Chapter 13 Our Little Home

Jiang Qingzhou stood tall, walking with steady, powerful steps toward the general. With a crisp “salute,” he gave a perfect military gesture, sharp and precise.

General Zhao looked at the young man before him, his face full of relief and gratitude, and patted his shoulder heavily.

“Well done, well done, kid! Brave and capable—you have a bright future ahead of you!”

He then scanned the surroundings. “Where’s your wife?”

At his words, Jiang Qingzhou’s expression softened immediately. He turned slightly and gently waved toward Fang Yingyue, who was nearby, smiling warmly. She had been watching the group all along, and seeing him beckon, she stepped forward lightly.

“General, this is my wife, Fang Yingyue.”

“Hello, General!”

General Zhao looked her over carefully, his gaze like that of an elder observing a young relative, full of kindness and admiration.

“You’re a lucky young man, marrying such a good wife! Not only is she beautiful, but she’s also so clever and spirited—truly rare.”

At this moment, Xie Xiuying also stood up, reaching out to take Fang Yingyue’s hand, her eyes showing sincere gratitude.

“Girl, thanks to you. It must have been tough these past days.”

“Mrs. Xie, you’re too kind. As a soldier’s family member, this is only my duty.”

“Don’t call me Mrs. Xie—call me Auntie Xie. It sounds closer and more familiar.”

Just then, Regiment Six’s commander Xu Shiming, accompanied by his wife Su Mingyue, arrived, followed by Aunt Huang to greet them. After a few polite exchanges, Xu Shiming and his wife excused themselves and headed toward the family quarters.

“Qingzhou, tonight you must bring your wife over for dinner! Auntie Xie has been looking forward to it and even went out to buy ingredients, just waiting for you two. Beiwang, you come too.”

Hearing this, Ji Beiwang straightened his posture and gave a crisp, loud salute.

“Yes, sir!”

His military vigor shone through. After responding, he strode quickly toward the training field.

“Alright, General, thank you to you and Auntie Xie for your care. We’ll be there on time.”

Meanwhile, the two children, like playful little deer, hopped over to Fang Yingyue and Jiang Qingzhou, their flushed little faces upturned, voices sweet and full of enthusiasm.

“Auntie Fang, Uncle Jiang, goodbye! Remember to come eat dinner! Suisui and Niannian will be waiting for you!”

“Don’t worry, darlings. We’ll remember—see you tonight.”

After bidding the general a formal farewell, Jiang Qingzhou lifted the luggage and headed toward the family quarters. Along the way, passersby saw them and greeted warmly.

“Oh, Vice Commander Jiang is back with his wife!”

Jiang Qingzhou simply nodded humbly in response, keeping his pace steady. Soon, they arrived at their small courtyard.

Jiang Qingzhou pulled out the key and opened the door, revealing a neat and tidy courtyard, with furniture arranged meticulously inside.

Fang Yingyue stepped across the threshold, her eyes lighting up with curiosity and delight.

“Brother Qingzhou, come help me move these few pieces of furniture. It’ll look more comfortable that way.”

He did as asked. After a short while of arranging furniture together, Fang Yingyue stood with her hands on her hips, satisfied, and nodded approvingly.

“How do you like it here?”

“I like it a lot—it feels like home.”

At that moment, Liu Jinhua’s voice came from next door. “Little Jiang! Is it really you back?”

Jiang Qingzhou quickly responded, walking to open the small courtyard door. Liu Jinhua entered, her face full of smiles. Fang Yingyue also stepped out upon hearing the voice.

“Oh, so this is your wife! Look at her—truly a beautiful lady!”

She inspected Fang Yingyue with appreciative eyes: porcelain-like fair skin, a slender yet graceful figure, an oval face, thick chestnut hair smooth and shiny, and eyes like moist grapes. When she smiled, the corners of her eyes lifted in a crescent, exuding liveliness and charm—so captivating that Liu Jinhua couldn’t look away.

“With looks like that, even a fairy descending to the mortal world wouldn’t compare!”

Fang Yingyue blushed at the compliment, shyly lowering her gaze.

Liu Jinhua, warm and enthusiastic, stepped forward and took her hand.

“Girl, I live next door in Regiment One. From now on, just call me Auntie Liu. If anything happens, don’t hesitate—come to me directly.”

Having said that, Liu Jinhua let go of her hand and returned to her own courtyard.

“She’s such a kind and warm-hearted woman. When I’m not home, if anything’s confusing or difficult, you can always turn to her—she’s easy to get along with. She has three children; right now, they’re probably playing by the sea catching crabs and haven’t returned yet.”

Fang Yingyue listened attentively and nodded slightly. Then the two of them went inside to unpack their luggage.

The residence was quite convenient. There was a faucet inside, saving the trouble of fetching water outside, making cooking and laundry easy. The toilet was independent, private, and hygienic. The climate was also pleasant—not as bitterly cold as Yandu. The lowest temperature here was around 12–13°C. Although summer could be a bit warm, it was still bearable, which put Fang Yingyue at ease and made her feel that this new life was comfortable and pleasant.

Standing inside and looking around the windows, she said, “Brother Qingzhou, I want to buy some curtain fabric to decorate these windows.”

“Sure, I’ll go with you tomorrow. It’s Sunday, so we can also take a little tour around the area.”

At that moment, someone peeked out from the house across the way, glancing toward them.

“The house opposite is the Third Vice Regiment commander’s family. That’s his wife, Wu Liuzhi. Come to think of it, she and I still have a little history…”

Fang Yingyue looked at him with a puzzled expression, her eyes full of curiosity.

“When the family quarters were originally assigning houses, this courtyard of ours was already reserved. But she—Wu Liuzhi—suddenly took a liking to our courtyard. Seeing that no one had moved in yet, she thought about asking me to swap with her. I didn’t even think twice and refused her outright. I guess that’s why she felt upset and held a grudge against me.”

Fang Yingyue nodded thoughtfully.

Full of enthusiasm, she walked into the courtyard, pacing as she raised her hands to gesture.

“See, this side gets good sunlight. We can put up a trellis and plant some grapevines. Let the vines climb over it, and by summer, the greenery will provide shade, and we can enjoy sweet and tangy grapes. Over there, we can make a small vegetable patch, plant some greens or radishes. And here, we can put a swing—then in our free time, we can sit, swing gently, read a book, or soak up the sun. It’ll be wonderful.”

Jiang Qingzhou stood nearby, his gaze following her closely, filled with adoration and love.

“Alright, everything as you wish. I’ll make sure this courtyard looks beautiful and well-kept.”

After a while, a commotion came from outside the courtyard gate—it was Liu Jinhua’s three children returning with buckets.

The eldest boy shouted at the top of his lungs, “Mom, I’m so hungry my stomach’s flat! Hurry up and make dinner!”

“I know, I’m cooking. Really, ‘half-grown kids, eat their poor old mom out of house and home,’” she said, then called the three children over.

“Come on, go say hello to Uncle Jiang and Auntie Fang first.”

The three children immediately ran over. Having played by the seaside all year, their skin was tanned a healthy wheat color.

“Hello, Uncle Jiang! Hello, Auntie Fang!”

“Hello, you three!”

Liu Jinhua’s three children were: eldest daughter Chen Yinghan, 14; son Chen Yingzhe, 11; and youngest daughter Chen Yingli, 8. At this moment, Chen Yingli opened her big eyes and looked at Fang Yingyue, suddenly blushing.

“Auntie Fang, you’re so beautiful, just like a fairy in a painting!”

Fang Yingyue was surprised by the straightforward and adorable compliment. She bent down gently.

“You’re pretty too.”

The little girl, feeling shy, covered her face and ran back into the house.