Most of the buildings in the military compound in the western part of the city were single-story houses with red bricks and blue tiles. Along the narrow paths beside the houses, neatly planted trees lined both sides.

Now, in the height of summer, the trees were lush and full, adding vitality and life to the compound.

Because of the heat, there weren’t many pedestrians on the roads. Most of the people walking by were soldiers in uniform, moving with urgency. Occasionally, a few plainly dressed military wives and children could be seen.

At this moment, a group of children who had been playing and chasing each other under the shade of a tree suddenly stopped. They looked at each other and then followed the delicious aroma of food in the air, tracing it all the way to its source—Lin’s house.

A few little gluttons, enticed by the smell, poked their round heads toward the direction of the Lin family’s kitchen, taking deep sniffs of the meaty fragrance to satisfy their cravings.

Lin Yaowen, carrying luggage in both hands, strode ahead with large steps.

He loudly called out toward the Lin residence, “Mom, come out quickly! Your precious niece is here!”

The Lin family lived in one of the few two-story red-brick houses in the compound, situated next to the courtyard wall.

Bai Huifang was busy in the kitchen when she heard the commotion. She quickly put down what she was doing and rushed to open the door to welcome them.

The children lurking near the windows were startled by the sudden sound of the door opening and scattered in all directions.

Seeing this, she shook her head with a smile before hurrying out to greet Xiuzhu.

The afternoon sun cast its golden light on the ground as a beautiful figure gracefully walked into view. She seemed like an ethereal fairy descending from the heavens, carrying a fresh and elegant aura.

“Auntie, I missed you so much! Did you miss me?” Xiuzhu’s sweet voice was filled with joy and a playful tone.

As soon as she finished speaking, she swiftly ran forward and nestled into her aunt’s embrace, the hem of her dress swaying gently with her movements.

Looking at her niece’s delicate face—far more stunning than the cover girls on fashion magazines—Bai Huifang’s heart was filled with even more affection.

She had always been very close with her sister-in-law. Back when the country was newly established, life was difficult, and her sister-in-law had helped her family a lot.

Naturally, she cherished her younger brother and his wife’s only child dearly.

Hurriedly, she pulled a soft handkerchief from her pocket and gently wiped the sweat from Xiuzhu’s forehead.

Her voice was filled with concern. “Auntie thinks about you every day. Be good, don’t run next time. Look at all this sweat.”

“And you have such delicate skin—if you fall, it would hurt so much.”

Xiuzhu clung to her aunt’s arm, acting coquettishly. “Okay, I just missed you so much that I couldn’t help it.”

Hearing this, Bai Huifang dotingly tapped the tip of Xiuzhu’s nose.

Lin Yaowen, watching from the side, dramatically rolled his eyes. “How long are you two going to cling to each other? Isn’t it hot? Be careful, or you’ll get heat rashes.”

Bai Huifang smacked her son lightly and scolded with a laugh, “You’re always running your mouth. Xiuzhu, A-Li, let’s go inside and ignore him.”

The three of them, perfectly coordinated, completely disregarded him as they opened the door and entered the house.

The dining table in the living room was covered with steaming dishes, their tantalizing aroma still escaping despite the lids placed over them.

Xiuzhu’s mouth watered as she looked at the meal her aunt had carefully prepared for her.

But in the end, she held back, deciding to take a bath first before properly enjoying the feast.

Although Lin Yaowen grumbled, he was still quick and efficient in preparing the bathwater for her.

“Hurry up and wash up,” he urged. “If you take too long, I’ll eat all the meat dishes before you come out.”

Xiuzhu shot him a glare, not bothering to respond. Now that the water was ready, he had no further use to her. She promptly shoved him out of the washroom with force.

Bang! The door shut with a loud noise, carefully locked.

Sitting in the newly prepared bathtub, the warm water glided over her skin like silk, instantly washing away the exhaustion and dust of the past two days.

She carefully picked up the rose-scented soap that her father had asked a comrade to buy from Hong Kong and gently lathered it onto her skin.

The fragrance instantly filled the entire bathroom, as if even the sweltering summer air had become particularly fresh and pleasant.

Worried that her aunt and the others had been waiting too long, she hastily wiped herself down, stepped out of the bathtub, and picked up the clothes she had prepared in advance.

Her outfit consisted of a white chiffon short-sleeved blouse with a Peter Pan collar, paired with a light blue over-the-knee skirt. On her feet were white leather sandals.

Her hair was neatly tied into two braids, but instead of the usual tight plaits, they were slightly looser and more voluminous.

As Xiuzhu slowly walked into the living room, her skin, still flushed from the steam, appeared even more delicate and radiant.

Xiuli was momentarily speechless at the sight. Wow. Even as a woman, she felt like she was about to start drooling.

She sighed dramatically, “I really don’t know which man will be lucky enough to marry my fairy-like little sister.”

Beside her, Lin Yaowen was busy staring at the roast duck, already salivating.

Hearing her words, he was immediately displeased. Why was everyone in this house talking about getting married? He scoffed, “No one will ever be as lucky as Tao Jian to marry you.”

Lin Xiuli was so annoyed by her brother’s teasing that she lunged at him and twisted his ear.

“Ah! Sis, let go! I was wrong!” Lin Yaowen howled in pain.

Xiuzhu, sitting at the dining table, rested her delicate face on her fair hands, watching the commotion with great amusement.

Seeing that Xiuzhu had finished freshening up, Aunt Lin went into the kitchen and brought out the bowls and chopsticks. “Come eat! Hurry up, today’s meal is a feast!”

The siblings immediately stopped their antics and obediently sat down at the table.

The table was filled with a variety of steaming hot dishes, each emitting an irresistible aroma.

Lin Yaowen was the first to pick up his chopsticks, grabbing a piece of the long-awaited roast duck and stuffing it into his mouth.

Closing his eyes dramatically, he savored the taste, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. “Ah, nothing beats roast duck from a state-owned restaurant!”

Meanwhile, Aunt Lin was busy serving sweet soup to Xiuzhu. The porcelain spoon clinked softly against the edge of the bowl as she scooped.

As she ladled the soup, she sternly reminded, “That duck leg is for Xiuzhu. You can eat the other parts.”

Xiuzhu, quick as lightning, snatched the duck leg and took a big bite right in front of Lin Yaowen, who was watching with longing eyes.

Raising an eyebrow smugly, she chewed with satisfaction. Meat always tasted better when fought over.

Lin Yaowen, seeing her mischievous expression, had the urge to pinch her cheeks, but fearing he’d disturb her meal and earn a scolding from their mother, he reluctantly held back.

Aunt Lin had only taken half a day off, and her shift was about to start.

Before leaving in a hurry with her small cloth bag, she instructed them to leave the dishes in the kitchen and wait for her to clean up after work.

The three of them continued eating contentedly. The table was full of Xiuzhu’s favorite dishes, and she made sure to give each one some attention.

But her absolute favorite was the sauerkraut braised pork ribs—she ate two small bowls in a row, stuffing herself until her stomach was round and full.

After the meal, they sat leisurely at the table, sipping sweet soup and chatting about plans for the next day.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

Suddenly, a series of urgent and forceful knocks echoed through the house.

The sound was rough and impatient, instantly ruining the relaxed atmosphere inside.

The three of them frowned in displeasure.