Chapter 5: Confession

Hearing what the aunts had to say, Wen Ci recalled some things about Huo Jingyuan. The engagement between the Jiang and Huo families had been set decades ago.

In his youth, Huo Jingyuan had been rebellious and went to the Northwest to serve in the military just to avoid this marriage. It wasn't until Old Master Huo passed away this year that he finally agreed to the union.

Wen Ci pondered.

If there’s no one else in the Huo household, should I cook tonight?

Huo Jingyuan chatted with the aunts for a few more moments until the lunch whistle for the compound sounded. Many people picked up their lunchboxes and headed out to the compound’s cafeteria to get their meals.

Hearing the sound, the aunts bid Huo Jingyuan farewell one after another.

The food at the military district cafeteria was famous for being delicious, inexpensive, and affordable.

Wen Ci wasn't hungry, but thinking about Huo Jingyuan serving in the Northwest, she asked curiously, "Is it true that they eat mostly wheat-based foods in the Northwest?"

Huo Jingyuan nodded.

"Can you make them?" Wen Ci asked.

"I can."

"Then will you be cooking lunch?"

Hearing this, Huo Jingyuan stopped in his tracks. He lowered his gaze to look at Wen Ci, who was walking beside him, blinked, and said, "Aren't we going to the state-run restaurant for lunch?"

While at the Northwest military district, he had heard quite a bit about Jiang Ci. Jiang Ci had been pampered since childhood and only ate food from the state-run restaurant for every meal.

After returning to the capital, Huo Jingyuan had specifically exchanged for a large amount of food coupons, intending to let Jiang Ci enjoy a few more days of the good life. After all, the Northwest region wasn't as prosperous as the capital.

There wasn't much good food to be had there.

"Why go to the state-run restaurant?" Wen Ci asked.

During her years in the apocalypse, Wen Ci had eaten plenty of gourmet food stored in her space, but the one thing she hadn't managed to stock up on was the wheat-based food of the northern regions.

She was craving it terribly!

Wen Ci frowned. "You don't know how to make it, do you?"

"That's not it."

Huo Jingyuan smiled.

He had been among the first batch of officers to be stationed in the Northwest. Back then, conditions were harsh, and he had learned how to make many simple local dishes.

"Then I can help you with the prep work."

Huo Jingyuan raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you supposed to be someone who never lifts a finger?"

"Uh..."

Wen Ci suddenly realized.

She should probably come clean to Huo Jingyuan about her background.

Wen Ci bit her lower lip, unsure of how to confess to him. He was supposed to marry a daughter of the Jiang family, and while she was technically a Jiang daughter...

She wasn't the Jiang daughter he had expected.

Seeing the troubled expression on her face, Huo Jingyuan’s eyes shifted, and he spoke in a deep, gentle voice, "Comrade Jiang, we are now legally married. I hope that as a married couple, we can be straightforward with each other."

He had always been a direct person; since they were now husband and wife, he didn't like keeping things bottled up inside.

Hearing the words "legally married" seemed to give Wen Ci a great deal of courage. She looked up and met Huo Jingyuan’s gaze directly.

"There are some things I need to confess to you. Let's talk when we get home."

"Mm."

Returning to the Huo residence, they pushed open the door to find a courtyard that had been cleaned until it was spotless. On the left were withered vegetable patches, and on the right was a pavilion for playing chess.

Wen Ci looked around the courtyard.

Large houses allocated in the military compound were supposed to be reclaimed after the owner passed away; even if family members remained, they would be reassigned to a different house.

As far as Wen Ci knew, Huo Jingyuan was the only one left in the Huo family.

And yet, this house hadn't been reclaimed!

Stepping back into the Huo residence, Huo Jingyuan felt an indescribable sensation. This house held too many of his memories, but now...

Huo Jingyuan turned his gaze toward Wen Ci and said slowly, "I also need to tell you everything about the situation at home."

"Should I go first?" Wen Ci blinked.