Chapter 118: Zhang Weihong

At six o’clock in the evening, inside the Chinese restaurant on the third floor of the Rejuvenation Hotel, a dinner party that had been scheduled a week in advance was finally taking place. To express her gratitude to Lin Jian, Dongfang Wan had invited him long ago, even confirming the details with him again on Friday.

When Lin Jian arrived at the third-floor restaurant, Dongfang Wan and Zhang Weihong were already there. They had arrived half an hour early.

Dongfang Wan was dressed in an elegant qipao. A jade bangle graced her wrist, and matching emerald-green earrings dangled from her ears. With just a glance, Lin Jian could tell the jewelry was of extraordinary quality. Tall and exuding the gentle elegance of an Eastern beauty, she practically became a stunning scenic attraction in the restaurant. Anyone who walked past—whether man or woman—couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances.

The man sitting beside her was about five foot nine, with short hair and a dark complexion. The skin on his face was peeling in several places from sunburn. He couldn’t be called handsome, and his clothes were exceedingly casual, making him look completely mismatched sitting next to Dongfang Wan.

"Weihong, Wan!"

The moment they met, Lin Jian immediately reached out to shake Zhang Weihong’s hand. But as their hands clasped, Zhang Weihong suddenly raised an eyebrow and squeezed down with immense force.

Lin Jian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. What was up with this guy? However, since the other party was testing his strength, he couldn’t just back down and act like a coward, could he? He squeezed back with equal ferocity. As soon as he exerted his strength, Zhang Weihong’s expression changed, and he instantly released his grip. Seeing the other man let go, Lin Jian quickly followed suit.

Zhang Weihong’s eyes lit up. "Good lad, you’ve got some martial arts skills in you.

"I’m Zhang Weihong. Thank you for saving my two youngsters. From now on, brother, if you ever need any help, just give me a call. I’ll go through fire and water for you, and I wouldn’t be a real man if I even frowned!"

"Alright, alright," Dongfang Wan said, half-amused and half-exasperated. "Lin Jian, please don’t mind him. Your brother Weihong is just a boor. He’s a notorious rogue soldier in his unit, always giving his superiors a headache."

Zhang Weihong seemed quite afraid of his wife; hearing her words, he scratched his head in embarrassment.

Lin Jian, on the other hand, was more than willing to befriend a man of this temperament. People like him were straightforward and didn’t play mind games, which made interacting with them very relaxing.

"Lin Jian, your skills are not bad at all. I heard you went to a sports academy? How old are you this year? Are you interested in joining the army? If you are, I can help pull some strings!"

"Wei Hong," Dongfang Wan scolded lightly. "Why do you tell everyone you meet to join the army?" Turning to Lin Jian, she smiled wryly. "Lin Jian, don’t listen to Weihong. He loves the military, so he wants everyone around him to love it too!"

"Hey, that’s not fair. You say that like you aren’t in the military yourself," Zhang Weihong protested.

"Wan, you’re a soldier too?" Lin Jian asked, completely shocked. She didn’t look the part at all.

"I work in the civilian sector. The kids are still young, so I took annual leave!"

Annual leave! Lin Jian clicked his tongue in amazement. Just listen to that—she was on annual leave!

"Lin Jian, if you’re interested, I really can help," Zhang Weihong continued. "Let me tell you, slaving away in regular civilian society is pointless. Rolling through the mud, mastering weapons, and fighting enemies on the battlefield—that’s what makes a real man. I’m telling you, in a few days I might go to—"

He suddenly cut himself off and let out a boisterous laugh. "Anyway, with your martial arts foundation, you’re the perfect fit for the army."

Zhang Weihong was what ordinary folks would call a simple-minded meathead soldier, but guys like that were often the most endearing.

Dongfang Wan frowned and glared at him. "Say what you just said again."

"Hey, I didn’t say anything! It’s classified military intelligence, womenfolk shouldn’t pry!"

"Lin Jian—never mind, I’ll just call you my little brother. Wan said she wanted to acknowledge you as her godbrother, so from today onwards, you are Zhang Weihong’s brother. Tonight, we won’t go home until we’re drunk!"

"Alright, we won’t go home until we’re drunk! Weihong, Wan, a toast to you both!"

Zhang Weihong found Lin Jian’s temperament to his liking and filled their glasses to the brim.

Dongfang Wan didn’t drink alcohol, pouring herself some juice instead, but she happily topped up her husband’s glass. Although they didn’t look like a matching couple sitting side by side, the deep affection in her eyes whenever she looked at him was unmistakable. In truth, Zhang Weihong wasn’t ugly; he likely served in a combat unit, weathering the elements year-round or enduring high-intensity training, which just made him look a bit rugged.

After Lin Jian and Zhang Weihong downed their first glasses, Lin Jian asked, "Why didn’t you bring the kids?"

"I originally planned to," Dongfang Wan replied, "but their aunt just came back and brought them some toys. As soon as they saw the toys, they abandoned us to play with her."

"Little brother," Zhang Weihong interjected, "since we’re family now, I won’t repeat my words of gratitude. Let’s just drink."

"Let’s drink."

Zhang Weihong was a bottomless barrel. He downed each glass in a single gulp, making Lin Jian’s scalp tingle just watching him. Fortunately, he was still somewhat obedient to Dongfang Wan. After the two men had downed three glasses each, she absolutely refused to let her husband drink anymore, glaring fiercely at him.

"I get it, I totally get it. If I drink too much, I won’t be able to get *anything* done tonight..." the unrefined man blurted out right at the dinner table.

Dongfang Wan’s face flushed red all the way to her neck, looking as if she wanted to strangle him on the spot.

The three of them ate for over an hour before heading downstairs together.

Once outside, Dongfang Wan retrieved two paper shopping bags from a Mini Cooper and handed them to Lin Jian. "It’s nothing expensive, just two t-shirts Weihong and I picked out for you at the mall. They really weren’t pricey—less than two thousand yuan in total. If you refuse, you’ll be treating us like strangers!"

"I never said I wouldn’t take them," Lin Jian said, accepting the bags. "Weihong, Wan, just give me a call or message me on WeChat if you ever need anything in the future. Next weekend, I’ll come visit my two little nieces."

"Deal! If I can make it back, I’ll be there," Zhang Weihong promised. "If not, Wan will drink with you. She can hold her liquor better than I can!"

"All you ever think about is drinking," Dongfang Wan muttered, supporting him. "Little brother, we’re taking off!"

She helped Zhang Weihong into the car, and Lin Jian waved them goodbye.

As soon as he was in the car, Zhang Weihong pulled out a cigarette and lit it. "He’s a sharp kid with rock-solid skills. A good person, too—straightforward, no hidden agendas."

In that moment, his demeanor shifted completely. The boorish persona from earlier was gone.

"Indeed, he’s a very upright young man," Dongfang Wan agreed. "But why did you put on that unrefined act all night?"

"The kid has his guard up, so I just switched up my approach to befriending him. Besides, it wasn’t really an act—that’s my true nature anyway. Plus... I’ve always been rough around the edges, haven’t I? Haha!"

Chuckling, Zhang Weihong slipped his hand under Dongfang Wan’s clothes.

His hands were covered in calluses—thicker and more numerous than Lin Jian’s. Because of his daily training, constantly handling firearms and equipment, his palms were impossibly rough. Yet, in that moment, Dongfang Wan immensely enjoyed her husband’s touch.

It wasn’t until they stopped at a red light that Zhang Weihong reluctantly withdrew his hand. Dongfang Wan, her cheeks flushed and her eyes slightly hazy, asked softly, "Are you being deployed on a mission? Where to this time? Let me tell you, you have two youngsters now. If you can pass on the dangerous missions, pass on them. Even if you don’t do it for me, think about the kids!"

Zhang Weihong didn’t answer directly. Taking another drag from his cigarette, he said, "I know. Just don’t mention any of this to Grandpa or Dad."

Dongfang Wan’s eyes grew red. She didn’t want her man fighting on the front lines—it was simply too dangerous!