My Dearest General: It Has Always Been You

Seeing Xu Binchen standing in a deferential yet cold manner, Shi Nian hurriedly put down the napkin and followed behind him. Because Shi Nian sat with her back facing them, only then did Granny Zhang and the young woman realize that Xu Binchen wasn't alone.

Shi Nian felt a piercing gaze fall onto her and she lifted her head to find the young woman looking at her with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. Shudders ran down her spine inexplicably. The young woman reminded her of the officials and eunuchs who came to visit the General's residence.

The gaze they used to look at her was exactly the same.

As if looking at someone worthless but due to the circumstances, they couldn't do anything but to show a polite manner.

Shi Nian hastily retracted her gaze and scooted behind Xu Binchen's back.

Her little motion caught Xu Binchen's attention as the man turned back and asked, "What's wrong? Done eating?"

Shi Nian looked at her half full ramen bowl and honestly shook her head.

"Then, continue eating," he said as a matter of fact.

Shi Nian was rendered speechless. They got a visitor so how could she remain eating like she hadn't seen them? If this matter got into other people's ears, they would think that she was a mannerless child. Moreover, there's so many people looking at them with curious and strange glances…

She pursed her lips, confused as to what she should do.

Fortunately, Granny Zhang rescued her in a timely manner. Her voice was booming loud, and inside the hushed cafeteria, it sounded especially glaring. Even if one didn't strain their ears, they still would be able to hear her. "Eh, who is this child? I haven't seen her before!"

Xu Binchen hummed nonchalantly. "She's someone in my care." Just like that. Short and precise. He didn't even introduce them to each other, making the situation more awkward.

"What?!" Granny Zhang loudly yelled. "I can't hear you!"

Xu Binchen's sharp gaze turned to the young woman. "Granny Zhang doesn't wear her hearing aid?"

The young woman grimaced, her face full of apology. "Granny Zhang said that her ears felt uncomfortable wearing it, so she took it off before we went out." Then, she bent down and whispered closely to the old grandmother's ears, repeating what Xu Binchen had just said.

On the other hand, Xu Binchen pressed Shi Nian down to the seat. "Just keep eating and don't mind us."

Shi Nian peered up at him, perplexed. Somehow, she could sense that Xu Binchen's mood was different than usual. He didn't wear his sour face, yet Shi Nian could feel that he was currently not in a very good mood. Thus, she sensibly nodded and buried her head into her food.

Xu Binchen gave the young woman a signal and together, they went toward another empty table that spanned across the room.

Granny Zhang's voice echoed. "When are you coming back? Why aren't you informing us? Little Jiao has always been waiting for you, right, Little Jiao?"

Jiao Jiaying—Little Jiao's face reddened as she stole glances toward Xu Binchen's cold and handsome features. "Granny, I am not. Don't talk nonsense!"

"Aiyoh, where am I talking nonsense? Isn't it you who keeps on bringing up your Brother Xu?"

The housewives beside Shi Nian's table exploded in another wave of gossip. "So he's someone that Granny Zhang knows huh? It's weird that we haven't seen him around before."

"Is he Little Jiao's boyfriend?

"Aiyoh, how lucky she is to get such a suave boyfriend. It's such a pity…I have just thought that he suits my daughter more."

"Hey, don't be so shameless!"

One of the housewives suddenly turned to Shi Nian. "Little girl, come on. Tell this auntie that your brother has a girlfriend already lest she will not know how to give up!"

Shi Nian almost choked on the noodle. Her face flushed as she hastily opened the memo on her phone and typed. The atmosphere turned strange the moment when Shi Nian lowered her head to type in scurry. [Auntie, I am sorry. But I am not clear either…]

The aunties looked at her with complicated eyes. "You…are mute?"

Shi Nian chewed her lips and nodded.

They looked at each other in silence and laughed dryly. "Okay, okay. Don't talk about him anymore, alright?" Then, the conversation shifted to the tenant in the west wing building who hadn't come home for five days in which their family had gotten into panic searching for them.

Shi Nian finished her food and stood up. Her eyes met with Xu Binchen's from across the room. She pointed outside and fanned her face, indicating that she was done and would go out to get some fresh air. Only when she got Xu Binchen's nod did she leave the cafeteria.

The cold air rushed into her nose as soon as she opened the door. It was very warm and toasty inside but somehow, she felt stifled because of people's gazes. Shi Nian knew that it wasn't their fault, but when they heard that she was different from most people, they would show such an estranged and awkward look as if they had just met an alien.

She took in a deep breath and strode forward.

This district was very peaceful and serene. Streetlamps lined up along the stony road, illuminating the darkness and giving off some peace and security. Conversations drifted from faraway into her ears and the sound of television could be heard from the house across.

She just wanted to digest the food and took a slow walk around the perimeter of the cafeteria so that Xu Binchen could find her easily. Contrasted with the brightness inside the cafeteria, behind it was filled with bushes and a narrow path that led to somewhere.

When she stretched her gaze, she could see the gate of the district and the main road filled with cars, softly humming with honks sounded intermittently.

She kicked a pebble on the path and followed it, playing around blankly. The sound of rolling stone against her shoes echoed in the empty space when all of a sudden, a muffled thud was heard followed by a pained groan.

Shi Nian froze in place.

In the next second, she heard it again. The sound of flesh meeting against flesh, and the heavy thump of body falling into the ground. "…sorry…" Faint yells and curses filled her ears. "…I said sorry, okay?!"

Shi Nian didn't know what possessed her but before her brain could process, her foot had brought her toward the direction of the sound. In this peaceful apartment district where its security was top notch, what could happen behind the dark?

The closer she was, the clearer the voices and chaos became.

"Ah! You bastard! If laozi[1] can't kill you today, then I will call you grandpa!"

A deep, mellow cold laugh followed. "I don't have a grandson like you."

Shi Nian's heart jumped to her throat at the familiar voice. The fight occurred in the dark corner behind a lightless building. She hastened her steps, half running and turned into a corner. The scene opened up in front of her eyes.

[1] Laozi = the superior way of saying 'I'