Yang Haiyan wasn’t really crying, but she felt a bit sad when she thought about how difficult life had been for this man.

Women are emotional beings, and when they feel wronged or heartbroken, they often shed tears.

Aunt Qin, however, mistakenly thought that Qin Fang had been eating well in the military, growing tall and strong.

This misunderstanding made Yang Haiyan uncomfortable.

She buried her face in Qin Fang’s chest, feeling embarrassed to cry in front of the Qin family.

Awkwardly, she said, “I’m fine.”

Qin Fang was worried, thinking, “What if people see through her?”

So, he quickly suggested, “Yanyan, let me help you back to our room to rest.”

Yang Haiyan thought to herself that her husband really understood her; he didn’t want her to feel awkward. “Alright,” she agreed.

The couple then left the dining area.

Qin Fang said, “Grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, I’m taking Yanyan back to rest. Please continue eating without us.”

Grandmother Qin responded, “Alright, I’ll make some porridge for Yanyan later.”

Qin Fang replied, “Thank you, Grandma.”

Once they were back in the room, Qin Fang quickly closed the door and whispered, “Wife, you acted so well just now that even I almost believed you.”

Yang Haiyan, wiping her face with a handkerchief, was stunned.

She stared at Qin Fang, “Look into my eyes, really look. Do you think I was acting?”

Qin Fang looked at her eyes, which were red and still wet with tears.

He stammered, “You… you were actually crying?”

Yang Haiyan snorted, “Why can’t I cry? My husband works so hard, yet people think he’s living the high life in the military, like he’s gained some huge advantage. Can’t I cry about that?”

Realizing his wife was upset, Qin Fang panicked and quickly hugged her, “I’m sorry, it’s my fault.”

Yang Haiyan wasn’t really angry; she just wanted him to know how much she cared about him. “It’s alright, go eat. Grandma put a lot of effort into preparing this meal. If you don’t eat, she’ll be upset. Go on.”

Qin Fang was still worried, “But…”

Yang Haiyan pushed him towards the door, “I’m just a bit sad, but I’ll be fine soon. Bring me a bowl of plain rice later, using a clean bowl. I’ll make some rice soup for myself.”

Qin Fang agreed, “Alright.”

He knew he needed to spend time with his family at the dinner table, though he felt a bit uneasy about leaving her.

When Qin Fang helped Yang Haiyan leave the table, the atmosphere became tense.

No one expected Yang Haiyan to cry.

Grandmother Qin and Mother Qin, who had always worried about their son and grandson, were touched, realizing how much Yang Haiyan cared for Qin Fang.

Seeing Qin Fang succeed and return home with honor made them happy, but they had indeed forgotten how hard the past five years at the border had been for him.

A powerless young man like him, if not for his own hard work and perseverance, would never have achieved what he had today.

Grandfather Qin cleared his throat, “Let’s continue eating.”

The Qin family resumed their meal, but no one fought over the dishes anymore.

Even the children sensed that the mood at the table had shifted.

This somber atmosphere continued until Qin Fang returned.

Mother Qin immediately asked, “Afang, how is Yanyan?”

She had grown to really like her daughter-in-law.

To a mother, as long as the daughter-in-law cares deeply for her son, there’s no reason not to like her.

Hearing this, Grandmother Qin and the others all turned to look at Qin Fang.

Qin Fang responded, “Thank you for your concern, Mother and everyone else. Yanyan is fine; she just needs a little rest.”

As he spoke, he grabbed a clean bowl and scooped out a portion of rice for Yang Haiyan.

Knowing she didn’t eat much, he filled just one bowl.

He then returned to the table and poured the rice from her bowl into his own.

If Yang Haiyan had seen this, she would have been dumbfounded.

Little did she know that Qin Fang would eat the rice she had left behind.

Since she usually didn’t eat much, there had never been leftovers before.

Grandmother Qin remarked, “As long as she’s okay. Later, I’ll make her some porridge.”

Qin Fang replied, “That won’t be necessary, Grandma. Yanyan is quite good at cooking. She can make her own porridge. She’s the younger generation, and she shouldn’t trouble the elders.”

Grandma Qin felt pleased as soon as she heard it, happy that her grandson was standing up for her.

The meal that followed was much quieter, with no one speaking again.

After everyone finished eating, Qin Fang knocked on the door: “Yanyan, you can make the vegetable rice soup now.”

Yang Haiyan replied, “Coming.”

When Yang Haiyan entered the kitchen, everyone looked at her.

She bowed respectfully to the elders and said, “Dear elders, I made a fool of myself earlier and lost control of my emotions. Please don’t be angry with me.”

Qin’s mother walked over and helped her up, saying, “This isn’t your fault, child. Following our Ah Fang to the frontier must have been hard for you. You not only have to take care of his daily needs, cooking and doing his laundry, but also worry about him enduring the harsh weather. My dear, you have really had it tough.”

Qin’s mother intentionally raised her voice, making sure certain people could hear, so they wouldn’t think her son had it easy.

Aunt Qin felt guilty, and together with Aunt Qin Three, hurriedly took the bowls to wash them in the river.

Yang Haiyan humbly replied, “Mother, you’re too kind. Having such a good husband is a blessing for me.”

Qin Fang’s ears twitched. His wife said she wasn’t acting and that she was genuinely worried about him.

So… now what she said must also be true, right?

She truly feels that marrying him is her good fortune, doesn’t she?

Qin Fang cautiously glanced at Yang Haiyan, his eyes full of warmth.

Yang Haiyan naturally noticed him but couldn’t understand why he was suddenly so happy.

She averted her eyes and said to Qin’s mother, “Mother, I’ll go make the porridge now.”

Qin’s mother replied, “I’ll help you start the fire.”

Yang Haiyan said, “Thank you, Mother.”

But Qin Fang interjected, “Mother, why don’t you go bask in the sun for a while? I’ll handle it. My wife will cook, and I’ll start the fire—this is how a couple should work together.”

Qin’s mother, unaware that her son disliked her interference, thought he was being considerate and joked, “What do you know about lighting a fire? Go chat with your grandfather and father for a bit.”

Feeling a little wronged, Qin Fang looked at his wife, but she was busy pouring water into the pot and didn’t even glance at him. Qin Fang walked over and said, “Wife, let me help you.”

He wanted her to feel even more blessed.

Yang Haiyan couldn’t tell if he was acting strange, so she followed Qin’s mother’s advice, saying, “Husband, go talk with Grandpa and Father. They must want to hear about your five years of military service.”

Qin’s mother chimed in, “Exactly, you’re just standing around here. Go, you’ll only get in our way.”

Qin Fang sighed and, after giving his wife one last glance, left.

Yang Haiyan filled the pot with water, took out the vegetables from the basket, washed them clean, and chopped them up. Once the water boiled, she added the rice, and when the rice was soft and sticky, she added the vegetables.

They didn’t need to cook for long, just simmer a little.

By the time Yang Haiyan’s vegetable rice soup was ready, Second Aunt Qin and Third Aunt Qin had returned from washing the dishes by the river.

The soup was still a bit hot, so Yang Haiyan wasn’t in a hurry to eat.

While everyone was in the courtyard, she went to her room to fetch the items she had bought earlier that day.

When she came out holding a bundle, everyone looked at her curiously.

Yang Haiyan opened the package and said, “Grandma, Grandpa, and all the elders, I just arrived at the Qin family and don’t know everyone’s preferences yet, so I prepared small gifts from my heart. I hope you all like them.”

Everyone stared curiously at the package.

From the bundle, Yang Haiyan took out shoes.

For Second Sister, Third Sister, and Fourth Sister, she also included a silk flower, but for everyone else, it was shoes.

The shoes, bought from a clothing store, were well-made.

Although not expensive, they were very practical for everyone.

Grandma Qin took the shoes, delighted. “Yanyan, you’re so thoughtful. I really like these shoes.”

Seeing that the size looked just right, she added, “I’ll try them on.”

If they hadn’t seemed the right size, she wouldn’t have tried them, as wearing ill-fitting shoes would be embarrassing for her granddaughter-in-law.

Grandma Qin put on the new shoes and walked around, stepping a few times on the ground. “These are so comfortable! The soles are soft and don’t hurt my feet. Yanyan, you’re truly considerate.”

Not only was Grandma Qin happy, but so were Second Aunt Qin and Third Aunt Qin.

Last year, when Qin Fang sent word back, he had already sent gifts for everyone.

So this time, even if there were no gifts, no one would have said anything.

But Yang Haiyan bringing shoes was a pleasant surprise for everyone.

For a farming family, gifts weren’t expected to be fancy.

A new daughter-in-law preparing shoes for the elders was perfectly appropriate.

Previously, fur might have seemed more expensive than shoes, but to Qin’s mother, it felt too extravagant and impractical compared to these shoes.

Seeing the satisfaction on everyone’s faces, Yang Haiyan had to admit that Qin’s mother understood rural family life well.

For farming families, it wasn’t about the price—it was about practicality.

While Grandma Qin was trying on her shoes, Aunt Qin Two also happily put hers on. “These fit perfectly, and there’s even a flower embroidered on them. They’re so pretty. Ah Fang’s wife, what flower is this?”

Yang Haiyan walked over. “It’s a plum blossom.”

Second Aunt Qin looked closely and said, “Indeed, it’s a plum blossom. I didn’t recognize it at first, but it’s so beautiful.”

As Second Aunt Qin admired the embroidery, Yang Haiyan smiled and explained, “The plum blossom has a deeper meaning.”

Second Aunt Qin hurriedly asked, “What meaning? Isn’t it just pretty?”

Yang Haiyan explained, “It is pretty, but the plum blossom blooms even in the cold winter, showing that it is strong and resilient. Its meaning symbolizes the strength of ordinary people.”

Although Second Aunt Qin didn’t fully understand, she knew it was something good. “These plum blossoms are wonderful. I love them.”

Third Aunt Qin spoke gently, “Thank you, Ah Fang’s wife.”

Fourth Sister glanced at her shoes, then at the silk flower in her hand, feeling like nothing could compare to the beauty of her flower.

After distributing the gifts, Yang Haiyan returned to eat her vegetable rice soup.

As she ate, she suddenly heard a voice outside: “Qin Fang… Qin family boy, you’re back. Why hasn’t my Gouzi returned?”

Who is Gouzi?

Yang Haiyan suddenly remembered—Gouzi is the main character, Han Zhen!