Chapter 126: Returning to the Team
Ning Qingzhi curiously glanced at the bulging cloth satchel slung across his sister’s chest.
“I was wondering why your bag was so stuffed. Turns out it’s full of things you’re sending to Mom and Dad.”
Ning Xiyue proudly patted the satchel. “Of course! There’s everything in here — even the bricks Mom told me to bring. There’s nothing you can think of that isn’t in my bag.”
Ning Qingzhi gave her a skeptical look and muttered while gazing up at the sky, “And I think I just saw a cow flying overhead.”
“Big brother.” Ning Xiyue called out in mock anger.
Comrade Ji Yanming chuckled softly and spoke up for her. “I can vouch for her. She really does carry all sorts of things around. I’ve seen bricks in there several times — she always keeps one on her.”
“Comrade Ji is the best.” Ning Xiyue gave him a grateful smile, then turned to her brother with a haughty little “hmph.” “Don’t think I don’t know you’re calling me a braggart.”
At her words, a ridiculous image suddenly popped into Ning Qingzhi’s head — Ning Xiyue literally blowing a cow into the sky.
“Pfft! Sister, that’s too funny. Just imagine you standing on the ground and blowing a cow up into the air — I’m dying!”
Ning Xiyue glared at her brother, who was laughing even harder at his own joke. The image was indeed hilarious — even she almost laughed picturing it — but once she imagined herself as the one doing it, it stopped being funny.
Angry Bird Ning Xiyue →_→: “Brother, you’re still laughing at me. I’m mad now.”
“Sorry, sorry, I won’t laugh anymore.” He said the words, but it was as if someone had pressed his “laugh” button — he just couldn’t stop.
That gave Ji Yanming the perfect opening. He stepped up beside Ning Xiyue and handed her a White Rabbit candy, speaking softly, “Don’t be mad, don’t be mad. I’ll hit him for you.”
Everyone knew they were just joking around. Ning Xiyue unwrapped the candy and popped it in her mouth with a satisfied, “Alright.”
And with that, Ji Yanming’s fist — light but firm — landed squarely on Ning Qingzhi’s shoulder, finally shutting down his laughter.
Ning Qingzhi sobered up, though he felt something was off. He eyed his comrade suspiciously. “What are you doing, Old Ji? We’re comrades-in-arms in the same trench, and you’re using me to cheer up my sister?”
Ji Yanming remained perfectly calm, not the slightest bit guilty. “I’m not in the same trench as you anymore. Right now, I’m on the same front line as Xiyue.”
Ning Xiyue put her hands on her hips and grinned triumphantly. “Serves you right for laughing at me. Now you’ve got no teammates. This is my teammate. Teammate, let’s go. We don’t need him.”
“Alright, let’s go.” Ji Yanming played along cheerfully, even snatching the sack from Ning Qingzhi’s hand to carry it himself.
“Hey! Old Ji, you two—!” Ning Qingzhi felt the cruelty of the world hit him as he hurried after them. “Wait for me!”
Ning Xiyue waved without looking back. “Nope, not waiting. Come on, Comrade Ji, let’s go faster.”
“Sure thing, not waiting for him,” Ji Yanming deliberately called back.
“Hey—!”
The three of them joked and laughed all the way, the playful teasing bringing them closer than before.
Ji Yanming was secretly delighted — he could clearly feel that his relationship with Ning Xiyue was no longer as polite or distant as before. He was now part of her “friends” circle. Now he just had to keep it up, step by step.
Ning Qingzhi, of course, had no idea that all his teasing had actually helped his comrade make progress. When he found out later, he regretted it so much that he wanted to slap himself.
The three returned to the county’s armed forces department and boarded the same car that had brought them there. It headed back to the Dayu team — back home.
By the time Comrade Li dropped them off at the Dayu team, the sky was completely dark.
Once they arrived, the trio split up.
Ji Yanming had matters to attend to and left on his own.
Ning Xiyue still needed to report back and cancel her leave with the team leader, so Ning Qingzhi — worried about her — stayed to accompany her. On the way, it was just the two siblings, which was perfect for Ning Xiyue’s next plan.
“Brother, I’m getting hungry again. Let’s eat a bun.”
“Alright.”
Ning Xiyue took the sack from her brother’s hand and opened it. As she reached inside, she quickly swapped one of the buns with a freshly kept one from her space — still cold, stored in sync with the outside.
She handed the swapped bun to her brother. “Here you go. Good thing we packed them in lunch boxes — they’re not cold yet, so we don’t need to steam them.”
Ning Qingzhi shook his head and didn’t take it. “I’m fine. You eat. Just save one for our second brother.”
But Ning Xiyue forcefully shoved the bun into his mouth. “Eat it! It’s yours anyway. I’m only saving one for Second Brother.”
With no choice, Ning Qingzhi ate the bun, savoring it happily. The fact that his second brother only got one while he got a whole one told him everything — it meant his little sister liked him more.
“Mmm, tastes good. Delicious.”
Ning Xiyue beamed as she watched her brother eat the special bun. Taking a bite of her own, she chewed with equal enjoyment. “Right? Pork buns are always the best.”
Perfect — once her brother ate that bun, the risks to his life would be significantly reduced. It would improve his health and even boost his luck. Now she could relax a little.
It was also a way of returning the good fortune her brother had lost in his previous life — disguised in the form of a pork bun.
Now she just needed to deliver the other bun to their second brother, so he too could escape his past fate.
After finishing their buns, the two siblings walked under the moonlight to report to the team leader and cancel her leave.
Once that was done, Ning Qingzhi escorted her back to the educated youth dormitory.
He took out the autumn clothes and pants for himself and Ji Yanming from the sack. “Sis, I’m heading off now. See you next time.”
“Wait, let me make some room in here. It’s not convenient for you to carry it like this.”
Ning Xiyue ran quickly into the kitchen to clear out her belongings. Then, from her space, she took out several large chunks of cured meat, wrapped them one by one in old newspaper, and placed them at the bottom of the sack. She added some spices, layering them with newspaper before putting the clothes on top and handing the sack to her brother.
“Brother, it’s all packed. There’s some cured meat I made at the bottom.”
“No need, don’t pack meat for me. Keep it for yourself.”
Ning Qingzhi made a move to take the meat out, but Ning Xiyue stopped him.
“I have plenty — too much to eat, really. Did you forget I told you I got a whole pig dirt cheap? There’s more than enough meat. Don’t worry, just take it.”
Since her brother was always busy in the mountains and it wasn’t easy for him to eat well, and since she herself never lacked for meat, it made sense to help him improve his diet.
She leaned closer and whispered, “Whenever you get a break, sneak down here to see me. I’ll make you delicious food and improve your meals.”
Ning Qingzhi’s eyes grew slightly red as he nodded, deeply moved. “Alright. Thank you, little sister. But you mustn’t shortchange yourself either. Eat well and buy what you need.”
Ning Xiyue waved him off. “Got it. Now go. I won’t keep you.”
After seeing her brother off, Ning Xiyue washed up, lay down on the heated kang bed, and prepared to study — diving into research on beauty, skincare, and health-preserving techniques.
