Reborn in the 80s: Divorced and Spoiled by the Military Man

Chapter 148: Her Brain Was the One Full of Cabbage!

Xie Yunshu hadn’t seen Shen Subai in several days. She knew he had been busy lately. A lot of people had come from the Southern Project Department, and more people had been coming in for meals these days too. If the canteen were operating normally, it seemed like there shouldn’t have been much reason for the two of them to cross paths in the first place.

For instance, if Captain Shen didn’t take the initiative to show up, she had no reason to go looking for him.

Perhaps because the weather had warmed up a little more, even though it was nighttime, Shen Subai was still wearing his black overcoat. His gaze paused briefly on Xie Yunshu before shifting to Ji Siyuan. “You’re not heading the same way. You can go back first. I need to talk to Yunshu about something.”

Ji Siyuan didn’t take it seriously at all. Instead, he propped one leg on the ground to balance his bicycle and edged a little closer to Xie Yunshu. “I’m not doing anything anyway. Taking a detour won’t tire me out.”

Xie Yunshu shoved him in annoyance. “Stop messing around. Captain Shen must be here to talk to me about work!”

Ji Siyuan nearly toppled over, bicycle and all. “Xie Yunshu, would it kill you to be a little gentler?”

“Are you annoying or what? Hurry up and go!” Xie Yunshu shoved him again, then half-compromised. “Chicken stewed with potatoes tomorrow. Happy now?”

Ji Siyuan’s eyes lit up slightly. “Now that’s more like it.”

He got back on his bicycle. Before leaving, he even waved at Shen Subai. “Captain Shen, if it’s work-related, you can just have me pass the message along next time. I don’t have anything to do during the day anyway, and I’m with Yunshu every night. Saves you the trouble of finding excuses to conveniently pass by all the time!”

He emphasized the words “conveniently pass by,” with a faint hint of provocation in his tone.

Shen Subai’s fingers curled slightly. His usually calm eyes seemed to stir with a storm for an instant, only to settle again just as quickly. The corner of his mouth lifted, but his gaze turned to Xie Yunshu. “Do matters between you and me need to be relayed by him?”

The way he said it made it sound as if there were something shameful going on between her and Captain Shen.

But Xie Yunshu knew Captain Shen wasn’t exactly gifted with words. He must have come to find her for work. Why did Ji Siyuan insist on talking nonsense all the time?

She glared at Ji Siyuan. “Captain Shen and I are leaving first. You hurry back too, or else tomorrow you’re getting pork stewed with cabbage again!”

Ji Siyuan ground his teeth and cursed at her, “Idiot!”

Any man could see how Shen Subai felt about her, yet she couldn’t? And she had the nerve to say his brain was useless. As far as he was concerned, her brain was the one full of cabbage!

Xie Yunshu was furious. “Get lost!”

A lousy student actually dared call her stupid? She had seen the entrance exam results. She was in first place, while Ji Siyuan was fifth from the bottom, all right?

Though she was driving Ji Siyuan away, her attitude toward him was far more familiar than the way she treated him.

There was no smile in Shen Subai’s eyes. He walked a couple of steps forward before turning back to look at Xie Yunshu. “Are you coming or not?”

Only after giving Ji Siyuan another glare did Xie Yunshu quickly get on her bicycle and follow. “Captain Shen, what did you need me for? Has something changed with the canteen contract? But the contract’s already been signed. Or does the Southern Project Department have some other requirements?”

She had already moved everything into the new canteen. She had settled on long-term suppliers for vegetables and meat, and had even found some aunties to help out. If something changed now, it would really be the death of her.

Shen Subai’s tone lowered slightly. “Aside from the canteen, can’t there be anything else I might come to you about?”

Xie Yunshu froze for a moment. She had the feeling Captain Shen seemed a little unhappy. “That’s not what I meant…”

Shen Subai sighed inwardly. He had been too impatient.

“The canteen officially opens the day after tomorrow. I’ll be very busy and may not have time to go over. Find a few more people to help you, and don’t let things fall into chaos.” Shen Subai’s gaze slid over her profile before he looked ahead again. “If any real trouble comes up, go to Tian Hao immediately.”

Xie Yunshu grew a little nervous too. “Nothing unexpected will happen that day, right?”

Shen Subai’s tone softened, carrying a hint of reassurance. “You’ve been doing very well these past few days. At most, there will be a few more people eating, and you’ll be in a new place. Other than that, there won’t be any difference.”

Xie Yunshu trusted Captain Shen completely. She let out a breath of relief. “Captain Shen, once the canteen settles down, I really have to thank you properly.”

Just treating him to a meal definitely wouldn’t be enough. She still hadn’t found a chance to repay this favor!

Shen Subai turned his head and glanced at her. “There’s no rush.”

Xie Yunshu looked at the road ahead, a little curious. “Captain Shen, where exactly do you live?”

Past the Packaging Factory’s communal apartment block was the grain station. Farther out were the Lane alleys pressed close together, and beyond that were the fields. With Captain Shen’s status, shouldn’t he be living somewhere in the city center?

Shen Subai didn’t answer her question. Instead, he asked, “You and Ji Siyuan seem to get along pretty well.”

Xie Yunshu blinked. “We’re deskmates. He’s just got the temper of a kid. Every day, all he does is eat and sleep, but he doesn’t have any bad intentions.”

“That’s good.” Shen Subai seemed to have asked only casually. After the bicycle stopped, he didn’t bring up the topic again.

Xie Yunshu pointed toward the stairwell. “Captain Shen, be careful on your way back. I’ll head in first.”

Shen Subai slowly got off the bicycle. Before he could say anything, his tall frame suddenly staggered, and he nearly fell.

Xie Yunshu was startled and hurried forward to support his shoulder, her voice tightening with anxiety. “Captain Shen, are you all right?”

“I’m fine.”

Shen Subai’s voice sounded a little weak. He tried to push Xie Yunshu away. “Don’t stand so close. If someone sees, it won’t be good for your reputation.”

At a time like this, he was still worried about that?

“Let them talk if they want. I don’t care!” Xie Yunshu supported him with some effort and slowly shifted toward the steps, worry written all over her face. “Sit down for a bit. I’ll go inside and find someone to take you to the hospital!”

Shen Subai caught her fingertips with his hand, then applied the slightest pressure. “No need. I probably just didn’t eat dinner, so my blood sugar’s a little low.”

His hand was a little cold. Xie Yunshu was too worried to notice much else and let him hold on. “Are you that busy? How could you even skip dinner?”

“I haven’t had much of an appetite lately.” Shen Subai seemed to have forgotten he was still holding Xie Yunshu’s hand. A fragile, bitter smile appeared on his handsome, well-defined face. “I’ll go to the canteen for lunch tomorrow. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to eat anything.”

In Xie Yunshu’s eyes, Captain Shen had always been strong and calm. Seeing this sudden vulnerable side of him made her heart ache, and the words slipped out before she could think. “What do you want to eat?”

Shen Subai lowered his eyes to where their fingers were intertwined and said softly, “Braised fish or twice-cooked pork would both be fine, as long as it isn’t stewed chicken. With my appetite like this, I can’t eat that…”

Xie Yunshu didn’t think too much of it. “Then come to the canteen for lunch tomorrow. I’ll have Song Shanchuan make braised fish and twice-cooked pork. His cooking is excellent. You’ll definitely be willing to eat it.”

As for the potato stewed chicken she’d promised Ji Siyuan earlier, she had long since tossed that to the back of her mind…