First Night with the Army: The Stoic Big Shot Is Done Pretending

Hearing her call him "Huaqiang," Wang Huaqiang felt his hair stand on end. His face changed drastically, and his voice trembled. "Ma’am, please don’t. Just call me Wang Huaqiang!"

Huaqiang was his nickname. Only a select few in the army ever used it. ’If the Living Yama finds out about this,’ he thought, ’my life is forfeit!’

Wen Ci paused, then broke into a smile. ’My subordinates were just this timid back when I was the War God.’ With a slight arch of her brow, she asked, "Is Mr. Huo really that scary?"

Wang Huaqiang nodded furiously.

"If you’re busy, you can go. I’ll find him myself."

"Alright."

After Wang Huaqiang left, Wen Ci headed toward Huo Jingyuan’s office. The corridor was silent. Through the semi-transparent glass, she could see Huo Jingyuan’s figure.

Like a little thief, Wen Ci crouched down to stay out of sight of the window, stopped at the door, and raised her hand to knock.

"That was fast?"

The man’s deep, measured voice rang out. He still had some work to finish, so he had asked Xue Li to grab him a meal from the cafeteria.

’I just got back to the office, and Xue Li’s already here?’

Wen Ci didn’t make a sound, remaining hidden in her crouch by the door. ’At Huo Jingyuan’s height, his normal line of sight won’t spot me crouching by the door.’

’I’ll wait until he’s confused, then I’ll stand up and give him a surprise.’

"Xue Li?" Huo Jingyuan called out tentatively.

After a moment of silence, Huo Jingyuan strode steadily toward the door. He stood in the doorway, glancing left and right, and a slight frown creased his brow.

"Surprise!"

Wen Ci leaped to her feet. Her eyes, bright and clever as a fox’s, sparkled as she stared right at Huo Jingyuan. Beaming, she said, "So? Quite a surprise, isn’t it?"

The frown on Huo Jingyuan’s brow gradually smoothed out. He let out a soft laugh, his voice warm and gentle—a clear sign of his good mood. "Ah Ci, what are you doing here?"

Wen Ci lifted the insulated lunch box she was holding. Her eyes crinkled in a smile as she said, "Sister Jing saved you a plate, so I came to deliver some supplies to Mr. Huo."

"She saved me some?"

"Mhm."

Huo Jingyuan reached out and took the lunch box from Wen Ci. He invited her into the office. The offices for officers of his rank were communal.

It was now the lunch hour, and only Huo Jingyuan remained.

"You’re the only one here?"

"Everyone else went to eat."

"Oh."

Suddenly, Huo Jingyuan remembered that Wen Ci had just spoken a word of English. His gaze settled on her, and he asked curiously, "Ah Ci, how do you know English?"

’His Ah Ci was the Jiang Family’s biological daughter, but she had grown up in a village.’

"Uh..."

Wen Ci racked her brain for an explanation.

’I can’t just tell Huo Jingyuan I transmigrated here, can I?’

An idea struck her, and Wen Ci’s eyes lit up. "Our village was one of the places they sent educated youth. There was a young woman who knew English, and I’m a fast learner, so I picked up a few phrases from her."

"Can you read it?"

Wen Ci nodded. "I can read a little."

"My Ah Ci is so smart."

A blush crept up Wen Ci’s face at his praise. ’The way he talks to me... it’s like he’s coaxing a child.’ She lowered her gaze.

"Go on and eat."

"Okay."

Huo Jingyuan opened the lunch box. A delicious fragrance wafted out, steam still rising from the food. His throat worked as he swallowed hard. He’d gotten home in the wee hours and had slept straight through until nine.

The cafeteria had already stopped serving breakfast.

He’d been starving all morning.

-

Before long, a few other commanders walked into the office.

The aroma filling the room drew their attention. They walked over to Huo Jingyuan’s desk, and upon seeing the beautiful young woman sitting beside him, one of them teased, "Mr. Huo, getting a specially cooked meal is one thing, but to have a pretty young lady deliver it to you, too?"