“Goat’s milk.”  

Shen Huaichuan picked up a piece of enticingly golden meat pie and replied nonchalantly.  

The cup of goat’s milk in front of her was steaming, its milky-white surface shimmering with a pearl-like luster, thick and glossy. As she leaned in, the rich, fragrant aroma of milk instantly filled the air, lingering at the tip of her nose. It was clearly freshly squeezed from the goat.  

Zhou Qiqi, full of curiosity, couldn’t help but ask, “Where did you get this?”  

“From the old goat herder in the neighboring village.”  

Shen Huaichuan swallowed a bite of the meat pie and answered unhurriedly.  

So, he had gone out early in the morning to find goat’s milk for her.  

Zhou Qiqi’s heart skipped a beat. She had only mentioned it casually yesterday.  

As the invisible child in a blended family, she had lived for over twenty years, and no one had ever cared for her like this before.  

She felt a bubble swelling in her chest, growing larger and larger until it filled her heart, leaving it sore and swollen. She almost wanted to cry.  

Shen Huaichuan, sensitive to her emotional shift, looked up and stared directly at her.  

Zhou Qiqi hated showing vulnerability the most. She quickly bit her lip, her eyes red, and pretended to complain.  

“Doesn’t it smell gamey? I can’t stand that smell. If it’s gamey, I won’t drink a single sip.”  

“It’s not.”  

Shen Huaichuan’s tone was utterly confident. Zhou Qiqi pouted and reluctantly said,  

“Fine, I’ll try it.”  

She took a tentative sip, expecting an unbearable odd taste, but instead, her tongue met a clean, refreshing sweetness.  

The goat’s milk was silky smooth, with a unique creamy texture that made it richer and more velvety than cow’s milk.  

After swallowing, the aftertaste carried a faint hint of almond, a subtle interplay of bitterness and saltiness that was unexpectedly fresh and pleasant.  

“It’s delicious.”  

Zhou Qiqi’s eyes instantly curved into crescent moons, her rosy lips coated with a milky-white residue, like a little kitten who had just stolen some cream.  

Shen Huaichuan watched her, feeling as if an invisible kitten paw had gently scratched his heart.  

It was a tingling, itchy sensation, and even his voice softened unconsciously.  

“Then drink this for nutrition from now on. I’ll get you fresh milk every day.”  

The family enjoyed a warm and satisfying breakfast.  

After the meal, Shen Huaichuan dutifully cleared the dishes and went to the kitchen to wash them.  

Zhouzhou returned to her room, put on her little backpack, and got ready for school.  

Noticing Zhouzhou’s slightly messy hair, Zhou Qiqi gently pressed her onto a stool and carefully re-tied her hair into neat, perky twin ponytails. The braids were tight and pretty, the strands smooth, with playful ends slightly curled up.  

Once done, Zhou Qiqi smiled and let Zhouzhou go.  

Before, Zhouzhou had always tied her own hair, but as a six-year-old, her little hands weren’t very dexterous, and her hair often ended up messy and unkempt.  

Shen Huaichuan quietly observed all of this.  

After finishing the dishes, he walked up to Zhou Qiqi with a serious expression and said earnestly, “Thank you.”  

After all, he had previously stated that he was responsible for taking care of Zhouzhou. Zhou Qiqi had no obligation to bother with these small matters.  

Zhou Qiqi pretended not to care and pouted, saying,  

“I just couldn’t stand how messy it looked, so I fixed it on a whim.”  

Afraid of making the atmosphere awkward, she quickly changed the subject.  

“Hurry up and apply for the bathroom and shower renovations!”  

Shen Huaichuan nodded, told her to wait at home for news, and left for the military base.  

That morning, Zhou Qiqi cleaned the house inside and out, then gave Zhouzhou’s little room a simple makeover, changing the bedsheets and pillowcases and adding small wildflowers from the backyard.  

By noon, she had made hand-pulled noodles with  tomato-and-egg sauce, paired with spinach and glass noodle salad, and even prepared some sugar-coated peanuts as a sweet treat for Zhouzhou.  

However, Shen Huaichuan didn’t return for lunch.  

At two in the afternoon, after she and Zhouzhou woke up from their nap, she sent Zhouzhou off to school. Just as she was about to close the door, a young man suddenly popped his head through the gap and called out, “Sister-in-law!”  

He looked about seventeen or eighteen and introduced himself as Qin Shi, Shen Huaichuan’s orderly.  

He was here to take Zhou Qiqi to the logistics department.  

Shen Huaichuan’s application had been approved, but some items required Zhou Qiqi’s confirmation.  

That day, Shen Huaichuan was leading the elite soldiers of the First Battalion in a field training competition against the First Battalion of the Third Regiment. After submitting the application, he left with the troops and sent Qin Shi to notify her.  

Zhou Qiqi quickly invited him in and poured him a glass of water.

He gulped it down in one go, then hurriedly said:  

“Finally meeting you, sister-in-law! I knew you couldn’t possibly look like the fox spirit they were talking about!”  

He had just returned last night when he heard the barracks buzzing with gossip—everyone was saying the “Cold-Faced King of Hell” had gotten married, and all kinds of wild rumors were flying around. The poor kid had been frantic, scrambling to get the scoop.  

Zhou Qiqi’s forehead instantly sprouted three black lines. Good grief, Sister Qiu’s rotten gossip has even spread to the military camp.

But she had never cared much about others’ opinions. Instead, she looked at the excited Qin Shi with amusement.  

“Oh? Then tell me, if I don’t look like a fox spirit, what do I look like?”  

Qin Shi’s face was full of sincerity. “Like a fairy!”  

Zhou Qiqi burst out laughing. This Qin Shi seemed like a simple, honest guy, but his words were so charming. She was just about to tease him when—  

Grrrrowl.

A loud noise came from his stomach.  

“Did you not eat lunch?” Zhou Qiqi asked with concern.  

Qin Shi blushed and scratched his head sheepishly.  

“I actually got here around one, but I was afraid of disturbing your nap, so I didn’t dare knock. I’ve been standing guard outside for an hour.”  

Zhou Qiqi was touched. This kid seemed straightforward, but he was surprisingly considerate.  

She quickly said, “Sit tight for a bit. I’ll whip up some food for you—can’t have you starving.”  

Qin Shi immediately perked up, eyes shining with anticipation.  

“Is it braised meat? They say sister-in-law’s braised meat smells amazing!” 

But when Zhou Qiqi brought out the noodles with sauce, his face fell instantly.  

“Ah… it’s not?”  

His expressions changed like a Sichuan opera mask—every emotion was written plainly on his face, and whatever was in his heart spilled right out without filter.  

Zhou Qiqi couldn’t help but laugh and quickly reassured him.  

“Sorry, we don’t have a fridge at home, so it’s hard to store meat. I didn’t buy much today—let’s make do for now. Tomorrow, I’ll definitely make you braised meat, as much as you want!”  

At first, Qin Shi was still a little sulky, but the moment the first bite of noodles hit his tongue, his eyes sparkled like stars again.  

“Mmmph—sister-in-law, these noodles are so good!” he mumbled through a full mouth.  

Zhou Qiqi had added eggs to her hand-pulled noodles, making them smooth and chewy—far tastier than ordinary noodles.  

Qin Shi ate like he hadn’t had a meal in three days, downing three big bowls in one go. He even polished off the portion Zhou Qiqi had planned to stir-fry for dinner.  

After finishing, he licked the plate clean.  

“Sister-in-law, I’ve changed my mind. You don’t seem like a fairy—you’re more like the Snail Maiden!”  

Zhou Qiqi laughed again.  

She couldn’t fathom how Shen Huaichuan managed to keep a straight face all the time with such a lively kid around.  

Truly baffling.

After the meal, Zhou Qiqi followed Qin Shi to the military base.  

Walking from the family quarters to the military office, they passed many soldiers who kept glancing their way.  

Qin Shi was a chatterbox—nine out of ten people in the camp knew him as the orderly of the “Grim Reaper Shen.”  

And the unfamiliar woman beside him? Naturally, everyone guessed she was Shen Huaichuan’s new wife.  

Curious, they gathered at a distance, craning their necks for a peek. But unlike the gossipy wives, their gazes were friendly.  

Qin Shi explained beside her:  

“Ever since you arrived, the regimental commander’s become gentler. Our training’s gotten easier—everyone’s so grateful to you!”  

“Really?”  

This was Zhou Qiqi’s first time under so many people’s scrutiny, but she wasn’t shy. She waved at them openly.  

The gesture made the soldiers even more flustered. Their faces turned red, and like startled rabbits, they scurried farther away—only to continue watching secretly from a new vantage point.  

Soon, they arrived at the logistics department. The director, a kindly middle-aged man surnamed Lin, greeted them warmly with a friendly smile.  

“I’ve reviewed Huaichuan’s application. We can approve it, but there’s one issue.”  

Zhou Qiqi adjusted her demeanor depending on who she was dealing with. Right now, she was humble and polite, her smile gentle and her tone warm.  

“What’s the issue? Please go ahead.”