Chapter 40 What do you know? This is what a real man is like

When Jiang Wan got home, she glanced at the two little ones and found that Fu Chen was fast asleep on the kang (heated brick bed) in the side room. Xiao Yan, who relied heavily on her older brother, was curled up beside him, sleeping soundly too.

Jiang Wan smiled gently and reached out with a delicate hand to carefully feel Fu Chen’s forehead. Sensing the fever was gone, she tiptoed away.

Back in the main room, she thought for a moment and brought out her suitcase. Counting the money she’d brought along, she found she still had plenty—especially with the two large-denomination bills Fu Jingchuan had given her. Jiang Wan decided to go to the market at the entrance of the village to buy some groceries. The house didn’t have much food left.

On the day she’d arrived, a few new recruits who had escorted her had briefly introduced her to the village. And when she’d gone to the supply store with Sister Yulan, Zhao Yulan had explained the way in more detail.

Jiang Wan figured she could manage on her own, so she tucked the two large bills into her pocket and headed out.

The market was near the village entrance. At this time of day, there weren’t many vendors, as it was known to be liveliest in the mornings and evenings. Jiang Wan’s fresh, delicate beauty drew attention wherever she went. Just strolling around the market once, she could already hear whispers and gossiping voices all around her.

She didn’t pay much attention—or rather, she was slowly getting used to it. She greeted everyone with a polite smile, her almond-shaped eyes curved sweetly, naturally endearing herself to others.

A few women weren’t so subtle, talking in loud whispers:

“Wow, just look! Captain Fu really scored this time. Who knows where he found such a young and stunning wife? Compared to her, the ones he married before don’t even come close!”

“Humph! Not only were they not pretty, their characters weren’t any good either! Honestly, I don’t know how such a capable and dashing man like Captain Fu put up with being treated so badly!”

“Tsk! You don’t get it. That’s what a real man is—he doesn’t stoop to the level of those heartless women!”

Jiang Wan heard every word clearly, though she remained silent. She continued browsing the market at a relaxed pace.

She bought a pound of pork, a pack of preserved goods, some steamed buns, and a few sweet sauce pancakes. Finally, she picked up some fresh vegetables. Altogether, it cost just a few yuan.

The prices were so touching it almost brought tears to her eyes. Jiang Wan thought about the money in her suitcase and suddenly felt like she was practically a rich woman now!

Back home, Jiang Wan neatly put the groceries away in the kitchen. She made a mental note to visit the county bank sometime soon to deposit the money. Leaving it lying around like this wasn’t safe—what if it got lost?

She was married now, and very satisfied with her military husband, but it still made sense to keep a bit of security for herself. After all, no one knew what the future might hold.

Once everything was tidied up, Fu Chen and little Fu Xiaoyan woke up. Hearing the commotion, Jiang Wan boiled some water for Fu Chen and cooled it down before calling him over to take his medicine.

The boy had just woken up, looking adorably dazed. He was surprisingly obedient, tilting his head back to swallow the pill and drink the water. But once he realized he was being cared for by Jiang Wan again, his face turned red. He thought about the trouble he’d caused and how he’d promised to be her “little follower.” How could he not do something to uphold his manly pride?

So Fu Chen grabbed a broom and went out into the courtyard to sweep up fallen leaves, furrowing his little brows in all seriousness. “Auntie Jiang, I’m fine now!” he declared. “I slept too much! Let me move around a bit!”

Jiang Wan chuckled and didn’t stop him. In fact, both kids were sensible—it was just that they’d been spoiled by Tang Feng and that awful daughter of hers. But that was okay. It wasn’t too late to straighten them out. She was confident she could turn things around.

Just as she was shaking her head over everything she had to do, a familiar voice rang out from outside:

“Jiang Wan, girl~~ Are you home, Jiang Wan?”

It was Zhao Yulan, holding a small metal basin filled with her homemade pickled cucumbers.

“Yulan-jie, come in!” Jiang Wan greeted her warmly, smiling sweetly.

Zhao Yulan handed over the cucumbers. “Here, take this to the kitchen and grab a plate. These are my pickled cucumbers—nice and tangy, perfect for this hot weather. Even if you don’t have an appetite, these will help you eat an extra bowl of rice!”

Zhao Yulan remembered how Jiang Wan had given her kids some snacks before and truly liked this young woman. As soon as the pickles were ready, she thought of bringing some over.

Jiang Wan tried to politely decline, but she knew how village life worked—neighbors gave and shared. A little from you, a little from me. So after a few pleasantries, she accepted it.

In fact, she did have a few things she wanted to ask Zhao Yulan.

After putting the pickles away, she invited her into the main house, and the two of them sat on the couch. Jiang Wan even found some tea leaves and brewed a cup for Zhao Yulan.

“Aiyoo, girl, why are you being so formal? We’re just chatting—you don’t need to serve me!” Zhao Yulan said, waving it off. But she couldn’t help watching Jiang Wan, admiring how pretty and graceful she looked even doing something as simple as pouring tea.

Zhao Yulan praised her in her heart and then suddenly slapped her thigh as she remembered something.

“Jiang Wan, girl, I heard you’re going to perform in the village program with the committee?”

“That’s great news!”

Zhao Yulan looked genuinely impressed. She thought to herself how normally that women’s committee head Zhao Ying always acted so high and mighty. But now she was all worked up and thrilled, proudly going around announcing to every household that she’d recruited Jiang Wan to help with the performance.

Jiang Wan had just sat down, still a little puzzled. She hadn’t expected Sister Yulan to find out so quickly.

Zhao Yulan, however, straightened up slightly and said seriously, “Wan, this really is a good opportunity. While you’ve got the chance, you should build a good relationship with that women’s director. In the future, if there are any good opportunities, she’ll keep you in mind.”

“There are several girls around your age in our village, and it was thanks to her connections that they got jobs arranged in the county town!”

“And there’s even a shuttle bus! With good benefits too!”

Zhao Yulan’s eyes sparkled as she went on, “And I heard that this time, the leaders are personally coming to the countryside. If you manage to catch their attention, this won’t just be some ordinary factory job!”

“I’ve got a relative in the neighboring village. Their little girl was chosen last year and got assigned to work at the county library. Isn’t that great? For a young lady, that kind of job is perfect! It sounds nice, and it’s comfortable!”

Listening to all this, Jiang Wan couldn’t help but feel a little excited too. In her past life, she had been used to the hectic life of a corporate worker. Now that she suddenly had so much free time, it honestly felt a bit strange. She realized once again that having a stable, reliable job would give her more peace of mind.

So in her heart, she made a firm decision: since she had already agreed to appear on the program, she would give it her best effort!

As Zhao Yulan chatted with Jiang Wan and sipped her tea, her eyes happened to wander toward the bedroom. At a glance, she froze.

The bed was neat and tidy, and the room didn’t seem to show any signs of a man’s presence. The pillows were placed neatly in the middle of the bed—no matter how you looked at it, it clearly seemed like only one person was sleeping there…

Zhao Yulan furrowed her brows, her expression becoming a bit awkward. After hesitating for a long while, she finally lowered her voice and said, “Wan, can I ask you something? Don’t get mad—I’m not trying to meddle in your business, okay?”