Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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Whether it was the foot bath and Tang Tang’s massage that had an effect, Ji Yan didn’t feel uncomfortable at all that there was someone else in the bed that night. On the contrary, he slept exceptionally well, feeling refreshed the moment he opened his eyes.
Ji Yan stared silently at his feet for a while, recalling the sight of a pair of pale hands pressing against them last night. He couldn’t help but glance at Tang Tang, who was fast asleep. After a long while, he quietly got up to wash up.
On the training field, Ji Yan stood with his feet straddling, his face stern as he faced the soldiers below. He issued the first training task of the day in a deep voice, “Thirty kilograms of weight, target: Jixi Mountain!”
The soldiers below instantly groaned inwardly, feeling that they would be lucky to escape with their lives. However, none of them dared to show the slightest emotion on their faces. The moment Ji Yan gave the order, they deftly slung their backpacks over their shoulders and ran in neat formation towards the back of the mountain.
Ji Yan led the run, carrying thirty-five kilograms of weight, demanding that all the soldiers behind him keep up with his pace, and not allowing anyone to fall behind.
Dong Li and his men caught up, with the deputy captain watching the group run behind. Dong Li then sped up to Ji Yan’s side and asked curiously, “Hey Lao Ji, did you take some kind of performance-enhancing drug today? How come you’re running so fast? Aren’t you afraid of exhausting your men?”
Ji Yan didn’t even glance at him and ignored him.
Dong Li clicked his tongue twice, a hint of sourness creeping into his voice. “It’s so different when your wife and kids come. They’re pampered with good food and drinks every day, so they definitely have energy. Sigh, unlike us lonely folks, we can only eat in the cafeteria, whatever they have. We can’t compare.” As he spoke, he thought of Tang Tang’s cooking, and his mouth watered.
Ji Yan glanced at Dong Li, knowing what the guy was up to. He wouldn’t have paid him any attention, but remembering Tang Tang’s plan to treat him to dinner tonight, he told him anyway, “Come to my house for dinner tonight. Tang Tang wants to thank you for your help.”
“Really?” Dong Li’s eyes lit up with excitement, and he suddenly felt energetic, slapping Ji Yan’s arm. “Old Ji, let’s have a race and see who gets to the top first!”
Ji Yan gave him a silent look, then a smirk appeared on his lips, and he dashed off first, leaving behind the words, “Whoever loses has to buy drinks tonight.”
Dong Li chuckled and quickly dashed off as well, the two figures chasing each other along the mountain path.
The soldiers from both battalions were instantly excited, tacitly betting on which leader would win, the wager following the old rules.
When training ended that evening, Zhang Cheng patted Dong Li on the shoulder with a grin. “Hey Dong Li, I heard you paid for all the drinks tonight? Brother, that’s generous!”
Dong Li rolled his eyes, shrugged off the gloating guy’s hand, and said, “Go away, don’t kick me when I’m down, acting like you’ve beaten Lao Ji!”
Zhang Cheng laughed even harder, spreading his hands knowingly, “I wouldn’t be so presumptuous as to compete with Lao Ji. I’ve always been willing to face the difference in our abilities.”
Dong Li was so angry he felt a pang in his liver and decided to cut ties with him for three minutes.
The two joked and laughed as they went up to the third floor. Zhang Cheng stopped at his door and said to Dong Li, “You go first, my wife just got off work and is tidying up at home. I’ll wait for her, we’ll go together later.”
Dong Li was used to Zhang Cheng’s wife-obsessed ways and ignored him, taking the drinks directly into Ji Yan’s house.
At Zhang Cheng’s house, Fang Yuwei was sitting at the dressing table combing her hair. Zhang Cheng hugged her from behind, whispering in her ear.
“Honey, let’s go over now. Everyone else should be there by now.”
Fang Yuwei leaned against Zhang Cheng, continuing to comb her hair. “Let’s wait a bit. It’s just across the corridor anyway. If we go now, they probably won’t be serving food yet. Sitting there won’t be as comfortable as being at home.”
“Honey, why don’t you go help your sister-in-law? It’s not good to just go eat.”
Fang Yuwei looked up and gave him a reproachful look. “What can I do to help? I’ll only make things worse.”
Zhang Cheng shut up. Thinking about it, she was right. His wife had been pampered since childhood, and the biggest hardship she had ever endured was coming here with him to join the army. She couldn’t even cook a bowl of noodles properly. If she went over, she really would only make things worse.
“Honey, Ji Yan’s family just moved in and they already had a dinner party. We’ve been here for so long and haven’t had one yet. Don’t you think we should treat them too? It just doesn’t seem right.”
Fang Yuwei paused, turned around, and hugged Zhang Cheng’s neck, looking at him and saying, “If you really want to treat them, no problem, but the problem is I can’t cook. At best, you can only cook the food until it’s cooked through. How can we treat them like that?”
Zhang Cheng scratched his head and tentatively said, “How about you bring some cooked food back from town after work? The brothers won’t say anything. The point is to get together and have some fun.”
Fang Yuwei thought for a moment and suddenly said, “Hey, what do you think about asking Ji Yan’s wife for help? I think she’s a pretty good cook, and our two families live across the corridor. She should be able to help, right? I’ll buy the groceries and ask her to come over and cook us a meal, okay?”
“This…” Zhang Cheng hesitated, “Wouldn’t this be inappropriate? Cooking a meal is quite a hassle.”
Fang Yuwei blinked, “It should be fine, right? Ji Yan’s wife doesn’t work, she just cooks and does housework every day, she has plenty of time. I’m so busy teaching a graduating class of high school seniors, she should be willing to help with this little bit, right? I’ll buy some fruit to thank her later.”
Zhang Cheng hesitated for a while, but finally nodded and said, “Okay, go talk to his wife and see if she’s willing. We can’t force her if she’s not.”
Fang Yuwei nodded.
Tang Tang specially prepared a lot of dishes today, almost all of her specialties. This was the first meal they had hosted since moving in, so it was very meaningful. She wanted to cook well and not embarrass Ji Yan.
Several of Ji Yan’s soldiers wanted to come in and help, but she persuaded them to leave. She washed several large basins of fruit and took them out, asking Ji Xiaozhuo to greet the soldiers and instructing him not to let the guests do any work.
Ji Xiaozhuo confidently accepted the task, displaying the demeanor of a perfect little host. He warmly welcomed the guests, bringing one soldier an apple, another an orange, and then asking if anyone wanted water. His service was impeccable, making the group of rough men adore him. One would hug him, another would pet him, and in the end, they all wanted to take the little guy back to their dormitory.
Seeing how well Ji Xiaozhuo entertained the guests, Ji Yan completely entrusted the responsibility of hospitality to him, rolling up his sleeves and going into the kitchen to help Tang Tang. With so many dishes to prepare today, he was worried she wouldn’t be able to handle it all.
The team leader’s wife was also helping in the kitchen, but it was more of a chat than a real help. Tang Tang was so organized and had everything prepared that she couldn’t really offer any assistance. Seeing Ji Yan come in, she jokingly said, “Ji Yan, I was here to help today, but I’m just standing here doing nothing. Your wife is so capable!”
Ji Yan watched Tang Tang skilfully wielding the spatula, a smile flickering in his eyes.
Tang Tang turned to look at Ji Yan, smiling, and said, “Honey, take the bowls, chopsticks, and wine glasses out and set them out, then arrange the chairs. We can start serving the food soon.”
Ji Yan nodded, took the bowls and chopsticks out, and after tidying up, came back into the kitchen to serve the dishes.
When Ji Xiaozhuo saw the dishes on the table, he knew it was time to eat. He immediately waved his little hand and called out, “Dinner’s ready! Let’s sit down and eat, everyone, don’t be shy!”
Everyone was amused by the little boy and didn’t stand on ceremony, swarming to the table. Looking at the dazzling array of dishes, their mouths were watering. Actually, they had been hungry since smelling the aromas wafting from the kitchen and had been eagerly anticipating dinner.
Their boss’s wife’s cooking was amazing! They all wished they could have a wife like her.
Ji Yan invited everyone to sit down, opened the wine and poured a glass for everyone. Seeing that Zhang Cheng hadn’t arrived yet, he frowned and beckoned to Ji Xiaozhuo, saying, “Xiao Zhuo, go to Uncle Zhang Cheng’s house across the corridor and call them over for dinner.”
“Okay, Daddy!” Ji Xiaozhuo obeyed, quickly running to the door with her short legs, knocking on the opposite door, and calling out in a sweet voice, “Uncle Zhang Cheng, dinner’s ready! Come and eat!”
A few minutes later, Zhang Cheng came in carrying Ji Xiaozhuo, followed by Fang Yuwei, smiling and apologizing to everyone, “Sorry, I just took a shower.”
The others teased him, “You’re so fussy! We all came covered in sweat, but you took a shower and came looking all tidy. Aren’t you just trying to make us look dirty?”
Zhang Cheng proudly shook his head, “I’m not like you bunch of fussy people.”
This made everyone want to beat him up.
The meal began in a lively and cheerful manner. No one was restrained and everyone ate and drank to their heart’s content. Soldiers were known for their large appetites, so the dishes on the table disappeared at an extremely fast pace.
Fortunately, Tang Tang cooked a lot of dishes and served them quickly. As soon as one dish was cleared away, two more would immediately appear, and everyone ate to their heart’s content, exclaiming how satisfying it was. There were barely enough seats outside, so Tang Tang decided not to join them at the table. She left some food and ate a simple meal with the regimental commander’s wife in the kitchen, avoiding the challenge of competing with the big eaters outside.
The meal lasted until after nine o’clock. When Tang Tang went out to clear the table, she was immediately struck by how much soldiers could eat. All the plates were spotless, except for a little oil; not a single vegetable leaf was left— a true example of the “Clean Plate Campaign.” The regimental commander’s wife helped with the cleanup, smiling and saying, “Normally it’s not this clean; your cooking is just too delicious.”
Tang Tang was also very happy; having her food eaten so cleanly was a huge compliment.
Ji Yan’s soldiers were all diligent. After finishing their meal, they conscientiously cleaned up the mess, some collecting trash, some wiping tables, and others sweeping. If Tang Tang hadn’t strongly stopped them, they would have washed the dishes themselves.
Tang Tang’s affection for the military base grew even more because of these adorable soldiers. She cooked some hangover soup for everyone before they left.
Fang Yuwei saw Tang Tang retreat to the kitchen to wash the dishes and quietly slipped into the kitchen while everyone was drinking the hangover soup.
That evening, as usual, Tang Tang prepared a large tub of hot water for Ji Yan to soak his feet, and of course, little Ji Xiaozhuo was there too.
After last night’s ordeal, Ji Yan was able to face things calmly today, but he still felt uncomfortable when Tang Tang massaged his feet. However, his expressionless face made him seem very composed, at least Tang Tang thought he was accepting it well, which made her feel quite pleased.
While massaging the acupoints on Ji Yan’s feet, Tang Tang started talking to him, “Honey, Zhang Cheng’s wife came in to see me while I was washing the dishes tonight. She said she wanted to ask me for help.”
Ji Yan looked at her questioningly.
“She said she hasn’t had a chance to host a dinner party since she moved here, and she wants to treat everyone to a meal, but she’s not a good cook and is worried about not being able to entertain everyone properly. So she wants me to be her head chef and asked if I’d be willing.”
Ji Yan was silent for a moment before asking, “What do you think?”
“I agreed. Cooking a meal isn’t a big deal. Our two families live right next door, so helping each other is only right. Besides, Zhang Cheng’s wife is a teacher at No. 1 Middle School, and she’s a homeroom teacher. She’s very busy at work every day. It’s no big deal for me to help her. Honey, what do you think?” Tang Tang had a natural affinity for teachers. She felt that teaching was a very noble profession, and educating people was the most respectable thing.
Ji Yan pursed his lips, and after a while said, “Since you’ve agreed, then go ahead. Don’t overwork yourself; your leg injury isn’t fully healed yet.”
Tang Tang felt a surge of sweetness in her heart and nodded happily, “I won’t get tired, I’ll be careful.”
Ji Yan lowered his gaze, avoiding Tang Tang’s enthusiastic smile.
After soaking the feet of the father and son, Tang Tang, as usual, hid in the kitchen for a bedtime ‘beauty feast.’ However, instead of going to sleep immediately as usual, she took her phone and fiddled with it on the bed, her brows furrowed, looking very serious.
Ji Xiaozhuo curiously leaned over to see what his mother was doing, but after watching for a long time, he still couldn’t understand and couldn’t help but ask, “Mom, what are you doing?”
Tang Tang tried hard to figure it out, but just couldn’t remember how to use it, and couldn’t help but answer sullenly, “Mom is researching online shopping, but Mom is so stupid, your sister Wen Wen has taught me several times and I still can’t remember.”
Today, Wen Wen heard that Tang Tang wanted to buy some Chinese medicinal herbs but didn’t know where to buy them, so she suggested that she just buy them online. Tang Tang knew that it was possible to shop online and have goods delivered to your door without leaving home, but the technology was too advanced for her; she had no idea how to do it. Wen Wen was quite surprised to see that Tang Tang didn’t even know how to shop online. Finally, she downloaded the Taobao app onto Tang Tang’s phone, registered an account for her, and then spent a long time explaining how to shop to her.
Tang Tang only vaguely understood at the time, so now she wanted to continue learning. She really wanted to learn how to shop online so she wouldn’t have to travel a long way with her cane to buy what she needed in the future.
Although Ji Xiaozhuo was a smart child, he had never shopped online before. Ji Yan hadn’t taught him at all, so he could only blink his big eyes and say with a troubled expression, “Mommy, I don’t know how to do this either~”
Tang Tang pinched his little cheek, “It’s okay, Mommy can learn by herself.”
Ji Xiaozhuo puffed out his cheeks and patiently accompanied Tang Tang as they fiddled around. The mother and son huddled together, whispering and discussing, seemingly quite earnestly, but none of their sentences were on the point.
Ji Yan had to put down his book and clear his throat.
The mother and son both tilted their heads to look at him, their eyes silently asking what was wrong.
Ji Yan gestured to the phone in Tang Tang’s hand, “Want to shop online?”
Tang Tang nodded.
“Do you want me to teach you?”
Tang Tang was taken aback at first, then realized that Ji Yan meant to teach her how to shop. Her eyes immediately lit up, and she scrambled to her feet, handing him her phone while nodding and grinning foolishly. “Yes, yes! Honey, teach me!”
For some reason, seeing Tang Tang like this, Ji Yan couldn’t help but smile. He took her phone and patted the spot next to him. “Come a little closer.”
Tang Tang immediately moved over, and Ji Xiaozhuo followed suit, the mother and son now squeezed next to Ji Yan.
Afraid that his mother wouldn’t be able to see, Ji Xiaozhuo simply climbed onto Ji Yan and snuggled into his arms, leaving only Tang Tang next to him.
Seeing this, Ji Yan didn’t say anything. He held Ji Xiaozhuo in his arms, turned slightly to the side, and carefully explained to Tang Tang how to shop. He even linked one of his bank cards to Tang Tang’s account so that future purchases would be deducted directly from the card.
Ji Yan first added the medicinal herbs Tang Tang wanted to her shopping cart, then took a picture of one of them and placed the order to demonstrate for Tang Tang. Only after Tang Tang had completely mastered it did she let her buy the rest herself.
This time, Tang Tang had completely learned how to use online shopping, successfully buying what she needed by imitating Ji Yan. When Ji Yan told her she had successfully bought everything, her heart leaped with joy. She hugged Ji Xiaozhuo and gave him two big kisses, “Baby, Mommy learned it!”
Ji Xiaozhuo was also happy for his mother, returning the kisses and giving her a thumbs up, “Mommy, you’re so amazing!”
Ji Yan looked at the silly mother and son, a silent smile playing on his lips.
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