Chapter 63

“No problem, no problem.”

Uncle Mao grinned sheepishly, very grateful to Tang Wan for bringing him such a big order.

Just as the atmosphere was good, a sarcastic voice cut in.

“Oh my, you’re getting so many cabinets. That’s too extravagant. That’s hedonism. It’s not right.”

Qiu Dazhao’s voice was particularly annoying. The cheerful atmosphere was instantly ruined.

Someone immediately echoed Qiu Dazhao. “Yes, yes. My husband said we should save money. We’re poor.”

“We can’t learn this lifestyle. Why buy cabinets? Just put things anywhere in the house.”

“Look at her, she’s even riding a bicycle. Lu Fuduan’s allowance will be gone soon.”

“…”

It was just a few cabinets. Not everyone thought this way, but some people didn’t dare to offend Qiu Dazhao.

“This five-drawer chest of drawers is made of the simplest wood from the mountains. There’s no fancy design. It’s just for simple storage.”

Tang Wan calmly said to the flustered Uncle Mao. “Uncle Mao, many people in your brigade use these cabinets, right?”

“Yes.”

Uncle Mao scratched his head sheepishly. “Not only the villagers in our brigade, but even the young intellectuals who have been sent down to the countryside use them.

They’re not anything special. It’s just that I make them sturdy and durable.”

Uncle Mao didn’t know that Qiu Dazhao was the director’s mother. He just told the truth.

“Did you hear that?”

Zhang Hongyan crossed her arms. “Everyone uses them. Why can’t we use them?”

Then she said to Uncle Mao, “Brother Mao, I also want a wardrobe and a five-drawer chest of drawers like this.

I don’t have a place to put my bowls and chopsticks without a chest of drawers. My child is mischievous. I’m afraid he’ll dirty the bowls and chopsticks.”

She was very assertive, as if she was saying, go ahead and report me if you dare.

They weren’t afraid.

Qiu Dazhao was speechless. She saw Tang Wan and Zhang Hongyan laughing together. She was furious.

“You’re always dressed up like a vixen. I wonder who you’re trying to seduce!”

These words made everyone stiffen. Their eyes fell on Tang Wan.

She was beautiful. Even in a very ordinary checkered dress and dark green pants, she looked pretty and lively.

After Lu Huaijing’s care last night, Tang Wan’s face was flushed. Her big eyes were full of light. She was indeed so beautiful that people couldn’t take their eyes off her.

But she wasn’t the kind of vixen that Qiu Dazhao described. She was pure and radiant.

“Aunt Xu, you can’t talk nonsense.”

Lu Huaijing, who had heard the commotion from inside the house, walked out. He didn’t usually interfere in women’s matters.

But he couldn’t stand for his wife to be insulted.

“My wife is naturally beautiful. She can’t be ashamed of her beauty because others are jealous. She can’t just smear mud on her face, can she?”

The man’s expression was serious. His words made everyone laugh. Qiu Dazhao’s face turned red.

“Pfft…”

Zhang Hongyan couldn’t help but laugh. She said to the beautiful Tang Wan,

“Your Lu Fuduan is a good husband who protects his wife. Unlike my Lao Wang. He’s a block of wood.”

“Sister-in-law.”

Tang Wan blushed. She glanced at Lu Huaijing, who was frowning, and said with a playful scolding,

“Why are you telling the truth?”

“You’re naturally beautiful.”

Lu Huaijing’s heart felt sweet when he saw her eyes. His wife was the best.

Seeing them flirting in broad daylight, Qiu Dazhao spat. “Shameless!”

“Aunt Xu!”

Lu Huaijing was really angry. His eyes were sharp. “My wife and I are legally married.

Who says that husbands and wives can’t look at each other in public?”

Lu Huaijing, who had become a deputy director at a young age, had been on the battlefield and killed people.

His usual restrained aura was released. Not only Qiu Dazhao, but also the few military wives present were startled.

“I…”

Qiu Dazhao didn’t dare to look at Lu Huaijing. Just then, Xia Qing appeared with Xu Qiao.

“Mom, Heping and Weimin are saying they’re hungry. Go back and make them some food.”

“Oh, okay.”

Qiu Dazhao, who often went against Xia Qing, ran away quickly this time, afraid that Lu Huaijing would get angry.

The other military wives who were watching the show also said awkwardly, “I still have food warming up at home. I can’t let it get cold.”

“I have a cabinet at home, so I won’t buy one.”

“…”

Everyone ran away quickly. Zhang Hongyan rolled her eyes angrily.

“They’re all bullies.”

Perhaps because Tang Wan had helped her on the train, she liked Tang Wan very much and naturally stood by her side.

“I’m sorry. My Lao Xu’s mother is a cheapskate.

She also can’t stand to see others doing well. She always picks on you. I’ll talk to Lao Xu about it later.”

Xia Qing clearly had a good education and a good personality. Tang Wan thought that she and Director Xu didn’t seem like they were from the same world.

She shook her head. “Sister-in-law, it’s because she doesn’t like me. It has nothing to do with you.”

“If I wasn’t pregnant, Lao Xu wouldn’t have asked her to come over and help with the children.”

Xia Qing sighed. Fortunately, Qiaoqiao was a good child. Whenever her mother-in-law caused trouble, she would come to her.

“With your mother-in-law’s personality, you have to protect your baby in your belly.”

Zhang Hongyan was straightforward. Considering how much Qiu Dazhao cared about her two grandsons, she would definitely favor them in the future.

“Thank you for reminding me, Sister-in-law.”

Xia Qing smiled at them and then took Xu Qiao away. Zhang Hongyan couldn’t help but shake her head.

“Such a good woman. Why did she marry a man who is so much older than her and has three children from a previous marriage?”

“Maybe she has her reasons.”

Tang Wan didn’t want to pry into Xia Qing’s private life. Zhang Hongyan gave the money to Uncle Mao and then hurried home to cook for her children.

Uncle Mao made an appointment with Tang Wan for the next delivery. Tang Wan also ordered a wooden bucket.

She liked to soak in the bath. She could secretly take it to her space to use at night.

Everyone in the yard had left. Tang Wan looked at Zhang Hongyan’s house and quietly asked Lu Huaijing.

“Why didn’t you invite Political Commissar Wang to dinner yesterday?”

“He went to a meeting these past two days. He wasn’t in the army.”

Lu Huaijing closed the courtyard door. They went to the kitchen together. The five-drawer chest of drawers was quite large. It could fit all the bottles and jars in the kitchen.

They could even lock their food in the cabinet.

Perhaps because of their intimate exchange last night, Lu Huaijing looked at Tang Wan with even more tenderness.

This made Tang Zhou, who was tending the fire, feel a strange atmosphere.

“Can we have noodles for dinner?”

Tang Wan naturally rolled up her sleeves and took out the dough that had risen in the basin. She had mixed it before she went to Mao Zhuang Brigade.

“Sure.”

Lu Huaijing grinned. “I’ll go get some ginger, scallions, and garlic.”

He quickly disappeared from the kitchen. Every household in the family compound had planted ginger, scallions, and garlic in their own plots of land.

But Tang Wan wasn’t familiar with everyone, so she had never asked anyone for them.

When Lu Huaijing came back with the ginger, scallions, and garlic, Tang Wan had already fried a few eggs.

Lu Huaijing knowingly chopped the ginger, scallions, and garlic. Tang Wan put the noodles in the pot. Soon, three simple bowls of egg noodles were ready.

Although it was simple, it was very fragrant. It looked and smelled delicious. Lu Huaijing couldn’t help but feel hungry when he saw it.