In the distance, groups of old people gathered together. The old people naturally woke up early, gathering before dawn to drink tea or play chess.
At this time, the laughter from this group of old men was louder than the others, with hearty laughter echoing in the yard.
"That Gong Jin brat has really met his match this time haha!"
"Speaking of which, Older Xin, your granddaughter is really something!"
"So pitiful! Bullied by Older Xin when small, and now bullied by Older Xin's granddaughter when grown up."
"The previous generation had two little tigers, this generation has a little fox and a little lion."
"Can't they just be people? Do they have to be animals?"
Older Xin also looked in that direction. Gong Jin had already been suppressed to the point of having no power to resist, hanging upside down from that tree, completely hopeless.
And the culprit, Nan XiangWan, seemed to have gotten some inspiration from her grandfather. She was very satisfied with her masterpiece.
Seeing it was about time, Older Xin got up and shouted, "Nan XiangWan, come back home for breakfast!"
Nan XiangWan immediately threw away the vine in her hand and pattered after her grandfather back home.
Gong Jin looked at Gu Beihuai pitifully, "Fox, don't go."
Gu Beihuai: "Yesterday Nan Nan could hang for half an hour. Can you not even last through breakfast time?"
Gong Jin: "It's not about lasting or not. I'm 25 and still hanging from a tree. I have no face left!"
Gu Beihuai gave him a 'good luck with that' look and left without hesitation.
Gong Jin: "......"
Well, now he could only figure out how to get himself down.
He first felt behind his back where his hands were tied. Hmm, an unsolvable knot.
That Nan XiangWan is a scoundrel!
Gong Jin struggled to undo the knots when suddenly, plop!
A pine cone hit him in the face!
Gong Jin stretched his neck in confusion when, plop! Another one.
Then plop plop plop plop!
Countless pine cones rained down from all directions in the tree, hitting his face, neck, and body.
The blows weren't heavy, but the humiliation was extreme!
Gong Jin was about to go crazy. He vaguely saw an entire squirrel clan moving about, with hundreds of pine cones at the ready as a great battle unfolded.
In his half-dead state unable to free his hands or swing around like Nan XiangWan to dodge, he could only hang there and directly take the pine cone blows.
He didn't know how long this humiliating scene went on before a person walked by behind him.
Luo Wei was about the same height as Gong Jin and his buddies, but slightly darker than the others.
On a rare short vacation without wind and sun exposure at sea, the first thing he did was come back to the yard to see his parents.
Yet before even reaching home, he saw a very familiar person hanging upside down from a tree.
Luo Wei was shocked!
One should know that since the children in the yard had all joined the military or gone away to college, such corporal punishment was extremely rare.
They had all grown up and didn't cause trouble anymore.
Luo Wei circled around suspiciously to stand face to face with Gong Jin.
How awkward for both of them!
After a long while, Luo Wei took the initiative to offer a way out, "Did you make Older Xin angry?"
Hanging naughty troublemaking kids upside down from a tree was Older Xin's signature move.
Gong Jin's mouth twitched. "It wasn't Older Xin who hung me up."
Luo Wei was surprised. "Then who was it?"
Gong Jin: "His granddaughter..."
Luo Wei's eyes widened in shock. "What?!"
Gong Jin: "Nan XiangWan. You haven't met her. She's the one Xiao Chou is always chasing stars with. She didn't grow up in the yard and didn't mix around the military district when small."
Luo Wei: "Good grief, Older Xin's whole family is ruthless! Should I give her a wide berth in the future if I run into her?"
Gong Jin: "Ha! Do you mind not talking and getting me down first?"
Just as he finished speaking, another wave of the pine cone war broke out.
Plop! Plop plop!
Not only was Gong Jin's face pelted, but many blows also landed on Luo Wei.
Luo Wei: "What's going on now?"
Gong Jin: "The squirrels got the wrong person."
...
Today, Older Xin had specifically asked the cooking auntie to make extra breakfast, as he himself had a big appetite and hoped his granddaughter would eat more too.
However, Older Xin also knew young people nowadays cared about dieting, especially girls who wouldn't eat much.
So as soon as they sat down to eat, Older Xin laid down the rule, "No leaving until you finish."
Nan XiangWan silently raised her head. "Grandpa, I can't eat that much."
Older Xin: "???"
Indeed it wasn't enough for Nan XiangWan. She had morning practice and just chased Gong Jin around earlier, so her energy expenditure was huge.
So after finishing her own portion, she ate Older Xin's portion as well for breakfast.
Seeing the girl's appetite, Older Xin's mood improved considerably. He chatted more, "Your school principal brought some mooncakes over the other day. Do you want to eat some?"
Nan XiangWan: "Yes."
Older Xin opened the gift box. With six mooncakes per box and ten boxes gifted, he took one box out, unwrapped it and handed it over.
Nan XiangWan accepted it and immediately stuffed the whole cake in her mouth, continuously chewing with her upper and lower teeth, puffing her cheeks.
Older Xin unwrapped a second box in his hand. After Nan XiangWan swallowed the first, he continued passing them.
And so, one giving and the other eating, quite harmonious.
Nan XiangWan readily accepted what Older Xin gave her to eat.
Seeing the child eat so well, Older Xin was very happy and chatted more, "Your principal said you've been arranged to go to Special Operations?"
Nan XiangWan suddenly froze in her chewing. She then reacted that the principal her grandfather mentioned was her college principal.
The commander of National Defense University? That lieutenant general? Giving Older Xin mooncakes?
Good stuff! And she had eaten most of them!
But why did Gu Beihuai and her grandfather know about the confidential arrangement of her joining Special Operations?
If everyone knew, what secrecy?!
Unconcerned with Nan XiangWan's thoughts, Older Xin continued passing mooncakes while speaking, "Special Operations is the most special department across the entire National Defense University. At most only 27 students are admitted every year, including your batch, no exceptions to exceed this number."
Nan XiangWan ate while silently listening to her grandfather.
Older Xin: "All students entering Special Operations will become high-ranking military officers in the future, assigned to various major special operations units. Rising above lieutenant general in the future is also possible."
Older Xin: "Of course that's contingent on staying alive and continuously excelling."
Nan XiangWan nodded. Her heart burned with passion.
Older Xin glanced at her. His gaze was piercing, "It's not easy to get into or graduate from Special Operations. The daily training is also several times more intense than other departments. You are the third female across National Defense University's history to be selected for the hidden Special Operations course."
Nan XiangWan was startled. Only three?
Older Xin went on, "It's not gender discrimination per se, just that the selection criteria are the same for both genders. It must be acknowledged men are inherently superior in physical abilities. Females need to put in more effort to achieve the same results."
Older Xin looked over, "When they see you, they will surely resent you. What will you do if people come to provoke you?"
Nan XiangWan: "Fight back!"
Older Xin laughed, "Good! You must win! Understand? Children of the Xin family cannot lose!"
Nan XiangWan was fired up. Her grandfather really suited her appetite.
Since coming to this world, everyone told her not to fight or cause trouble, no this and no that.
Only her grandfather told her to fight back, and to win!
What's important in life?
Of course it's winning! Without winning, what else matters?
