While Commander Bai was lost in thought, Rin had calmly eaten the majority of the rice cakes on the table.
Due to her lack of wealth throughout her travels, the food Rin ate either lacked flavor or was hunted and cooked over a fire.
Rin had advanced her skills in hunting thanks to the help of her Uncle Guo, however, cooking was a whole other topic.
The basics she knew how to perform in the kitchen were making rice, roasting fish, meat, and a few other simple dishes to impress Uncle Guo.
In the end...she wasn't too great of a cook.
All in all, the rice cakes in the Bai Manor were like merciful heaven and Earth compared to the food she ate on her way from and back the Eastern Empire.
Gently wiping the crumbs on her rosy face, Rin takes a sip of fragrant tea to clear her throat. Once done, she stares into her grandfather's eyes with a fierce stare.
"Considering the grave situation with the North Border's captured Captain, I wisely suggest you call all search parties off," Rin advised sternly.
"What?" Bai Han stared at Rin with a stunned expression.
Sighing wearily, Rin reveals an unreadable expression, "Based on what you've described of your enemies tactics, my thought is he's already dead."
Hearing those cutting words caused a heavyweight to form on old Bai's chest. His silver-bearded jaw tightening slightly as his silver brows began to furrow.
"Grandpa, you should be well aware of the grave dangers of war. No army merely makes it out unscathed. Blaming oneself and others will only lead to a weakness." Rin said coldly, already guessing her grandfather's negative thoughts.
Smiling gently at the clever girl before him, Bai Han carefully traces his gaze towards the small window - a luminous ray of the setting sun's light passing through.
"En, I understand what you're saying." Bai Han sighed hopelessly.
She was indeed right. Death was an expected thing when one entered a war zone, not everyone would make it out alive. Even being inside their own base wasn't a safe guarantee.
That afternoon, the two calmly sat in silence, drinking tea and speaking only of short sentences. The tranquility in the air was both warm and relaxing to the two people seated in the room.
…
Uncle Guo: "..."
Rin: "..."
Why did she suddenly feel like he was staring at her as if she'd slaughtered his family and betrayed him?
After all, she was one to know that look...
Once Rin had bathed and changed out of her traveling clothes, she once more dressed in her graceful elegant dresses made of the silkiest fabrics. However, upon exiting her room she suddenly sensed a gloomy aura around her.
Turns out General Guo had heard of her arrival, yet he hadn't been able to see her at all until late in the night. Therefore, he was quite upset that she hadn't thought to greet him.
Glancing up at her Uncle Guo, Rin flashes an innocent smile.
"Has Uncle Guo gotten more handsome since the last time I saw you?" Rin giggled.
A small twitch could be seen in the man's thick firm lips. His brawny arms remaining crossed over his chest, causing one to cower in fear due to his intimidating aura.
However, Rin, who had known and grown up with the seemingly cold man knew he was nothing but a softie. He appeared icy and harsh on the outside, but was really the shy type when it came to certain things.
If Rin were to tease him occasionally, his reaction would be to turn away and hide away his blushing expression. Rin adored this Uncle Guo of hers' more and more through the years.
She had undergone extreme measures to get him to notice and speak more than two sentences to her.
Rin tried to learn his favorite meals, train even harder to impress him during training, and even use a method Commander Bai taught her: sucking up to him.
Apparently, the man was helpless towards praises, which Rin soon discovered.
During her years as a child, she'd often flatter him on his excellent form during his sword practices, in response he'd freeze immediately and clear his throat to disregard her.
Little did Rin know during her years of trying to convince the reserved man to appreciate and notice her, he had already from the very beginning, admired the young girl and even felt quite fond of her effort to train.
Through the years he had stood beside her and raised her along with Commander Bai, spoiling her silly and doting on her.
The Bai soldiers who occasionally saw the cold and violent raging men's sweet and gentle affections towards Rin couldn't help but stare in profound awe.
Compared to how they were on the battlefield, the men who doted lovingly on Rin who also appeared quite normal looked like nothing but an ordinary non brutal family…
It was kind of...scary!
"Do you have anything to say to me?" General Guo's harsh voice spoke sternly.
Tilting her small head to the side, Rin gently tapped her slender finger to her chin as if in deep thought. Seeing this caused the General's foul mood to darken; gloomy smokey clouds hovering over him.
Finally enjoying enough fun provoking him, Rin giggles while flashing a radiant smile.
"I'm happy to see you again Uncle Guo," Rin said humbly.
With those words, the man's tense gaze had softened a practically invisible smile appearing on his lips.
"Make sure to inform us personally next time you plan to go somewhere," He said while gently rubbing the girl's head.
"Haha, I will," Rin smiles.
Grunting approvingly, Uncle Guo informs Rin to rest well before bidding goodbye. Watching as the tall man's back departed farther away from her counters, Rin smiled before heading back into her bedroom.
The familiar sound of flapping wings could be heard near her luxurious bedroom. Looking towards the familiar sound, Rin found Ju sitting casually on her desk chair.
"Screech--!"
Smiling gently, Rin pets the bird's small feathered head.
"It seems like it's time to enter the battlefield, Ju," Rin twisted her rosy lips up wickedly.