Everyone held their breath and looked at Si Nian.
Today, Si Nian was not wearing his usual military uniform of the past few years. Instead, he had uncharacteristically donned casual clothes. After taking off his thick coat indoors, he revealed a sweater underneath.
The soft sweater made him appear gentler, complementing his sharp features and handsome eyes, making him quite striking.
But everyone present knew that this god of war never showed mercy. They speculated how badly the fearless brother who dared to mock him while drunk would be beaten.
Si Nian took a sip of the wine in his glass, slowly set it down, showing no signs of anger.
Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, he calmly looked at Huo Rou, the corner of his lips curving upwards.
"Hiss—"
Everyone gasped.
Was he going to settle scores later?
There was a saying circulating among them: "When Si Nian smiles, your life is in peril."
Someone tried to intervene. After all, this was a rare reunion with Huo Rou. He stammered, "Commander Si, he was just drunk. Please don't take it to heart."
"No," Si Nian's lips parted, his light voice carrying, "I also want to know."
He looked at Huo Rou, "I never had a chance to ask you privately. I really want to know this question too."
He wanted to know why she left Fenghuo without a word, even though they had faced life and death together.
The first thing he did after getting out of the hospital bed was to find her.
During his recovery, he had thought a lot and understood some things. He wanted to find her to confirm, but the news he received was that she had already left.
No word.
For many years, he transferred through multiple commando units, joining many troops, but he never encountered her again.
He even wondered if Huo Rou had died, and they had told him she left Fenghuo to comfort him.
But when he reached a higher position, he saw Huo Rou's departure procedures from Fenghuo. Her file had been transferred by a secret department.
It was only then that he was sure Huo Rou was still alive.
For so many years, he had always been at the forefront, hoping to encounter her during a mission.
Huo Rou met his questioning gaze with some guilt. She picked up her glass, her eyes sweeping over everyone sincerely. She owed many people an apology.
"I apologize to everyone. I did leave in too much of a hurry back then."
Si Nian stared at her fixedly, clearly unsatisfied with such a perfunctory answer.
"I passed the special department assessment," Huo Rou explained concisely. "I thought I wouldn't make it back alive, so I didn't bid farewell to everyone."
At that time, she had gone with the intention of facing death. Not contacting everyone was not the only reason.
Although there was affection after a short year of interaction, this affection was not enough to hold her back. It might sound cold-blooded, but at that time...
She seemed truly—ruthless.
She didn't want too many emotional ties. She was already alone. Everything was just for the words that young man had spoken to her and the unwillingness in her heart.
She drained the wine in her glass.
"Captain Huo, you..." The drunk person was clearly dissatisfied with her explanation and wanted to continue speaking. Huo Rou's gaze swept over him.
Her gaze was cold and deep.
Even the slightly drunk man immediately sobered up halfway.
"Report!" He staggered to his feet, enduring Huo Rou's gaze, and stubbornly said, "I was wrong!"
He looked like a soldier awaiting inspection, trying his best to stand straight despite being drunk.
The people around them also fell silent.
There was another saying circulating in Fenghuo. It wasn't as widely known as Si Nian's, but everyone present knew it.
"One look from Huo Rou, and no one can save you."
Huo Rou, who appeared amiable and peaceful, their Captain Huo, could be joked with, but not too much.
Huo Rou's sweet and charming voice slowly said, "It's been years. I thought you had really become bolder."
"Report!" The man's voice was loud, "No!"
"Alright, sit down. I'm not your captain anymore." Huo Rou drank two more glasses of wine, and only then did she sit down after apologizing.
Her gaze returned to its harmless and gentle state, and everyone relaxed their guard and continued eating and chatting.
Si Nian naturally put some food on Huo Rou's plate, "Before, when I sent you to train in the deep mountains and old forests, I always wondered what it would be like if we could sit down and eat together one day."