Translator: Dj2203
Editor: Dj2203
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The next day, the first thing Ji Xiaozhuo saw when he opened his eyes was his new clothes on the bedside table— his denim overalls.
The little guy’s sleepiness vanished instantly, and he jumped up and dressed, putting the overalls on his bare body, which was only covered by his underwear, creating a denim suspender look that was strangely alluring.
The little guy happily ran out and asked Tang Tang, “Mommy, do I look good?”
Tang Tang suppressed a laugh as she helped him put on a white T-shirt. Now he looked normal. It had to be said, the clothes suited Ji Xiaozhuo perfectly. Ji Xiaozhuo was already round and chubby, like a little rice ball, and the clothes made him look even rounder.
Ji Xiaozhuo happily ran to the full-length mirror to admire himself, thinking he looked incredibly handsome. He shoved his hands into his favorite big pockets and swung them left and right, even striking a pose with his little hands on his chin: “Mommy, am I handsome?”
Tang Tang very obligingly gave him two thumbs up, “Baby, you’re absolutely handsome!”
“Mommy, you have such good taste!” Ji Xiaozhuo spun around a few times, then ran towards the door, “Mommy, I’m going downstairs to play for a while, I’ll be right back!”
Tang Tang knew perfectly well he was going to show off his new clothes, and just smiled and reminded him, “You can’t leave the compound, okay? Come back after playing for a bit!”
“Okay, Mommy.” In the blink of an eye, the little guy had disappeared.
The military family compound was very safe. There was no need to worry about the children being taken away, and there were no dangerous places like water. So Tang Tang felt at ease letting the little guy go down to play with his friends. While he was away, she quickly cleaned up the house. She was going to help out at Zhang Cheng’s house today, so she needed to finish the chores at home as soon as possible.
Tang Tang finished her chores early and waited at home until it was almost dark before the doorbell rang. It was Fang Yuwei outside.
Fang Yuwei held up a bag of groceries: “Sister-in-law, I just got back from town. I’ve bought the groceries. Should we start cooking now?”
Actually, it was a bit late to start dinner, considering how much food they were cooking, but Tang Tang didn’t say anything. She simply closed the door and took Ji Xiaozhuo across the corridor.
Tang Tang stuffed some food into Ji Xiaozhuo’s pocket and told him to sit on Zhang Cheng’s sofa and play games. She then put on an apron, took the groceries, and went into the kitchen to get to work. Time was of the essence; she needed to prepare the vegetables first— peeling what needed peeling, washing what needed washing, and preparing the side dishes— so that cooking would be faster later.
Fang Yuwei followed Tang Tang into the kitchen, looked around but didn’t know what she could do, so she asked, “Sister-in-law, let me help you. Just tell me what you need.”
Tang Tang, thinking they were running out of time and that the two of them working together would be faster, said, “Then peel all these vegetables that need peeling for me, I’ll chop them.”
“Okay, sure.” Fang Yuwei took the peeler and started peeling the potatoes from Tang Tang.
Tang Tang glanced at her between chopping vegetables, pursed her lips, and sighed inwardly. Fang Yuwei clearly hadn’t cooked much; her peeling movements were clumsy, and because she was afraid of cutting herself, she was very careful, peeling very slowly, taking the time it took her to peel one potato to peel ten others.
Tang Tang didn’t say anything, finished chopping the vegetables, and then took the knife from Fang Yuwei again, “I’ll peel them, you peel some garlic for me.”
Fang Yuwei breathed a barely perceptible sigh of relief and took the garlic to the living room to peel.
When Zhang Cheng returned with the others, he saw Fang Yuwei sitting on the sofa watching TV. He frowned, glanced at Tang Tang who was busy in the kitchen, and quietly whispered in her ear, “Why aren’t you helping sister-in-law in the kitchen? She’s here to help us, why don’t you lend her a hand?”
Fang Yuwei pouted and glared at him, “Where haven’t I helped my sister-in-law? I’m just not very good at other things, so I can only help peel and chop garlic. Can’t you see I’m peeling it?”
Zhang Cheng glanced at the garlic in her hand, opened his mouth as if to say something but then swallowed it back. He went straight into the kitchen and thanked Tang Tang, who was simultaneously cooking in two pans, “Sister-in-law, thank you so much for today. Yuwei isn’t very good at kitchen things, so you’ve been doing all the work. Thank you for your hard work.”
Tang Tang shook her head between cooking, “It’s nothing, I’m used to doing these things. It’s just that dinner is late today, I’ve only just started cooking a few dishes. You must all be hungry, let’s put the food on the table and eat first, I’ll finish the rest quickly.”
“Sister-in-law, don’t rush, take your time cooking, we’re not hungry.”
Zhang Cheng placed the dishes she had prepared on the table, instructing Fang Yuwei to serve everyone. He then turned and went back into the kitchen. “Sister-in-law, let me help you out. Just tell me what you need. My cooking skills aren’t great, but I can still cook things.”
Tang Tang didn’t need a grown man to help her and immediately urged him to leave. “I’ve prepared everything here. I just need to start cooking. You won’t be of much help here and will only get in my way. Go out and serve everyone drinks. I’ll let you know if I need any help.”
Seeing that Tang Tang really didn’t need any help, Zhang Cheng scratched his head and then went out somewhat embarrassed.
“Zhang Cheng, come on over here! Today is your day! Don’t try to run away! Come and drink! We’re going to beat you to a pulp today!” The people outside shouted as soon as they saw Zhang Cheng come out.
Zhang Cheng rolled up his sleeves. “Alright, let’s drink! I’m just afraid you guys don’t have the guts!”
“Stop bragging! Quickly fill up the glasses!”
After shouting this, Zhang Cheng’s soldiers collectively egged Fang Yuwei on. “Today is our first time eating at the battalion commander’s house, and also our first time meeting your wife. We have to toast the battalion commander and your wife to thank you for preparing such a sumptuous meal for us!”
“Yes! Thank you for your hospitality, sister-in-law!” The others echoed.
Fang Yuwei smiled and poured herself some beer, saying, “I’m not a good drinker, so I can’t drink baijiu with you. Is it okay if I just have some beer?”
It was already quite generous of her to drink, so of course everyone agreed. They all said, “Sister-in-law, just a little is fine. Our Battalion Commander Zhang, drink up!”
“Then I’ll toast you first. You guys be careful with your battalion commander later. I’m afraid he’ll go crazy if he drinks too much!” Fang Yuwei said politely, downing a glass of beer first.
“Good! Sister-in-law, you’ve got guts! Battalion Commander, if your wife is so domineering, you can’t be inferior to her, right? If you don’t drink with us, we’ll have to ask sister-in-law for help.” Several mischievous people said this on purpose, their aim being to get Zhang Cheng drunk. Zhang Cheng had no choice but to accept it.
For a moment, the atmosphere at the dinner table was extremely lively, with everyone clinking glasses and making a great fuss.
Ji Yan glanced at Fang Yuwei, who was very friendly and welcoming, his eyes slightly cold. He put some food in Ji Xiaozhuo’s bowl and got up to go to the kitchen.
It was summer, and with two stoves lit in the kitchen, the temperature was unusually high. Tang Tang’s clothes were completely soaked with sweat, and her face was also covered in sweat. Afraid that her sweat would drip into the food, she could only keep wiping it with a handkerchief while cooking.
A dark glint flashed in Ji Yan’s eyes. He walked behind Tang Tang, took the handkerchief from her hand, and wiped her sweat.
Tang Tang was startled and turned to see Ji Yan. She breathed a sigh of relief. “Honey, what are you doing here? Weren’t you drinking with them?”
“I drank too much and came here to rest. You continue cooking, I’ll wipe your sweat.”
Tang Tang looked at his face worriedly. “Honey, are you alright? Is your stomach upset? Do you want to eat something to soothe it?”
Ji Yan pursed his lips and shook his head. “I’m fine, I’ll feel better in a bit.”
“Okay then, wait a moment. I’ll make you some hangover soup after I finish cooking, that’ll make you feel better.”
Ji Yan gave a light “hmm,” and seeing that she was sweating again, he wiped it off with a handkerchief.
He was wiping her sweat…
Tang Tang’s face flushed slightly, and her heart started pounding again. She tried to act natural as she continued cooking, but inside she was already feeling incredibly sweet. The kitchen, which had felt hot just moments before, didn’t feel hot at all now, and her movements slowed down.
Hehe, it’s okay to cook the food a little longer.
As Ji Yan wiped her sweat, he asked, “Did you make the clothes Ji Xiaozhuo is wearing?” Ji Xiaozhuo had been talking about his new clothes ever since he came back, his little cowlick practically sticking up in the air.
Tang Tang hummed in agreement, her voice full of laughter, “I just finished making them yesterday. The baby loves them; he wore them out to show them off first thing this morning.”
Ji Yan frowned slightly, feeling a little uncomfortable. Although the clothes Ji Xiaozhuo was wearing were indeed quite nice, making such a garment must have been difficult. He wondered how many stitches she had sewed, stitch by stitch. Why not just buy one? It wasn’t worth it to go through all that trouble to save a little money.
“Tang Tang, didn’t you hear what I said that night? Why are you still making your own clothes?”
Ji Yan’s tone sounded a bit heavy. Tang Tang was taken aback, thinking he was unhappy, and quickly turned to look at him, explaining hesitantly, “I don’t have much to do for you, so I wanted to do this little thing myself. So… if you don’t like me making them, I won’t do them anymore.”
Seeing the apprehension in Tang Tang’s eyes, Ji Yan realized he had frightened her, so he softened his tone and said, “It’s not that I don’t like you making them, it’s just that it takes too much time and hurts your eyes. There’s no need to do this just to save some money.”
So he wasn’t angry with her after all. Tang Tang breathed a sigh of relief and continued to explain, “It’s not purely about saving money. I enjoy making clothes, and the clothes I make are of better quality and more comfortable than store-bought ones, so I wanted to make some for you. And…” Tang Tang glanced back at him, “Although we have enough money at home, we still need to save where we can. There will be many expenses in the future. The baby’s schooling will definitely cost a lot, and getting married will also cost a lot. Getting married isn’t easy these days, so we need to save more for him.”
Ji Yan: “…” Ji Xiaozhuo is only three years old, aren’t you thinking a bit too far ahead?
Ji Yan found that talking to her sometimes made him want to both laugh and cry, so he skipped the long-term topic and said, “Xiao Zhuo’s matter is still a long way off, no need to worry about it now. Spend money as needed in the future, don’t be stingy. If you like sewing, then go ahead, but be careful with your eyes, don’t ruin them at such a young age.”
“Mmm, I know, honey.” Tang Tang’s heart was overflowing with sweetness, she felt like she was floating. Why was her husband so good today? He usually didn’t say so much, but today he not only said so much, but it was all caring words. Did he like her a little bit?
Tang Tang’s mouth stretched almost to her ears as she happily finished cooking the rest of the dishes. Anyone who didn’t know better would think she was doing something very blissful.
Seeing her smiling so happily despite all her hard work, Ji Yan’s lips also curled up.
Silly…
The two of them seemed to have completely forgotten that they were still eating outside, staying in the kitchen until the meal was finished before going out to eat together.
Everyone thanked Tang Tang for working so hard and toasted her to express their gratitude.
Tang Tang, who didn’t drink, waved apologetically at everyone, “Sorry, I don’t drink, please don’t mind.”
Naturally, no one minded, since Ji Yan was there to drink for her. So, after Zhang Cheng, Ji Yan became the next target. What could they do? They all had wives, and they were so enviable; if they didn’t get drunk, who would get drunk?
Ji Yan accepted everyone’s toasts, and he drank for Tang Tang.
The drinking session lasted until almost ten o’clock, until everyone was too drunk to drink anymore, and the plates on the table were spotless.
Tang Tang was the only one present besides Ji Xiaozhuo who hadn’t touched a drink. Seeing everyone drunk and sprawled on the ground, unable to move, she took the initiative to clean up the mess. Last time at her own home, everyone helped clean up before leaving, saving her a lot of trouble. It wouldn’t be right to ignore someone else’s cleanliness at their house.
Tang Tang tidied up the dining table and kitchen, and was about to clean up the trash when Ji Yan suddenly grabbed her arm. His expression was inexplicably cold, and his voice was deep. “Tang Tang, let’s go home.”
“But this trash—” Tang Tang started to say, but swallowed her words under Ji Yan’s gaze. She silently nodded and obediently followed him home, without even saying goodbye to Zhang Cheng.
Tang Tang felt that Ji Yan seemed unhappy, but she didn’t know why. She felt strangely uneasy, and this unease lingered
When it was time for bed, Tang Tang felt that Ji Yan’s mood still hadn’t returned to normal.
The only sound in the air was Ji Xiaozhuo’s deep breathing; the silence was eerily quiet, making Tang Tang particularly uneasy.
Tang Tang couldn’t sleep when something was on her mind. After tossing and turning several times, she finally mustered the courage to ask Ji Yan on the other side, “Honey, are you angry?”
Ji Yan didn’t answer, whether he was asleep or didn’t want to answer, she didn’t know.
Tang Tang bit her lip, just as she was about to force herself to sleep, when Ji Yan suddenly spoke, “Tang Tang, if they ask you for a favor like this again, don’t agree, understand?”
“Huh? Why?” Tang Tang was completely confused, not understanding why he suddenly said this. Could it be that he was unhappy because of helping out tonight? But nothing had happened.
“There’s no reason why, just remember, if there’s a favor like this in the future, don’t agree to everything without thinking. Don’t worry about my feelings, just refuse if you want to.”
Although Tang Tang didn’t know what was going on, she would definitely listen to Ji Yan unconditionally. “Okay, next time I’ll ask you before I consider whether to agree or not, okay?”
“Alright, that’s all, go to sleep.”
Hearing Ji Yan say this, Tang Tang still had doubts, but she didn’t dare to ask any more questions, so she closed her eyes and went to sleep. Because she was too tired from cooking today, she fell asleep in less than a minute.
Listening to Tang Tang’s soft breathing, Ji Yan lay awake in the darkness for a long, long time.
The next day, Tang Tang was still quite confused about what had happened the night before. She had no idea why Ji Yan was unhappy, or why he told her not to agree to help others again.
Weren’t he and Zhang Cheng good friends and comrades-in-arms? Their families lived across the corridor from each other; helping each other was perfectly normal. Why did he suddenly say that? Did something happen last night that she didn’t know about? Could it be that he and Zhang Cheng had a fight?
But was he husband the kind of man who got into fights? Obviously not.
Whenever Ji Yan was involved, Tang Tang was always worried.
Seeing Tang Tang’s puzzled expression, the regimental commander’s wife thought she had quarrelled with Ji Yan and asked with concern, “Why do you look so troubled today? Did you quarrel with Ji Yan? If you want to talk about it, just tell me. I’ve been through this before, I can give you some advice.”
Tang Tang thought for a moment and decided to ask the regimental commander’s wife. Maybe she knew the reason, after all, the regimental commander had been there last night.
“Sister-in-law, we had dinner at Zhang Cheng’s house yesterday, but after dinner, Xiao Zhuo’s father seemed unhappy. He told me not to agree to help like that anymore, and not to worry about his feelings, and to refuse if necessary. I don’t understand why he suddenly said that. He and Zhang Cheng seem to have a good relationship. Logically, this shouldn’t be the case. I’m wondering if they had a fight.”
“Impossible. Soldiers don’t fight. In my opinion, it’s most likely that he’s unhappy about you helping Zhang Cheng’s family. Did something happen yesterday?”
“No, everyone had a good time at dinner yesterday, and Xiao Zhuo’s father knew I went to help Zhang Cheng’s family. He wasn’t angry about it.”
The regimental commander’s wife hadn’t gone to dinner yesterday, so she didn’t know the specifics. She then asked, “Tell me about what happened at the house across the street yesterday, and I’ll help you analyze it.”
Tang Tang then told the regimental commander’s wife everything from Fang Yuwei knocking on the door to the end of the dinner.
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