Gou Dan, the one who most wanted the sweet soup, sniffed the aroma greedily, his small nose wrinkling as he didn’t dare to open his eyes, inhaling the sweet scent.

“I really don’t understand. Can I ask, how did you make this money?” Su Xiangwan couldn’t believe it.

This man actually earned money?

The amount he gave to the old lady was more than an ordinary soldier’s ten years of income.

Song Qingshan answered honestly, “We get special assignments, with allowances. Of course, those are classified missions.” He added, “We often risk our lives, like that time when the plane was hijacked. It was a deadly mission, and the reward is high if we survive. But if we die, the compensation isn’t high, because the state’s regulations on death compensation only go up to 500 yuan.”

“Three thousand seven hundred and fifty yuan, it’s all here. Do you want to keep it or should I keep it?” Su Xiangwan asked him.

Song Qingshan glanced at it but didn’t answer.

Well, he had nothing to say.

The commotion had already been made, and the old lady was pretending to be sick in the old house. Fortunately, no one in the village knew about it, or they would probably laugh at the Song family for a long time.

After Song Qingshan finished the soup, he washed the pot and went up to the bed. Su Xiangwan didn’t scold or say anything.

This made Song Qingshan feel a bit dazed. He thought to himself that Su Xiangwan might have lost her mind and was dead set on divorcing him, someone who could never be brought back even by eight horses.

But just then, Lu Dan’s small voice spoke up, “Mom, why don’t you scold him? If you don’t, I’m getting anxious.”

Su Xiangwan pulled the sweaty little head of this silly child and asked, “Why?”

“Gou Dan’s the one who’s been wronged, but that’s not important. The important thing is, you’ve been wronged so many times. Remember when you bought us an oil ring? Grandma scolded you for spending too much and said you were wasting Dad’s money, but she never gave us a cent,” Lu Dan said angrily. “If we had known, we wouldn’t have stolen his tractor when he came back. I should’ve just taken charge. If you’re the Party Secretary, we’d have a better life than we do now.”

Song Qingshan finally couldn’t hold back anymore, “Song Donghai, shut up and go to sleep.”

Lu Dan pouted, but his father’s stern tone made him stop talking.

He closed his mouth, though in his heart, he still felt regretful. If only he were in charge, things would be different.

The child looked at his own skinny little arms, then at his father’s muscular build, feeling envious.

“Now that the money’s all been returned, Xiangwan, you can use it however you want. It’s up to you,” Song Qingshan finally said.

Su Xiangwan, who had been calm until now, was instantly irritated. “Song Qingshan, do you think our relationship is about money?”

It wasn’t about money at all. It was about how he had wronged her—or rather, wronged the original body.

“Dad should be like Gou Dan, kneel down and apologize to Mom,” Lu Dan couldn’t help but add.

Song Qingshan’s tone immediately turned sharp, “What has Gou Dan done wrong? Why should he kneel? He didn’t steal anything. Why should he kneel?”

Su Xiangwan said, “It’s not a big deal, but Gou Dan’s personality is like that. I’ll help him change slowly. I’ve already scolded him once for this, so don’t scold him again.”

Song Qingshan sat on the kang for a while, paused for a moment, and said softly, “Sorry for the trouble, Su Xiangwan. I feel really bad for you, but it’s hard to say this in front of the two kids. Could you please give me some face and not make this harder for me?”

Su Xiangwan immediately laughed, “Oh, when you divided the family and hid that sum of money, didn’t you think that today, you might lose face?”

“The old man lost more than just face, he lost everything,” Lu Dan whispered, adding quietly.

That was a direct insult to his father’s dignity.

Su Xiangwan sharply ordered, “Go to sleep!”

“Mom, you can’t win the argument alone, I’ll help you argue,” Lu Dan almost rolled up his sleeves.

Su Xiangwan hugged his head and kissed him deeply, saying, “Now, go to sleep.”

Fine, to give his mother face, Lu Dan closed his eyes. No matter how loud the argument between his parents got, he wouldn’t open his eyes again.

Song Qingshan saw Su Xiangwan sitting by the window, not sleeping, still sewing her clothes. He got up, brought over a folding table from the tractor, set it on the ground, and laid out a drawing board, pencils, ruler, and triangle. Then, he started drawing plans.

Su Xiangwan remembered that this man was just an engineer, but she didn’t expect he could also draw plans.

She couldn’t help but think, men working are always handsome. In his white shirt, with a watch on his wrist, and his thick eyebrows and big eyes, he looked like an old-fashioned handsome man.

He was trying to tempt her to soften her heart, to forgive him.

Not happening, Su Xiangwan chose to ignore him.

“You’re the chief commander, so what kind of plans are you drawing?” she asked, unable to resist.

Song Qingshan leaned over the table with his hands on it and said, “This isn’t a blueprint for the dam. It’s a map for planting explosives in the mountains. Explosives are classified as top-level military equipment now. Every time I use a pack, I have to decide for myself.”

Su Xiangwan then asked, “Do you think I’m too harsh on your mom?”

Song Qingshan, of course, didn’t answer.

But Su Xiangwan could guess—he wouldn’t ask for money from her, but he would get it elsewhere to support his mother.

As long as Song Qingshan was determined to keep supporting her, no matter how many times she took a knife to try to cut it back, it wouldn’t work.

She couldn’t keep cutting him down while he secretly gave money to his mother.

While continuing to sew her clothes, Su Xiangwan said, “A few days ago, Zhao Guodong told me a story about ‘The Fisherman and the Goldfish.’ I don’t know if you’ve heard it, Song Tuan.”

Song Qingshan raised his eyebrows, then nodded, “It was written by the Russian poet Pushkin.”

“Since you’ve read it, what do you think of it?” Su Xiangwan asked.

Song Qingshan never expected that one day he would discuss a Russian fable with his wife, who only had a second-grade education. He replied, “Although the story is absurd, in real life, such things are very common.” He was thinking about his relationship with his mother—it was a typical example.

“So how much do you think we would need to give for the old lady to be satisfied?” Su Xiangwan asked Song Qingshan in return.

Song Qingshan paused, then looked up at his wife.

She was sitting on the kang, looking beautiful under the oil lamp, almost like a Bodhisattva.

Of course, this woman had always been beautiful.

Two years ago, when they were in Winter Wind City, she was even more beautiful because they had money and lived comfortably.

When she was dissatisfied with him, she always brought up Zhao Guodong.

When she was happy, with just a few words, she could push Zhao Guodong aside. Her mouth was incredibly sharp.

“You probably think that, as the eldest, you can handle supporting both parents on your own. But Song Qingshan, have you ever thought that the reason your third brother turned out this way is because of you and your second brother?” Su Xiangwan said slowly, word by word.

Song Qingshan finally got upset, “We both worked hard to earn money and support the family. He stayed at home all the time, so it’s our fault?”

“Yes, how do you think I raise my sons?” Su Xiangwan glanced at the two boys who were pretending to sleep.

She slapped each of their heads, “Since they are brothers, if one makes a mistake, everyone should be corrected. If there’s food, they eat together, if there’s hardship, they face it together. You think you can support your parents on your own, but the third one doesn’t need to take care of his parents, doesn’t worry about his wife or children, just sits back and enjoys life. Isn’t that how he turned into a thief? It’s not all your fault as a family, but if he never had money or military uniforms to rely on, soap to use, do you think he’d be so brazen today?”

“Mom, the two of us will take care of you together in the future,” Gou Dan finally stopped pretending to sleep and said sweetly.

Su Xiangwan smiled and patted the boy’s head, saying, “When I can earn my own money, I won’t need you to take care of me. Now, go to sleep.”

She raised her head and added, “If you want to give money to your mother, that’s your freedom, I won’t interfere. But I’ll give you some advice. Instead of giving her money now, you’d better open an account at the credit union, save a little every month. After a few years, when your mother is old and no one’s there to support her, then the brothers can discuss together and decide who will take care of her. That way, it’ll be fairer.”

When Su Xiangwan said this, Song Qingshan raised his head.

Although he didn’t speak, he was deeply impressed. He had to admit, this woman’s way of thinking was aligned with his own, and she was very wise.

He had been thinking the same thing—saving money for the old lady.

When she’s had enough of her life, no one is left to take care of her. Either use the money for a nursing home, or the one who’s willing to take care of her should be given the money.

He checked the placement of the explosives one last time, then saw Su Xiangwan standing up, trying on the clothes she had sewn herself.

The clothes were old military green uniforms she had modified into women’s clothing. The waist had been narrowed, the shoulders had been slimmed, but it still looked like a man’s style.

“Do I look pretty?” She stood on the kang (a traditional Chinese heated bed), buttoning up her clothes and adjusting her hair as she asked.

“How could you not be pretty?” she was stunning, almost like a soldier from the military newspaper cover on Women’s Day, no, actually more than that — she had a more sensual quality, since she was a lively woman, sitting on a simple bed with a checkered sheet on it.

Song Qingshan nodded, of course, not daring to mention anything about condoms.

He turned and got back onto the bed, standing at attention, humming the national anthem, almost like he was about to fall asleep with the red flag rising.

“By the way, can you take a day off tomorrow?” Su Xiangwan turned off the light with a snap, and in the dark, she quietly started undressing.

She folded her clothes neatly and placed them under the pillow, since she would need them again tomorrow.

Song Qingshan immediately did a sit-up and sat up straight: “What do you need me to do? Just say the word.”

After all, he was a soldier, and obeying orders was his duty.

What’s more, though he didn’t show it on the outside, his mind was already reflecting deeply.

The feeling of guilt and heaviness in his heart was far stronger than any punishment, such as being whipped or scolded.

So, when Su Xiangwan gave an order, it wasn’t even a matter of words; he immediately sat up.

Oh no, if she told him to go out and run ten laps, even if the whole village laughed at him, he’d do it without hesitation.

His thoughts were that pure at the moment.

Su Xiangwan, holding back a laugh in her heart, thought to herself: “For now, let’s just treat this man like a donkey. After all, someone like him has a black heart; scolding or hitting him won’t work. It’s better to make him work like a donkey.”

“Tomorrow is the day I join the Party. I have to go to the village to take the oath, and you’ll be in charge of Zhi Zhi and Lu Dan,” Su Xiangwan said.

Lu Dan let out a loud cry: “Ah, Mom, why? What about Gou Dan? You won’t leave him behind, will you?”

Su Xiangwan said, each word deliberate: “As for Gou Dan, tomorrow I will give him a moral lesson. Tomorrow, I will take him alone.”

It was time to give the always disobedient Gou Dan some proper education.

Of course, tomorrow, Song Qingshan would have to tell her the boy’s full name, as she wanted to begin training Gou Dan to be a self-reliant, strong, and upright child.

The night passed, and on the big kang, in their sweet dreams, Song Qingshan’s family of five each fell asleep, each with their own thoughts.