Time-Travel: The Tragic Cannon Fodder Female Supporting Character Makes a Comeback
CHAPTER 77: The First Wife of a 1980s Big Shot Who Died Young (10)
“And you too, what are you hiding for? You’ve got plenty of guts to talk, but no courage to show your face?”
Huo Meilan didn’t hold back at all. She went up one by one and confronted them directly.
In the end, the gossip-loving people in the family compound got so scared they all ran back home, afraid Huo Meilan would come right up to their faces and start tearing into them.
Sister Liu had lived in the family compound for over ten years, and she had honestly never seen a young woman this sharp and fearless.
Huo Meilan’s words left those older women completely speechless. One by one, they slunk away in embarrassment.
The whole thing even spread into the military unit.
Soon, even Qin Huaijing’s teammates were teasing him.
“I heard your wife is pretty fierce?”
“I heard it too, Captain Qin. Sister-in-law went head-to-head with everyone in the family compound. The other wives are all keeping their distance now, literally detouring when they walk past.”
Qin Huaijing glanced at them and instinctively defended his own. “My wife is a very polite and reasonable person. She’s not as scary as you’re saying. It’s probably just someone who crossed her line first.”
“Tsk tsk, marriage really changes a man. Just look at him, he’s clearly proud of her.”
“Wow, Captain Qin, you really do spoil your wife.”
Qin Huaijing gave a light scoff and straightened his clothes. “She’s my wife, I know her well. She doesn’t pick fights for no reason, but if someone tries to bully her, she’s not some soft target. Honestly, all these rumors lately have gone way too far.”
He had heard bits and pieces since coming back, and some of it was really over the line.
Saying this in front of his teammates was also a way to send a message. The family compound was full of people who loved stirring things up, and anyone with sense should go back and rein things in.
To be honest, even he felt annoyed hearing it. Let alone Huo Meilan. The fact she only snapped back was already polite. If she heard it face to face, a slap would not be surprising.
The teasing teammates paused awkwardly and scratched their noses.
“Right, right, Captain Qin’s right.”
That evening, back at the family compound, most of them went home and gave their families a proper warning, telling them not to believe every rumor and stop spreading nonsense.
When Qin Huaijing got home, the first thing he said to Huo Meilan was, “From now on, if you see anyone spouting nonsense, just slap them. Go ahead and hit first. If anything happens, I’ll handle it.”
Huo Meilan was slicing tomatoes. She smiled at that. “Alright. Next time I see someone with no sense, I’ll use my hands, not my mouth.”
Seeing her cooking was rare, Qin Huaijing leaned closer and asked, “Don’t people usually just bite tomatoes? Why are you cutting them this small? Stir-frying them?”
Huo Meilan didn’t stop her hands. She sliced the tomatoes neatly into wedges while replying, “To mix with white sugar. The thinner the slices, the more flavorful and sweeter they are.”
“Making it all fancy. You can just dip it in sugar and eat it anyway. You eat them, I don't like sweet things.”
After saying that, Qin Huaijing went inside to change his clothes.
Huo Meilan clicked her tongue. “Eat it or not, it's all mine anyway.”
Tomatoes in this era were extra soft and juicy, with a strong fresh flavor. A little sugar made them ridiculously good.
Lately she had been eating a bit too much meat and even noticed her waistline getting slightly softer, so she decided dinner would be something light and refreshing instead of anything oily.
When Qin Huaijing came out after changing, he saw her happily munching on tomato slices and deliberately said, a bit smug, “My cooking skills aren’t bad. I’ll make you pumpkin pancakes later.”
His skills were definitely more than “not bad.” He had once been punished to work in the kitchen squad for two months. He was quick to learn, and even now he still remembered quite a few recipes.
When he came back earlier, he had already spotted a big pumpkin in the yard. Perfect excuse to show off a little.
Huo Meilan originally wanted to say no, but seeing how excited he looked, she only said, “I’m not that hungry, I won’t eat much. Just make a little.”
“Just wait and see. You’re definitely going to change your mind later.”
Qin Huaijing happily went off to light the fire and start cooking.
He lit the fire and set the iron pan over it.
While peeling the pumpkin, he called into the house, “Meilan, were those vegetables from Sister Liu next door?”
“Yeah, Sister Liu is really nice,” Huo Meilan replied.
She had already finished the tomatoes and walked out with the empty bowl.
She casually washed the bowl and chopsticks, then pulled over a small stool and sat down to watch Qin Huaijing cook.
Honestly, he looked pretty serious about it. His knife skills were solid too, and watching him cook was actually kind of pleasing.
And yeah, there was no denying it. Good-looking people just get extra points. Especially when they are focused, even cooking somehow made him look even better.
Huo Meilan got a little bored and went inside to find a book.
She pulled one from the classics her mother-in-law had sent over.
Holding it in one hand and resting her chin in the other, she read with real interest.
When Qin Huaijing noticed the attention on him had faded, he casually called out, “Comrade Meilan, not picking up a few skills is your loss.”
“I’m not learning,” she replied flatly.
“You’re not giving me any face at all. Fine, don’t help then. At least read out loud with me, otherwise it’s boring sitting here alone.”
Huo Meilan shot him a look, only finding him noisy, then stood up with the book and went back inside.
Qin Huaijing suddenly burst out laughing like something had struck his funny bone.
Inside the room, Huo Meilan: “…”
Some people were just kind of… dramatic.
Still, she had to admit he had been right this time. The pumpkin pancakes really were good.
She liked them a lot.
……
In the days that followed, the two of them kept bickering in a playful way. The more familiar they became, the more in sync they got.
Most of the time, Huo Meilan stayed at school, only heading back during breaks. When she did, she would casually “convince” Qin Huaijing to cook for her.
Qin Huaijing was usually busy with work, but whenever he had free time, he would drop by with supplies or take her out to eat, drink, and just hang around.
Before they knew it, New Year was approaching, and Huo Meilan started her winter break.
Qin Huaijing also got approved for leave.
His parents in the capital had been calling them back again and again, and as the holiday got closer, the pressure only increased.
In the end, the two of them decided to go back to the capital for the New Year.
——
When the train arrived in the capital, they stepped out of the station. Qin Huaijing carried a large bag of luggage in one hand while holding Huo Meilan’s wrist with the other.
It was close to the New Year, and the station was packed. One careless moment and they could easily get separated in the crowd.
Huo Meilan had spent the past few months in a small county town, mostly going between school and the family compound.
Now that she was back in the capital, she could immediately feel the difference between a big city and a small town.
The roads were wider, traffic was noticeably heavier, and pedestrians dressed in more varied and stylish clothes with brighter colors.
The driver from Qin Guozhong’s home came to pick them up.
They rode in a car all the way through the city until they reached a scenic villa district.
Around here were all standalone Western-style houses.
Huo Meilan raised a brow and glanced at the man beside her with a teasing look. “Your family really lives like this?”
In the 1980s, living in a small villa like this was basically a symbol of status.
Qin Huaijing chuckled, leaning slightly closer as he said in a low voice, “This is all built off the old man’s efforts. We’re just riding along in the glory.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll work hard in the future and try to get you a place like this too.”
Huo Meilan elbowed him away. “What do you mean ‘get me one’? You’re talking like you don’t live here too.”
“Alright, alright, I said it wrong again. We’re married, we’re one unit. What’s mine is yours.”
Huo Meilan tilted her head at him. “But what’s mine may not be yours.”
“Fine, fine, everything’s yours.”
After a few months of getting along with her, Qin Huaijing had already gotten used to her personality. At first, he couldn’t win an argument with her at all, but later he learned to just agree. In short, going along with her was always the safest option.
Their daily dynamic had slowly become like this, somewhere between roommates sharing a place and an old married couple who had lived together forever.
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