The Cannon Fodder Roles I Play All Become White Moonlights [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 24

Li Jianhua looked at Jiang Lingfeng with a puzzled expression. “Lingfeng, you’re only about ten years older than Dongming. Besides, Dongming will be an adult next year. Isn’t it inappropriate for you to adopt him?”

“Yes, he’s almost an adult,” Jiang Lingfeng acknowledged, “but unlike the children of other officials who grew up on the island, he has no parents now and is living with a stepmother not much older than him. You know the rumors circulating on the island these days. Old Yang hasn’t been gone long, we can’t just ignore his family.” He laid out his reasons one by one.

“But, you’re not even married yourself,” Li Jianhua pointed out, concerned that adopting a nearly grown son would make it even harder for Jiang to find a partner. As a division commander and political commissar, if he couldn’t even help his own superior settle down, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?

“Precisely because I’m not married, it’s suitable for me to adopt a teenager like Dongming. He won’t feel awkward in my home, and once he’s sent off the island to study next year, it won’t interfere with me finding a partner,” Jiang Lingfeng argued logically. “At my age, waiting another year doesn’t matter.”

Li Jianhua thought it over and agreed. Yang Dongming was already seventeen; if Jiang had a wife and children, Dongming would feel out of place. Fortunately, Jiang lived alone.

Wait! Li Jianhua suddenly realized something. “If you adopt Dongming, what about Comrade Su?”

Jiang Lingfeng paused briefly, but before Li Jianhua could notice, he regained his composure, speaking as if discussing someone else’s affairs with complete frankness: “Sister-in-law is still young. It’s inconvenient for her to live with Dongming. After I adopt him, I can introduce her to a new partner.”

Li Jianhua nodded, finding his reasoning sound. Just then, the leader of the first regiment came to discuss matters with Jiang Lingfeng, so Li waved him off. But after Jiang had taken a few steps, Li felt something was amiss. He had originally intended to ask Jiang about his relationship with Su Qingmeng, but Jiang’s explanations had made him forget all about it.

Still, since Jiang mentioned introducing Su to someone new soon, there probably wasn’t anything between them, right? Perhaps he was overthinking it. After all, Jiang was upright and clueless about romance, still single at thirty.

Thinking this, Li went to find Jiang in the afternoon, only to be told by the orderly: “Commander Jiang has already left.”

“To pick up Comrade Su?” Li asked casually. The young orderly froze, speechless. Li already had his answer. He clicked his tongue in frustration, how could he have forgotten? Jiang might act all proper now, but he’d never been one to follow the rules since childhood!

Su Qingmeng emerged from the cultural troupe right on time and spotted Jiang Lingfeng’s jeep. She climbed in naturally, paying no mind to the onlookers.

It was Jiang who asked, “Sister-in-law, have you heard any gossip in the cultural troupe?”

“What gossip?” Su Qingmeng looked clueless, her eyes clear and innocent, as if she didn’t understand his meaning.

“Never mind,” Jiang changed the subject. “I’ll be leaving the island for a few days. Stay with the Qiao family during this time. If anything comes up, go to Political Commissar Li. We’ll handle Dongming’s matter when I return.”

He was going to be away with the fleet for some time, which was one of the reasons he had taken the opportunity to bring Su Qingmeng away from the Yang family yesterday.

“What’s the matter with Dongming?” Su Qingmeng didn’t react at first, but after a moment, she asked quietly, “Is a form of address really that important?”

In her eyes, Jiang Lingfeng saw resistance. The young woman probably didn’t want to be called “aunt” by a boy four years her junior. Yet, he replied with unwavering determination, “It’s very important.”

He took her to Qiao Jihong’s house. Qiao Jihong hadn’t returned from the hospital yet, but she had given Su Qingmeng a key. Jiang Lingfeng followed Su Qingmeng inside quite naturally and immediately headed to the kitchen.

By the time Qiao Jihong returned, it was dinner time, and a table full of dishes was already laid out.

The tall man was serving rice for Su Qingmeng. When he saw Qiao Jihong return, he said calmly, “Comrade Qiao, you’re back just in time. Let’s have dinner together.”

Even though it was her own home, Qiao Jihong felt as though she shouldn’t be there at that moment.

She sat down beside Su Qingmeng. When Jiang Lingfeng inadvertently glanced over, she couldn’t help but feel a sense of awkwardness, as if she were intruding.

“Ahem…” Qiao Jihong cleared her throat softly. “Did Comrade Su make all this?”

“No, Division Commander Jiang made everything,” Su Qingmeng replied without the slightest hint of embarrassment, explaining to Qiao Jihong with grace. “Look, this fish is his specialty, it’s quite delicious.”

Then, lowering her voice, she whispered into Qiao Jihong’s ear, “But the braised pork is as hard as a steel plate. Don’t try it if your teeth aren’t up to the task.”

“Pfft…” Qiao Jihong nearly burst out laughing. She quickly looked up and cautiously glanced at Jiang Lingfeng across the table. He seemed completely unfazed, as if he hadn’t heard Su Qingmeng’s comment. He sat steadily, his expression unchanged, eating his meal and even picking up a piece of braised pork without any sign of discomfort.

Curious, Qiao Jihong took a small piece of the braised pork and realized Su Qingmeng was absolutely right. Jiang Lingfeng had chosen the leanest cuts for the dish, and the cooking time was off. One bite of the pork could easily chip a tooth. However, since Jiang Lingfeng was someone she still held in high regard, she couldn’t spit it out and ruin her image.

Besides, in these times of scarce resources, meat wasn’t something they could eat every day. She had no choice but to swallow it silently.

The process nearly choked her, but Su Qingmeng kindly handed her a bowl of soup, patting her back and saying with a smile, “Take your time, Comrade Qiao. I don’t care for meat much, so this plate of braised pork is all for you and Division Commander Jiang.”

Only then did Jiang Lingfeng look up at them, but Qiao Jihong couldn’t shake the feeling that his resigned glance was directed entirely at Su Qingmeng. Ugh… Why did she feel like she’d just been force-fed a mouthful of dog food? No, this had to be some scheme by her rival in love. She couldn’t fall for it!

To show solidarity with Jiang Lingfeng, Qiao Jihong forced herself to eat more than half the plate of braised pork. As a result, not long after Jiang Lingfeng left, her stomach began to ache so badly that she was writhing on the bed.

Su Qingmeng, hearing the commotion, came over and helped her up. “Comrade Qiao, are you alright? Let me take you to the hospital. Do you have a bicycle?”

Qiao Jihong, pale and weak from the pain, nodded weakly. At that moment, she couldn’t even consider whether Su Qingmeng, as slender as she was, would be able to carry her on a bicycle.

In a dazed state, she was helped onto the bicycle by Su Qingmeng. Her hand rested on a very slender waist as the seemingly unapproachable girl gently said to her, “Hold onto me, don’t fall off.”

The island’s roads were uneven, and riding at night was difficult. Qiao Jihong, sitting behind, jolted and swayed with every bump, her body aching to the point of numbness. The only sensation she could register was how incredibly slender Su Qingmeng’s waist was, likely less than 1.6 chi, yet in that moment, the warmth emanating from Su Qingmeng felt like the only comfort in this unfamiliar era.

When Qiao Jihong woke up, her stomach still ached, and an IV drip was attached to her hand. Turning her head, she could see Su Qingmeng sprawled casually on the adjacent hospital bed. Even asleep, the beauty remained striking.

Su Qingmeng’s biological clock was precise, waking promptly at five. However, the hospital bed was far from comfortable, leaving her sore and stiff. Yawning and half-asleep, she sat up and noticed Qiao Jihong was already awake. Rubbing her eyes, she said, “The doctor said you just had an appendectomy and need to stay in the hospital for a few days. For now, you can only have congee.”

Qiao Jihong vaguely recalled hearing the words “appendectomy, surgery” in her pain-addled state the night before. It was Su Qingmeng who had signed the consent form for her surgery.

Gratefully, she thanked Su Qingmeng, who simply waved her off. “I’m heading to the cultural troupe. The nurses will bring your meals.”

Su Qingmeng left without ceremony, as if the warmth she had offered in the night had been nothing but a dream.

Watching her slender figure retreat, Qiao Jihong was reminded of the cat she had once kept, beautiful, proud, and princess-like, yet offering a warmth that had sustained her through lonely, struggling days.

She couldn’t help but laugh. Su Qingmeng really was like her cat, so adorable it was hard to see her as a rival.

Su Qingmeng arrived at the cultural troupe on an empty stomach, sighing inwardly. According to the original plot, the female lead, Qiao Jihong, was an excellent cook. She had hoped to enjoy good meals every day while staying at the Qiao household, but before she could taste a single delicious dish, Qiao Jihong had ended up in the hospital.

The cultural troupe provided free breakfast, but Su Qingmeng had never eaten there before. As soon as she sat down with a bowl of congee, someone sneered, “What wind blew you here? The lead dancer isn’t enjoying the privileges of being an officer’s wife at home but has come to this shabby cafeteria to squeeze in with us for breakfast?”

The speaker was Kong Jufang, the same girl who had made snide remarks when Su Qingmeng first arrived.

Su Qingmeng stared at her for a long time, making Kong Jufang uneasy. Still, the girl persisted, taunting, “What? Did I say something wrong? Or is the lead dancer going to tattle to the leadership again?”

Su Qingmeng gave her a charming smile, finished her congee, and then stood by the cafeteria entrance, waiting specifically for the troupe leader. As soon as she saw him, she complained, “Leader, Kong Jufang called our cafeteria shabby and complained about the food!”

The leader’s face darkened instantly. Older and only a mediocre erhu player, he had been promoted for his excellent logistical skills. Kong Jufang’s disdain for the cafeteria felt like a personal insult.

Kong Jufang, never expecting Su Qingmeng to actually report her, flushed bright red, whether from anger or fear, and ended up running off in tears.

“Xiao Su, don’t take it to heart with Xiao Kong. In the troupe, she simply can’t compare to you,” the troupe leader comforted Su Qingmeng.

“I won’t hold it against her,” Su Qingmeng indicated that she hadn’t taken it to heart at all. She just wanted to make it clear to everyone in the troupe not to speak ill of her in front of her, because she really would report it.

“Troupe Leader, Teacher An has brought Teacher Lin over,” someone called from outside. Teacher An was the dance instructor from the capital. As for Teacher Lin, Su Qingmeng thought about the plot.

Between the male and female leads, aside from the original character used as a foil, there was also a male catalyst for their emotions: Lin Wangbei, the cultured youth from the capital.

Because Jiang Lingfeng’s personality was too reserved, when the refined Lin Wangbei appeared, Qiao Jihong once considered giving up on Jiang Lingfeng to pursue Lin Wangbei. Unexpectedly, this stirred up Jiang Lingfeng’s jealousy.

Su Qingmeng followed the troupe leader from the cafeteria to the dance studio and saw the young women of the troupe gathered together. They were all quiet, and a melodious accordion sound drifted from the crowd, like a gentle breeze pushing aside the noise.

Someone in the crowd called out, “The troupe leader is here!” A tall, slender young man stood up, carrying a heavy accordion on his back, standing out prominently among the group of young women.

His complexion was an unhealthy pale, and he wore a pair of old-fashioned black-framed glasses. The faded blue shirt he wore didn’t look shabby on him but instead gave off a restrained, scholarly air.

Lin Wangbei’s first glance fell on Su Qingmeng, who stood beside the troupe leader. She was a slender girl, not particularly short, but delicate enough to make one worry that a strong island wind might blow her away. Her looks were the most striking among the group of girls, with peach-blossom eyes that held the light of spring, once they met someone’s gaze, it was hard to look away.

He walked through the crowd to stand in front of Su Qingmeng and extended his hand. “Hello, I’m Lin Wangbei.”

“Hello, hello! Teacher Lin, I’m Zhang Dachun, the leader of the Nanjiang Island Cultural Troupe.” Zhang Dachun enthusiastically shook Lin Wangbei’s hand without stopping.

When Lin Wangbei looked at Su Qingmeng again, the young, beautiful girl’s peach-blossom eyes curved like a brilliant spring blossom, and he found it truly difficult to tear his gaze away from them.

Compared to the troupe members who spent most of their time on the island, Teacher An had more experience and was the first to notice that Lin Wangbei kept looking at Su Qingmeng.

Feeling somewhat uncomfortable, she also walked up to the troupe leader, deliberately blocking Lin Wangbei’s line of sight. “Teacher Lin, this is Su Qingmeng, our lead dancer for now. I might change it later.”

As soon as Teacher An said this, the troupe members began whispering among themselves, most of them looking at Su Qingmeng with mocking eyes.

It was Zhang Dachun who spoke up for Su Qingmeng: “Teacher An, switching back and forth like this isn’t really good, is it?”

Teacher An’s expression darkened. She said in a low voice, “In dancing, whoever dances best should be the lead.”

Su Qingmeng also seemed a bit displeased and said petulantly to the troupe leader, “I’m not feeling well today. I’m taking the day off.”

Without another word, she left. Even Zhang Dachun couldn’t persuade her to stay. She hopped on Qiao Jihong’s bicycle and went straight to the hospital.

Qiao Jihong, still weak from her recent surgery, didn’t know Su Qingmeng had come. When she opened her eyes, she saw Su Qingmeng sitting by her bedside.

Su Qingmeng didn’t give her a chance to speak, directly feeding a spoonful of porridge into her mouth. “It’s just the right temperature. Eat up.”

She tilted her chin up and said, “I specifically took time off to take care of you, Jihong. Once you’re better, you have to take good care of me too, and make me the most delicious food.”

Qiao Jihong watched her expression and felt more and more that she resembled the cat she used to keep. Suddenly, a bizarre thought crossed her mind, but since she herself had traveled from the 21st century to the 1970s, maybe her imagination wasn’t so far-fetched after all?

“Princess?” Qiao Jihong called out to Su Qingmeng.

“?” Su Qingmeng blinked and looked at her.

She continued tentatively, “I used to have a cat named Princess. She was as fair-skinned as you, with big, dewy eyes, and she was very good to me.”

“…” So Qiao Jihong thought her cat had also traveled through time and turned into her?

Su Qingmeng was rarely left speechless. With an expressionless face, she fed Qiao Jihong another spoonful of porridge. “Eat more and read fewer novels.”

Qiao Jihong’s eyes brightened even more. She had only casually mentioned having a cat, a normal person would have asked where the cat was now. But Su Qingmeng’s response was so unusual. Besides, novels weren’t even popular in this era. She must be her proud Princess!

“…” Su Qingmeng felt goosebumps under Qiao Jihong’s increasingly fervent gaze.

She simply put down the bowl and announced she was leaving.

Qiao Jihong anxiously reminded her, “Be careful on the way, don’t get lost.”

Su Qingmeng waved without looking back, genuinely afraid that any gesture might lead Qiao Jihong to overinterpret and fantasize. She shouldn’t have let a momentary kindness drive her to take care of Qiao Jihong!

Two days later, Su Qingmeng finally returned to the cultural troupe. She didn’t arrive early; some diligent girls were already practicing in the dance studio, and Lin Wangbei was there too, accompanying them on the accordion.

His accordion skills were exceptional, and using them to accompany their still somewhat rough dancing felt almost wasteful.

Lin Wangbei’s eyes lit up when he saw Su Qingmeng. He quickly said to her, “Comrade Su, let me accompany you.”

Su Qingmeng lowered her gaze as if pondering something. Lin Wangbei stared at the top of her dark-haired head, his eyes behind his glasses impatiently waiting to meet hers.

As if aware of his anxiety, Su Qingmeng deliberately lifted her eyes slowly, smiled at him, and then flatly refused, “No need. You all keep practicing. I don’t need accompaniment.”

In that instant, she caught a flash of ferocity behind his glasses.