Chapter 37: Of All People to Offend, Why Her

Chapter 37: Chapter 37: Of All People to Offend, Why Her

Fu Xiaoxiao glanced at the two people and took a step back.

"What are you saying? Are you saying that following military orders was wrong, or that disregarding your own safety to protect the hostages was wrong?"

Lu Feng’s eyes showed delight, and he raised his chin proudly at Liu Hongjun.

"See, she says I’m not wrong!"

Liu Hongjun was stunned, then immediately heard Fu Xiaoxiao continue. "Don’t be so pleased. I know the situation was urgent, and you had to follow orders to save the hostages, but you promised me and the two children that you’d be careful about your safety in dangerous situations."

"You were lucky to get away with just a concussion this time, but what about next time? Will you keep disregarding your own life?"

Liu Hongjun nodded continuously, as this was exactly what he meant.

He didn’t say Lu Feng was wrong, but it made him uncomfortable seeing Lu Feng disregard his own safety.

Fu Xiaoxiao looked at the two people who couldn’t communicate well. One showed concern but used a scolding tone, provoking the other’s rebelliousness and forcing him to retort.

"...Sorry." Lu Feng lowered his head; this time he indeed acted impulsively.

When the explosion occurred and he instinctively shielded the hostage and was blasted away, he started to regret. What if he couldn’t come back? He would leave two unrelated children to Fu Xiaoxiao alone...

"Uh, this is partly my fault. If I hadn’t given strict orders at the time, he wouldn’t have fought so hard." Liu Hongjun felt he bore some responsibility for this. He agreed with what Fu Xiaoxiao said, but as a soldier, following orders was his duty.

"You two can chat! I need to get going now, and I’ll visit again tomorrow." Fu Xiaoxiao nodded, packed her things, and turned to leave the hospital room.

"...Is she upset?" Lu Feng watched Fu Xiaoxiao leave without turning back and turned to Liu Hongjun, scratching his head to ask.

"Ahem, she’s definitely upset because you were hurt." Liu Hongjun coughed.

Who knew why? He’d been married for years and never understood why his wife would suddenly get angry.

"You don’t know either?" Lu Feng saw through Liu Hongjun’s facade. After all those years of being kicked out to sleep by his wife, how could he trust Liu Hongjun’s words?

"...You brat, no matter what, I have more experience than you!" Liu Hongjun glared at him stubbornly.

"Ha. I wonder who got kicked out by his wife on New Year’s Eve to squeeze into the dorm with us recruits." Lu Feng was completely unconvinced; he shouldn’t have trusted Liu Hongjun’s nonsense. Fu Xiaoxiao definitely was angry.

"I’m not talking to you anymore. You don’t understand; it’s just some fun between me and my wife." Liu Hongjun looked at Lu Feng with disdain.

He was such a novice; what was he arguing for?

"Your performance on this task was outstanding. After a discussion by the higher-ups, it’s decided that you’ll be promoted to deputy regiment commander." Liu Hongjun received the file and couldn’t wait to tell Lu Feng the good news.

"Mm." Lu Feng nodded indifferently.

"Can’t you show a bit of an excited reaction?" Liu Hongjun wasn’t pleased with such a bland response.

Wouldn’t a normal person be happy, or even let out an excited holler?

How could this guy always remain so calm?

Lu Feng looked up at Liu Hongjun. "What’s there to be excited about?"

"You now have a family too. You might not care, but wouldn’t Mr. Fu be happy?" Liu Hongjun remembered Lu Feng’s past and paused, then thought of Fu Xiaoxiao.

Others might think it’s nothing, but with Lu Feng becoming the deputy regimental commander, shouldn’t his wife be happy?

"...Will she be happy?" Hearing that Fu Xiaoxiao would be happy finally elicited a reaction from Lu Feng.

"When I was promoted back then, my wife was really happy and hugged and kissed me." Liu Hongjun thought about it, unsure if Fu Xiaoxiao would be happy, but his wife had been very happy back then, hugging and kissing him for a while.

"..." Lu Feng lowered his head, a light flickering in his eyes.

Hug and kiss him?

"Alright, it’s getting late. My wife is probably still waiting for me to return! You should rest well; don’t get up unnecessarily." Liu Hongjun glanced at his watch; it was almost midnight, and he needed to return soon.

Just as Liu Hongjun was about to leave, Lu Feng asked. "Did you help me buy the three coveted items?"

"Ah, my bad! I remembered to order them for you but forgot to bring them back. I’ll ask Xiao Wang to bring them over tomorrow." Liu Hongjun finally remembered what he’d forgotten earlier and felt like he’d missed something.

"Mm." Lu Feng nodded and turned around then lay down.

When Fu Xiaoxiao returned home and saw a figure standing at the door, it startled her.

"Xiao Lin?" Fu Xiaoxiao recognized the person under the moonlight; it was indeed Lu Lin.

"How... is Mr. Lu? Is he badly hurt?" Lu Lin looked at Fu Xiaoxiao, afraid to hear the answer but desperate to know how he was doing.

"It’s not too serious, just a bit dizzy and bedridden. Do you want to visit him?" Fu Xiaoxiao rubbed his head as she passed him, then turned to wash the pot in the kitchen.

"Yes." Lu Lin nodded as he followed her.

"Then wake up early tomorrow, and before you go to school, I’ll take you to see him." Fu Xiaoxiao said with a smile after washing the pot.

Lu Lin’s eyes lit up.

"Alright, it’s already midnight, hurry to bed!" Fu Xiaoxiao urged.

Lu Lin turned to leave the kitchen but suddenly came back.

"I’m sorry."

Fu Xiaoxiao was stunned hearing Lu Lin’s sudden apology.

"Why are you apologizing?" Fu Xiaoxiao asked puzzled.

"We intentionally led you on a two-hour walk to the supply and marketing cooperative, and we knew we could have had someone else bring it to you; you didn’t have to buy it yourself." Lu Lin lowered his head, as he indeed intentionally made things difficult for Fu Xiaoxiao at that time.

"Well then, I won’t forgive you." Fu Xiaoxiao glanced at Lu Lin and brushed past him to go back to her room to sleep.

"Ah?" Lu Lin thought she was going to forgive him, but took a moment to realize Fu Xiaoxiao said she wouldn’t.

"Just know that not every apology is forgiven." Fu Xiaoxiao turned back at the room door to say.

"Good night." With that, Fu Xiaoxiao closed the door, leaving Lu Lin outside.

Lu Lin stared at Fu Xiaoxiao’s bedroom door, thinking she was teasing him. But then he felt Fu Xiaoxiao wasn’t joking.

She seemed... genuinely angry?

Lu Lin bit his lip, frustrated, and scratched his head.

What should he do? No one taught him how to make his stepmother happy!

Fu Xiaoxiao lay down on the soft bed, and the comfortable quilt seemed to make all her tiredness disappear. Unable to resist sleepiness, she slowly drifted off.

As for the two men and boy who annoyed her, they spent the night troubled, scratching their heads over their lack of experience in placating someone.

Early the next morning, Fu Xiaoxiao got up to pick vegetables in the backyard, intending to make porridge for Lu Feng. When she returned to the kitchen, she saw Lu Lin standing there with a sleepy-eyed Lu Chen beside him.

It was obvious Lu Chen had been forcibly awakened.