Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Jin Xiuzhu was never one to be trifled with. Although Jiang Mingchuan's adoptive parents were crude in their methods, they were effective. They knew that Jiang Mingchuan wouldn't expose their actions and cared about them. By doing this, they could preserve their own dignity while hurting Jiang Mingchuan, making him feel guilty and distressed.

In Jin Xiuzhu's past dealings with people, no matter how dissatisfied they were, they always maintained a courteous facade, leaving no room for criticism.

This kind of brazen behavior was something she was seeing for the first time, leaving her at a loss on how to handle it.

However, she always had a clear plan when acting. The best counterattack was to strike at the opponent's vulnerable spot. Clearly, Jiang Mingchuan's adoptive parents' weakness was their reputation. When they adopted Jiang Mingchuan decades ago, they had profited greatly from cultivating their image.

This made Jin Xiuzhu recall an incident in the capital city. The lady of the Yongning Manor was renowned for her virtue, treating the eldest son better than her biological children. It wasn't until Princess Qiongyang married into the family and faced several schemes that she decided to kneel before the lady during a banquet, crying and begging for mercy. She then exposed the lady's usual behavior, turning the event into a public scandal that spread throughout the city.

Although Jin Xiuzhu didn't attend, based on others' vivid descriptions, she understood what happened. Reflecting on it, Princess Qiongyang was indeed clever. With her parents deceased and relying solely on her title, after marriage, she faced oppression from her mother-in-law, and the future title might not even go to her husband. Her outburst, despite tarnishing her reputation, brought her many benefits, including the royal family's disapproval of her mistreatment.

Jin Xiuzhu smiled and took the steamed buns and pancakes she received yesterday outside to dry.

Fu Yanyan frowned, puzzled. "Why are you drying these?"

Jin Xiuzhu curved her lips. "They'll come in handy."

Not only that, Jin Xiuzhu wrote a heartfelt letter to the capital, maintaining a polite facade. She also packed some dried flowers, claiming they were good for tea.

He Yan picked the flowers on his way home from school, knowing Jin Xiuzhu liked them.

Whenever Jin Xiuzhu encountered a word she couldn't write, she left it blank, planning to ask Jiang Mingchuan to fill it in when he returned.

Unexpectedly, Fu Yanyan, who was squatting nearby, saw this and couldn't resist using her finger to trace the character on the table as a hint.

Jin Xiuzhu turned her head, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her daughter.

Fu Yanyan tried to remain calm. "I saw it in my brother's book."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled and hummed in acknowledgment, asking no further questions. Under her daughter's guidance, she completed the letter. Fu Yanyan observed this and felt that Jin Xiuzhu in this timeline had rich emotions.

After finishing, Jin Xiuzhu patted her daughter's head and praised, "My Yanyan is so smart."

This simple sentence brought tears to Fu Yanyan's eyes.

In her previous life, how much she longed to hear those words from Jin Xiuzhu, but it never happened.

---

After finishing these tasks, Jin Xiuzhu went to the kitchen to experiment with her new dessert.

Yesterday, the person sent to do the shopping delivered a bucket of milk, which Jin Xiuzhu had requested. At the time, she casually asked if there were any nearby dairy farms and if they could obtain some milk. Unexpectedly, there were. The shopper informed her that while there weren't many cows, there were plenty of sheep.

Jin Xiuzhu then said that sheep's milk would also work.

Initially, she planned to make milk and water chestnut flour cakes, but since they didn't have water chestnut flour, she substituted it with sweet potato starch. Sweet potatoes weren't native to the Great Jing Dynasty; she learned about them after arriving here.

She mixed sweet potato starch with milk and sugar, stirring it into a paste. Then, she added yeast dissolved in warm water to the mixture, stirring well. After covering it and letting it rise for an hour, she stirred again to remove any air bubbles, added oil, and let it rise once more.

After about half an hour, she steamed the mixture for another half hour.

While doing this, Jin Xiuzhu also made sweetened milk cheese using the remaining milk. She prepared eight bowls and placed them in cold water to set.

At noon, after Jiang Mingchuan finished lunch, Jin Xiuzhu wrapped some of the sweet potato milk cakes in oiled paper for him to take.

He hesitated. "I don't have time to eat this."

Jin Xiuzhu mentally scolded him for being dense but said, "Then share it with others. I've noticed that Commander Yan takes care of you, so we should share our food with him. Also, consider your colleagues."

Jiang Mingchuan looked at her without speaking. He knew it was the right thing to do but felt embarrassed about it, fearing others' judgment.

Jin Xiuzhu could tell what he was thinking and comforted him with a gentle smile. "This isn't flattery; we're treating Commander Yan like an elder. Besides, we're not just giving it to him. I'm also sharing with Sister Qian and Chef Zhang. We can't just accept others' kindness without showing gratitude in return, right?"

Jiang Mingchuan accepted this reasoning and put the wrapped cakes in his pocket.

Fu Yanyan, still eating at the table, found this remarkable. In her previous life, "Jin Xiuzhu" often criticized Jiang Dad for being rigid and not knowing how to curry favor with superiors. That's why he hadn't been promoted in over a decade and received no salary raises while others did. Instead, he was transferred to impoverished areas.

She never expected that the rigid Jiang Dad could change. It was quite good.

Once he left, Jin Xiuzhu quietly remarked, "Your father really doesn't get it."

Fu Yanyan glanced at her. "You chose him."

Jin Xiuzhu: "…"

---

In the afternoon, after waking up from her nap, Jin Xiuzhu took her daughter to check on their plot of land. Some people had already started planting vegetables, tilling the soil, but her plot remained untouched.

Jin Xiuzhu decided to have Jiang Mingchuan till the land on the weekend. She planned to plant sweet potatoes and potatoes, as she loved them.

On their way back, Jin Xiuzhu told her daughter, "Let's try making noodles with sweet potato starch and potato starch later. See how they taste?"

Fu Yanyan nodded, adding, "We can add some chili and side dishes."

Jin Xiuzhu's eyes lit up. "Let's give it a try."

As they walked and chatted, she planned the evening meal. However, upon returning home, an unexpected incident occurred. At the door, Qian Yufeng called out anxiously, "Where have you been? Xiaojun came back saying that Xiaoyan hit someone, causing a bloody gash. The teacher wants you to go to the school now."

Jin Xiuzhu was taken aback, finding it hard to believe. If Wu Xiaojun had hit someone, she would have believed it, but how could the well-behaved He Yan do such a thing?

She almost asked but held back her impulse. Hesitantly, she asked, "Are you sure it was Xiaoyan?"

"How could it be false? You should hurry. I wonder how serious it is?"

Wu Po also chimed in, "It's best to bring five eggs. Regardless of who was right or wrong, our child injured someone."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded and took her somewhat dazed daughter home to fetch five eggs. Worried that it might not be enough, she also brought along the uneaten milk sweet potato cake, carrying them in a small cloth bag.

Qian Yufeng waited outside, ready to accompany her, fearing that Jin Xiuzhu would be taken advantage of if she went alone.

On their way, Qian Yufeng continued, "I have experience with this. When we get there, you just need to keep apologizing. If they see your good attitude, they won't make too much of a fuss. Boys fighting is quite normal. Don't be afraid; there will be more incidents like this in the future."

Jin Xiuzhu gave a distracted nod and muttered an agreement.

The school was located in a nearby village. There weren't many children in the military camp, so they all attended school in the village.

This village belonged to the Third Company, which was close to where Qian Yufeng's maternal family lived. Her eldest sister had married into this village.

Halfway through their journey, the grass became rather deep. Jin Xiuzhu squatted down and carried her daughter on her back. After walking for a while and becoming too tired to continue, Qian Yufeng took over.

As soon as Fu Yanyan was on her back, Qian Yufeng exclaimed, "This little girl looks small, but she's really heavy. She must eat well, doesn't she?"

Fu Yanyan: "…"

At this point, Qian Yufeng looked up at Jin Xiuzhu ahead of her, almost forgetting something. A few months ago, when mother and daughter first arrived here, they were pale and malnourished, looking pitiful. She wondered when they had transformed so drastically.

Meeting daily hadn't given her much of a sense of change, but now, upon closer inspection, she noticed that Jin Xiuzhu's skin had become fairer and smoother, her hair glossy and black. Her long hair was neatly coiled at the back of her head, held in place by a thin wooden stick. Dressed in a gray blouse and black pants, she looked like a young girl of seventeen or eighteen.

Qian Yufeng couldn't help but sigh, "It's great to be young. You've become so fresh and tender."

Jin Xiuzhu knew she had misunderstood, but didn't elaborate further. She planned to save those skincare products for when she could earn money in the future.

Although she couldn't do business now, it didn't mean she never would.

Still, she felt closer to Qian Yufeng, "I'll give you some face cream later. It's from my husband."

Qian Yufeng said, "How can I accept that?" but inside, she was already imagining herself becoming fairer and more beautiful.

The two women and one child arrived at the school. Qian Yufeng, familiar with the route, led Jin Xiuzhu straight to the teachers' office. The office was behind the teaching building, and before they arrived, they saw He Yan standing at the entrance.

Wu Xiaojun stood beside him, talking to him, while He Yan kept his head down.

Wu Xiaojun, with his sharp eyes, spotted Jin Xiuzhu and called out happily, "Mom, Auntie Jin—"

He Yan immediately raised his head at the sound of Jin Xiuzhu's voice, only to lower it again in shame.

Qian Yufeng smiled at first, then remembered something and hurriedly slapped Wu Xiaojun, "Why aren't you in class? What are you doing here?"

Wu Xiaojun rubbed his head, trying to justify himself, "I wanted to stay with Xiaoyan, didn't I?"

"Stay with who? Do you think I don't know you? You just want to find an excuse to skip class."

"Hehehe…"

Despite their bickering, it was clear that they had a good relationship.

He Yan listened quietly, envying their interaction. As he sensed Jin Xiuzhu's approach, his body tensed, fearing both her anger and lack thereof.

Jin Xiuzhu walked up to him and gently touched his head, asking softly, "Are you hurt?"

He Yan shook his head silently.

Jin Xiuzhu asked again, "Is the teacher inside?"

Before He Yan could answer, Wu Xiaojun interjected, "Zhou Guowen's mother insisted on going to the hospital, so the teacher accompanied them. They said if Xiaoyan's parents came, they should wait here."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded, "What exactly happened? Tell me about it."

Wu Xiaojun eagerly began, "Auntie, you didn't see it, but Zhou Guowen was being too unreasonable. He used to bully Xiaoyan constantly. After Uncle Jiang took Xiaoyan to his house, he behaved for a while, but recently, he heard someone say that Xiaoyan isn't your biological son..."

He Yan suddenly interrupted, "Enough."

Wu Xiaojun pursed his lips, glancing between He Yan and Jin Xiuzhu, unsure whether to continue.

He Yan kept his head down, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.

Fu Yanyan, standing next to Jin Xiuzhu, tilted her head curiously and noticed that He Yan's eyes were red.

Suddenly locking eyes with his sister, He Yan panicked, and a large bubble formed in his nostril.

His mouth pouted in distress as he quickly wiped away his tears and snot with his arm.

Fu Yanyan: "…"

Oh, this kid cries too.

Jin Xiuzhu noticed as well and patted his head, but she turned to Wu Xiaojun and said, "Go on, Auntie wants to hear it."

Wu Xiaojun glanced at He Yan, who didn't object this time, and continued, "He said that Xiaoyan isn't your biological son, that his real mother abandoned him and ran off with someone else, that he's the child of another man, and that you'll have your own children someday and won't love him anymore..."

His voice lowered towards the end, and he couldn't help but look up and ask, "Auntie, will you really have your own children someday?"

Qian Yufeng slapped him again upon hearing this, "What do you know? Your auntie and Uncle Jiang are still young. Having children is perfectly normal."

Jin Xiuzhu frowned and looked at He Yan. Some things were difficult to discuss in front of others. She patted his head and comforted him, "Don't worry, I won't stop loving you."

He Yan nodded slightly, though it was unclear if he believed her.

They waited until nearly the end of school when the teacher finally arrived with Zhou Guowen and his mother. The teacher didn't recognize Jin Xiuzhu and was surprised to realize she was He Yan's parent, not expecting her to be so young and attractive.

The teacher politely greeted, "May I ask who you are?"

Jin Xiuzhu responded, "I am He Yan's mother. You can tell me what happened."

Seeing Jin Xiuzhu's good attitude, the teacher softened his stance. "Then come in quickly and talk."

Who knew that Zhou Guowen's mother would become unhappy upon hearing this, waving her hand to push the teacher in front of her aside. "What can't be said out here that we have to go inside? Just say it outside."

She then pointed at Jin Xiuzhu's nose. "Look at what your child did to my son. He smashed him with such a big rock without hesitation, leaving a huge gash that wouldn't stop bleeding. I'm not going to beat around the bush with you. How are you going to compensate? It cost five yuan at the hospital just now, plus one yuan for the round trip fare. You'll need to cover these costs."

Before Jin Xiuzhu could open her mouth, Qian Yufeng beside her gasped. "Five yuan? Are you trying to rob us?"

"Don't think I don't know that a round trip by boat from here only costs four fen. You're just spouting nonsense and trying to cheat us."

"Wasn't it an afternoon of missed work for me? Is that not worth anything?"

Qian Yufeng, who had intended to apologize properly when she arrived, became more agitated than Jin Xiuzhu after hearing this. "Oh, so only you have to work? We also have things to do. Clearly, you didn't manage your child well. If your child hadn't insulted ours, would our child have been provoked? Our child is known for being well-behaved. Why didn't they hit anyone else but your son? It's because your son deserved it!"

"Does an insult warrant violence? There are plenty of people who insult others. Does that mean everyone should get beaten up? Besides, our child didn't even say anything wrong. This child isn't biologically yours..."

Jin Xiuzhu hadn't taken it seriously at first, planning to step in after the two finished arguing. But she never expected to hear those words, and her expression immediately turned grim. She looked sharply at the other woman and coldly ordered, "Shut up."

The woman was startled by Jin Xiuzhu's icy gaze but felt it was a loss of face and retorted, "I... I didn't say anything wrong. My son told me that this child is adopted by you..."

It was unclear when school had ended, but quite a few students and teachers had gathered around the office to watch the commotion.

Jin Xiuzhu sneered. "Did your son tell you that his biological father was a soldier who died on duty? How quickly you've forgotten the hardships of the past since the founding of the country. Without soldiers, could you live in peace and stability? Without soldiers, could your son happily study here? His father sacrificed himself to protect the country and its people. And you? How did you educate your child? Did you teach him to bully the descendants of soldiers and mock them for not having fathers?"

"Yes, he doesn't have parents anymore, but my husband and I are his parents. Initially, I thought that regardless of the circumstances, my child did hit someone, so I planned to compensate you. But given your attitude, we don't feel it's necessary. In fact, I have the right to report your production team. Is this the kind of mindset and awareness shared by your entire team?"

After saying this, she took her daughter and He Yan's hands and turned to leave. "Let's go. We did nothing wrong; there's no need to apologize."

"Hey, you... Stop right there..."

Zhou Guowen's mother tried to grab them but was stopped by the teacher. "Mother of Zhou Guowen, this time, you were indeed in the wrong. Take your child home and educate him properly."

"Teacher Wang, what do you mean by this..."

As they walked away, they couldn't hear the voices behind them. They remained silent until they left the school grounds. Qian Yufeng couldn't help patting her chest. "You were really scary just now. Honestly, I didn't dare to breathe."

Then she added, "Your eloquence is impressive. A few words, and you silenced them."

Jin Xiuzhu shook her head. "I was just speaking the truth. This time, it's not my Xiaoyan's fault. That mother and son lack manners."

"Are you really going to report them to the village?"

Jin Xiuzhu's eyebrows furrowed. "Of course. We don't bully others, but if others bully us, we won't cower either."

He Yan, walking behind them, wiped away his tears. But these weren't sad tears; they were tears of relief.

Wu Xiaojun patted his shoulder and whispered, "Your aunt is great, unlike my mom. Every time, she forces me to apologize without even asking what happened. Sometimes, it wasn't even my fault."

He Yan replied in a choked voice, "Not aunt, Mom."

In his heart, Jin Xiuzhu was now his mother.

When they arrived home and parted ways with Qian Yufeng at the door, Jin Xiuzhu gave her some of the sweet potato cakes from the cloth bag. "Thank you for accompanying me. Here, take these. They were made today."

Both mother and son's eyes lit up. Qian Yufeng politely declined twice before eagerly accepting them. "If you need help next time, just let me know. I'm always ready to help."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled.

Back home, Jiang Mingchuan had already prepared dinner. Hearing the commotion, he came out of the kitchen. He hadn't seen anyone when he returned earlier, so he went to the Wu family's house next door and learned what had happened from Old Lady Wu.

Ignoring his son's reddened eyes, he patted his shoulder. "Let's eat."

He Yan nodded.

Dinner consisted of two dishes and a soup: greens, tofu, and egg soup.

During the meal, none of the four family members spoke. When washing the dishes later, Jin Xiuzhu told Jiang Mingchuan about the incident. Jiang Mingchuan was pleased that Jin Xiuzhu had spoken with such high-mindedness. "What you said was correct. However, although we were not at fault, their child was indeed injured. Later, I'll bring over five eggs to help nourish their child. That will settle the matter."

Jin Xiuzhu softly snorted, knowing he was too kind-hearted. "Aren't you afraid it will upset Xiaoyan?"

Jiang Mingchuan replied, "I'll explain it to Xiaoyan. He's a very understanding child."

"So, understanding children must suffer?"

"That's not suffering. In this incident, the Zhou child insulted him, which was wrong. But using a rock to injure someone was indeed impulsive. Fortunately, nothing serious happened this time. If he had caused severe injuries or something worse, he might have spent his whole life making amends. He has a long life ahead of him and shouldn't ruin it over something like this."

This time, Jin Xiuzhu didn't argue. She was concerned, but deep down, she knew Jiang Mingchuan was right. She softly agreed, "Then, talk to Xiaoyan properly."

"Okay."

Jiang Mingchuan gently glanced at her. For some reason, he felt that Jin Xiuzhu had changed, becoming softer somehow.

Jin Xiuzhu noticed his gaze and touched her face. "What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

Jiang Mingchuan shook his head and changed the subject. "There's going to be a literacy class in the unit soon. Would you like to sign up?"

This was mainly due to the recent complaints from military wives after Jin Xiuzhu started working in the cafeteria. They had gone to the leadership, claiming that Jin Xiuzhu had gotten the job through connections with his adoptive parents. To resolve the issue, the leadership decided to start a literacy class so the military wives could learn and stop focusing on others.

Jiang Mingchuan hadn't mentioned this to Jin Xiuzhu, but he believed she wouldn't care even if he did.

Recently, Jin Xiuzhu had learned pinyin and numbers from He Yan and recognized most of the characters in the first-grade textbook. He Yan wasn't as enthusiastic about studying with Jin Xiuzhu and her daughter anymore, as he realized that his mother understood everything after just one explanation from his father. Not only did his mother understand, but even his little sister could follow along. She could give the answers to addition and subtraction problems before he could figure them out.

He wasn't considered dumb in class. Despite starting half a semester later than his classmates, he still managed to rank in the top five on exams.

Jiang Mingchuan didn't have time every night, but he usually taught them for a while after dinner.

Jin Xiuzhu had always yearned for knowledge. She never imagined she could attend school and readily agreed. "When does it start? I want to sign up."

"It seems to be next Friday."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded, already contemplating making herself a small schoolbag.

In the living room, Fu Yanyan looked at He Yan, who was diligently doing his homework, and suddenly asked, "Doesn't Zhou Guowen have an older brother?"

He Yan slowly raised his head to look at her, blinking his eyes. "How do you know?"

Fu Yanyan didn't answer but continued, "What's his name?"

He Yan furrowed his brow in thought. "I think it's something like Zhou Guoqiang or Zhou Wenqiang. I don't remember. What's up?"

Fu Yanyan fell silent for a moment. If she hadn't made a mistake, that person's name was Zhou Guoqiang. In her previous life, it seemed He Yan's broken leg was due to him. During the summer when He Yan was admitted to military school, he accidentally witnessed Zhou Guoqiang dragging a girl into a haystack. After saving the girl, He Yan was retaliated against by Zhou Guoqiang, who led a group of people to cut off He Yan's leg. At that time, medical technology wasn't advanced, and with the delay in treatment, it resulted in He Yan being unable to walk normally, thus preventing him from attending military school.

Fu Yanyan heard all this in the hospital. The girl was Tang Ying, Zhao Yun's daughter, the one who accused her of stealing 'Jiang Dad.' Tang Ying came to the hospital with her fiancé. She was beautiful and exquisite, standing beside her handsome and tall fiancé, making He Yan appear even more wretched and pitiful by comparison.

Without looking at He Yan, she said indifferently, "Don't be so impulsive in the future. Also, stay away from those two brothers; they're not good people."

He Yan didn't think much of it, assuming his sister was worried about him. He looked at her with some emotion and obediently agreed, "I won't hit anyone anymore."

Fu Yanyan didn't know if he truly listened, but decided to remind him again later.

---

The literacy class was held in a room next to the canteen, which was originally used for storing miscellaneous items but had been cleared out for the purpose of the literacy program.

The leadership seemed to place great importance on this literacy class and specifically found two military wives who had attended university to serve as teachers. One was surnamed Chen and appeared to be of considerable age, possibly the wife of the division commander. Jin Xiuzhu had never met her before; it was Qian Yufeng who had found out about her. Despite having been here for many years, Jin Xiuzhu had never seen this woman. However, Qian Yufeng had learned that she had studied abroad in her youth and even served as a translator for high-ranking officials.

Most of those who came to attend the class did so because of her.

The other teacher was Fang Min. When she first arrived and went to have dinner at Commander Yan's house, Jin Xiuzhu had spoken to her briefly, but they hadn't seen each other since. According to Qian Yufeng, Fang Min was arrogant because she could earn money by writing poetry and articles at home.

What Jin Xiuzhu loved most about this world was its equality, gender equality, the absence of master-servant relationships, and the fact that women could also work and earn money.

This was something she had never dared to dream of in her previous life.

"All things are inferior, only learning is exalted." This was the belief she had been taught since childhood. Even in her memories, even maids in the Marquis Mansion who could read were looked upon favorably.

She didn't want to spend her whole life in the kitchen; she wanted to become a worker in the future.

This was the goal Jin Xiuzhu set for herself.

"What's it like abroad?"

Knowing that Jin Xiuzhu was unfamiliar with many things, Qian Yufeng always seemed particularly enthusiastic when discussing these topics, as if to show how knowledgeable she was. She explained, "Abroad is just abroad, there's M country, Y country, S country. Although they are more developed than our country, our leaders say we'll soon surpass them."

Jin Xiuzhu nodded, knowing that Qian Yufeng couldn't provide much detail.

The room was packed with people, seemingly every military wife had come. Some had no seats and had to stand, but because Jin Xiuzhu was quite proactive, they sat in the front row with the best view.

The first lesson was taught by Teacher Chen, who began with the ten digits. Holding chalk, she wrote the numbers one through ten on the freshly painted blackboard and then pointed to them one by one with a stick to teach them how to read them.

After repeating them about five times, she started calling on students to ask questions, initially in order but later randomly pointing and asking.

Gradually, mistakes began to occur.

Beside Jin Xiuzhu, Qian Yufeng nervously tugged at her. "What should I do? I don't know. I was daydreaming earlier."

Jin Xiuzhu: "…"

As if fearing what would come, Qian Yufeng was suddenly called upon. Teacher Chen pointed to the number seven, and Qian Yufeng hesitated, secretly counting on her fingers. Although she couldn't read, she knew the sequence and, after a few moments, replied, "Seven."

Teacher Chen immediately pointed to another number. After several rounds, Qian Yufeng became confused. In the end, it was Fu Yanyan, sitting on Jin Xiuzhu's lap, who felt sorry for her and couldn't help but secretly give her hints.

Qian Yufeng, treating a dead horse as a living one, unexpectedly answered correctly, and finally sat down safely. Her face turned red from anxiety, and she whispered to Jin Xiuzhu, "I'm never coming back here again."

It was too scary.

Teacher Chen pretended not to notice, but when her gaze fell on the little girl on Jin Xiuzhu's lap, a hint of amusement appeared in her eyes.

Teacher Chen taught mathematics, while Fang Min taught Chinese. Classes ended at nine o'clock in the evening, conveniently allowing Jin Xiuzhu to prepare breakfast for the next day.

Just as she parted ways with Qian Yufeng at the entrance, she noticed her daughter tugging on her hand. "It's Dad."

Jin Xiuzhu turned her head and saw that it was indeed them. Though it was dark and hard to see clearly, she recognized them by their silhouettes.

Her heart softened. She didn't know when she had become so familiar with them.

Holding her daughter's hand, she walked over. A few steps away, Jiang Mingchuan also noticed them. He stepped forward and picked up his daughter. "How was the class?"

Jin Xiuzhu nodded. "It was okay."

Then, as if remembering something, she added, "By the way, do you speak foreign languages?"

She had heard from Qian Yufeng that national leaders needed to take airplanes when traveling abroad and wondered if she might have such an opportunity in the future.

Jiang Mingchuan modestly replied, "I can speak a bit of Y and S languages."

Satisfied, Jin Xiuzhu nodded. "Teach me if you get the chance."

Learning new skills was never a bad thing.

"Sure."

When Jin Xiuzhu went to the neighboring canteen to prepare ingredients for the next morning, Jiang Mingchuan waited outside with the children. Chef Zhang and the others were also there, having just finished their work. Seeing Jin Xiuzhu arrive, they waved her over. "We have some leftover braised pork from tonight. Do you want it?"

Jin Xiuzhu didn't hesitate. "That would be great. It'll save me from cooking tomorrow morning."

Chef Zhang chuckled happily and instructed his apprentice to pack some braised pork for Jin Xiuzhu.

Whenever Jin Xiuzhu prepared something delicious, she would send a portion to Chef Zhang. Over time, Chef Zhang would also set aside some food for her.

While Jin Xiuzhu was kneading flour, Chef Zhang said beside her, "It's always good to learn more. When I was young, I liked to crouch by the walls of private schools and eavesdrop, watching those students inside. I envied them so much. Those young masters from wealthy families, some became farmers, others became scientists. I've lived for many years, endured hardships and toil, but let me tell you, the best days are yet to come."

Jin Xiuzhu smiled. "I think so too."

When they came out of the kitchen, the two children were sitting on either side of Jiang Mingchuan's lap, listening intently as he recounted stories from his military days.

Seeing Jin Xiuzhu emerge, Jiang Mingchuan scooped both children up with one arm each, eliciting surprised cries from them.

Jin Xiuzhu chuckled and fed them a piece of braised pork from the bowl in her hand, extending it first to Jiang Mingchuan's lips.

Feeling the sweetness against his lips, Jiang Mingchuan was slightly taken aback; he hadn't expected to be fed first.

Jin Xiuzhu winked at him.

Jiang Mingchuan looked at her and opened his mouth to eat. The braised pork had cooled down, but it tasted wonderful—sweet and fragrant. He chewed slowly, reluctant to swallow.

The two children in Jiang Mingchuan's arms gazed expectantly at Jin Xiuzhu.

Jin Xiuzhu quickly fed the children and then ate one herself.

The family of four had their cheeks puffed out as they ate. Jin Xiuzhu laughed and said, "We were going to save this for breakfast tomorrow, but now it looks like we'll finish it before we even get home."

Jiang Mingchuan curved the corners of his mouth. "No problem. If you want more, I can get some meat from the cafeteria tomorrow."

Jin Xiuzhu shook her head. "No need. Meat is quite expensive. It would be better to buy some offal from the meat processing plant over the weekend and cook it ourselves..."

As they walked further away, their voices faded, and only their blurry figures could be seen growing smaller in the distance.

Chef Zhang saw his apprentice craning his neck to watch and smacked him on the head. "What are you looking at? So interesting?"

The apprentice rubbed his head and chuckled. "I just couldn't help taking another look. Seeing them so happy as a family makes me happy too. Uncle, do you think it would have been the same if my parents were still alive?"

Chef Zhang couldn't resist stealing a glance outside and smiled without saying anything else.

He thought to himself, who wouldn't feel that way?

Before bed, Jiang Mingchuan held his wife in his arms and suddenly asked softly, "Do you love me?"

Jin Xiuzhu was so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open. Hearing this, she grumbled impatiently.

Unsatisfied with her response, Jiang Mingchuan repeated the question and then asked, "Why did you give me the meat first?"

Annoyed by his nagging, Jin Xiuzhu snapped, "Because you like sweet things," before turning over and ignoring him.

Hearing this, Jiang Mingchuan couldn't help holding her tighter. His nose tingled; it was the first time someone had noticed that he liked sweet things.

After regaining his composure, he gently kissed the top of her head.

---

The next morning, after using the chamber pot and returning to bed, He Yan saw his sister awake and glaring at him. To avoid her anger, he quickly said, "Do you know what Mom and Dad were talking about?"

The toilet was outside, and Jiang Mingchuan was worried about bugs or snakes, so he bought a chamber pot to place in the living room for the children's convenience at night.

Fu Yanyan was naturally curious and, suppressing her irritation at being woken up, raised an eyebrow. "What were they talking about?"

He Yan glanced at her hesitantly before whispering, "I heard Mom say that Dad is her little treasure and that she feels sad thinking about not seeing him for the whole morning."

Fu Yanyan's mouth twitched, and she rolled her eyes.

Thinking she didn't believe him, He Yan emphasized, "It's true. Mom praised Dad, saying how amazing he is and that she can't bear to be apart from him."

Fu Yanyan blushed and hurriedly reminded him, "Don't repeat these things outside."

He Yan looked guilty and said weakly, "I haven't told anyone."

Then he added, "Other people's parents fight all the time, and some fathers even hit their mothers. Only our family is perfect."

That was why sometimes he couldn't help bragging about having such great parents and a particularly smart sister.

"..." Big Mouth.