Chapter 27: Hide It Well, Don’t Get Bullied  

Jiang Rou looked at the two children, who were frozen in place from the sheer delight of the candy, and a satisfied smile appeared on her face.  

Just then—  

Knock, knock, knock.  

A knocking sound came from outside the door.  

“Regiment Commander Zhou, Xiaochuan, Xiaohua, it’s Auntie Xu. Are you home?”  

It was Xu Chunxiang’s voice.  

In an instant—  

Jiang Rou’s expression changed.  

The little wolf cub’s expression also darkened, a flash of fierceness appearing in his eyes.  

Zhou Xiaohua instinctively grabbed Zhou Xiaochuan’s hand and hid behind her brother in fear.  

Jiang Rou took advantage of the fact that Xu Chunxiang had not yet entered and quickly instructed Zhou Xiaochuan.  

“The things I gave you—hide them in your pockets. Eat them when you’re hungry, but whatever you do, don’t let Xu Chunxiang see them. If she bullies you, don’t endure it. Come back and tell me, and I will stand up for you.”  

After saying this, Jiang Rou lightly patted the little wolf cub on the head.  

Without waiting for Zhou Xiaochuan’s reaction, she stood up and walked toward the door.  

Everything had happened so suddenly.  

Zhou Xiaochuan had no time to dodge Jiang Rou’s touch before he felt her hand ruffle his hair.  

At the same time—  

Her words echoed in his mind.  

Hide it well… Don’t let her see… If you get bullied…  

Why did she say those things?  

Did she know something?

Zhou Xiaochuan looked uneasy and nervous, but when he saw Zhou Xiaohua reaching for her pocket again, he immediately reached out to stop her.  

Then, he pressed his lips together tightly.  

The candy in his mouth was so sweet, so delicious—no one could find out about it.  

“Comrade Jiang, it’s you…”  

When Xu Chunxiang saw that the person who opened the door was Jiang Rou, the smile on her face instantly faltered.  

Facing a romantic rival, how could she possibly put on a friendly face?  

However, thinking of her plan, she had no choice but to suppress her true emotions.  

Xu Chunxiang forced a smile, her tone polite and formal.  

“Comrade Jiang, Regiment Commander Zhou must have mentioned it to you. I am the teacher responsible for educating and caring for the two children. Xiaochuan and Xiaohua are shy, and since coming to our little island, they have been with me all the time. I am the closest person to them.  

You’ve only been here for a few days, and you’re just a young girl. You certainly wouldn’t know how to take care of them. So, as Regiment Commander Zhou said, things should stay the same—Xiaochuan and Xiaohua will continue to stay with me. I’m here to take them.”  

Xu Chunxiang was truly skilled at putting up a false front.  

She clearly had no real relationship with Zhou Zhongshan, yet she kept bringing up Regiment Commander Zhou as if they were close.  

She even took the opportunity to subtly imply that Jiang Rou didn’t know how to take care of children.  

Jiang Rou, however, didn’t bother arguing with someone like her.  

She had smelled this strong green tea scent from the moment Xu Chunxiang walked in.  

So, she put on a fake smile to match.  

“Oh… so it’s Teacher Xu.”  

Hearing the words Teacher Xu, Xu Chunxiang felt pleased with herself.  

But that feeling lasted only a moment.  

What Jiang Rou said next was the real dagger.  

“Since Teacher Xu is educated, you must know a lot about proper conduct, right? But why didn’t you come to pick up the children yesterday? You didn’t inform anyone, nor did you request leave. Did you forget the importance of keeping your word? Or did your own teachers never teach you that?”  

Xu Chunxiang wasn’t stupid—she could hear the sarcasm dripping from Jiang Rou’s words.  

However, she couldn’t afford to confront Jiang Rou directly.  

If she caused trouble first, wouldn’t that just give Jiang Rou an excuse to drive her away?  

Xu Chunxiang had no choice but to swallow her anger.  

“I… I had an upset stomach yesterday and was sick. That’s why I couldn’t come to take care of the children. I already explained everything to Regiment Commander Zhou.”  

Xu Chunxiang’s voice was full of frustration as she answered.  

Then, she ignored Jiang Rou and turned toward Zhou Xiaochuan and Zhou Xiaohua, waving them over.  

“Xiaochuan, Xiaohua, come on! We’re going to Teacher Xu’s house.”  

Jiang Rou stepped aside slightly, making way for the two children.  

As Zhou Xiaochuan and Zhou Xiaohua passed by her…

She gently patted the heads of the two children. “Go on now, have a good meal at noon, and come back early in the evening.”

And just like that, the two children were taken away.

In the days that followed, Jiang Rou did not remain idle.

She continued going in and out, cleaning the house. Using old clothes, she made a mop and scrubbed the floors inside and out.

She also took out the blankets and bed sheets from the bedroom.

She laid them out in the sun to dry, and those that needed washing, she washed thoroughly.

Otherwise, she would feel uncomfortable when she slept.

It might not seem like much work, but in reality, once she started, Jiang Rou remained busy the entire day.

Anyone passing by their house could hear the sound of water splashing continuously.

Sheets and clothes fluttered in the courtyard.

Bathed in sunlight, they looked clean and warm.

That evening, Zhou Chongshan came again, just like the night before, bringing food, turning the soil, and delivering the seeds Jiang Rou needed.

When he saw the house had changed once more, he was no longer surprised. He had fully accepted Jiang Rou’s transformation of the place.

From now on, this would be their home.

That night, after tilling the soil, Zhou Chongshan used branches and vines to enclose a small corner of the courtyard, creating a makeshift chicken coop.

The chicks could be raised inside.

Even when they grew bigger, they wouldn’t be able to get out, preventing them from pecking at the newly planted vegetables.

Zhou Chongshan had carefully thought through all these details.

Like Jiang Rou, he was making long-term plans for this home.

Before going to bed that night, Jiang Rou intentionally took Zhou Xiaohua to the washroom, saying she needed to clean the child’s body and wouldn’t let Zhou Xiaochuan watch.

She poured hot water, allowing the rising steam to fill the small washroom, wrapping the space in a damp warmth.

Only then did she slowly begin to remove Zhou Xiaohua’s clothes.

The first thing Jiang Rou did was check the little girl’s fair, tender skin.  

Seeing that Zhou Xiaohua was clean, without a single bruise or red mark on her body, she finally felt relieved.  

It seemed that although Xu Chunxiang had ill intentions, she wasn’t cruel to that extent.  

Jiang Rou soaked a towel in the hot water and gently wiped the little girl’s body.  

As she cleaned, she asked,  

“Xiaohua, were you hungry today? Did you have lunch?”  

Zhou Xiaohua nodded.  

Not only was she not hungry, but she also had steamed buns and potatoes for lunch. It was the first time she had seen so much food, and she was overjoyed.  

“Xiaohua, did you eat an egg?”  

Zhou Xiaohua grinned, showing her teeth, and nodded vigorously.  

Eggs! Boiled eggs! The soft, white egg whites and the fluffy, tender yolk!  

She loved egg yolks the most. Her brother even shared half of his with her.  

The two of them had hidden away and eaten it in secret. Because the yolk was so dry, they almost choked on it.  

Even so, she still loved it!  

“Xiaohua, did you eat White Rabbit Creamy Candy?”  

Zhou Xiaohua tilted her head, blinked her eyes, and looked confused. She didn’t know what White Rabbit Creamy Candy was.  

Jiang Rou continued,  

“Xiaohua, White Rabbit Creamy Candy is that sweet, white candy.”  

As soon as she heard this, Zhou Xiaohua’s eyes instantly lit up like twinkling stars.  

She couldn’t even speak—she was so excited that she waved her hands and kicked her little feet.  

Candy!  

Fragrant, sweet candy—it was so delicious!  

The mere thought of the sugary taste made Zhou Xiaohua flash a bright, sweet smile at Jiang Rou, her little dimples faintly appearing.  

“Such a good girl!”

Zhou Xiaohua was only four years old, innocent and pure, and had yet to learn how to lie.  

Seeing her answer fluently, unharmed, and well-fed, Jiang Rou finally felt completely at ease.  

She gave Zhou Xiaohua a thorough bath in the warm water, changed her into clean clothes, and carried her back.  

At the doorway—  

Zhou Xiaochuan, with his dark, alert eyes, had been standing guard the entire time.  

The moment he saw Zhou Xiaohua return, he immediately snatched her away.  

Even though he had eaten the egg and candy Jiang Rou gave him, he still believed she was an evil stepmother?  

Jiang Rou was in no hurry.  

Ice three feet thick does not form in a single day—she had plenty of time.  

However…  

Something about the little wolf cub seemed different today.  

Jiang Rou stared at Zhou Xiaochuan’s back, frowning in confusion, but for the moment, she couldn’t quite place what had changed.  

The night—  

Had unknowingly grown darker.  

…  

Jiang Rou’s days on the island passed like this for another three days.  

During this time, Zhou Chongshan had somehow managed to find some old furniture.  

The once empty and barren living room finally took on a semblance of a real home.  

With Jiang Rou’s efforts, their house had gradually shed its “bare-walled” state.  

Every morning—

Jiang Rou continued her routine as always—placing an egg and a few pieces of candy into Zhou Xiaochuan and Zhou Xiaohua’s pockets before watching them get taken away by Xu Chunxiang.  

Once the children had left, Jiang Rou busied herself with tidying up the courtyard.  

She had already planted the seeds Zhou Chongshan gave her, and after several days of watering, the first batch had sprouted, revealing a fresh, vibrant green.  

She also paid a visit to Zhao Guifen’s home.  

Zhao Guifen was a rural woman who had been skilled in farming long before coming to the island.  

Even after arriving here, she never abandoned her expertise.  

In her courtyard, she had scallions, ginger, garlic, as well as chili peppers, leafy greens, eggplants, and loofahs.  

Lush and thriving, everything grew beautifully.  

Jiang Rou learned a lot of planting techniques from Zhao Guifen and even transplanted some of her mature scallions, ginger, and garlic into her own courtyard.  

With this—  

The once barren courtyard now had not only a chicken coop but also vibrant, growing plants.  

She even picked some wildflowers from the roadside and found an empty soy sauce bottle to use as a vase.

Using a glass bottle as a vase and placing wildflowers inside instantly turned it into a fresh and elegant decoration.

The simple house now carried a vibrant and lively atmosphere.