Zhong Meixian noticed Wen Tang peeking toward the courtyard wall and remembered that she had once wanted to marry her own grandson. She coughed twice, “Ahem, now that you’ve married Yanli, you should focus on living your life well and stop entertaining those unrealistic thoughts.”  

Wen Tang didn’t react immediately and just nodded.  

Seeing her obedient, Zhong Meixian felt slightly relieved.  

For now, it was fine if she was a little lazy. Once her son left, she could properly discipline her, and Wen Tang would eventually fall in line.  

Soon, Wen Tang spotted her best friend. The two shared years of unspoken understanding, and with just one glance, they could tell the other had slept well. They didn’t say much, though, because according to the book’s plot, their characters were supposed to be rivals, even enemies.  

Lin Jingshen led his wife to the kitchen to heat up their meals.  

Since Gu Jinfeng’s husband lived next door, and to take care of her mother-in-law, meals had always been prepared at the Gu family home, with both families eating together. If not for yesterday’s banquet, which required more cooking space, the Lin family’s kitchen wouldn’t have been used at all.  

So now, Lin Jingshen took Chi Yue to the Gu family’s kitchen.  

Inside the kitchen, Gu Yanli had just finished heating the food and was carrying it out when he saw Lin Jingshen and his wife. He immediately stepped aside to let them pass.  

Lin Jingshen wanted to greet him but didn’t get the chance—Gu Yanli had already looked up and asked Wen Tang, “Where do you want to eat?”  

“Anywhere is fine,” Wen Tang replied obediently, putting on a well-mannered act.  

Gu Yanli said, “Then let’s eat in the main room.”  

As he walked past Zhong Meixian with the bowl in hand, she couldn’t hold back anymore. “Where did you get that egg?”  

In Zhong Meixian’s eyes, eating a steamed bun made of white flour was already indulgent enough—why waste an egg on top of that?  

But in Gu Yanli’s mind, if he didn’t eat that egg tonight, he’d be restless.  

Only by replenishing her energy could he keep his own urges in check.  

“The place where you hide the eggs isn’t exactly a secret,” Gu Yanli retorted bluntly.  

Zhong Meixian stomped her foot in frustration again.  

In the end, she decided it was better to just avoid looking—out of sight, out of mind. She went to sit by the courtyard gate, waiting for her daughter to return so she could complain about her terrible daughter-in-law.  

When her daughter finally came back, she would discover something even worse: not only was this daughter-in-law lazy, but she was also greedy. She had eaten only the egg and left the steamed bun untouched.  

Lin Jingshen, being a straightforward man without much cunning, simply reheated the food left for his wife without secretly slipping an egg underneath like his uncle had.  

Chi Yue ate half a steamed bun, some porridge, and a bit of vegetables.  

After finishing the egg and some dishes, Wen Tang drank a little porridge and was full, having no appetite left for the bun. Gu Yanli brought the uneaten bun back with him.  

Zhong Meixian, still sitting by the courtyard gate waiting for her daughter, immediately spotted the untouched steamed bun in the bowl.  

She jumped to her feet. “A perfectly good bun, and you won’t even eat it?”  

Before she could say more, her dark-faced son picked up the bun and took a big bite. In a few mouthfuls, he finished half of it, then strode into the kitchen and polished off the rest.  

In the kitchen, Chi Yue was still eating, as she had started later.  

Gu Yanli took the bowl to the well, drew some water, and began washing it.  

Wen Tang skipped over cheerfully, crouched down beside him, rested her chin on her hands, and blinked her long lashes as she smiled at him. “Gege, should I wash the bowl?”  

Gu Yanli’s grip on the bowl tightened, and he scrubbed faster, his voice deeper and rougher. “No need. I’ll finish soon.”  

Wen Tang continued blinking. “Gege, you’re so nice.”  

Crack!  

A crisp sound rang out. Both Gu Yanli and Wen Tang stared at the bowl, now split with a large crack, and fell into stunned silence.  

Wen Tang: Wow, he is so strong—he can break a bowl bare-handed. If he break me like that…

Her imagination ran wild, and even Wen Tang couldn’t help but blush.

Gu Yanli silently stood up, walked to the courtyard wall, and glanced outside—no one was there.  

Whoosh!

He tossed the cracked porcelain bowl away without hesitation.  

He knew he was too worked up.  

Too damn worked up—so much that it was driving him insane.  

This afternoon, he had to go get that bed. By nightfall, the new bed would be brought back.  

This time, the bowl didn’t break again.  

Because Wen Tang behaved herself and didn’t call him “Gege” anymore.  

Unfamiliar with the place, she followed Gu Yanli into the kitchen after he finished washing the bowl.  

There, she saw Chi Yue about to wash dishes.  

Lin Jingshen said, “Xiao Yue, let me boil some water for you to wash the dishes. It’s getting a bit cold.”  

But for Chi Yue, the issue wasn’t the cold—it was that she wasn’t used to washing dishes in a rural stove setup.  

Just then, Wen Tang arrived.  

With one glance, Wen Tang saw her dilemma. Crossing her arms, she “mocked,” “Tch. The man you married isn’t much, huh? First time eating at his family’s place, and you’re already stuck washing dishes?”

Gu Yanli heard Wen Tang’s words. His expression didn’t change, but his spine straightened imperceptibly, his posture rigid as he set the bowl down.  

Lin Jingshen looked up and saw his uncle’s deliberate movement. He wasn’t that dense—he understood immediately. He swiftly stood up and said, “Xiao Yue, go sit outside. I’ll wash them.”  

Chi Yue and Wen Tang exchanged a glance, both seeing satisfaction in each other’s eyes.  

Chi Yue didn’t forget to shoot back, “Like you’re the only one who knows how to marry well.”

“Pfft,” Wen Tang scoffed, then turned and followed Gu Yanli out of the kitchen.  

Trailing behind him, she asked, “How many days of marriage leave do you get?”

“Ten.”

“Oh, that’s quite long!”

Wen Tang thought: No wonder there’s time to save the original female lead.

Meanwhile, Gu Yanli was thinking—  

“You…”

He wanted to ask if Wen Tang would be willing to follow him to the military base later.  

As a battalion commander, he was allowed to bring his family.  

But living on base could be monotonous.  

The families there came from all over, and Wen Tang might not click with them—her days would likely be boring. Plus, if she got pregnant later and he got busy, there’d be no one to take care of her.  

So he wasn’t sure if he should bring it up.  

In his unit, many wives refused to follow their husbands to the base simply because they found it lonely without familiar people. Would Wen Tang be willing?  

If she wasn’t, would she get mad if he asked?  

While he hesitated, his mother’s loud voice rang out from the courtyard gate—  

“Aiyo, is it noon already?”

“I thought it was just past eight or nine! You’re all back for lunch already?”

Gu Yanli turned and saw his older sister, his father, and his brother-in-law returning together—one carrying a hoe, another a shovel—clearly back for lunch.  

Gu Jinfeng, shouldering the shovel, was the first to reach the gate. Setting it down, she said, “Eight or nine? We’ve been working all morning!”

“Oh, not eight or nine? Then I guess some people just woke up,” Zhong Meixian muttered the last part just loud enough for Wen Tang, standing in the courtyard, to hear.  

Chi Yue, who had just stepped out of the kitchen, heard it too.  

Wen Tang tilted her chin at Chi Yue and said, “She’s talking about you.”

Zhong Meixian: “……”