Chapter 120: Learning That Li Chen Had Joined the Transport Team Stirred Up a Storm  

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month marked the Lantern Festival, and Li Chen was scheduled to report to the transport team on the seventeenth. There were only a few days left.  

After Li Chen started working, he could stay at home on regular days, but whenever he was assigned a mission, returning home would not be possible.  

In other words, by then, only Shen Yiyi and the Three Baos would be at home.  

Although the old house was right next door and there were people living nearby, Li Chen still felt uneasy.  

Thus, he discussed with his wife the idea of adopting a retired military dog.  

Not just anyone could adopt a military dog, but because Liang Jun had previously served in the military, he had the necessary connections. If Shen Yiyi agreed, Li Chen would seek his help.  

Shen Yiyi naturally agreed. Though she was not afraid, there were still the Three Baos at home. She did not want them to be placed in any kind of danger. Having an extra layer of protection meant reducing risks.  

So, Li Chen went to find Liang Jun.  

The adoption process for a military dog was quite complicated, requiring multiple levels of approval.  

Li Chen was not in a hurry. After all, once he started work, he still had more than half a month of training. During the training period, he would not need to go on missions and could still return home.  

However, since he would have to work every day, it also meant he would have much less time to spend with his wife and children. Because of that, he did not go out these past few days.  

He became much more patient with Er Bao. While Shen Yiyi was teaching Da Bao, he would sit beside them and teach Er Bao some handicrafts.  

Once Shen Yiyi finished teaching Da Bao and went on to read, he would let Er Bao play on his own while he moved closer to his wife, offering his shoulder for her to lean on.  

Shen Yiyi did not hold back. She was afraid of the cold, while Li Chen radiated heat like a furnace. If not for the Three Baos acting as little third wheels, she would have wanted to cling to him all day.  

Of course, the house was not actually cold. Not only was there a heated kang bed, but the stove was also burning, making it exceptionally warm inside.  

In the blink of an eye, the Lantern Festival arrived.  

Early in the morning, Shen Yiyi woke up to find that Li Chen was already gone. She only realized the adoption paperwork had been approved when she saw the note he left behind—he had gone to bring the military dog home.

Feeling bored and knowing that Li Chen would be starting work in two days, Shen Yiyi decided to prepare a lavish dinner for the Lantern Festival that evening.  

On this special occasion, tangyuan and dumplings were essential.  

Just as she finished kneading the dough, she suddenly heard a sharp “woof” from outside, followed by Er Bao’s delighted voice.  

Wearing an apron, Shen Yiyi stepped outside and saw Li Chen returning with an animal that had pointed ears, mostly orange-red fur, but with black coloring at the base of its ears, neck, and belly. Its sharp eyes exuded both fierceness and vigilance—a wolf? A dog? It looked like a mix of both.  

“This is a military dog?” Shen Yiyi asked.  

“Yes, a Laizhou Red Dog, a type of wolfdog. Its name is Lang Ya.” Li Chen replied, stroking Lang Ya’s fur. The military dog, which had been tense and on high alert, immediately relaxed and stuck out its tongue in an attempt to please him.  

Er Bao, finding this fascinating, wanted to get closer. However, as soon as he approached, Lang Ya bared its teeth at him.  

Er Bao was unafraid, but Xiao Bao immediately burst into tears with a loud “wah!” He turned and ran toward his mother, clinging to her leg. “Scared, hug, waah~”  

Shen Yiyi found this amusing. Since her hands were still covered in flour, she quickly wiped them on her apron before picking up Xiao Bao.  

Xiao Bao wrapped his arms tightly around her neck.  

Shen Yiyi gently comforted him: “Don’t be scared, don’t be scared~”  

Then, shifting her gaze to the military dog, which had a few scars of various sizes on its body but still looked strong and energetic, she frowned. “Where was it injured?”  

“It lost its sense of smell, and its hearing is also weak.” Li Chen explained.  

Shen Yiyi immediately understood. For a military dog, its sense of smell and hearing were crucial in combat.  

If it could not rely on these abilities, then once its weakness was exposed in battle, survival would be nearly impossible.  

Er Bao, still full of excitement, wanted to play with Lang Ya. Though Lang Ya remained highly alert, it refrained from attacking anyone due to its trust in Li Chen.  

That evening, Shen Yiyi cooked braised pork bones. She gave one to Lang Ya. The dog sniffed at it but, unable to detect the scent, looked up at Li Chen. Only after Li Chen gave it permission did it finally start eating.

Lang Ya was incredibly intelligent.  

Er Bao was overjoyed. Seeing Lang Ya eating so heartily, he eagerly offered his own portion to the dog as well.  

And just like that, Lang Ya became a permanent member of Shen Yiyi’s household.  

The next day, Li Chen and Shen Yiyi, along with the Three Baos, made a warm and comfortable shelter for Lang Ya.  

In the blink of an eye, the seventeenth arrived.  

Today was the day Li Chen had to report to the transport team. Shen Yiyi accompanied him, but they decided not to bring the Three Baos along. Da Bao and Er Bao stayed home to play, while Xiao Bao was left in Mother Li’s care.  

Mother Li could not have been happier about her son joining the transport team. Watching them ride off on their bicycles, she grinned from ear to ear, holding Xiao Bao and even jogging a few steps after them in excitement.  

Just then, Wang Yan happened to pass by. Catching a whiff of gossip in the air, she eagerly approached with a mischievous smile. “Aunt Li, where are your second son and his wife headed?”  

Aside from Father Li, Mother Li, and the eldest son’s family, no one else in the village knew about this news yet.  

Shen Yiyi and Li Chen had not seen the need to announce it. The eldest son and his wife were not the type to gossip, and as for Father Li, he was even less likely to share such things.  

As for Mother Li, she had been keeping a low profile ever since the incident with Li Da Ya, rarely mingling with the villagers for idle chatter. So, she had not spread the news either.  

Now that someone had finally asked, she suddenly felt the urge to show off. Playing coy, she deliberately teased: “They’re going to report in, of course!”  

“Report in? Report for what?” Wang Yan’s curiosity grew even stronger.  

“Our Li Chen.” Mother Li finally revealed, flashing a proud smile. “He got into the transport team! He’s reporting for duty today!”

“Your Li Chen got into the transport team?” Wang Yan shrieked in disbelief. Her voice was so loud that everyone nearby heard it.  

The news was like a bomb dropped into a calm lake, causing a huge ripple. People quickly gathered around—  

“Aunt Li, your Li Chen joined the transport team? How did he get in?”  

“How come we didn’t hear a single word about this before? No warning at all, and now you hit us with such big news. The Old Li’s Family really knows how to keep a secret!”  

“The transport team isn’t easy to get into. They haven’t recruited publicly in the past two years. Most of the people they take in are retired soldiers. If Li Chen got in, that means his abilities are top-notch!”  

“Didn’t Da Ya just join the textile factory a few days ago? Now your family suddenly has two workers. The Old Li’s Family is really moving up in the world! Aunt Li, you’ll be living the good life from now on!”  

“That’s right! Just don’t forget about us when the time comes!”  

Mother Li was beaming with joy and was just about to say something when she was suddenly interrupted—  

“Cough, cough!”  

Over at Shen Yiyi’s side, she had just gotten on the bike when she realized she had forgotten her hat. She was afraid of the cold, so going without it was not an option.  

Li Chen was about to turn back for her, but with all the things they were carrying, Shen Yiyi handed him the items and walked back herself to get her hat.  

Just as she returned, she overheard the conversation and let out two deliberate coughs before smiling. “What’s all this excitement about?”  

Hearing her voice, everyone turned around. Seeing Shen Yiyi, they all plastered on smiles.  

“Oh wow, we were just talking about you! Li Chen’s wife, you’re really something—you found jobs in the city for both your man and Da Ya! When are you going to hook us up with a good job too?”