Time-Travel: The Tragic Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Makes a Comeback
CHAPTER 70: The First Wife of a 1980s Big Shot Who Died Young (3)
She was tall and slender, her features delicate yet cool. The skin at the corners of her eyes was thin, faintly tinged with red, giving her gaze a soft, slightly flushed look. Her dark pupils were large and clear, her skin fair as snow, and her soft hair fell loosely over her shoulders. She was so beautiful it almost felt unreal, like she didn’t quite belong to the mortal world.
The clothes on her only made her stand out more, stylish and refined, completely out of place in this simple era.
When Qin Huaijing stepped out, this was the first thing he saw.
He paused for a moment, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. Then he casually brushed a hand through his hair and walked over.
“Comrade, who are you?”
“I’m Huo Meilan.”
Huo Meilan looked at him as she spoke, quietly sizing him up.
The man stood over 180 cm tall, his build lean and upright. He had a close-cropped haircut, sharp and defined features, and a handsome face. There was a faint hint of roguish charm in his brows that made him stand out.
Qin Huaijing raised a brow. This was his wife?
At least her looks matched what the old man had described.
Seeing him stay silent, Huo Meilan thought he was doubting her identity and asked directly, “You’ve never seen me before?”
Uncle Qin had shown her Qin Huaijing’s photo, so logically, he should have seen hers too.
There was no way he could mistake her for Wu Meifang.
Qin Huaijing nodded, looking straight at her as he answered honestly, “I really haven’t. I’ve only heard the old man mention you. This is my first time seeing you.”
Even the marriage itself had been arranged in a blur, so it wasn’t exactly his fault for mixing people up. He had never met her to begin with, and who would have thought someone would show up pretending, and doing it so convincingly too.
This time, Huo Meilan was the one left speechless.
Married without even seeing her picture? Was Uncle Qin always this careless when it came to his son?
She had thought Qin Huaijing simply misrecognized her, but now it seemed she had misunderstood.
Seeing the awkward look on her face, Qin Huaijing smiled slightly and gestured inside. “It’s pretty cold out here. Let’s talk as we walk.”
Huo Meilan really was cold. Even her fingertips felt chilled, so she followed along.
After a few steps, Qin Huaijing suddenly stopped and turned back, planning to ask about the woman in the family quarters.
Huo Meilan was rubbing her hands and looking down, not noticing he had stopped. She walked straight into him.
One was soft and slender. The other was firm and solid.
The moment they made contact, both of them froze.
Huo Meilan immediately stepped back, nearly losing her balance.
Qin Huaijing reacted instinctively and reached out to steady her. His hand brushed against her soft, icy fingertips. Once he made sure she was standing firm, he let go.
Huo Meilan remained fairly composed. Out of courtesy, she said, “Thank you.”
“No need.”
The question Qin Huaijing had wanted to ask was interrupted, so he didn’t bring it up again.
After taking a few steps, he recalled how cold her fingers had felt. He took off his coat and handed it to her.
“It’s a bit chilly today. It’s still a walk to the family quarters, so put this on.”
After all, she was his wife in name. She had come all this way to find him, only to be left waiting outside for so long and freezing like this.
Huo Meilan hesitated for a moment, then accepted it and quickly draped it over herself.
Honestly, whatever. She had been standing out here in the cold for ages, staying warm was the priority.
As they walked, Qin Huaijing explained that he had just returned from a mission that afternoon, and also mentioned that there was a woman in the family quarters pretending to be Huo Meilan.
Huo Meilan raised a brow. So he and Wu Meifang had only just met today too?
“That female comrade seems to know quite a bit about both your family and mine. You should recognize her, right?” Qin Huaijing asked, glancing sideways at her.
Huo Meilan didn’t look at him. As she walked, she said casually, “Her name is Wu Meifang, she's my mother's stepdaughter from the family she remarried into. They saw I was an orphan and tried to pull off a switcheroo, hoping to elevate the whole family.”
Qin Huaijing’s expression turned a little complicated. He glanced at her fair side profile. “Your mother’s the worst of the bunch. Be more careful for your own sake from now on.”
Huo Meilan actually found him pretty decent after hearing that. She nodded and replied lightly, “I already beat their whole family up, then reported everything to Uncle Qin before coming here to find you.”
“Wow, that fierce, huh.”
Qin Huaijing’s eyes curved with amusement, a teasing note in his voice. She looked soft and delicate, but who knew she had that kind of bite.
Huo Meilan shot him a glance. “You can try it yourself next time.”
His smile widened, clearly entertained. He nodded with a hint of roguish charm. “Sure. When I’ve got time, I’ll spar with you.”
The two chatted on and off as they walked, and before long, they reached the family quarters.
Quite a few people were around, and when they saw Qin Huaijing bringing back such a pretty girl, their eyes lit up with curiosity. They exchanged knowing looks, gossip already brewing.
“The wife who came a couple days ago is still waiting, isn’t she? Why’s Captain Qin bringing back another girl now, and she’s even wearing his coat? Don’t tell me she’s his sweetheart?”
“That can’t be true. That young wife already said they’ve had their marriage certificate for three months. If he really had someone outside, he’d be dismissed from the army…”
Hearing this, the wife of Captain Ma’s household couldn’t hold back her curiosity and asked directly, “Captain Qin, who is this?”
“This is my wife, Huo Meilan.”
Qin Huaijing introduced her openly and without hesitation.
The crowd froze in shock.
“Wait, then the one in your room…”
Qin Huaijing cut the woman off before she could finish. “That one is an impostor and a scammer. Everyone should go about your business. I need to go home and handle this. We can talk another day when I’m free.”
With that, he led Huo Meilan past the crowd and headed straight home.
As an army battalion commander, Qin Huaijing was assigned a small detached courtyard. It was modest in size and located right next to Captain Ma’s house.
At the entrance was a small yard, and opposite it stood two neat, square rooms that looked clean and newly built.
Once they entered the house, the place was completely empty. Qin Huaijing’s face darkened immediately.
Just as he was about to go out and call for someone, Huo Meilan suddenly grabbed him and pointed at the luggage on the table.
The luggage was still there, so it looked like no one had left.
The two rooms were connected internally. Qin Huaijing didn’t hesitate and walked straight through the inner doorway into the other room.
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