Chapter 242

If Shi Muhuan’s cooking was considered tasty, then Shi Tingyu’s food was absolutely delicious.

After all, Shi Muhuan hadn’t cooked much while stationed at the camp for a long time.

Xiao Jia felt very lucky these two days. If it weren’t for needing Teacher Shi’s help, he probably would never have had the chance to eat such delicious food in his lifetime.

However, Captain Shi had just reunited with his family, so Xiao Jia had agreed to wait until the next day to bring up the favor, allowing them some quality family time first.

Shi Muhuan and Xiao Jia stayed at the family compound until around eight o’clock before heading back to the Shi home.

Before leaving, Shi Muhuan said, “Xiaoyu, I’ll bring you lunch at your school tomorrow. What can Shen Shen eat? I’ll make something for him too.”

“Just bring him a steamed egg,” Shi Tingyu replied, not bothering with formalities.

At this age, Shen Shen still mainly relied on breast milk, with some complementary foods.

After Shi Muhuan and Xiao Jia left, the courtyard returned to its quiet state.

Shi Tingyu appreciated how her brother took care of everything, even cleaning up the dishes before leaving.

Lu Weiguo couldn’t help but admire his brother-in-law’s thoughtfulness.

That night, after putting the child to sleep, Lu Weiguo and Shi Tingyu got ready for bed.

Shi Tingyu lay on the bed with her hair tied up in a bun, and Lu Weiguo sat beside her, massaging her shoulders and neck.

Since she started teaching, Shi Tingyu often demonstrated for her students, and with her own creative work and taking care of the child, her shoulders and back occasionally felt sore.

Though she would drink some spring water to relieve fatigue, a massage to promote blood circulation was still very comfortable.

Lu Weiguo’s hands were wide, warm, and slightly rough, making Shi Tingyu feel extremely comfortable.

However, as he continued, Lu Weiguo’s pressure lightened, transitioning from massaging to gentle caressing.

By then, Shi Tingyu’s back, near her shoulder blades, had a slight reddish tint—not from injury, but from the friction, giving it an intimate hue.

Lu Weiguo pulled her up, and as Shi Tingyu was turned and embraced, she hooked her arms around his neck.

With a slight pull towards herself, Lu Weiguo’s eyes gleamed with a hint of a smile, and he obediently lowered his head to kiss her.

The couple’s intimate moments, though initially awkward, became more comfortable and enjoyable over time.

Soon, they were lost in each other, indulging in their love.

The next morning, Lu Weiguo looked radiant, and Shi Tingyu glowed like a peach blossom.

Shi Tingyu prepared porridge, a cold dish of king oyster mushrooms, boiled eggs, and pancakes, making a hearty breakfast.

Lu Weiguo returned from his morning training just in time to eat.

Shen Shen sat in his little bamboo cart, eyes fixed on the food on the table.

Lu Weiguo quickly peeled an egg, crushed the yolk with a spoon, mixed it into the porridge, and fed it to Shen Shen.

Since starting on solid foods, Shen Shen’s taste buds seemed to have been activated, wanting to try everything.

After feeding the child, Lu Weiguo also fed Lijian, then finally sat down to eat himself.

Once breakfast was done, they each went about their work.

Their days were simple yet filled with contentment and happiness.

That afternoon, Shi Tingyu had a class, so after her morning lessons, she waited in the dormitory for her brother to arrive.

She had informed the gatekeeper in the morning, so when Shi Muhuan’s car arrived at the school gate, the gatekeeper confirmed and directed him to the dormitory building.

The campus was quite large, and if it weren’t for Shi Muhuan’s excellent sense of direction, he might have gotten lost.

Dressed in his military uniform and carrying a lunch box, he attracted a lot of attention along the way.

Shi Tingyu and Shi Muhuan had agreed to meet at 11:30. As the time passed and Shi Muhuan still hadn’t shown up, she grew concerned. Her brother was not someone who lacked a sense of time.

Holding Shen Shen, she was about to lock the dormitory door and go look for him when she saw Shi Muhuan hurrying up the stairs from the second floor, looking serious.

Shi Tingyu didn’t lock the door and asked urgently, “Brother, did something delay you on the way?”

Shi Muhuan’s face stiffened. He followed Shi Tingyu inside, placed the lunch box on the table, and then explained.

“I ran into a few female students who insisted on showing me the way. It took a while to get rid of them.”

Wearing his military uniform, he had to behave appropriately and watch his words and actions, which caused the delay.

Seeing her nephew’s fair little face, Shi Muhuan quickly softened his expression. He didn’t want to scare the child.

Shi Tingyu couldn’t help but smile, “Seems like you’re quite popular, brother.”

Shi Muhuan glared at her without saying anything further about it and quickly took out the food from the lunch box, including the steamed egg for Shen Shen.

As soon as the steamed egg box was opened, Shen Shen leaned forward, trying to reach it.

It smelled delicious!

Shi Muhuan took Shen Shen and placed him in the small bamboo stroller, then started feeding him the steamed egg bit by bit, while also urging Shi Tingyu to eat her meal while it was still hot.

Shi Muhuan drove much faster than Shi Tingyu, so the food was still warm.

“Have you eaten, brother?”

“I’ve already eaten. Don’t worry about me.”

Hearing this, Shi Tingyu didn’t say more.

Shi Muhuan, however, couldn’t help but comment, “This campus really looks nice, like a picturesque scene.” Of course, it would have been even better without those female students trying to guide him.

“After all, it’s a renowned arts university in Jiangsu Province.”

Shi Muhuan said, “Seeing you like this, our parents and I can be at ease.”

He recalled the years right after returning to the country when his sister, who had been an independent young artist holding exhibitions abroad, became a woman confined to the house, doing nothing but cooking. He and their parents were very worried.

But they didn’t dare to push her to work.

At that time, his sister was sensitive and somewhat timid, with a deep-seated rebellious streak. When she first learned that their parents might be demoted due to being reported, she locked herself in her room for a long time, making them all worried she might do something drastic. Fortunately, she eventually came around.

Shi Tingyu had no idea what he was thinking, but she couldn’t help but say, “I’m an adult now. I can take care of myself. Don’t worry.”

Shi Muhuan smiled. She was indeed doing well now—she had a husband and child, a happy life, and a smooth career.

After Shi Tingyu finished eating, Shi Muhuan took out a photo from his pocket and handed it to her.

Shi Tingyu looked at it curiously. It showed a boy about eight or nine years old. “Who is this?”

Shi Muhuan sighed, “This is Xiao Jia’s older brother. He went missing when he was nine. Our mission brought us here, and we wanted to ask for your help.”

“Can you try to draw what the boy might look like now, based on this photo? If we count from when he went missing, Xiao Jia’s brother should be twenty-eight years old now.”