Chapter 30

That night, Lou Luhui successfully stayed over.

But the one sharing his bed wasn’t the person he had been hoping for.

Bang!

In the darkness, a familiar muffled groan sounded again.

Lou Luhui, now well-practiced in this nightly routine, woke up with a sigh, reluctantly lifting Chen Xun, the little guy who had somehow sprawled his leg across him during sleep.

This kid—who knew what kind of kung fu he was practicing in his sleep, flailing his arms and legs around?

Resigned, he pulled the covers back over the little guy and once again forced himself to fall asleep.

But this time, the flailing limbs came even faster. Just as he was drifting off, he felt that familiar weight settle on his waist again.

Lou Luhui…

Taking a deep breath, he gritted his teeth, gently moved Chen Xun’s leg off of him, and inched his tall frame further toward the edge of the bed. It wasn’t until half his body was hanging off that he finally managed to coax himself back to sleep.

Sometimes, sisters-in-law were so annoying…

The next morning.

After a peaceful night, Tian Mi slipped out of bed, gently setting down the soft, chubby little Guo Guo from her arms and tucking the blanket back over Chen Zhao, who was sleeping deeper inside. She then left the room to join her older sister in preparing breakfast.

In the kitchen, Tian Yu was rinsing rice. Since her sister and brother-in-law had fallen into an ice hole the day before, she wanted to make sure they had nourishing food for the next few days. Rising early, she decided to prepare a rich rice porridge.

Just as she was putting the rinsed rice into the pot, Tian Mi entered the kitchen. “Why not get a bit more sleep?”

Tian Mi shook her head. “I’m well-rested, and I slept really well. Your little Guo Guo is so plump and soft—so cozy to snuggle with… Oh, and, Jie, could you make some egg pancakes today? I’ve been craving them.”

“I’d let you cuddle her every night if you didn’t mind taking her to the bathroom in the middle of the night!” Tian Yu chuckled, thinking that only someone without kids would feel that way; once Tian Mi had her own, she’d be awake all night and wouldn’t find it so charming.

After covering the pot, Tian Yu squatted by the stove to light it, saying, “If you want pancakes, go for it. There are two eggs in the cupboard, and some flour. Make extra; the kids love them too. If I’d known, I’d have asked the quartermaster for a few more eggs.”

“Two are plenty; a sprinkle of green onions is nice too. I know it’s indulgent, but it’s a shame about the milk from yesterday…” Tian Mi opened the cupboard, finding the eggs as her sister had said.

She scooped a big bowl of flour, cracked the eggs into it, added some chopped green onions and salt, then poured in a bit of water and oil before stirring in one direction.

The ingredients were a bit sparse; she used to enjoy adding ham, bacon, or finely chopped shrimp and carrots, but considering the time period, this was already quite a treat.

If someone saw this, they’d think, Wow, white rice porridge and egg pancakes? How luxurious! Pure capitalism!

Amused by her own thoughts about the extreme viewpoints of the time, Tian Mi chuckled to herself.

The sisters busied themselves with breakfast, chatting and exchanging bits of gossip, making the time pass quickly.

When the wake-up call sounded, Tian Yu went to check on the chubby little Guo Guo in her room.

Seeing the little one frown and whimper at the noise, she gently patted her back to soothe her to sleep before hurrying back to the kitchen. “I heard from Yuxiu yesterday that she can only stay for two or three days. What are you and your husband planning to do?”

“Why do you call her Yuxiu?” asked Tian Mi.

“What’s the big deal? Yuxiu doesn’t mind, and she hardly looks older than me. I can’t bring myself to call her ‘aunt,’ so we each call her what we like. But you’d better not call her by name…” Tian Yu trailed off, throwing a warning glance at her somewhat clueless sister.

She’d figured out by now that the once quiet and obedient girl she’d known had become quite bold as an adult.

Tian Mi shrugged. “Your sister isn’t that clueless. So, is Aunt Xiu really leaving after just two or three days? Why the rush?”

“It’s nearly New Year, and she probably has a lot to take care of back home. So, I was thinking, maybe you two should hold a wedding here. After all, she came all this way—it’s not easy.”

“But we haven’t even gotten the marriage approval yet,” Tian Mi replied, unfamiliar with the requirements but aware that military marriages needed to undergo official screening.

“Doesn’t matter! Many soldiers do this—they hold the ceremony back home, then complete the paperwork when they return to the base. And if anyone has a problem with it, worst case, you hold another wedding once the paperwork is complete. It’s not like we’re short on food for one extra celebration! The main thing is to reassure your in-laws…” Tian Yu, while chatting, was already planning to gather some nice gifts to send with Yuxiu when she returned as a farewell gesture.

As Lou Luhui passed by the kitchen on his way to morning exercise, he happened to overhear their conversation—words that sounded like music to his ears.

It was as if his feet had suddenly turned to glue, and he couldn’t move a step.

Actually, sisters-in-law… weren’t so bad.

Just as Lou Luhui grinned, hoping to hear more, a hand clapped him on the back.

Chen Gang’s skeptical voice followed: “What are you standing here for?”

Lou Luhui… well, his brother-in-law wasn’t quite as likable.

The two sisters in the kitchen turned around at the sound.

Seeing her well-dressed partner, Tian Mi wiped her hands on her apron, walked to the door, and frowned. “Are you going out for morning exercise?”

For some reason, even though she was only frowning, her presence felt as intimidating as enemy gunfire, and Lou Luhui instinctively avoided the truth: “No… I just wanted to come over and help you with breakfast.”

Tian Mi rolled her eyes, seeing through his fib but deciding to let it slide since he at least recognized his mistake. “We don’t need you here. The kitchen’s too crowded with you squeezing in. Did you sleep poorly last night? Or are you feeling unwell? Your face looks so pale—come on, let’s go back and take your temperature.”

Without only saying it, she had already pulled him along to the bedroom, clearly not trusting him to take care of himself.

Chen Gang and his wife exchanged a glance, both catching the amusement in each other’s eyes. Who would have thought that the fearsome and aloof Commander Lou, as he was known to outsiders, would turn into such an obedient and gentle soul in the presence of his fiancée?

Hehe… The more he thought about it, the more amused Chen Gang became. When he went out for morning exercise, he couldn’t stop smiling.

Being pulled into the bedroom by his fiancée, Lou Luhui complained with a mixture of frustration and helplessness, “I’m really fine; it’s just that Chen Xun slept restlessly, punching and kicking me all night. I didn’t get a good sleep.”

His fiancée seemed to be breaking his initial impression of her more and more. Now, he could act all cutesy around her without a hint of shame.

Especially given his size, complaining to her made Tian Mi want to both laugh and pity him for his sleepless night.

She glanced over her shoulder and, seeing no one in the living room, coaxed him softly, “Chen Xun has at most one more hour to sleep before he has to get up for school. Just hang in there a little longer, okay?”

Lou Luhui inwardly mocked himself for being so needy. All his life, he’d prided himself on being a tough guy, believing in blood over tears.

But after being comforted by his fiancée once, he’d changed.

Especially after the last incident, when he’d unexpectedly fallen asleep holding her soft body, he’d become even more greedy.

That greed reached a peak when he heard his sister-in-law’s suggestion.

Clearing his throat and suppressing his blushing ears, he tightened his hold on the young woman’s hand. Trying to mimic her previous gesture, he swayed their joined hands gently, “About what my sister mentioned earlier… how do you feel about getting married?”

Though the gesture was subtle, his words were straightforward.

Tian Mi held back her laughter until her cheeks hurt. Even though she had her answer, she couldn’t resist teasing him. “Let’s talk about it later; I need to help my sister make breakfast first.”

As soon as she finished, seeing the obvious disappointment on his face, she stood on tiptoe and quickly kissed his lips. “Be good, Hui Hui! Go lie down!”

Not giving him a chance to react, she dashed back to the kitchen before the dazed man could respond…

“What’s got you grinning so mischievously?” Tian Yu asked curiously.

Of course, she was happy about teasing her “beauty,” but she wouldn’t dare say that aloud; her elder sister kept a close eye on them, worried they’d do something improper before marriage.

So Tian Mi, stirring the batter, kept a straight face as she changed the subject, “Nothing much. By the way, Jie, I’m planning to go with Lou Luhui to the city tomorrow to shop for wedding supplies.”

“It’s set, then?”

“Mhm. Regardless, Aunt Xiu came a long way and has been openly kind to us. I can’t keep a stiff attitude forever. Relationships are about mutual effort, after all.”

“True. You can borrow a car from Commander Wang for the trip.”

“We can borrow a car?”

“Depends on the circumstances. The environment here isn’t the best, and it’s so cold that it’s hard for officers, let alone young soldiers, to find partners. So whenever someone’s getting married, borrowing a car is no big deal. Besides, without a car, how would you bring back all that stuff?”

Hmm… she had a point.

Every girl loves decorating her space.

For their new home, she had many ideas and was willing to spend a little to make simple changes, at least to make the place cozier.

For instance, she hoped to replace the newspaper on the windows with warm-colored curtains, put a soft, nice-looking cushion on the wooden red sofa, and make a handcrafted placemat for the dining table with an artistic flair…

In short, she had endless hopes for their future home.

With the car, Tian Mi suddenly realized she could add many more things to her list. “Jie, if you need anything, make a list for me, and I’ll pick it up while I’m at it.”

“There was quite a bit, but Yuxiu brought plenty of gifts yesterday, plus the things you got for the three kids. They’re all set for the New Year. As for anything else, I’ll make a list later this afternoon. You’ll need to get New Year’s supplies too, especially since it’s your first New Year together. Try to get some red decorations for good luck.”

“Hmm… Right. I can’t believe I almost forgot it’s nearly New Year.”

“…”

After breakfast, her brother-in-law went to work, and the kids headed off to school.

With nothing to do, Tian Mi lay down with her fiancé for a quick nap.

Although Tian Yu, as the older sister, wasn’t entirely pleased, she didn’t press the matter too much, figuring it was the middle of the day and the two had gone through quite an ordeal the day before.

Of course, she still kept an eye on them, staying home and even pulling out chestnuts to shell as a way to pass the time.

But today was clearly not the best day for napping.

After about half an hour of the young couple snuggled up together, a piercing wail broke out in the family quarters.

Tian Mi jerked awake. Goodness, she was practically conditioned to react to this sound—her fiancé had jumped into icy water to save someone the last time it happened.

So, was it Liu Xiuju again? What was she up to this time?

“Go back to sleep; ignore her,” Lou Luhui murmured without even opening his eyes. He simply moved the arm around her waist, covering one of her ears to muffle the noise.

The girl’s face was so small that with just one hand, he covered not only her ear but her whole cheek. He couldn’t help but rub her jawline a few times, marveling at how amazing girls were—not only soft everywhere but with hands, feet, and cheeks so small…

With her eyes closed, Tian Mi burrowed her face into her fiancé’s chest, trying to fall back asleep.

But… it was no use. The piercing wails and curses outside continued to assault her ears like a relentless storm.

Frustrated, she sat up. “I can’t sleep. What’s Liu Xiuju doing out there, making such a racket?”

As it happened, Lou Luhui did know. Lao Chen had told him the follow-up yesterday. “The unit is going to send her back to her hometown.”

“What? … Oh, well, that makes sense. She disrespected the unit’s regulations and almost caused harm to others, so the leadership would definitely give her a disciplinary action.” Understanding the situation, Tian Mi lost interest, snuggled back into his arms, closed her eyes, and mumbled:

“Will she agree to go back?” Judging from the sounds outside, she was probably trying every trick in the book to resist.

“She has no choice.” When it came to outsiders, especially those who broke military discipline, Lou Luhui was no longer the cute man in her eyes. His tone was cold and firm.

“My guy is absolutely right!” Tian Mi sweetly flattered him, then leaned up to kiss his chin.

Which led to… her being held tightly and thoroughly kissed by the blushing man.

Liu Xiuju was finally gone.

Battalion Commander Zhu had knocked her out, and other soldiers escorted (or rather, dragged) her away.

Seeing this with her own eyes was a wake-up call for Qian Jingjing.

She had always thought that once you came to the unit, you’d never be sent away. She’d also believed that the military would unconditionally protect civilians.

But for simply failing to follow a seemingly minor rule, Liu Xiuju was heartlessly sent back to her hometown.

The thought that something like this could happen to her made Qian Jingjing’s hair stand on end. Her eyes darkened as she glared at the woman wrapping a scarf around her face, her tone serious. “Where are you going?”

Ge Yun ignored her and continued to tie her scarf at her own pace.

“Hey, Ugly-… Da Sao^[1]Older brother’s wife., I’m asking you a question.” Normally, Qian Jingjing wouldn’t care where this woman went, but now it was different. Liu Xiuju had committed what seemed to her a trivial mistake, yet she’d been mercilessly sent back.

So, if Ge Yun—the idiot—went to complain about her injuries, would that mean Qian Jingjing herself would also be kicked out?

No way; she hadn’t yet become the Brigade Commander’s daughter-in-law. How could she leave now?

Qian Jingjing was clever but only with petty cleverness. The environment she grew up in shaped her perspective. Spooked by what happened to Liu Xiuju, she quickly lost her composure.

Ge Yun, unaware of her concern, finished tidying up and picked up her child to head out.

Having stayed at home recently, she hadn’t followed what was going on outside, and she’d only heard about Regiment Commander Lou and Tian Mi’s situation from the Qian siblings’ morning chatter.

Married to Qian Sheng for over a year, Tian Saozi had always looked after her, and she felt genuinely grateful, even secretly seeing Tian Saozi as her own elder sister.

Now, with such a big incident happening in her sister’s household—even though they were now out of danger—she still felt the urge to check on them.

As for her sister-in-law’s question, she didn’t want to answer it, so she simply closed the door and left.

Being ignored like this was like a stab to her pride.

Normally, Qian Jingjing would have held a grudge and looked for a chance to stir up trouble with her brother. But this time, she didn’t dare, especially with Liu Xiuju’s fate so fresh in her mind.

However, the sting to her pride was hard to swallow, making her even more jealous of that idiot, Ge Yun.

Why?  

Ge Yun wasn’t as pretty or smart as she was, yet she’d effortlessly married an officer like her brother, with him indulging her every whim, all because she was the daughter of a regiment commander?

Every time she saw her with that foolish smile, the jealousy in Qian Jingjing’s heart grew.

The heavens were truly unfair.

The treatment of the regiment commander’s sister compared to the regiment commander’s daughter was worlds apart.

Qian Jingjing paced around the house, growing angrier and more anxious by the moment.

…Though that fool left with some food, so she was probably just going to visit the Tian sisters.

But what if? What if she was actually going to complain, and the food was just a cover?

No, she had to be prepared in advance.

With that thought, Qian Jingjing couldn’t sit still. She quickly gathered her things and hurried out the door.

Only, her idealistic plans met a harsh reality.

When she stood at the brigade commander’s door and met Aunt Mei’s calm, all-seeing gaze, she froze.

“Sorry, Xun Yan’s a little spoiled by her aunt and is still asleep. Is there something you need?”

Qian Jingjing’s hands tightened at her sides. Though Aunt Mei’s tone was still polite, she couldn’t shake the feeling of being belittled.

But she dared not show any resentment and forced an even brighter smile. “Oh, it’s nothing. Xun Yan and I get along really well, and I was bored at home, so I came to see her.”

“Oh? To chat about my daughter-in-law, Tian Mi? I’d love to hear more.” Zhong Yuxiu walked over, looking the girl over with interest.

Qian Jingjing’s face instantly went pale. She knew now that the veiled insults she’d whispered to Wang Xun Yan had reached the ears of the woman standing in front of her.

At the same time, Ge Yun had arrived at the Tian household.

“…How’s the cold? I was going to visit you yesterday, but then Mi Yatou and Regiment Commander Lou fell in the water, and the in-laws happened to visit too, so I was a bit overwhelmed… I was planning to drop by later, but here you are! How did you catch a cold? It’s getting cold, and you need to dress warmly. Your situation is special—you can’t take medicine when you’re sick, so it’s a real bother… Oh, I made you some steamed pears with rock sugar. Mi Yatou mentioned it won’t cure a cold, but it should be good for your throat…” Seeing Ge Yun holding her child, Tian Yu’s delight and concern bubbled over as she began to chatter on.

This was how she treated her own—by fussing over them.

Though she was eight or nine years older than Ge Yun, Tian Yu genuinely liked Ge Yun’s personality and treated her like close family, so all her concern came from the heart.

Ge Yun’s icy heart began to thaw with this warmth-filled chatter.

These past few days, she’d practically shut herself off. The once comforting home had become dark and terrifying due to Qian Sheng’s fists and harsh words.

She blamed no one but herself for being blind, ignoring her father’s objections back then and letting Qian Sheng’s sweet words sway her into marriage.

Her father had been right: Qian Sheng was all talk with no skills to match his ambitions, high and mighty without the ability to back it up.

She hadn’t believed it then, thinking she’d found love, but reality had given her a harsh slap in the face.

Ge Yun even felt grateful for her father’s two-year pact as a test for Qian Sheng.

Her father had once promised that if Qian Sheng treated her with care and devotion for two years after marriage, he’d pull some strings to give him a leg up.

Ironically, it was just shy of those two years. If Qian Sheng had known about the secret pact, would he have at least pretended?

“…Still got the scarf on? Afraid of the cold because of your cold?” Tian Yu’s voice brought Ge Yun back to the present. She instinctively looked down, lowering her voice. “Yes…still not over it, and this keeps me warm.”

Hearing this, Tian Yu didn’t think much of it, mumbling a few more words before bustling off to the kitchen to serve the pear syrup.

Just then, the door to the west room opened.

Ge Yun instinctively looked up and saw the tall Regiment Commander Lou emerge from the room.

She didn’t find it odd that Regiment Commander Lou was coming out of Tian Mi’s room—they were about to get married, after all.

But when he glanced over, nodded politely, she couldn’t help but feel a bit uneasy and shifted slightly to the side.

Seeing this, Lou Luhui didn’t say anything, only gently closed the door, then took a teacup and kettle into the kitchen.

Seeing Tian Yu serving the pear syrup, knowing his girl loved this stuff, he didn’t hesitate to pass his cup forward. “Da Jie, Tian Tian likes this too; please add a few more pieces of pear.”

Ah, the confidence. Where was the previously polite, even somewhat distant, Regiment Commander Lou now?

Not holding back in the least. Though Tian Yu quietly rolled her eyes, her hands were quick—after all, it was her little sister with the sweet tooth.

Naturally, as the elder sister, she not only provided food and drink but also covered for her. “Why are you here getting it yourself? Is Mi Yatou tired? She must be worn out after yesterday’s chill, poor thing. She deserves some good rest.”

Lou Luhui nodded along. “She did go into the water yesterday, after all, so I want to help her recover. Oh, and Da Jie, later could you ask Jie Fu to tell the quartermaster to have a soldier bring back a bucket of milk from the farm tomorrow? Tian Tian likes that.” After saying this, he took the filled teacup of pear syrup, thoughtfully grabbed a spoon, refilled the hot water, and calmly headed back to the room to care for his little fiancée.

Tian Yu… Well, truly, a pot for every lid. You two were meant to be a couple.