Volume 1, Chapter 54: Who Were the Sandals For?

She wore an upper garment consisting of a blue, patched shirt, and grey trousers that reached down to her ankles, their knees neatly sewn with square patches. On her feet were a pair of black cloth shoes with her toes exposed.

Two long, raven-dark braids rested over her shoulders, and a few strands of sweat-dampened hair strayed across her forehead.

Her brows and eyes were gentle, her watery eyes calm and tender, and her lips soft and delicate. Beneath her fair, petite earlobes lay a single vermilion cinnabar mole, vivid as fresh blood.

The two women certainly bore a striking resemblance to each other, yet the sensation they evoked in him was entirely different.

Comrade Tingting possessed a delicate and tender charm mingled with a touch of purity, and her voice was far sweeter and softer.

While carrying out missions in the Northwest, he had encountered several people who were completely unrelated yet looked remarkably alike.

With this thought, Huo Xiaohan quickly withdrew his gaze.

The look Huo Xiaohan had just cast her way was dark and heavy, deep as a cavernous well and immensely oppressive, causing her heart to beat wildly and uncontrollably.

Yet Su Wan remained calm and composed as she opened the thermos and poured the crucian carp soup into a bowl.

A rich, savory aroma immediately wafted through the hospital ward.

The fish soup was brewed to a thick, milky-white consistency, the meat simmered slowly until it had completely dissolved and blended seamlessly with the broth.

Just by looking at it, one could tell this bowl of fish soup was the very essence of nourishment.

"It smells so good..." Meng Xinhao watched from the side, his mouth watering profusely. If he were the one feeding the patient, chances were he would end up eating it all himself.

Old Mrs. Huo sat on the sofa, raising her chin slightly to glance over. She had assumed Su Wan merely brought some casually boiled soup to show a gesture of goodwill.

Yet it was evident that a great deal of effort had gone into it.

And Su Wan's culinary skills were undeniably impressive.

If Xiaohan were cared for by her every day, his wounds would surely heal much faster.

Su Wan scooped up a spoonful of the rich fish soup, blew on it gently a few times, and brought it to Huo Xiaohan's lips.

Huo Xiaohan had not eaten anything since six o'clock the previous evening; his stomach was entirely empty, and having just stepped off the operating table, he was at his absolute weakest.

Catching the rich aroma, he opened his mouth and drank it down.

The tender fish meat blended perfectly with the savory soup; every single drop was intensely rich and delicious, completely devoid of any fishy odor.

He was no stranger to crucian carp soup, but he had no idea how Su Wan had managed to make one so remarkably flavorful.

She must have poured an immense amount of effort into it.

"Comrade Su Wan, you've worked hard." Huo Xiaohan considered himself to have no present ties with Su Wan, and she had no obligation to go to such lengths. He parted his thin lips to express his gratitude; his attitude was proper, yet his tone remained cold and rigid, betraying a sense of distant alienation.

His cool, probing gaze landed on Su Wan's face.

Looking at the delicate arc of her brows and eyes, as well as her ruddy, tender cherry lips, she truly resembled Tingting more and more the longer he looked.

Beneath his ink-black eyes lay a deep, swirling abyss, and his high, sharp brows knit together tightly.

Su Wan's expression remained as calm as still water as she replied gently, "Commander Huo, please don't say that. Uncle Huo and Aunt Hong have put a great deal of effort into helping me secure my schooling. This is only right and proper."

With that, she scooped up another spoonful of fish soup, blew on it softly, and offered it to Huo Xiaohan once more.

Standing nearby, Su Xiaohui watched Brother Huo gaze at Su Wan in such a manner, and jealousy threatened to drive her mad.

Thinking of the women's sandals she had spotted in the wardrobe that morning, she deliberately spoke up before Old Mrs. Huo with a guise of naive innocence: "Brother Huo, were those sandals in your wardrobe bought as a gift for older sister?"

Old Mrs. Huo had also noticed that Huo Xiaohan's gaze kept lingering on Su Wan. Hearing these words, she furrowed her brow, and her gaze grew sharp.

"Whoa, Cousin, you bought sandals for Younger Sister Su Wan? You even know her shoe size?" Meng Xinhao chimed in with excited amusement, trying to stir up mischief.

Who would have thought that their cold, unyielding cousin, who usually disdained all women, would actually buy sandals for a female comrade?

"No." Huo Xiaohan spoke up instantly, his sharp-angled jawline exceptionally rigid. His gaze, sharp and freezing like a deep winter pool, shot swiftly toward Su Xiaohui, laden with severe warning.

He utterly despised others crossing boundaries and prying into his personal affairs.

This caused Su Xiaohui's face to pale instantly, and she stood frozen to the spot, not daring to utter another word.

"Xiaohui, how did you know about that? Did you open Commander Huo's wardrobe and look inside? You didn't try them on, did you?" Su Wan, having already learned of the matter from Secretary Jiang, asked with deliberate curiosity.

Since Old Mrs. Huo disliked her so much, Su Xiaohui had deliberately brought the matter up precisely to make the old lady detest her even more.

True to expectation, the very next second, Huo Xiaohan's gaze grew even sharper, resembling a whetted blade that chilled one to the bone.

"Of course not! How could I possibly touch Brother Huo's things at will? I only happened to see them by chance when I was helping him tidy up his things," Su Xiaohui stammered, panic visible on her face as she hurriedly offered an explanation.

Never had she imagined she would lift a rock only to drop it on her own feet. Fearing that Brother Huo might not believe her, she reiterated frantically, "Brother Huo, I really didn't!"

"Xiaohan, then who are those sandals for?" Old Mrs. Huo was far more concerned with the owner of the shoes.

He had been a deeply opinionated person since childhood and rarely shared personal matters with his family.

"Could it be that female nurse, Tingting, who danced with you at the social gathering?" Political Commissar Liu was the one who had mentioned these details.

Huo Xiaohan pressed his lips into a thin line and remained silent, his dark eyes brooding and deep.

That meant it was indeed her.

Old Mrs. Huo was overjoyed; this was the first time her grandson had ever shown such initiative.

"Political Commissar Liu said that female nurse's family background isn't quite ideal, but as long as her character is upright and her disposition is good, and you like her, that's all that matters. Our family isn't all that particular about such things."

Old Mrs. Huo primarily trusted Huo Xiaohan's judgment; a girl he took a fancy to must certainly be exceptional in her own right.

"I'm truly happy for Brother Huo that he has someone he likes. I hope Brother Huo recovers and leaves the hospital soon, and gets married at an early date." Eager to prove her stance, Su Xiaohui hurriedly offered her blessings, then turned to Su Wan. "Sister, aren't you happy for Brother Huo?"

"Of course I am. When Commander Huo gets married, I'll definitely cook a whole table of dishes for him myself."

Su Wan's heart skipped a beat at first, but she quickly responded with a radiant smile.

As long as Secretary Jiang and Song Wenbo kept the secret locked away, she believed Huo Xiaohan would likely never find out that the person was her.

Huo Xiaohan raised his eyes once more to cast an unannounced glance at Su Wan.

Su Wan's face was full of sincerity, her watery eyes clear and limpid.

He then withdrew his gaze once again, his jawline tightening.

After finishing the fish soup, Huo Xiaohan closed his eyes, wishing to rest.

Old Mrs. Huo accordingly prepared to return to the Huo residence.

Meng Xinhao and Old Mrs. Huo walked ahead, while Su Wan and Su Xiaohui followed behind.

"Xiaohui, thank you so much. Next month, I can come home and properly take care of Brother Huo. With my cooking skills, Grandma Huo will surely be more than happy for me to cook for Brother Huo every day," Su Wan said, linking her arm through Su Xiaohui's with a beaming smile. "With Brother Huo in the hospital, I was just fretting over finding an excuse to resign from Principal Song's school anyway. You've really done me a huge favor."