Shen Niantang did not notice the little thoughts of the man beside her; all her attention was focused on the dinner plate in front of her.
The military was indeed great. Although it wasn't anything extravagant like fish or meat, the meal was aromatic, visually appealing, and delicious.
Gu Tingchuan carried his dinner plate and naturally sat down opposite Shen Niantang. Seeing how good the young woman's appetite was, the corners of Gu Tingchuan's mouth curled into a smile.
Just as the main rush of people was about to arrive for dinner, Shen Niantang and Gu Tingchuan finished eating early and left the dining hall.
After the two had walked quite a distance away, the dining hall finally erupted into a flurry of discussion. For a time, everyone had all sorts of speculations about Shen Niantang.
It wouldn't be long before the news that a beauty had arrived at the Qingyang Military Region spread throughout the entire troop.
"The supply and marketing cooperative is just ahead."
Shen Niantang raised her head, following Gu Tingchuan's gaze, and sure enough, she saw a small house with grey tiles and white walls. A wooden sign hung at the entrance, with the words "Qingyang Military Region Supply and Marketing Cooperative" written in red paint.
She gave a soft "Mm" in acknowledgment.
Pushing open the door of the cooperative, a faint scent mixed with soap and paper rushed toward them.
The shelves were neatly stocked with various daily necessities, ranging from towels and soap to enamel mugs and thermoses—everything one could possibly need.
The clerk was a middle-aged woman. When she saw the two walk in, her eyes lit up, and she greeted them warmly:
"Commander Gu, how do you have time to come over today?"
Gu Tingchuan nodded slightly:
"I brought a new comrade to buy some daily necessities."
The clerk's gaze fell on Shen Niantang, and her smile grew even brighter:
"This comrade is so pretty. Is she the new civilian staff member?"
Shen Niantang smiled politely:
"Yes, I am. Sorry to trouble you."
She walked up to the shelves and began to choose carefully. She wanted a towel that was soft and absorbent, a soap with a light fragrance, an understated white enamel mug, and a military-green thermos that looked sturdy and durable. Her movements were crisp and efficient, and in no time, she had selected everything she needed.
Gu Tingchuan stood aside, his gaze unconsciously following her figure. He had originally thought she might hesitate due to tight finances, but he hadn't expected her to buy things without the slightest hesitation. Even the money she pulled from her pocket was quite thick.
Although Shen Niantang had said her original family situation wasn't good, the thought that Commander He was her uncle naturally suggested he wouldn't treat Shen Niantang poorly.
"All done?"
Seeing her walk over with a pile of things, Gu Tingchuan reached out to take them.
Shen Niantang initially wanted to refuse, but there were indeed too many things, so she nodded:
"Thank you, Commander Gu."
Their fingers brushed accidentally during the handover. Shen Niantang felt her fingertips burn, and she quickly withdrew her hand. Gu Tingchuan was also slightly stunned, but quickly returned to normal, holding the items steadily in his arms.
The clerk watched their interaction, covered her mouth, and smiled:
"Commander Gu, this comrade has quite a lot of things. You'd better help her carry them well."
The tips of Gu Tingchuan's ears turned slightly warm, and he feigned seriousness with a muffled "Mm." Shen Niantang pretended not to hear, lowering her head to organize her backpack.
Walking out of the cooperative, the sunlight was still bright. Gu Tingchuan walked in front carrying the items, with Shen Niantang following behind. The atmosphere between them was somewhat subtle. Gu Tingchuan wanted to find a topic to break the silence, but didn't know what to say. In the end, he just asked dryly:
"Is anything else missing?"
Shen Niantang shook her head:
"Nothing's missing. These are more than enough."
Gu Tingchuan nodded and fell back into silence.
When they returned to the dormitory area, Shen Niantang was surprised to find that the previously cluttered staff dormitory had been tidied up neatly. A few potted plants had been added to the corridor, and the door sign for the women's dormitory area had been newly replaced, looking clean and orderly.
"This... it was all done so quickly?"
She found it hard to believe.
Gu Tingchuan placed the items at the door of her room, his tone calm:
"Mm, had someone clean it up briefly."
Shen Niantang pushed open the door. Although simple inside, the bed, desk, chairs, and wardrobe were all complete. Even the windowsill held a small potted succulent plant, adding a touch of vitality to the room. She turned around and said sincerely:
"Commander Gu, I really troubled you today. Thank you."
Gu Tingchuan looked into her bright eyes, and a sudden reluctance welled up in his heart. He pursed his lips and said:
"It's no trouble. It's only right."
Shen Niantang smiled slightly:
"Then you go ahead with your busy work. I won't delay your time any longer."
Gu Tingchuan opened his mouth as if he still wanted to say something, but in the end, he just nodded:
"Alright, if you need anything, you can come find me."
"Mm, okay."
Shen Niantang watched him leave, and only after his figure disappeared at the end of the corridor did she gently close the door.
The room grew quiet. Shen Niantang let out a long breath and sat on the edge of the bed in a daze. Everything that happened today felt like a dream; she had actually stayed in the military region and even had a small space of her own. She touched the succulent on the windowsill, and the corners of her mouth lifted involuntarily.
On the other side, Gu Tingchuan walked out of the dormitory building, his pace slowing down unconsciously. He glanced back at the window of Shen Niantang's room, feeling an empty ache in his heart. He had never cared so much about anyone before, even personally taking her to get familiar with the environment and wanting to help her decorate her room. This unfamiliar emotion made him feel a bit strange, yet inexplicably sweet.
"Commander Gu!"
A voice interrupted his thoughts. He turned his head to look—it was He Qian.
He Qian walked over with a smile:
"I heard you personally showed that Comrade Shen around? That's really rare."
Gu Tingchuan frowned:
"It's my duty."
He Qian gave a meaningful "Oh":
"Well, Comrade Shen is indeed outstanding. Not only is she pretty, but she's also capable. Our Translation Department has really struck gold."
Gu Tingchuan's gaze instantly turned cold:
"Watch your words."
He Qian waved his hands hastily:
"Just joking, don't take it seriously. But..."
He lowered his voice:
"If you're interested in Comrade Shen, you'd better hurry up. There are plenty of bachelors in our military region."
Gu Tingchuan glared at him, turned around, and strode away. He Qian laughed so hard behind him that he stamped his feet.
In the evening, Shen Niantang finished tidying the room and was just about to go to the dining hall for dinner when there was a sudden knock on the door. She opened it to find Gu Tingchuan, holding a lunchbox in his hand.
"Food from the dining hall. I brought you a portion."
He handed her the lunchbox.
Shen Niantang was stunned:
"This... how could I be so presumptuous?"
Gu Tingchuan said calmly:
"Just on the way. Eat it while it's hot."
Shen Niantang took the lunchbox, her fingertips brushing against his hand once again. This time she didn't pull away, but instead said softly:
"Thank you, Commander Gu."
Gu Tingchuan gave a faint "Mm" and turned to leave. His back remained as straight as a pine. The man felt for the first time that walking was so strenuous; he wondered if his back looked weird, but bringing her dinner tonight should leave a pretty good impression.
After the man left, Shen Niantang closed the door and opened the lunchbox. Inside were steaming hot dishes and a small dish of her favorite pickled radishes.
"This food is really good!"
"And these pickled radishes too~"