Chapter 225

Seeing that Shi Tingyu had been holding the child for quite a while, Lu Weiguo worried she might be getting tired, so he reached out and took the child.

“Wife, you rest well. I’ll take care of the child.”

As soon as the child was in Lu Weiguo’s arms, the crowd hesitated to approach.

Shi Tingyu straightened the child’s slightly disheveled clothes and said to Lu Weiguo, “Alright, then you take Shen Shen for a walk around.”

Lu Weiguo nodded, bid farewell to everyone, and left with Lu Yunshen.

As Lu Weiguo walked past the soldiers on duty, their eyes couldn’t help but follow the child in his arms.

So this was the regiment leader’s son? He was really adorable, like a little rice dumpling, making people want to pinch him.

Just then, the child, leaning on his father’s shoulder, made eye contact with one of the soldiers.

He reached out his chubby little hand towards the soldier and kept saying, “Ba! Ba! Ba!”

Lu Weiguo stopped in his tracks and brought the child to the front.

Did his son just call him daddy?

However, as soon as the child was brought in front of him, he realized something was wrong. The child’s gaze was fixed on the nearby soldier.

Following his son’s gaze, he saw the young soldier’s face turn red.

The young soldier thought to himself that he was still a rookie, and now he had a big son!

Sensing the “driver’s” gaze, Shen Shen looked at his dad and then at the soldier, before finally calling out to Lu Weiguo, “Ba! Ba! Ba!”

Only then did Lu Weiguo’s fatherly heart feel at ease.

In their camp, it wasn’t uncommon for children to mistake others for their dads.

Everyone wore almost the same clothes, so at a glance, they all looked like dads.

Lu Weiguo kissed his son’s chubby little face and left before the boy could protest his beard. He then said to the soldier, “My son called me daddy.”

Soldier: …

Polite smile.

Having declared his status in his son’s heart, Lu Weiguo continued walking with the child.

This time, he took his son to watch the workers install the machines.

After a round of inspection and spending time with the child, he found that his leader’s words were true—he could indeed balance both work and childcare.

Soon it was time for lunch.

The meals were delivered by fellow soldiers.

After eating, Shi Tingyu nursed the baby, and then Lu Weiguo started his meal.

The meals were the same for everyone, but to reward the teachers and workers for their hard work, the dishes were specially prepared by the canteen chef, offering a wide variety.

However, there were no suitable baby foods.

Fortunately, Lu Weiguo had arranged for a set of cooking utensils and a stove to be placed in the courtyard.

From time to time, they would prepare some egg custard or rice paste for the child.

These were pre-arranged matters, so there was no worry about breaking any rules.

Not long after lunch, Shen Shen had a bowel movement.

Lu Weiguo swiftly cleaned the baby’s bottom and changed him into a fresh diaper.

He put the dirty diaper in a basin and took it to the water pump to wash.

A young soldier was standing guard near the water pump.

Seeing Lu Weiguo pushing a small bamboo cart and carrying a basin, the young soldier was almost blinded by the sight.

When he saw Lu Weiguo washing the diaper, the young soldier thought he was hallucinating.

Someone please tell him how the stern commander who was so strict on the training ground was now squatting by the well washing diapers.

The young soldier’s eyes were fixed on Lu Weiguo’s skillful movements, full of disbelief.

He had to tell his comrades that Commander Lu knew how to wash diapers!

Given Lu Weiguo’s sharp senses, he definitely noticed the young soldier’s gaze.

His temple throbbed involuntarily.

“Attention!” he barked.

The young soldier’s body jolted, and he immediately stood at attention.

Lu Weiguo ordered, “About-face!”

The young soldier promptly turned around.

Now he couldn’t see anything.

Lu Weiguo felt much better and continued washing the diaper with a much-improved mood.

Once the diaper was clean, Lu Weiguo pushed the bamboo cart away, and the young soldier turned back to continue his duty.

But the spark of gossip in his eyes burned brightly and wouldn’t extinguish for a long time.

The next morning, everyone woke up at the same time, as the camp’s reveille sounded faithfully regardless of the weather.

The morning was a bit chilly, so Lu Weiguo added some hot water from a thermos to Shi Tingyu’s washbasin.

After breakfast, Lu Weiguo took Lu Yunshen on a patrol.

Professor Qi and Professor Tian invited Shi Tingyu to their room.

The setup in the professors’ room was similar to Shi Tingyu’s, with ample supplies of paper, pens, and furniture.

The three of them began discussing the content and format of the art examination.

They decided to follow the previous format of preliminary and final rounds.

The candidates for this exam were different from future unified art exam candidates. They varied in age and profession, so it was not practical to have a single exam that determined everything.

Thus, they first decided on the preliminary content.

Candidates would submit their application works, their usual practice pieces, to be sent to Jinling Art Academy.

Those whose works met the standard would proceed to the final round.

However, the final exam questions would require more effort.

By the end of the day, they had decided on the subjects for the final exam: drawing, sketching, and creative work.

Today’s outcome was quite good.

The general framework was established.

All three had smiles on their faces.

In contrast to their smooth progress, the other subject exam preparations were not going as well.

The other teachers had to closely follow textbooks while also keeping up with current events.

Subjects like politics and Chinese were particularly challenging.

The recent major political movements made staying current a sensitive and challenging task.

Unlike Shi Tingyu, who knew the future trajectory, these exam-setting teachers were unsure if the political turmoil would return.

Fortunately, they still had time to consider their options.

Professor Qi looked sympathetically at the other teachers, who were smoking anxiously not far away.

Compared to them, the art group had it easier.

Even if they had to keep up with current events, it wasn’t as sensitive as for the other subjects.

Two days later, Shi Tingyu’s group had already decided that the drawing subject would be a head portrait, but arguments erupted from the next room.

The three looked at each other, unsure of what was happening.

Lu Weiguo, hearing the commotion, quickly handed the child to a nearby soldier on duty and went to investigate.

The young soldier, holding the child as if it were a grenade, stood stiffly.

Seeing that there was nothing urgent on her end, Shi Tingyu took the child from the soldier.

The soldier breathed a sigh of relief and thanked her repeatedly, “Thank you, sister-in-law!”

Shi Tingyu laughed, wondering if the soldier had been scared silly by the child.

This was her own son; why was he thanking her?

“I should be the one thanking you.”

The young soldier, realizing his blunder, blushed deeply.

Inside, Lu Weiguo found two elderly teachers from the Chinese group arguing heatedly over the essay topic.

“If we’re afraid to ask this and can’t ask that, why even set an exam? We might as well just recommend students to universities.”

“Do you think the topic you proposed would pass?”

“…”

Listening to them, Lu Weiguo couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. Realizing that the disagreement was about the exam content, he relaxed.