Volume 1, Chapter 23: Marrying Regiment Commander Huo

With a long stride, he went upstairs and retrieved the dictionary he had used during his school days from the bookcase in his room. He brought it back downstairs and handed it to Su Xiaohui. "This is a Xinhua Dictionary. If you come across any characters you don't recognize, just look them up."

Su Xiaohui was momentarily stunned; she had expected Brother Huo to ask her to bring a book so he could teach her character by character.

However, upon opening the first page and seeing Brother Huo's name written in elegant, flowing calligraphy, she felt a surge of joy, and her face flushed even deeper. "Is this the book you used when you were in school, Brother Huo?"

"Yes." Huo Xiaohan poured himself a glass of water, drank it, and nodded.

He had already graduated anyway, and since the book was just sitting there gathering dust, he might as well let her use it for now. He could simply buy a new one for his young niece when she started school.

"Thank you, Brother Huo." Su Xiaohui cradled the book in her arms as if it were a rare treasure, her heart brimming with excitement and sweetness.

Could this be considered a token of their love?

Inside the kitchen, Aunt Wu was recounting the events of the past two days to Su Wan, especially the harsh ultimatum delivered by Old Mrs. Huo.

"The old lady said that if you couldn't cook a proper meal, she would have Commander Huo send you back to your hometown. She was almost convinced by you, but..." Aunt Wu paused, glanced at the kitchen door, and lowered her voice. "Your sister suggested that the meal yesterday noon might have been cooked by Auntie Wang, so Commander Huo had to make you come back and cook for the old lady to prove yourself."

"Wan girl, your cooking skills can't be bad; otherwise, Principal Song's family wouldn't have kept you," Aunt Wu insisted firmly.

Even if the meal at noon had been cooked by Auntie Wang, surely she couldn't have cooked the one for the evening as well? It was clear that Old Mrs. Huo simply held too much prejudice against Su Wan and was looking for an excuse to send her back to the countryside.

She suspected that the sister likely harbored the same intentions. It was nothing more than jealousy because Su Wan was prettier than her, and she was afraid that Huo Xiaohan might take a liking to his sister-in-law. In her opinion, if she couldn't finish high school, it would be far better to find a good husband in Beijing than anything else. In fact, she felt that Huo Xiaohan and Su Wan were the most compatible pair; she couldn't understand why they hadn't been the ones set up on the blind date.

Su Wan, who had been listening to Aunt Wu with a gentle expression, felt the corners of her mouth slowly harden into a cold, mocking curve. Her eyes flickered. "Aunt Wu, when I cook later, could you do me a favor?"

"Tell me." Aunt Wu leaned in, and Su Wan whispered a few words into her ear.

"Sister, I'm here to help you prepare the vegetables." Just as she finished speaking, Su Xiaohui pushed open the kitchen door and walked in, seeing the two of them sitting together picking vegetables and peeling garlic.

Though she claimed to be there to help, Su Xiaohui’s true intent was to provoke Su Wan and cause a scene. She wanted to ensure that when Su Wan failed to cook and the old lady decided to send her home, she would make a scene or feign illness to gain Commander Huo's sympathy.

Su Xiaohui squatted down to help peel garlic. Since there were only a few cloves, there was no need for three people, so Aunt Wu took the prepped vegetables to the sink to wash them.

"Sister, Aunt Hong came by yesterday and told Commander Huo that your grades were too poor to get into Lizhi High School, and that even the most ordinary high school in Beijing likely wouldn't accept you."

Su Xiaohui knew that Su Wan had come to Beijing to attend high school specifically to find a prestigious match and marry into a Beijing family. Now that this only opportunity to meet a husband was gone, she was sure Su Wan wouldn't be able to hold back; she would surely rush out and start an argument.

Su Wan’s small hand, busy peeling garlic, paused. Aunt Wu hadn't mentioned this to her.

Su Xiaohui smirked triumphantly and continued to goad her. "Last night, Grandma Huo and Commander Huo discussed sending you back to your hometown. I even pleaded with Grandma on your behalf, but..."

*Go ahead, make a scene,* she thought. *Grandma Huo’s health is poor; if you manage to anger her enough to end up in the hospital, that would be even better.*

Su Wan, well aware of Su Xiaohui’s schemes, curled her lips slightly and said deliberately, "If I can't go to school, then I suppose I'll just have to get married."

"Sister, who are you going to marry?" Su Xiaohui’s expression tightened, her guard instantly up.

Su Wan lifted her eyes, a faint smile on her lips. "Commander Huo, of course."

Su Xiaohui’s face darkened.

Su Wan, however, grew increasingly nonchalant, her expression one of inevitable certainty. Su Xiaohui knew better than anyone that their parents favored her; if Su Wan really wanted to marry, she would simply write a letter to their parents, who would undoubtedly use the incident of her falling into the water to pressure the Huo family. Furthermore, Huo Xiaohan had clearly stated that Su Xiaohui was not his partner.

*So you like to poke at my heart and try to goad me into fighting with the Huo family, do you?* Su Wan thought. *Let's see who gets poked more.*

"But..." Su Xiaohui was about to say that she wouldn't pass the background check when she caught sight of Brother Huo standing at the doorway.

"Aunt Wu, my aunt’s family of three will be coming tonight, so please prepare a bit more food," Huo Xiaohan said to Aunt Wu.

"Will Professor Xie and Xinyi be back tonight?"

"My mother took Xinyi out of town for further training; they won't be back for another half-month."

This time, it was a genuine trip for professional development, notified by the school at the last minute.

After speaking, Huo Xiaohan cast a sharp, dark, and piercing glance at Su Wan before walking away. He had heard exactly what Su Wan said as he approached the door: *Of course, I’m going to marry Commander Huo.*

*So, she really did act that way at Principal Song's house on purpose.*

His thick, sharp brows furrowed, and his eyes, cold as tempered ice, radiated a chill that spread across his features, making his expression look exceptionally stern. He could never accept such a calculating woman.

Seeing Huo Xiaohan leave, Su Xiaohui followed him out. She had seen him standing at the doorway earlier, and it was possible he had overheard Su Wan's words. She certainly didn't miss the cold look he had given Su Wan before he left.

"Brother Huo, my sister knows she can't attend high school in Beijing, and she says she's going to marry you."

"I will never marry her," Huo Xiaohan said with absolute finality, his face utterly indifferent.

Having received the confirmation she wanted, Su Xiaohui's face broke into a sweet, triumphant smile. At that moment, Old Mrs. Huo called Huo Xiaohan into her room to talk.

Su Xiaohui returned to the sofa, clutching the dictionary Brother Huo had given her, flipping through the pages one by one; some still bore his handwritten notes. She looked up and glanced at Su Wan in the kitchen. *She can only pick and wash vegetables; once it’s time to chop, her lack of knife skills will be exposed.*

She waited with anticipation for Su Wan to be driven back to the countryside by the Huo family. She would have to keep a close watch to make sure Aunt Wu didn't secretly help her cook.

Before long, Su Wan had prepared the ingredients, tied on an apron, and picked up the spatula. She poured rapeseed oil into the wok, and Aunt Wu closed the kitchen door behind her, as the cooking fumes would otherwise drift into the living room.

Hearing the sound of stir-frying, Su Xiaohui tiptoed to the kitchen window. She saw the eggplant on the cutting board chopped into a chaotic mess, just like swill for pigs.

Su Wan stood with her back to the window, tasting the soup with a ladle in one hand and pouring salt into the pot with the other.

*You fool,* Su Xiaohui thought, stifling a laugh. *You added salt but didn't bother to taste the soup again after stirring it in, just kept tasting the original portion. By the time this soup is served, it’ll be inedible.*

She had been worried that Aunt Wu might help Su Wan or teach her how to cook, and she had even planned to find an excuse to send Aunt Wu away. Now, it was perfect—Aunt Wu would serve as a witness to Su Wan's incompetence in the kitchen.

With that, Su Xiaohui left, feeling completely satisfied.