QTIMP -Chapter 69 Character Persona – Lazy (Part 17)

Seeing Lu Hongjun frozen in place, Si Qiu directly wrapped him around the waist and tucked her shirt outside.

“This way, it won’t be noticeable. The sedative is made into pill form—dissolvable in water to knock someone out—but it has a slight smell. If you throw it into a fire, the smoke effect will be a bit weaker, but the smell is minimal. The antidote is in the bottle with the orchid pattern. If you don’t have the antidote, take a large sip of vinegar. It can counteract the sedative, though you’ll feel weak and powerless for an hour.”

Lu Hongjun reached out to touch his waist, feeling the slightly rough texture through the shirt. Finally, he hugged Si Qiu, kissed her, picked up his luggage, and turned to leave.

Downstairs, the car was waiting. He got into the truck directly. Once the engine started and they left the military camp, the team began organizing the specific details and plan for the mission.

This time, fourteen of the best soldiers from their battalion were deployed because the mission involved the border: retrieving a critical piece of intelligence.

This was vital information brought out by an elite undercover operative of their country at the risk of their life, but near the border, the operative had been ambushed.

The exact location of the operative and the material was lost. This intelligence was crucial and had to be brought back safely.

After confirming the mission, Lu Hongjun and his team began resting in the vehicle. He reached for the waist pouch, unfastened the side pocket closest to his hip, and pulled out a small wooden bottle.

He carefully examined each bottle. The markings were embossed, clearly labeled:

Hemostatic, Antipyretic, Painkiller, Antidote, Sedative, Antidote.

He opened each one and smelled it—traditional herbal medicine, fragrant and potent.

He casually handed the items to another robust young man. “Yuanzi, check these medicines.”

The young man took the bottles, studied them, and struggled to remove the corks. He poured out a pill, observed it carefully, and sniffed it closely.

Lu Hongjun continued rummaging and found items wrapped in oiled paper—money, bills, ginseng slices, and some dried beef cubes, each about the size of a thumb.

He carefully felt them to ensure nothing else was hidden, then returned the packages to their original places.

At this moment, Yuanzi pushed past his companions to stand before the leader.

“Boss, where did you find such a master pharmacist? The composition and craftsmanship of these medicines are incredible. Once the mission is done, can I follow and learn from them?”

His maternal grandfather’s family had medical expertise, and he had learned some of it. As a grandson, his training was limited, but his talent was excellent, far above an average person.

Because of this skill, he had been specially nurtured in the unit and served as the team medic during missions.

Lu Hongjun took the bottles back, checked the lids, returned them to the pouch, and strapped it back on.

“Though the chances are slim, I’ll ask for you.”

Yuanzi knew that anyone with even a bit of talent would face many rules when seeking a master, but if the boss was willing to ask on his behalf, there was hope, wasn’t there?

Si Qiu watched them leave. Though she felt some worry, she didn’t dwell on it. This composure was likely why she was able to live well in this new world.

Si Qiu entered a period of unsupervised time. She refused the help of the couple across from her and was essentially left to fend for herself.

She had to wash her own clothes, cook her own meals, and mop the floor herself. She couldn’t stay up too late at night, because no one would wake her up in the morning.

She could tolerate a slightly messy home, but she couldn’t stand an environment that was too dirty.

Exhausted, she lay on the bed, thinking, What should I do? She found herself missing Lu Hongjun a little.

She really should earn some money. In a couple of years, when the reform and opening up happened, she could hire a few housekeepers.

She didn’t even understand why she was choosing between doing chores herself and earning money to hire help. Isn’t either choice just as taxing mentally and physically?

She glanced at the pile of things on her bedside table and yanked the blanket over her head. “Sleep, sleep. Tomorrow I’ll have full energy and get to it.”

The next morning, she didn’t manage to tidy up either, because she woke up a little late and even skipped breakfast. She hastily grabbed the cleaned empty lunchbox and shoved it in her bag before heading to work.

When the workplace had finished its own preparations, she reached into her bag and swapped the lunchboxes. The heavy, warm one was brought out.

As soon as it opened, the rich aroma filled the air. The people at the supply and marketing cooperative were used to it by now, but a tinge of envy still lingered.

“Si Qiu, how many days has your Lu Battalion Commander been gone?”

Being asked this made her a little downhearted. In reality, Lu Hongjun had only been gone for four days, but it felt like an eternity. After work, she both wanted to go home and stay put, yet didn’t want to face the household chores waiting for her.

After work, she returned home. Just as she was about to take out her keys, feeling heavy-hearted while opening the door, she looked up and saw a young soldier standing there, with a package by his side.

Seeing her, he first saluted, then said, “Sister-in-law, here’s your package. When Battalion Commander Lu left, he said that whether it’s someone delivering something or a package, we should help bring it inside whenever we have time.”

“Really? That’s so kind of you.” Si Qiu opened the door, bringing the fairly large package into the room.

The young soldier saluted to leave, but Si Qiu quickly grabbed a handful of candy and stuffed it into his pocket. “Thanks for your hard work. Take these home and enjoy. Don’t refuse me. Since your commander isn’t here, I’ll be relying on you for things. If you refuse, next time I won’t dare ask.”

The young soldier’s face turned slightly red, scratching his head. “Sister-in-law, if you need anything, just call me at the barracks. My name’s Zhao Youcai.”

“Alright, go on then. I’ll call if I need you.”

Once he left, Si Qiu closed the door. She pushed the package with her finger, but it wouldn’t budge—there was a lot inside, and it was solid.

She carefully took out scissors and slowly opened it. A pile of items spilled out. Even the envelopes usually tucked inside landed with weighty thuds.

Si Qiu picked one up and opened it. What fell out wasn’t just a bunch of letters—it was a remittance slip and various military vouchers, foreign exchange certificates, and even a refrigerator voucher.

Si Qiu was thrilled. The temperature here was high; food and meat couldn’t be stored. A refrigerator could solve a lot of problems.

The only downside was that refrigerators weren’t sold locally. She’d have to go to a foreign trade store in the provincial capital, and the price certainly wouldn’t be cheap.

She set it aside for now. When Lu Hongjun returned, she would have him buy it.

Then there was the remittance slip. Not to say anything, but the old couple was quite wealthy—they’d sent her 2,000 yuan directly. Although ginseng was valuable, the previous package had already brought 500 yuan.