Chapter 19 – Yaqing Is a Bit Simple-Minded

Luo Yaqing smiled as she grabbed some salt from the jar and sprinkled it evenly over the diaozi fish.

Then, as she washed a piece of ginger and sliced it into strips, she said, “You’re not scolding me, but praising me instead.”

Qiu Shimin sighed lightly. “Before you got married, I did tell you not to get into conflicts with people in the family compound, but you also can’t just let others bully you. Sometimes, you need to push back appropriately.”

Luo Yaqing understood what she meant and smiled. “Mm, I know.”

After marinating the fish, she started kneading dough, chopping meat for stuffing, and preparing dumplings.

With both of them working, by the time Han Zhixu came home, Luo Yaqing and Qiu Shimin had already wrapped the dumplings.

“Nephew-in-law is back.”

Qiu Shimin saw Han Zhixu walk in and greeted him with a smile. She then told Luo Yaqing, “Yaqing, your husband’s back. You can start cooking the dumplings now.”

“Oh…” Luo Yaqing blushed and glanced at Han Zhixu. “I’ll start cooking them right away.”

Once the dumplings were in the pot, Luo Yaqing picked up the ladle to give them a stir.

Over on the side, Qiu Shimin said, “Yaqing, bring your husband a bottle of hot water.”

Luo Yaqing dropped the ladle and picked up the thermos beside the stove.

She skillfully mixed the hot water.

She even handed Han Zhixu a towel as he finished washing his hands.

Han Zhixu was momentarily stunned but took the towel and silently dried the water off his hands.

The steaming dumplings were brought to the table, and the three of them sat around it, a warm and cozy scene.

Qiu Shimin beamed. “This is wonderful—feels like a holiday!”

“Auntie, ever since you came, the house feels much livelier,” Luo Yaqing said.

Qiu Shimin looked at her, then at Han Zhixu. “Actually, there’s a way to keep this home lively all the time.”

“What way?” Luo Yaqing asked.

Han Zhixu was also curious.

Qiu Shimin smiled. “You two should hurry up and have a baby. That’ll keep things lively.”

“……”

“……”

Luo Yaqing’s cheeks instantly turned apple red.

Even Han Zhixu’s ears turned red.

Qiu Shimin continued, “Once the baby’s born, I’ll help take care of it.”

“You young people don’t know how to take care of newborns during the postpartum period.”

Luo Yaqing instinctively nodded.

She had never had a baby before and had no experience raising one.

Having an experienced elder to help would definitely make things smoother.

Han Zhixu looked at Luo Yaqing. The steam rising from the bowl in front of her gave her delicate face a rosy glow, making her features look even more beautiful.

She was nodding repeatedly, her expression serious.

His heart couldn’t help but waver.

Seeing the two of them silent, Qiu Shimin asked, “Why aren’t you saying anything? Yaqing?”

“Uh, oh… okay.” Luo Yaqing answered.

Qiu Shimin was thrilled. “It’s settled then. You two should get a move on.”

Han Zhixu pursed his lips, still remaining silent.

Qiu Shimin picked up her chopsticks and grabbed a dumpling. She said to Han Zhixu, “Look at the dumplings your wife made—perfectly wrapped, no filling leaking, and no broken skins.”

Han Zhixu spoke, “Yaqing is very good at cooking. The food she makes is delicious.”

Luo Yaqing was overjoyed to hear him praise her like that.

But Qiu Shimin gave all the credit to Han Zhixu. “Your wife didn’t know any of this before. You’ve taught her well, turned her into a grounded working woman.”

“I didn’t teach her… she learned on her own…”

“Well, even so, it’s thanks to your influence that she’s come around.”

Before Han Zhixu could finish his sentence, Qiu Shimin cut him off.

No matter how you looked at it, all the credit went to him.

Luo Yaqing stuffed a dumpling in her mouth and got up to pour Qiu Shimin some water.

Qiu Shimin glanced at her and kept chatting with Han Zhixu, “Your wife has a lot of little faults. She can be moody—don’t be afraid to speak up or even scold her when needed. Don’t spoil her too much.”

“Auntie, I think you forgot one line,” Luo Yaqing said as she set the cup of water in front of Qiu Shimin.

“What line?” Qiu Shimin asked, puzzled.

Luo Yaqing held back a smile and said with a straight face, “And hit her if needed!”

Qiu Shimin: “……”

Is my niece a little simple-minded?

“I’m a soldier. Soldiers don’t hit or scold people,” Han Zhixu said seriously.

Luo Yaqing sat close beside him, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes shining. “I knew you wouldn’t bear to hit me.”

Han Zhixu blushed under her gaze.

Luo Yaqing smiled with her eyes curved like crescent moons. “But really, if I ever make you mad, you can hit me—just… not too hard. I’m afraid of pain.”

“……”

“……”

“Okay?” Luo Yaqing blinked at him.

Han Zhixu looked uncomfortable, lowered his head, and silently shoved dumplings into his mouth.

“Say something! Say something! Say it~” Luo Yaqing poked his arm with her finger.

The dumpling he had just picked up fell back into his bowl.

“No fooling around! Eat your food!” Qiu Shimin rapped her chopsticks against her bowl.

“Oh…”

Luo Yaqing finally stopped, but she didn’t return to her original seat. Instead, she brought her bowl and chopsticks over and sat right next to Han Zhixu.

Watching the young couple, Qiu Shimin couldn’t help but smile warmly.

She could rest assured now…

After the meal, those with work went to work, and those staying home stayed home. Luo Yaqing took out a sweet photo of her and Han Zhixu.

She asked Qiu Shimin where they should hang it.

“Put it there,” Qiu Shimin pointed to a wall.

Luo Yaqing agreed—it looked better hanging in the outer room than the inner room. That way, it could be seen right when entering the house.

She fetched a hammer and a nail and hung up the photo.

“Looks nice. Really nice.”

Luo Yaqing put her hands behind her back, admiring the photo on the wall, full of self-satisfaction.

Qiu Shimin chuckled at her antics. “Enough vanity, come take a walk with me.”

It wasn’t yet mealtime, and the usual gossipy folks were resting at home. The area by the walls and the compound gates was unusually quiet.

Leaving the compound, the two of them wandered aimlessly.

Winter was bleak—aside from the green wheat in the distance, everything was dead branches and fallen leaves.

If not for the sunlight overhead bringing some warmth, winter would be even harder to bear.

Before they knew it, they were walking along the road toward the military district.

“Auntie, that’s the military district up ahead,” Luo Yaqing said.

Qiu Shimin nodded and kept walking.

Luo Yaqing had no choice but to follow.

Eventually, Qiu Shimin stopped, standing across the road from the military gate.

Her eyes scanned the green military uniforms of people going in and out.

She stared without blinking, as if searching for someone…

Luo Yaqing realized—Auntie was missing her son.

Because she saw mist gather in her eyes, slowly turning into tears.

“I wonder what Han Zhixu is doing right now?” Luo Yaqing broke the sorrowful silence.

Qiu Shimin raised her hand to wipe her eyes and choked out, “It’s the wind… sand got in my eyes.”

Luo Yaqing pretended not to notice. “The wind is strong up north.”

“Let’s go.” Qiu Shimin forced a smile.

Luo Yaqing thought they were heading back to the compound, but instead, Qiu Shimin went to the supply store.

She bought three yuan’s worth of fruit candy.

The amount shocked the sales clerk.

Luo Yaqing was also curious. Once they left the store, she asked, “Auntie, why’d you buy so much candy?”

“To give to someone,” Qiu Shimin answered.

“To give away?”

Luo Yaqing was even more curious now. In Beicheng, the only relative Qiu Shimin had was the original host.

Who was she buying all that candy for?