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

"Comrade, your noodles are hot!"

"Thank you, Auntie!"

Qiao Xinxin looked at the rough porcelain bowl in front of her, which was bigger than her face, and her mouth watered. She swallowed hard.

The noodles are thick, round, and chewy, soaking in a bright red and tempting broth. On top of them lie three or four thick slices of stewed beef, tender and juicy. The white, red, and green colors intertwine, making your mouth water just by looking at them.

She rubbed her hands together, eagerly picked up her chopsticks, scooped up a mouthful of wide noodles coated in chili oil, and slurped it into her mouth.

"Ugh—!"

The noodles are chewy and smooth, the beef is tender and flavorful, and with one bite, the meat juices burst in your mouth.

……

Meanwhile, in the military family compound.

In a newly allocated two-bedroom apartment on the second floor, Bai Zhengyuan was busy working with his sleeves rolled up.

He had already cleaned the house spotlessly, the tables and chairs were polished to a shine, and all the pots and pans were readily available. Even in the corner of the living room, he had somehow managed to place a few lush green potted plants, giving the otherwise stark family apartment a warm and cozy atmosphere.

He had already set up the master bedroom, which had the best natural light and the largest area in the house.

The bed was covered with brand-new light pink floral sheets, which he had specially bought from the department store.

A thick cotton quilt, newly fluffed by the logistics lady, was neatly folded at the head of the bed, exuding the fresh scent of sunshine and new cotton.

Against the wall stood a large wardrobe that he had just had made by a carpenter; the paint was still glossy.

Moreover, a delicate dressing table was thoughtfully placed by the window.

Although the dressing table was not large, it was inlaid with a bright mirror, and the frame was carefully carved with delicate peony patterns by the carpenter.

There are four drawers just for storing jewelry and hair ties!

Bai Zhengyuan stood at the bedroom door with his hands on his hips, looking at the room he had personally decorated, and a strong sense of pride, like that of an old father, welled up in his heart.

Look! Look! How clean and beautiful his room is!

If Xin Xin comes, she'll definitely jump for joy when she opens the door and sees what's happening!

He had already checked the train number Qiao Xinxin mentioned in her letter yesterday. The train that departed last night should arrive at Beijing Station by noon today.

Judging by the time, after lunch, he can drive his Jeep to the train station to pick up his sister in the afternoon!

The thought of seeing his sister, whom he hadn't seen for ten years, made Bai Zhengyuan's usually stern and tough face crackle with a smile, and he felt an inexhaustible burst of energy even while wiping the windows.

But at this moment, he wasn't the only one in the room.

Lu Baizhou had just finished training today and hadn't even had a chance to go back to the dormitory for a cold shower when Bai Zhengyuan forcibly dragged him into the army.

Lu Baizhou hasn't had a moment's rest these past few days, being dragged to this new house by his good friend to do hard labor every day.

He was a veteran who had fought his way through countless battles; how could he possibly know what a young girl liked about pink floral prints and carved mirrors?

But Bai Zhengyuan's constant nagging had him to come and help move furniture and hammer nails. At this moment, Lu Baizhou was even more subdued, holding a rag and bending down to wipe the tables and chairs in the living room.

"Ouch, be careful not to get stuck!"

Inside the bedroom, Bai Zhengyuan happily stood on a stool and hung a freshly washed pure white mosquito net on the bed frame. While smoothing out the wrinkles, he muttered to himself, "A young girl's skin is the most delicate. Now that the weather is getting hot, there are a lot of mosquitoes. This mosquito net has to be sealed tightly, lest my Xinxin gets bitten. If she gets a red, swollen bite, she'll cry."

Lu Baizhou paused, his hand holding the rag still, speechless.

He straightened up, his cold, stern eyes glancing into the inner room, and said irritably, "Old Bai, this is the capital. There aren't nearly as many mosquitoes in the north as you southerners. We've lived in dorms for years, and none of us have ever bought a mosquito net, that sissy thing!"

"You don't know anything!" Bai Zhengyuan jumped off the stool and carefully tucked the gauze curtains in. "We're tough and resilient, that's what men are for! Can my sister compare to us?"

After saying that, he leaned out again and shouted into the living room, "Oh, right! Did you bring back that set of delicate porcelain bowls and chopsticks with red plum blossoms that I asked you to order for me from the department store the day before yesterday? My sister is arriving this afternoon, and she needs her own bowl for dinner and water tonight, so don't tell me you forgot!"

Lu Baizhou sighed helplessly and pointed with his chin to a net bag on the dresser in the living room: "I brought it back, I didn't forget it. I said you're something else, when it comes to food and water, the military logistics department issues uniform enamel mugs and metal lunch boxes, why do you have to go all the way to the department store to buy some fine porcelain? Isn't that a hassle?"

"You don't understand!" Bai Zhengyuan walked into the living room, carefully took out the set of porcelain bowls, and examined them with eyes full of tenderness. "My sister has always been delicate and frail. Before, I wasn't around to take care of her because I didn't have the means. But now it's different. Since she's about to live with me, as her older brother, of course I have to do my best to give her a good life and the best things in life!"

At this point, Bai Zhengyuan's excited tone suddenly dropped, and a trace of gloom and melancholy flashed in his eyes.

"She's always been well-behaved since she was little. She never complained when others bullied her; she would just get teary-eyed. This time, she actually wrote to me saying she wanted to come to the capital... It's clear how much she's suffered at the hands of her biological parents! Otherwise, given her personality, she would never have written to me to cause me trouble."

Bai Zhengyuan felt increasingly heartbroken, his fists clenched tightly: "I wonder how much she's suffered these past few days! Although our Bai family isn't as wealthy as the Qiao family, we've never let Xin Xin suffer even the slightest hardship, let alone been wronged! Those people in the Qiao family are truly despicable!"

He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and a hopeful light rekindled in his eyes.

"But it's okay. When she arrives, I'll take good care of her and let her know that even if the Qiao family doesn't want her, at least she still has me, her brother, to support her! After that, we'll bring Mom and Dad from our hometown, and then our whole family can be reunited!"

After saying that, Bai Zhengyuan turned to Lu Baizhou and solemnly patted him on the shoulder: "By the way, Baizhou, I really owe you a lot for all this time, helping me set up the house. Once Xinxin is settled and I receive my allowance, I'll definitely treat you to a good braised pork meal to properly thank you!"

Lu Baizhou leaned his tall frame against the window, still clutching the rag in his hand.

Listening to the usually cold and ruthless Battalion Commander Bai rambling on like an old woman, the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

"Bai Zhengyuan," Lu Baizhou suddenly spoke, his voice low and cold.

"What's wrong?" Bai Zhengyuan was still admiring the set of red plum blossom bowls.

"You're usually so taciturn when you're leading troops in the army, you can't even say ten words a day, you're as cold as an ice cube." Lu Baizhou raised his handsome eyebrows, his tone carrying a rare hint of teasing and helplessness, "How come when you talk about your sister, you become as talkative as a machine gun, it never ends?"

Bai Zhengyuan was stunned for a moment, then grinned, his smile radiating smugness.

"You just don't understand!" Bai Zhengyuan walked over smugly and patted Lu Baizhou on the sturdy shoulder. "How could someone like you, the only son in eight generations of your family, without any brothers or sisters, possibly understand what it's like to have a younger sister?"

"You have no idea how adorable my sister is! She's simply the most beautiful and well-behaved girl in the world!"

Lu Baizhou expressionlessly reached out and slapped away the hand that was frantically showing off on his shoulder.

"How cute can it be?" Lu Baizhou scoffed, his tone filled with undisguised contempt and disbelief.

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhengyuan's eyes instantly lit up like searchlights, and he began to gesture incessantly: "My little sister is so beautiful! Her skin is fair and clean, her eyes are big and bright, and she can talk so well. Especially her voice, it's as sweet as a little fairy coated in honey! When she was little, she always followed me around like a little tail, calling me 'Brother this, Brother that' all day long. When that voice came out, it was so sweet that it could melt my heart..."