Chapter 30 – A Born Paparazzi

Ye Tao held little Ruirui’s hand as they walked, chatting and laughing along the way.

Ruirui was a chatterbox, his words crisp and clear. In just a few sentences, he rattled off everything that had happened in kindergarten—who came late because they wet the bed, who got caught sneaking an egg during class, who forgot to wipe after using the toilet and ran back to the classroom…

He spilled all the embarrassing stories of his classmates, making Ye Tao laugh heartily. Truly, the boy had the makings of a paparazzo.

It was mealtime, and the family compound was filled with the fragrance of food. Some children, not yet called home, were still playing outside. Spotting Ruirui, they invited him to join them in playing marbles.

“I can’t,” Ruirui shook his head proudly. “I’m bringing my auntie home with me today.”

The kids glanced curiously at the unfamiliar face, but with Huo Tingwu standing nearby, none dared approach.

“Ruirui, is this your auntie? Why haven’t we seen her before?”

“My auntie just arrived today. Of course you haven’t seen her before,” Ruirui replied matter-of-factly.

Ye Tao smiled gently. “Hello, children.”

Her soft voice and warm smile made the kids instinctively draw closer.

“Auntie, hello!” they chimed together.

Ye Tao exchanged a glance with Huo Tingwu. Understanding, he took out some candies to share with them.

Five or six children stared back and forth, none daring to be the first to take.

Huo Tingwu rubbed his face helplessly—was he really that scary?

But candy proved stronger than fear. One brave child darted forward, snatched a piece, and ran off, calling out a quick “thank you” over his shoulder.

And once one child did, the rest followed, happily grabbing candies and munching away with delight.

After saying goodbye to the little ones, the three soon arrived at the Zhou family’s gate.

The Zhou courtyard was tidy and cozy, full of flowers and plants. One glance filled Ye Tao with joy—it felt like stepping into a garden of blossoms.

“Mom, I’m home!” Ruirui shouted, dashing inside.

“Uncle, Auntie, have they come yet?” Xu Lan asked while wiping cups.

“They have! I brought Auntie in myself!” Ruirui laughed proudly.

Hearing guests had arrived, Xu Lan quickly set aside her work. “Deputy Commander Huo, sister-in-law, come in and sit.”

She noticed Ye Tao gazing at the flowers in the yard. “Sister-in-law—”

“Hello, sister-in-law,” Ye Tao greeted warmly. “I’m Ye Tao, just call me Taotao. Sorry to trouble you.”

Xu Lan smiled. “Not at all. Deputy Commander Huo and Chongli are good brothers, so we’re like family. No need to be polite. Come inside—Chongli will be back any moment.”

Just then, Zhou Chongli returned. “Hey, why is everyone standing outside?”

“Daddy!” Ruirui ran to him.

Zhou Chongli swung his son up in his arms. “You little rascal, have you gotten chubbier again?”

Ruirui, now at the age of caring about his looks, pouted. He hated being called fat—even by his admired father. “No I haven’t! Daddy’s lying!”

“Alright, stop teasing him. Go wash up, it’s time to eat,” Xu Lan scolded gently.

Ye Tao took out the pickled mango she’d prepared.

“Oh, you like this too?” Xu Lan asked curiously.

“You mean… too?” Ye Tao tilted her head.

Xu Lan explained, “When I went to the countryside, I saw locals eating it this way. I found it strange at the time—how could anyone eat mangoes when they’re still green?”

They were used to seeing ripe yellow mangoes, not the green ones that looked uninviting.

“So that’s it. Sister-in-law, try it and see if you like the taste,” Ye Tao encouraged.

Though hesitant, Xu Lan couldn’t refuse under her guest’s expectant gaze. She took a bite—and to her surprise, it wasn’t bad at all. “Huh, this is actually pretty good.”

Zhou Chongli, seeing his wife enjoy it, picked up a piece too. “Delicious! Sour, spicy, refreshing.”

Encouraged, little Ruirui grabbed a piece with shaky chopsticks and bit into it eagerly.

“Ahhh!” he cried out instantly.

Ye Tao hurriedly handed him water. The boy gulped it down, eyes red, clearly overwhelmed by the spiciness.

“Son, you’re too greedy,” Zhou Chongli teased mercilessly.

“Don’t mock him,” Xu Lan glared at her husband.

Chastised, Zhou Chongli obediently wiped his son’s runny nose.

“Sorry about that, sister-in-law,” Ye Tao apologized.

Xu Lan waved it off. “It’s not your fault. He’s just a little glutton. Maybe this will teach him to eat less.”

At five, Ruirui was bigger than most kids his age. Though not overweight, Xu Lan was mindful of his diet for the sake of his health.

She poured Ye Tao another glass of water and eagerly asked how to make the dish. Learning it was just a simple cold preparation, she decided to try it herself next time.

Hearing this, Ruirui quickly covered his mouth—he didn’t want to eat it again. His pitiful expression made the adults burst into laughter.

Xu Lan and Ye Tao soon found themselves getting along well. Xu Lan had lived in the compound for two years but lacked friends her own age. Aside from talking with her child, she rarely had topics in common with others. With Ye Tao here, she finally felt like she had a companion.

After dinner, Ye Tao offered to help clean up, but Xu Lan stopped her, pulling her out to admire the flowers instead.

“My husband handles the cleanup. I cook, he washes the dishes,” Xu Lan explained, then hesitated. “Do you think that’s bad?”

“Of course not!” Ye Tao’s eyes lit up. “Honestly, Tingwu and I are the same way.”

To protect her hands from getting rough, Huo Tingwu always took on the dishwashing.

“Really? That’s wonderful. You don’t know—other wives here always scold me when they hear Chongli still helps with chores. They say a man comes home exhausted and should just rest…”

“And I’m not exhausted from work every day?” Xu Lan retorted bitterly.

In this era, women often bore the weight of unfair expectations—unfairness many accepted as natural.

Ye Tao sincerely asked about the flowers in her garden, impressed by their vigor.

“My father used to love gardening, so I picked up some skills. Each flower has its own habits. Take roses, for example—they like warmth, moisture, and lots of sunlight. Without enough sun, the petals can darken or even fail to bloom.”

“You really know so much, sister-in-law,” Ye Tao praised with genuine admiration.

Xu Lan waved her hand modestly, but inside, her heart swelled with delight.

When Ye Tao left, Xu Lan specially dug up two vibrant rose plants for her to take home.

Back at her place, Ye Tao immediately found a spot to plant them.

She decided to use the west side of the yard for flowers, planning to plant grapevines later, build a trellis, set up a table and chairs—so they could sit under the shade drinking tea in leisure. The thought alone filled her with anticipation.

The east side would be for vegetables. Tomorrow she’d till the soil, make neat ridges, and plant the seeds they had bought. With the island’s climate, it wouldn’t be long before they were eating fresh produce from their own garden.

Meanwhile, Huo Tingwu had heated water. Since their home didn’t yet have a shower, he made a note to gather materials the next day to build one.