Chapter Thirteen: Blood-Recognized Kinship

It was actually him!

That was a face he knew all too well. Instantly, memories of everything they had been through together surfaced—scenes of war, entrusting each other with their lives, standing back to back against the enemy—moments he would never forget for the rest of his life.

“But how did he become an arms dismantler? Could he be on some special mission?” Liu Jingye was secretly startled and fought hard to suppress his excitement. He asked with feigned indifference, “So, it’s him—an old friend. Where is he? In your hometown or here in the city?”

“He should be here in the city,” his uncle replied. “He told me that if things don’t go smoothly between you two, he can step in and negotiate with you himself if necessary.”

“All right, let’s find a time to meet in person,” Liu Jingye said with a smile.

After speaking, he exchanged a look with the two women beside him, signaling to his uncle. The two men seemed to hit it off instantly, talking so animatedly that the two women were left speechless in amazement.

His uncle stood up, walked over, and, in clumsy Mandarin, said to Yuan Xiaoying, “May you grow old together in happiness and love.”

Yuan Xiaoying smiled in return, but her curiosity about Liu Jingye was becoming impossible to contain. She found an excuse and said, “Aunt, Uncle, since you’re here, there’s no need for a hotel. Let’s go out and buy some groceries—I’ll cook a homemade meal for everyone.”

Her aunt replied, “Wonderful! I’ve been wanting to taste our Yingying’s cooking. You’re about to become a wife, so your culinary skills must be up to par.”

Yuan Xiaoying shot her a playful, reproachful look and dragged Liu Jingye out the door.

As soon as they reached downstairs, she couldn’t wait any longer and asked, “How come you can speak Arabic? My aunt said you were speaking the local dialect just now. What exactly do you do?”

“I’ve already told you, haven’t I? I have a PhD,” Liu Jingye joked, trying to brush her off.

“If you keep dodging my questions, I’ll make you a martyr!” Yuan Xiaoying said, cracking her knuckles.

Before she finished her sentence, Liu Jingye’s entire demeanor shifted—his body tensed, and all expression vanished from his face, leaving only a chilling, murderous intent in his eyes. It was as if a starving wolf had fixed its gaze on her, ready to tear her apart at any moment.

Yuan Xiaoying’s face turned pale, fear welling up from deep within her soul. This man had revealed yet another side of himself, one that truly unsettled her.

Noticing her reaction, Liu Jingye realized he’d overdone it. The topic was sensitive to him, but she had only been joking. Here, there was no blood or death—clearly, he still hadn’t fully let go of the past.

A smile returned to his face. He said, “Actually, my unit was stationed in your uncle’s hometown for several years. To operate more effectively, we all learned to speak the local language fluently.”

Yuan Xiaoying shot him a sidelong glance and huffed, “If you don’t want to say, then forget it. I don’t even want to know!”

“The truth is always hard to accept,” Liu Jingye said cheerfully, enjoying this rare moment of leisure as she dragged him to the nearby supermarket. They bought fresh meat, vegetables, and fruit, genuinely preparing to make a home-cooked meal.

Yuan Xiaoying deliberately walked ahead with the groceries, leaving Liu Jingye to settle the bill. He certainly got the short end of the stick this time.

Back at home, Yuan Xiaoying dove straight into the kitchen, insisting that no one should help and that everyone should simply wait to taste her cooking.

Liu Jingye sat down, ready for a chat, when suddenly the kitchen door opened. Yuan Xiaoying poked her head out, smiling brightly, and said, “Aunt, you’ve come such a long way—you must be hungry. We can’t keep you waiting. Liu Jingye, come help me wash the vegetables.”

With no choice, Liu Jingye got up and entered the kitchen. Yuan Xiaoying quickly closed the door behind him, grimacing as she cradled her finger, blowing on it repeatedly.

She had sliced her finger with the knife, blood flowing freely—a rather deep cut.

The slab of pork on the cutting board was untouched; clearly, she’d caught her finger with the very first slice, staining the meat with her blood.

Liu Jingye laughed. “Well now, what’s this about, big sister? Are you trying to recognize your relatives with blood?”

Yuan Xiaoying was so exasperated she nearly threw the knife at him. She gritted her teeth and retorted, “If you can, you do it; if you can’t, don’t criticize!”

Ah—this woman really wasn’t one to let things go. When she got stubborn, she had absolutely no restraint.

Liu Jingye shrugged, indicating he didn’t know how to cook. Yuan Xiaoying was about to mock him when he said, “You forgot, your uncle is from Arabia. If you serve this plate of meat, he’ll probably have a fit!”

Yuan Xiaoying was stunned. She thought it over and broke into a cold sweat—she’d almost committed a major taboo.

“What should I do?” she asked anxiously, once again relying on Liu Jingye for help.

Liu Jingye pulled out a cucumber and said, “We’re all family here—let’s not stand on ceremony. Let’s just make smashed cucumber and some liangpi.”

“Cucumber is a wonderful thing—not only delicious but also very useful!”

Watching him wave the cucumber, Yuan Xiaoying blushed and spat, “Rogue!”

“How am I a rogue?” Liu Jingye said, feeling wronged. He placed the cucumber on the board, picked up the knife, and in one swift movement, sliced three perfect pieces—all precisely even.

Then, he pressed the three slices against his face and asked, “When I say it’s useful, I mean for a facial. What were you thinking?”

Yuan Xiaoying’s face turned even redder, and she wanted to hit him more than ever.

From the moment they’d met, Liu Jingye had been led around by the nose, always at her mercy. Now that he finally had a chance to tease her, he wasn’t about to let it slip by.

Just as he was about to say more—who knew what outrageous thing would come next—Yuan Xiaoying, flustered and still bleeding, suddenly thrust her injured finger into his mouth.

Even with all his battlefield experience, Liu Jingye had never encountered a move like this. Her delicate finger entered his mouth, smooth and soft, stunning him into silence.

Yuan Xiaoying was also dazed; such intimacy was usually reserved for lovers behind closed doors.

At that very moment, her aunt suddenly pushed open the door and witnessed the scene. The old lady hastily said, “Ah, young people these days... I saw nothing, you two carry on…”

With that, she quickly closed the door and left.

Yuan Xiaoying’s face was burning with embarrassment. She tried to pull her finger back in a panic, but Liu Jingye pursed his lips tightly, gently sucking her fingertip a few times before releasing her.

She withdrew her hand behind her back, lowering her crimson face, overwhelmed by the sudden surge of intimacy.

Liu Jingye, too, felt awkward. He turned to wash the vegetables, muttering, “Saliva helps stop bleeding…”

“Liar!” Yuan Xiaoying huffed, half annoyed and half amused, though an indescribable feeling was quietly spreading in her heart…

———

Climbing the ranks, climbing the ranks! From today onward, this book will update three times daily—noon at twelve, evening at six, and night at ten. Dear readers, I hope you’ll support it with all your heart.