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Hearing that, Jiang Zhi Ning buried her face in her hands in embarrassment. She thought he was going to…
Before she could react, Song Yuzhou had already lifted her skirt. Seeing the full curve of her round hips, a shadow flashed across his eyes.
Trying to remain calm, Song Yuzhou picked up the blanket and covered her hips. His broad palm landed on her slender waist.
He had strong hands—something Jiang Zhi Ning had noticed the night before.
As he began to massage her, Jiang Zhi Ning felt a wave of sore pleasure surge through her.
“Mm…” A soft, involuntary moan escaped her, making Song Yuzhou’s breath quicken noticeably.
Under his thoughtful care, the pain in her waist gradually eased.
“Comrade Yuzhou, your technique is really good. Don’t tell me… you often do this for other girls?” Jiang Zhi Ning sat up, teasing him with a mischievous look.
Song Yuzhou cleared his throat lightly. “My brother has back pain. I help him out a lot. You’re the first female comrade.”
And the last one too, he silently added in his heart.
Jiang Zhi Ning joked, “This strength, it’s great for massaging the waist. But next time, when you’re massaging the chest, you better be gentle. It still hurts right now. Want to rub it for me?”
As soon as she finished speaking, Song Yuzhou’s face turned bright red. Remembering his moment of lost control last night, he shot up from the bed.
“You go ahead and rest. I’m heading to the unit now,” he blurted and fled the room in a hurry.
Watching him run off in panic, Jiang Zhi Ning covered her mouth and laughed quietly.
“Is it all men from this era who are so shy and reserved… or is my Comrade Yuzhou just a special case?” she murmured to herself.
People in this time were shy about love and far less open-minded than in the modern age.
She wanted to make his heart flutter. She wanted him to fall in love with her—because only a marriage with love could truly last.
Still feeling a bit tired, Jiang Zhi Ning lay back down and soon drifted off to sleep again.
When she woke next, it was already past ten o’clock.
She took a cheongsam with a green bamboo pattern from the wardrobe and put it on, applied some snow cream and skincare, and finally stepped out of the room.
In the courtyard, Xi Xi was playing alone on the ground.
“Xi Xi,” Jiang Zhi Ning called out softly.
Hearing her voice, Xi Xi’s eyes lit up. She quickly scrambled to her feet, opened her arms, and ran toward her. “Mama!”
It had only been one day, yet Xi Xi was already calling her “Mama” so naturally, with no trace of the fear and unease she had shown at first.
Jiang Zhi Ning caught her and brushed the dust off her clothes.
“Don’t sit on the ground, okay? There might be little bugs that could crawl on you and bite. That would hurt,” she gently reminded her.
Xi Xi nodded, somewhat understanding. Jiang Zhi Ning carried her inside and picked out a clean outfit for her.
“These clothes are all getting a bit short… looks like I need to make a trip to town to buy some new ones,” she muttered.
Men, with no experience raising children, often bought clothes that just barely fit. But kids grow fast—blink once, and the clothes are already too small.
After changing, Jiang Zhi Ning helped Xi Xi put her hair into a cute bun, then headed to the kitchen.
“Hungry?” she asked softly.
Seeing her nod, Jiang Zhi Ning began preparing a meal. But she had forgotten she hadn’t gone out to buy groceries that morning—there weren’t many ingredients left at home.
After thinking for a moment, she made do with the few eggs they had and cooked a fragrant fried rice.
When Song Yuzhou returned home, he saw one big and one small figure sitting at the table, happily eating fried rice.
“Do soldiers get lunch breaks?” Jiang Zhi Ning asked in surprise.
“Mm.” Song Yuzhou nodded, placing down the lunch box he brought from the canteen.
Seeing that, Jiang Zhi Ning smiled teasingly. “Were you afraid your wife and daughter might starve?”
Song Yuzhou looked slightly flustered but still grunted in acknowledgment.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let myself suffer,” Jiang Zhi Ning said proudly. “Come on, try my fried rice.”
As she spoke, she scooped up a spoonful and brought it to his mouth.
Looking at the spoon she had just used, Song Yuzhou hesitated briefly before lowering his head and taking the bite.
“Is it good?” she asked with expectation in her eyes.
“It’s good.”
In the courtyard, Xi Xi was sitting on the ground playing alone.
“Xi Xi,” Jiang Zhi Ning called softly.
Hearing her voice, Xi Xi’s eyes lit up. She quickly got up and ran over with open arms. “Mama!”
After just one day, she was already calling her “Mama” so naturally, without the fear or hesitation from before.
Jiang Zhi Ning caught her and brushed the dust off her clothes.
“Don’t sit on the ground to play, okay? There could be bugs, and they might crawl on you. That would hurt,” she gently warned.
Xi Xi nodded as if she understood. Jiang Zhi Ning picked her up and brought her inside to change clothes.
“Hm, most of these are already getting too short. I’ll need to go into town soon to buy some new ones,” she muttered.
Men, with no experience raising kids, often buy clothes that fit just right—but children grow fast, and they outgrow them in the blink of an eye.
After changing her, Jiang Zhi Ning tied Xi Xi’s hair into a bun and went into the kitchen.
“Are you hungry?” she asked gently.
Seeing her nod, Jiang Zhi Ning began cooking—but she had forgotten that they hadn’t gone grocery shopping, and the house was nearly out of food.
She used the few eggs left and whipped up a fragrant egg fried rice.
When Song Yuzhou returned home, he saw the big and small duo eating happily.
“There’s a lunch break in the military?” Jiang Zhi Ning asked in surprise.
“Yes,” Song Yuzhou replied, placing down the food he brought from the canteen.
Seeing this, she chuckled. “Afraid the two of us might starve?”
He looked a bit embarrassed but still replied, “Yeah.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t let myself go hungry,” she said proudly. “Try my fried rice.”
As she spoke, she scooped up a spoonful and offered it to him.
Staring at the spoon she had used, Song Yuzhou lowered his head and took a bite.
“How is it?”
“It’s good.”
Later that day, after dinner:
In the courtyard, Jiang Zhi Ning and Xi Xi were playing tag when Song Chen and Song Ye returned home from school.
“Xiao Chen, Xiao Ye, welcome home,” Jiang Zhi Ning greeted with a warm smile.
Song Ye instinctively glanced at his older brother. Song Chen acted as if he hadn’t seen her and walked right past her to Xi Xi.
Jiang Zhi Ning froze for a second.
Worried she might get angry, Song Ye cautiously looked up—but saw her expression remained calm and unaffected.
“Phew,” Song Ye breathed in relief.
Choosing to ignore the earlier slight, Jiang Zhi Ning smiled and asked him, “What do you want for dinner?”
“Anything’s fine,” Song Ye’s eyes sparkled. He loved her cooking.
“Mommy, fried rice!” Xi Xi jumped up and down excitedly.
Seeing her eager face, Jiang Zhi Ning patted her head. “Okay, go play with your brothers. I’ll cook.”
“Yay!”
Once she left, Song Ye eagerly asked, “Xi Xi, what kind of fried rice? Is it good?”
“Delicious!” Xi Xi clapped happily.
Song Chen stared after Jiang Zhi Ning’s departing figure, wondering silently: When will she show her true colors?
That afternoon, Jiang Zhi Ning took Xi Xi out to buy some carrots, corn, and meat.
So that evening, she made Yangzhou-style fried rice.
When Song Yuzhou returned home, he was greeted by the steaming, fragrant dish.
At the small square table sat a warm little family.
After the meal, Song Chen and Song Ye took the initiative to help clean up.
Jiang Zhi Ning didn’t stop them—she believed kids that age should help with chores.
After tidying up, they returned to the living room to find Xi Xi gnawing on a giant peach with her tiny teeth.
Song Ye’s eyes went wide with longing, mouth already watering.
Jiang Zhi Ning walked over with another large peach. “You two were very well-behaved. These peaches are your reward.”
Just as Song Ye reached out to take one, Song Chen stopped him. “Xiao Ye.”
Song Ye quickly pulled his hand back.
Jiang Zhi Ning pretended to be disappointed. “Oh? You don’t like them? What a shame. I’ll go shower first.”
She set the peaches on the table and returned to her room.
After she left, Song Ye tugged his brother’s sleeve. “Ge, I want one.”
Xi Xi put down her half-eaten peach, picked up the two big ones, and ran over. “Gege, eat—it’s really good!”
Seeing their eager expressions, Song Chen finally gave in and accepted the peach.
The moment he took a bite, his eyes widened in shock—it was the sweetest peach he had ever tasted.
The cautious boy who had been on guard all this time began to eat heartily.
Inside the room, Jiang Zhi Ning quietly watched the scene and softly murmured, “Such a stubborn little kid.”
She felt a pang in her heart—because in Song Chen’s wary nature, she saw a shadow of her younger self.
When she returned to the living room again, the kids had finished the peaches. Xi Xi was playing with pebbles, while Song Chen and Song Ye were diligently doing their homework—a peaceful, heartwarming scene.
Jiang Zhi Ning walked past Song Ye and suddenly said, “Xiao Ye, that part’s not quite right.”
He looked up nervously, worried she would scold him like the teachers at school.
But no yelling came.
“In this example, the bird being personified is a figure of speech called personification. But your sentence here uses a metaphor…”
Her warm voice gently explained by his ear, and as Song Ye looked at her side profile, his eyes grew misty.