Chapter 267 - 259: The Return (Third Watch)
The people who came back were Qin Zhen and Li Jianqing, both wearing army green uniforms with large backpacks on their backs.
Qin Xi went to open the door, while Li Xianglu was stunned looking at Qin Zhen. Was this still Qin Zhen? He had become so dark that he was almost unrecognizable, lost a lot of weight, and seemed to have grown taller; the most striking change was his whole demeanor, which had transformed completely.
The person was the same, the somewhat childish Qin Zhen, but now he stood straight, and even when he bent over, he did so at a specific angle. It appeared that military school was truly a great place: in just half a year, it had given a previously unremarkable person a noticeable edge.
As soon as Qin Zhen entered, he complained about being tired, and, although there was a table full of food, he wasn’t in a hurry to eat; almost immediately, he dropped his bag and ran to the living room to make a phone call.
Li Xianglu knew even with her heels that he was calling Lu Anna; she helped her brother put away his backpack and other things, told him to wash his hands and eat before discussing other matters.
Li Jianqing hadn’t changed much, only becoming far more composed, his eyes and brows cooler than before.
While eating, he asked his sister about her academic progress. He still had two and a half years until graduation, while his sister was already a junior and would graduate in a little more than a year. He asked about her thoughts on job prospects with deep concern.
Then he mentioned a piece of news: Li Erfu had moved out of Li Family Village to live in the county, where he had opened a noodle shop with someone—a private business, an idea of Chunhua.
Li Xianglu said she already knew about it. In May, Li Erfu wrote a letter saying the noodle shop was doing well, making about four or five yuan a day. He also sent her some Guanzhong specialties like millet and red dates. Although Li Xianglu had some complaints about Li Erfu, her feelings had faded after his divorce and injury. Moreover, since she now lived in the original owner’s body, she thought she might as well perform her filial duties and had sent some unusual candies, some books, school bags, and two pieces of woolen fabric.
Li Jianqing had just finished eating his bun when Qin Zhen hurried back, took a bun, and stuffed it into his mouth, eating two in quick succession and drinking a bowl of porridge. Then, grabbing two more buns from the table, he said to Qin Xi, "Big brother, give me some money. I need to step out."