August 11th, Sunday, another scheduled day off for Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao.
Since returning ho from work in the early morning the day before yesterday, Jiang Yan's mood had been sowhat strange, like a powder keg ready to explode at any mont.
This visible change finally made Jiang Yao restrain herself sowhat - she didn't even dare play gas much during work hours.
However, encountering a rare day off, Jiang Yao reverted to her old habits, staying at the computer until after 3 AM before going to bed, then sleeping in until after noon. Her forr military lifestyle schedule had dissipated at an alarming rate, vanishing without a trace.
In a wrinkled nightgown and barefoot, Jiang Yao drifted into the bathroom to wash up, still looking completely unawake.
"Your housekeeping is getting worse and worse."
Jiang Yan walked to the bathroom door and sighed deeply.
"We're just ordinary citizens now, not in the military anymore, okay? Bro, can you not make your life so rigid?"
Jiang Yao spat out toothpaste foam, unconcerned.
"Rigid? Having a regular, tidy lifestyle has no disadvantages."
Jiang Yan was both amused and exasperated, pointing to a corner of the bathroom: "Look at that basin–see it? Your underwear from the past few days is piled there. You could wash them right after showering–can't you even manage that?"
Jiang Yao glanced over, her face slightly reddening, but still stubbornly retorted: "We get off work so late every day, what can I do? Just remind more..."
This made Jiang Yan even angrier, pointing at Jiang Yao's wrinkled nightgown: "Yes, I didn't remind you, but you can feel what you're wearing, right? How many days without changing? This is sumr! You should at least have basic self-managent, right?"
Perhaps certain emotions had been accumulating for a long ti. The atmosphere reached a point where both sides had to butt heads. Jiang Yao finally impatiently slamd down her toothbrush cup with a heavy thud, frowning deeply: "You're from a proper regular army background, while I was drafted in–how can I compare with you!?"
As she spoke, she turned her back and angrily began tying up her ponytail: "Stop forcing your standards on ... I've beco a female vampire, neither human nor ghost–who am I managing myself for!?
"No matter how much piles up in my basin, I'm not begging you to help wash it!"
As soon as these harsh words left her mouth, Jiang Yao regretted them. Red-faced, she turned her head away and said nothing more.
Jiang Yan was stunned, standing there for over ten seconds before slowly retreating from the bathroom.
Lunch was awkward, with neither speaking.
Jiang Yan's cooking skills had improved dramatically over these months, but a table of delicious food didn't create the proper atmosphere.
After the al, probably feeling her earlier attitude had indeed been excessive, Jiang Yao rarely took initiative to do the dishes, while Jiang Yan returned to the living room to maintain her firearms.
On the coffee table, parts of the VSSM silenced sniper rifle and pistol were neatly arranged by category, each component carefully wiped clean.
Her hands flew as the parts on the table decreased one by one, complete firearms gradually taking shape under the black-haired girl's focused attention.
Jiang Yao stood in the doorway, staring blankly at Jiang Yan and the weapons on the table, as if she were back in Xuan Jia Squad's armory preparation area.
"Finished washing? Co sit–I want to ask you sothing."
As the last part clicked into place, she worked the action and pulled the trigger. The pistol made a crisp sound. Jiang Yan set down the weapon and gestured to the spot beside her.
Jiang Yao slowly shuffled over and sat down casually, picking up the VSSM silenced sniper rifle from the coffee table to fiddle with.
"You and Zhong Jing have been quite close lately, even sending him photos."
Jiang Yan bit her lip lightly, finally voicing the frustration she'd been suppressing for days.
"Uh... you spied on my chat records?"
Jiang Yao's hands froze on the weapon as she whirled around, face full of shock.
"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have done that, but with Zhong Jing being so blatant, didn't you sense sothing was wrong?"
Jiang Yan's face reddened slightly, her expression and tone becoming increasingly uncomfortable: "I can't judge his character, but I have heard so things about his reputation. I'm afraid..."
"You an this?"
Jiang Yao pulled out her phone, operated it several tis, then turned the screen toward Jiang Yan.
Several photos taken at the club, especially one day's JK outfit dominated. In the shots, the pure and beautiful JK uniform perfectly combined with the girl's pretty, graceful figure and smooth light golden long hair.
The phone's candid shots captured perfect timing and angles. In the photos, the girl was concentrating on arranging her golden ponytail behind her head, a hair tie in her mouth, expression natural, serious yet with hints of playfulness.
"Sister Xiao Ping took these candid shots and sent them to , saying this was a natural cosplay effect of so ani's female protagonist. Oh right, you haven't seen that series, have you? I recomnd it..."
Jiang Yao seed very fond of this photo, even showing a proud expression.
"Then why did you send it to Zhong Jing?"
Jiang Yan still felt uncomfortable.
"We're both into ani. When we talked about that series, he said maybe in the whole world, only I could restore the female protagonist's image, so I casually blinded his titanium alloy dog eyes. Hehe, no cosplay needed–from head to toe, direct original effect!"
Speaking of this, Jiang Yao's interest was fully ignited. She simply opened a website and pulled up a bunch of cosplay photos imitating that series' female protagonist: "This is 2D culture! Hey, bro–I an sis, look at these people–their hair, doesn't it all look fake? Don't I totally crush them?"
It seems Xiao Yao really is obsessed with 2D culture. Their chats don't have any special content either, all focused on ani, gas and such. Am I overthinking?
Staring blankly at the earnest and sowhat smug girl before her, Jiang Yan suddenly felt confused.
Perhaps her childhood cleft lip deformity and finger webbing gave her an obsessive craving for self-perfection that ordinary people couldn't understand...
Looking at Jiang Yao's clear, beautiful big eyes, that radiating happiness almost without any impurities, Jiang Yan's emotions gradually cald.
"Zhong Jing has an unusual relationship with Sister Wan–the waters run deep. He's not the sa type of person as us. Be careful."
Though this wasn't sothing Jiang Yan could imdiately understand, she'd said all she could on the topic.
"You say you want to live a normal life, but your normal might be different from mine. Bro, from the beginning, you kept emphasizing being natural, returning to ordinary life. I always felt you were the abnormal one, the unnatural one."
Jiang Yao spoke softly while pulling a loose thread from her jeans.
Putting away the pistol from the table, Jiang Yan quietly watched Jiang Yao, feeling uncomfortable but responding blandly: "How am I abnormal or unnatural?"
Jiang Yao stood up and slowly moved toward the bedroom while casually saying: "You force to call you 'sister' in public, which I've gotten used to, but I gradually feel you haven't beco my sister. You're acting more like my mom."
A sofa cushion flew over, followed by a plastic fruit bowl, then a half-empty water bottle... The light golden-haired girl tightly shut her bedroom door, listening to the series of knocking sounds, her face blooming with a mischievous, victorious smile.
......
......
Their true existence in this world had been legally erased with their designation as martyrs. But after brief lancholy and sadness, Jiang Yan and Jiang Yao felt considerably relieved.
Going to W District Children's Welfare Institute to volunteer when ti permitted was a unanimous decision by both won. This wasn't just maintaining mories of their past life, but also allowed frequent visits with that beloved elder director.
Online volunteer registration went smoothly. Today was their first ti volunteering.
To handle possible physical work, both won changed into light, refreshing outfits: T-shirts with denim shorts and sneakers.
The naturally beautiful, young sisters inevitably beca a scenic attraction on the subway, drawing many gazes.
Whether anyone secretly photographed them on the subway, they didn't know, but Jiang Yao definitely encountered a groper in the crowded car.
The hand that touched her rear and thigh made Jiang Yao explode. With a turn, grab, and shoulder throw, the car was instantly in chaos.
Near and far, various phones pointed at the majestic light golden-haired girl.
Performing such scenes in this densely populated area almost guaranteed making local trending topics.
Maybe in ten minutes, videos titled "Little Fairy Suspects Strange Man of Inappropriate Behavior, Decides to Strike First" would appear, or "Beautiful Girl's Attack: Subway Pervert One-Hit Kill.” The more confrontational, the better.
All the way to W District Children's Welfare Institute, Jiang Yao's disgusted and indignant expression never faded.
Registering at the public affairs reception room, Jiang Yan imdiately saw through the window many young welfare institute orphans playing in the shade of an old tree beside the small playground.
That tree of unknown age remained as thick and flourishing as ever. It had also been Jiang Yan's favorite entertainnt spot as a child, countless tis climbing to the middle fork to play and nap while Jiang Yao watched enviously.
Their volunteer work today was accompanying these children in indoor play. After all, in the welfare institute public affairs coordinator's view, two delicate girls probably couldn't handle any heavy outdoor labor under the blazing sun.
Unfortunately, today being Sunday, they didn't see the kind Director Jiang Chunhua.
In the hot sumr day, in the air-conditioned activity room, Jiang Yan was surrounded by over ten lively little rascals. anwhile, Jiang Yao was in another building, playing with another group of disabled children with mobility issues.
I don't rember being this troubleso as a child. How do children so young make so tired and sore?
Jiang Yan felt like a mother hen, constantly having to watch over these energetic little devils who could challenge heaven and earth. She couldn't relax for a mont. Any slight inattention and so kid's terrifying action might scare soone half to death.
"...Thank you to the military leadership for supporting our welfare institute's work! Oh, it's truly tily rain. Our current hardware conditions are still the old foundation from fifty years ago. To truly separate the care environnts for normal and disabled children is indeed difficult to achieve..."
"I rember several tis the welfare institute wanted to relocate and rebuild, but the reports we submitted never got responses..."
Conversation drifted from the hallway. Soon, a young man and woman accompanied by a mid-level welfare institute leader entered the children's activity room.
Jiang Yan was comforting a three or four-year-old girl when she looked up to see an incredibly familiar person. Startled, she instinctively stood straight while holding the child.
Today's ng Huai wore casual business attire, tall and steady, while Han Xiao beside him wore a pretty floral dress, graceful and elegant. The two appeared before Jiang Yan like a couple on an outing.
"You are..."
ng Huai felt the girl before him looked sowhat familiar, but couldn't place her for the mont.
"Are you that police officer?"
Jiang Yan instantly beca alert, her mind racing to find what seed the most appropriate misidentification. After all, on the night of Sister Tan's fall, the fully ard Xuan Jia Squad looked more like a police special forces unit.
"Mm, I rember now–at that shop in J District."
ng Huai finally made the connection in his mind, showing a polite smile while dodging running children.
What a rare sight. Back then, except for being sowhat relaxed in front of herself as a veteran, in most people's eyes, Commander ng was a serious, rigid, and boring person... Seeing him crouch to pat children’s heads, Jiang Yan couldn't help but smile.
"Who’s this, an acquaintance?"
Han Xiao stepped forward and looked Jiang Yan up and down, a trace of admiration flashing in her eyes before quickly returning to a calm, gentle smile: "ng Huai, you chat first. I'll go look at other floors with Director Qiu."
Without responding, just watching Han Xiao leave, ng Huai's expression relaxed further.
"My surna is ng, like Inner Mongolia's ng. Actually not a police officer... Did last ti affect you? I rember there seed to be soone else with you..."
"Mm, that was my sister. She's at the disabled children's activity room."
Jiang Yan sat on a stool holding the little girl, eyes constantly fixed on his casual business attire, still sowhat uncomfortable.
"After the street office launched anti-drug work, business on that street wasn't good either. Now my sister and I work at a hotel. Seeing the TV news introduction about this place, we wanted to volunteer."
"Mm, this really is one of the few purely innocent places."
Looking at the children gathering around them, plus Jiang Yan's gaze, ng Huai's expression beca sowhat uncomfortable, apparently not used to chatting with strange girls in such a place full of innocence.
Of course, more likely, even in other places, ng Huai didn't know how to chat with girls.
"Is Mr. ng also here volunteering today?"
Jiang Yan felt sothing incongruous about a Shadow Arrow Force squad leader suddenly appearing here in civilian clothes.
"There are so military-civilian liaison public affairs. W District Children's Welfare Institute is now the city's model unit for supporting the military. They're having so minor economic difficulties, so my superiors sent to make contact."
As his interaction with the children developed, ng Huai's expression and movents gradually relaxed, seemingly returning to the easy casualness from when he and Xia Yan chatted privately, explaining the reason for coming to the welfare institute with Han Xiao.
"Difficulties? Money problems? Didn't the news praise the old director for donating six million at once?"
Jiang Yan was stunned, finding it strange.
"Maybe just renovating the dormitory building and wages for staff would take most of it... If the Won's Federation, Disabled Persons' Federation and other superior units take so away under various pretexts, it's gone... The city's financial arrears to the welfare institute aren’t small or few.”
"As long as it's all used properly, that's fine."
Jiang Yan seed more philosophical. Looking down, the little girl in her arms had fallen asleep in the comfortable embrace, just like so disabled little sister from the welfare institute she'd held in middle school.
Looking at the elegant, kind girl before him, ng Huai felt he'd never experienced such genuine peace. That subtle fragrance, gentle yet slightly cool, was comforting.
Especially her conversational tone that always made him involuntarily think of another person. Their speaking rhythm, tone, word choice, and expressions were so similar. The only differences were appearance and gender.
"Sorry, it's about ti. I should go."
Seeing the welfare institute caregiver enter, Jiang Yan gently placed the little girl in her arms into the woman's hands, stood up, and politely said goodbye.
After the girl left, ng Huai stared at her retreating figure for a long ti without moving.
Right, seems like I never asked her na... Only then did ng Huai co to his senses.
......
......
Several hours later, at a logistics compound office building.
ng Huai had returned to his dignified, rigid military image, sitting in a conference room writing and drawing on several docunt files.
"ng Huai, do you even sleep in uniform?"
Han Xiao, who hadn't changed clothes, entered the conference room like a gentle breeze, tapping the table in front of ng Huai with her small hand, her tone containing dissatisfaction.
"Earlier civilian clothes were for executing a mission. Now formulating follow-up plans is also a mission. Different occasions require different attire. Besides, I didn’t go on a date with anyone, so no problem with changing back to uniform, right?"
ng Huai frowned and looked up at the beautiful woman before him, so different from usual, his tone sowhat cool.
"You!"
Han Xiao's face began to redden. She turned away, emotions poor: "I specially chose a Sunday, and you're still like this..."
Hearing this, ng Huai put down his pen, crossed his arms, expression calm: "I know Chief of Staff Zhen has always wanted to match us up... Your grandfather, your father, the entire Han family still insists on traditions from hundreds of years ago. Han family children's marriages must be resolved within internal circles."
"ng Huai, what do you an!? n pursuing this young lady in Shadow Arrow could line up from the Northern Surveillance District all the way to Southern Surveillance District. Who do you think you are!?"
Han Xiao was furious, eyebrows raised, turning to slap the docunts in front of ng Huai.
"Mm, I'm not worthy. I won't delay Major Han's lifelong happiness. We can just discuss official business as usual."
ng Huai lowered his head to pick up docunts again, completely unconcerned with her current emotions.
Staring at his stubborn, shaless attitude, Han Xiao really wanted to find a semi-automatic shotgun and give him a full load on the spot.
"Listen ng Huai, although you're a rich young master who looks down on many people, what about my... the Han family isn't good enough? Besides, if it weren't for my grandfather and father insisting, I wouldn't bother..."
ng Huai's hands paused. eting Han Xiao's sha-filled angry face, his gaze beca sharper: "What, have the Han family leaders reviewed my personal files and considered approved?"
"I, you..."
Han Xiao sat down weakly, touching her forehead and burning cheeks, unable to release that anger in her heart.
"I just reviewed your follow-up plan. My question is, do you really plan to burn down W District Children's Welfare Institute once we confirm Xia Yan and Gu Yao are still in C City? If the plan has errors, isn't the cost too high? Will headquarters leadership agree?"
No longer arguing with her, ng Huai pulled out a docunt and waved it in front of Han Xiao.
Glancing at the materials in his hands, Han Xiao imdiately collected her emotions, expression becoming serious: "Starting next week, city television will broadcast multi-part docuntary interviews about W District Children's Welfare Institute's disabled abandoned infants during several pri ti slots, with content gradually intensifying, and inviting Elder Jiang Chunhua for personal interviews.
"This content will only appear on television and newspapers, with online platforms only pushing locally. Backend big data ensures only people who've stayed in C City over seven days can see it!
"As long as we detect another anonymous donation from Hong Kong after the interviews, we can be certain Xia Yan and Gu Yao are in C City!"
Han Xiao's eyes shone with absolute confidence in her carefully designed experint.
ng Huai listened seriously, having to admit this kind of imaginative, delicate, and cunning thinking. His plain tone carried several traces of respect: "This is top-level information control. Once the first experint succeeds, it can indeed prove Xia Yan is in C City. Next, you plan to burn the entire welfare institute, injure Elder Jiang Chunhua, and draw them out... right?"
Han Xiao didn't answer, just blinked several tis, quite pleased with herself.
"Hehe, tell , would you Han Xiao dare marry such an unorthodox woman, and would I, ng Huai, dare take her?"
This made Han Xiao furious again, rising quickly with anger, looking genuinely mad.
At the mont of leaving, Han Xiao suddenly turned back with a face full of disdain: "Hmph... don't you want to personally deal with Xia Yan? Now you think I'm the most vicious woman? Oh, is it because that young girl today made you feel sothing? Ha, n always prefer younger ones..."
ng Huai was directly stunned for several seconds, only able to helplessly turn his head away and wave his hands rapidly, making a "get lost" gesture.
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