The sleet had been falling for half a day and half a night, and in the command tent, the light was as bright as day.
In the temporary dical station on the other side, everything was ready, just waiting for soone who couldn’t hold on to be carried in for ergency treatnt.
The sky showed a hint of dawn, and Ling Chengyan walked out of the tent, took a deep breath, and then exhaled a long sigh, a smile appearing on her face—these boys were really sothing.
Just after breakfast ti, a buzzing sound echoed from the sky, and a small helicopter flew low, making a slight turn above the command center before continuing into the mountains.
About ten minutes later, each of the training teams received unexpected air-dropped packages—there were slices of dried ginger and cold dicine, and each team also got a big bag of spicy beef jerky.
With this bag of beef jerky, the teams’ dinner for the following days would include ginger beef soup to help the participating soldiers withstand the chill of the early spring nights.
As Zhang Yuanhong predicted, after the sleet began, the temperature rose on the third day, and the weather remained good afterward.
The week flew by, and at noon on the seventh day, the first team returned after completing their mission, and everyone was in good spirits, just a bit dirty from exertion.
Ling Chengyan watched the boys report in, and after handing over the little victory flags they collected, she imdiately sent them off to the dical station for check-ups.
The three teams returned smoothly, and after a simple check-up, they boarded the vehicles to head back.
The bathhouse had hot water ready, and the cafeteria had prepared hot als. Once the boys cleaned up and changed into fresh clothes, they were reinvigorated.
Ling Chengyan didn’t go ho but remained in the team office, reviewing the route maps, training logs, physical check-up summaries, and other materials submitted by the teams to evaluate the effectiveness and results of the training.
Fu Qiang brought back two servings of food: "Captain, let’s eat first."
Ling Chengyan nodded in agreent, finally finishing the page of material in her hand before getting up to eat.
She didn’t eat crudely but was quick, taking big bites of the bread and drinking the soup... She didn’t smack her lips or make slurping sounds. If one didn’t watch her eat at such a pace, one might think she was a gentlewoman eating gracefully.
Since joining Ling Chengyan a few months ago, Fu Qiang always felt like this captain was a contradiction. When quiet, she was really refined and delicate, and when she picked up a docunt, she seed even more like an instructor than Zhang Yuanhong, undoubtedly soone with knowledge.
But on the training ground, once engaged, the captain beca a formidable killer, feared by all.
Fu Qiang also knew Ling Chengyan had a nickna ’Mother Tiger,’ but she felt it wasn’t appropriate and didn’t capture the captain’s strength and majesty. The first thing that ca to her mind was the term ’Killer God.’
Ling Chengyan tilted her head and happened to et Fu Qiang’s gaze, smiling involuntarily: "Why are you watching instead of eating?"
Fu Qiang was a bit embarrassed and stamred, "I just think the captain looks nice eating... very graceful and delicate."
Ling Chengyan managed to swallow a mouthful of soup before laughing, "You silly girl, you’ve never seen real grace."
Fu Qiang tilted her head and thought about it, then shook it, sowhat puzzled. Having been raised in the countryside, she grew up running wild in the fields. When she was in her early teens, a group from the school ca to select promising athletes, and her speed and high jumps caught their eye. She followed them in a daze and sohow found herself in the army.
After that, most of what she saw were soldiers.
She really hadn’t seen much grace.
Ling Chengyan finished looking over the docunts, and when she got ho, it was already past nine in the evening.
Both kids had finished their howork and were soaking their feet, watching TV.
Seeing the water splashes around the basin, Ling Chengyan smiled but said nothing. As soon as the two youngsters saw their mother co ho, they stopped dawdling, quickly dried their feet, poured out the water, and went to bed.
Even though Wang Liansheng taught the kids more, they sohow all feared Ling Chengyan, behaving better in her presence.
The elder aunt, being older, slept early and called out from her room, "The rice is covered in the pot; heat it up if you want to eat."
Through the door, Ling Chengyan said she’d eaten and told her not to worry and just sleep. The elder aunt’s room fell silent again.
Wang Liansheng was writing sothing in his room, and when he heard her, he ca out to pour water for her, only to be pushed back by Ling Chengyan: "You go back to your writing, I can do it myself."
Wang Liansheng glanced at his wife and smiled but didn’t return to his writing; instead, he leaned against the doorfra, watching her wash her hands and face.
After wiping her face, Ling Chengyan poured hot water into a foot basin and brought it into the room to wash her feet. Only then did Wang Liansheng follow, using a stove stick to poke at the stove. After a mont, he grinned, holding two pieces of golden-baked bread with both hands, bringing them to Ling Chengyan: "They’re baked just right; want so more?"
Ling Chengyan smiled and frowned, "I’m washing my feet."
Wang Liansheng just brought them to his wife’s mouth: "I’ll hold it for you to eat."
Ling Chengyan glared at him, but she still opened her mouth to take a bite.
The golden-crisp baked bread was sowhat hard, tough on the teeth, but the more she chewed, the more aromatic it beca, and after careful chewing, even had a slight sweetness returning.
Starting with so awkwardness and discomfort, after a couple of bites, Ling Chengyan got used to it and unconsciously shared the two pieces of baked bread with Wang Liansheng.
When wiping her feet, Wang Liansheng bent to take the foot basin to pour out the water, but Ling Chengyan pushed him away, rolling her eyes: "I still have to brush my teeth again."
She had already washed up, but he caused this extra trouble.
Even as he was pushed away, Wang Liansheng chuckled, watching his wife’s back as she left the room. Compared to the cold and distant years before, he was now as happy as if he’d returned to their newlywed days. Even when she glared at him or gave him a cold look, he found it... pleasing and likable.
After re-brushing her teeth, Ling Chengyan returned to find Wang Liansheng seated at the desk again.
She asked, "You’re not going to sleep yet?"
Wang Liansheng wavered a bit but, seeing his wife already nestled in bed, bit the bullet, a look of grim determination on his face: "The newspaper’s given an assignnt. I’ve been busy, but I must finish writing it in the next couple of days."
His comical deanor made Ling Chengyan burst into laughter.
She waved her hand cheerfully, offering encouragent with little sincerity: "Comrade Wang Liansheng, I’m rooting for you, go for it!"
Wang Liansheng grimaced, baring his teeth at his wife in a weakly threatening manner, then continued to work on his writing.
Ling Chengyan, anwhile, picked up a book titled "Aircraft Power Systems" from the bedside.
Her studies at the academy primarily covered army-related knowledge, but since joining the district special operations team, she had encountered aircraft several tis up close and even rode a helicopter once, developing a keen interest in these indispensable modern warfare tools.
Unable to find relevant materials in ordinary bookstores, she borrowed so from the academy’s professors. Fortunately, she had previously studied and researched the chanical structure and operating principles of automobiles, so these readings weren’t entirely incomprehensible—even if there were so parts she didn’t understand, having a foundation in automobiles gave her direction for further research and study.
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