The younger sister mistakenly identified her brother when visiting relatives and was kissed by the c

"Here, take this sign. The floor inside is slippery, so be careful." Her voice was soft and gentle, and she was polite to everyone.

Around 7:30, it was completely dark, and the line at the entrance of the bathhouse had thinned out, leaving only a few scattered people huddled in the cold wind, waiting.

In that brief moment, a tall and imposing figure appeared at the end of the line.

Qiao Xinxin was sorting through the ticket stubs when she glanced up and her brows furrowed involuntarily.

Qiao Lijun was wearing a slightly worn military overcoat, his hands tightly tucked into his pockets, standing at the very back of the line. He had his head down, his face long and his brows furrowed, seemingly lost in thought.

Qiao Xinxin looked away, pretending not to have seen anything, and continued with her work.

The people in front of him quickly took their tickets and went inside. When it was Qiao Lijun's turn, he strode to the window, but instead of reaching for his bath ticket like the others, he braced his large hands on the wooden windowsill and stared intently at Qiao Xinxin inside.

"Bath ticket".

Qiao Xinxin didn't even raise her head. Although her voice was soft, it had a cold, businesslike demeanor.

Qiao Lijun didn't move. After a few seconds of silence, he lowered his voice and said:

"Qiao Xinxin, I have something to ask you, and you have to tell me the truth today."

Qiao Xinxin then put down her pencil and looked up with obvious impatience:

"Company Commander Qiao, if you're taking a shower, hurry up and hand over your ticket. If you're not, don't block the people behind you. I'm very busy today and don't have time to argue with you."

Qiao Lijun was taken aback by her cold attitude and glanced back. There were indeed two or three young soldiers shivering from the cold behind him, staring at him.

He gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, pulled a bath ticket from his pocket, slammed it on the windowsill with a "thud," and said in a low, harsh voice:

"I'll come find you after I've finished showering, so don't even think about hiding from me!"

Qiao Xinxin ignored him, deftly tore up the ticket, and pushed a red plastic sign onto the windowsill.

Qiao Lijun grabbed the sign, his face grim, and strode into the bathhouse.

……

About half an hour later, Qiao Lijun came out of the bathhouse, rubbing his half-wet hair.

He changed into a clean and crisp military uniform, and his clothes still smelled of cheap soap. He walked to the window of the management office and stood there, his hands resting on the windowsill, his tall figure almost completely blocking out the light from the small window.

By this time, there were hardly any people left at the entrance of the bathhouse, and the surroundings were much quieter, with only the occasional soft crackling of the honeycomb briquettes in the stove.

Qiao Xinxin was sorting through a stack of loose change on the table when she sensed someone standing by the window. She looked up and said irritably:

"Finished washing? If you're done, hurry back. Don't stand here like a big shot, you're interfering with my work."

Qiao Lijun braced his hands on the windowsill, leaned forward, and spoke in a very low voice, yet with an interrogative tone:

"Tell me, weren't you with Zhou Liguang last time? How come I saw you standing downstairs at the Bai family's building last night? Tell me honestly, who are you dating?"

Qiao Xinxin paused in her actions after hearing his words. She put down the small bills in her hand, looked up at Qiao Lijun, and a hint of amusement flashed in her large, almond-shaped eyes: "Who told you I was with Zhou Liguang?"

"I saw it with my own eyes!" Qiao Lijun raised his voice slightly, then glanced around somewhat guiltily, gritting his teeth as he said, "It was near the train station, you two were chatting and laughing. Isn't that dating?"

Qiao Xinxin sighed helplessly and answered frankly:

"He asked me out to a movie and dinner. He's pursuing me now, I can't just abandon him as a friend and kick him out, can I?"

Upon hearing this, Qiao Lijun frowned even more deeply, his eyes almost overflowing with surprise and doubt:

"Then what happened between you and Lu Baizhou last night? He brought you home in the middle of the night, and you were smiling so sweetly at him. Don't tell me he was also..."

"yes."

Qiao Xinxin nodded generously without the slightest hesitation: "They are both pursuing me. I am currently getting to know them, and I haven't decided who to date yet, so it's not settled."

Upon hearing this, Qiao Lijun froze.

He stared intently at Qiao Xinxin, his gaze as if he were looking at a monster. But Qiao Xinxin's matter-of-fact and frank demeanor didn't seem like she was lying at all.

"What did you say? They're both chasing after you???"

Qiao Lijun's voice trembled slightly, filled with disbelief: "Qiao Xinxin, are you kidding me? Who are Lu Baizhou and Zhou Liguang? They're top-tier guys in the military, the kind of heartthrobs that countless girls are eyeing! Both of them are pursuing you at the same time? How is that possible!"

Upon hearing his words, Qiao Xinxin's previously calm expression immediately changed.

She slammed her pencil on the table with a "bang," sat up straight, and stared intently at Qiao Lijun with a hint of defiance in her almond-shaped eyes: "Qiao Lijun, what do you mean by that? What, am I so bad in your eyes that I'm not even worthy of being pursued by two people?"

Qiao Lijun was momentarily speechless, taken aback by her sudden and blunt question.

He clearly hadn't expected the girl to retort so directly and sharply.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something in rebuttal, but for a moment, he couldn't find a suitable word in his mind.

Qiao Xinxin, however, had no intention of giving him time to react. She took a deep breath, and her small mouth began to rattle off words like a machine gun:

"Am I not good-looking? Open your eyes and take a good look! I have fair skin and regular features. If I just stood on the street, I'd definitely get a few glances from men, right? Besides, I'm efficient and decisive, and I don't make a fuss. Aren't I better than those who cry all the time?"

Qiao Lijun's expression grew increasingly complex, his face alternating between pale and flushed, as if he were trying to process what he had just said.

Qiao Xinxin spoke more and more fluently, slightly raising her chin as she continued:

"Besides, I'm a skilled cook! Don't you know how well my family's small restaurant is doing? My cooking is even more authentic than the chefs at state-run restaurants! During holidays, I can prepare a whole table of delicious dishes, each one different! I'm also good at business and accounting; I'm very quick-witted, not some good-for-nothing who just coasts along!"

"I only have a high school diploma! That's respectable, right?"

Qiao Xinxin grew angrier as she spoke, her almond-shaped eyes widening in anger:

"I'm also good at housework, laundry, and cooking. A girl like me, having two suitors is already a small number! If I were on the dating market, I'd think three or five suitors would be normal! How come it's 'impossible' to you?"