Chapter 40 : The Happiness of Children  

Fang Xiaoluo and Shen Zheng left the Fang family home, taking Shen Haiping with them, and headed straight to the Jiangcheng Embroidery Factory.  

Chen Meijun was pleased to see that Fang Xiaoluo was in good spirits.  

“You really are different now. You may still be the same person, but your state of mind has improved a lot.”  

Fang Xiaoluo reflected on this and thought to herself: never let your emotions cloud your judgment, especially in love.  

She smiled and replied, “Sister Chen, I came to ask if there are any piecework jobs available? I’d like to take a few pieces of embroidery home to work on.”  

Chen Meijun immediately responded, “Of course, if you want them, you can have them. You don’t know how much those two cheongsams you embroidered sold for, they went for a high price! People have even asked if there are more available.”  

Fang Xiaoluo went with Chen Meijun to the storage room to register, taking five cheongsams along with various silk threads.  

On the way back, Fang Xiaoluo said, “Let’s stop by the store to pick up some more things. I want to buy some milk powder and wheat milk for Summer. The kids are still so young, and thier health isn’t great, so they should be drinking milk powder to help her grow.”  

“Haifeng and Haiping are also too skinny. They look malnourished. It’s been less than a month since we took them in, but if this continues, anyone who doesn’t know will think that as their nominal father, you’re treating the kids poorly.”  

Shen Zheng felt that Fang Xiaoluo’s every word and action showed that she was always thinking of him, and his heart felt sweeter than honey.  

“Alright, I’ll do whatever you say,” Shen Zheng said. “But taking five cheongsams to embroider at once seems like a lot of work.”  

Fang Xiaoluo reassured him, “It’s fine, I have a lot of free time now, so I can make a little extra money.”  

Shen Zheng certainly wouldn’t interfere with what Fang Xiaoluo wanted to do. “If it gets too tiring, take a break. Don’t overexert yourself.”  

The two of them bought quite a few things and got into the car.

Not long after, Xu Zhigang drove, accompanied by Zhao Lihong, Xu Yaqiu, and Zhou Yanwen, as they made their way to the military base.  

Zhou Yanwen hadn’t intended to get involved in this matter. He wasn’t keen on standing up for Xu Yaqiu.  

But the thought of possibly seeing Fang Xiaoluo at the military district made him change his mind. He decided to join the group, saying that he could act as a witness.  

Fang Xiaoluo and Shen Zheng, with Shen Haiping in tow, got off the car at Qingshi Town and rode bicycles toward the military compound.  

As they arrived at the entrance and were undergoing a routine check, they heard a familiar voice.  

“Captain Shen, Sister!”  

Fang Xiaoluo turned around and saw Liu Qianru.  

“It’s Qianru, what a coincidence.”  

Liu Qianru walked over. “Sister, you and Captain Shen bought a lot of things, huh?”  

Fang Xiaoluo closed the box of cheongsams that had already been checked. “Mm.”  

Liu Qianru quickly noticed the cheongsams in the box.  

Even though Fang Xiaoluo closed the box quickly, she recognized the fabric and color. Liu Qianru had one just like it, and she could tell immediately.  

That fabric, that color! She couldn’t see the embroidered design in front, but she was sure it came from the same place.  

She had paid a high price for the cheongsam, and it was said to be embroidered by the best embroiderer in Jiangcheng. She had treated it like a treasure and hadn’t worn it much.  

She had only worn it twice, each time receiving compliments.  

Now, Fang Xiaoluo was wearing the same cheongsam that Shen Zheng had bought for her?  

Thinking about this, Liu Qianru felt uncomfortable. She shouldn’t let Fang Xiaoluo have something she herself had.  

If she had known that Shen Zheng was so generous and had saved up so much money, she would never have rejected the arranged marriage.  

Moreover, Shen Zheng was the youngest and most accomplished colonel in the entire military district.  

Liu Qianru couldn’t help but regret, wishing she could turn back time.  

After everything was checked, they entered the gate, and Fang Xiaoluo asked Shen Zheng, “Do you think Liu Qianru is pretty?”

Shen Zheng shook his head. “I didn’t notice.”  

Fang Xiaoluo rolled her eyes. “She was standing right next to you just now, staring at you like she could burn a hole in you. You didn’t notice?”  

Shen Zheng replied, “In my eyes, she’s just a soldier. There are many soldiers in the entire military district.”  

Fang Xiaoluo couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re right.”  

When Fang Xiaoluo and Shen Zheng arrived home, Shen Jinxia heard the sound of bicycles and immediately ran out of the house with her short little legs.  

Zheng Lanhua hobbled out as well. When she saw that Shen Haiping was safe and sound, she let out a sigh of relief.  

Shen Jinxia saw Fang Xiaoluo and her eyes lit up. She smiled brightly and ran over to her.  

“Sister.”  

Fang Xiaoluo squatted down and caught Shen Jinxia in her arms.  

“Sister, I missed you so much.”  

Fang Xiaoluo took out two red hair clips from her pocket and placed them in Shen Jinxia’s two pigtails.  

These hair clips were unique to this era, with their small doll-face design. They were made of plastic, with a silk material around the edge and colorful plastic beads at the bottom.  

When Fang Xiaoluo saw them, she thought they were so cute, so she chose two red ones, thinking they would suit Shen Jinxia perfectly.  

Sure enough, children should wear bright colors, making them look both beautiful and festive.  

Shen Jinxia touched the clips on her head. “What’s this?”  

Fang Xiaoluo pulled Shen Jinxia over to the big wardrobe mirror. “Look, do you like it?”  

Shen Jinxia looked at herself in the mirror and seemed momentarily unrecognizable.  

She reached out, gently touched the two small clips, and her lips involuntarily curved into a smile.  

Which little girl wouldn’t like something like this?  

“Sister, is this for me?”  

Fang Xiaoluo squatted down and hugged her. “Yes, do you think it looks good?”  

Shen Jinxia nodded repeatedly. “It’s beautiful, really pretty.”  

“Thank you, sister.” As she said this, Shen Jinxia gave Fang Xiaoluo a loud kiss on the cheek.  

Fang Xiaoluo felt a strange sensation in her heart.  

She looked at Shen Jinxia in the mirror, watching her twist and turn, playing with the little beads on the hair clips, beaming with happiness.  

She couldn’t help but laugh along with Shen Jinxia.  

Shen Zheng put all the things they had bought into the kitchen. Then, he heard someone calling him from outside. “Captain Shen, are you back?”  

Shen Zheng walked out and asked, “What’s the matter?”  

“Captain Shen, someone’s at the gate complaining. They say you encouraged your son to commit violence and hurt them, and they want the division to give them an explanation. The division commander asked you to go to the gate.”  

Shen Zheng furrowed his brows. “My son committed violence?”  

Fang Xiaoluo also heard the voices and pulled Shen Jinxia outside, asking, “Did they say their name?”  

“They did, it’s Xu Yaqiu.”  

Zheng Lanhua, leaning on her broom, asked, “Xu Yaqiu? Is that the girl the matchmaker recommended?”