On the ride-share car.
Gazing up at the black night sky speckled with flickering “stars,” Qian Duoduo’s eyebrows lifted slightly as she casually switched out of the chat window.
She opened Moments and started scrolling.
The first post to catch her eye was sent just a minute ago. A nine-grid collage of pictures featuring sweet and sour pork ribs, spicy green bamboo shoots, and red wine steak vegetable salad…
Each dish had been color-adjusted with a food-specialized filter, making them look visually appetizing.
Qian Duoduo raised an eyebrow, thinking it was from someone who, like her, enjoyed DIY cooking. Her fingers skimmed through the post and kept scrolling down.
Two seconds later, something felt off, and she instinctively swiped back up.
Taking a closer look, the post’s avatar was a happily wagging white puppy, and the name attached was: Zhao Jingxi.
Qian Duoduo: “……”
She was stunned, hesitated for a few seconds, then left a comment under the post: 【?】
Zhao Jingxi replied instantly: 【Hehe】
Qian Duoduo frowned lightly. Since the comments under Moments posts were visible to mutual friends, to avoid unnecessary trouble, she quickly switched to the private chat and sent Zhao Jingxi a message.
Qian Duoduo: 【Who made those dishes in your Moments?】
Zhao Jingxi: 【Guess~】
Qian Duoduo’s eyes widened, fingers trembling slightly as she typed: 【Oh my god. You actually brought that little rascal singer home?】
Zhao Jingxi: 【Didn’t you say you wanted me to find a male nanny who can cook?】
Zhao Jingxi: 【The little singer’s cooking skills are pretty good. The food tastes great.】
Qian Duoduo: 【…Looks like it’s not bad.】
Qian Duoduo: 【So have you officially started living together?】
Zhao Jingxi: 【I guess so.】
Zhao Jingxi: 【I’m exhausted.】
Qian Duoduo: 【Why are you sleepy at noon? Did you get up early today too?】
Zhao Jingxi: 【Blame my brother for being too wild. Last night we fought from midnight to 3 a.m., and before dawn he dragged me to do it twice more. My lower back feels like it’s about to break.】
Qian Duoduo: 【…】
Zhao Jingxi: 【Alright, enough said. I’m going to nap a bit. I still have to go to the set this afternoon.】
Qian Duoduo: 【Okay, then get some rest.】
After sending the message, Qian Duoduo’s face felt warm as she stared repeatedly at the part where Zhao Jingxi mentioned “brother is too wild.” Hesitating, she still couldn’t help but add a reminder: 【Have fun, but remember to take proper precautions.】
Zhao Jingxi: 【Hahaha, are you worried I’ll cause a death?】
Zhao Jingxi: 【Don’t worry, sis. I’m way more experienced than you, I know my limits.】
Qian Duoduo: 【Mhm.】
A few seconds later, a friend on the other side sent another song link.
Zhao Jingxi: 【Although you don’t like that little singer, I still want you to listen!】
Zhao Jingxi: 【His voice is amazing, smoky and perfectly fits the little singer’s style. Please Teacher Qian, accept my recommendation!!!】
Qian Duoduo pursed her lips, stayed silent for a few seconds before replying: 【I still prefer your unruly attitude.】
Zhao Jingxi: 【Hmph.】
Zhao Jingxi: 【Men are the essential seasoning of life—bringing joy to body and mind, and prolonging life. You’ve never had a man; you just don’t get it.】
Qian Duoduo raised an eyebrow slightly, replying: 【That ex-boyfriend you dated for many years—if I remember right, he was a senior executive at a listed company. Charming and successful. Why have you never said he could ‘bring joy to body and mind and prolong life’?】
Zhao Jingxi: 【That one? Forget it. He’s thirty-five now. Studies show that after twenty-five, men’s sperm quality begins to decline. Some even develop erectile dysfunction. When I say ‘wonderful seasoning,’ I mean young, fresh men.】
Qian Duoduo: 【…】
Zhao Jingxi: 【Seriously, I said I’m going to nap, how did we end up chatting again?】
Zhao Jingxi: 【Going to really sleep now. Bye.jpg】
The phone screen went dark.
Qian Duoduo’s palms were sweaty, cheeks flushed hot and red. After a while with no improvement, she pressed the cold metal back of her phone against her face to physically cool down.
Men become useless after twenty-five?
Not sure where Jingxi got that research report from, or if it was even reliable.
If it’s true… then is Lu Qiming no good anymore?
Qian Duoduo’s mind ran wild with messy thoughts. When she thought of “Lu Qiming,” a pair of cold, deep black eyes flashed in her mind, staring at her like a beast entering hunting mode—calmly lying in wait for the fatal strike.
In just a few seconds, Qian Duoduo was startled awake, blushing furiously.
What nonsense am I thinking?
Whether Lu Qiming is good or not has nothing to do with me!
…….
Traffic was terrible, the congestion bad enough that Qian Duoduo only got back near Stonewater Camp around eleven o’clock.
Passing by the Firing Range, sporadic gunshots echoed with pauses. Snipers were crouched behind cover, fog rolling in.
Suddenly, a few hands pressed evenly on triggers, firing 7.62mm rounds spinning through the air.
A chest target several hundred meters away toppled, pockmarked with charred bullet holes.
The gunfire reverberated against eardrums, sending tremors through the heart.
After all, Qian Duoduo was a newcomer. Before entering the camp, she had never heard live gunfire or seen a real gun, and rarely watched gory war films.
Being suddenly immersed in such an environment, she couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
She buried her head slightly, instinctively quickening her pace, not daring to linger near the Firing Range.
Passing the Tactical Training Ground, soldiers crawled through mud.
Near the office building, several young officers in civilian clothes hurried past, quietly discussing reconnaissance plans to be reported to Central.
Everyone was busy, faithfully dedicated to their posts, radiating brilliance.
Compared to them, Qian Duoduo felt like a loafing street wanderer.
Embarrassed, she thought for a moment then turned sharply toward the dormitory building and rushed toward the Mess Hall.
The group work was done, and the spacious kitchen was split in two, like two rival strongholds.
When Qian Duoduo entered the Mess Hall, she saw only a few figures in camouflage uniforms, but Team Leader Kuai was definitely here.
He wore a half-apron with camouflage pattern around his waist, skillfully wielding a ladle in front of the stove.
Seeing this, Qian Duoduo felt even more guilty for being absent all morning while the Cooking Squad fought hard in the kitchen.
She hurriedly rolled up her sleeves and asked shyly, “Teacher Kuai, what are you cooking?”
“Oh, Teacher Qian’s back,” Kuai glanced at her with a smile. “Just making some hot Yanchao Dufu Si. Not sure if everyone will like it.”
Qian Duoduo: “Teacher Kuai, you’re too modest. You’re a first-class chef, certified by everyone.”
“Ah, what’s the use of a certificate? The comrades’ praise is worth more than gold cups or silver trophies.” Kuai spoke while ladling hot soup over a plate of Yanchao Dufu Si, pouring evenly.
He then praised Qian Duoduo, “That shredded chicken you tossed last time got unanimous praise from the guys here. I have to learn from Teacher Qian.”
“You two are both masters, stop flattering each other.” Squad Leader Cui scooped freshly cooked Hongshao Shizitou into the serving trays, then suddenly remembered and turned to Qian Duoduo with concern. “By the way, Teacher Qian, you said your family member was admitted to the hospital this morning. Are they okay now?”
“Just a minor issue, thanks for asking.” Qian Duoduo felt guilty. “Because of personal matters, I delayed all morning and couldn’t help much. Really sorry.”
“No need to be sorry.” Xiao Honghua entered carrying a freshly washed basin of cilantro. “Teacher Qian, you worry too much. Our Cooking Squad isn’t a core unit, but one thing’s great: we’re all united like family here. No need to feel awkward around your own family.”
“Mhm, Comrade Xiao Honghua’s right.” Cui raised a thumb seriously. “You’re looking like a real comrade now.”
Xiao Honghua blushed bright red and glared. “Squad Leader, I’m nineteen this year. I’m definitely a real man! A pure tough guy!”
Everyone burst out laughing.
Qian Duoduo was infected by the cheerful atmosphere and felt much more relaxed, helping Wen Hao scoop rice.
While scooping, she glanced toward the office building visible from the window and softly asked, “I saw some snipers shooting at the range earlier. Do you guys train every day?”
“Different training every day,” Wen Hao replied with a smile. “What you saw was probably Sniper Team 3. Their team has an assessment this afternoon, with Team Leader Lu as the examiner. They have to train, whether they want to or not.”
Qian Duoduo didn’t understand: “So what’s with Team Leader Lu being the examiner?”
Wen Hao looked around before lowering his voice. “You don’t know? Team Leader Lu is really strict and sets a high passing line. Snipers dread facing him during exams.”
Speaking of Lu, Wen Hao paused half a second and sighed slowly. “Our Team Leader Lu is a legendary Sniper King. He never misses a shot.”
Qian Duoduo was half-skeptical: “A Sniper King?”
“Why would I lie to you?” Wen Hao’s expression grew even more mysterious. “When I first joined, I heard a lot about Lu. Teacher Qian, have you heard of ‘Non-standard-range Sniper Kill’?”
Qian Duoduo shook her head blankly.
She didn’t understand these military terms.
“Six years ago, CCTV had a news story— you can still find it online now. It said our sniper killed a terrorist at 3,420 meters using a TAC-50 Sniper Rifle. The bullet flew through the air for 9.99 seconds but still hit the target precisely.” Wen Hao said, “That sniper was Team Leader Lu.”
After hearing this, Qian Duoduo’s eyes widened in shock.
Lu Qiming… really that amazing?
……
Around eleven-thirty, all dishes were ready, filling the air with aroma.
Qian Duoduo and the Cooking Squad busily carried food out of the kitchen, placing it on the self-service counter.
Finally done with pre-meal preparations, she wiped sweat from her brow and pulled out her phone.