Chapter 30: Praise Us

“Yes, they just arrived. Old Lu is on a mission, and he asked me to look after them.”

“Nice to meet you, sister-in-law.” Su Yuanyuan smiled back at the woman’s friendly expression and greeted her.

“Just a moment, I’ll get the cleaning supplies.” Zheng Xiuzhi was efficient and quickly returned with the supplies, enthusiastically offering to help.

Su Yuanyuan felt awkward and tried to stop her. “Sister-in-law, I can do it myself. Commander Han, you should go back too. I can clean up on my own.”

“It’s alright. Old Lu asked me to take care of you while he’s on a mission. It’s what I should do. The apartment is too messy. It would take you a long time to clean it yourself. I’m strong and work fast. We’ll finish quicker together.”

Han Xiao went to fetch water.

Zheng Xiuzhi handed Su Yuanyuan a feather duster and began sweeping efficiently.

“My name is Zheng Xiuzhi. Just call me Xiuzhi. When my husband and I moved in, Captain Lu helped us clean the apartment. It’s only right that I help you.”

Zheng Xiuzhi was talkative, with healthy tan skin and dimples when she smiled.

“My husband and Captain Lu, as well as Commander Han, are from the same batch. It’s a coincidence that they’re both on this mission.  The men are busy with their work, and we women are busy with ours.”

“Then I won’t be polite. Thank you, Sister Xiuzhi.”  Su Yuanyuan couldn’t refuse after her offer.

Her sweet voice softened Zheng Xiuzhi’s heart, making her laugh. “Captain Lu’s wife is so pretty. He’s a lucky man.”

Su Yuanyuan blushed, burying her head in cleaning. Zheng Xiuzhi stopped teasing her and focused on cleaning before it got dark.

Han Xiao returned with the water, helping to tidy up and mop the floor.

Lu Mingzhu and Lu Siyuan helped wipe the cabinets and windows, doing what they could.

Zheng Xiuzhi came out of the room and quickly took the cleaning cloths from the children. “You two little ones, be careful not to fall.  Let the adults do this.  Go sit over there and rest.”

She gently placed the children on a clean stool. Zheng Xiuzhi and Song Han had only been married for six months and didn’t have children yet. Seeing Su Yuanyuan’s two adorable children, she genuinely liked them.

“It’s okay, Aunt Xiuzhi. We can do it. We’re used to doing chores at home. We’re very capable. After finishing our chores, we even help Aunt Zhang clean her house, and she gives us a few cents.”

A few cents was a lot for the children, money earned through their hard work, making them happy.

Lu Mingzhu, wiping the windowsill, said in a childish voice, “Brother and I do lots and lots of work to earn money and save it.  When Mom is sick, we have money to buy medicine.”

The children looked at Zheng Xiuzhi with hopeful eyes, saying in unison, “We’re very capable!”

Their expectant gazes seemed to say,  “Praise us!”

Zheng Xiuzhi and Han Xiao were shocked, exchanging a look of disbelief.

They had seen what kind of person Lu Zhengan was. He sent most of his salary home every month, keeping only a small amount for himself, so his wife could live comfortably.  Yet, she didn’t even have money to buy medicine when she was sick?

Such young children had to work for neighbors for a few cents to save for their mother’s medicine.

Han Xiao recalled the children’s heartbreaking cries in the break room.  It wasn’t a tantrum or a desperate plea for their father; it was the absolute truth.

The mother and children not only had a hard life at their in-laws’ house, but they were likely abused.

Three-year-old children working and not being fed properly, and their mother not receiving money for medicine when she was sick that was abuse.

After getting married and joining the army, Lu Zhengan spent a long time on long-term missions, only returning to the camp when necessary, his trips always rushed.

A week ago, when Lu Zhengan returned to the camp, he immediately asked Song Han about applying for housing in the family quarters.

The process was rushed, and he submitted the application as soon as the paperwork was ready.

Seeing how anxious he was, Song Han and Han Xiao teased him, asking if he missed his wife.

The usually serious Lu Zhengan remained silent for a moment.  He usually ignored such teasing, but this time, he nodded.

It was rare for him to mention his family situation.

“My relationship with my family isn’t great. They prefer my two older brothers. I wasn’t comfortable leaving my wife at home alone.”

Lu Zhengan wasn’t one to gossip, so he spoke vaguely, but Song Han and Han Xiao understood that his family favored his older brothers.

At the time, Song Han and Han Xiao comforted him, saying that since he sent so much money home every month, his wife wouldn’t suffer.

That was eighty yuan.  Even without working, they could live comfortably in the village.

Everyone assumed that since Lu Zhengan regularly sent his salary home, his wife would be living well.

No one imagined that the Lu family favored their two older sons, disliking the youngest son and mistreating his wife and children, making their lives so difficult.

Initially, Han Xiao thought Lu Zhengan’s wife was in poor health, and her children were as thin as little chicks.

After hearing about their life in the village, he realized that it was a miracle they hadn’t starved to death; it would be strange if they weren’t thin.

Most of the money sent home probably never reached the mother and children.

Han Xiao slapped his forehead in regret, realizing he had overlooked this.

Su Yuanyuan stood by the door with a broom, staring at her children, lost in thought.

Han Xiao, a grown man, wiped his slightly teary nose and vigorously wiped the table, continuing his work without stopping.

“Sister, Old Lu is out on a mission and we don’t know when he’ll be back. If you and the children need anything in the compound, just call me. Don’t be shy. I live downstairs.”

He had promised Old Lu to take care of his family, and Old Lu’s wife and children were new to the compound and would likely be uncomfortable.

Zheng Xiuzhi’s eyes were also a little red, but she didn’t insist on stopping the children from helping. She told them to be careful, leaving the high places for the adults, and then went to clean the kitchen.

The three adults and two children cleaned for two hours. By evening, the apartment was somewhat presentable.

It was just a basic cleaning, removing the dust.

Su Yuanyuan took four pears from her bag, giving two each to Han Xiao and Zheng Xiuzhi.

“Thank you for your help today. I wouldn’t have known what to do with the children without you. These pears are free; I picked them from a wild pear tree on the way from the village. They’re big and sweet. Please try them!”

The pears were indeed wild pears, picked by the roadside, but not from the village they were from her space.

The unkempt pears looked ugly but were large.

Before they could refuse, Su Yuanyuan pressed them into their hands.

“If you’re this polite, I’ll be too embarrassed to ask for your help again.” Su Yuanyuan said with a smile.

She was a newcomer, and Han Xiao and Zheng Xiuzhi had kindly helped her, a kindness she appreciated.

With that said, Han Xiao and Zheng Xiuzhi couldn’t refuse and accepted the pears.

However, looking at the apartment, it lacked everything. The furniture was old and worn, except for the dining table, most of it was unusable.

Zheng Xiuzhi considered this.

“Sister, my husband is on a mission with Captain Lu. I’m alone at home. Why don’t you come stay with me? Don’t be shy.  You can move in after the apartment is cleaned up.”

The apartment was, frankly, uninhabitable.

Su Yuanyuan waved her hand. “How can that be? I’d gladly accept, but I have two children. Besides, my husband has an apartment, and it wouldn’t look right to stay at someone else’s house.  We’ll manage here. This is enough.”

Su Yuanyuan wiped the sweat from her forehead, feeling refreshed looking at the clean apartment.

The dust was gone, making it much brighter, although it was still sparsely furnished.

Zheng Xiuzhi and Han Xiao were stunned again, looking around the apartment suspiciously.

There wasn’t a single decent piece of furniture; it was truly bare. The bed frame was unusable and needed to be thrown away. Yet, she seemed satisfied, and the mother and children looked genuinely content with the apartment.

“But the bed frame is rotten and needs to be thrown away. How will you three sleep tonight?”

There was no bed or bedding.  Seeing the mother and children’s thin faces, Zheng Xiuzhi felt a pang of sympathy.