Chapter 20: Little Wolf Cub Is Definitely a Sis-Con!

After a brief interruption, Zhou Chongshan quickly left.

The military unit was short on personnel, and as the regiment commander, many things depended on him.

That afternoon.

Jiang Rou and the two children had boxed meals from the military unit’s canteen. The delivery person was Song Yan.

Perhaps Zhou Chongshan’s words had some effect.

Zhou Xiaochuan no longer glared at Jiang Rou with that fierce, wary look.

But he also didn’t show any intention of getting close.

There seemed to be an invisible boundary between them, like the Chu-Han boundary.

An eerie balance had been reached.

The unpredictable factor that could break this balance was Zhou Xiaohua.

Zhou Xiaohua had taken a comfortable hot shower, applied soap, and changed into freshly laundered clothes.

She was no longer a dirty little coal ball.

Now, she was a soft, white, and fragrant little bundle.

Jiang Rou, as she had previously promised, gave Zhou Xiaohua her red headband.

Zhou Xiaohua’s hair was short, so it couldn’t be tied into braids.

Jiang Rou tied two cute little puffs at the top of her head, then cut the red headband in half.

(On the little puffs, she tied two small bows.)

Zhou Xiaohua absolutely loved her little puffs. From time to time, she would reach up to touch them and then gaze at her reflection in the window for a long time.

She tilted her head to the left, then to the right.

She gently swayed the little puffs and the red bows.

Once they had finished eating.

Zhou Xiaohua circled around Zhou Xiaochuan non-stop, forcing him to look at her little puffs and bows.

Even though she couldn’t speak, her sparkling eyes and bright smile made it clear how happy she was.

This was the first time someone had tied such beautiful little braids for her~

Simply looking wasn’t enough. Zhou Xiaohua took Zhou Xiaochuan’s hand and guided it to touch her puffs and the bows.

Her large, glistening eyes fixed on Zhou Xiaochuan.

It seemed like she was silently saying: “Brother! Aren’t my little puffs beautiful? Please compliment me!”

Zhou Xiaochuan could certainly understand Zhou Xiaohua’s unspoken thoughts, but since the little puffs were tied by Jiang Rou, and he didn’t like Jiang Rou, he didn’t want to admit it.

But…

Zhou Xiaohua didn’t give up. She just smiled, waiting.

Jiang Rou, on the side, rested her chin in her hand, watching the interaction between the two children, wondering if the little wolf cub would relent.

The young boy’s expression was quite complicated and awkward.

He pursed his lips for a long time before finally speaking.

“They’re pretty. Our little Hua is the prettiest. No matter what she looks like, she’s always the prettiest.”

Zhou Xiaochuan gently patted the little girl’s head, offering a sincere compliment.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xiaohua’s smile grew even sweeter.

Jiang Rou, listening in, could also hear the implied meaning in Zhou Xiaochuan’s words.

It was Zhou Xiaohua who was pretty, not the little puffs Jiang Rou had tied.

This little wolf cub really knew how to make the distinction clear.

However, Jiang Rou also discovered the little wolf cub’s weakness—that was, he was a sis-con!

If she wanted to win over the little wolf cub, she would still have to focus on Zhou Xiaohua.

…

By the afternoon.

Once the busiest part of the day had passed, the other wives in the compound finally had some free time.

They began visiting Jiang Rou’s house one after another.

This time, they weren’t there to cause trouble, but to apologize.

The first to arrive was Zhao Guifen (the wife of Regiment Commander Zhao Guosheng).

Zhao Guifen was from the northeast, with a direct and bold personality.

Sometimes, when she and her husband Zhao Guosheng argued, she was never the one to back down.

When she found out Jiang Rou was the daughter of a capitalist family, she had rushed over in a hurry.

Now that she knew it had all been a misunderstanding, she was straightforward in her apology.

“Rou girl, I’m really sorry! What happened this morning was our fault. We listened to those ridiculous rumors from who knows where, and ended up doing something so foolish! I’m sorry, please don’t take it to heart. From now on, we’re all in the same compound, so we should still interact and talk. If you’d like, you can even think of me as your Big Sister.”

Jiang Rou didn’t hold a grudge and casually called out: “Guifen Jie.”

The two of them seemed to get along well.

Zhao Guifen had come to apologize, and she hadn’t come empty-handed.

She brought some cornmeal and some homemade pickled vegetables.

“Rou girl, you’re new here, and Regiment Commander Zhou is still a bachelor. He probably doesn’t know how to manage household affairs. Take these as a little welcome gift from me. If you need anything else, come over to my place next door. Our houses are right next to each other.”

“Thank you, Sister. We’re short of everything at home, so I’ll accept it without hesitation.”

Jiang Rou didn’t refuse and accepted the items.

After all, the house was truly bare, and they were in need of these things.

Next time, when she had the opportunity, she would return the favor.

Seeing that Jiang Rou didn’t decline and spoke so openly, Zhao Guifen grew even more fond of the girl who seemed delicate yet spirited.

The two exchanged a few more words, and then Zhao Guifen left.

As soon as Zhao Guifen left, others started arriving.

The other wives also came to apologize, and each of them brought a fair amount of things.

Some brought flour, some brought soy sauce, and others brought pots, bowls, and utensils.

Though these items didn’t seem like much in value, they were essential daily necessities, exactly what Jiang Rou needed right now.

Moreover, on the island, supplies were already scarce, so for the wives to give these items meant they had been squeezed out from their own limited resources.

Jiang Rou felt a warm sensation in her heart.

In her past life, the society she lived in, with the advancement of the internet and technology, had made communication and interaction between people increasingly cold and distant.

It seemed as if everyone had forgotten how to interact with the people around them.

But now, in this era that was once considered backward and barren, she was feeling a solid warmth.

Although everyone came from all corners of the country, and they hadn’t known or understood each other before, the bond of living in the same large courtyard brought everyone together.

It was like a selfless, big family, where people simply and naturally treated each other well.

Even if it was just making a little extra dish today, it would be set aside in a bowl and sent next door to the neighbors.

It was very ordinary, yet very special.

Jiang Rou had started to genuinely like it here.

…

Among these sisters-in-law, the last to arrive was Lin Yulan.

Jiang Rou had an impression of her because Lin Yulan had spoken an important sentence in the morning.

However, she did not know Lin Yulan’s name.

Lin Yulan was different from the other sisters-in-law, who came from farming families. She was originally from a big courtyard family.

Her father was an army officer, her mother was a military doctor, and the whole family was from a military background.

Lin Yulan had attended school and graduated from middle school. She had originally planned to join the army as well.

However, she had been in poor health since she was a child, often getting sick and never able to get better despite being cared for. She was truly unsuitable to join the military.

Her parents, unable to do anything about it, had no choice but to reluctantly give up on this idea.

Since their daughter couldn’t join the army, they decided to find a son-in-law who was a soldier.

Lin Yulan’s husband was Battalion Commander Liang Guangming.

Like Lin Yulan, Liang Guangming was also from a military family, truly a big courtyard family.

But at the same time, he was someone who had been on the battlefield, had been shot, and had bled. He was a man of strong character, a soldier through and through.

Liang Guangming and Zhou Chongshan were originally from the same army.

So, when they were reassigned to guard the island, the two of them had come together.

The living conditions on the island were poor, and sometimes they had to face harsh weather. Liang Guangming had originally not wanted Lin Yulan to accompany him.

He had hoped she would stay with her family, where she would be taken care of and could focus on her health.

However, it wouldn’t sound good if the wife of a battalion commander didn’t accompany her husband due to fear of hardship, so this was not something he could let happen.

In the end, Lin Yulan had insisted on coming with him, requesting to accompany him despite the challenges.

After arriving on the island, the food and supplies were indeed not as good as in the city, but the climate was warm, and there was plenty of sunlight. Lin Yulan’s health had improved somewhat, and she no longer fell ill as often.

It could be considered a blessing in disguise.

Because of these experiences, Lin Yulan appeared more gentle than most of the other sisters-in-law. She had the delicate, fragile beauty of someone who had been sickly.

After entering the house, she did not immediately apologize, but instead introduced herself.

“Rou, my name is Lin Yulan. My husband is Battalion Commander Liang Guangming, and he and your family’s Regiment Commander Zhou have been old comrades for many years.”

Jiang Rou had been smiling warmly and greeting her.

However, when she heard the name “Lin Yulan.” her expression froze for a moment, and she felt a sudden wave of anxiety.

This could be considered Jiang Rou’s first time feeling this nervous since her arrival…