Chapter 57.2.

After breakfast, the family of three moved to the west room to relax. The west room was warmer than the rest of the house, with the steel stove and the kang (a traditional heated platform) both on, so Chuchu could play on the kang or the floor without any issue.

The curtains were all open, and the white snow and icicles outside made the room even brighter.

With nothing in particular to do, Qin Qingman took out an unfinished sweater and sat by the stove to continue knitting, while Wei Ling sat at the kang head and taught Chuchu to read.

During the winter, when they stayed indoors, everyone either prepared two meals a day or found ways to pass the time.

Wei Ling had a good level of education, so teaching five-year-old Chuchu was more than enough.

Being with his wife, Wei Ling felt that even if they didn’t talk, just seeing her when he looked up was enough. He was very content with this life, and he would be even happier once their new house was finished.

As Wei Ling thought about this, he looked at Chuchu.

Chuchu was five years old, and he would turn six soon. Six was still a little young to start school, but it wouldn’t hurt to start education early. Wei Ling could tell that the child was very smart and had great comprehension skills.

“Brother-in-law, is this how this character is written?”

Chuchu’s voice timely interrupted Wei Ling’s thoughts.

Wei Ling looked down at the characters Chuchu was drawing on the kang with his finger. Although he hadn’t written them with a pen, the order of the strokes was still correct.

While Wei Ling and Chuchu were studying on the kang, the yarn ball in Qin Qingman’s hands was rapidly shrinking.

Before the past life had developed, she often knitted sweaters to save money, so she was very quick at it.

Qin Qingman had always been fast at knitting, and with the original body having done labor before, her fingers were not as delicate and fine as the ones in her later life. When the bamboo knitting needles moved up and down, they didn’t cause her fingers any pain from constant use.

So, Qin Qingman was able to knit very quickly.

By one in the afternoon, she had already knitted more than ten centimeters, and with the previous knitting, the sweater was already half-done.

At this point, Qin Qingman stopped knitting and set down the bamboo needles.

After knitting for so long, her waist felt a little sore, and her eyes were a bit tired—it was time to take a break.

As soon as Qin Qingman put down her knitting, a steaming enamel mug was handed to her lips.

It was from Wei Ling.

“Has Chuchu fallen asleep?” Qin Qingman took a sip of the honey water from Wei Ling’s hand and then glanced over at the kang. The child, who had been eagerly learning with Wei Ling, was now fast asleep.

The kang was warm, and the steel stove in the room was burning brightly, making the temperature in the room very high. After napping for a while, Chuchu had not only stuck his little feet out from under the blanket to cool off, but his little face was also flushed from the warmth.

“Chuchu got tired.”

Seeing that Qin Qingman took a sip of the honey water but didn’t drink any more, Wei Ling casually placed the enamel mug on the circular plate of the steel stove.

The edges of the plate were cooler, so placing it there helped to keep it warm.

“Are you hungry? Should I make something to eat?”

Qin Qingman knew that Wei Ling was used to having three meals a day while in the military, and she was worried he might be hungry, so she asked.

“No need to trouble yourself, I’m not hungry.” Wei Ling sat beside Qin Qingman, took her hand, and gently massaged it.

After constantly using his hands, they also needed some relaxation.

Seeing that Wei Ling wasn’t hungry, Qin Qingman didn’t plan to cook. At this moment, she wasn’t hungry either. Even though it was only noon, the sky was already darkening early. With the strong wind blowing outside, it seemed like it would be dark by 4 PM. It would be just right to start preparing dinner at around 3.

Leaning against Wei Ling, Qin Qingman allowed her body to rest, and after a while, she quietly asked, “Ah Ling, are you going back to the military tomorrow?”

The few days of leave had passed in the blink of an eye, and today was the last day of Wei Ling’s break.

“Mm.” Wei Ling nodded slightly. He didn’t want to leave his wife, but as a soldier, he had responsibilities ingrained deep within him. He had to return to the military on time—he couldn’t afford to delay even by a minute.

“How about we stew bear paws today?”

Qin Qingman caught Wei Ling’s hand, which had been massaging hers.

She had received a pair of bear paws from Xiao Hei in the mountains earlier, and they had been hidden under the snow. Instead of waiting until Wei Ling left, she thought it would be a good idea to cook one now to nourish his body.

Of course, it was too late to stew the bear paw today. It was a long process, but she could definitely have it ready for Wei Ling to eat before he left tomorrow.

“Wife, no need to trouble yourself. I just want you to rest. As long as you’re with me, I’m happy with whatever I eat.” Wei Ling glanced at Chuchu, who was still sleeping on the kang, and then pulled Qin Qingman into his arms.

“Mm.” Qin Qingman quietly rested in Wei Ling’s embrace.

She had gotten used to his company these past few days, and she was still not accustomed to the thought of him leaving.

But she had known since the day she became a military wife that this would be a part of her life in marriage.

“Wife, the first fifteen days will be busy for me with tasks. The next fifteen days, I’ll be able to return home after work.” Wei Ling lowered his head and kissed Qin Qingman’s forehead, sharing his schedule with her again.

“Mm, Chuchu and I will wait for you at home. By the way, the snow won’t melt until spring here, and the roads are difficult to travel. When you head back, take your time—don’t rush. Be careful not to slip.” Qin Qingman reminded Wei Ling.

In weather like this, falling on the icy ground would certainly be painful.

“Mm, I understand.” Wei Ling happily listened to the instructions from his wife.

Every word that Qin Qingman said was deeply etched in his mind, stored in his heart. He planned to take them out and savor them again when he was away from his wife in the Military Unit.

Qin Qingman didn’t know the specifics of Wei Ling’s work, nor did she talk about work-related matters. Instead, she chattered on about family affairs, her crisp voice full of warmth. It was so pleasant to listen to, so pleasant that Wei Ling became intoxicated by it.

The couple spoke softly to each other, sharing parting words. Time passed quickly, and before long, it was already past two o’clock, when Chuchu woke up.

When the child woke up, the couple naturally separated as they had been leaning against each other.

The Qin family’s dinner was prepared earlier than usual that day. After eating their fill, the family cleaned up and went to bed.

It was still early, so the couple spent time playing small games with Chuchu.

Since the child had no playmates, Big Sis and Brother-in-law served as companions. Qin Qingman planned to send Chuchu to school in the spring.

However, the thought of sending the child to school made Qin Qingman feel a bit worried as she looked at Chuchu’s height.

He was much shorter than his peers, and she wasn’t sure if he would grow taller by next spring. If not, his height would make him an easy target for bullying by other children, and she would have a hard time stepping in to help.

After all, it was common for children to roughhouse, and as an adult, she couldn’t easily intervene.

As Qin Qingman thought about this, her gaze shifted to Wei Ling’s face.

Though Wei Ling was playing games with Chuchu, he always kept a sliver of his attention on Qin Qingman. When he sensed her looking at him, his gaze shifted to meet hers.

Qin Qingman, of course, could not voice her concerns in front of Chuchu.

Her mind quickly came up with an idea. “Ah Ling, you’re a soldier, and you’re very skilled. Do you think you could teach Chuchu how to exercise? If he starts training his body from a young age, he’ll grow up strong and will have a better chance of joining the Military Unit.”

Wei Ling immediately understood the true meaning behind Qin Qingman’s words.

Looking at Chuchu’s stature, he also realized that Qin Qingman’s concern was valid.

“Brother-in-law, can you teach me how to fight?” Chuchu, upon hearing Qin Qingman and Wei Ling’s conversation, lost interest in the game and immediately ran from the foot of the bed to Wei Ling’s side at the head of the bed, his face full of eager anticipation as he asked.

Qin Qingman and Wei Ling exchanged a glance.

Wei Ling gently asked the child, “Chuchu, why do you want me to teach you how to fight?” He remembered that Qin Qingman had just mentioned exercising, and exercising and fighting were two different things.

Chuchu, with his big, bright eyes wide open, looked at Wei Ling and naturally said, “The kids in our village are really tough. Right now, everyone’s staying inside for the winter, so we don’t see each other much, but once spring comes, all the kids will be out playing wild, full of energy from the winter, and we’ll definitely be fighting.”

As he spoke, the child clenched his fists, his little face tense with seriousness.

It was clear how serious he was at that moment.

“You mean someone is going to fight you?” Qin Qingman picked up on the underlying meaning in Chuchu’s words.

“I can fight back!” Chuchu swung his tightly clenched fist through the air fiercely, looking very fierce. After Big Sis had been busy working with the team last spring, Chuchu had often been left alone at home during the day. During that time, some of the mischievous children in the village had teased him.

Especially some of the kids, like his cousin Qin Jianjun, who had purposely provoked him to bully him.

He knew he was small and couldn’t beat them, so he stayed inside, but even though he didn’t get beaten, he saw how the other kids fought. He had also been pelted with dried cow dung by a few children from a distance.

Thinking about this made Chuchu very angry.

This year, he had Brother-in-law. Brother-in-law was so strong; surely he could teach him how to fight. Once he learned how, he was going to get revenge for the dried cow dung that had been thrown at his head last spring!

Qin Qingman, seeing Chuchu like this, immediately understood the source of the problem.

Although the people in Kaoshan Village were generally simple and honest, they were also tough. If they weren’t tough, they wouldn’t dare go into the mountains to hunt in the winter.

Good fighting skills were developed from a young age.

“Alright, Brother-in-law will teach you how to fight.” Wei Ling understood what Chuchu meant and also saw that his wife wanted to improve Chuchu’s physical strength and combat ability. Without hesitation, he agreed enthusiastically.

“Brother-in-law, you’re the best.”

Chuchu, excited, threw himself in front of Wei Ling.

Chuchu wanted to imitate the apprentice’s gesture of kneeling to their master in the opera, but since he had never seen it before, he did it clumsily.

Wei Ling didn’t laugh, nor did he immediately help the child up. Instead, he had a serious expression. “Chuchu, whether it’s exercising or fighting, it’s going to be hard work. To be able to beat others isn’t something that can be achieved in one or two days. It takes eight or ten years of daily, relentless practice. Can you stick with it?”

Chuchu, hearing this question, instinctively looked at Qin Qingman.

Qin Qingman’s expression was also serious. “Chuchu, this is your own decision. You have to think about it for yourself. I can only tell you that if you want to learn fighting from Ah Ling, not only will it be tough, but it will also be tiring and painful. You’ll need to wake up early and keep going for a long time. There will be times when it’s so painful you’ll cry and beg Ah Ling to stop training you.”

Chuchu was still young and didn’t fully understand what Qin Qingman and Wei Ling were saying.

But he firmly believed in one thing.

That was, if he learned to fight, he might not always win against a group of kids, but if he didn’t learn, he would always be the one getting beaten.

With a determined look in his eyes, Chuchu nodded seriously at Qin Qingman and Wei Ling. “Big Sis, Brother-in-law, I’m not afraid of hardship. I’m not afraid of pain. I want to learn. I want to learn how to fight!”

He’s truly her younger brother—If the Big Sister doesn’t suffer, so how could her little brother suffer?

Qin Qingman smiled when she saw the determination in the child’s eyes. She was proud of him. He certainly didn’t inherit the weak personality of the original owner. It seemed the child was very adaptable, influenced by those around him.

“Once you’ve decided, you can’t back out. Even if you want to slack off later, you won’t be able to. I’ll have Ah Ling make sure you keep training.” Qin Qingman emphasized again.

“Mm, Big Sis, don’t worry!”

Chuchu promised with confidence, then looked at Wei Ling.

Whether he could truly learn to fight depended on whether Wei Ling, his Brother-in-law, would accept him.