Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

  “You could come, so why couldn’t I?” Shi Qing rolled her eyes. Actually, Qiu Chenxi wanted to ask why she came, right?

  “It’s not the same. I’m from the army. It’s normal for me to be here. You know the rules in the army as well. People who do not belong can’t enter or leave the place as they please. Qing Qing, if you support uncle in his work, don’t create trouble for him.” So, hurry up and leave. Don’t stay here and be an eyesore

  “Your mom could even use my father’s name to put you in the army, so why couldn’t I come here? Do you believe that I can formally take the test and qualify as a female soldier?!” Shi Qing was unconvinced. Even a person like Qiu Chenxi who did not know anything could become a soldier. Would she be worse than Qiu Chenxi?

  “Don’t kick up a fuss. Focus on your studies. Don’t forget. You only came in second place this time.” Shi Peng gave Shi Qing a scolding happily.

  “Dad, can you not be so obvious with that gloating expression of yours? Are you still my biological father?” Shi Qing rolled her eyes even harder. She was in second place. Did her father need to be so happy? Don’t tell her that she was a daughter given to him by someone?

  “I can’t.” Shi Peng derided.

  The two-way conversation between Shi Peng and Shi Qing, ignoring the presence of others, made Qiu Chenxi turn pale. “Uncle, I’m looking for you about something important. The political commissar said he’s going to expel me. What serious offense have I committed that they have to punish me so harshly? Is it so easy to expel someone from the army? Furthermore, uncle, you know my situation. You won’t hope for the worst and sit by as my life happiness slips away from me, right?”

  “Hahaha.” Shi Qing sneered. “When you joined the army, it was quite easy as well.”

  \r \r \r

  “Qing Qing, don’t be so selfish. You can’t come here to destroy and stand in the way of my happiness just because you like Brother Zhai. You must know that after I am married to Brother Zhai, you have to call Brother Zhai ‘brother-in-law’. You double-cross your own sister and snatch your brother-in-law. You! Don’t you feel ashamed?”

  “No, I don’t!” Shi Qing looked bitterly cold. Today, such words could actually come out of Qiu Chenxi’s mouth. She could only blame her own stupidity in the past when she believed Qiu Chenxi’s words without a doubt simply because they were relatives.

  Shi Peng patted Shi Qing’s hands to get her to sit down and calm down. “Chenxi, you’ll understand after I tell you one matter. No one can help you. Your expulsion from the army is irrefutable. It’s also useless if anyone helps you.”

  “What matter?”

  “Regiment Commander Zhai was the one who suggested your expulsion and Chief Zhai agreed.” Even the two people whom Qiu Chenxi was working so hard to gain the favor from were not willing to let her remain in the army. Would it make a difference if he had done anything?

  “Impossible. Uncle, you’re lying to me!” Qiu Chenxi was in disbelief. “Uncle, I didn’t expect you to be so selfish. Are you still my uncle? How can you lie to me and sacrifice my happiness because of Qing Qing? As relatives, you are really too cold-blooded by doing this. You’re too disappointing.”

  “Nonsense! Qiu Chenxi, don’t go overboard!” Shi Qing exploded. “You’re not finished with this yet? Who’s selfish? Who’s cold-blooded?!”

  Shi Peng looked indifferent. After all, she had seen this ugly side from his biological sister, Qi Minlan, more than twenty years ago. “Whether we’re relatives or not, you call the shots. As to whether the matter is real, you can go and inquire about it yourself. Of course, if you’re dissatisfied, you can give your mom a call. The phone is here. Do it yourself.”

  He already said before that Zhai Sheng, that lad, had a good sense of judgment in character. Even if he did not marry his daughter, Qing Qing, it would not be possible for him to marry Qiu Chenxi, his niece.

  In comparison, Zhai Yaohui’s sense of judgment was much worse than that of Zhai Sheng. He had been so good to Qi Minlan for so many years and had given Qiu Qin so much benefit and convenience.

  His judgment was bad and he lacked intelligence. He wondered how Zhai Yaohui could outdo him and became the chief many years ago. Was he just being lucky?!

  When he saw that Qiu Chenxi had neither leave nor self-reflect and was staring at the phone instead, Shi Peng got up. “Qing Qing, keep Dad company. Let’s go for a walk.”

  Shi Qing gave Qiu Chenxi a stare and stomped her feet. She reluctantly accompanied Shi Peng and left. “Dad, on what grounds?” Clearly, this was her father’s office. Why did her father have to leave and give Qiu Chenxi some space to call her auntie to complain?

  “Anyway, she’s leaving the army soon. Let her call as she wishes. Does it matter?” There would be more trouble if he did not allow Qiu Chenxi to make this phone call.

  “What if auntie complains to grandpa and grandma? What should we do?” Auntie was, after all, their daughter. Qiu Chenxi was their biological maternal granddaughter.

  Shi Peng laughed. “Even Zhu Chengqi was able to subdue Elder Zhu. How much do you think your grandpa and grandma can interfere in my matters?”

  “Dad, you’re so smart.” Her grandfather and grandmother always felt that they had let auntie suffer when they gave her to her grandfather’s former comrade for adoption, and Auntie was unhappy over this. Hence, they insisted that her father should take better care of her auntie. Why should he?

  One must know that the one her grandparents wanted to give up for adoption was clearly her father. It was the former comrade who declined and requested for her auntie instead.

  Furthermore, her auntie had grown up in the Shi family. She had not been shortchanged in everything that she used or wore. When did she ever suffer?!

  When he felt that Qiu Chenxi had almost finished the phone call, Shi Peng then brought Shi Qing back.

  At the sight of their return, Qiu Chenxi simply passed the phone which she had not hung up yet to Shi Peng. “Uncle, Mom wants to speak to you.”

  “Hello.” Shi Peng took over the phone. “Yes, that’s the situation. I can’t. Why? Regiment Commander Zhai suggested it, and both Chief Zhai and the political commissar agreed. I’m the only one left and my influence is weak. I can’t turn the tides. You don’t need to continue further. It’s no use…… Fine, you can call Dad and Mom. I’m not stopping you. However, let me tell you that calling Mom and Dad is not as useful as simply calling Zhai Yaohui…… Fine, you do that. It’s up to you.”

  True enough, just after Shi Peng hung up the phone call with Qi Minlan, he received a call from Elder Shi. “Hello, Dad. You know my position in the army. My rank is not higher than Zhai Yaohui. My power can’t be comparable with the political commissar. How about I stay away from the army from now on? I’ll use my position in exchange to let Qiu Chenxi remain in the army. I’m not saying this out of anger. This is the actual situation now…… Anyway, my health is not too good. As of now, my illnesses have not fully recovered. After I retire from the army, I can get some rest. It’s all good. Right, we don’t have a solution that can give us the best of both worlds. It’s not that we can only have one person remaining. It’s a unanimous opinion. It’s not suitable to let Qiu Chenxi stay in the army. Fine. If you agree, I’ll prepare a report and leave the army. Okay, the outcome will probably be known in a few days after I submit the report. Even after I retire, I can’t guarantee if Qiu Chenxi can continue to stay in the army. Fine, let’s do this.”

  “Dad?” Shi Qing was instantly dumbfounded. Was it not Qiu Chenxi who was leaving the army? Why did it become her dad?