Chapter 30

The next morning, Lu Nong woke up at five o’clock, which was rare. She groggily crawled out of bed, tugging at her nightgown that had slipped down to her chest, not noticing that the space beside her was not empty today.

Turning around, she was startled to find Pei Ji’an lying in bed with his eyes closed.

Lu Nong: “…”

I didn’t see it, I didn’t see it. She fell asleep and didn’t see anything. Lu Nong hurriedly reassured herself as she quietly climbed out of bed. Grabbing the dress from the headboard, she rushed out of the bedroom, unaware that the person on the bed opened his eyes just as she stepped outside.

After coming out of the bathroom, Lu Nong adjusted her new dress as she went downstairs. Today, she wore a light green plaid dress that closely resembled the style of this era. Her hair was styled in soft, fluffy braids, adorned with a purple wisteria hairpin, making her look exceptionally gentle and graceful.

Aunt Wu sleepily descended the stairs. “Nong Nong, why didn’t you sleep a little longer?”

“It’s the first day of school. It wouldn’t be good to be late. Are you heading out to buy breakfast? I’ll go,” Lu Nong said as she took the bamboo basket from Aunt Wu’s hands.

“Oh, the sun must have risen in the west today. Lu Nong, who usually sleeps until noon, is up so early?” Pei Zheng remarked sarcastically as he adjusted his belt and straps while coming down from the second floor.

Lu Nong smiled lightly. “Xiao Pei, it seems you are ready to accept the important task assigned by the organization today?”

She emphasized the phrase “important task.”

Pei Zheng: “…” He felt the urge to curse but held it back.

He was used to bickering with Lu Nong. The first thing he always did was look for something to argue with her about, completely forgetting the bet he lost yesterday.

Pei Zheng’s expression changed drastically. After a moment of struggle, he finally resigned himself and closed his eyes, choosing not to retort.

“Cough, cough,” Lu Nong took the upper hand, feeling delighted inside. She pretended to be serious and said, “Since Xiao Pei is so enthusiastic, it has been decided by the organization that from today onwards, he will be responsible for buying breakfast. Here, take Grandma Wu’s basket, and remember to get the food that the family enjoys.”

Pei Zheng reluctantly took the basket wrapped in blue floral cloth. Buying breakfast wasn’t a big deal since he woke up early to run every day, but how would it look for a grown man to carry this?

He was about to set the basket down when he had a sudden realization. No, he couldn’t enjoy this blessing alone. They had agreed to share the good things together. Since they all became guards, he couldn’t leave his brothers out.

So, Pei Zheng left the house, carrying the basket.

Watching him leave, Lu Nong laughed out loud. She had to admit that the combination of Pei Zheng and the small floral pattern was a bit odd.

“I’m going out for a walk,” she said, tossing her braid over her shoulder. It was rare for her to wake up early. She felt it would be a shame not to breathe in some fresh air.

After walking a couple of steps, she heard Aunt Wu say, “Nong Nong, is it really appropriate to have Pei Zheng do these things? After all, you’re not his real mother.”

It was often said that being a stepmother was difficult. Aunt Wu was a bit worried that Pei Zheng might hold a grudge and that others might misunderstand Lu Nong.

Lu Nong paused, pondering whether she had gone too far.

From yesterday until now, she had made Pei Zheng wash diapers and dirty socks, clean the toilet, tend to the garden, and help Aunt Wu with chores like cooking and washing vegetables.

It was a bit excessive, but… she was having so much fun, hahahaha.

“It’s fine,” Lu Nong reassured Aunt Wu. “Pei Zheng isn’t a petty person. He lost a bet with me yesterday and agreed to be my guard for a month. I’m just asking him to do some minor tasks.”

Aunt Wu sighed. “Minor tasks? You expect him to clean the toilet? It seems like you just want to make things difficult for him.”

Well, Lu Nong decided not to resist any longer. She honestly admitted, “Yes, I do want to make things difficult for him.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Pei Ji’an came down from upstairs, seemingly having overheard everything.

Lu Nong: “…”

Aunt Wu: “…”

Oh no, what should she do now that Pei Ji’an heard her openly admit that she wanted to make things difficult for his son? Would he think she was a wicked stepmother? How could she explain and salvage her image?

Lu Nong looked at Pei Ji’an and awkwardly said, “I was just joking with Pei Zheng. Chief, please don’t misunderstand.”

Pei Ji’an replied, “I know.”

He walked towards the door, wearing his military jacket. If buttoned up tightly, he appeared as a disciplined male god. However, when relaxed, he exuded a calm and gentle aura.

Being mindful of his injury, he walked slowly past Lu Nong. When he noticed she hadn’t followed, he turned back and asked, “Aren’t you going for a walk?”

Lu Nong: ??

… In the end, she followed Pei Ji’an out the door.

Well, she felt fine, at most not knowing how to position her limbs properly and walking awkwardly.

Ah! Lu Nong silently screamed internally, feeling as if she had been caught off guard in front of Pei Ji’an, especially after the flag-raising incident last night. How was Pei Ji’an able to remain so composed as if nothing had happened?

Lu Nong thought to herself, If Pei Ji’an can stay calm, then I can too!

She took a few deep breaths. It seemed to help.

Accidentally glancing at Pei Ji’an’s pants, she thought they looked so big—who could possibly handle that?

Oh no! She had lost her composure again.

To divert her attention, Lu Nong cleared her throat and occasionally glanced at Pei Ji’an. “Chief, why do you believe that what I just said about joking with Pei Zheng is true?”

As soon as she asked, Lu Nong regretted it. What kind of foolish question was that? Pei Ji’an already believed her, why remind him of such a sensitive topic?

However, she was genuinely curious. Did Pei Ji’an trust her character so easily? Or was it that she had a kind face, making it natural for others to trust her?

Before long, Pei Ji’an shattered Lu Nong’s fantasy by stating the facts: “Pei Zheng told me about your bet last night.”

He had observed her interactions with Pei Zheng all along, so how could there be any misunderstanding?

Lu Nong felt disappointed. It wasn’t because of her charm. She dryly replied, “Oh, I see.”

The summer mornings were the freshest part of the day. The sun had yet to fully rise, and a gentle breeze brushed against her face. The chirping of insects and the calls of birds filled the air, and the environment remained untainted by industrial pollution. Instead, there were only the fragrant scents of grass and the wafts of smoke from the chimneys of nearby homes.

Lu Nong was quickly drawn to this clean, homey atmosphere. As they passed each house, she could even smell what each one was cooking for breakfast.

The two strolled leisurely, without hurry or anxiety. Just a turn of her head allowed her to see Pei Ji’an’s tall figure, making Lu Nong feel a sense of tranquility. It was as if, in this slow-paced era, she could truly grow old alongside the person beside her.

But it was just an illusion… How strange that she felt the need to say “but it’s a pity.”

It wasn’t until they saw Pei Zheng, Zhang Kaiping, and Jiang Yu standing at the entrance of the Shen family home that the moment broke. Pei Zheng was tossing small stones at a window of the Shen residence, while Aunt Wu’s small flower basket was slung over Zhang Kaiping’s arm.

After a moment, Shen Jiming opened the window and saw Pei Zheng and the others standing below. Zhang Kaiping raised the basket in his hand and called out, “Mingzi, come down to work! Sister Lu Nong’s new instruction—buy breakfast.”

Lu Nong: “…” Poor little brother, he even learned to fake the imperial edict.

Shen Jiming quickly came out of the house. The four of them exchanged a few hushed words before turning their backs to Lu Nong and Pei Ji’an and walking away.

Throughout this, the four had never noticed Lu Nong and Pei Ji’an hiding around the corner.

After witnessing Pei Zheng’s trickery, Pei Ji’an seemed to ignore his son and continued their walk. After spending this time together without Pei Ji’an putting her in a difficult position, Lu Nong felt emboldened. She looked around with curiosity, completely ignoring Pei Ji’an beside her.

“Xiao Lu? Are you out for a walk with Old Pei?”

A woman’s voice pulled Lu Nong’s attention back. She glanced over and saw Sister Qin, Zhang Kaiping’s mother. Lu Nong had a good relationship with Sister Qin and had recently started addressing her affectionately as “Sister Qin” instead of the more formal “sister-in-law.”

“Sister Qin, are you out for a walk too?” Lu Nong greeted her with a smile.

Sister Qin held up a fried dough stick and soy milk. “Not really! I have so much to do at home. I don’t have time to walk. I don’t know where Kaiping ran off to early this morning, so I had to go out and buy breakfast. I just got back.”

Lu Nong felt embarrassed. That naughty Pei Zheng had distracted Zhang Kaiping, leaving Sister Qin to manage her home alone.

“That outfit looks really nice on you,” Sister Qin admired, looking at Lu Nong’s slender waist. She glanced down at her own thicker waist, feeling envious. “And your hair looks lovely! How come you’re so skilled with your hands?”

She was beautiful, easygoing, fashionable, and talented. No wonder Old Pei was so eager to marry her. If she were a man, she would want a wife like that too.

Before Lu Nong could respond, Sister Qin stole another glance at Pei Ji’an and, feeling a bit shy, asked, “Old Pei, I heard from my husband that you were injured. Is it serious?”

Pei Ji’an repeated the same line he had used yesterday, casually saying, “Sister-in-law, don’t worry. It’s just a scrape.”

At first, Sister Qin had seemed quite reserved in front of Pei Ji’an, but upon hearing his words, her demeanor shifted. She said somewhat resentfully, “I didn’t know you soldiers were like that. You always say blood and sweat, but never tears. Still, you use that line in front of us military families? That’s too hurtful for those of us who care about you. Don’t you think so, Xiao Lu?”

With that, Sister Qin turned to Lu Nong for agreement.

Lu Nong could only awkwardly nod, and Pei Ji’an, for once, showed a hint of being schooled. Sister Qin finally relaxed her expression, but after a moment of contemplation, she hesitated before looking at Pei Ji’an. Then she seemed to make up her mind and said, “…Sister-in-law wants to discuss something with Xiao Lu. Old Pei, you don’t mind, do you?”

Pei Ji’an stepped aside to indicate that Sister Qin should go ahead.

Sister Qin pulled Lu Nong closer, glancing at Pei Ji’an to ensure he wasn’t paying attention. In a conspiratorial tone, she said to Lu Nong, “Xiao Lu, don’t blame me for being nosy. I heard from Zhang Kaiping that your Old Pei has started drinking nourishing soup already? Is it that his injury is not in the right place? I have a few remedies. I could send them to you tomorrow.”

Lu Nong: “…”

She looked at Pei Ji’an, who seemed to have a fleeting expression of displeasure. She wondered if he could hear their conversation. But when she looked closely, Pei Ji’an’s expression returned to normal, as if the previous moment had been her imagination.

Lu Nong averted her gaze and struggled to explain to Sister Qin, “Sister, it’s not necessary. He… isn’t injured there. I’m the one drinking the nourishing soup because my health isn’t good. He’s just drinking a bit on the side.”

Sister Qin frowned, feeling skeptical of Lu Nong’s words. Zhang Kaiping hadn’t said anything like that last night. The huge bowl of turtle soup had been exclusively for Pei Ji’an, which was certainly not for replenishing a man in that area. Then Sister Qin considered that maybe the young bride was too shy to discuss such matters.

“Okay, you drink, and he drinks with you. I believe it, okay?”

Lu Nong: “…” You don’t look like you believe it.

Sister Qin didn’t press further, thinking there would come a time when Lu Nong would ask her for remedies. Instead, she changed the subject, “Xiao Lu, it’s been a few days since you married in. A few days ago, I wanted to discuss something with you.”

“Please go ahead, Sister,” Lu Nong said, ready to listen.

Sister Qin continued, patting Lu Nong’s hand, There aren’t many people in our compound, and the family members get together every once in a while to talk and chat. I know you gave out wedding candy to those close to you a few days ago, but that’s not very formal. Since there’s a gathering this week, I can introduce you around. How does that sound?”

This was a kind offer, and it sounded like a good way to socialize. Having someone guide her into this circle was better than being awkwardly excluded. Lu Nong, even if she were a bit foolish, couldn’t refuse. She smiled gratefully and said, “Thank you so much, Sister.”

Sister Qin nodded in satisfaction, knowing that Lu Nong understood her intentions. Talking to smart people is always straightforward.

“I’ll head home first. The little ones are waiting for their food. You two can enjoy your walk,” she said before greeting Pei Ji’an and leaving decisively.

After Sister Qin walked away, Lu Nong shared with Pei Ji’an what Sister Qin had said about bringing her into the circle of military wives. “…What do you think?”

She felt it was important to ask for Pei Ji’an’s opinion to see if he had any concerns.

Pei Ji’an listened quietly and casually replied, “Go ahead. If you feel comfortable, consider it making some friends. If not, there’s no need to force it.”

Lu Nong turned his head to look at him. On the surface, these words didn’t sound like anything, but if you think about it carefully, you can hear the Pei Ji’an-like pride in them. The general meaning is: I don’t need you to be cautious with anyone.

The so-called wife diplomacy involves fostering connections among the wives, which can help strengthen their husbands’ relationships, even if it doesn’t directly bring benefits.

However, Pei Ji’an didn’t seem to care about any of this. It suggested that he had no interest in advancing through such means. After all, it had been over a decade since he had a wife, he had always relied on himself.

Lu Nong found this side of Pei Ji’an quite attractive, more so than his appearance alone.