Reborn and returned, sisters swapped

Chapter 144 The sandstorms here are everywhere.

Gu Jinyan quietly noted down his name, realizing that getting close to this officer might bring unexpected help to his mission.

However, this was no easy task—officials like Allegheny maintained a high degree of vigilance towards outsiders and rarely accepted anyone.

Therefore, she was not in a hurry to make contact. Instead, she continued to interact with some ordinary soldiers in the camp as an artist, gradually integrating into their daily lives.

She paints every day on the edge of the camp, observing the soldiers' daily lives while keeping an eye out for any opportunity to get close to Allegheny.

Day after day, her figure became a familiar part of the soldiers' lives.

One morning, while she was painting in the camp, Tukir quietly came to her side and whispered, "I heard that Allegheny will be inspecting the camp today."

His tone carried a hint of smugness, as if he were revealing a highly valuable secret.

Gu Jinyan's heart stirred, and he nodded slightly, but his face still held a calm smile: "Thank you, Tuker. If I have the chance, I would really like to see General Allegir's demeanor."

As noon approached, Allegir appeared at the camp surrounded by several attendants. His figure was tall and aloof, and his every move exuded a unique air.

Gu Jinyan observed silently while continuing to paint as if nothing was wrong.

But he had already begun to make plans in his mind.

Approaching Allegir rashly might arouse suspicion, so she instead used Tuker's help to have him cause some "minor accidents" on Allegir's inspection route.

Shortly afterward, Tukur deliberately tripped and fell near the training ground.

The bucket was overturned, and water splashed all over the ground, blocking Allegheny's only way of passing.

The soldiers panicked and quickly cleaned up.

In the chaos, Gu Jinyan, under the pretext of painting, "coincidentally" stood nearby, bowed slightly to Alleger, and showed an apologetic expression of "accidentally disturbing you".

Holding her paintbrush, her gaze lowered, she said softly, "General, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to block your way. I was just captivated by the scenery and wanted to paint it. I didn't expect it to cause you any trouble."

Alleger stopped and his gaze swept over her with a cold, scrutinizing look.

He then gave a noncommittal "hmm," showing no particular interest in her.

But Gu Jinyan caught a hint of probing in his eyes, and a subtle tension rose in his heart.

The first impression had already been made, and her goal was simply to make herself an insignificant presence in his eyes.

In the following days, she did not rush to get closer, but continued to draw at the edge of the camp, only occasionally catching a glimpse of Alleghen during his patrols.

This ambiguous contact gradually made her appear natural and harmless in Alleger's eyes.

One evening, as the soldiers in the camp were busy preparing dinner, Gu Jinyan quietly drew the shadows of people in the firelight by the campfire.

Tuker leaned closer to her and whispered, "I heard that Alleger will be having dinner by the campfire today. He always keeps to himself and rarely goes out with the soldiers."

Gu Jinyan nodded to himself, pondered for a moment, and then casually approached the campfire, his paintbrush still nonchalantly sketching the scene.

Out of the corner of his eye, however, he never left Alleger's figure.

Her calmness and focus caught his attention, and he glanced at her sideways with a hint of curiosity.

Let's ponder this unassuming artist.

Noticing his gaze lingering on him, Gu Jinyan took the opportunity to stop writing, smiled slightly and nodded to him: "General, would you mind if I painted a portrait of you?"

Your heroic figure is the most memorable scenery of this land.

Alleger raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across his indifferent face.

After a moment, he nodded, which was taken as tacit approval.

Gu Jinyan was secretly delighted, but remained calm on the surface, and lowered his head to carefully trace his outline.

Her brushstrokes are fluid and gentle, and she occasionally glances up at Allegheny, capturing his cold gaze and upright figure in her paintings.

The flickering firelight reflected on the paper, giving his portrait a touch of coldness and majesty.

"Where did you learn such skills?" Allegre asked coldly in her painting studio, his voice carrying a hint of scrutiny.

Gu Jinyan smiled slightly and replied, "I grew up in the countryside of the Tianchen Dynasty and learned to paint while traveling around. That's how I got the chance to come here and see a true hero."

Her words carried a hint of reverence and humility, tactfully avoiding any unnecessary exposure.

Allegher did not ask any more questions, but sat quietly by the campfire, letting her trace his face.

Tuker waited quietly by her side, unintentionally keeping her company, occasionally handing her art supplies or pouring her tea.

This kind of companionship felt natural and easygoing, making her presence go unnoticed.

After several such chance encounters, Alleger gradually got used to the presence of Gujin Rock, and sometimes they would chat casually in a corner of the camp.

Although such contact was limited, it laid an important foundation for her mission.

In each conversation, she subtly explored Alleger's personality, secretly trying to figure out his thoughts and preferences.

Even a smile or a casual remark is carefully captured by her, turning them into clues that allow her to delve deeper into the subject.

In this way, Gu Jinyan gradually approached this cold-blooded officer of the Tiger Clan without realizing it.

A subtle sense of familiarity was established, and all of this unfolded quietly through her and Tukkel's tacit cooperation.

As night deepened, the campfires in the camp burned even brighter, and the soldiers of the Tiger Clan sat in twos and threes around the fire.

Holding steaming hot food in their hands, they chatted and laughed, their soft laughter and the aroma of food wafting through the air.

Gu Jinyan stood not far away, quietly observing this scene.

A hint of curiosity shone in his eyes. How was the food here different from that in the Tianchen Dynasty?

Do these soldiers receive good treatment?

In the world of the Tiger Clan, what kind of existence do women have?

At that moment, Tukir quietly approached her from behind, carrying a bowl of tenderly stewed meat broth.

With a mischievous smile, he handed it to her: "You've been watching, why don't you try some too?"

Gu Jinyan was slightly taken aback, then took the bowl with a grateful smile on his face.

Holding the bowl, she slowly savored a sip. The hot soup slid across her tongue, carrying a rich aroma of meat and herbs, a taste completely different from what she had experienced in the Tianchen Dynasty.

She nodded slightly and asked in a low voice, "Your food seems particularly chewy. Is it made with some unique feed?"

Tuker smiled smugly, feeling proud of her praise: "This is a tradition of our Tiger Clan. In addition to meat, we also add some herbs, which not only ward off the cold but also increase physical strength."

During battle, our soldiers rely on this to replenish their energy.

Gu Jinyan silently noted it down, but simply nodded gently on the surface, and then asked, "Do the women in the camp eat these too?"

The tone was gentle; it was just a casual question.

Tuker remained silent for a moment, a hint of hesitation seemingly flashing in his eyes.

Finally, he lowered his voice and said with some dissatisfaction, "Women?"

Women here have a low status; they are mainly responsible for logistics and miscellaneous tasks, they don't appear on the training ground, and they are not entitled to enjoy the lavish meals we have.

Gu Jinyan raised his eyes, seemingly showing a hint of surprise: "Oh? In my hometown, women also have the opportunity to go to the battlefield."

They are no less capable than men, and in some ways even more agile, playing different roles in combat.

Tuker frowned slightly, seemingly puzzled by her words.

He said in a low voice, "In the Tiger Clan, these are just luxuries. The main responsibility of women is to take care of the camp's life, cleaning, cooking, mending clothes, and so on."

His tone carried a hint of helplessness, as if he had long been accustomed to this division of labor.

Gu Jinyan nodded thoughtfully, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

My gaze swept across the other side of the camp, where women, heads bowed and busy at work, dressed in coarse cloth, silently carried supplies and busily prepared dinner for the soldiers.

Most of these women had calm expressions and spoke little; they were used to this kind of life.

Their figures remained discreet and indistinct, blending into the shadows of the camp, like a part of the sand, carrying a hidden strength.

A few days later, Gu Jinyan, using his identity as an artist, mentioned his desire to record the details of life in the Hu clan, especially the daily lives of the women in the camp.

She made the request to Tukkel, asking casually, "Do you think these women who care for the camp would mind being drawn?"

They seemed so at peace with this land, as if they belonged here.

Tuker pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice, "They rarely show their faces in public, so they might be a little wary of a foreign painter like you."

However, I can introduce you to a few women; perhaps we can get them used to your presence.

So, Tuker took Gu Jinyan to visit the women in charge of logistics, stood beside her, and helped her overcome her initial awkwardness.

At first, the women were wary of her arrival, their expressions showing a hint of aloofness, but after a few jokes from Tukur, they gradually relaxed and began to talk in hushed tones.

Led by an older woman, Gu Jinyan quietly entered their busy logistics area.

Watching them work together seamlessly, preparing food and tidying clothes for the soldiers, occasionally exchanging a few brief words, interspersed with faint laughter.

All of this may seem ordinary, but the women of the Tiger Clan are an indispensable force in the camp.

Although they do not appear on the battlefield, they are still silently supporting the operation of the army.

Seeing her remain silent, Tuker asked softly, "What? Is this kind of life worth painting?"

Gu Jinyan smiled faintly, a hint of tenderness in his eyes: "Some aspects of life are the real battles."

Perhaps, these people, like this land, have long since learned to endure everything in tranquility.

From then on, she gradually incorporated scenes of daily life in the logistics area into her paintings.

The depiction of those busy figures and the aroma of food was merely a record of the customs and traditions of the Hu clan, not a deliberate exploration.

Every stroke subtly leaves room for interpretation, every glance seems casual, yet it quietly captures the subtle differences and inner order within the camp.

With Tukkel's help, her paintings gradually incorporated scenes of ordinary life.

She also subtly embedded the details of the Tiger Clan's life into the painting, with a smile and gentleness.

However, the plan brewing beneath her surface had already been quietly unfolding in the shadowy strokes of her paintbrush.

On a breezy afternoon, Gu Jinyan walked into a corner of the camp, where the women of the Hu clan were busy.

The atmosphere here is different from other parts of the camp; it lacks the ruggedness of soldiers and is filled with tranquility and mundane daily routines.

She moved slowly and blended in seamlessly, her eyes revealing genuine curiosity.

Tuker stayed by her side, introducing her to everyone.

“This is Yasha, who is in charge of sewing clothes. Her skills are among the best in the camp,” Tuker said, pointing to an older woman.