Chapter 11: He is so short~ Oh! He doesn’t look like a man at all!

After they left, the two of them walked in the direction of home. Zhao Yulan explained to Jiang Wan, saying:

“Comrade Xiao Jiang, don’t worry too much. Over in the southern part of the city, most places don’t require ration coupons anymore when buying things. I heard from my husband just yesterday that our area is also about to stop using them for many items. The overall economic situation is getting better and better, so a lot of things won’t be under planned purchase anymore!”

“But I reckon ration coupons for things like grain will still be needed for a while. As for buying vegetables and meat, there’s a morning market in our village! That market’s full of small vendors, and you don’t need coupons to buy from them.”

“Alright, Sister Yulan, got it! Thank you for explaining so much to me.” Jiang Wan smiled and curved her eyes into delicate crescents, glowing like tiny crescent moons.

As the two of them walked, the road gradually emptied of people. Jiang Wan suddenly remembered what Zhao Yulan hadn’t finished saying earlier, before they went to the supply store. After hesitating for a moment, she asked tentatively:

“Sister Yulan, earlier… you said that Fu Jingchuan — the Battalion Commander — is actually a pitiful person. What did you mean?”

“His grandfather only mentioned in letters that he’d been divorced three times.”

“When I arrived yesterday… he told me that one of his former wives ran off with another man, another stole his money and left for another province.”

“But… isn’t marrying a soldier considered a military marriage? Wouldn’t those women face consequences if they just up and left?”

Zhao Yulan furrowed her brows and sighed. She glanced around — no one else was nearby. She tugged Jiang Wan under a large tree and lowered her voice as she began to recount the past.

In summary, Fu Jingchuan, despite being a grown man, had never pursued relationships. No one had ever seen him take interest in a girl. Then one day, during a dangerous emergency mission, one of his comrades died unexpectedly. That man’s wife, overcome with grief, passed away not long after, leaving behind two children — one three years old, one just a year old.

Fu Jingchuan decided to adopt the two kids. His grandfather, a retired soldier, agreed, but told him that if he was going to raise two children, he couldn’t do it alone. Even if he could manage, the kids couldn’t — the family needed a woman to hold it together.

Fu Jingchuan was indifferent about romance and agreed. So his grandfather arranged a marriage for him. And then came the three failed marriages that Jiang Wan had heard about. Every time something happened, Grandpa Fu would be furious and want to file a report, hunt the woman down and hold her accountable.

But Fu Jingchuan always acted like he didn’t care. Besides, the women were clearly at fault each time. The evidence was always solid, so he’d just submit a unilateral divorce report to the army and be done with it.

Eventually, after the last marriage ended, Fu Jingchuan became thoroughly disillusioned and decided never to marry again. But Grandpa Fu couldn’t bear to see his brave, upstanding grandson — such a fine soldier — end up a lonely old bachelor. So he swallowed his pride and sent a letter to the Jiang family, relying on old connections and goodwill.

When Jiang Wan returned home carrying her purchases, Auntie Tang had already left after making breakfast. If it could be called that — it was just a big pot of thin cornmeal porridge with a few scraps of cabbage. Clearly meant to feed the two kids all day long.

Jiang Wan took one look around the kitchen and was fuming. After a long while, she calmed herself, but then smiled slyly.

She grabbed the bag of snacks, dragged a stool into the middle of the courtyard, and opened a pack of crunchy noodles.

“Aiya~~ This snack is so good~~ I heard that most kids don’t get to eat stuff like this very often~”

She deliberately crunched loudly: crack crunch crack.

As expected, two little heads poked out from the side room door not long after.

Fu Xiaoyan stared hungrily and whispered, “Brother! Look! She’s eating snacks!”

“Hmph… What’s so great about that?” Fu Chen frowned stubbornly, but his eyes were fixed on the bag of noodles — and the larger bag of snacks at Jiang Wan’s feet.

“!!! Brother! Look! She bought so many yummy things!” Fu Xiaoyan sucked on her fingers, eyes sparkling. “I’ve heard other kids say snacks are super tasty!”

“What’s the point if it’s tasty?! Grandma Tang said we can only eat her food! Otherwise, we’ll get sick!” Fu Chen said anxiously, as if trying to convince himself. His voice rose in panic.

Jiang Wan, hearing everything, smirked and continued crunching loudly.

She sighed deliberately and said in a sweet, innocent voice:

“Aiya~~ Some little kids really aren’t too bright~ They believe whatever others tell them~ Tsk tsk~ But I see all those kids outside who eat snacks — they look perfectly healthy! And the ones who eat meat? They’re so tall!”

She paused, then turned and looked directly at Fu Chen with a playful smile, her voice lilting teasingly.

“Unlike~~ certain~~~ little boys with the last name Fu~~ already six or seven~~ and still so short~ Aiya! Not manly at all!”

“Oh, and there’s a certain little girl surnamed Fu too~ her face is all sallow and yellow~ Not cute at all! Unlike other girls who are so pretty~~ Must be ‘cause they eat well! But these two Fu kids? All they get is that gross porridge every day~~”

“YOU!!! YOU!! BAD WOMAN!!” Fu Chen wasn’t stupid — he immediately realized she was mocking him! His face flushed red and he charged at her.

Fu Xiaoyan suddenly understood too — and burst into tears. “Brother! Sob sob She insulted me! She said my face was yellow!!”

She clutched her little dress and cried pitifully. Fu Chen’s tiny chest heaved in anger, teeth clenched. He pointed at Jiang Wan and shouted:

“BAD WOMAN!! GO AWAY!! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!!”

But Jiang Wan remained perfectly calm. Her bright almond-shaped eyes lazily swept over the two little dumplings. Inwardly, she thought: These kids are smart… but that Tang Feng woman and her daughter have really brainwashed them!

This won’t do.

As their new stepmother, she had to raise them right. Once they grew up and made something of themselves, she’d benefit too.

She curved her lips into a sly grin, arching her delicate brows, and teasingly said:

“Oh? You’re angry?”

“Is it because I told the truth?”

“Do you think… you’re short and skinny and not manly at all? And your little sister — yellow-faced and not cute at all, huh?”