In the 1960s, there was no such thing as instant noodles. However, the military did provide compressed biscuits and rations that could be eaten directly. As for the taste—well, having food at all was already a blessing.

“This is something from the military,” Luo Cheng explained to Qin Lan. “You can boil it or eat it raw. Try it—you’ll see.”

Luo Cheng found the people of this era quite amusing, especially their restraint when it came to food. Even as he ate, he felt self-conscious, worried that dropping crumbs would earn him a disapproving look from Qin Lan. Her pained expression at the sight of wasted food made him feel downright guilty.

Unable to resist the tempting smell, Qin Lan finally took a tiny bite of the instant noodles. She chewed slowly, savoring the taste.

So fragrant, so delicious! Is this what fine grains taste like? I haven’t had anything like this in ages!
She couldn’t help taking another small bite but then stopped, too aware of how precious it was to eat such food.

“Brother Luo Cheng,” Qin Lan asked curiously, “what are these little packets in the box?”

After a brief rest, Luo Cheng regained some energy. Hearing her question, he glanced at the seasoning packets in the noodle cup.

“Those are the seasoning packets. When you cook the noodles, you add these in. One has dried vegetables and beef bits, another has chili oil, and the third contains a mix of salt and MSG. I’m not sure of the exact ingredients, but if you put all three in, it tastes amazing.”

As they resumed their journey, Luo Cheng explained while Qin Lan listened in awe. To her, food with beef and oil was unimaginably luxurious. She began planning how she could discreetly return the half-pack of noodles to him later.

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The two walked several kilometers until Luo Cheng finally arrived at his home. He felt really tired, but Qin Lan seemed fine, not even sweating. Luo Cheng could only pretend not to be tired, so as not to let the little girl look down on him. After all, he was a retired soldier and couldn’t afford to look useless.

The home was a simple two-room mud-brick house with a thatched roof, which Luo Cheng realized was relatively good for this area. At least it had tiles on the roof, unlike the neighboring wooden shacks that were in even worse shape.

Still, standing in front of the house, Luo Cheng couldn’t help but feel stunned. Back in his previous life, his parents had worked hard to buy a three-bedroom apartment with a living room, though it was on a mortgage. As an only child, Luo Cheng had been certain it would eventually become his.

Now, that modern apartment had been replaced with two shabby mud-brick rooms, a well nearby, and no visible sign of electricity. Luo Cheng couldn’t deny it—this was a harsh reality.

His last glimmer of hope that this wasn’t his real home disappeared when a woman emerged from the house: his mother, Zhang Ling.

This was indeed his mother, but she looked drastically different. In the previous life, she was plump and in her 50s. Here, she was frail and thin. Even though people in this era often looked older, her youthful features suggested she wasn’t even close to 50.

“Mom, I’m back,” Luo Cheng said hesitantly.

“Cheng… Chengzi! Am I seeing things? My son is really home!” Zhang Ling’s voice was full of emotion, but Luo Cheng couldn’t share her excitement.

In his past life, he’d visited his mom every week and regularly video-called her, so he’d never experienced such intense longing. Here, however, he was playing the role of a soldier who hadn’t seen his family for years.

Before Luo Cheng could comfort her, Zhang Ling suddenly shouted:
“Xiaoyu! Bingzi! Shishi! Come out! Your brother is back!”

The names she called out left Luo Cheng completely dumbfounded.

From another room, two little girls came running out. They clung to Luo Cheng, calling him “Big Brother” and looking at him with admiration. His mother explained that his brothers, Luo Bing (“Bingzi”), was out playing somewhere.

Luo Cheng was speechless. He was an only child in his previous life—where did these siblings come from? And how could this tiny two-room house accommodate his parents, himself, and three siblings?

Before he could ask, Zhang Ling turned to the younger girl, Xiaoyu.

“Xiaoyu, go call your grandma. Tell her her eldest grandson is back.”

Grandma? In Luo Cheng’s previous life, his grandmother lived in the countryside, having refused to move to the city despite the family’s efforts. She was well-cared for by his uncles and aunts, who took turns visiting her.

Now, however, Zhang Ling’s words threw him into deeper confusion. When his “new” sister brought their grandmother out, Luo Cheng felt his heart drop.

His grandmother looked younger than he remembered, but she was frail and wobbly, needing to hold onto something to walk. In his past life, she had been robust despite her age and adored Luo Cheng as he was her only grandson. Here, seeing her so weak, Luo Cheng felt an overwhelming sense of worry.

The family noticed Qin Lan, and Zhang Ling quickly pulled Luo Cheng aside to ask about her. Upon learning that Qin Lan was merely someone Luo Cheng was escorting home, Zhang Ling’s attitude relaxed.

Though Zhang Ling was warm and welcoming, food was a different matter. Resources were scarce, and everyone was hungry. Offering a drink of water to a guest was acceptable, but sharing food was out of the question. If Qin Lan had been someone important to Luo Cheng, Zhang Ling might have sacrificed a precious egg to make a gesture of hospitality. But since that wasn’t the case, a simple cup of water sufficed.

Zhang Ling quickly snapped at her daughters for not helping their brother.
“You two lazy girls! Help your brother with his things. Get the inside room ready for him to sleep, and you two take the outer room. Hurry!”

The younger sisters, Xiaoyu and Shishi, scrambled to take Luo Cheng’s belongings inside. They had been pestering him with questions about his time in the military, but Zhang Ling’s sharp tone silenced them.

While Luo Cheng watched his siblings scurry about, he couldn’t shake his concern for his grandmother. His mother might have been thinner, but at least she was lively. His grandmother, however, looked weak and unwell, leaving him deeply uneasy.

Still, he had a promise to fulfill. Since he had agreed to escort Qin Lan home, Luo Cheng decided to see it through before diving into the complexities of his newfound family situation.

Meanwhile, Qin Lan, noticing the modest state of Luo Cheng’s home, felt even more awkward about accepting the half-pack of noodles he had shared.