The little ones were once again the most striking sight in the mess hall.

Every soldier who came to eat would glance at them.

Among a group of young people, a few little ones indeed made the scene a bit different.

However, the soldiers had only just arrived when the little ones finished their meal.

Led by Lu Haici, they went to the back of the mess hall to wash their bowls, as they were already familiar with the routine.

Afterward, Ji Yang and Qin Ming took their lunch boxes and went home, while Lu Haici stayed in the mess hall waiting for his mother.

As soon as Qin Ming ran home, Zhang Hongping couldn’t help but ask, “What did you have for dinner?”

Qin Ming handed over his lunch box. “Cucumber and eggplant.”

Upon hearing “cucumber and eggplant,” Zhang Hongping was once again surprised.

Not only had her grandson eaten vegetables, but he’d also eaten cucumber and eggplant!

She opened the lunch box.

Although half was cucumber and half was eggplant, since there was only one box, the two dishes had mixed together.

But even so, the flavors could still be enjoyed together.

Looking at the cucumber and eggplant, Zhang Hongping couldn’t understand what made it different from her own cooking, enough for her grandson to actually eat it.

Commander Qin spoke up, “Hurry, let me have a taste.”

“Look at you, so impatient.” Zhang Hongping pushed the lunch box over, but she also picked up a piece herself. “I have to admit, it tastes pretty good.”

Zhang Hongping had a good quality: she wouldn’t deny others’ strengths.

From today’s braised pork intestines at lunch to tonight’s cucumber and eggplant, she truly thought the food tasted good.

It was surprisingly appetizing. “Lu Cheng’s wife can really cook. I originally thought such a young girl wouldn’t manage kitchen tasks, but she’s quite capable.”

Commander Qin replied, “Eating can’t keep your mouth shut.”

“Who are you talking about?” Zhang Hongping glared at him.

This old man really deserved a scolding.

“Grandma, I have a question for you.” Qin Ming leaned on the table, watching his grandpa eat, reminded of a question his friends had discussed that afternoon.

Zhang Hongping immediately said, “Xiao Ming, what do you want to ask?”

“Grandma, does giving money for elder care count as ‘mooching’?”

What?

Zhang Hongping suspected she had misheard.

What does giving money for elder care have to do with mooching?

“Why are you asking this? Did something happen?” She needed to understand the context before answering.

She wouldn’t dare tell her grandson that giving money for elder care is “mooching.”

Although she and the old man were getting older and didn’t need their children to take care of them, as they were financially secure, she hoped her grandson would still visit them in the future.

If she said giving elder care money was mooching, he might not come to see them in the future.

Qin Ming said, “This afternoon, a few of us were talking about what we want to do when we grow up. Lu Haici said he wants to be a college student because his dad is a college graduate, and his mom… well, I think she’s a high school graduate, but she also wants to go to college one day. So Lu Haici said he wants to be a college student, too. Then I said I want to be a soldier, to be a hero just like my grandpa.”

“After that, Lu Haici said he also wants to work and make money so that when his mom gets old, he can support her financially. But Chen Zhou said that giving money to support someone is like ‘mooching,’ because when Chen Zhou’s mom gave money to his grandma, Chen Zhou’s dad found out and called his grandma a ‘moocher.’ So, when Lu Haici grows up and gives money to his mom, does that mean his mom would also be a moocher?”

“Of course not,” Zhang Hongping replied. “Lu Haici’s mom raised him. When a son supports his mother, that’s called filial piety. Just like your dad will support me and your grandpa in our old age. But when a daughter marries into another family, if she still gives money to her own family, it might be seen as mooching. However, during the New Year, a daughter visiting her family should still bring gifts for her mother; that’s just a polite, thoughtful thing to do. But under normal circumstances, there’s no need for her to give her family money.”

She wouldn’t directly tell her grandson that daughters don’t need to support their parents, even if that’s what she thought.

She wanted to present only the best sides of the family to her grandson.

“So, if my mom gives money to my grandma, does that make my grandma a moocher?” Qin Ming asked again.

Zhang Hongping squinted, “Did your mom give money to your grandma?”

“My grandma asked for it, but my mom didn’t give it,” Qin Ming replied. “One time, when my mom and I visited my grandma, Grandma said that my uncle needed a lot of money for his wedding—dowry money, gifts, all sorts of things. She asked my mom to… to help out. But my mom said that since my uncle was getting married, it was up to Grandma to give her money to my uncle’s wife’s family if she wanted to. My mom also said that as his elder sister, she’d give him a gift out of goodwill, but she wouldn’t pay for the dowry.”

Zhang Hongping nodded, “Your mom is right. Her money is meant for you in the future; she can’t just give it to others.”

“This daughter-in-law has some sense,” thought Zhang Hongping, satisfied with Qian Yuelan’s perspective on these matters.

Commander Qin said, “Why are you discussing this with him? He doesn’t understand it. Xiao Ming, listen to Grandpa: you’re going to be a big hero someday, just like Grandpa. You don’t need to worry about these little things.”

Commander Qin had never involved himself in family matters.

He joined the military young, and his parents didn’t get a chance to teach him much.

By the time he was grown, married, and had kids, he was already an officer, and his parents didn’t know what else to teach him. “Xiao Ming, listen to Grandpa and be like me.”

“Just marry a good wife, let her manage the household, and hand over your salary.”

Commander Qin believed that a man should work outside, a woman should take care of the children at home, and it was only right for him to hand over his salary.

Zhang Hongping wanted to object, but she was a bit of a double standard.

She expected her husband to hand over his salary, but she preferred her son and grandson not to do the same with their wives.

However, she didn’t dare say that out loud, so she kept it to herself.

“In any case, you just need to understand that a child giving money to support their parents is the natural order of things; it’s not ‘mooching.’ But there’s no obligation for a son-in-law to support his mother-in-law. Your friend Chen Zhou’s father was right—if his mother were giving Chen family money to her mother, that would be ‘mooching.’ This needs to be made clear to the grandson so he doesn’t just follow what he sees.”

“Of course, during the New Year, Chen Zhou’s mom should visit her own mother with some respectful gifts—that’s expected. But on regular days, it’s not needed. Got it?”

“Grandma, that’s so confusing.” Qin Ming blinked innocently.

Zhang Hongping sighed, “Alright, let’s make it simple. If your mother-in-law ever asks for money, you can give her five cents a month. Anything over five cents would be ‘mooching.’ Five cents a month is generous enough—six yuan a year.”

“Only five cents?” Qin Ming protested loudly. “No way, I’m not even giving five cents!” His own allowance didn’t even reach five cents a month. “I don’t have that kind of money.”

Commander Qin: …

Zhang Hongping: …

In her effort to prevent her grandson from giving too much to his future mother-in-law, she didn’t expect he wouldn’t even want to part with five cents!

Did she overestimate him?

Commander Qin chuckled, “Alright, let’s not talk about this anymore. Xiao Ming, are you going to the mess hall for lunch again tomorrow?”

“Of course! We all agreed to go every day.” Qin Ming was now determined to avoid eating his grandma’s cooking at home.

He’d never realized how delicious food could be until he tried meals made by Lu Haitzi’s mother.

“Then Grandpa will join you tomorrow for lunch in the mess hall.”

“You dare!” Zhang Hongping burst out, annoyed. “Are you saying you don’t like my cooking? I’ve cooked for you all these years. Too late to complain now!”

Commander Qin: “No, no, I’m just thinking you’ve worked hard all these years. You deserve a break. From now on, we can eat at the mess hall together.”

Look at him, so considerate of his wife!

Zhang Hongping scoffed.

She knew her husband’s real intentions, but remembering how tasty Lu Cheng’s wife’s cooking was, she decided she’d go check it out for herself at lunch tomorrow.

The Ji family

“Let me go for the interview tomorrow,” Xu Huijuan hadn’t expected that other mess halls were really hiring.

“Yeah, both the unit mess hall and the main mess hall are looking for people. Which one do you want to go to?” Ji Changfeng replied.

“How much do they pay at each?” Xu Huijuan was concerned about this.

“The unit mess hall hires non-staff, which pays 15 yuan a month. But if the unit has a mission and there’s no cooking to do, they’ll deduct daily wages. The main mess hall can take you in as staff, and if you get in, it pays 23 yuan a month. However, the main mess hall has four days off a month, so there’s no risk of deductions for unit missions,” Ji Changfeng explained.

Upon hearing this, Xu Huijuan realized that since the main mess hall had a formal position and the unit mess hall only offered a non-staff role, the wage difference might seem just eight yuan, but in reality, if the unit had missions, the pay would be even less.

So she decided without hesitation: “Then I’ll go for an interview at the main mess hall. If I can get in, I’ll stay there. If not, then I’ll go to the unit mess hall.”

“Sounds good. By the way, Comrade Lin’s cooking is really impressive.” They were eating the dishes Ji Yang had brought.

“That’s true.” Although Xu Huijuan had complicated feelings about Lin Qingqing, she had been friends with her in her past life and didn’t harbor jealousy.

Even if she sometimes felt a pang of discomfort seeing Lin Qingqing’s youth, beauty, and vitality, it wasn’t directed at Lin Qingqing herself. “Old Ji, do I look particularly old?”

“What?” Ji Changfeng questioned, suspecting his wife might have been drinking.

“It’s nothing, nothing.” Xu Huijuan felt a bit embarrassed to ask.

---

As soon as the three members of the Lu family returned home, they were greeted by a delicious aroma—braised pork intestines.

In the afternoon, Lu Cheng had taken the intestines to Yu Xiuyao to wash, and she had brought the cleaned intestines to Lin Qingqing.

Just as Lin Qingqing was making loungewear, she had naturally prepared the braise.

Now, more than two hours had passed, and the sauce had thickened nicely.

“Let’s have clam rice porridge tomorrow morning. I’ll soak the clams overnight and take them to the Third Unit’s mess hall to cook in the morning. You guys come to the Third Unit mess hall by eight.” She planned to send some firewood to the Third Unit’s cooking team every month, just in case anyone had something to say

“As long as it’s cooked by Mom, I’ll…” Lu Haici was in the middle of praising when suddenly someone knocked from outside: “Is Comrade Lin Qingqing here? Someone is looking for her at the front gate.”

“Someone’s looking for you.”

Lin Qingqing was taken aback; it was getting dark.

Who could it be?

“Did they say who it is?” Lu Cheng stepped out of the hall and approached the door.

Lin Qingqing quickly regained her composure and hurried outside.

As she moved, Lu Haici followed closely behind her.

At the door was a soldier on guard.

Seeing Lu Cheng, he saluted and said, “Deputy Commander Lu, a man who claims to be Ma Chenggong from the supply and marketing cooperative is looking for Comrade Lin. He says Comrade Lin knows him.”

Lin Qingqing immediately thought of Director Ma from the supply and marketing cooperative.

She said to Lu Cheng, “It’s Director Ma from the cooperative. I’ll go meet him. He must have come straight after work, so it’s probably something to do with the braised dishes.”

Lu Cheng nodded in agreement but added, “I’m going with you.”

“No need, I’ll go ahead.” Lin Qingqing responded and turned to the soldier, saying, “Thank you.”

She then rushed over to avoid keeping Director Ma waiting too long.

The soldier followed her.

Meanwhile, Lu Haici darted past his dad with a patter of little feet, chasing after Lin Qingqing.

Lu Cheng: “…”

He had intended to go with her first; how did this little brat get ahead of him?

Not that the little one could outrun him.

Lu Cheng quickened his pace.

Lin Qingqing ran fast, and when she reached the entrance of the family compound, she indeed spotted Director Ma. “Director Ma!” she called out. Director Ma also saw Lin Qingqing and waved, saying, “Comrade Lin!”

Breathless, Lin Qingqing reached Ma’s side. “Sorry for keeping you waiting.”

“Not at all; I came quite unexpectedly, and I…” He paused as a tall figure approached Lin Qingqing, causing him to stop mid-sentence.

Lin Qingqing turned around and saw Lu Cheng. “What are you doing here?”

Lu Cheng, with a serious expression, lied, “Well, I had nothing to do after dinner.”

“Mom…” Lu Haici shouted from a distance, feeling upset that his dad didn’t wait for him.

Even if he didn’t wait, he could have carried him over! So unfair—bad dad.

Lin Qingqing: “…”

What was with this crowd?

Did everyone have to tag along?

She introduced Ma, “This is my husband, Lu Cheng, and the one behind is my son, whom you’ve met.”

Director Ma’s heart raced.

He looked at Lu Cheng and nervously said, “Hello, Comrade Lu.”

He was older than Lu Cheng but used the formal “Comrade,” because even in training clothes, he could see the two bars and a star on Lu Cheng’s uniform.

He realized Lu Cheng was a company-grade officer.

My goodness, while Comrade Lin looked young, her husband was a deputy commander and so young at that; his future looked incredibly bright!

Lu Cheng: “Hello.”

Director Ma, the head of the county’s supply and marketing cooperative, was a man of experience.

He quickly collected himself and then turned to Lin Qingqing. “Comrade Lin, I’d like to discuss the matter of the marinated food with you. Why don’t we find a place to talk?”

Lin Qingqing replied, “Certainly, we could go to my house; it would be more convenient.”

Director Ma agreed, “Alright.”