Wen Ci found a few lunch boxes at home and planned to go to the canteen to get food for Huo Jingyuan’s subordinates. Xue Li noticed a box of instant noodles on the living room cabinet.

His eyes widened in shock, and he swallowed hard. “Sister-in-law Wen Ci, you actually have so many instant noodles stocked at home?!”

As soon as he spoke, the young men’s eyes fixed on the instant noodles. Seeing their eager expressions, Wen Ci tentatively asked, “How about we have instant noodles for dinner tonight?”

Their eyes lit up, and they replied in unison, “Is that okay, Sister-in-law?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

Wen Ci glanced at Huo Jingyuan, who gave a slight nod. She then smiled and said, “I’ll boil some water. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

The process of making instant noodles was simple and straightforward. Each packet came with seasoning, but Wen Ci thought that since they were all young men, one noodle block wouldn’t be enough for them. So, she put two noodle blocks in each bowl.

After sprinkling the seasoning into the bowls, she poured the boiling water over them. Wen Ci called out to the young men sitting in the living room watching TV, “Come and get your bowls. The last one is mine.”

She hadn’t originally planned to eat dinner, but the aroma of the instant noodles had awakened her appetite.

Huo Jingyuan’s subordinates stayed until eight o’clock, only leaving after the TV drama ended. They finally noticed the gloomy expression on their regiment leader’s face and quickly prepared to leave.

Xue Li said, “Sister-in-law, we’re heading out now.”

The single soldiers lived in dormitories with a strict lights-out schedule. After saying goodbye to Wen Ci, they left faster than rabbits.

Wen Ci had barely raised her hand to wave when she saw only their retreating figures.

Once they were gone, the house fell quiet again. The living room was lit by a kerosene lamp. The man sitting on the sofa, his expression cool and detached, moved slightly, and then the room plunged into darkness.

Huo Jingyuan had blown out the lamp.

“What are you doing?”

In the darkness, Wen Ci could clearly see Huo Jingyuan moving closer to her. The next moment, his warm breath enveloped her.

Wen Ci reached out and pinched his ear, affectionately rubbing his earlobe. She smiled faintly, her gaze drifting to the man’s Adam’s apple as it bobbed up and down. She said slowly, “Comrade Huo, are you this impatient?”

“What do you think?”

His voice was low, as if he was trying hard to restrain himself.

The sensation from his earlobe made him lose control. He cupped the back of her head with one hand, leaned in, and kissed her. Then, holding her waist, he lifted her up.

As they kissed, he carried her toward the bedroom. In the quiet room, the sound of their kisses was particularly loud. Their burning bodies pressed tightly together, creating an intensely intimate atmosphere.

The man, who had only recently tasted such pleasures, had held back for days but could no longer resist. Once again, he was like a wolf that had been starving for decades, but this time, he was more measured.

Unlike the first time, when he had been rough, he now paid more attention to Wen Ci’s feelings. He held her in his arms, kissing her while asking, “A Ci, let’s have a child.”

Many of his comrades of the same age already had children old enough to run errands, while he had only just gotten married. In the past, he had never even considered having a child with a woman. He had disliked the arranged marriage set up by his grandfather from the bottom of his heart.

But now…

Wen Ci responded with a soft moan, her eyes red at the corners, her voice gentle. “Let it happen naturally.”

…

The next day, a weekend.

Wen Ci stretched lazily and slowly sat up. The spot beside her in bed was cold. She had already grown accustomed to the man’s stamina, though her back and waist were still a bit sore.

Last night, Huo Jingyuan had been careful not to cause her any swelling again.

His movements had been gentle and restrained.

Wen Ci put on her slippers and pulled open the curtains. The sky was gradually brightening, and the sound of morning training drills echoed outside. When she walked out of the room, she saw congee and steamed buns on the table.

She couldn’t help but smile.

Sitting down on a chair in the living room, she blew on the steaming congee and took a bite of the steamed bun, enjoying the warm meal.

Just as she finished the congee, she heard the sound of footsteps. She looked up to see the man walking in, his deep eyes fixed on her. She smiled playfully and said, “You’re back just in time. Help me wash the dishes.”

Huo Jingyuan’s gaze was intense as he stared at her. “Did it swell?”

Swelling wasn’t something that could be determined immediately.

Wen Ci rolled her eyes at him. “No, it didn’t.”

“No swelling…”

Wen Ci: “?”

She thought she detected a hint of disappointment in his tone.

“What do you mean? Were you hoping it would swell?”

“No.” Huo Jingyuan shook his head, meeting her annoyed gaze. A faint smile played on his lips, carrying a teasing tone. “Applying the ointment for you felt quite…”

Wen Ci’s expression twisted. She remembered how cold and reserved the man had been just a few days ago, but now he was spouting such suggestive words, making her feel a bit embarrassed.

“Get out, get out, get out.”

In the morning, Wen Ci reviewed the nursing guide again at home. She was starting work at the military hospital tomorrow and couldn’t help feeling a little nervous.

She had learned about the duties of a military nurse in this era, which mainly involved assisting and fulfilling the requirements of the military doctors. The work was relatively light.

The Northwest Military District wasn’t very large, and most of the patients were soldiers injured during training.

Around 9:30, Wen Ci decided to visit Sister Zhu Jing for a while. The women were sitting together chatting and knitting sweaters, while a few children played nearby.

When the children saw Wen Ci, they ran over to her. “Good morning, Sister Wen Ci!”

Wen Ci smiled. “You should call me Auntie.”

She handed out a few candies she had brought from home. “Go play.”

“Thank you, Auntie Wen Ci.”

Wen Ci sat down on a small stool, watching the women knit sweaters. It reminded her of the matching wool sweaters she and Huo Jingyuan could have. “Isn’t knitting sweaters a hassle?”

“Not at all. Do you want me to teach you?”

Wen Ci shook her head. She probably wouldn’t have much time for knitting, as she was starting work at the hospital tomorrow. “I’m going to be a nurse at the hospital, so I won’t have much time for knitting.”

“Sister Wen Ci, you’ve been assigned to work at the hospital?”

“Yes.” Wen Ci nodded.

The most popular job in the Northwest Military District was being a nurse. It didn’t require the high qualifications of a doctor, but it did require basic literacy and the ability to assist.

“Did you finish high school?” Zhu Jing asked.

In rural areas, families often didn’t invest much in educating their daughters. Many girls had to take on household chores like washing and cooking from a young age.

Wen Ci shook her head. “No, I only finished middle school.”

The original owner of her body had been raised in a poor rural area. Despite her excellent grades, she could only afford to finish middle school. She couldn’t afford the tuition for high school.

However, her teacher had seen her potential and occasionally let her sit in on classes without charging tuition. Unfortunately, when her adoptive parents found out, they nearly broke her legs.

“You must have been a top student back then.”

“I was first in the school.”

Hearing this, the women expressed regret. Being first in middle school but not being able to attend high school was such a waste. “If you had gone to high school, you might have been a candidate for Tsinghua or Peking University.”

Wen Ci chuckled. “Sisters, you’re giving me too much credit. Getting into Tsinghua or Peking University isn’t that easy.”