
Tong Airui laughed. "I specifically checked their weaponry this morning. Their equipnt is even worse than Haotian’s. With such capabilities, they still have the nerve to strut around. I really admire their courage."
"Don’t get too cocky!" Long Che said in a low voice. "Focus on the task your ’Grandpa Muta’ asked you to handle!"
"Alright, I’ll put my heart and soul into it." Tong Airui understood the undertone of his father’s words—it wasn’t sothing suitable for his wife to hear, which was why the ssage was so indirect.
"Are you two coming back tonight?" Long Che asked just before hanging up.
Tong Airui tilted his head to look at his wife. "Dad’s asking if we’ll go back tonight."
Yi Luowa hesitated for a mont. "After class, I’ll go back myself."
Hearing his daughter-in-law’s voice, Long Che spoke gravely on the other end. "Rui’er, tell Luowa there’s no need to think about the children. After class, it’ll be dark. It’s not safe for her to return, and the children will already be asleep. It’s better to co back tomorrow."
"Got it." Tong Airui made the decision on behalf of Yi Luowa.
After he put down the phone, Yi Luowa pinched his waist. "Who told you to decide for ?"
"Class ends at nine. It’ll take two hours on the road. If you go ho, you’ll arrive at eleven. If you decide to return, the whole family will have to wait up for you. Think about it yourself."
"I can’t sleep without being near the kids!" Yi Luowa grabbed his hand and bit down hard.
Tong Airui grimaced from the pain but didn’t pull his hand away. He only smiled after she released him. "I can’t sleep without you, either."
Yi Luowa glared at him. "So you’re really not letting go back?"
Tong Airui sighed. "It’s your call. If you want to go back, I’ll have soone take you."
Yi Luowa pouted and stayed silent.
Tong Airui discreetly observed her expression, realizing that she had compromised. He ruffled her hair with a smile, knowing he’d taken another step forward in his plan.
If his wife agreed the first ti, she’d agree the second and third tis. Gradually, she’d get used to it.
As for Fourth Master’s plan—well, it felt a bit despicable. He was subtly guiding his wife to shift her focus more onto him.
He and his father, Long Che, were alike in so ways and not in others.
Long Che was blunt when it ca to specific matters. For example, when Tong Yao got too attached to the children, he’d get angry, and when angry, he’d either sulk or act out.
But Tong Airui wasn’t so direct. His mother’s helplessness was sothing he’d seen with his own eyes. He didn’t want his wife to go through the sa frustrations. However, as his wife grew more attached to the children, he couldn’t remain indifferent. So, he chose to slowly, imperceptibly, redirect her heart back to himself.
Since it was impossible for his wife to breastfeed both children simultaneously, he simply decided she’d breastfeed neither of them. This way, she could co and go freely without attachnts.
Now, he had initiated the second phase of his plan—to occasionally keep her away from the kids for a day or two. Luckily, there was a strong support system at ho, so there was no shortage of caretakers for the children. Moreover, his wife was quite cooperative, unintentionally stepping into his gentle trap.
Fourth Master was basking in his success when a sharp pinch to his thigh brought him back to reality.
"What’s with that sly grin? Who are you scheming against now?" Yi Luowa asked angrily.
"I’m scheming against you!" Tong Airui laughed and playfully bit her pink earlobe.
Yi Luowa pouted. "If you were really scheming against , would you admit it?"
Fourth Master grinned sheepishly. "Well, then it wouldn’t be scheming."
Yi Luowa glared at him. "But it’s just the two of us in the office. If you’re not scheming against , then who?"
"You’re my wife. Why would I sche against you?" Tong Airui said with a laugh as he stood up. "Focus on your book. I’m heading out to arrange so things."
Yi Luowa let out a dissatisfied hum. Clearly, he was just out of words and trying to escape.
Whatever Tong Airui had been up to all afternoon, he only returned at dinnerti. Fourth Master accompanied his wife for dinner before personally escorting her to the lecture hall at Building Three.
The class wasn’t too full, maybe around forty or fifty people. Yi Luowa glanced at their shoulder patches and found they held much higher ranks than she did, and they were quite a bit older. These were likely veterans of the Divine Eagle unit. Sitting among them, Yi Luowa felt a lot of pressure.
However, halfway through the class, she realized she could finally shake off so of her insecurities. Although these individuals had high ranks, their educational background wasn’t very strong. Most of them were seasoned practitioners who weren’t particularly adept with book knowledge.
By the end of the first class, the instructor stepped out, and Tong Airui called her.
"So, how are those old tirs? Can they sit still?"
The instructor let out a bitter laugh. "They’re a bunch of roughnecks. It’s hard to make them sit still, but they’re taking it seriously—mostly because they’re afraid of failing the exam and getting dismissed by you."
"And what about Staff Officer Yi? Has she been behaving?" Tong Airui asked with a chuckle.
"Staff Officer Yi perford the best. She’s eager to learn. I even asked her a few questions, and her answers were spot-on."
"Impressive!" Tong Airui’s lips curled upward. "If she sses up, let know, and I’ll take care of her for you."
"Sure." The instructor’s lips twitched. Clearly, the captain was implying that he, the instructor, wouldn’t have the authority to discipline Staff Officer Yi even if she did slip up.
After the second class ended, Yi Luowa walked out of Building Three and imdiately spotted Tong Airui standing under the moonlight, waiting for her.
Yi Luowa ran over with a smile. "Why are you here? Don’t you have things to deal with?"
"I do, but none as important as picking you up." Tong Airui smiled, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "Wife, can you manage staying in the office overnight tonight?"
"I can stay anywhere," Yi Luowa replied, looping her arm through his. "You want to stay here—is it because you won’t rest tonight?"
"I’ll see how things go. I’ll try to rest."
"What’s the situation now?"
"A temporary ceasefire. Three parties are in negotiations."
"Three-party negotiations? Does that an Dad’s also not coming ho tonight?" Yi Luowa grew worried. If her father-in-law didn’t co ho, her mother-in-law would be left to care for the children alone. She might not be able to handle it physically.
"Dad went ho. Grandpa Muta is handling the negotiations. Dad and I both believe this is a stalling tactic from R Nation. They’re buying ti, likely preparing for a big move."
Yi Luowa furrowed her brow slightly. "If they’re stalling, then what—are we just going to let them? Haven’t we received any intel? If they’re planning sothing significant, it should leave traces."
"Dapeng and the others are still investigating. The mont they find sothing, we’ll strike fiercely and send them packing for good." Tong Airui shook his head in frustration. "During warti, it’s tough for Dapeng’s team to operate. The concern is they’ll act before we uncover their plans."
"Buzz, buzz..." Tong Airui’s phone vibrated.
Glancing at the caller ID, Tong Airui quickly answered. "Dapeng, have you found anything?"
"Hello there, Captain Airui." The voice on the other end burst into arrogant laughter.
Reviews
All reviews (0)