Chapter 59: A New Beginning—Zhou Xiaohua ❀  

Zhou Xiaochuan frowned, trying to suppress this strange feeling.  

Just then—  

A sudden weight landed on his shoulder.  

The little wolf cub’s dark eyes instinctively flashed with hostility as he lifted his gaze.  

But the moment he did—  

He saw Jiang Rou’s warm, gentle smile.  

Jiang Rou reached out and patted Zhou Xiaochuan’s shoulder. “Xiaochuan, carry this water bottle with you. If you get thirsty on the way, drink some water. Also, keep an eye on Xiaohua. When we reach the mountain, don’t let her run around recklessly, and make sure she doesn’t fall. There are a lot of stones up there—she could easily trip and get hurt.”  

She gave meticulous instructions while adjusting the straps on Zhou Xiaochuan’s shoulder.  

Only then did he realize that a green aluminum water bottle had been placed on him.  

It was the kind used by the military units.

It was filled to the brim, so it was heavy.  

This was Jiang Rou assigning him a task—bringing Zhou Xiaochuan, who had always been an outsider, into their little team of three.

Moreover, Jiang Rou’s appearance was naturally fresh and delicate.

Even in plain, dusty clothes, her face remained strikingly beautiful.  

The moment she stood gracefully in front of everyone, she became the center of attention.  

One of the older sisters, who had never seen Jiang Rou before, gasped in astonishment the moment she spoke.  

“Ah… So this is the Sister Rou you all were talking about? With looks like this, she could easily join the Military Unit’s cultural troupe! Regiment Commander Zhou is truly blessed to have such a delicate and lovely wife!”  

While some people were focused on Jiang Rou, others had their eyes on the child standing beside her—Zhou Xiaohua.  

“Wait… wait… who is this child? How come I’ve never seen her before?”  

Zhao Guifen scoffed: “Are you stupid? This is Xiaohua—Regiment Commander Zhou’s daughter!”  

“What?! This is Zhou Xiaohua? Wasn’t she just a tiny one before, all sickly and malnourished? She didn’t look like this at all!”  

Today, Zhou Xiaohua had been carefully dressed up by Jiang Rou.  

Not only was she wearing clean clothes, but her little face had been scrubbed until it was soft and fair.  

The once dirty and tangled hair had been thoroughly washed, then tied into two adorable pigtails, each secured with the red ribbons Jiang Rou had given her earlier.  

Zhou Xiaohua’s features were delicate and pretty, her round cheeks making her look even more adorable.

With just a bit of tidying up, she looked completely different—like a reborn child.  

A group of older sisters chattered excitedly, each taking turns marveling at her transformation as they fixed their gazes on Zhou Xiaohua.  

Zhou Xiaohua, timid by nature, clung tightly to Jiang Rou’s hand. She shrank behind her, hugging Jiang Rou’s leg, peeking out with a pair of nervous, wide eyes.  

Jiang Rou gently patted Zhou Xiaohua’s head, silently offering comfort.  

Then, she lifted her head and said to the women,  

“Sisters, this is our little Xiaohua. She’s a playful child, so she used to get a little dirty. I just tidied her up a bit.”  

That “tidying up” had truly made a world of difference.

Someone immediately sighed in admiration.  

“A household really needs a woman. Before, Regiment Commander Zhou was just one man raising two children—of course, he couldn’t do it properly. But now that Sister Rou is here, look at how clean and well-kept the children are!”  

“Sister Rou, you have such skillful hands! Xiaohua’s little pigtails are tied so beautifully.”  

“Sister Rou, what do you think about arranged childhood engagements? My second son is four this year—just the right age to match with your Xiaohua. If they grow up together, they could be… what’s that four-character phrase? Something about green plums?”  

The group of women bustled with excitement, quickly warming up to Jiang Rou.  

However, Jiang Rou didn’t dare respond to the topic of childhood engagements.  

She quickly shot a pleading glance at Lin Yulan for help.  

Lin Yulan understood immediately.  

She called out: “Alright, it’s time to set off! We still have a long way to go. Let’s pick up the pace—if we don’t, the midday sun is going to be scorching.”  

“Yes, yes, that’s the only bad thing about this island—the midday sun is unbearably hot.”  

With lively chatter, the group set out on their journey.  

Some of the women had brought their children along—one was around five or six years old, while another was only two and couldn’t walk yet, so they had to carry them on their backs, wrapped in cloth.  

This was how the women of these households lived—they had to care for their children while also contributing to the family’s livelihood, enduring it all bit by bit.  

By comparison, Jiang Rou’s situation was relatively easy.  

After all, Zhou Xiaochuan and Zhou Xiaohua were already old enough to walk on their own.  

As they walked, Jiang Rou stayed at the back of the group, occasionally chatting with the other women and glancing at the two children from time to time.  

Zhou Xiaochuan and Zhou Xiaohua remained mostly silent throughout the journey.  

One was unwilling to speak; the other was unable to.  

Yet, their eyes remained bright and curious, constantly taking in their surroundings.  

They had been on this island for six months, but this was their first time going out like this.  

Even a small wildflower by the roadside could capture Zhou Xiaohua’s attention.

She would stare at it for a long time, then tug on Zhou Xiaochuan’s hand, urging him to look at it with her.

Zhou Xiaochuan casually plucked the little wildflower and placed it in Zhou Xiaohua’s hair.

Xiaohua and Xiaohua.  ^[1]Little Flower-Literal translation of Xiaohua

That was what one would call absolutely adorable.  

Jiang Rou saw this scene and revealed a knowing smile.  

After traveling for about half an hour, the group finally arrived at a small hillside.  

The small mountain in spring was lush and green, teeming with vitality.