Chapter 4: 4. Chapter 4: Clash of Ideas – "The Sanitary Pad Edition" (Part 1)

Chapter 4: Clash of Ideologies – "The Sanitary Pad Chapter" (Part 1)

Conditions in the border regions were harsh. In the camp, aside from one female signalman, one female civilian cadre, and two female medics, everyone else was male.

Due to limited resources, a scarcity of supplies, and a shortage of housing, the military had partitioned off a small, separate area on the top floor of the dormitory building for female comrades to reside.

Meng Youyou had only recently moved in, and she was lucky enough to have a single room to herself.

When the knocking sounded, Meng Youyou had just returned to her room after showering in the female communal bathroom.

In this era without hair dryers, her wet hair could only be left to fall loosely over her shoulders, with water droplets continuously dripping down, making her look like a beautiful flower bearing morning dew.

Following the rhythmic knocking, Meng Youyou walked toward the door and reached out to open it.

The moment the door opened, she saw a man with a tall, upright stature standing before her. The newcomer was none other than Huo Qingshan.

Under the dim, yellowish light of the corridor, the man's rugged facial features appeared exceptionally stern. Dressed in a crisp military uniform, he exuded the unique, commanding aura of a soldier, which only served to make him look even more strikingly handsome.

Meng Youyou froze slightly, her gaze involuntarily falling upon the man.

However, at this moment, Huo Qingshan's eyes were filled with shock and bewilderment.

From his angle, Meng Youyou was wearing a light-colored, loose-fitting chiffon top with a wide neckline. Because of his height and the downward perspective, he could see the soft curves rising and falling beneath the wide collar, as well as the brightly colored wine-red bra beneath.

The thin chiffon fabric was slightly translucent where the water droplets from her hair had soaked through, faintly revealing her fair, delicate skin and a subtle, alluring silhouette, adding a distinct sense of charm and hazy beauty.

On her lower half, she wore only a pair of black shorts, revealing long, straight, beautiful legs. Her skin glowed with an enchanting luster under the light.

Huo Qingshan quickly regained his composure. He immediately turned his back to her, refusing to look at her again, and spoke in a serious tone: "How can you come to open the door dressed like this? There are many male comrades living in this dormitory building; this is truly improper."

Hearing this, Meng Youyou was utterly confused. She complained inwardly: *In modern society, this outfit is the most ordinary thing in the world.*

As a fashionista, Meng Youyou used to frequently wear camisoles, tube tops, and miniskirts when going out shopping.

How did it become "improper" the moment it came out of his mouth?

What did he mean by "like this"? She really didn't like the way he said that!

*You'd better explain yourself—what exactly is "this"?*

Meng Youyou looked at Huo Qingshan's resolute back. The man was acting as if he were refusing to look at anything improper, looking like Tang Sanzang who had accidentally wandered into the Cave of Silk.

He was treating her like a venomous snake!

For the first time in her life, Meng Youyou felt a sense of frustration. Was this man perhaps not quite normal?

Here, Meng Youyou possessed a body identical to those of future generations. She had always been extremely confident in her looks and figure. The "appearance anxiety" that had once been a massive trend among netizens was non-existent for her; anxiety was simply not in her vocabulary!

To use the words of her childhood friend, Shen Xin, who often teased her: "It's so annoying. I've lived all these years, and how come I never meet a girl more beautiful than you? Staying with you every day has raised my standards so high that I haven't been able to find a partner for years! It's all your fault!"

Having lived her whole life like a star surrounded by the moon, Meng Youyou had never encountered a boy who was not only uninterested in her but actually seemed to avoid her like a plague?

Despite her inner dissatisfaction, Meng Youyou did not intend to show her emotions. She couldn't let this jerk realize that she cared a little about his indifferent attitude toward her.

*What's your problem? If you look down on me, I look down on you too, okay?*

Regulating her mood, Meng Youyou turned back into her room to change into a long-sleeved shirt and long pants. Only then did she reopen the door and speak with low enthusiasm to the man who was still standing silently with his back to her: "I've changed. What did you want with me? You can say it now."

Only then did the man slowly turn around, speaking in his usual serious and formal tone: "Comrade Meng Youyou, I have bought everything you asked me to get from the state-run department store this afternoon. The items are a bit heavy, and since I saw you live on the fifth floor, I brought them directly to you."

Meng Youyou looked down and noticed a large white mesh bag at the man's feet, inside of which various items could be vaguely seen.

Meng Youyou replied naturally, "Then I'll trouble Battalion Commander Huo to go all the way. Since you're helping, help me all the way—bring them in for me now."

Huo Qingshan leaned down slightly, picked up the mesh bag, and walked steadily into the room.

As Huo Qingshan entered, Meng Youyou prepared to close the door, but he quickly spoke up to stop her: "Comrade Meng Youyou, it is inappropriate for a male and female comrade to be in a room together without a door being closed. It sets a bad example."

Meng Youyou was stunned. After a moment of daze, she snapped out of it and obediently left the door wide open.

She then walked over to inspect the items on the floor. Thinking of something, she asked, "In your era... uh... I mean, when buying things now, there should still be a list or a receipt, right? Or you can just tell me the total price, and I'll give you the money now."

Huo Qingshan pulled a stack of receipts from his shirt pocket and handed them over with a serious expression, his voice low and powerful: "Comrade Meng Youyou, it is better to be clear about the details. The receipts are all here; you can check them one by one against the goods."

Meng Youyou took the receipts and began to look through them carefully, one by one.

However, at that moment, Huo Qingshan suddenly spoke, stating in a stern tone: "It is inconvenient for me to stay in a female comrade's dormitory for too long. Calculate it yourself first; once you've verified it, just tell me tomorrow."

Meng Youyou didn't even look up, merely nodding and saying, "Okay."

The man walked to the door, but suddenly paused, leaving her with one last remark: "Comrade Meng Youyou, as your colleague, I have an obligation to advise you. You may have returned from studying abroad, so your thinking might be quite open; I can understand that. But since you have returned, you must follow local customs. Do not bring those improper ways into the military. It is better for female comrades to maintain their dignity and self-respect. In this country, it's best not to let strange male comrades help you buy certain things in the future."

With that, he turned and walked away quickly without looking back.

Leaving Meng Youyou standing there in a complete fog... *What did he just say? I didn't understand a single word!*

"Thinking is quite open"? Where did he see that she was "open"? Just because she wore shorts to open the door for him, she was... "open"? She lacked... "self-respect"?

What a total old-fashioned fossil!

*Tch!*

After Huo Qingshan left, Meng Youyou quickly changed back into her short sleeves and shorts. In just a short while, she was already drenched in sweat. In this sweltering heat, not being able to wear shorts was nothing short of torture for a woman.

Feeling refreshed after changing, Meng Youyou sat on a chair with her legs spread wide, beginning to count the items in the mesh bag. She took the items out one by one and placed them on the table.

It wasn't until she saw a package wrapped completely in earthy yellow kraft paper—an "unidentified object"—that her intense curiosity took over. Meng Youyou began to peel away the layers of kraft paper.

*Heh... this is wrapped quite tightly, layer upon layer.*

Only when the final layer of kraft paper was stripped away did the true identity of the mysterious "unidentified object" finally reveal itself—it was a pack of sanitary pads.

On the packaging, the words "Sanitary Pads" were printed prominently in white text on a red background, with "Clean and Hygienic" and "Comfortable and Durable" printed on either side.

Only at this moment did Meng Youyou completely understand what that lingering, vague remark Huo Qingshan had left before departing actually meant.

(End of Chapter)