Chapter 71

Chapter 71

A few days after Mother Liu left, things settled back to normal in the compound. Liu Aimin's rice bowl finally had eggs and meat, and her complexion improved day by day. Ji Yunshu brought her crucian carp soup every few days, and only when she saw her face filling out a bit did the weight in her heart finally lift.

Time flew by, and before they knew it, another day had come around. Though the island winter lacked the biting wind of the capital, the mornings and evenings had turned chilly.

Ji Yunshu dressed the twins in the tiger-head hats Wang Wanru had sent—Nian Nian wore the pink one with gold thread, Sheng Sheng the blue one with silver thread. The two little ones lay side by side in their crib, looking from a distance like two round little tigers. He Qiuxia rose before dawn every day to start the stove and cook, keeping the house spick-and-span. Ji Yunshu felt bad for her and had urged her more than once to sleep in, but she always said old people need less sleep and she'd rather keep busy.

One morning, Ji Yunshu was feeding the twins rice porridge. Nian Nian sat on the little stool to her left, wearing a bib He Qiuxia had sewn from old clothes. Her mouth was wide open, and the moment a spoonful went in, she swallowed it with two smacks of her lips and slapped her little hands on the tray table, signaling she wanted more. Sheng Sheng sat to her right in an identical bib, but his eating style was a whole different story from his sister's—he opened his mouth quietly, took the porridge in, and chewed it slowly before swallowing. He didn't slap the table either; he just stared at Ji Yunshu with his big dark eyes, waiting for the next spoonful.

"Can you believe how different these two kids are? Nian Nian eats like she's fighting a war, and Sheng Sheng eats like he's savoring tea." Ji Yunshu scooped a spoonful into Nian Nian's mouth, then turned and fed one to Sheng Sheng.

He Qiuxia sat on the sofa folding diapers. She looked up at her two grandchildren and laughed: "What's so surprising about that? Nian Nian takes after you. When you were little, you ate the same way—swallowing one bite while already grabbing for the next. Your father always said you ate like someone was going to snatch your food away. Sheng Sheng takes after Xiao Pei. When Xiao Pei was little and came to our house for meals, he could take half an hour to finish a bowl of rice, chewing slowly and deliberately. Grandma always said he had such good manners. Now you've got one of each—if you don't treat them the same, they're bound to squabble."

He Qiuxia had barely finished speaking when Nian Nian swallowed her last bite of porridge, her eyes darted around, and she reached over to grab Sheng Sheng's half-finished bowl. Her movements were as fast as a kitten pouncing on a butterfly. Before Ji Yunshu could react, she had scooped up the remaining half-spoonful of porridge and stuffed it into her own mouth, getting it all over her face, then clapped her hands proudly.

Ji Yunshu laughed despite herself and pulled her back, wiping her face with a towel: "Nian Nian, that was your brother's! You finished your own—"

Nian Nian didn't understand a word of it. She only knew she'd gotten her brother's food, and she squirmed with glee. Sheng Sheng looked down at his empty tray, then at his sister's face smeared like a little kitten's. He pursed his lips but didn't cry. He simply turned his head away and ignored her, his little face clearly saying "I won't stoop to your level."

"See that? He's upset. You took his porridge, and now he won't talk to you. Say sorry to your brother." Ji Yunshu picked Nian Nian up and turned her to face Sheng Sheng. Nian Nian tilted her head, looking at the back of her brother's head, let out an "ah ah" sound, and reached out to tug his sleeve.

Sheng Sheng pulled his sleeve free and continued to turn his back to her. Nian Nian tugged again. Sheng Sheng pulled away again. After three or four times of this, Sheng Sheng finally turned to look at his sister. Nian Nian immediately broke into a wide grin, showing four tiny rice-grain teeth, then buried her face in Ji Yunshu's chest before peeking out to look at her brother again. Sheng Sheng watched his sister—bossy one moment, clingy the next—and kept a stern expression, but his little finger quietly reached over and hooked around hers.

He Qiuxia shook her head watching them: "This little girl is too bossy. She steals her brother's food and still expects him to make the first move. You mark my words, she's going to be a little firecracker when she grows up—nobody's going to dare mess with her. She's only six months old and already like this. Just imagine when she starts walking."

Ji Yunshu was about to say something when Nian Nian found a new target. Hua Juan was dozing on the sofa armrest, her tail hanging down, a long fluffy tail gleaming gold and white in the sunlight.

Nian Nian's eyes lit up. She wriggled down from Ji Yunshu's arms and crawled toward the sofa on all fours, her bottom wiggling like a round little panda.

Ji Yunshu quickly stood and followed: "Nian Nian, don't pull Hua Juan's tail—how many times has Mama told you not to!"

Nian Nian wasn't listening. She reached the sofa, reached out her little hand, and grabbed the tip of Hua Juan's tail. Startled from sleep, Hua Juan let out a shocked, aggrieved "mrowr" and launched herself off the armrest, her tail puffing up like a feather duster. She looked down and saw it was that familiar little human again. The grievance in her eyes was practically spilling over. She meowed at Ji Yunshu twice, as if to say "See, she's at it again."

"I'm sorry, Hua Juan, I'm so sorry. Nian Nian, let go! You can't pull Hua Juan's tail!" Ji Yunshu pried Nian Nian's fingers open.

Nian Nian let go, but her eyes stayed fixed on Hua Juan's tail, both little hands reaching out to grab it again. Seeing the danger, Hua Juan leaped onto the dresser, then from the dresser to the top of the wardrobe, curling herself into a ball with only her round eyes visible, looking down at this unreasonable little human from above.

Shen Shen was crouched on the windowsill grooming herself. She watched Hua Juan's sorry state, flicked the tip of her tail, and narrowed her eyes with an expression that clearly said "Serves you right, after all the times you went and bothered her."

"Mom, Nian Nian bullied Hua Juan again! Hua Juan used to be so fierce—she'd hiss at people when she first came. Now Nian Nian pulls her tail and she won't even use her claws, she just yowls. Poor thing." Ji Yunshu picked Nian Nian up and looked up at the ball of fluff on top of the wardrobe, half exasperated, half amused.

He Qiuxia put the folded diapers into the cabinet, came over, and took Nian Nian, giving her little bottom a light pat: "You little troublemaker. Hua Juan is your sister—you can't bully her, understand? Hua Juan used to be so formidable, and now you've got her hiding on top of the wardrobe every day."

After living together for so long, He Qiuxia, who had once thought of Hua Juan as just a cat, had gradually come to treat her as another child of the family.

Nian Nian didn't cry at the pat. Instead, she giggled, pointing at Hua Juan on top of the wardrobe and babbling "ya ya" sounds—whether an apology or a declaration of war, nobody could tell.

He Qiuxia was right: Hua Juan had indeed become much better behaved since Ji Yunshu came home from the hospital. She'd always been clingy, but she'd had a temper too—she'd flick her tail, hiss, and jump to high places to ignore you when upset. But since Ji Yunshu had been discharged, Hua Juan seemed to realize that stepping on Ji Yunshu's belly that day had caused the babies to come early, and the whole cat had grown noticeably gentler. Whatever Ji Yunshu said, she understood—when asked to fetch a little sock, she'd jump off the sofa, trot to the crib, pick up the sock in her mouth, and bring it over; when asked to call He Qiuxia to change the babies' diapers, she'd run to the kitchen door and meow until He Qiuxia came out. Shen Shen was the same. Though she maintained her aloof exterior, Ji Yunshu had more than once caught her jumping down from the windowsill at night, padding silently to the crib, and crouching there watching the two sleeping little ones, her green eyes unblinking in the darkness, as if standing guard.

Ji Yunshu saw Nian Nian still pointing at Hua Juan on the wardrobe and reached out to pinch her little cheek: "Nian Nian, you can't bully Hua Juan. She's your sister—you need to be nice to her. Look how good she is. She didn't even scratch you when you pulled her tail."

Nian Nian tilted her head at Ji Yunshu, not showing whether she understood, but her gaze finally left Hua Juan and she began playing with her own fingers. Ji Yunshu set her back on the play mat, and she crawled over to her brother, leaned her head against Sheng Sheng's shoulder, and dozed off. Sheng Sheng looked down at the sister leaning on his shoulder, pulled the little blanket over to cover her, then resumed his upright posture and continued studying the cloth tiger He Qiuxia had sewn, his expression still serious and profound.

Ji Yunshu watched the two children interact—one mature beyond her years, one lively and spirited—and felt her heart swell with love.

It was precisely for this reason that Pei Yufeng felt his status in Ji Yunshu's heart was visibly declining at an alarming rate.

Before, when he came home from work, pushed open the courtyard gate, and called out "I'm home," Ji Yunshu would stand up from the sofa to greet him, take his uniform jacket, stand on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, and ask if he was tired and whether the cafeteria food was good. Now, when he came home, pushed open the gate, and called out "I'm home," a voice from the living room answered without even looking up: "Oh, dinner's in the pot."

Pei Yufeng stood in the doorway, still holding his just-issued pay and supplies, cap still on, uniform still on. He glanced toward the living room. Ji Yunshu was sitting on the sofa changing Nian Nian's diaper. Nian Nian lay on the mat waving her arms and legs, giggling, her chubby legs kicking. Ji Yunshu held her legs down with one hand while leaning over to tease her: "Why is little Nian Nian so happy today? Did you pull Hua Juan's tail again? Where's Hua Juan? Did she get driven up to the wardrobe again?"

Pei Yufeng put the pay into the tin box, took the supplies into the kitchen, washed his hands, served himself rice, and sat alone at the table eating in silence. After two bites, he set down his chopsticks and glanced toward the living room. Ji Yunshu was still talking to Nian Nian, waving a newly sewn cloth doll in front of her face. Nian Nian reached for it, whined when she couldn't catch it, and Ji Yunshu laughed, stuffed the doll into her hands, and planted a big kiss on her forehead.

"There was braised pork at the cafeteria today. I saved you a portion—it's in the pot." Pei Yufeng's voice came from the dining table, steady in tone but slightly louder than usual.

"I already ate, with Mom. You go ahead and eat—the braised pork won't taste as good cold." Ji Yunshu didn't look up, continuing to tease Nian Nian with the doll.

Pei Yufeng picked up a piece of braised pork and chewed it twice, feeling it tasted saltier than usual. He glanced at the living room again and saw Sheng Sheng sitting alone on the play mat, clutching a cloth tiger, quietly examining its tail.

Father and son exchanged a look across half the living room. Sheng Sheng held up the cloth tiger and shook it at him, then lowered his head to continue studying the tail's construction. Pei Yufeng thought his son was probably the only person in this house who still noticed he existed.

What bothered Pei Yufeng most was nighttime. After his shower, Ji Yunshu leaned against the headboard with Nian Nian lying on her left and Sheng Sheng on her right. She'd lower her head to kiss Nian Nian's little cheek: "Mama's good girl. Why are your eyes so big? Why are your lashes so long? You're going to be such a pretty young lady." Then she'd kiss Sheng Sheng's forehead: "Mama's good boy. Why so quiet today? What are you thinking about? Wondering why your cloth tiger's tail doesn't move?"

Then she looked up and found Pei Yufeng leaning against the headboard watching her. He'd just showered, wearing a clean undershirt, hair not yet dry, a few strands falling across his forehead. His expression was as calm as ever, but there was a complicated, unspoken emotion in his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Ji Yunshu finally asked. "Not sleeping yet?"

"Going to sleep." Pei Yufeng lay down, turned on his side, and reached over to pull her out from between the two children, settling her against his shoulder.

"Hey, gently—don't squish the kids—" Ji Yunshu protested in a whisper.

Pei Yufeng held her tighter, his chin resting on top of her head, his voice muffled: "I won't squish them. They're on your side."

Ji Yunshu leaned into the hollow of his shoulder, feeling his fingers patting her back in a slow rhythm. Pei Yufeng's hands were large, and the patting had a soothing, sleep-inducing quality, but his palm was warmer than usual. Neither of them spoke. The room was quiet except for Nian Nian's occasional murmurs and Sheng Sheng's even breathing.

"Xiaoshu." Pei Yufeng suddenly leaned close to her ear. "Don't you want to..."

Since Ji Yunshu had become pregnant, Pei Yufeng hadn't touched her. The man who'd gone ten months without had finally seen her through childbirth, but for the sake of her health, he still hadn't been able to have a proper meal.

During her confinement and the two months after, Pei Yufeng had worried her wounds hadn't healed and that he might hurt her again. During the confinement period, He Qiuxia had helped Ji Yunshu expel lochia daily and massage her belly. Now the babies were six months old, and while Ji Yunshu's body hadn't fully returned to its pre-pregnancy state, she looked much better than when she was pregnant. But these past two months, though Pei Yufeng had the desire, seeing how devoted Ji Yunshu was to the children—holding them and soothing them to sleep every night before bed—he couldn't bear to exhaust her further at night.

But what he never expected was that if he didn't initiate, Ji Yunshu seemed to have genuinely forgotten about it altogether! She was even less intimate with him than when she was pregnant!

Having grown accustomed to Ji Yunshu being the one who always initiated, Pei Yufeng now felt unsettled in every way.

Pei Yufeng even thought with some dejection—could it be that Ji Yunshu had only been so forward because she wanted children?

Pei Yufeng looked at Ji Yunshu with a hint of grievance.

"Hm?" Ji Yunshu was completely oblivious. "What are you thinking about?"

"How long has it been since you kissed me on your own?"

Ji Yunshu froze. She thought hard while in his arms—the day before yesterday? No. The day before that? No. Last week? Maybe once, but that was when she'd asked him to go to the supply store and had kissed his cheek as a bonus. Did that count? She thought for a long while and realized she genuinely couldn't remember the last time she'd kissed him on her own initiative. She used to stand on her tiptoes and kiss him every day when he came home from work. When had that habit stopped? Was it the days Nian Nian was teething and kept her up all night, or the night Sheng Sheng had a cold and she stayed by his crib?

"I... I've just been so busy lately. Two babies—feeding, changing diapers, putting them to sleep. Mom can't handle it alone, so I..." Ji Yunshu's voice grew more guilty as she spoke, burying her face into the hollow of his shoulder, her voice trailing off.

Pei Yufeng didn't say anything. He just held her tighter, his chin resting gently on top of her head, his breathing steady and long. Ji Yunshu lay against his chest, feeling his heartbeat—steady and strong.

Ji Yunshu suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Pei Yufeng got up before dawn every day to prepare formula for the twins, came home from work to cook, wash dishes, and wash diapers. When she got up to feed the babies at night, he got up too and stayed by her side. After she finished feeding, he'd take the baby to burp and change diapers. He did all of that, and she couldn't even remember to kiss him.

"Alright, I'm sorry." Ji Yunshu lifted her face from his arms, her eyes bright in the dim lamplight. She reached up to cup his face and gave him a quick peck on the lips. "There, one back. Is that enough?"

Pei Yufeng looked down at her, the corner of his mouth curving slightly, but his words came out perfectly serious: "Not enough."

Ji Yunshu kissed him again: "Enough now?"

Pei Yufeng considered it and decided it still wasn't quite enough. He didn't answer. He simply lowered his head and covered her lips with his own. The kiss started gently—Pei Yufeng softly nibbled at Ji Yunshu's lips, then gradually deepened. His hand moved from her back to her nape, fingers threading through her soft hair, cradling her head and pulling her closer against him.

Ji Yunshu felt her body go weak from his kiss, her fingers clutching the front of his undershirt, a faint whimper escaping through her nose.

After a long moment, Pei Yufeng finally released her, pressing his forehead against hers, his voice lower than before, carrying a hint of self-righteous grievance that only ever surfaced in front of her: "Have Nian Nian and Sheng Sheng sleep at Mom's tonight."

"How can you be jealous of the kids?" Ji Yunshu buried her face in the crook of his shoulder, her shoulders trembling slightly with laughter.

Having just been kissed so deeply by Pei Yufeng, Ji Yunshu's senses were heightened, her body recalling those pleasures before her mind could catch up. She pressed her legs together, her voice slightly hoarse.

"Mm." Pei Yufeng pulled Ji Yunshu closer into his embrace, closed his eyes, his lips pressed against the top of her head, his voice gradually softening, "I missed you."

Moonlight from outside the window leaked through the gap in the curtains, falling on the wooden floor at the foot of the bed. The bed, which hadn't moved in ages, swayed fiercely tonight, sheets and pillows all shifted out of place. In the distance came the sound of waves crashing against rocks, slow and steady, as if keeping time for the night that had finally gone quiet.

When Ji Yunshu woke up the next morning, she felt like her whole body was about to fall apart.

Used to waking up early to take care of the kids, Ji Yunshu still opened her eyes at seven in the morning as usual, but having been too exhausted the night before, she grumbled a bit and drifted back into a deep sleep.

Pei Yufeng had instructed He Qiuxia to let Ji Yunshu sleep in. When Ji Yunshu woke again, it was already eleven in the morning—almost time for lunch!

That damn Pei Yufeng! Ji Yunshu thought indignantly while rubbing her waist. She knew he'd been going without for a while, but did he have to go at it that many times?!

But she had to admit, it felt good—she even liked it... Ji Yunshu blushed secretly, burying her face in the blanket for a good while before going downstairs.

In the afternoon, Li Shu came by as usual to chat with Ji Yunshu.

Because of the special circumstances, entertainment on the island had dropped off a lot, but the usual families still dropped by each other's places, sharing all sorts of gossip they'd heard.

"Guess what? Fang Xue and Ye Zifeng got their marriage certificate! This morning—it just came out of the Political Department, the news is still hot off the press. I nearly dropped my spatula when I heard it—Political Commissar Fang's face was black as a skillet! You should've seen it. Little Liu from the Political Department said he hasn't left his office all morning, didn't even let anyone bring him tea." Li Shu couldn't wait to share this fresh gossip the moment she walked in, setting the fried dough twists on the coffee table before sitting down on the sofa, eyes sparkling like she'd just uncovered some top-secret intel.

"Really? Didn't I hear Political Commissar Fang didn't approve of them being together?" Ji Yunshu was sitting on the sofa sewing a new cloth tiger for Sheng Sheng. At this news, the needle nearly pricked her finger as she looked up at Li Shu, her face full of disbelief.

Li Shu laughed: "Does Political Commissar Fang's disapproval matter? Isn't Bai Qiumei's approval enough?"

"With Political Commissar Fang's temper, he'd let his daughter marry Ye Zifeng?" He Qiuxia poked her head out from the kitchen, spatula still in hand, face full of skepticism. Though she hadn't been on the island long, she'd seen Political Commissar Fang's temper—he was a strict man who didn't suffer fools.

"Approve? Political Commissar Fang was dead set against it!" Li Shu slapped her thigh, leaning forward and lowering her voice as if sharing military secrets. "From the moment Fang Xue started dating Ye Zifeng, Political Commissar Fang was pounding the table. You all know—the ambush incident at the fighting arena spread everywhere. Political Commissar Fang values discipline above all—how could he approve of someone like that? The father and daughter fought about it nonstop. I heard once Political Commissar Fang got so angry he threw his teacup, and Fang Xue ran to her room crying, slamming the door so hard the neighbors a few houses down heard it."

"Then how did they still get married?" Ji Yunshu put down her sewing, set the cloth tiger on the coffee table, gently moved Hua Juan off her lap, and sat up straight. Hua Juan flicked her tail in dissatisfaction, jumped onto the sofa armrest, and continued sleeping.

"That's where you're missing the point." Li Shu said in the tone of someone who'd been through it all, holding up two fingers and waving them around. "Bai Qiumei likes him! I heard Ye Zifeng is especially good at winning her over—calling her 'Aunt Bai' sweeter than her own son would. Bringing gifts for every holiday, asking after her health whenever they meet, completely wrapping her around his finger. So this marriage was entirely Bai Qiumei's doing—Political Commissar Fang's objections were useless. Two votes against one at home, he had no choice but to cave. You should've seen Political Commissar Fang's face at the wedding—he didn't smile once the entire time. Bai Qiumei was all smiles, Fang Xue was happy too, but Political Commissar Fang sat there looking like somebody owed him money."

"That's true. No matter how tough the dad is, he can't win against a mother and daughter who are on the same page." He Qiuxia walked out of the kitchen, wiped her hands on her apron, and sat down next to Li Shu. "But that Ye Zifeng—the ambush at the fighting arena is real, right? With that kind of character, doesn't Bai Qiumei care at all? If I were a mom and heard my future son-in-law had pulled something like that, I'd have some questions."

"Who knows. Maybe in a mother's eyes, as long as he treats her daughter well, that's enough." Li Shu sighed, picked up the enamel cup on the coffee table, poured herself some cold tea, and took a sip. "Anyway, what's it got to do with me? I just figured you should know."

"Indeed, it has nothing to do with us either." Ji Yunshu nodded and smiled. When Fang Xue had spread rumors about her and Pei Yufeng, Ye Zifeng had been right there fanning the flames. Although Commander Lu had later cleared things up, she hadn't forgotten. She had nothing to say to Fang Xue, and even less reason to interact with Ye Zifeng.

"Exactly, nothing to do with us. But I also heard they're actually really good together. Ye Zifeng is known in the army for his bad temper, but he's completely whipped when it comes to Fang Xue—whatever she wants, he just smiles and gives in, never once raising his voice. Someone in the compound saw him giving Fang Xue a piggyback ride along the beach. She wanted candied chestnuts from the supply store, and he didn't even blink—rode his bike all the way to Yue City to get them, a several-hour round trip, and the chestnuts were still warm when he got back. Tsk tsk. If he's genuinely good to her, then they're a good match. He's older than her, knows how to take care of someone—maybe marriage will improve his temper." Though Li Shu said "nothing to do with us," she still spilled every detail about how Ye Zifeng escorted Fang Xue to and from work and brought her snacks in every variety, her tone carrying a mix of reflection, smug amusement, and genuine surprise.

"Hopefully. But he didn't seem so sweet when he ambushed Brother Pei." Ji Yunshu put her sewing down on the coffee table, looked up at Li Shu, her tone flat. She wasn't the type to hold grudges, but she definitely wasn't the type to forget what others had done to her either.

"Right, that's exactly what I wanted to say. Xiao Ji, keep your guard up. Their assigned house isn't near yours, but it's close to mine—right across from my place. We'll be seeing each other constantly from now on. I'll keep an eye on him. I'm just worried he's still holding a grudge against Deputy Regiment Commander Pei." Li Shu grabbed a piece of fried dough twist, took a bite, chewed a couple times, then added as if remembering something.

"What does Old Lin say?" Ji Yunshu asked.

"What can Old Lin say? He's just worried about whether Ye Zifeng will screw him over in training. But he said Ye Zifeng does have ability—he just loves showing off. Back in the Artillery Regiment, he bullied new soldiers relying on his seniority, and only calmed down after being transferred. Now that he's married the Political Commissar's daughter, he's established himself on the island. As long as he behaves himself, Old Lin won't hold past grudges against him. But if he dares to cause trouble again, I'll definitely tell you, and let your Deputy Regiment Commander Pei deal with him!"

"Sister Li, you've gone on and on—are you trying to warn me to watch out for him, or tell me to let it go?" Ji Yunshu was a bit dizzy from Li Shu's rambling and couldn't help laughing.

"Both, both. Anyway, remember what your sister says—don't offend people like that, but don't get close either. Just keep things polite on the surface. That's how it works with the compound's social circles." Li Shu stuffed the last piece of fried dough twist into her mouth, stood up, and clapped her hands. "Alright, I need to go cook. Old Lin's coming home for lunch and I haven't even washed the vegetables yet. That cloth tiger you're sewing looks good—for Sheng Sheng? Did Nian Nian ruin the last one? That Nian Nian is quite a formidable girl—she'll never let anyone push her around when she grows up."

"Right, she pulled the tail off the old one. I don't know how such a little kid has so much strength. Sheng Sheng didn't cry, but every time he sees his sister throwing that tailless tiger around, there's an indescribable sadness in his eyes." Ji Yunshu picked up the cloth tiger and shook it. The newly sewn tail was still a bit crooked, but at least it wouldn't fall off.

After Li Shu left, Ji Yunshu continued sewing the cloth tiger's tail. He Qiuxia picked up the half-knitted little hat from the coffee table and continued knitting. The mother and daughter were quiet for a while, then Ji Yunshu suddenly spoke: "Mom, Sister Li said Ye Zifeng is completely obedient to Fang Xue, indulging her every whim with a smile, and they're madly in love. Logically speaking, Fang Xue used to have feelings for Brother Pei, and Ye Zifeng has a grudge against him. Don't those two feel awkward together? Would Fang Xue genuinely love someone who ambushed Pei Yufeng? The whole thing seems strange."

"Think about it carefully. Fang Xue genuinely had feelings for Feng, and Ye Zifeng has a grudge against him. By all logic, those two should be kindred spirits united in their dislike of Feng. But instead they got together. Why? For Ye Zifeng's charm? Or because he can help Fang Xue get revenge? Bai Qiumei is such a shrewd woman—why does she like him so much? If Ye Zifeng were as simple as he appears on the surface, could he have climbed to his current position in the army? Mom thinks Bai Qiumei knows what's what. It's just that you know Fang Xue's personality—once she's set on something, no one can stop her. Bai Qiumei can't win against her, so she might as well actively play matchmaker. At least she can pull her son-in-law to her side—better than letting her daughter sneak around with him." Since arriving, He Qiuxia had heard Ji Yunshu talk about what had happened on the island before and understood their relationships thoroughly. "Anyway, it has nothing to do with us. Keep things polite on the surface, maintain distance from the Fang family, don't initiate contact, but don't give anyone reason to criticize either."

"I know, Mom. I just feel like something's off about this, but I can't put my finger on it. Forget it, I won't think about it anymore. Look at this cloth tiger's tail—how does it look? I feel like it's a bit crooked." Ji Yunshu really didn't want to dwell on those two, and her attention quickly shifted to the children's toy.

"It is a bit crooked, but much better than the last one you sewed. Sheng Sheng definitely won't mind—his favorite things are what you make for him." He Qiuxia took the cloth tiger, examined it, and smiled.

In the evening when Pei Yufeng came home from work, Ji Yunshu was sitting on the sofa feeding rice porridge to the two children. She told him about Fang Xue and Ye Zifeng getting their marriage certificate. Hearing this, Pei Yufeng walked over and sat down on the sofa: "I heard about it, but did Political Commissar Fang agree?"

"He had no choice but to agree. Bai Qiumei and Fang Xue voted two against one—Political Commissar Fang was completely outnumbered at home. I heard the wedding already happened, at their newly assigned apartment, with some relatives and Ye Zifeng's comrades from the army."

"Where's their new apartment?" He took the porridge bowl and spoon from her hands, taking over feeding Sheng Sheng. Pei Yufeng cradled Sheng Sheng's little head with his left hand, scooped up a spoonful of porridge, blew on it, and brought it to his mouth.

"Pretty far, over by Sister Li's place. Aren't you going to ask how they're getting along? I heard they're madly in love—Ye Zifeng is completely obedient to Fang Xue." Ji Yunshu tilted her head to look at him.

"Not my business. Fang Xue's affairs have nothing to do with us—who she marries is her choice. Ye Zifeng is petty-minded; he probably hasn't let go of past grudges. Keep our distance from them from now on. As long as they don't provoke us, we're fine." Pei Yufeng didn't care about this matter either.

"That's what I thought too. Sister Li said she'll keep an eye on them, and if Ye Zifeng dares to cause trouble again, she'll tell me so you can deal with him!" Ji Yunshu laughed as she spoke. Everyone knew about Pei Yufeng's victory over Ye Zifeng last time—when it came to who could handle him, everyone thought of Pei Yufeng.

"I have no interest in dealing with Ye Zifeng. I'm only interested in dealing with—the food you cook. What's for dinner tonight?" Pei Yufeng looked at Ji Yunshu with a deep gaze, his tone laden with meaning.

Ji Yunshu huffed and slapped him: "How can you think about that every day? The kids are right here—no inappropriate talk!"