B5SB -Chapter 214 Woken Up with a Pat

By the time the weekend rolled around,

Grandma Gu was in the living room, scissors in hand, taking apart the comforters. In just over half a month, it would be May, and the weather was gradually warming up.

The household had already switched to lighter bedding, so the thick quilts were no longer necessary.

Taking advantage of Gu Yihan’s weekend rest, she hurried to clean them before putting them away.

Creak.

Hearing the door open, Grandma Gu looked up to see her little granddaughter standing at the bedroom door, holding the little one in her arms.

“Ah! Why are you up so early today?” she exclaimed.

She glanced at the table clock—only seven o’clock.

Gu Yihan walked past Grandma Gu and sat on the sofa, looking plaintively at Haohao, who had his arms wrapped around her neck.

“This stinky kid woke me up with a slap,” she complained.

Grandma Gu quickly put down the quilt and went to her granddaughter’s side. “Did he hit your face?”

Grandma Gu knew her well—if it hadn’t hurt, she definitely wouldn’t have woken up this early on a weekend.

Gu Yihan nodded, still feeling a bit wronged.

She had been anxiously searching for the bathroom in her dream when the little one slapped her face, nearly scaring her into peeing herself.

“Come on, let great-grandma hold you,” Grandma Gu said, clapping her hands and reaching out for the little one.

Haohao didn’t notice at all that his mother was in a bad mood.

Grinning, showing his six tiny teeth, he spread his arms and giggled at Grandma Gu.

Grandma Gu laughed as she picked him up, then reminded her granddaughter, “I left some food for you in the kitchen.”

Gu Yihan nodded and walked over, rubbing her dry face.

Last night, after washing up, Lu Huailin had kept her busy goofing around, and she hadn’t had time to apply any snow cream.

Knock, knock, knock.

Hearing a knock at the door, Gu Yihan peeked from the kitchen, but Grandma Gu hadn’t come out.

She walked to the door and opened the courtyard gate.

Su Nian stood there, smiling warmly. “Gu Yihan, want to buy a chicken?”

Gu Yihan smiled back. “Sister Su, just call me Xiaohan.”

Su Nian nodded and corrected herself: “Xiaohan, do you want a chicken?”

Gu Yihan asked, “Where are we buying it from?”

Hearing her question, Su Nian knew she was interested. She quickly told her that the canteen had live chickens today and could sell a dozen or so to army wives—but it was first come, first served.

Gu Yihan’s eyes lit up. Perfect! She could improve her meals without leaving the military housing area.

“Wait a moment, Sister Su,” she said, turning toward the living room. Opening the door, she called to Grandma Gu, “Grandma, I’m going out for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”

Grandma Gu was feeding Haohao some egg custard and simply nodded, replying, “Alright.”

Gu Yihan and Su Nian went to the cooking camp. By the time they arrived, several army wives were already picking out hens.

Su Nian pointed to one in the middle: “How about that one with the red string on its back?”

Gu Yihan looked at the many chickens, her eyes spinning—she suffered from choice paralysis, as they all looked the same to her.

Su Nian muttered to herself, “No, that chicken’s too fat, not suitable for soup.”

Gu Yihan tilted her head, surprised. “You can tell which chicken isn’t good for soup?”

Su Nian smiled. “It’s fine for braising, but too greasy for soup.”

Gu Yihan froze for a moment at Su Nian’s words.

Her family used to have plenty of servants—she had been a young lady who never touched household chores and couldn’t cook a thing. And now, she could tell which ingredients were suitable for what?

Seeing Gu Yihan’s expression, Su Nian couldn’t help laughing. “Alright, quickly pick a pretty one.”

After some discussion, Gu Yihan bought one with a red tail, and Su Nian got one with a black tail.

On the way back, Gu Yihan listened to Su Nian chattering, learning that in recent years, she had had two children since getting married—a four-year-old boy and a seven-month-old girl. Her sister-in-law lived with them, helping to take care of the children.

In the Afternoon.

“Commander Lu.”

Hearing Zhou Jun’s call, Lu Huailin stopped and turned to him.

Zhou Jun hurried over and, seeing the hen in Lu Huailin’s left hand, asked in confusion, “Didn’t your wife already buy a chicken?”

Lu Huailin narrowed his eyes—he didn’t even know his wife bought a chicken. How did Zhou Jun find out?

Seeing Lu Huailin’s expression turn cold, Zhou Jun quickly explained, “My wife said this morning that she was going to pick a chicken with Sister-in-law.”

Lu Huailin’s lips curved, his expression softening.

Knowing Su Nian had taken the initiative to get along with his wife, he felt a little moved. He hoped his wife would have friends to talk to in the housing area.

His tone became gentle: “Since our families live close by, we can often get together in the future.”

Zhou Jun had risen from humble beginnings; besides being capable, he knew how to maintain relationships. He subtly drew closer to Lu Huailin and said with a smile, “Seems our families are quite connected.”

Lu Huailin looked at him, puzzled. “Connected? How do you mean?”

Zhou Jun was surprised. “Your wife didn’t tell you?”

Last night, when he got home, Su Nian had grabbed his arm excitedly: “In the military housing, Gu Yihan and her classmates—”

As a simple country soldier, he had married a wife who was beautiful, educated, and from a good family—everyone in his village envied him.

He had thought it was good fortune from his ancestors. But last night, he realized the fortune came from Gu Yihan.

“What did she say?”

Hearing Lu Huailin’s question, Zhou Jun snapped back to reality. Looking at him with a smile, he said, “Thanks to your wife, I married such a wonderful woman like Su Nian.”

“Oh, she told you,” Lu Huailin said casually.

Even without fully understanding Zhou Jun’s meaning, he knew he wouldn’t make a fool of himself.

Lu Huailin thought quietly to himself.

…

Grandma Gu, carrying the braised chicken, had just stepped out of the kitchen when she saw Lu Huailin toss the chicken he was holding into the center of the courtyard.

“Xiao Lu, you bought one too?”

Lu Huailin couldn’t help but smile at Grandma Gu’s concerned expression. “Grandma, I just thought you work hard at home, so I bought a chicken to help you replenish your energy.”

Hearing the noise outside, Gu Yihan had just walked out of the living room and caught Lu Huailin’s words.

Seeing Grandma Gu’s smile instantly, she quietly gave a thumbs-up.

The whole family sat down together for dinner in a lively atmosphere.

Grandma Gu chattered on: “Haohao is growing up so fast. He’ll need more money in the future, so we must save carefully.”

Gu Yihan placed some pieces of meat into Grandma Gu’s bowl and smiled, “Grandma, the army wives here all say that when we stand together, we look like mother and daughter.”

Lu Huailin saw the smile in his wife’s eyes—such a little flatterer.

Grandma Gu beamed, patting her own cheek. She also felt herself getting younger.

Gu Yihan nodded, pointing to the braised pork: “Eat well, stay healthy, and you’ll look even younger.”

Hearing this, Grandma Gu laughed, thinking that she could worry a little less in the future and save her granddaughter from having to rack her brains to please her.