Lu Cheng’s regiment had nine company mess halls, and three of them were looking to recruit additional staff.

Lin Qingqing arrived just in time; any later, and she might have missed the opportunity altogether.

Even though it was an external position with no fixed monthly salary, many people were eager for the job.

Lu Cheng had recently been promoted from Deputy Battalion Commander, and among the three mess halls, one was previously under his command.

He took Lin Qingqing directly to that one: the kitchen of the Third Company.

Four men in the Third Company’s kitchen staff were washing vegetables.

Upon seeing Lu Cheng, they stood up and saluted, “Deputy Commander Lu.”

Lu Cheng said, “This is my wife, Lin Qingqing.” Saying “wife” brought a subtle feeling to his heart.

Then, he introduced her to them, “This is Squad Leader Qi, head of the kitchen staff. This is Lin Bao, this is Yang Bin, and this is Yang Tieniu.”

“Hello, Sister-in-law,” Qi Squad Leader said, with the others following suit.

Lin Qingqing smiled and replied, “Hello, everyone. Just call me Xiao Lin or Comrade Lin.”

She was only nineteen, while most of them were in their twenties or even thirties, making her feel a bit embarrassed to be called “Sister-in-law.”

The men looked toward Lu Cheng, not daring to call her “Xiao Lin.”

Lu Cheng said, “Just call her Comrade Lin. I mentioned this morning that my wife is a good cook and wants to work as a chef in the mess hall. So I’ve brought her here for an interview. Squad Leader Qi, do what you need to; follow the regular procedures.”

“Yes, Deputy Commander.” Qi Squad Leader looked at Lin Qingqing and, smiling, said, “Comrade Lin, several people have applied for this position, but you’re the youngest. At the same time, you might also find this work the hardest. Our company may not have a hundred people, but we get very busy and it can be exhausting. Can you handle that?”

Qi’s skepticism wasn’t unfounded, as Lin Qingqing looked delicate and refined, like someone unaccustomed to hard work.

Lin Qingqing answered honestly, “If it’s heavy labor, I probably can’t handle it. But I’d like to be the head chef, responsible for planning the daily menu.”

Qi Squad Leader was taken aback. “You want to be the head chef?”

As the squad leader, he was naturally also the head chef.

Lin Qingqing nodded, “Yes. I’ll plan the daily meals and guide everyone on how to make them taste good.”

It was the first time Qi had encountered such a request. “To be honest, our setup here is different from a large dining hall. In those places, the chefs care about culinary skills. Here, as long as people get enough to eat, that’s what matters.”

Because there were only a few ingredients, “there’s not much that can be done with these.”

So, none of them had much skill in cooking.

Lin Qingqing wasn’t nervous either. She smiled and said, “How about this? Can I have a three-day trial? If Captain Qi isn’t satisfied within those three days, I can leave anytime without any pay. How about that?”

“This…” Captain Qi glanced at Lu Cheng.

Lu Cheng suggested, “How about this: let her do a cooking test first. If her cooking is up to your standards, let her stay for a three-day trial. If not, she doesn’t have to come.”

Captain Qi thought this seemed fair and said, “Alright then, let Comrade Lin give it a try. The ingredients we have on hand are here.”

Lin Qingqing looked at the available ingredients: green vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and a few bags of flour.

She thought for a moment and came up with an idea. “May I ask, do you have any dough already prepared?”

Captain Qi replied, “Yes, it’s for making steamed buns tomorrow. How much do you need?”

Lin Qingqing said, “Just a small amount, about the size of a bowl.”

Captain Qi brought out a small portion of the dough, easily estimating the amount for a bowl.

With the dough in hand, Lin Qingqing didn’t waste any time.

She took two tomatoes and three potatoes, along with a piece of broken tile lying next to the potatoes, which still had some potato peels on it.

The tile was probably used by the kitchen staff to peel potatoes.

Although modern peelers exist, Lin Qingqing was unbothered by using a piece of tile to peel potatoes, skillfully peeling all three and washing them before cutting them into small cubes.

The reason for cutting them small was to speed up cooking.

Then, she began to light the fire.

Although the modern world had moved to electric appliances, many people in rural areas still preferred traditional stoves.

For Lin Qingqing, who had grown up seeing her grandmother use one, using a stove was second nature.

She even sometimes streamed her cooking over a traditional stove, which added a nostalgic touch that her viewers loved.

Once the fire was lit, she filled a large ladle with water and put it in the pot.

After the water boiled, she took out half a bowl of hot water to set aside for the soup, and then placed the remaining water back in the ladle.

She then made cross-shaped cuts in the tomatoes and put them in the hot water.

In the kitchen, there was a hushed silence.

Lu Cheng, Captain Qi, and the others watched Lin Qingqing quietly.

Although Lu Cheng wasn’t familiar with cooking, the kitchen staff certainly was, and they were stunned when they saw her score the tomatoes and immerse them in hot water.

They were curious—what was she up to?

After less than a minute, Lin Qingqing took the tomatoes out, deftly peeling them, and then…

Lin Qingqing chopped the tomatoes and placed them in a hot, oiled pan.

The rich aroma of tomatoes immediately filled the air.

At this point, the half-bowl of hot water she had prepared earlier came in handy.

She poured it into the pan and then added chunks of potatoes.

While waiting for the potatoes to cook, she made dough into small dumplings.

Once the potatoes were ready, she added some seasoning, then ladled out half of the thick potato-tomato soup into two small bowls.

After that, she added the dough dumplings to the pot, and once they were cooked, she served them as well.

Once everything was ready, Lin Qingqing said, “This bowl of tomato-potato dumplings is the main dish, and these two small bowls of tomato-potato soup are for drinking. Please give it a try.”

The kitchen staff looked at each other.

To be honest, the enticing smell made them certain it would taste good even before trying it.

Now that Lin Qingqing had invited them to taste it, the four men eagerly picked up their chopsticks and spoons.

Despite the food being hot right out of the pot, they were used to eating freshly cooked dishes and didn’t mind.

---

Within two minutes, both small bowls of tomato-potato soup and the large bowl of tomato-potato dumplings were completely empty, steam still rising from their mouths.

Squad Leader Qi said, “I never thought tomatoes and potatoes could be made like this. We usually just steam the potatoes, and even with tomatoes, this tastes much better than usual. Lin, you really brought out the tomato’s flavor.”

Lin Qingqing smiled and replied, “There are so many ways to cook tomatoes and potatoes! For instance, soy-braised potatoes with garlic or sour shredded potatoes—both are amazing. As for tomatoes, there’s tomato scrambled eggs, tomato stir-fried with meat, tomato-braised eggplant, and more. Trust me, if you hand over the kitchen to me, even with the same ingredients, I promise the soldiers in our company will be happier than those in any other unit.”

Her enthusiasm reminded the men of a passionate speaker in front of a captivated audience. “All of you work hard, whether training or on missions, so a delicious meal would surely make you feel more content.”

Lu Cheng looked at Lin Qingqing, a deep smile in his eyes.

He hadn’t realized she had such charisma.

Lin Bao, the youngest of the four, couldn’t help himself and spoke up first, “Squad Leader, I say we should let her join. I already want to try everything she mentioned.”

Yang Bin chimed in, “Our Third Company’s mess hall will make the other units envious!”

The most reserved of them, Yang Tieniu, simply nodded, his eyes shining with excitement.

Having made up his mind to let Lin Qingqing join, Squad Leader Qi thought it over carefully.

First, Lin Qingqing was Deputy Commander Lu’s wife, and her presence in the kitchen would ensure order during mealtimes.

These young troublemakers needed discipline.

Second, he respected Deputy Commander Lu. And third, Lin Qingqing’s cooking had won him over; judging by her technique, it was clear she wasn’t a novice and was quite used to being in the kitchen.

Originally, he was just looking to hire two assistants, but with Lin Qingqing as head chef, the rest of the older men wouldn’t mind taking on more assistant work.

“Alright then, Comrade Lin, welcome to the team,” Captain Qi said, saluting her.

Lin Qingqing returned the salute. “Thank you, Captain. Thank you, everyone. I look forward to learning from you all.”

…

When Lin Qingqing walked out of the Third Company’s kitchen, she was thrilled.

But in her excitement, she didn’t forget Lu Cheng. “Lu Cheng, thank you for today.”

Lu Cheng raised an eyebrow. “We’re husband and wife—no need to be so formal. Besides, I didn’t help much. It was your cooking that convinced Captain Qi.”

If her cooking wasn’t good, Captain Qi wouldn’t have agreed so readily.

“Regardless, I still have to thank you. How about this: is there anything you’d like to eat? I’ll cook it for you to show my gratitude.” Cooking was her best skill.

Lu Cheng thought for a moment and didn’t hold back. “Alright, then how about some tomato and potato dumpling soup tomorrow morning?”

Lin Qingqing responded cheerfully, “No problem! I’ll add a poached egg and some greens for even better flavor.” It would be even better if there was beef.

Lu Cheng smirked. “Sounds good.”

“Oh, by the way…” Lin Qingqing remembered something. “If we’re hosting tonight, I’d like to set up a table in the spare room for the kids and invite Hai Ci’s friends over. This way, they’ll see that Lu Hai Ci has family who cares about him and that he’s not someone to be bullied.”

When Lu Cheng heard this, he thought about the recent argument between Lu Haici and Qin Ming and immediately understood her intention. “Alright.”

He hadn’t expected her to care so deeply for Lu Haici. “Thank you, Comrade Lin Qingqing,” he said sincerely.

“No need to thank me. Let’s head over to the kindergarten and talk to Hai Ci about it.” She paused, then added, “When you have time, you could drop him off and pick him up from kindergarten occasionally. A parent’s presence has a strong effect.”

“Alright, I’ll follow your advice.” Lu Cheng’s tone softened noticeably.

However, Lin Qingqing didn’t seem to notice.

…..

At the kindergarten, the children were outside playing a game of “Eagle Catches the Chicks,” with Lu Haici among them.

In the past, he wouldn’t join in with the others, but after sharing yesterday’s tofu pancakes, White Rabbit candy, and this morning’s wheat rolls…

Lu Haici was very popular in kindergarten, so everyone invited him to join in when playing games.

Today, Lu Haici was playing “Eagle and Chicks,” but since he was usually a bit shy and hadn’t played this game before, he hadn’t caught any of the “chicks” yet.

However, Lu Haici was very patient.

He spotted one of the kids who looked tired and slowed down, and as soon as the child stopped to rest, Lu Haici rushed over and grabbed his hand, saying, “Caught you! I caught a chick!”

Unexpectedly, the kid pushed Lu Haici.

Lu Haici lost his balance and fell to the ground, landing on his backside.

“Why did you push Lu Haici?” Ji Yang saw this and rushed over, standing in front of Lu Haici with an angry glare at the other kid.

The child replied, “He grabbed my hand too hard.”

“But you can’t push people.” Ji Yang said, “Apologize to Lu Haici.”

Meanwhile, Qin Ming helped Lu Haici up from the ground.

Unlike Ji Yang’s calm approach, Qin Ming was more forceful. “Apologize to Lu Haici, or we won’t play with you anymore!”

Kid’sthreats are straightforward—no apology, no friends.

“Fine, I won’t play with you.” The kid retorted with some defiance. “You only play with Lu Haici because you eat his snacks. You’re shameless.”

Qin Ming replied, “We ate his snacks, so of course we play with him. Eating snacks and then not playing with him would be shameless, even for a kid.”

The child challenged, “So if you eat my snacks, will you play with me?”

Qin Ming replied matter-of-factly, “But you haven’t given us any snacks.”

Ji Yang, however, was firm. “Even if I ate your snacks, if you don’t apologize to Lu Haici, I still wouldn’t play with you.”

The child grew angrier. “I already said, he hurt my hand, so I pushed him!”

Ji Yang insisted, “But you still need to apologize. Pushing is wrong.”

“I won’t!” the kid said, glaring at Ji Yang. “You’re all like stepchildren! Acting so nice… Qin Ming, are you going to act like them too?”

Qin Ming replied, “I already made up with Lu Haici. My grandpa says a real man shouldn’t be petty. I want to be a big hero, so I need to be open-hearted.”

“Hmph, then I won’t play with you anymore. And tomorrow, even if I bring snacks, you won’t get any!” the kid huffed and ran off angrily.

Lu Haici looked at the child who had run off, then at Ji Yang and Qin Ming, still a little confused by everything that had happened.

“How did things turn out like this?” Lu Haici dusted off his pants slowly and calmly.

“Lu Haici…”

Just then, a voice came from the schoolyard entrance—it was Lin Qingqing.

Lu Haici, who had sharp ears, immediately turned his head at the sound of his mother’s voice.

Not only did he see his mom, but he also saw his dad. “My mom and dad are here to pick me up,”

Lu Haici proudly told his friends, then sprinted toward his parents. “Mom, why are you here?”

Seeing the slight sweat on his forehead, Lin Qingqing knew he must have been playing hard just now.

She said, “Lu Haici, you shouldn’t take off your clothes when you’re sweating, or you’ll catch a cold, and then you’ll have to get a shot in your butt. It hurts a lot.”

Lu Haici instinctively touched his backside and shook his head vigorously like a rattle drum. “I won’t take my clothes off.”

He was afraid of shots.

Lin Qingqing praised him, “That’s my good boy. We’re hosting a dinner at home tonight. How many good friends do you have? You can invite them to come over and eat with us.”

Lu Haici looked over at his friends and began counting with his fingers. “There are six.”

Besides Ji Yang, there were four others who had helped him in fights before.

He had shared milk candies with them afterward.

The last one was Qin Ming, who had just helped him earlier, even though Lu Haici was a bit confused by what had happened.

Lin Qingqing said, “Then, after school, invite your six good friends to come over for dinner. You’re the little host, so remember to be welcoming. If they agree, you’ll need to go to their homes after school and let their parents know so they won’t worry.”

Lu Haici loved it when his mom called him the “little host,” so he responded enthusiastically, “Got it! I’ll invite them.”

Lin Qingqing patted his head. “Alright then, we’ll go home. See you after school.”

She waved goodbye to Lu Haici.

Lu Haici waved back, “See you at home after school.”

Watching their interaction, Lu Cheng felt grateful for Lin Qingqing’s care toward Lu Haici but also found the two of them a bit too sweet.

After his parents left, Lu Haici returned to his group of friends.

Ji Yang curiously asked, “Lu Haici, why did your mom come to see you?”